On the late night of Saturday a full moon shone down on a house, the clouds seemed to part to allow the moon to shine as if a strange magic kept it uncovered, the house that the moons light focused on was a regular house that held a regular family, all except for one.
A seventeen years old boy named Blake lived in this house, a somewhat oddity among his family, as his mother had brown hair, and his father had blond, a child of the two would be expected to have either of their hair colours or a mixture of the two, Blake had none of these options as his hair was pure black from the day he was born.
The colour of his hair had part to do with his name, but what really cemented his name was the dark smudge shaped birthmark on his thigh, it was darker than most birthmarks but the doctors had said it was a common thing for children to be born with and that he wouldn't suffer any ill effects from it.
How wrong the doctor was…
On this night of the full moon lying in bed was Blake who had been sick for the last couple of days, an illness the doctor said was a common cold, but Blake had never experienced a cold like this before.
I shivered under my blanket even though I wasn't cold I was far from it, I was sweating and dying from heat but the moment I would take the blanket off I'd be freezing and the sweat on my body would feel like ice water, so I suffered beneath my blanket.
My entire body ached, all of my joints and muscles felt like I had done every exercise known to man without resting, I could barely move without feeling spikes of pain, so instead I remained motionless, sleep would normally be the best option to escape my sickness but tonight I couldn't sleep no matter how tired and exhausted I felt, my body would deny me the rest I so longed for.
Looking towards the digital clock on my bedside table the numbers showed it was eleven fifty eight, almost midnight, and for some reason my body seemed to shake more from that thought, I couldn't tell why but today my body seemed to dread midnight, all day it was like I was watching a countdown timer, all the while not knowing what the countdown lead to.
As I stared at the clock, I suddenly felt a spike of pain shoot through my head, the pain forced me to wince and my vision became blurred, the numbers on the clock becoming unreadable white blobs that took their place, I closed my eyes groaning, a migraine...of course it was a migraine.
I suffered from them often throughout my life, the pain in my head that made me experience an agony I never thought imaginable, like a metal spiked fist punching my brain, it was like a hammer pounding in my head leaving me unable to do anything for hours, I remembered the countless days where I laid in bed for hours suffering through the pain in my head unable to stop it, just leaving me there needing to suffer through it, a wet rag normally on my forehead to try to relive the pain, it never did help much.
The pain would become so bad I'd often ask God himself to just let me die so that the pain would end, afterwards when the pain had ended I'd thank God he didn't answer my prayer, I didn't really want to die, I still had plans for my life.
I wanted to become an animator some day, make cartoons that kids could actually enjoy, unlike most current day cartoons that were lame jokes meant for children to just watch the bright colours and listen to the comedy, I wanted to make cartoons with actual story lines that a kid would be eager to see the next episode, much like I had when I was younger, cartoons had really lowered in quality from when I was young.
These thoughts brought a faint smile to my face before they were washed away by the hammer of pain in my head reminding me of my migraine, normally I'd grab some Advil but they were in the kitchen and my body didn't want to move, my normal escape from a migraine was sleep but I couldn't even do that as of late.
I was screwed, I would have to suffer all night until the migraine would end, most likely hours from now, opening my eyes I saw the white blobs in my vision but forced my eyes to focus on the clock, forcing the blobs to focus so I could see the time, luckily it worked although it came at the price of even more pain from straining my eyes to focus on the numbers as I watched the clock change from eleven fifty nine to twelve o'clock, and with that I felt pain rush through my entire body.
My eyes shooting wide open and causing me to open my mouth to let out an agonizing scream of pain but no sound escaped my mouth, my body felt like hot needles had been stabbed into my body thru my joints and into my muscles, I twisted and turned in my bed causing more burning pain to erupt but I couldn't help it the pain was making me thrash around in agony.
I felt my legs fully stretch out before I heard a popping and cracking sound, fear running through me I forced myself to look towards my feet fighting through the pain, I saw my left foot pointing straight out, it cracked again before it got longer, I clenched my teeth together in pain as I felt the sting from it, my left leg cracked and popped as it changed shape.
Although I wanted to scream I couldn't force a single sound out from my mouth, I watched with horror as my leg shifted and cracked looking nothing like a human limb, I even lost feeling in my toes as they all became hard and stiff, forcing my hand to grab the blanket I pulled it back so I could see my leg, the blanket slowly slid up from the end of the bed before I saw something that made me want to puke, instead of a foot I found a fleshy tube like stump, pulling the blankets further back I saw the stump was attached to an animal like leg.
I noticed that my femur had shrunk in length bringing my knee closer to my body while more muscles had grown around it making my thighs appear larger than normal, at first glance I thought that my knee had reversed position but upon further inspection I noticed that where I thought my knee was located was actually the location of my ankle, during the changes my ankle had shifted higher up my leg dew to how the bones in my foot had changed drastically lengthening in shape making my Fibula appear as though it had made up my upper leg upon first glance.
Shaking I stared at the leg, the pain in my body now forgotten as fear had filled all my thoughts, this wasn't something that just happened right? Legs don't just transform like this, was I dreaming? That had to be the answer but I thought you didn't feel pain in dreams? Then this was reality? Or maybe a cold induced hallucination?
My thoughts were everywhere rushing around like bees in a hive, but they were pushed away when my other leg fully stretched out and made a crack and popping sound, shaking my head and grabbing my leg trying to stop what I feared was coming next, it was a futile effort as my right leg transformed to match my left.
After my second leg changed I was left panting and gasping, as the two newly transformed limbs shook and twitched, trying to move my toes only resulted in me moving my new stumps back and forth.
Forcing my eyes shut I tried to think this through, trying to calm my mind of these impossible changes, but once more my thoughts were pushed to the side when I felt a pain in my spine and chest, my back arched as I felt the lumbar vertebrae in my back pop and elongate, I felt something push through the skin on my tailbone as new sacral vertebrae began growing in place, looking behind me I saw what could only be described as a tail growing out from my body, my eyes twitching I now knew I was insane, though that realization would have to wait because my chest suddenly rounded outward and I lost the ability to breathe.
I furiously tried to suck air in but couldn't get any into my lungs, like I had gotten the wind knocked out of me, I gasped and grabbed at my chest pulling at my shirt and tearing it off of my body, I looked at my now rounded out rib cage as my stomach narrowed down and my waist sucked in, my guts felt like they were being forced through a straw now, tears filled my eyes as I feared that I would suffocate to death, as my vision began to go dark from lack of air I suddenly felt a rush of air into my lungs, gasping greedily for breath as much beautiful oxygen as I could while a smile of relief spread across my face.
Thank you God for allowing me to breath once more, panting I looked back at my body finding a very dramatically changed form, all that was left resembling my original body where my arms which now looked strange on my weird hairless animal anatomy, I wasn't even sure what animal my mind had made my body look like.
This nightmare hallucination or whatever it is freaked me out and I wished it would just be over with, but then my right hand started shaking before it started stretching, realizing what was happening I watched my hand as my fingers started to stiffen and merge together, I couldn't move my fingers no matter how hard I tried as they began to change.
I watched as my wrist began moving further up my arm taking it's new place, the humerus in my forearm started to shrink in length while the radius in my lower arm began to grow longer, by the time my humerus stopped shrinking I could no longer make it out from the rest of my body as my radius had now taken the place of my upper arm and the metacarpals from my fingers had now taken the place of my lower arm.
my right arm was now a fleshy tube longer than my left arm, but that changed fast as my left arm began going thru the same changes as my right arm had just moments ago until I was left with no hands, freaking out I waved the stumps around I grabbed at them or at least attempted to as I no longer had anything to grab them with.
I panted and laid my head down on my pillow looking up at the ceiling, I really hope this is a dream or something because I had no way of living a normal life if it wasn't, I was now a human with a hairless animal body.
I felt a sudden burning in my back that forced me to roll onto my side forcing my head to look towards my back in the process as I felt my back begin to shift, it looked like something was moving beneath my skin, that was when a pair of strange limbs began to grow from my back,
The strange limbs that had started growing from my back looked like new set of arms at first before their humerus, ulna's and radius began growing to much larger proportions with what looked like misshapen fingers growing from their ends, the metacarpals grew to extraordinary length as they took on a more featherless wing like appearance, they where now laying there outstretched on the bed twitching occasionally, I had featherless wings now….ok….
Shaking I looked away from my back, that was when my neck tightened and began popping stretching longer as my cervical vertebrae grew thicker and longer, I choked as a result from the sudden growth as my neck grew, when were my changes going to end? How much more of me would change?
I was given my answer as I felt my face begin to heat up until it felt like my entire face was starting to burn, my eyes widened in shook at the fear of losing my facial features, but it did nothing to stop it as my face started elongating and my nose melted away fusing into my upper jaw as it extended forwards as I watched it stretch into view, soon I had a muzzle, my teeth suddenly sharpened until I only had canine teeth left in my mouth, feeling around with my much longer tongue I had to remember not to bite down on it when I tried talking otherwise I'd probably pierce my tongue, my eyes began stinging as I forced them closed they then became larger nearly popping out of my skull but they soon transformed as well to fit them, I felt the changes to my ears as they slid up the sides of my head to their new resting place on top growing longer and pointier all the wile.
Panting from exhaustion I moved my stumped hands up and rubbed my transformed face, I now must have looked nothing like my human self, that's when I felt a burning between my legs, no...no no no….I lost my body you are not taking that from me as well!!
Desperately I tried to grab onto the one thing there that marked me as male with my stumps, the burning got worse and I felt as if a hot metal spike was being stabbed between my legs, the pain forced me to let go as it sunk deeper into my body, rummaging the smooth spot that was left tears filled my eyes as I had lost my gender that had now been replaced with the opposite sex, this couldn't be reality, none of this made any sense it couldn't be possible.
Tingling went across my body as I felt tiny pinpricks spread up my body starting from my legs, looking down with fear in my eyes I watched as dark black hair crawled up my body like a blanket of moss, the hair moved around my birthmark strangely but that soon began burning before purple hair grew out from it and in the middle light blue hair grew in the shape of a crescent moon.
The black hair spread up my body covering me completely in black, my face even became covered, the naked wings on my back though soon grew black feathers becoming large black wings, the naked tail suddenly sprouted blue hair that grew longer than the hair covering my body, my scalp burned as my black hair and the last shreds of my old self became longer and turned the same shade of blue as my new tail.
Panting I sighed hoping the changes were over, once more my wishes were ignored as I felt a pain increasing in intensity on my forehead before a spike shot out from my head leaving a small dribble of blood where the skin was pierced, looking up I saw a long black horn sticking out from my forehead.
I desperately needed to see what I had become, I had a full body mirror in my room but it was in the corner of the room and I couldn't see my reflection from my bed, I shakily moved my legs off the bed attempting to stand before collapsing to the floor with a heavy thud, my legs felt weird now and I don't think I could stand on them with my full body wight alone, putting my arms under myself I pushed myself up and shakily stood on all fours, my long arms where now the perfect length to allow myself to stand up straight much like an animal, closing my eyes I had to keep those thoughts out of my head if I didn't want to break down into tears, looking at the mirror I careful but shakily walked there, walking on all fours I was finding it harder than expected especially with these large wings just limply dragging on the floor to my sides.
Making my way there I took deep breaths to try and calm myself, my entire body shook as I got closer to the mirror, my breathing getting quicker the closer I got, I closed my eyes as I moved in front of the mirror, slowly I opened my eyes and jumped back in fright falling to my ass at what was staring back at me in the mirror, what was in the mirror looked like a horse out of someones worst nightmares, it had freaking glowing slitted blue eyes like a cat or snake! Plus it looked genetically modified as it had somewhat human features.
My heart was beating a mile a minute as I looked at what was now my new reflection, swallowing with my throat now parched, I stood back up and moved closer to the mirror, my reflection did the same, strangely I recognized this reflection somewhat, it was familiar but I don't know why, it was missing something but I just couldn't put my now non-existent finger on it.
That was until my mane and tail were engulfed in a blue glow as they began floating in a magical like energy, looking like a cloud of stars, and with that I knew why this reflection looked familiar, I'd seen it in a show I had recently started watching and come to enjoy, a character I liked a lot, I was Nightmare Moon.
Now I knew for certain that this had to be a dream, people don't just turn into living cartoon characters...right? I mean I was definitely her, just thinking about the current gender I now was made me sad, of course I liked Nightmare Moon but why did I have to turn into her? I had no problem with the female gender but suddenly being turned into a mare against my will I was not ok with.
This had to be a dream, it just had to, if it wasn't then my life was very much over, my dream of being an animator was doomed, without hands I couldn't draw, even if I could who would hire a freak of nature?? Clenching my sharp teeth and glared at the reflection in the mirror as tears filled my eyes, if it wasn't a dream how was I supposed to love or be loved like this?
Tears streamed down my face as I began sobbing as I fell to my haunches, my new ears folding against my head, my body shaking as the sobs wracked my body, my tears hitting my carpeted floor, I was a freak and my life was over.
As I sobbed my ears twitched and turned to the direction of sound as I heard the door creak open, my eyes widening I looked in fear towards it as a figure stepped into my room.
"Blake…?" A female voice spoke.
Blake's mother had been awakened by strange sounds and as she followed them she heard crying in her son's room, opening the door and walking in she called his name "Blake…?" She tired looked to his bed finding it empty, looking around the room she found it a bit hard to see anything in the dark room but her eyes soon fell onto two blue slitted eyes staring at her there in the dark, jumping back and hitting the door she stared wide eyed at the eyes.
She fumbled across the wall before finding what she was searching for and flipped the lights on, the room was filled with light and she had to squint from the sudden bright light but she saw in the corner of the room by the mirror was a large winged creature sitting on the floor.
The creature had been blinded by the light it seemed judging from its closed eyes, taking this opportunity she looked hastily around the room for her son but froze when she saw Blake's shredded clothes on the bed and floor.
No it couldn't be possible, her son couldn't be dead, but he was nowhere and his clothes were shredded, this monster was in here as well, she shook her head as tears filled her eyes,her sadness turning to anger as she looked at the monster that was now recovering from the light, she ran at it grabbing Blake's bat by the closet "where is my son?!" She shouted with rage as she raised the bat up.
The creatures eyes widened as it went to stand up, she quickly swung the bat connecting with the creatures face, the hit sent a vibration through her arms nearly making her drop the bat, the creature stumbled but pressed itself into the corner shaking and disoriented.
"Where is he?!" She went to hit it again from not being answer but stopped when she looked into it's eyes, those eyes she had thought were monstrous were now full of fear, she could even see the hair surrounding it's eyes were wet, were they from tears? It looked afraid even before she grabbed the bat, but what would a monster like this be afraid of?
It was standing by the mirror when she came in which didn't make much sense, she figured it would possibly try to escape through the window after taking her son but it was too far away from the window, the only reason it would be by the mirror is if it where….trying to see itself...Blake's mother looked at the terrified creature and shook her head, no no what she was thinking couldn't be true it was impossible...but standing in front of her was something impossible, taking a deep breath she spoke "B-Blake?"
The creature nodded its head still shaking.
I nodded my head looking at my mother, shaking after she had just hit me with the metal bat that now had a dent in it, the pain still stinging in my cheek though a lot less than I had expected after being hit by a freaking bat.
My mother dropped the bat putting her hands to her mouth "oh my God...Blake….h-how...how did this happen?"
"I..I don't.." I stopped talking after hearing the feminine voice of Nightmare Moon, looking to my mother she was also surprised by my new voice, I looked back to floor I couldn't look at her she looked so afraid of me "I don't know mom….I..I just became this…" I had once liked this voice from the show but hearing it leave my mouth made me despise it.
"I...it's going to be ok Blake...I'll...we'll figure this out" my mother went to touch me but I flinched at her approach, I didn't mean to but after she had hit me my body had just instinctual expected another assault, seeing her reaction made me want to cry, she looked shocked quickly followed by being horrified at the realization of what she'd done, she pulled her hand away "I'm...I'm sorry...I'll get your father…" she rushed out of the room.
I thought to follow her but decided against it, I didn't need to freak dad out the moment he woke up, shaking I remained where I was but it was getting harder to stay put, the light it hurt for some reason, It felt like I had a bad sunburn, I needed to get out of the light but I couldn't just leave the room or hide under the blanket no I had to stay here and wait for my parents, but it was getting harder to stay in the light it hurt so much, my entire body shook.
I can't, I can't stand it...the lights hurts to much, make the light go away... make the light go away...MAKE THE LIGHT GO AWAY!!! With that yell a feeling of warmth engulfed the horn on my forehead causing the light bulb on my ceiling fan to shatter casting the room in darkness.
I jumped from the sudden pop and looked up at the ceiling fan with the now smoking and shattered bulb...did I do that?...as this thought passed through my head I suddenly heard rapid footsteps coming closer form down the hall, fear gripped me and I scurried deeper into the corner for the room.
The door burst open and there standing in my room was my very tired looking father, he was squirting his eyes trying to look around in the dark, I shook remembering my mothers reaction, my father would react very poorly and I don't think I'd survive a bat swing from him.
My father looked in my direction and he jumped most likely seeing my eyes, he then began looking around the room quickly and with a sickening knot in my stomach I realized he was looking for a weapon to hit me with, cowering to the floor I awaited his assault.
More footsteps rushed down the hall before entering the room as my mother quickly walked to my father "honey calm down it's Blake!"
"What?! Blake doesn't have those eyes!" My father yelled.
My ear swivelled away from my head as I heard a clicking sound, I recognized it was my light switch being flipped.
"What?....Blake honey what happened to the lights?" My mother asked softly.
"T-the... the bulb popped…" damn that voice, it sounded nothing like my original and most definitely put more doubt into my father's mind making him less likely to believe that I'm actually me.
"Well replace it-" my mother spoke before being interrupted by my father.
"Rebecca forget the damn bulb! There is some…" my father fumbled with his words lost in thought trying to find the correct word to describe what I was "..thing...in our sons room and our son is missing!!" His anger returned.
Thinking quickly I remembered a moment from my past "d-dad….remember when I was eight a-and we went sledding during the winter and we found a large snow covered hill, and I went down it on my sled b-but we didn't know that at the bottom the snow was pushed up to form an unintentional ramp and I was sent flying through the air before landing upside-down" I chuckled from the memory, though frightening at the time it was funny to remember, looking down at my new hooves I doubted I'd be having those fun times ever again.
Looking back up I saw my father with a shocked expression "I...only we would know about that….Blake?..is that really you?"
I nodded "yeah dad….it's really me…"
"I.." my father put a hand to his head struggling to process this.
"We should wait till morning to talk about this more" my mother offered "and maybe Blake will return to normal by then…"
"Rebecca…" my father seemed to try and doubt her words but gave up "yeah...maybe your right" he sighed rubbing the bridge of his eyes before heading out of the room "Rebecca, you coming?"
"I will in a bit, I want to make sure Blake is alright" she looked to my father who nodded and left, she then turned to me.
"I...don't think I will be alright for a while" I sighed hanging my head.
My mother frowned and walked over before hesitantly rubbing my cheek, she then looked surprised "oh wow...your covered in hair…."
I chuckled softly "yeah…"
"Sorry I was surprised, come on let's get you into bed and we can all try and get some rest" she motioned for me to follow her to the bed which I complied and followed her to the bed, currently I was equal height with her which was something new, before I was at shoulder height with her, lifting my long forelegs I climbed into the bed before laying on my side and resting my head on my pillow.
Laying down felt so odd now, my body was so alien to me now, the long legs that ended with hard hooves made it hard to tell where the leg ended and the hoof began, I couldn't see an edge or anything, pulling my legs in close to my barrel I forced my eyes closed so I wouldn't have to see the body that I now inhabited, but even in my mind I couldn't escape the feeling of it.
Thoughts of my ruined life went through my mind, I couldn't go to school like this, I couldn't face my friends at least the few that I had, by now any hope of making more was crushed as I looked like some real life cartoon freak!
Tears formed in my eyes as I pushed my face into my pillow, my mother seemed to have noticed as she sat down on the edge of the bed and began stroking my new long neck, she ran her fingers through my mane which helped to calm me, when I was younger she'd do the same thing to help when I had nightmares, the irony in that didn't amuse me.
"It's going to be alright Blake…" she cooed as she ran her fingers through my mane.
"I hope so.." my voice is soft as I'm beginning to fall asleep, my eyes feeling heavier and heavier before sleep takes me.
I laughed evilly before reading up on my hind legs and slamming my fore hooves down onto the elements, their shattered fragments scattered around me, the pathetic little lavender unicorn in front of me looking distraught "you little fool! Thinking you could defeat me! Now you will never see your princess or your sun, the night will last forever!!" I laugh maliciously as my mane and tail swirl above me.
My laughter is cut short when I heard indistinct shouting coming from down the hall, the lavender unicorn gasps before smiling "you think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that?" She turns to me looking far braver then before.
I frown not liking where this is going.
"Well your wrong! Because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right here!" She yells as five other ponies Rush in and stand by her, two pegasi, another unicorn, and two earth ponies.
The elements shards begin glowing and shaking before floating up around me "what?" I exclaimed in surprise and confusion.
"Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of honesty" the lavender pony calls as some shards float to the orange earth pony.
The lavender unicorn looks to the yellow pegasus "Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of kindness" more shards flew to the yellow Pegasus who looked confused and scared at first.
"Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of laughter" she looked to the pink earth mare who excitedly watching shards fly to her.
She looked to the white unicorn "Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift, represents the spirit of generosity" more shards flew through the air and surrounded the white unicorn.
"And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart's desire, represents the spirit of loyalty" she looked to the blue pegasus as shards surrounded her "the spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us".
I looked over the five ponies with the shards floating around them "you still don't have the sixth element, the spark didn't work!"
"But it did, a different kind of spark" the lavender unicorn turned to the five ponies "I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you, the spark ignited inside me when I realized you all…" she had tears of happiness in her eyes as she turned back to face me "are my friends!"
Light erupted from above the six ponies as the sixth and final element descended down, I held a foreleg up to shield myself from the light the element cast.
"You see, Nightmare Moon, when those elements are ignited by the uh...the spark that resides in us all, it creates the sixth element...the Element of Magic!" The lavender unicorn smiled and closed her eyes as the sixth element turned into a white ball of light above her before exploding outward in light, each shard came together forming a necklace on each of the ponies necks except the sixth one that formed a crown on the lavender mares head, each of the six ponies floated in the air engulfed in the magical energy before a rainbow energy formed above them heading for the ceiling when it abruptly bent down towards me.
My eyes widened as I watched the display, the rainbow energy flew towards me "Noooo!! Nooooooooo!!!!" I yelled as the rainbow energy circled me, the energy burned directly into my very being, it ripped and tore away at my flesh vaporizing it as I was being taken off like the shell of my host, I struggled and thrashed trying to break free as the rainbow crawled up my body destroying my form, panicking my mind raced for an escape and I realized one, pointing my horn up I focused all my magic and sent it off, I shall be reborn and I shall take my vengeance on these pests!! The night will reign forever!!!!
I was startled awake from the dream I just had and ended up slamming my head into the wall before wincing in pain, smooth move...that was a crazy dream...I had just seen the ending to season ones premiere of friendship is magic but...from Nightmare Moon's point a view... although it wasn't as weird as the dream before that, that was traumatizing…
I rubbed my eyes with my hands...only I felt something hard make contact with my eyes, and I couldn't move my fingers, confused I pulled my hands away from my eyes opening them, staring in shock at what was before me where not my hands but the black hooves from last night, it wasn't a dream then…
Closing my eyes I felt the tears start running down the sides of my muzzle again, why couldn't it have been a dream? I could have then woken up as my normal nerdy self, Had a normal breakfast with my parents at the kitchen table and lived my normal weekend, that's all I would have asked for!!
But no instead I have to be miss evil moon! I try lowering my head onto my hooves only for my head not to budge causing me to wince in pain as I felt an uncomfortable pressure on my forehead, looking up to see what was the cause of my current predicament I saw my stupidly long and sharp horn embedded into the drywall, pulling my head back I tried freeing it but it wouldn't budge, I pressed both of my hooves against the wall trying to give myself some leverage but try as I might to get free I still remained stuck in the wall "come on!" I yelled in Nightmare Moon's voice or rather mine now.
I growl as I gave another mighty tug in a desperate attempt to free myself from this accursed wall, I hear the wall cracking open slightly leaving a fine powdered mess of drywall on my pillow from the effort, “huzzah!” I shout in joy at my freedom, unfortunately I had yet to realize that with great strength comes great momentum, I continued falling backwards from the force I provided in breaking free from the wall "no no wait!" I say in panic as I'm falling off my bed with a thud "ow…" the thud had shook my bedside table causing my clock to fall forward and resulting in it hitting me square on the muzzle "...ow" it didn't hurt psychically but it sure did hurt my pride.
Huffing in disappointment I looked up at my horn where some plaster was still stuck around the base of it, I then looked at my ceiling, what a way to start the day….I rolled over onto my hooves and stood up shakily before finding a suitable position to stand properly, my new wings hung limply on the ground fully outstretched "ugh" I wouldn't be able to walk like this.
Looking around my room I spotted one of my sweatpants legs that had been ripped off during the transformation, an idea suddenly popped into my head as I went to grab it, only for my hoof to just tap it with a light thunk "you've got to be fucking kidding me….ughhh" I grabbed the cloth in my mouth angrily and threw it over my back, I then reached under myself thanks to my much longer neck which was useful in this situation, I grabbed one end before looking at the other realizing my new problem "sunth uf a bithc…" my voice muffled from the cloth in my mouth, I lifted one leg to grab the other end before crashing to my side with a loud thud as the full weight of my body hits the floor since I was used to only standing on all fours, standing on three legs was a bit beyond my capability's apparently, and unfortunately I had landed on top of my wing which hurt immensely as I wince in pain.
DAMMIT!!!" I roared in anger which actually shook my room, I was surprised by how loud I was but relived that I hadn't shattered the window or mirror in the process, I had accidentally tapped into the Royal Canterlot Voice I'm gonna have to learn how to control that.
Looking at the cloth that had fortunately remained draped over my back during my visit with the floor I found that this position would make it easier to complete the task I had in mind,
I began twisting the two ends of the cloth together, lifting one end of the cloth up with my mouth so that I could push the other end of the cloth underneath with a hoof, I then place the end in my mouth back down onto the floor, with both ends of the cloth down I have the beginnings of a half knot, picking up the end of cloth that's on the bottom of the two ends with my mouth I fold it back over itself proceeded by pushing that same end of the cloth underneath with a hoof once done, With the simple half knot completed It's just a matter of repeating the previous steps to finish off the knot.
Standing up I looked at my wings which were now securely tied to my sides and off the ground, smiling proudly of the work I had just accomplished I trotted out of the room and towards the stairs before I stopped...I had just trotted...like it was nothing...haha! I can walk like this! I then tripped on my own legs and immediately proceeded to face plant into the first step, sitting there for bit I thought about life and the universe and how were all just one bug bear attack away from oblivion, just how much I wished to destroy it all before I took a deep breath through the carpet and pushed myself back up, so I can trot like a model horse but walking is like I'm a toddler, that makes sense right?
Growling I looked at the next problem that lay before me, stairs... oh how I loved stairs don't know why, don't ask me either, they were just a lot of fun to have, when I was younger I would run up them on all fours and it was a blast...down them however was something I never cared to try...until today…
I breathed in deeply and exhaled taking a big gulp before taking a tentative step down onto the next step, then another, so far so good, now for the back, first the left one down, now the right, ok...nice and slow...after a few long long minutes I made it to the bottom of the stairs, I was half expecting robots to be waiting down here at the bottom with how long it took me, instead I found my father watching the cable news network, I remembered the events of last night again and regretted coming down stairs.
Henry had awoken early this morning after not getting much sleep, he did his regular morning routine before sitting in his chair and turning on the news, taking his phone out of his pocket he was curious about something that had happened last night and wondered if it had happened to anyone else or if a cure was being made, he didn't find anything closely related to what he was searching for unfortunately.
Returning his attention to the news he let his mind drift, how was he supposed to believe what happened last night actually happened and that he didn't just go mad, it seemed like the thing a mad man would imagine.
Sighing he rubbed his eyes but once he lowered his hand he jumped seeing the large black creature at the bottom of the stairs, it had a cloud of stars on its head and ass as well as a damn long horn sticking from its head, his breath hitched as he looked over this thing that was standing before him inside of his house before his mind started to calmed slightly, he had to remind himself that this was his son...even if it didn't look like him..
"Morning Dad…" I forced a smile to try and calm my dad but he seemed to just get more unnerved by it, oh shit...forgot...sharp teeth…Yeah that definitely didn't look like a calming smile to him.
Henry blinked before shaking his head "uh...good morning..s-son" he cleared his throat, he sounded scared, scared of his own goddamn son..
I hung my head and headed for the kitchen once there I found my mother busy cooking breakfast, the delicious mouth watering smell made me smile, eggs and bacon...bacon... oh no sadness began to start overwhelming me again, I couldn't eat bacon now...I was a horse...horses cant eat meat right?…
Rebecca turned around after hearing clopping sounds and found her son standing there lost in thought, he looked so sad, forcing a smile she brought a plate over to the counter which was luckily high enough for him "good morning Blake"
I got snapped out of my thoughts and looked to my mother, who was forcing a smile, she wasn't good at hiding her feelings much like me "good morning Mom…" I forced a smile as well.
"I made you some breakfast sweetie" she smiled and stroked my cheek which actually felt nice before she walked away.
I then looked at the plate with the ever so delicious looking bacon on it, my mouth watered from just looking at the food I shall never be able to eat again...but...I could maybe just...sample it...yeah that shouldn't make me sick, I stopped myself from raising a hoof to grab the bacon out of impulse and just grabbed it with my mouth instead beginning to chew and oh by the gods above did it taste good, this horses tongue must have better taste buds because I felt like I was in heaven as I began to salivate from pure bliss, all the bacon I've had in my life was rolled up and fused into this single piece.
I let out a delighted purr noise unintentionally as I basked in the flavor before swallowing and went for another, I then froze….I swallowed it...oh shit...I'm gonna get sick...stupid super taste buds! They made it taste so fucking good I forgot to not swallow, shit!!
But I didn't feel sick, I felt fine, raising a brow in curiosity I ate another piece and after enjoying the bacon I took another moment of pure unadulterated bliss I found I didn't feel sick at all from eating the bacon, I felt fine maybe Nightmare Moon just doesn't get sick from eating meat? I mean she does have sharp teeth so it would make sense… and thus I ate another piece.
While deep in thought I heard a giggle get stifled, looking up from the plate to see where the giggle came from while still having a piece of bacon sticking out from my mouth I found my culprit, my mother was holding her phone up pointed towards me while smiling, I realized she was recording, she was recording me eating bacon...me purring...a deep red blush pierced through my black coat "m-mom!" My voice may have been a much higher octave now but that single word hit an even higher pitch than intended.
Rebecca laughed "I'm sorry Blake honey but you didn't see yourself, you were so adorable!" She showed me the video and my ears pinned themselves back against my head in embarrassment as I watched the video, I did look adorable, but it was also super embarrassing.
"Delete it! Delete now!" I screeched.
"Never, I'm keeping this forever, oh and I'm so using this picture as my phone's wallpaper" she showed me the phone again and the adorable picture of me was on the screen.
"Noooo" I whined in embarrassment and put my face on the counter, my mother was truly evil.
"Oh hush and eat your breakfast" she chuckled.
Lifting my head I grumbled and ate my eggs, unfortunately those tasted really good as well and a big smile spread across my face causing me to start purring once more, opening my eyes I found my mother recording again "hrr" I glared and she chuckled.
Looking at the remaining eggs, bacon, and toast I did what I normally did, I began making an egg and bacon sandwich, though it was more difficult than usual as I had to do all of this with my mouth but nonetheless I made my sandwich, I proceeded to eat it which then resulted in an explosion of pure flavor, I kept the happiness inside me just so mother couldn't record it.
I munched happily on the sandwich but like electricity the wonderful flavor was running through my body, I tapped a hoof trying to hold it in, it tasted so good, I tried to force the smile from creeping up my face but I couldn't hold it in any longer and mentally lost to the flavor, I started dancing on the spot tapping my hooves on the ground with giddy excitement and felt my wings twitch in their restraints, I purred loudly in happiness with my tail swishing side to side.
"Oh so cute" my mother squeaked from behind her phone as she recorded.
My face got even redder if that was even possible at this point "mom…."
"Blake our adorable little pony" she chuckled.
"Yeah well...your adorable!..." That was meant to be a come back but...it didn't work how I wanted.
"Thank you sweetheart" she smirked knowing that he intended that to be a witty retort only to fail.
Blake's father walked into the kitchen with a smirk "Rebecca stop teasing him" he walked over to her "send me that too, I want to show the people at work".
"Gahhh!! Dad you traitor!" I yelled pointing my hoof at him "I shall have my revenge on both of you mark my words!"
"Don't forget I pay for your internet son" Blake's dad looked at him smirking knowing he had won this argument.
"Curses…" I said under my breath as I looked away in defeat, now finished with breakfast I picked my plate up in my mouth and walked towards the sink, it felt really strange not having hands and instead being dependant on using my mouth for picking up and holding things, the horn atop my head would be useful for doing those sorts of tasks but I hadn't even the slightest idea on how to start using magic yet.
"Oh Blake you don't need to do that, I can" Blake's mother walked over to him and took the plate.
"I'm fine, I can do it mom…" I went to take the plate back.
"Nonsense….after what you've been through I am not making you do the dishes" she stroked my hairy cheek and walked to the sink beginning to clean the plate.
I was about to argue with her but felt like I should just let her take care of it, this was her way of dealing with stress, she would try to make things easier for everyone else even if it meant making things harder for her.
I left the kitchen heading towards the living room only to stop, the curtain was pulled open from the window like usual allowing sunlight in, I had to squint while looking towards the window, I have always had trouble with bright lights after just waking up in the morning but after the transformation I went thru last night it was now even more unpleasant than before.
I felt the all to familiar sting of a headache piercing the sides of my head and was forced to retreat back into the kitchen, heading for the medicine drawer I quickly pulled on the handle with my mouth and look for the Advil bottle, finding it in the back I pull it out with my mouth accidentally knocking over the other bottles in the drawer, laying the bottle down on the counter I realized what my next problem was going to be….child proof caps….fucking hell.
Placing my hooves on either side of the bottle trying to secure it in place I then attempted to get the cap off, I'd rather not think about how humiliating it is that a seventeen year old is being beaten by a child proof cap, growling I held onto the cap with my teeth pushing down I turned my head in the attempt to turn the cap into the unlock position, after a few attempts of this frustration was getting the better of me, I pulled and chewed on the cap before it suddenly slipped free from my hooves clattering to the floor while I stumbled back unbalanced on my hind legs.
"You ok there Blake…?" Blake's father asked noticing his sons struggle.
I kicked the bottle that's on the ground "I'm getting a headache and I can't get the damn cap off!"
"Watch your language" he walked over and picked the bottle up popping the lid off.
I growled in annoyance at how easy it was...hands...those blessed things I now lacked…
Blake's dad looked at the cap of the bottle finding it chewed up "woah….you could have chew the cap right off if you wanted...how sharp are your teeth?" He looked at Blake questioningly.
I ran my tongue across my shape teeth "They are really sharp, I feel like if I'm not careful I could end up piercing my own tongue with them”.
Blake's dad stared at his son, this black horse creature that barely resembled any living thing on this planet, was his son….the child he had cared for and raised since birth, the child he loved dearly was now this...thing standing before him.
"Dad..?" I looked at my father who had just been staring at me though to be honest it was more like he where looking through me, he was deep in thought, a look I rarely saw on my father, he always seemed to know how things were or should be, that fatherly knowledge though seemed to escape him in this current situation.
He shook his head snapping out of his trance "sorry Blake, here" he shook the bottle in his hand until two pills rolled out, he then handed them to Blake before stopping.
I realized just as he did that I still had no hands, huffing in disappointment at my predicament I opened my mouth for him.
Feeling pity for his son he put the pills in Blake's mouth and then went to the sink to get a glass of water for him, filling the glass half way he walked over and gently put the edge to Blake's mouth slowly tilting it up allowing the water to slowly pour in.
Swallowing the pills I shook my head "bleh" I always hated the taste of pills and the feeling of swallowing something without chewing it down to smaller pieces first "thanks Dad" I smile softly.
"Welcome, uh how about I put these pills in something you can open? That way you won't need me or your mother to get them for you" he offered.
"Sounds good to both me and my pride" I smirked softly as I left the kitchen once more and headed for the backyard, only the door stood in my way preventing me from leaving the house, I really didn't want to do it but I grabbed the doorknob with my mouth and opened it, once outside I proceeded to repeatedly spit in hopes of getting the taste and germs out of my mouth.
My germ removal was suddenly interrupted when I heard a dog barking and getting closer, with that I realized I hadn't seen my dog inside, my head shot up at this realization and what I saw standing before me was none other than Bear my full grown pet husky.
Standing wide eyed I looked my pet in the eyes, it looked both curious and cautious of me, no doubt not recognizing me in this form "h-hey Bear…." He sniffed the air before barking at me "no it's me your father! I just look different!" I yelled stepping back but found the door behind me closed.
He growled running at me at full speed, a ferociousness in his eyes that I've never seen him display before.
I prepared for the incoming bite only to feel the door open behind me and my tail to get yanked as I'm pulled inside with haste, my dad then hastily puts his arms around Bears neck followed by using his body weight to get Bear into a submissive position in an attempting to keep him from attacking me, I stumbled away from the back door feeling my heart beat a mile a minute from the panic and adrenaline.
Looking back outside I saw my dad had successfully calmed the dog down that had always been nice to me...now he acted like he'd never met me before...I guess it's true that he hasn't seen me like this before...to him I'm just some animal that's invading his territory.
Frowning I headed for the stairs and began climbing them, finding it a lot easier than going down them, once I arrive at my room I entered it and climbed back into my bed, I'm thankful my mother had closed my blinds last night which now left my room in a comforting darkness, though with my new eyes I'm still able to see in it clearly, one useful part of this body I guess.
Taking this time I thought of what to do next and something to take my mind off of what had just happened...I was in the body of a cartoon character with no idea as to how this happened or how to reverse this, it's not like there's a website that tells people how to deal with his crap...right?
Sitting up I grabbed my tablet from the bedside table with my mouth and turned it on by pressing the button on top, I then attempted to slide my hoof up the screen to unlock it only for it to not react to my hoof, fan fucking tastic...I tried once more with my nose this time and luckily it open, huffing I prepared myself for the annoying task of searching the internet using my nose.
After a couple of minutes typing in my search and deleting the typos, I then began scrolling through pages and sights for information that could potentially help me I only discovered fanfics and what if discussions that I did not find very useful unfortunately, there was however one article that I had stumbled across that seamed like it could be useful in the process of unlocking my magic.
Of course I had no clue if it would actually work as no one would have any real experience in using unicorn magic, or alicorn in my case as I would soon discover what species I am now, using magic to levitate things would be relatively easy from what I read in theory, the people replying in the discussions said that they would try to picture their hand picking up the item and thru focusing the action thru a magic foci or conduit would get the desired result.
It was worth a shot and would definitely help my daily struggles in this body, feeling I had something I could at least do while in this body I turned my tablet off, the lit screen turning to black reflecting my new appearance.
Seeing my reflection in the black display of the tablet brought a frown to my face as it reminded me of everything that was happening, browsing the internet had allowed me to feel normal again temporarily, Now that I was done browsing I was brought back into reality... I tried living my day normally but...I couldn't, this body was so different, so strange and so wrong!
I couldn't change that fact however, I was stuck like this, stuck in this strange body and I couldn't do anything about it, I clenched my teeth in anger but soon felt tears streaming down my face, gripping my pillow I pushed my face into it and closed my eyes, I just wanted this to be a bad dream that I could wake up from, I just wanted to be me again…
Here I was again in this same dream from the previous night watching from Nightmare Moons point of view helpless to control what was going on, I began to laugh evilly as I rose to my hind legs slamming them forward landing on my fore hooves with a mighty force breaking the elements of harmony where they lay, their shattered remains scattering around me, the lavender unicorn before me looking defeated and distraught “you little foal! Thinking you could defeat me! Now you will never see your princess or your sun, the night will last forever!!” I bellowed with maniacal laughter as my mane wafted in an invisible wind.
My laughter came to an end sooner than I would have liked as I heard shouting coming from the hallway behind the lavender unicorn, said unicorn gasped in realization as she turned around towards the voices “you think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that?” She turned around to face me confidence clearly seen on her face.
I frowned greatly displeased with her sudden bout of confidence and not liking where this was going in the slightest, how I so wanted to just blast her off of the face of Equus right here and now for she was nothing but a mortal while I was a goddess.
"Well your wrong! Because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right here!" She speaks confidently as her compatriots arrive coming thew the doorway leading to the lunar throne room were currently facing off in, these five other ponies taking their place beside the lavender unicorn, an orange earth pony with blond mane and a stetson resting on her head stood closest to her right followed by a white unicorn with royal purple mane, flying above those two was a butter yellow pegasus with pink mane, to her left was a pink earth pony there was not much else I could think about her other than pink... so much pink, flying above her was a sky blue pegasus with a rainbow mane.
As I was taking in the details of the new arrivals the shards of the elements began to glow around my hooves, noticing this I exclaim “what?” in shocked surprise and confusion, turning my attention back to the six ponies before me I notice that the lavender unicorn had begun talking again.
"Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of honesty" the lavender pony calls out with pride as some of the shards around my hooves begin to vibrate before they lift up off of the floor flying towards said orange earth pony, Applejack stands stout with a brave and confident smile upon her face as the shards begin to circle around her.
The lavender unicorn then looks toward the yellow pegasus "Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of kindness" once more shards around me begin to vibrate around me before flying off towards the yellow pegasus, Fluttershy look's terrified and confused before she realizes that the elements are now floating around her harmlessly.
"Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of laughter" the lavender unicorn looks towards the very pink earth pony whom jumps up into the air with a big goofy smile upon her face as the shards begin to encircle her.
The lavender unicorn then looked towards the white unicorn before speaking "Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift, represents the spirit of generosity" yet again more shards took off towards the white unicorn whom just stood there smiling pleasantly, as the shards started circling around her she looked down at them in curiosity
"And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart's desire, represents the spirit of loyalty" The lavender unicorn turned to look at the sky blue pegasus as shards flew towards her "the spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us".
I looked over the five ponies with the shards floating around them in confusion "you still don't have the sixth element, the spark didn't work!" I remarked knowing that without the sixth element they could not possibly hope to stand against me, my growing confidence was immediately cut short at the lavender unicorns next words.
"But it did, a different kind of spark" the lavender unicorn turned to the five ponies "I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you, the spark ignited inside me when I realized you all…" with her deepest sincerity in her words tears began to fill her eyes as she turned back to face me "are my friends!"
With her final words a bright shining light appeared above the lavender unicorn as a stone sphere materialized above the group of ponies before me bearing, the sphere bearing the same mark as the lavender unicorns cutie mark, I immediately knew just like the others in the room that this was the sixth element, as it descended towards the lavender unicorn the light being cast from it increased in intensity forcing me to raise a foreleg to shield myself from it's blinding light.
"You see, Nightmare Moon, when those elements are ignited by the uh...the spark that resides in us all, it creates the sixth element...the Element of Magic!" The lavender unicorn smiled as she closed her eyes when the sixth element turned into a blinding white ball of light above her.
With the blinding light fading I'm able to look on in awe as the shards merged together forming necklaces for each of the five ponies but for the lavender unicorn the elements formed a crown upon the mares head foretelling her potential destiny. With each of the elements fully restored to their original state they begin engulfing each of the ponies with pure magical energy lifting them up into the air as a spectrum of light shoots out of each element combining into a radiant rainbow above them that shoots off towards the ceiling, as the rainbow magic is about to collide with the ceiling it suddenly stops and begins travelling towards me.
My eyes widened in horror at the display before me leaving me with no other feelings than a bone chilling dread as the rainbow energy fly's towards me "Noooo!! Nooooooooo!!!!" I yelled in panic as the rainbow energy begins to circle me faster and faster, the energy that the rainbow covered me in hurt so intensely that it felt like the very surface of the sun where burning away my flesh taking me off of my host like a shell, I struggled and thrashed trying to break free before it wiped me out of existence, in a final act of desperation I realized what my only hope for survival was, raising my horn up into the air I began channelling all of my magic into this one last act, blasting my remaining magic off into the night sky I watch as it disappears from this world, as I began to lose consciousness I rested easy knowing that I would be reborn and that I would have my vengeance against these pests, one day the night would reign forever!!!!
I gasped awake shaking, that same nightmare again…it must mean something, maybe...maybe I became her because of the spell she had cast? Ugh why was this happening to me? None of this made any sense, this shouldn't even be possible! She's a cartoon character for God's sake!!
Sitting up I rubbed my eyes with my hooves….my hooves, thinking about that is just weird...I don't have hands anymore.... I don't know how long I can live without hands.
I shook my head to get those thoughts out of my mind, I need to focus on something else to avoid falling into the pity party, looking up I stared at the horn that's sticking out from my forehead, I might as well try to learn how to use this thing, I just need to try doing what the forum on the website said, looking around the room I looked at a sock and closed my eyes imagining a hand grabbing the sock, concentrating on the sock and focusing on my horn I imagined lifting it up.
I sat for a couple seconds not feeling anything "ok that was worth a shot" opening my eyes they suddenly widened as a bunch of items around the room were now floating in the air "woah…." Looking up I found that my horn was now engulfed in a sparkling blue glow "I did it!...well there's more than the sock floating but I did it!" Smiling I looked at the different floating items.
Some money, a couple socks, my ruined pants, my phone, some pencils, even some glass shards from my lightbulb...actually that was probably the most dangerous thing to have floating in the air, focusing on the glass I tried lowering the shards down to the ground safely, unfortunately with my adept skills in the arts of magic everything began flying around the room instead of floating "no no wait stop!! Gah!" Ducking down I dodged my phone as it shot past me.
Looking forward I gasped and rolled off my bed as three pencils stabbed into the wall behind me like darts fired from a blowgun "on god! Oh God!"
I ran around my room dodging and ducking different things that where flying hazardously around the room, crouching down I nearly dodged a bowling ball that zoomed by me...wait a bowling ball? We don't have a bowling ball, at that moment a bowling pin knocked me upside the head throwing me to the ground it also made the sound of a group of pins being knocked down at the bowling alley "ow…well...this can't get any worse…"
Rebecca looked up at the ceiling down stairs "sounds like Blake's up….he's making a lot of noise…"
"I'm sure he's fine Rebecca...he's dealing with a lot" Blake's father said looking to his wife.
She stood up and walked to the stairs "I'm going to make sure he's alright" she walked up not waiting for her husband's response, knocking on Blake's door she waited for him to answer….she knocked again when he didn't answer "Blake...honey are you ok in there?"
"Uh mom…..I need some help…" Blake called panicking from inside the room.
Rebecca opened the door and gasped at what she saw, it was like a scene from the movie poltergeist, objects where flying around in circles within the room as if a small tornado had formed, her hand flew to her mouth as she saw Blake float by upside down.
"I'm not sure how to stop this" Blake said with a frown as he floated on past his mother.
"It's ok sweetie I'll help" she stepped into the room walking towards her son, surprisingly she didn't start floating.
"Wait mom no!" Blake called before he crashed into her, as a result both of them came tumbling to the ground, with Blake's magic cutting out upon contact all the objects floating within the room fell in unison, fragile items such as his tablet's screen where saved from breaking dew to the carpeted floors.
Rebecca looked at her son and grabbed his face "are you ok??"
"I should be the one asking you that…" Blake got off his mother "a horse literally just landed on you mom."
"I'm fine sweetie, what was going on though??" She asked with worry in her voice.
"Well when I woke up, I decided to see if I could use magic, the upside is that I can, the downside, I have no idea how to control it…" Blake frowned.
"Are you ok?" She stroked Blake's neck, she had to admit, the soft hair Blake now had was pretty nice to pet, subconsciously she moved her hand up and scratched behind Blake's ear.
"Yeah I'm finnnnne…" Blake's eyes went unfocused as he leaned into her scratching which felt amazing as his mind went blank, the only thing registering to him being the sheer bliss of being scratched behind the ear.
Rebecca chuckled as she watched Blake lean into the scratching, she remembered hearing that horses liked to be scratched behind the ears, she moved her other hand up and scratched behind Blake's other ear.
Blake's legs began wobbling as his tongue hung out of his mouth, the scratching was just to much to be able to fight against mentally, leaning further into the scratching he slowly leaned forward into his mother, he then sat down and allowed his mother to continue to scratch.
"Hehe that must feel good huh?" She smiled looking down at him.
"Oh...yessss…" he replied hazily, his mind fully lost to the feeling of being scratched behind the ears, he closed his eyes fully enjoying the scratches as his mother continued.
She then stopped scratching and held his muzzle "your so adorable" she then booped his nose.
"Gah no!" He stumbled back "curses! You tricked me with your amazing scratches into lowering my guard! This trick won't work again mother!"
"Wanna bet?" She made a scratching gesture with her hand.
Blake's ear twitched but he shook his head "no stay back!"
She chuckled "ok, ok, I'll leave you be my little pony boy" she started walking away before stopping to look towards where her son's birth mark would have been "oh you kept your birthmark..but it's also changed? Is that a moon?"
Blake looked back before nodding "yeah the character I turned into was sorta the princess of a land full of pony's, she controlled the moon, though who I look like now is the evil version of her…"
"Oh wow…." She walked over and rubbed the birthmark, it was so strange, the mark was exactly the same only now covered in fur and had a waxing crescent moon on it.
Blake blushed "mom...that's my thigh…"
She blushed "oh! Sorry...um...I'm going to go now" she quickly left feeling embarrassed.
I watched the door close and looked back towards my thigh, it was strange my birthmark had looked exactly like Luna's or rather Nightmare Moon's cutie mark, it had only lacked the moon, that had to mean something right? There was no way it was just a coincidence...maybe the dreams were connected too?
But how? Why? Maybe….maybe I was "ngh!" My thoughts were quickly interrupted as I felt a hard migraine hit me in the skull "f-fuck" I whined stumbling towards the door, grabbing the doorknob in my mouth I turned it and hurried out of the room, the migraine was right where my horn was which prevented me from rubbing that spot.
Carefully getting down the stairs I walked towards the kitchen before I suddenly heard static coming from the tv, my migraine slightly forgotten but still there.
Blake's dad raised a brow and tried changing the channel but nothing worked, he smacked his remote but it did nothing to fix the static.
I walked into the living room squinting from the bright sunlight which worsened my headache, looking at the tv in confusion as to why it had suddenly gone to static when I came downstairs "did the dish stop working?" i asked.
"I don't know, it was working just a second ago" Blake's dad said scratching his head in confusion.
I looked towards my dad before I felt my horn get pulled back like it was connected to a string and I had pulled it to its full length, only the string was getting shorter by the second pulling my head back towards the direction of the tv, once I was facing that way my eyes widened as purplish pink electricity began sparking across the screen, sparks reached out from the screen towards me and connected with my horn, it wrapped around me like a snake before it started dragging me towards it.
"Wh-what the hell?! D-dad!! Help!!" I yelled digging my hooves in the carpet to keep myself from being pulled forward though it only resulted in my horn being pulled painfully the more I resisted.
Blake's dad jumped up and grabbed his son trying to pull or push him away, but it was like his son was on a track that could only go forward, he let go of his son and ran at the tv grabbing the speaker and slamming it into the screen only for the electricity to form a shield and blast him backwards away from the TV, he crashed onto the floor stunned.
"DAD!!!" I yelled in fear watching my dad get thrown like a rag doll to the floor, I tried going towards him but it only resulted in me being pulled closer to the TV.
Rebecca walked down the stairs and gasped at what was going on, she ran over and tried pulling Blake away getting the same result as her husband.
"Mom! I-I can't stop!" I yelled as I slipped forwards some more, I was only a foot away from the screen now, the fear of whatever may happen once I reached it racing through my mind.
"It'll be ok Blake!" She ran to the outlet and tried to pull the cord free only for it to not budge, the electricity then sparked up from the outlet and shocked her making her let go.
"Mom!" I was suddenly pulled forward as I went face first into the screen, expecting to slam my face into it I instead sank into it like it was water, the static screen rippled as I was being pulled into it, I tried pulling my head back but my legs were pulled in as a result, struggling and thrashing around I tried to get free.
"Blake!" Rebecca yelled running to her son and trying to pull him free.
Blake's dad groaned and saw his wife trying to pull their son from the television, he got up as quickly as he could ignoring the pain corseing threw his body then rushed over, grabbing his son he pulled with his wife in vain, they weren't able to pull him free and didn't even feel him getting pulled out in the slightest.
Tears filled my eyes as I looked at my parents "mom dad! Wh-what do I do?? I'm scared!"
"It's ok Blake! We'll figure this out! We aren't letting go of you!" Blake's dad yelled as he put his feet on the edge of the tv and pulled with everything he had.
Rebecca did the same to try and save her boy "we are not letting whatever this is take our son!!"
I felt myself start to get pulled out from the tv by them causing a smile to grow on my face, I looked at them smiling with tears of joy before I suddenly felt the electricity pulling my horn once more and with a powerful tug I was pulled back into the TV, with my hoof reaching for anything to grab I accidentally caught my mother's necklace breaking the chain, as both my parents lost their grip as a direct result of the necklace breaking I was sent hurling into a static tunnel watching the rectangle window leading to my living room slowly get further away, my home getting further from reach.
"Blake!!" Rebecca yelled running at the tv but her hands just hit the screen.
Blake's dad grabbed at the screen trying to reach in, both parents looking in fear as their son was dragged away into the static void.
I screamed as I flew through the static void, thrashing around I tried to grip anything but felt nothing, slowly the static turned to many different colours turning into a rainbow tunnel, ahead I saw a bright light making my eyes widen, memories of the nightmare I have been having showing similarities to what was happening now "I don't want to die!!!" I yell out in fear.
Plunging into the white light I suddenly crashed hard into a cold stone floor, my head clacking against the ground sending a jolt through my skull, wincing I laid on the stone panting, everything hurt and I could smell the scent of smoke, I also heard a group of people gasp in shock.
Shakily I lifted my head up opening one eye to look around, a gasp escaped my own lips as what stood around me were none other than the Mane Six, looking around in panic I found the old castle of the sisters around me, stumbling to my hooves which clattered against the stone and echoed throughout the halls.
"U-uh T-Twi….why is Nightmare Moon here??" Applejack stuttered looking at the mare she thought they defeated long ago.
"I-I don't know!" Twilight was just as shocked at seeing Nightmare Moon standing before her.
I looked at each of the mares in front of me backing up further, I looked around for how I got here but I didn't see anything of the sort, I needed to go back, back to my parents, where was it?? Why isn't it here?!
Twilight glared at the mare and lit her horn in opposition "don't move!"
I jumped, my head turning back to Twilight "where's the portal?? D-did you bring me here?? Send me back!" I rushed towards her but suddenly felt a sharp pain strike me upon the face from the left making me stumble back, looking to the left I saw Applejack with her back turned towards me her back hooves just now returning to the floor, she kicked me in the face.
"She said don't move, ah suggest you listen!" Applejack glared.
I stumbled further away from them "wh-what do you want from me?? Why did you bring me here??" I was freaking out, none of this should be happening! I should be back home!
"Twilight why aren't you sending her back?" Rainbow Dash asked as she flew up next to Twilight.
"I can't...for some reason the spells not working!" Twilight said in a panic.
"What?" I looked at her, hearing what she just said "what do you mean?? You brought me here! surely you cAN SEND ME BACK!" I yelled accidentally going into the Royal Canterlot Voice, The girls stumbled back their ears folding back from the loud voice.
"WOW! SHE'S JUST AS LOUD AS I REMEMBER!....AM I YELLING?" pinkie yelled "I FEEL LIKE I'M YELLING!"
Breathing heavily my whole body shook before I roared in anger throwing my head upwards blue electricity sparking and crackling across my horn igniting it and blasting blue magic upwards blowing a large hole in the ceiling, rocks began to fall down smashing into the ground.
The girls panicked running around dodging the falling debris, Twilight teleported to each one of her friends teleporting them out of the castle and to the safety of the courtyard.
I jumped as the rocks fell, stumbling around I tried to dodge the falling rocks, looking to Twilight I tried making my way towards her only for a large stone to fall directly in my way blocking my path from getting to her "h-help!" I yelled out in fear.
Twilight teleported to Fluttershy and glared at Nightmare Moon after she called out to her for help "help yourself…" she scowled as she teleported out with her final friend.
"N-no wait!" A rock fell smacking into my back nearly sending me to the ground "gah! P-Please! Don't leave me!!" I cried out as I dodged more rocks, one hitting me on the head sending my vision into a blurry mess, I kept myself standing trying to clear my vision, I saw a hole in the wall and rushed for it dodging more rocks as they fell, though more hit me as I ran for my only path out of this collapsing castle, I jumped just barely escaping as a large chunks of the ceiling fell blocking the only exit I had just barely been able to get through.
Rolling onto the ground I looked around finding the forest around me, standing up I tried to walk only to freeze in pain "f-fuck!" I winced as one of my legs throbbed in pain, pulling my left leg up to my chest I slowly limped away towards the coverage of the forest, I needed to find a way home if there even was one.
Twilight looked towards the castle which now stopped collapsing, she couldn't help but think about what Nightmare Moon said, she asked her for help? She knew Nightmare Moon could teleport, she was probably just trying to trick her into letting her guard down so she could attack her.
Fluttershy glared at Twilight "why didn't you go back for her?? She asked for your help!"
Twilight's eyes widened at the outburst "she was probably just trying to trick me... she caused the ceiling to collapse and could easily teleport herself out Fluttershy!"
"But what if she couldn't Twilight? Maybe her magics not working or something? We have to make sure she isn't hurt Twilight" Fluttershy pleaded.
Twilight looked back to the castle and teleported in, even if Nightmare Moon was bad there could still be the chance that she actually did need her help, she flew in the air as not to cause more of the ceiling to cave in, she looked around but didn't see Nightmare anywhere, while looking around she suddenly spotted Nightmare Moon limping towards the forest, taking flight through one of the broke windows Twilight chased after her.
The other girls saw Twilight flying off towards the forest and began chasing after her.
I limped through the forest looking around but mostly kept my eyes towards the ground so I didn't end up tripping on the root of a nearby tree or a fallen branch, my leg stung a bit but didn't hurt nearly as much as I thought it otherwise should have so I was able to walk on it but only just barely, none of that matters now as my mind was racing I'm in a fucking forest after being sucked into my freaking tv!!
"I need to find a way home but I also needed to avoid those ponies... they attacked me... but they're the good guys in the show... they still left me for dead... they were just scared... I asked them for help!!” not looking where I was going I end up I slamming hard into a tree causing a spike of pain to run through my skull, my head was beating with a headache as I began to get light headed while my thoughts became less coherent, “I can't think straight…”
Looking forward I found my vision beginning to blur in and out of focus "I... I think... I might have a concussion..." I stumbled forward "maybe there's a doctor... who can help large talking monster horses... yeah monster horses doctor... hehe and he's a horse of course hehe... oh that's a slope."
I proceeded to slip and fall down the slope of a steep hill rolling until I landed at the bottom, my head spinning and making me want to vomit, I then proceeded to do just that.
Laying in my own vomit I shakily try to stand back up, once on my hooves I begin to stumble away from the slope, my feet.. no hooves barely even lifting up now, I felt so weak... so tired... maybe some sleep... no!... no! Sleep bad, no safe with concussion... but if migraine is good?… wait is even aspirin here…? I think to myself very disoriented
Where here anyways? I've just been looking down, looking up I saw that I was in a familiar town... with scared ponies running... oh I'm in ponyville hehe.
"Hi little ponies..." I say barely coherent as I stumble around after them, one crawled under a wagon, looking under I smiled "silly pony... you pull these not go under hehe" I then lost my balance and fell forwards onto my face with my butt in the air as my horn scraped up against the cart leaving a nice gash.
The mare immediately ran off seeing a chance to run for her life.
Standing back up I continued through the town stumbling and dragging my hooves "Hello!" I called waving at the other ponies as I followed them, two ran into a building and slammed the door just as I was about to come in, my face pressing up against the window as I kept trying to walk in before backing up "hey… that not very nice" I knocked on the door "knock knock…. Can I come into the out now?"
My ear twitched waiting for a response but none came, frowning I tried looking through the window but the curtains had been closed "hmm…"
Getting bored of trying to get into the house I started following other ponies around trying to greet them with little success I noticed my vision would focus for a second before blurring, looking around I saw some shops or houses, I think a gingerbread candy house… oh wow that looks tasty, stumbling towards one of the corners of the house I began to gnaw on it, my face contorted in disgust as it tasted like paint & plaster, rubbing my tongue in disgust with my hooves I proceeded to immediately start spitting trying to get the flavor of dirt out of my mouth.
After a few minutes I looked to my right and saw a tall sickly pony with wings and a horn, she don't look ok, kinda sick... oh wait... that's me… oh I don't look good...
My world spun and I stumbled as everything went black for a second until coming back I heaved, my stomach not finding anymore to push up and out.
"Nightmare Moon stop attacking... the... um" twilight and the girls had ran into town finding the ponies running around scared, she expected a fight with Nightmare Moon but instead... found her in very bad shape.
Fluttershy gasped and tried running over to her but Rainbow Dash stopped her.
"Woah woah,how do we know this isn't a trick??" Rainbow dash asked.
I meanwhile stumbled over, I heard muffled voices and saw colourful shapes, I couldn't really tell what these people were saying... one voice though sounded soft and welcoming…
The girls stiffened as Nightmare Moon stumbled over, the angry or malicious expression she usually had now was pitiful looking, she looked pained and confused, her eyes unfocused, body swaying back and forth as if at any moment even a small breeze of wind could knock her over.
Fluttershy began flapping her wind taking a hover at Nightmares eye level and began waving her hoof in front of Nightmare Moon's face "um... hello?"
"head cloudy... where… why am I... can't think... where's mom?" I fell forward collapsing unconscious.
Fluttershy eeped as the large mare came crashing down on top of her "girls we need to get her help!"
"Fluttershy…" Rainbow Dash was about to disagree till she got glared at, she begrudgingly helped pick Nightmare Moon up walking her towards Ponyvill hospital.
Fluttershy kept pacing outside the door to the hospital room, glaring through the window in the door at the unconscious form of Nightmare Moon in bed, the doctor then exited the room and Fluttershy hurried towards him "is she going to be ok??"
He leaned back from Fluttershy suddenly rushing up "well... I haven't treat any Alicorn's before but she seems to be fine now... she had a severe concussion as well as a sprained ankle... her alicorn magic should help her heal and bring her back to full health in a day... if that's a good thing... I'm not really sure how I should handle this situation to be honest, you and your friends brought in the Alicorn named Nightmare Moon who is also not Luna from what you say... is it such a good idea to even bring her here? She's dangerous... well will be, if it weren't for my medical code of ethics I'd not treat her…"
"I'm certain she's not dangerous… I think…" Fluttershy wasn't fully sure, she seems to not want to hurt them back at the castle when she easily could have, though her anger unleashed a magical blast that brought the ceiling nearly down on them… She still felt she needed to help her.
Suddenly there was a flash of light and the sound a teleportation spell behind Fluttershy, there now standing in the middle of the hall stood Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, focused with intense expressions on their faces. With an eep Fluttershy takes to bowing before her princesses in respect.
"Princesses, I'm glad you got our message, she's still unconscious so we have time to deal with her" Twilight said standing from the chair she had been sitting on, the three of them making their way towards the room.
"Wait what are you going to do??" Fluttershy had a bad feeling.
"We're going to deal with this" Luna spoke coldly.
"We won't let another of our pony suffer by Nightmare Moon's hooves again" Celestia had an equally cold tone.
"B-but" Fluttershy was cut off as the two walked past her into the room.
Once they entered the room they lit their horns and walked towards the bed, Luna's glare intensifying as she saw Nightmare Moon's face.
Yawning I slowly woke up, I don't really remember sleeping… just a crazy dream, opening my eyes I winced as the bright sun hurt my eyes, squinting I noticed... the blinds were shut but then where was the... light... coming… oh god.
Standing in front of me where none other than Luna and Celestia with large glowing balls of death, Luna's horn engulfed in blue magic while Celestia's was shining brightly with a golden magic, as if the light of the sun had surrounded her horn.
Scurrying backwards till my back hit the wall "Gwaaaa???" A confused noise escaped out of my mouth, not sure what it was supposed to be if it had been words.
Luna raised her brow "that… was unexpected…"
"Indeed…" Celestia had a confused expression before she shook her head regaining her fierce look "Nightmare Moon explain how and why you returned!"
"I DON'T KNOW!! Please don't kill me!!!" I screamed hugging a pillow while shaking.
Celestia was finding it hard to keep up her fierce look as she had been expecting Nightmare Moon to either gloat, threaten, attack them or a combination of the three, but clutching a pillow and shaking scared like a leaf was not on her list of expectations from the black mare.
"Is this a trick?" Luna looked to her sister.
"If it is… Nightmare Moon's been taking classes... she seems genuinely frightened of us, something unexpected of her…" Celestia was trying to understand what was happening.
Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god! Pony princesses are gonna kill me! I don't want to die! Not in this body!! I want to go home!! My body kept shaking.
Celestia looked from Nightmare Moon to the door "keep your eyes on her" she walked out of the room cautiously, she then brought the girls back in "we want an explanation."
Rainbow Dash suppressed her laughter at seeing Nightmare Moon holding a pillow scared, she still held a grudge for what Nightmare Moon did.
Twilight cleared her throat "we were attempting to uncover the mystery of what happened to Luna all those years ago, it's still unknown what turned Luna into Nightmare Moon, I used a spell to try and bring out any of the remaining energy... but... suddenly a strange portal appeared and... she well, came out of it…" Twilight gulped at what her mentors reaction might be.
"Twilight that was very reckless and dangerous... you should have informed us about this experiment, we would have helped" Celestia huffed.
"I know but I didn't want to bring up any bad memories for the both of you…" Twilight hung her head in shame.
Luna huffed "unfortunately this didn't prevent that…"
"I'm very sorry…" Twilight frowned with a tear about to leave here eye.
Celestia sighed and leaned in to nuzzling her "it's ok Twilight... but we need to deal with the repercussions of the current situation"
"Yes, how did she return without a host… not only that but her personality is completely different" Luna looked to her sister and the elements.
"W-wait… I-I'm not Nightmare Moon! I turned into this a few days ago!" I quickly spoke.
"Then why are you not under her control?" Luna asked not looking to buy into what she said.
"I don't know! All I know is a few days ago I was human then I turned into this... then today I was sucked into my tv and brought here!!" My body still shook in fear.
Celestia and Luna looked from Nightmare Moon then to each other, a look of disbelief on each others faces "what a convenient story…" Celestia looked back to Nightmare Moon.
"Yes and humans, I'm imagining the same from the mirror portal?" Luna looked back to Nightmare Moon as well.
"M-mirror portal?... wait! There's a way back home?? Please take me there!" My shaking had stopped and my fear had vanished, hope had replaced both and I was close to smiling.
The sisters had the same expression once more, that being unamused "yes I imagine you'd just love to go to the other Equestria and use your magic to its fullest potential while bringing eternal night to that world, maybe send that Celestia to the moon" Luna jeered.
"Hm sounds like a good idea, a world lacking most magic, would be easy for her" Celestia huffed.
My hope immediately drained from my body "n-no wait… I'm really not her... I don't know why I became her… I... I just want to go home…"
Luna and Celestia had their minds set, if this wasn't Nightmare Moon she still posed a threat in the body of her, their best course of action would be to turn her to stone like they had Discord.
"Which I will say was dreadfully boring" Discord jested suddenly next to the princesses
I jumped backwards in the bed slamming my back against the wall "what the fuck is that?!?" Standing now next to the princesses was a snake goat thing! I didn't even know what to call it! Like some kinda chimera or something!!
"Hm well she's as rude as Nightmare Moon" discord huffed crossing his arms "that is Discord"
I stared at him still freaked out.
"...Lord of chaos and disharmony?" He continued.
I kept staring.
"I make it rain chocolate... I'm the second villain the main six ever fought!!" Discord yelled now annoyed "come on I'm literally a fan favourite! How can you not know who I am"
"I'm sorry!... i-i don't know anything about you!!" I resumed clutching the pillow tightly.
Discord squinted looking annoyed "well this was more fun in my head... I had it all planned out, boys you can go home now" he waved off a group of discords who had different instruments "a whole song ruined!"
"Discord is there a reason for why your here?" Celestia inquired.
"Well besides a splendid little introduction of myself... that was ruined" he glared at Nightmare Moon "I had sensed chaos magic and had to see what it was, it is my specialty after all and anyone but me using it requires investigation."
"Your saying she caused chaos magic?" Luna looked surprised.
"Oh definitely not" he snapped his talons and appeared above Nightmare Moon, he then grabbed the tip of her horn wiggling it around.
"Ow ow" imagine a needle sticking out of your finger, now picture someone wiggling it around, put that on your forehead and make it much bigger, that's what this feels like.
"She has no chance of being chaos magic" discord looked at Nightmare Moon smirking.
I don't like that smirk…it's unnerving….
"So then her appearance here was caused by chaos magic?" questioned Celestia.
"Kind of" Discord floated back over to the princesses laying on a cloud he conjured up.
Luna stomped her hoof in annoyance "tell us already!"
"Oh your no fun" he stuck his tongue out at her "let's say this, her body is chaotic in nature, and her arrival here is as well."
"That's still not very helpful" Celestia looked up at discord.
"Well if I gave away all the exploits the world would be perfectly balanced, which is not my cup of tea" he emphasized this by holding up a cup filled with Yorkshire brand Tea with Rainbow Dash's name printed on the cup itself.
"Hey! That's not mine!" Rainbow Dash yelled flying up to discord.
"Oh? Then who's is it?" Discord smirked as he sipped from the cup.
"This is getting us nowhere!!" Luna roared with anger, normally she could tolerate discord and his antics but Nightmare Moon here put her in a bad mood "we are turning her to stone!"
"What?!" I yelled in terror.
Fluttershy flew in the way "hold on princess Luna, we don't know if she's actually bad or not!"
Luna's brows furrowed "I know very well how bad she is… I spent a thousand years within her... her tainted mind like a record on repeat while in the moon... if any pony knows how bad Nightmare Moon is it is I!!" She roared extending her wings, a Pegasus intimidation characteristic.
Fluttershy backed up, her legs were shaking, and her tail moved between her legs but she took a deep breath and stood back to her full height, trying to ignore the shaking in her legs she spoke "I am very sorry Princess... but what if she has changed?"
Luna looked appalled by the very idea.
"I know Nightmare Moon wasn't a good pony… but neither was discord once… we helped to change that, now he's learned from his mistakes and tries to help us" Fluttershy explained.
"This is different! Discord isn't resentment, jealousy and anger embodied! Nightmare Moon is all my fears taken form" Luna growling looking to Nightmare Moon... who was shaking…Terrified...of her, Luna's expression shifted, Nightmare Moon was afraid? She didn't even fear being imprisoned on the moon, she was just angry, never in her entire time with Nightmare moon did she ever feel fear from her, why now? Why did she now look scared? But... but she deserved to right?? After all the things she's done to ponies, all the things she intended to do! She should be scared to be punishment...so then why did this feel so wrong?
Celestia looked from Fluttershy to her sister, then to the supposed Nightmare Moon, she closed her eyes taking a deep breath before opening her eyes "perhaps then an agreement is in order."
Everyone's attention turned to Celestia.
"If Nightmare Moon has truly changed then she should prove it much like discord has, if Nightmare Moon can prove she is capable of friendship then Luna and I have no other choice but to allow her to remain" Celestia declared looking to Nightmare Moon who in return flinched, a reaction that pained Celestia's heart, though separate from her sister, she could not view Nightmare Moon as a separate being, she'd hurt her sister before and could not stand to do so again.
Turning to the Main Six she added "you six being the bearers of the Elements of Harmony are the most equipped to teach Nightmare Moon."
The girls looked at each other wide eye'd.
"Wh-what?? But sister she is a dangerous threat!" Luna ran up to her sister.
"I am aware... and if she is unable to prove her change...then we have no choice but to turn her to stone" Celestia sighed.
Twilight walked up to the princesses "Princess Celestia are you sure...we can handle this?"
Celestia smiled "yes, I believe you and your friends are the best choice for this, and if you cannot help her I doubt anypony can."
Twilight immediately became more nervous but smiled "yup... only us heheh" her eye twitched.
"Then we shall take our leave…" Celestia stated lighting her horn.
"But if she shows any signs of being a threat notify us immediately, we will not allow a single pony to be harmed by her" Luna glared at Nightmare Moon.
The girls nodded all nervous, and with that the two sisters vanished in a flash of golden light, the girls looked from each other to Nightmare Moon.
What the fuck just happened?... am... am I gonna be stoned?... I think I blacked out there… why are they all staring at me?... are they gonna turn me into stone?!
Fluttershy walked to the side of the bed "um hello…" she smiled softly.
I jumped now realizing one of them had gotten so close "u-uh hi…"
Fluttershy had jumped from her jumping, she kept her smile "my names-"
"Fluttershy…" I finished for her, I remembered each of their names, each of them had pretty fitting names.
"Oh you know my name?" Fluttershy tilted he head, she didn't remember if Nightmare Moon had been present for any of the times when they said their names.
"Oh wait that was rude sorry…" I felt my ears fold, that was a weird feeling, so was my tail moving between my legs on its own, jeez I've seen dogs do it when they're scared, I guess I do it too now…
"It's like looking at twins…" Rainbow Dash whispered to the girls.
"Ah know... they're both just as shy and awkward in a conversation" Applejack scratched her head, she's never seen Nightmare Moon act like this, though to be fair she hasn't seen Nightmare Moon act any other way besides angry and evil.
"Twilight darling... are you certain we can... hm persuade Nightmare Moon into the ways of friendship??" Rarity asked.
"Persuade?" Twilight raised he brow.
"Yes well I doubt she's going to just agree, I feel we'll no doubt need to bargain for it" Rarity sighed flipping her hair back.
"Well I'm not giving her anything of mine" Rainbow Dash crossed her arms.
"You won't have to Dash... discord was difficult to get along with" Twilight started.
"And still is" Rainbow Dash added.
"But he's a good friend now, I know we don't have good history with her but... she doesn't look like she's holding a grudge" Twilight spoke while watching Fluttershy and Nightmare Moon.
"So how are you feeling?" Fluttershy asked careful moving closer, she tried to be as subtle as possible.
"My head kinda hurts... and I'm still freaked out about all of this… So… I don't really know how I am" I'm a fricken horse... I'm not ok at all but I don't need more people worrying about me, mom and dad are already worried en-... my eyes widened, mom and dad... they must be freaking out, oh god they don't even know I'm ok… am I even ok?? I'm stuck in some other world were I'm a basically a criminal…
Fluttershy frowned as she watched Nightmare Moon who was deep in thought, her frown deepened when she saw tears begin to trail down Nightmare Moon's muzzle.
I probably won't be able to see them again... why... why did they have to have a son like me? I'm only causing them pain, I'm useless to them nothing but trouble... while I wallowed in despair I barely noticed as Fluttershy began wiping my tears away with a tissue.
"It's ok… you'll be ok" Fluttershy smiled softly.
I sniffled "thank you…"
The other five girls all looked at the interaction in surprise, it's not every day that you see an alicorn villain cry.
The girls surrounding Nightmare Moon and walk towards the exit of the hospital, the doors opened and Fluttershy, Twilight, and Spike exit ahead of nightmare moon, before stopping as they notice she had stopping just at the edge of light shining through the doorway.
I stared at the light in front of me, I don't know what it was but my body was practically telling me not to step in the light, I looked up at Twilight, Fluttershy, and Spike, two of the three looked annoyed while the third looked curious.
"C'mon….we ain't gonna stay in the hospital all day" Applejack stepped forward ready to push the large mare out.
I looked back my ears folding back which made me shiver, that was a weird feeling, I looked back at the light gulping, I lifted a hoof before lowering it in the light, my teeth clenched together as I felt what could only be described as the pain of a sunburn engulfing my hoof.
"Are...you ok?" Fluttershy asked stepping forward noticing the slight look of pain.
I looked at each mare and single drake, I wanted to say I didn't think I could walk in the sun but...they were willing to help me...I don't want to make them think of reconsidering, I forced a smile and looked at Fluttershy nodding "y-yeah….I'm fine…" my voice cracked slightly and I walked out of the hospital, my entire body now feeling the pain of a intense sunburn, I thought my hoof was bad...this...this was a worse pain.
The eight of us traveled through the town of Ponyvill, if not for the burning pain across my body I'd be loving this, seeing ponys, the houses, everything I had seen in the show….I shuddered and stopped walking once more as another sting of pain shot across my body as if to remind me I shouldn't be happy.
Fluttershy looked at the large mare with worry, she definitely didn't look ok, she looked like she was in a lot of pain but she wouldn't say she was…
I inhaled deeply and marched on this time keeping my head down and my eyes focused on the ground, the sun was blinding at this point but none of the others seemed to react the same way, was Equestrias sun hotter than Earth's and everyone was just used to the heat?
If so I'd hate to see how cold their nights get….if what I think is true about the sun here I'm gonna freeze to death at night, just another thing to worry about while I'm her-my thoughts were interrupted as I nearly fell on top of a soft furry object, looking down my eyes widened and threatened to nearly roll out of my skull, I was on top of Twilight making me blush, my chest pressed against her back and wings….wings? Since when did she have wings? She was a unicorn last time I saw her...only pony with a horn and wings was Celestia, Luna, and Nightmare Moon...who I had the unfortunate fate of being currently..
Speaking of currently I had forgotten I was on top of Twilight and was currently checking her out unintentionally as I inspected her wings. With this realization I looked at Twilight blushing more, I stumbled off of her backing into another furry object, twisting my head around I saw Applejack behind me looking annoyed, my flowing tail moving between my legs as I moved away from her and firmly locked my head and eyes down at the ground, my cheeks burning red from blushing.
My mind couldn't help but see the scenes that just played out no doubt looking so incredibly dirty to anyone else's perspective, I shook my head to try and rid myself of those thoughts and images, I was not making a good example of myself, glancing to the girls I saw most of them were looking elsewhere, Fluttershy was looking at me before quickly looking away a blush on her face, yup...she thought that whole thing looked dirty as well...
Realizing we still hadn't moved I looked up and found a line of wagons moving across the street blocking us, so that was the reason all that happened...and now the burn was coming back, my wings strained against the fabric bind I put around myself, really wish I could free them so they could shield me from this horrible sun…
I tapped my hooves as I waited for the wagons to pass, they were like a fricken train! Those stupid ones that seemed to never end, I couldn't take it I rushed towards the shadow of a building and leaned against the wall panting, my burning skin feeling the cool air of the shadows.
Twilight jumped as she noticed Nightmare Moon rush behind her, her horn lighting up as she prepared a paralysis spell, she knew the couldn't trust her! Of course the moment all their guards were down she'd bolt! But she wasn't gonna let her get away! She was gonna stop her from….sitting in the shade…. Twilight tilted her head and walked over
She had to admit it was a bit hot out today, she stood in the shadow looking at Nightmare who had her eyes closed and was panting, she did look a bit in pain "...are...you ok?"
I looked at Twilight who was now in front of me "y-yeah I'm fine...just wanted to uh...get some shade?" I put on a smile
Twilight's ears folded back, that smile did not look genuine, she looked to Applejack who shook her head "ok what's really wrong?"
Dammit….of course I couldn't lie when the element of honesty was right here, biting my lip I huffed no use in lying anymore...they give up on me they give up on me "the sun...burns...it really hurts."
"What?" Twilight stepped out in the sunlight, it wasn't that hot out….but Nightmare Moon was also a very strange being...maybe she really couldn't withstand sunlight? Twilight lit her horn and a purple sparkling field grew above Nightmare Moon.
I jumped seeing the field, I looked at Twilight who motioned for me to step out of the shadow, hesitantly I complied and stepped out expecting the burn to return...only it didn't, I looked up at the violet sparkling see through field above me...it was like an umbrella.
I smiled softly and looked at Twilight "thank you"
Twilight was momentarily surprised but nodded "your welcome" this was so strange, the last few times she's seen Nightmare Moon she's always ever been angry, full of herself, and out for plunging the world into eternal night….her personality now though was completely the opposite.
Finally the wagons ended and the group headed forward, they passed house and ponies, those of which would stare in awe seeing Nightmare Moon walk through the town until they exited the town at which point they reached the large purple crystal castle.
I stood slack jawed as I stared at the castle, this wasn't here last time I checked...what the heck was going on?? Twilight had wings and a horn, and there was a castle here!
My confusion and lack of answers was cut short as we headed towards it, I couldn't help feel a bit giddy as we got closer, I've never been to a castle before and now I was about to enter one, one made out of crystals no less.
Twilight opened the front doors and we walked in, well they walked in I sorta...slipped and face planted onto the crystal floor my back end straight up in the air.
Rainbow Dash snorted before breaking into hysterical laughter, she fell on her back laughing.
I shakily stood up and glared "hey! I'm not used to standing on-" I slipped again crashing to the floor, I kept tried standing and falling repeatedly, my new hooves couldn't get any traction on the slippery crystals, I eventually gave up and huffed and just laid on the floor
Fluttershy walked over "do you want some help?"
I bit my cheek feeling embarrassed "yes…"
She held her hoof out and pulled Nightmare up to her shaking legs, she then got to her side and put her wing underneath her stomach to support her.
Twilight lead them towards a spare room and opened the door, the walk there was slow as to keep Nightmare on her hooves but they got there.
I wobbled and saw the bed, squinting my eyes in determination I leaped through the air and landed on it "woo! Yes!" I smiled and rubbed my cheek against the pillow on the bed, it was really soft….and...and nice….so...nice….
The group watched Nightmare moon fall asleep they couldn't help but smile softly, she looked pretty peaceful.
"She sleeps like Rainbow Dash" Rarity chuckled looking at the very unladylike fashion of sleeping.
"Hey!" Rainbow Dash growled crossing her arms.
"Awww look how cute she is!!" Pinkie giggled standing by Nightmare.
"Pinkie come back here, ah don't want you waking her" Applejack quietly told her
Pinkie giggled and hopped over to the girls, Twilight then lead them down the hall to the table room "ok...now it's time we discuss who's helping her and what day."
Rainbow Dash groaned slumping down in her chair.
I blinked and looked around, an old crumbling stone room surrounded me, one I've become familiar with….it was the castle Nightmare Moon was defeated in...I groaned I was in the nightmare again...but.. something was different, I could control my body, I wasn't a passenger anymore.
I heard shouting coming from the hallway and I realized Twilight was standing in front of me, said unicorn gasped in realization as she turned around towards the voices “you think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that?” She turned around to face me confidence clearly seen on her face.
"What?" Looking down I saw the remains of the elements at my hooves, oh no...I..I was in control at the part where Twilight her friends become the bearers of the elements.
"Well your wrong! Because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right here!" She speaks confidently as her friends arrive coming through the doorway leading to the lunar throne room were currently facing off in, the girls taking their place beside the Twilight, Applejack stood closest to her right followed by rarity, flying above those two was Fluttershy, to her left was Pinkie Pie, flying above her was Rainbow Dash.
As I looked at the girls the shards of the elements began to glow around my hooves, I stepped back as I shook my head I knew where this was going "no...wait! Please you don't understand!" I yelled to them desperately wanting them to know I wasn't her!
"Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of honesty" Twilight called out with pride as some of the shards around my hooves begin to vibrate before they lift up off of the floor flying towards Applejack, she stands stout with a brave and confident smile upon her face as the shards begin to circle around her.
Twilight then looks toward the Fluttershy "Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of kindness" once more shards around me begin to vibrate around me before flying off towards the Fluttershy, she looked terrified and confused before she realizes that the elements are now floating around her harmlessly.
"Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of laughter" Twilight looked towards Pinkie who jumps up into the air with a big goofy smile upon her face as the shards begin to encircle her.
"Please stop!! Listen to me!!" I yelled in desperation.
Twilight then looked towards Rarity "Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift, represents the spirit of generosity" yet again more shards took off towards one of twilight's friends, this time Rarity who just stood there smiling pleasantly, as the shards started circling around her she looked down at them in curiosity
"Please…" I stepped back further
"And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart's desire, represents the spirit of loyalty" Twilight turned to look at Rainbow Dash as shards flew towards her "the spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us".
"Please...don't" tears formed in my eyes.
"But it did, a different kind of spark" Twilight turned to the five ponies continuing her speech as if she were a recording "I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you, the spark ignited inside me when I realized you all…" with her deepest sincerity in her words tears began to fill her eyes as she turned back to face me "are my friends!"
With her final words a bright shining light appeared above Twilight as a stone sphere materialized above the group of friends, the sphere bearing the same mark Twilight's cutie mark, as it descended towards Twilight the light being cast from it increased in intensity forcing me to turn my head away from the light, tears running down my cheeks.
"You see, Nightmare Moon, when those elements are ignited by the uh...the spark that resides in us all, it creates the sixth element...the Element of Magic!" Twilight smiled as she closed her eyes when the sixth element turned into a blinding white ball of light above her.
With the blinding light fading the shards had merged together forming necklaces for each of the five girls but for Twilight the elements formed a crown upon the mares head foretelling her potential destiny. With each of the elements fully restored to their original state they begin engulfing each of the ponies with pure magical energy lifting them up into the air as a spectrum of light shoots out of each element combining into a radiant rainbow above them that shoots off towards the ceiling, as the rainbow magic is about to collide with the ceiling it suddenly stops and begins travelling towards me.
My eyes widened in horror I go to run but it's to late as the rainbow energy begins to circle me faster and faster, the energy that the rainbow covered me in hurt so much I yelled in pain, my tears flowing down my face as I screamed, it was like it was burning away at my flesh, I felt myself ripped apart, looking down I saw a leg covered in lighter blue fur beneath my darker fur which was peeling away, in horrific realization I knew I was being ripped off of Luna, I was like a suit on top of her.
I struggled and thrashed trying to get away, I didn't want to die! I wanted to go home! I wanted to go back to my mom and dad!! I wanted to live!! My wishes and prayers going unheard and unanswered as my body was ripped apart and vaporized..
"I don't want to die!!!" I screamed in desperation as I was wiped from existence, my thoughts ceasing, and my mind going dark...I was nothing.
I awoke to the sound of sniffling….awoke...when was the last one I was awake?...it felt like so long, so long in this empty abyss..
Focusing my vision became clear, no longer surrounded by the darkness I saw a large room surrounding me, above me seemed to low ceiling but I soon realized I was underneath something rectangular shaped...it offered darkness for me to hide in..once more I heard the sniffling and my base lowered from above to forward as I saw a small creature sitting in the moonlight of a opened window.
Freedom at last and there was a creature here to ruin it...these creatures littered this world...in my current state of stand no match to something even if that size…
Looking around I tried to find a way out of this room before I suddenly stopped, I sensed something...a strong force of emotions...sadness...pain...resentment..hate, betrayal, anger! If I had a mouth in this pathetic form I'd be smiling widely...these emotions are exactly what I feed on, how perfect for one such as I..
Slithering out from the darkness I made my way towards the creature, so this is what awakened me and freed me...it must have great power for it's emotions to free me.
The creature sniffled before it's ear twitched and it turned around looking to me, it had a horn stop it's head along with wings on its back, light bluish hair covered the top of its head while a darker blue covered the rest of it, it looked to be a quadroaped as well.
The creature gasped standing up on all fours and backing up slightly while lighting it's horn and a bulk of power eminated off it, I stopped my movement, dammit...I had gotten to excited and distracted while examining it allowing it to become aware of my presence..now I've startled it.....I stand no chance against it…
"Who are thou?" The creature spoke with a femine voice but it had a child like nature to it, a child...hehehehe perfect…
"I...I'm lost...I'm sorry I startled you" I spoke with a similar sounding voice, I at least had some magic left…
"Thou did not startled me...I simply didn't realize thou were there" she spoke trying to sound brave, her emotions betrayed her though.
"My mistake...p-please forgive me...I don't want to die.."
Her eyes widened "die?" She looked to her horn and quickly extinguished it "no no I..I would never hurt a defenseless creature…" she spoke softer, her emotions of pity and sadness...it disgusted me that they were aimed at me…
I moved closer slowly "you won't?"
She shook her head smiling "no I'm sorry I made you think that...but...may I ask why thou is in my room?" That strange way is speaking returned...so she was doing purposefully? Strange…
"I-I'm not sure...I woke up here...and I heard you crying s-so I came to see why" not a complete list but I came closer because you were weak and vulnerable...that coming from the pathetic shadow, I had to bite back a growl.
She looked surprised, her emotions were strange, relief, sadness, anger, confusion, I myself feeling the last most.
"You..wanted to see if I was ok?" This time she moved closer "t-thank you" she smiled softly.
Yes fall for my trap my little prey…"your welcome..but why were you crying? Maybe I can help make you feel better?"
She rubbed her foreleg "it's...it's complicated."
I moved closer "it's ok...I'm sure you can explain it."
She sighed "ok…" from there she explained show for years she's lived in the shadow of her older sister, apparently they controlled the sun and moon, the older the sun...that wretched ball of fire...my mortal enemy, and she controlled the moon... something I had grown to enjoy from my prison of night...she told me of how they ruled as sister but how her sister had more love from the citizens rather than her, to them she didn't exist...a thing that sat beside the glorious sun...how her nights had been for sleep and hiding away while the day time was celebration and events…
As I listened I had forgotten why I had come out from hiding in the first place...this creature...so similar to I, a thing unwanted...a thing that lived in the dark, these other creatures...disgracing the night that of which was my only place of living...I was mistaken about this creature..no this mare...she deserved more...and together we could achieve more hehehe…
"I think we should be friends…" I made a tendril grow out creaching to her but not all the way.
She smiled and reached her hoof out to it "I'd like that! my name is Luna."
Her hoof touched my tendril "you can call me Tantabus" my form spread up had leg "I can help make everyone respect you...together we'll show them all we are better."
Luna smiled as her eyes clouded over in darkness "yes…" her form grew matching to her sisters, her mane and tail begining to flow, her fur turning a darker blue till almost black, their horn growing longer, and their simple royal pieces of regalia turning to black armor, their eyes shot open as a real iris appeared and a black spotted pupil formed, they were neither Luna nor Tantabus...they were now Nightmare Moon, the queen of the night.
I gasped awake my breathing heavy as I fully woke up, those dreams….why do they keep happening?...they didn't make sense...I never experienced any of those events so why did I keep dreaming of them??
My frustration found nothing to focus on so I just laid there in the comfy bed grumbling, I both wanted to sleep and also didn't, sleep allowed escape from reality while at the same time the fantasy was torture, what a way to start a Monday...
Huffing I sat up and immediately winced, my wings hurt like hell! Gritting my teeth I looked at them and saw the strap still holding them tightly, right forgot...tied them up so they wouldn't touch the ground, not the best idea they were sore now.
Reaching my head back I gripped the knot with my teeth and pulled it loose allowing the sleeve from my hoodie I used as a strap to fall to the bed freeing my large wings, I really wish I could stretch them out to get rid of the ache but untying them will have to do for now.
I so badly just want to stretch them though, they hurt so bad and...they were moving! I watch as my right wing was stretched out relieving the ache, it felt like I was stretching my arm...that also made it feel incredibly weird, stretching and folding it I tested it out till I was used to it, I then rolled on my other side to start stretching the left wing.
Once I finished I put my front hooves on the floor to get off the bed...only they started sliding forward while my back half was still on the bed "woah woah wait!!" A heavy thud echoed through the hall outside my room as I hit the floor.
"Damn these crystal floors!!!" Growling while laying on the floor I put my hooves under me and tried to stand up, they shook and slipped slightly, it was like I was on ice...a memory of slipping on ice as a child played through my mind I was atleast seven or eight, my family had taken me to have some winter fun, snow ball fights, sledding, all the usual stuff...always loved winter, watching the snow fall looked so beautiful.
As I was walking around though I seemed to have not noticed a frozen puddle and walked right on top of it...next thing I knew I slipped and slammed right on my poor innocent little face...yup...lost a tooth then, that made me snap out of my reminiscing and think of what just happened, moving my tongue around my mouth I felt I still had all my sharp teeth hm...don't know if that was a good thing or not.
I made little movements to get across the floor making sure to freeze once I started to feel like I was slipping, basically I shimmied across the floor and to the door...the door...crap it was closed of course it was, gripping the doorknob in my mouth I carefully turned my head opening it before returning to my shimmie to get out of the room.
So far so good, making progress...just gotta do this till I find someone, then they can help...somehow, I suddenly heard a giggle surprising me and making me slip and hit the floor.
Pinkie winced slightly and held in her giggling as she hopped over "you ok?"
"Honestly?...not really…" I wheezed and looked up at her "so how are you?"
"Hm pretty good, I got a twitchy tail but otherwise I'm fine" she smiled brightly.
Does..does that mean something?...Am I missing some kind of pony lingo or...just Pinkie lingo?
"So wanna bake a cake??" She jumped close to Nightmares face.
I jumped at her sudden closer proximity, after my nightmare...I couldn't help but be scared of Pinkie, that whole thing put a new perspective on the girls...I then blinked processing what she said "...wait? A cake..?"
"Yup!" Pinkie smiled excitedly.
"Why?" I looked at her in pure confusion.
"Cause."
"Okay…"
"Yay!" She hopped away, then returned a few seconds later "you coming or….?"
"I have trouble walking on this floor…" I huffed envying her ability to hop on this floor with ease.
"Oohhhh" she rubbed her chin before wrapping the tip of her tail around Nightmares and hopping down the hall dragging her.
I shrugged and allowed myself to be dragged, better than falling on the ground over and over, plus it didn't hurt cause of the fur so it was sorta like skating on socks, I used to do that a lot, another smile came across my face as I reminisced though it slowly faded as I realized I wouldn't be able to do that now….gonna be hard with hooves…
We entered the kitchen area from the looks of it...unless this was a strange closet or living room, Pinkie released my tail and hopped over to the island in the kitchen and went behind it, she popped back up with a bunch of different supplies as well as a apron and chiefs hat, she smiled at me and I stood up shimmieing over much to Pinkies amusement, my mood souring further before fading as I realized I was with Pinkie Pie...nobody from earth gets to experience this!
Smiling I looked at the stuff, never baked and honestly don't think I had the ability to do it, but with Pinkies help I bet it'd be a breeze.
This was not a breeze!! Pinkie thought as she sprayed an intense fire in the oven with a fire extinguisher, she lowered it as the flame stopped...before it popped back up and she sprayed again till it finally extinguished, the counter was also smoking from the other fire she put out.
Sighing in relief Pinkie wiped her head of sweat and looked at the horribly burnt "cake" now covered in extinguisher foam, Nightmare wasn't talented at baking….Pinkie thought back to what lead up to this.
~{FLASH BACK}~
"Ok! First step!" She moved a bowl and pan between her and Nightmare who looked at it and nodded "now we put butter on the pan" she grabbed a stick of butter and rubbed it over the pan half way covering it in butter before handing it to Nightmare to finish it off.
Nightmare looked at the butter and put her hoof down to grab it...instead pinkie watched her smush it…."uh...its ok! I got more butter!" She held up sticks of butter.
Eight sticks of butter later and the pan was still only half way buttered, Nightmare had a butter covered hoof, she also looked upset.
Pinkie kept her smile up and thought for a few seconds before she got an idea "now you can rub the butter on the pan!"
Nightmare looked at her then her hoof and started rubbing the butter on the pan, pinkie sighed in relief "ok step two! She got some flour in her hoof and sprinkled it over the pan, step three!" She moved the pan away and brought the bowl closer she then filled it with sugar and went to get some of the extra butter she brought before freezing….that butter was located on Nightmares hoof now…
"Is something wrong?" Nightmare looked down at Pinkie raising a brow.
Don't wanna make her mad Pinkie! "Nope! Now you gotta mush that butter on your hoof with the sugar in the bowl, do that till it's light, fluffy, and creamy!"
Nightmare nodded and started doing that, the bowl proceeded to break in half as she pushed down to hard, pinkies eyes widened and she looked at Nightmare who's eye twitched, she grabbed another bowl "uh woops! Guess that bowl was broken, make sure to smush lightly ok??"
Nightmare nodded again and start mushing the butter in the sugar, ok crisis averted...Pinkie waited till it looked light, fluffy, and creamy, she then brought over a bottle of vanilla and a basket of eggs.
"Alrighty step four now" she moved the basket of eggs over to Nightmare.
"Uh….I don't think this parts best for me…" Nightmare moved her hooves away from the eggs.
"Why not?" Pinkie tilted her head.
Nightmare looked at the broken bowl and smashed butter sticks with hood prints in them.
"Oh….ok! I'll do this part then!" She cracked a egg and made it spill in the bowl before tossing the eggs she then poured some vanilla in, she mushed it with her hooves before adding another egg, she did this a couple times till it was mixed, Nightmare watched her do all this with ease in amazement before looking at her own hooves and frowning.
Pinkie grabbed a wooden spoon and bag of flour "step five! You pour I'll stir!" She smiled and started stirring the batter around with the spoon.
Nightmare picked up the bag and tilted it slightly in the bowl, a couple flakes of flour fell in, she shook it and two more came out, frowning she shook it again before suddenly a ton of flour poured out overflowing in the bowl, her eye twitched again and her ears flicked, a dark purple-ish blue magical energy forming around her horn.
Pinkies eyes were wide "wow...looks like a snowy mountain!" She smiled and forced a laugh, Nightmare didn't laugh...not good...she was supposed to teach Nightmare Moon laughter, she had to think of a way to make her laugh….wait lightbulb! She grabbed some flour and ducked under the counter she came back up with her face covered in flour and her mane pointed like a long horn "I'm princess Celestia!"
Nightmare burst out laughing which made Pinkie laugh as well….until Nightmare fell into the royal canterlot voice shaking the entire kitchen and knocking the bowl over.
"DAMMIT!!!" Nightmare roared in the royal canterlot voice before she covered her mouth "sorry…" she nearly got to Fluttershy level of quiet...or pinkies hearing was bad after the yelling,
She rubbed her ears "It's ok!" She scooped up the flour and batter back in the bowl, she then finished mixing it before scraping it onto the pan and pushing it into the oven "now put the timer on one hour" she smiled.
Nightmare looked at the egg timer and with difficulty twisted it till she was sure it was one hour.
"Alright now we wait for it to cook and it should all be fine!" Pinkie beamed.
Two hours later….
"NOT FINE!!! VERY NOT FINE!!" Pinkie yelled as the oven was spitting out flames and Nightmare Moon was trying to blow it out before fanning it with a rag in her mouth, the rag then caught fire and she threw it in panic, it landed on the counter catching everything on it on fire she then started running around in panic.
Pinkie pulled a fire extinguisher out of her mane, always have one near by when cooking! She then started spraying the flames.
~{END FLASHBACK}~
Pinkie looked at Nightmare who she expected to be furious but...just saw devastation, Pinkie frowned and grabbed a piece of the burnt and foam covered cake "hm I'm sure it still tastes good!" She ate it and gagged, it did not taste good, but she didn't want Nightmare to know, she chewed and forced a smile "mmm...so…" hack "good!" She was sure her performance was believable.
I watched Pinkie force herself to eat the cake and lie horribly about it tasting good, I screwed up….Pinkie asked me to make a cake with her and I burnt it...god I was useless "Pinkie...you..don't need to lie...it's bad, I know" I turned my back to her and walked out of the kitchen "sorry I failed…" one chance to have a fun day with Pinkie...and I ruined it, of course I did..when did anything ever go the way I wanted? I couldn't even be happy I was walking on the crystal floor and not slipping….
Sighing I headed back to my room and plopped on the bed, this day felt like it went on forever and I was exhausted, mostly mentally...screw up as much as I did and I doubt anyone would complain, pushing my head under my pillow I tried to sleep, hopefully tomorrow would be better and screw up free....
I woke up to...a strange feeling, I can only describe it as being roughly similar to someone running their fingers through your hair, my mom would do that to me when I was younger and trying to fall asleep, it was extremely relaxing and usually worked to knock me out.
I say roughly similar because this feeling was not on my head but on the useless things connected to my back, it felt so amazing and so relieving after the past few days...like dealing with being a huge female horse, being taken from my home and sent to another world, running from ponies, finding out I burn in the sun...and the nightmares, I involuntarily shivered from the memories as well as the feeling on my back, a smile coming across my face from the nice sensation.
I suddenly realized something...no dream last night….don't know if that's good or not, I'm gonna go with good since I didn't experience any more traumatizing things…
I suddenly felt a sharp pain making me yelp and I turned my head around to see what happened only to come face to face with the large head of some chimera looking mother fucker, screaming I thrashed around to get away from it and my wings proceeded to flap in panic sending me straight up into the air and hitting my head into the ceiling causing a cracking sound, wincing I noticed….I wasn't falling down…
Laughter came from below making me look down at the chimera freak who was floating in the air laughing hysterically.
"Oh I was hoping for a scare but that!! That was more than I ever could have hoped for" the creature said before erupting into another fit of laughter, he wiped a tear from his eye, that voice sounded...familiar to me, but I was currently having trouble thinking as this creature who I thought was just a monster was talking!!...and why was I still up on the ceiling?!?! I growled looking up.
The creature cleared his throat to get my attention back on him, he then tapped his forehead, I looked at him confused, he huffed frowning and then snapped his fingers and a long black horn appeared floating by him, he proceeded to point a ruler at it much like a teacher would to a student.
I blinked and wiggled my head before wincing...yup...my horn was stuck in the ceiling...god dammit…
The chimera did a golf clap "woohoo the genius got it" he held two fingers up and put a rubber band around them before pulling the band back and releasing it like a slingshot and a small sparkly gold object flew at me before sticking to my nose, wiggling my muzzle I tried to look at it, and realized it was a gold star.
He smiled up at me before snapping his fingers and vanishing...what the fuck?!?! What was that?? Who was that?? Why was that?!?
None of my questions were being answered and I was still stuck to the ceiling!!! I growling I pushed my hooves against the ceiling to get my horn free, I wiggled my head before it popped out of the hole it made in the ceiling, I smiled victoriously...till I started falling, flailing around as I fell in fear of death till I hit the bed and bounced a bit back up, forgot the bed was beneath me, I fell back down and the bed collapsed thudding to the floor loudly.
I stared up at the ceiling, the small hole above me, what an eventful morning…woke up to a nice feeling, find out it was from some wacko chimera dude, stabbed my horn in the ceiling, and then broke my bed...I also….felt stiffness on my back which made me blink...it was slightly familiar and yet different, looking to my right and found my wing stretched out stiff, looking to the left I found the same thing on that side…..I had wing boners….looking back at the ceiling "..can..can I get a break??"
I suddenly heard a knock on the door before it opened and Twilight walked in.
"I heard a noise is everything al-" Twilight's eyes went large as she saw the broken bed, she then looked at Nightmare Moon "what...what happened?"
Thinking it over, there's no way she'd believe what actually happened "I...had a bad dream…" I sat up.
Twilight looked at Nightmares large stiff wings and blushed, she believed it was a dream just probably not a bad one "oh...uh..ok...well..I'll be in the library…come there when your um...ready" she quickly left closing the door.
That was weird...why was she blushing? My wings twitched reminding me of their stiffness "oh crap…." I just realized this was basically someone walking in and seeing you had a boner...god damn this world and it's intent to torture me!!
I tried pushing my right wing down but it was not budging, growling I figured the only way to get rid of these damn things was a shower….I got off the bed happy my hooves slipped less than before on the floor, I walked towards the door and opened it attempting to walk out before I was abruptly stopped as my wings hit the doorframe, stepping back I tried again and got stopped, grumbling I tried turning them to an angle and waking out only for them to not be able enough, I was steaming with rage at this point.
Backing all the way up to the other side of the room I ran full speed and went through the doorway hitting the wall in the hall, slowly sliding down it I grumbled "I...hate...mornings…"
Standing back up I looked around the hall "where exactly is the bathroom….?" Not getting an answer from the empty hall I started walking around, my new hooves clopping across the floor making a bit of an echo, I smirked slightly I always liked the sound of horse hooves on stone..
On my search I peaked my head in different rooms, most were empty, others had basic living stuff, one looked like it belonged to a boy...spikes room...oh crud spike got his own room...really moving up in the world from when I last saw him...
Another room I could only guess was Twilights but gosh dang that bed looked comfortable with all those pillows….hm my eyes felt heavy just looking at it...no no, I shook my head, I can not sleep in Twilight's bed...she's still here...maybe when she leaves I give that baby test drive…
Continuing my search I finally found the bathroom, dear sweet baby Jesus this castles huge!! And apparently there's only one bathroom in this hall, poor design choice if you ask me...
I walked in and closed the door, pretty big and...huh..it's got a small empty pool...oh crud that's the shower, it was like a step in shower that was lower in the floor so it could be filled up like a bath….gosh dang Twilight is living the life...
Walking closer I looked it over, this was unfair….she had this for a fricken shower?? I stepped in and looked at the knobs, hm still the same as Earth's good, little bit of hot, and a little bit more of cold, water started flowing from the bottom of the shower filling like a tub "ok what the heck? This is way to cool and unfair!" Looking around I tried to find the knob to switch it to the showerhead but couldn't find it, I looked between the knobs and noticed a button "huh...wonder if this is i-" I pressed it and water jetted out from the showerhead into my face making me stumbled back blinded by the water in my eyes "ah ah! Can't see!!" I slipped and made a splash from the water that had filled up.
I stood completely drenched, and huffed before standing under the running water and smiled as the warm water rained against my back, my stiff wings slowly lowering and became less stiff as I stood there "mmm I'm just gonna stand here a bit…." After the long past few days this was amazing, I hadn't taken a shower for like days cause of this body.
Taking a few stepped back and let the water run down my head soaking the flowing mane, still didn't understand this or my tail, I thought it was like smoke in the show but I guess it's weird magic hair….
I stepped out from under the water and looked at the soaps, how do I do this….? I'm smart enough to not try and push down on the nozzle while holding a hoof under it cause I can't stand on two legs currently.
Rubbing my chin and went into my thoughts before shrugging and going back under the water, I'd learn how to later, after soaking my front half I remembered I had a tail now so I stepped out from under the water and turned my self around and backed up towards the water starting to soak my tail.
"jeez showers are gonna take forever from now o-eep!!!" I jumped forward as the water touched a sensitive spot I was very new to on my backside, blushing bright red I quickly turned the knobs off and stepped out of the shower "o-ok shower time over!" My voice cracked slightly.
Trying to ignore what just happened I grabbed the towel with my teeth and threw it over my back...now what? Wiggling I tried to make the towel rub my fur but that didn't work, I laid down then and started rolling in the towel, this had some success but my fur was a bit damp still, pulling the towel on my head I rubbed it sound with my hooves as I sat on the floor, I yelled when I smacked my horn and it stabbed through the towel.
I put my hoof down on one end and pulled my head back causing my horn to rip upwards through the towel cutting it partially in half, I sighed heavily and picked it up in my mouth and left the bathroom, I made my way through the halls looking around before I saw the open doors to the library and walked in seeing Twilight, she smiled at me before it vanished seeing I was still wet and had a ripped towel "I...uh accidentally ripped this...not really used to the whole pony shower thing…"
Twilight took the towel with her magic and set it beside her, she took a deep breath and smiled softly "thanks for telling me and not hiding it.."
"Yeah kinda figured you'd get mad if I did that" I rubbed one of my legs.
Twilight blinked...that meant she had considered hiding it…she shook her head "anyway, today Rainbow Dash is coming by to spend the day with you" she smiled.
"Wait what?...but..uhhhhh ok" I was excited and also not, yesterday sucked with pinkie because of my screw ups, today was gonna be worse, Rainbow Dash isn't the most patient of ponys from what I saw in the few episodes I watched...
Just then a blue mare with wings and a rainbow mane and tail flew in, she flew over to Twilight "hey Twi what didja need me for?"
"Well today you're going to help Nightmare-" Twilight started talking but the clearing of a throat made her look at Nightmare Moon.
"Uh...I'd prefer Blake…" I smiled nervously.
Twilight blinked and continued talking not looking away from Nightmare Moon for a few seconds "help Blake..learn loyalty" she looked back at Rainbow Dash smiling.
Rainbow Dash was doing the exact opposite "what?? But how?!? I don't know the first thing about teaching somepony!!"
"Well the princesses wanted us to prove she isn't a threat and to teach her the ways of regular ponys" Twilight explained but Rainbow Dash crossed her arms "Fluttershy also wants us to help her" she reminded.
Rainbow Dash cursed under her breath "fiiiiiine! Let's go Nightmare" she flew out of the room.
"I..but…." I looked at Twilight in hope of her changing her mind about this whole thing but she only smiled and gestured for me to go, sighing I started walking out.
Twilight sighed in relief and sat on the chair in the room, everything was going to be fine...yeah….nothing will go wrong.
Rainbow Dash hovered in the air flapping her wings regularly to keep in the air, she had not a clue how to go about this...how the heck do you teach someone loyalty??
She looked down at Nightmare Moon who was hiding in the shadow of the castle looking up at her expectantly while also nervously, and we have to do it in the shadows…
She groaned, why did this have to be so hard?? She wished she had ignored Twilight's letter and stayed in bed today...but no she had to be a good friend and come and help, how she was helping currently she had no idea..
Looking Nightmare over she ran multiple ideas through her head, but none really seemed to work and also took waaaaay to long for Dash's liking, suddenly something came to her mind about Nightmare that only now did she realize.
"Hey, you know how to fly right?" Rainbow dash asked which sounded stupid to herself, any Pegasus or...Alicorn knew how to fly.
"N-no actually…" Nightmare shuffled on her hooves as her wings twitched.
Dash blinked…"seriously?..."
"Yeah...wings are..new to me…" Nightmares ears folded back.
"Huh" she has been saying she's not actually Nightmare Moon but Dash was pretty sure that was bull, rubbing her chin she got an idea "what if I taught you? And then you tell Twi I told all I knew about loyalty but you wanted to learn some more from her."
"Uh….sure?"
Yes!! Rainbow Dash had to remember to pat herself on the back for that idea, now she didn't have to figure out how to teach someone loyalty, she flew closer to Nightmare "ok what do you know about flying?"
"Um...depends on which one, the wing kind is you flap your wings and fly?.....the plane kind is way more technical stuff and aerodynamics which I got no clue about…." Nightmare rubbed the back of her neck.
"Okaaaaay…well your kind of close about the wing part, you have angle your wings though in order to turn as well as keep yourself up in the air, you also can't just flap your wings and Bam your flying" she landed on the ground and folded her wings "copy me" she extended her wings.
Nightmare did the same only one was bent inwards a bit and other was raised to high up "can you fully extend that one?" Dash pointed at it with her hoof.
Nightmare looked at it and wiggled it "um...no."
Dash huffed and walked over "ok um...your fine with me touching your wings right?"
Nightmare gave a weird look "yeah why?"
"Well…. nevermind, this one needs to be fully extended" she used her hooves to unbend the wing, she hid her blush by being behind Nightmare, touching another Pegasuses wings was a very personal thing, they were the most sensitive part of a Pegasus.
Dash kept glancing at Nightmare as she walked over to her other wing and lowered it "this one needs to be lower and at equal height with the other."
"Ok…." Nightmare looked at her wings.
Rainbow dash stood a couple feet in front of Nightmare "ok now-"
"Do wings normally get stiff?"
Dash choked on air and coughed "w-what??"
"Well...uh..this morning...my wings were stiff..after...they were rubbed?" Nightmares face reddened as she seemed to realize her sentence "you know what nevermind..let's get back to flying!"
Dash was blushing but nodded, this day was taking a seriously weird turn "raise and lower your wings and then slowly pick up the speed."
Nightmare nodded and started doing so, the process afterwards was very long, Dash had to keep helping her readjust her wings so that they were even, after a bit more practice she was keeping her wings straight and even, after that it was getting off the ground time.
This time Dash had her flap her wings harder, she lifted up but panicked and fell down again, a couple more times she was wobbly but in the air a feet off the ground.
"Alright time for moving, aim both wings back slightly" Dash commanded.
Nightmare complied and angled them back causing her to move forward, she was surprised but smiled "wow..this this is actually exciting!"
Dash smiled as well, she remembered what it was like flying for the first time, she watch Nightmare flying forward "ok now keep one wing straight while flapping the other."
Nightmare did that and turned left before switching back to flying forward she giggled excitedly "this is awesome!!"
Dash smirked "it is, and all thanks to your awesome teacher."
"Thanks Rainbow Dash" she smiled at her.
Since when did she look so adorable?? Dash rubbed the back of her neck blushing "yeah uh..no problem…"
Nightmare blushed as well looking at her and still flying forward..
Dash's eyes widened "hey watch where your go-" there was a loud thud.
Nightmare had flown right into the castle wall, she groaned softly.
I groaned as I peeled my face off the wall "ouch…."
Dash snorted "that's why you keep your eyes forward."
"Note taken…" I turned to look at her and glance down, we were really high up! I quickly clung to the wall only to start slipping as I didn't have any traction "no no no!!" I slipped off and started falling.
"Flap your wings!!"
My wings flapped but I was panicking and not following any of the steps I learned to fly properly, I was gonna die!!!
Dash flew over in a rainbow blur and quickly caught me just before I hit the ground, she set me down "...ok so you still have some lear-"
I cut her off by hugging her tightly "thank you!..."
She blinked "um...no problem...what'd you think I was just gonna let you fall?"
"...I know you girls don't trust me...so I just kinda assumed...you wouldn't care…"
"Hey...if you're in trouble we would help...I get the idea you're not at all like Nightmare Moon, you've been pretty nice compared to her…"
"Thanks" I smiled softly.
"Can you let go now? I can't breathe" Dash squirmed.
"Oh sorry!" I let go of her and stepped back "um...thank you for the flying lesson...it was fun..till I fell."
"No problem, just don't tell Twilight I didn't teach you about loyalty."
"I won't" I chuckled.
"Cool I need to get back to Wonderbolts so cya!" She waved with her wing before flying off.
"Wait!" I called out to her to stop and come back.
"What's up?" She questioned.
"How did you do that with your wing?" It was almost like a hand when she waved...in fact if I remember correctly, pegasi could use their wings like hands in the show...that'd be useful.
"What? You mean wave? You can't wave your wings either?"
"I can't really do much besides fly with them now, and I use the fly very lightly" the castle wall isn't meant to be flown into as I learned.
"Oh hm...I'm not really sure how to teach that, I just sorta make it do what I want" Dash rubbed the back of her head with a hoof.
I looked at my wing and thought about pointing a finger, it did as my arm would though my leg also rose at the same time, using new muscles while also picturing them as old ones was gonna be hard, but I could learn...maybe "I'll work on it...thanks for the help Rainbow Dash."
She smiled "no problem again" she flew off then.
I watched her leave envious of her ability to fly so easily, I had a lot of practice ahead of me if I ever wanted to be a good flyer...just the thought of being able to fly made me giddy and smile widely.
Yawning I slowly woke up my body all sprawled out on the bed, smacking my lips together I looked around the room still the same..still a horse…
Rolling out of the bed I stretched making my back pop and then wings as I stretched them "hm guess that's from using them to fly yesterday…" I rubbed my eye with a hoof and walked towards the door.
I might as well get started with whatever Twilight had planned for the day, better sooner rather than later, walking into the library I marvelled at the room, it was incredible just like a mythical library from a fantasy movie or show.
I walked along the shelves since Twilight wasn't here yet, looking at each book I read the titles, magical spell books, history of magic spells, magic spells about history….it blew my mind I was now in a world where magic was real...well I kind of believe it was real on earth but here it's actually used every day.
I stopped when I read the title of one book "Multidimensional Myths & Legends" this...this could be my ticket home, it could have spells or something on how to send me home! Unfortunately it was on the third row shelf...higher than I could reach standing on all fours, reaching up I failed to reach it so I put one front hoof up on the second shelf and reach for the three with my free hoof, I just barely could touch the top of the book, trying to pull it, it moved barely.
I kept reaching moving to the tops of my hooves and got my hoof on top of the book pulling on it getting it free and sending it toppling to the floor, I smiled victoriously..before suddenly a avalanche of books came crashing down on top of me burying me beneath the heavy books.
Twilight trotted down the hall smiling, she was actually very excited for today because today was her day with Nightmare Moon, she'd get to help her learn Magic, though really Twilight would most likely be learning from Nightmare, Luna was once the host for Nightmare so she should have all her magical Knowledge….at least she hoped so.
She'd also be learning more about what exactly is Nightmare Moon, how she came into being, and how she's even here...Twilight assumes her spell to bring the remnants of Nightmare Moons essence she had detected somehow brought all of Nightmare, perhaps the remnants acted as sleeping small parts of Nightmare Moon and the awakening of them called the rest of her back from wherever she was sent after the elements released Luna from her.
Perhaps the spells magic is acting as a sort of host for Nightmare, she was so curious about it all….and she felt bad...her reckless behavior and crave for knowledge inadvertently brought a powerful villain back to the world...if Nightmare was like her usual self she could have done a lot of damage the PonyVill, Equestria even.
She should feel lucky that Nightmare Moon seems to have changed or been altered due to the spell...or in the possibility of what Nightmare Moon had said that she in fact is a totally different being in the form of Nightmare Moon then they were lucky….but she would have also caused an innocent life to be forced into a unwanted situation….taken from their life and put in another….even if she didn't believe it Twilight still could understand how horrible it could be.
Shaking her head to clear the thoughts she put her smile back on and walked through the libraries doors just as a cascade of books fell over by the bookshelf, the form of Nightmare Moon being seen for a split second before buried.
Hurrying over Twilight levitated the books off of her he re-shelved them "what happened??"
"Sorry…." Nightmare groaned standing up and rubbing her head "I saw a book and when I grabbed it the rest came down onto me…"
She wanted to read a book?...one of my books?? Twilight's smile returned "that's great!...the wanting to read of the books part, not them falling into you" she chuckled embarrassed.
"Oh...uh yeah...but this book should help me..or you I guess since your the magic expert, send me back home" she pushed the book over to Twilight across the ground.
Twilight looked down reading the title "Multidimensional Myths & Legends…?"
"Yeah! I figure since this is definitely not my world then I'm from another dimension" she smiled with those sharp teeth.
Twilight felt unnerved by the smile but kept it hidden "well...I can give it a read and see if there's anything I can figure out" she levitated it to a nearby table.
Nightmare looked at Twilight with a look of envy.
"What…?" Twilight asked.
"What?" Twilight asked.
"Oh sorry….it's just...you can levitate things around so easily...I just wish I could, it'd make everything so much easier...like with the bookshelf, if I could have levitated the book then I wouldn't have gotten buried…" I sighed looking up at my useless horn, but when I looked down my eyes widened as Twilight was looking at me almost appalled.
"You...don't know how to perform a levitation spell?" Twilight was baffled, she knew Nightmare had to know the spell, heck most unicorn fillies know it!
"Uh...no...non-pony in a pony body...remember?"
Still with that story…wait...maybe when Nightmare was brought back she lost all magical control? And she was using this story to hide her embarrassment, Twilight knew if she had suddenly lost the ability to use spells she'd be embarrassed and would try to make up some excuse to hide her shame..
This could actually work in her favor, she'd be able to teach Nightmare Moon Magic and possibly make her learn something, she couldn't actually change for the better with the help of Twilight and her friends, and Twilight herself could learn more about Nightmare through this.
"...right...well then you'll be happy to know today I shall be teaching you the element of Magic!" Twilight declared with a smile.
My eyes widened "wait...really???"
Twilight nodded, she wasn't expecting her to sound so excited honestly "let's get started with the basics then and try out levitation" Twilight walked over to a more open spot and made a couple of blocks appear on the ground.
I stood and looked at them, they reminded me of a child's play blocks sitting down I looked at Twilight "um...now what? I say hocus-pocus and they float?" I smirked from my joke.
"Well….if you want to sure, but levitation usually requires the pony to focus their magic into their horn and picture moving the object they want to move, ponies haven't really declared spells in hundreds of years" Twilight explained missing the joke.
My smirk dropped at her missing my joke "uh ok…" I looked at the blocks, just focused magic into my horn, easy….I focused….and felt nothing, frowning I focused harder...move….move...mooove…
...hocus-pocus?..
...alakazam...
...abracadabra…
....opensesame...wait that's for doors, grumbling I looked at the stubborn non-moving little blocks "this is impossible.."
Twilight frowned, she shouldn't be having this much trouble, she's a Alicorn for Celestia's sake "hm well…..are you sure you're focusing?"
"Yes Twilight, I'm focusing with everything I got! But they won't move" I frowned.
Twilight rubbed her chin then levitated the blocks...it wasn't the blocks….looking at her she rethought her approach "alright...let's try this, close your eyes and imagine your picking the blocks up with your hoof."
Huffing I closed my eyes, picking it up with my hoof? Yeah like I can do that normally...I tried picturing it but it's hard to imagine doing something when you've never done it before…
Twilight watched waiting for Nightmare to actually lift the blocks…..it was taking her longer than she thought…and judging by the creasing of her brows she was getting frustrated...
My patience began to thin….this was getting annoying 'picture picking it up with your hoof' he mentally mimicked twilight voice though in a mocking tone, I'm more used to using hands...hands...wait...maybe that's what I should do? Just picture picking the blocks up with my hand….
Breathing deeply I then exhaled and pictured my hand picking a block up, it was easy, just grab and lift, I felt the horn in my head tingle with warmth...I was doing it! I opened my eyes smiling at my achievement….only to look in horror as the block I picture picking up was now a pile of ash.
Twilight had leapt back in surprise when the block was turned to ash, Nightmare had looked so calm and focused then bam her horn glowed and the block was smoking ashes…disintegration spell...that's a rather...deadly and lesser known spell...
"U-um...perhaps...we should try another spell?" She cleared her throat glancing at Nightmare.
I frowned, I thought I had had it….of course I didn't...why would I? When has anything worked for me in this world?? "Yeah...sure."
She sounded upset, keep calm Twilight don't need to upset the powerful Alicorn, Twilight looked around the room for a possible idea as to what to help Nightmare practice a spell with, her eyes scanning the room passing the chandelier before refocusing on it, a lightbulb going off in Twilight's head "alright we're going to try a light spell!"
"Light spell?"
"Yes, just focus your magic to the tip of your horn and after that just try to make it brighter" Twilight smiled.
Yeah cause that sounds so easy, taking a deep breath I remained seated and closed my eyes focusing my magic to the tip of my horn….I guess….I felt a strange tingle, a little irritating and uncomfortable feeling, I tried to push said feeling up to the tip of the horn.
Twilight's smile widened seeing a small light sphere glow at the tip of Nightmares horn, though it was no larger than a marble and it wasn't very bright "ok good but now try to make it brighter and bigger."
Ok...I focused a bit harder trying to push that feeling more and make it stronger, the tip of my horn getting warmer as I focused.
Now it was the size of a golf ball "...that was good but….maybe a bit bigger?"
Oh come on! Suppressing a growl I focused harder, I was beginning to strain as I focused more of the feeling to the tip, she wanted it bigger, brighter, fine! I'll make it as bright as the god damn sun if I have to!!
"U-um Nightmare...perhaps you should cut it back?" Twilight spoke up sounding nervous, I however was more focused on the fact she called me Nightmare again…
"I... already told you..nghh my names Blake…" it was hard to focus on talking and this stupid light spell!
"Stop the spell!!"
"Oh now you want me to stop it? What is it not big enough??" I growled
"Open your eyes!!!" Twilight yelled.
I opened them with a look of annoyance before that turned into shock as above me sat a giant ball of light "I whaa?!?"
"You put to much magic into….now just stay calm and try to ease the magic out of the spell…" Twilight instructed trying to keep her distance while also trying not to move to far away.
"Ok ok…..how do I do that??" Fear was in my voice as I was trying to balance what was a james and the giant peace sized ball of light on my horn much like a seal would a ball on its nose.
Twilight was getting a bit frustrated with these constant questions an adult unicorn should know "just picture a…...hose and you're letting water out of...slowly."
Right..I could do that...just ease the magic out of this giant blimp….water out of a hose, water sloooowly coming out of a hose…..wat-crap now I gotta pee!
The ball of light got bigger..
"Gahh ok ok stop heheh no more magic!" Twilight smiled nervously.
"I didn't mean too! I don't know how this works!!!" I yelled worriedly.
The sphere enlarged once more.
"Ok ok!! Just um clear your mind! And try to keep your magic from flowing into it" Twilight order as she tried to think of a spell to help.
Ok just don't let magic into it….the tingling which was originally uncomfortable and irritating now felt way worse, like when a hair or something tickled your nose and you feel like you have to sneeze only you can't...like that except burning hot and there's a giant ball of light hanging over your head.
Sweat began to run down my head as I strained, this thing was heavy and kinda warm…..didn't help it felt like this rod on my forehead felt like it was heating up, actually...it was starting to feel painful...like trying to hold in something that really really wanted out "….oh no….I think...I'm...loosing...it!"
The seal I'd been keeping closed in my horn burst causing the sphere to suddenly grow gigantic, it's round shape deformed and bubbled before with a bright glow it popped and a booming noise sending me off my feet…..hooves.
Twilight smiled as the glow of light got to the normal size as she was used to seeing from other unicorns using the spell...her smile soon dropped as it then got bigger...and bigger...and oh no "u-um Nightmare...perhaps you should cut it back?"
"I... already told you..nghh my names Blake…" Nightmare Moon growled as the sphere on her horn got bigger...and bigger, she was putting more magic into it.
"Stop the spell!!" Twilight yelled as the sphere was growing far larger than normal..
"Oh now you want me to stop it? What is it not big enough??" She growled.
"Open your eyes!!!" Twilight yelled.
Nightmare opened her eyes with a look of annoyance before that turned into shock as above her sat the light spell only humongous "I whaa?!?"
"You put to much magic into….now just stay calm and try to ease the magic out of the spell…" Twilight instructed trying to keep her distance while also trying not to move to far away, she wanted to rush to Nightmare incase this got out of hoof.
"Ok ok…..how do I do that??" She sounded fearful which was unexpected because she was Nightmare Moon, though many things were unexpected about this Nightmare Moon.
Twilight was getting a bit frustrated with these constant questions an adult unicorn should know, especially a Alicorn for Celestia's sake "just picture a…...hose and you're letting water out of...slowly."
Nightmare seemed to focus releasing Twilight, maybe she could salvage this, it could be a...leading experience for her! Yeah this was fine.
The ball of light got bigger..
"Gahh ok ok stop heheh no more magic!" Twilight smiled nervously she didn't want Nightmare to lose anymore focus.
"I didn't mean too! I don't know how this works!!!" She yelled.
The sphere enlarged once more.
"Ok ok!! Just um clear your mind! And try to keep your magic from flowing into it" Twilight order as she tried to think of a spell to help solve this situation.
Twilight honestly couldn't believe such a simple spell could escalate to this! Could have perhaps been because of alice magic? That brought more curious questions to mind, if Alicorn magic could do this to a simple light spell well then...what else could it do?
Now realizing this offered her a chance to test out the capabilities of an alicorns magic not her own Twilight was filled with intense curiosity, experimenting and recording her own magic talent was a bit difficult even with spikes help, it just wasn't the same as seeing it yourself and writing down the information..
"….oh no….I think...I'm...loosing...it!!" Nightmare suddenly exclaimed with a strain in her voice.
Twilight's eyes widened before the light sphere grew even larger, it's form began to deteriorate bubbling and growing brighter before with a loud explosion and a flash of light Twilight was knocked off her hooves.
I groaned awake…..my head felt like someone just danced on it, and I smelt smoke...blinking my eyes open I saw a slow steady stream of smoke coming from above my field of vision, rolling to my hooves I wobbled before reaching up and felt for whatever was smoking wincing as I felt it both sting whatever it was and also burn my hoof abit, it wasn't horn...those rings can burn? I really hope that doesn't do any permanent damage…
Looking around the room I found everything was a mess, the tables were knocked over, the books no longer on their shelves, I cringed seeing the mess….I did this... Twilight was gonna be pissed...wait where was Twilight??
I began searching the room hurriedly before I found her with some books on top of her, quickly moving them off I shook Twilight "Twilight? Twilight?? Are you ok???"
Twilight groaned and sat up rubbing her head "I wish I had put a shield spell….but at least it didn't do anything to damaging"
"Well….to us…" I chuckled nervously.
Twilight looked confused before she noticed the library and gasped eyes wide, I prepared myself for her scolding, yelling at me for not having control, telling me to leave…
"W-well...it's...not...as bad...as it could be" Twilight smiled eye twitching, she was trying so hard not to loose it but...she had other things to focus on "how about we focus on your magic instead??"
"Wait what?...you still want to help me learn magic?...after this?" I gestured around the room.
"Yes, I believe I'll-you'll learn so much!" Twilight quickly corrected.
"Ok…" I honestly was worried about trying anymore magic but...if Twilight thought I could I couldn't just say no..
Twilight smiled and vanished in a flash, she then reappeared with a big stack of different items, some looked like books, others almost familiar machines, and the rest fantasy magic stuff..
Honestly I was just as curious about that stuff as I was on learning how to do whatever she was doing...that appearing and disappearing was really confusing...
"Alright let's get started!" Twilight smiled and levitated a stool over then tapped her hoof in front of it "sit here please."
Obeying I sat where instructed to and felt Twilight begin putting small suction cups across my face, this reminded me of a cartoon lie detector test….or a cartoon shocking machine….both worried me...one more than the other…
Twilight placed a potted plant in the stool in front of me.
Was...was this who was questioning me?....was i questioning it...why is my life now these questions??
"Alright, your going to be trying a growth spell, to be specific a plant growing spell" Twilight said levitating a clip board in front of her.
"And I do that how?"
"Just focus your magic into the plant and try to make it grow" Twilight brought a quill over.
"Ok...so..I just...start?"
She nodded "yup go."
Blinking I looked to the potted plant and stared at it intently, focus magic into plant, make grow...those were my objectives...but how do I know when I've put the magic in it?
I tried bringing that tingling back into my horn and was surprised to feel the sudden rush before flowing as it went to the plant, that was easy...maybe all I needed was to explode my horn to make it work?
Now with the magic in it...I didn't know what to do, I tried magic words before and they didn't work….squinting I tried thinking grow….get bigger? Please? Rubbing my chin I thought for a couple seconds.
Twilight looked over her clipboard...nothing was happening, she was impressed Nightmare got the magic into the plant but she remembered this was an Alicorn and that was easy…now she was just sat there...was she thinking of spells? What if she was trying to think up a super sophisticated spell that would completely changed the plant into something unexpected??
Maybe….talking to the plant would help? I remember hearing somewhere that plants have feelings, so maybe saying something nice will help? Just gotta think for a second...ok, clearing my throat I leaned forward "hi little plant-"
The small house plant exploded up from it's pot in gigantic vines that pushed both me and Twilight backwards as the large vines shot up to the ceiling and crawled across the ceiling and walls.
Twilight popped out from under some vines spitting a leaf out, that..that was unexpected...but so interesting!!! A simple growth spell resulted in well this!! Her entire library looked like a jungle! She never could have imagined this, she was definitely glad she had set up the magical recorder, now she'd have data on the fluctuations of Nightmare Moons Mana levels as she cast the spell!...wait where was Nightmare?
"Uh...Twilight….little help" I asked as I hung upside down from a vine which was wrapped around me, I'm honestly not sure how I ended up like this….nor how I made the plant like this…
"Oh! Don't worry I'll get you down" Twilight vanished then appeared by Nightmare before they both vanished and appeared back on the ground.
I wobbled...dizzy….taste purple….I shook my head and blinked, how did we get to the ground?...did she cast a spell- my thoughts were interrupted upon looking at the room, I cringed once more at my handy work "uh….I...I'm sorry again…"
"What? Oh don't worry about it" Twilight's horn lit up and suddenly the vines vanished including the pot, she trotted over to her knocked over equipment and put it back in place before looking at the sheet of paper with zigzag lines on it.
Reminded me of a seismograph, was that from the wires stuck to my head? I peaked over Twilight which was easy because of my size.
Twilight studied the paper intently making small adorable happy sounds as she looked the paper over, I had to hold back my own noises of happiness...to cute….just to cute.
Deciding to focus on the papers I leaned down to get a closer look.
"Alright let's move onto the n-" Twilight was mid sentence as she turned around and bumped noses with the large mare Nightmare Moon, both pressed together and looking into each other's wide surprised eyes.
"Eep!!" I jumped back falling on my back as I fumbled with my hooves.
Twilight blushed with a scrunched nose before she looked at the fallen over mare and giggled.
Hearing her giggle I blushed deeper red and quickly got to my hooves trying to puff my chest out and look tough...being a tall dark and pretty mare did not help with that…
Clearing my throat "let's continue" I avoided eye contact as my blush was still present, curse this world and its will to put me in embarrassing positions...I already accidentally fell on top of her when leaving the hospital...she was so small and I'm fricken huge….she'd fit under me perfectly-ahhhhh stop with the thoughts!!!
"Alright the next spell I'd like for you to try is a transformation spell, turning one object into another" Twilight put an apple on the stool.
"Wait could that help change me back??" My previous thoughts being thrown out the window and replaced with hope of returning to my normal self.
"....no….it's..more so meant for items….there are spells that can change a pony temporarily" Twilight explained.
I frowned "oh…." There goes that idea.
Twilight blinked before she grabbed a pair of steam punk looking glasses and put them on, there was a glowing crystal ported into the side of one of the frames "let's try the spell."
"Right…" I huffed and looked at the apple "so what do you want me to turn it into?"
"How about an orange?"
I focused the magic to my horn once more, the familiar tingling returning….I really, realllly tried to focus on making this turn into an orange…
The apple began to glow, it shook slightly before turning to dust..
Twilight blinked then made another apple appear..
Focusing again I tried once more.
The apple glowing before turning to mush.
Twilight made another appear.
Gritting my teeth I focused hard and my horn glowed brightly, with a flash the apple was no more now sitting in its place was...a banana??!?
"Oh come on!!" I growled.
Twilight was not upset at all, in fact she was having quite the opposite reaction, complete transformation of not only shape! But type of fruit as well!!
"Can I be done with the transformation spell?" I grumbled.
"Yes yes, now let's try something different" Twilight went back to her pile of gear, meanwhile the banana spread multiple legs and crawled off the stool unnoticed, Twilight walked back to Nightmare and placed a small clamp on her horn connected to a thin cable leading to the managraph and a rectangular metal box with multiple colored crystals on top of it.
I raised my brow...did she just stick a jumper cable to my horn?...now I was really worried of being shocked "uh...what spell does this involve?"
"Hm? Oh you won't be casting a spell, you'll just be building magic in your horn and I'll analyse it" Twilight said while adjusting a few things.
"Oh…." So I was a lab rat..
"You can start whenever you feel like" Twilight didn't even bother to turn around as she continued mess with the devices.
I focused magic into my horn feeling the tingle, the seismograph machine beginning to scratch away at the paper, and the different crystals would light up randomly, the room was pretty much quiet all except for the scratching of the paper….
My horn tingled and irritated me...I just couldn't get used to that feeling, and hearing that machine just scratching over and over was starting to bug me...just sitting here on the floor with some clamp stuck to my head….
A couple minutes went by...my butt was getting numb and I was pretty tired...I had to fight back yawning a couple times "hey Twilight can I get a p-"
"Don't talk, you loosened the cable" Twilight fixed it before returning to silence.
My eye twitched, so now I wasn't allowed to talk….oh goody...what a fun lesson i am learning by her greatness Twilight Sparkle, perhaps next she'll allow me to clean the floor with my toothbrush...oh wait I didn't have one here...I didn't actually own anything in this world…
Just when I think my view of Twilight was wrong...she goes and reveals her true colors..all she wanted me here for was this, to test, to see what I can do, like some clown for her entertainment.
The paper scratched louder, she couldn't have given me a book or something? No no books for me in this library…why allow her test subject be entertained?...just think of myself as a subject of hers as infuriating...the only subject in this room was her…
We-I shouldn't be treated in such a fashion! I was bigger than her and undoubtedly stronger...yet she treats me like I'm lower, how dare she...she who is nothing but a false Alicorn...just a unicorn who was given wings and believes herself worthy of the title!
Twilight looked at the managraph as it was going off the chart, literally! The crystals were now all glowing all together slowly getting brighter and brighter, Nightmare Moon was pumping out a lot of magic, the crystals suddenly began to pop and shatter, Twilight jumping back in shock "Nightmare...perhaps we should end the te-"
"My name is not Nightmare Moon!!!" I roared getting onto my hooves and glaring down at the small mare "my name is Blake!! Remember it! And refer to me only as such!! I will not remind you again!"
Twilight cowered back as the mare before her seemed to become far more imposing, her slitted eyes reminding of a venomous snake just as much as Nightmares words spoke with venom "I-I'm sorry...I..I didn't mean to upset you."
"Oh no you merely wished to see the capabilities of us, you wish to see what we can do??" My horn alit with a blue aura before the managraph and rectangular box was sent flying across the room and smashing into the wall "perhaps not enough for the ever curious Twilight Sparkle!" The remaining books flew off the shelf and began to swirl around the two of us, tables being smashed into and thrown aside as the books swarmed.
Twilight dodged a few books as the zoomed by, she lit her horn trying to stop them but found her magic outmatched, just as she was about to cast a spell towards Nightmare she felt the cable from before wrap up her legs and then horn causing her to have to bend her head down forcefully..
I cackled throwing my head back and spreading my wings at the sight so similar to what she'd made me suffer through, prevented from doing what she wished, at the mercy of the better mare!
Twilight's eyes were wide, the sight before her putting her back at the castle of the two sisters all those years ago, Nightmare Moon standing above her cackling mockingly...she was right they all were! This truly was Nightmare Moon! All this just an act!
As I cackled glaring down at Twilight the shattered remains of the crystals from the box at her hooves...I saw my reflection in them...was...was that what I looked like?...flashes of the episode Nightmare Moon started in...I realized how similar I appeared...not just in body but...posture...expression….cruelty..
Twilight watched all the books suddenly fall to the ground, eyes refocusing on Nightmare she saw...her focus on the crystals below? What was her game?...and why did she look so horrified? Twilight watched the taller mare shake her head no as she backed up.
"No...no I am not her!!! That is not me!!" Tears built up in my eyes, everything I tried not to be that monster...not be what everyone saw me as...all wasted because what I saw was that monster, I crumbled to the ground holding my head in my hooves.
Twilight realized the cable was loose and freed herself, such a drastic different in the mare she just saw standing so strong and dark..now lied crumbled and crying….it didn't make sense for this to be a trick...for what reason now?? She had Twilight at her mercy easily able to kill her...but she didn't….she looked horrified of something….
Looking to the crystals twilight saw her reflecting in them...realization slowly hitting her, she was horrified of herself?...perhaps...when they freed Luna with the elements of harmony...it affected Nightmare Moon in another way, perhaps reforming her in some way...now she may realize her mistakes and is trying to get away from them? It would explain why she would want to be called by another name, and why she was so broken up about falling back into her old ways…Something Twilight had caused..
Frowning Twilight moved closer to Nightmare "I'm...I'm sorry for pushing you….I lost track of why we even began this today….to focused on my own curiosity rather than helping you…"
I sniffled not looking at her "doesn't mean I should go ballistic…"
"While true...I can understand getting frustrated and angry with someone... someone who told you not to talk…" Twilight now regretted saying that at the time...how could she do that to a pony?
Slowly I sat up "we...both made mistakes…"
"I promise not to force any tests on you again…" Twilight looked at her.
"And...I promise not to go crazy" I chuckled softly.
Twilight cracked a smile "deal…"
As I looked at her smiling I wobbled slightly suddenly dizzy "woah…." I felt so weak...tired, like I'd ran a marathon all day..
Twilight held her up "are you alright??"
"Yeah..yeah just...tired I guess.." my eyes felt so heavy...jeez I hated feeling like this..reminded me of a time when I was at school and almost passed out in my desk.
Could she be that drained? She didn't expect all this to tire her out so quick, this could also explain her wild outburst...Twilight now felt even worse…"we should get you to your bed for some rest, ok?"
I nodded too tired to reply, Twilight helped me get to my hooves and walked out of the trashed library, she walked me back to my room me practically leaning completely against her...her fur was so soft and she was so warm...like a nice pillow…
Twilight got to the room and helped her into bed, looking to her she was going to as if she needed anything only to find the large mare already sound asleep, smiling softly she pulled the blanket up over Nightmare and left the room closing the door behind her quietly, she needed something fun to do tomorrow...Rarity should know how to treat a noble mare like her! And she could learn generosity in the process, it was perfect!
Twilight trotted off smiling as she went to prepare tomorrow for Nightmare...and also clean the library.
Slowly I blinked awake and sat up, I felt strange this morning...stranger than the alien body I'm imprisoned in which is crazy to think about, but still I felt strange.
I was awake yet my eyes felt closed...I was standing but I still felt like I was lying in bed...I could move but...it felt numb...I felt so uncomfortable, moving my limbs I tried to get some more feeling in them but it was still slight numbness.
Trying to distract my mind I looked around my room only...my room wasn't here….it was just a wasteland...I could make out pieces of smashed buildings buried in grey sand reminding me of an apocalyptic movie…
My heart pumped a bit faster as I looked around for some semblance of life but it was all sand and destruction, I looked at the sky and just found blackish grey clouds….not a single bird in the air.
"H-hello??" I called out in the voice that wasn't mine, I got no response so I started walking searching the buildings that I could enter and that looked to have things in them, there wasn't much to find in any of them, some tables, chairs, and wrecked computers, but no life.
I was getting even more scared now as I hurried my search along, I kept calling out to the wasteland hoping for anyone to respond but no one did….not a single person…
I stood in the wasteland city the soft sand beneath my hooves, slight wind blowing across my fur, my ears laid back against my head as I stared down at my current finding…. something that twisted my insides, something that sent an ache in my heart, a fear throughout my body...a human skull sat half buried in the sand, slowly being uncovered by the wind.
I shook stepping back as my eyes were locked onto the skull, shakily I glanced around now focusing more on the ground, my pupils shrinking in terror as I found more and more and more skulls...the skeletal remains of this cities inhabitants laid all around the desert floor, the winds slowly uncovering some while burying others...
I shook my head in denial and looked around further, I found even more death littered across the ground, I couldn't understand this, why? Why so much death?? What happened?? Why was I alive when so many were dead?!
My questions went unanswered till a single memory entered my mind, a single memory which answered my questions...Alicorns are immortal...tears formed in my eyes before streaming down my face...I was immortal...I outlived humanity...I outlived everything!! "No...no! I don't want to be immortal!! I don't want to live forever!! Please! Please don't do this to me!!" I fell to my stomach sobbing at my fate, to live forever in a dead world…
My eyes suddenly opened as I felt the warm tears running down my face, my room in Twilight's castle surrounding me, I was back...sitting up I looked at the tear stained pillow, before looking away, just staring at the wall across from the bed...sleep used to mean rest for the mind and body….a place where anything happened, where you could experience amazing dreams…It was my hell now...each night one nightmare after the other...and then I'd wake to a new hell…
The door slowly opened after a soft knock, Twilight peaked in smiling before her smile faded seeing Nightmare's state "Nightmare? Are you alright?" It was so strange to ask a previous villain who nearly took over Equestria if she was alright, although after yesterday she owed it to the mare...
My ear twitched at the sound of that name...Nightmare...was my life a fucking joke? My eyes looked towards Twilight, she was going to come in to deliver some new kind of shit for me to deal with today...it was the only reason she even talked to me...we may have made up a bit yesterday but it didn't excuse her previous actions before that….not once had I even been asked to join dinner...hell I hadn't even eaten since Monday...what did it matter anyway I didn't get hungry…
Twilight's body went rigid, the eyes staring at her sent flashbacks of when she had first faced Nightmare Moon and then back in the library the day before...they were cold and so full of hate, the Nightmare she'd allowed into her home didn't have those eyes...those eyes were innocent, scared, and gentle…
She backed up slightly and swallowed, a spell was prepared in her mind in case Nightmare tried anything "a-are you ok?"
I sat there silent for a few seconds "I had a bad night…" slowly I got out of bed and walked towards the door.
Twilight scrambled backwards out of the way as the large mare walked out of the room, she was relieved that those eyes were no longer focused on her, but now without them she could see the bad state Nightmare was in, her mane was disheveled and her eyes did also look like they had bags under them…
"I'm sorry to hear that Ni-" Twilight shut up as she noticed Nightmare stop walking and tense up "B-Blake…" she calmed down and continued walking, so her name set her off...guess she was going to have to refer to her as Blake...she'd have to tell the girls to do the same..
So she was calling me by my name now?...guess smarty pants is smart after all...shouldn't take a genius though to get how much I fucking hate that name…I growled as I walked.
Twilight flinched as a vase suddenly shattered when Nightmare walked by it, she felt a sudden wave of alicorn magic, it didn't seem normal though, more out of control similar to when she was trying to get her to perform a spell...she might not have intentionally even shattered the vase…that was going to require further studying…no! No more studying... that's probably what got her in this state...
I sat in the library waiting for Twilight, she cleaned it up pretty good..couldn't even tell I had a outburst yesterday, I figure I might as well get whatever she wanted done with...whatever bullshit it is will distract me from the bullshit of my life….
Twilight walked over "alright Blake...since you've had a bad night you don't need to do this today...I don't want to force you to do something when you're not feeling good.."
I blinked...she was giving me a chance to not do what she wants?....this was great! I could do whatever I wanted today!..
..Like what?...I can't leave the castle without an umbrella or something to keep me out of the sun...and even with something like that, everyone in town was terrified of me
Twilight watched Nightmare Moon's expression go from tiredness, to an excited smile, then to a saddened look.
"I'll just do what you want…" I huffed.
Twilight frowned slightly "alright…" she stood and walked out of the room, returning a few seconds later with Rarity.
"Good morning darling, I have so much planned for us to-" Rarity stopped talking as her eyes went wide and she gasped very dramatically "your mane and tail!!"
I looked at the glowing magical mane and tail, it didn't look smooth like I had seen before, now it had a few hairs poking up along it's edge...huh I kinda figured this hair would always remain cloud shaped only changing when wet.…I looked back at Rarity "it's a bit messy so?"
"So? So?? Or dear you are coming with me this instant and we're fixing that dreadfully messy mane and tail!" Rarity turned and began walking out of the door.
"Um Rarity I still need to give her that gift" Twilight couldn't help but smile softly at Rarity's behavior, it was something similar they shared, Twilight admitted she was a bit of a control freak.
"Gift?" I looked at Twilight.
Twilight looked to her and levitated up a thin black metal band and levitated it over to Blake.
It looked like a ring….wait….ring..Twilight handing it to me...this wasn't a proposal was it??? I blushed "uh um T-Twilight w-we don't even know each other."
Twilight quirked a brow looking confused before she looked at the ring and her eyes widened blushing "no no! That's not what this is!! Th-this is a magical ring that allows you to walk in the sun!!"
"Oh…."
The two looked at each other blushing before Twilight put the ring on Blake's horn and pushed her and Rarity out of the room "ok goodbye, have fun!" The doors slammed shut.
I sat blushing before looking up at my horn, I couldn't see the ring but I could feel it there, it felt kinda weird but also like wearing a ring on my finger, so it just needed getting used to.
"Well now that you got Twilight's gift we can go" Rarity was smirking at Blake.
I blushed "yeah...yup" I nodded and stood "let's go.."
Rarity lead her towards the castle doors and walked out, she stopped though when Blake stood at just the edge of the sunlight that peaked through the doorway.
I looked down at the light that I had come to fear…Twilight's gift better work or I'm gonna…..be mad at her...I couldn't hurt her or any of the ponies...my accursed love of these characters was too strong…and my non-violent soul...the memories of the day before...how close I came to hurting someone...so unlike me.
Taking a deep breath I closed my eyes and took a step forward, the warmth of the sun hitting my skin making me flinch...but I didn't feel any burning...no pain...opening my eyes I looked at myself, no smoke either! This ring worked! I smiled and began running around and jumping in excitement "woo! Yes!! Haha!!"
Rarity watched with a smile, Blake was much like a child reminding her of her little sister and her friends.
I kept running around before I fell and rolled down a small hill and landed in front of Rarity on my back, I blinked and looked up at her before smiling a bit embarrassed.
She chuckled "are you alright darling?"
I nodded and stood up shaking some dirt off.
Rarity had to look up in order to look at Blake...she was quite big…her eye slightly twitched noticing the dirt now coating the large mare, and quite dirty….
"Well darling we should head to my boutique before you make yourself even more of a mess" Rarity began walking.
I huffed quietly and followed, just when I was having fun I get a comment about my appearance...plus horses are usually dirty….though Rarity would be a show pony so her cleanliness makes sense...if Applejack were here though she wouldn't care…
Walking towards the town my head hung slightly at my now downcast mood, a day with the fancy pony of PonyVille, this was going to be quite the day…
My eyes while looking around the scenery happened upon the small white mare in front of me, I'm not used to being...well a giant amongst others….she was so small, I feel like if I tripped and fell on her I'd crush her…..god I couldn't even think of what I'd do….hey Twilight, so I accidentally crushed Rarity on the way to her boutique sorry…
Shaking my head I got out of my thoughts and looked down at Rarity, specifically her cutie marks...so strange how in this world you could actually see the fur...and the cutiemark was part of that, so their fur was different colored….if they were shaved would it still be there?....
Speaking of the fur I could definitely tell Rarity kept herself in tip top shape, fur perfectly combed and almost sparkling in the sunlight like snow, she was a very pretty mare especially in this version of the world...and those hips were very distracting….
I suddenly smacked myself with my wing, what the heck was I doing?!? I don't stare at girls butts!!! Jesus! I'm really out of it today….
Blushing hard I looked at the town we were now entering, the ponies all around were looking at me in fear, momentary confusion took me before remembering to them I was the monster that tried taking over Equestria…
With ears folded back I looked away from the ponies and kept my eyes on the ground, my hooves moving beneath me, it still felt so strange….no hands or feet, just these hard round things at the ends of my limbs, it still so hard to believe this is what I am now....a pony...a mare! It's...crazy...
"Here we are Darling" Rarity suddenly chimed as she opened the door for me to her boutique.
Looking up it was way bigger in person...walking through the door I looked around, so strange to see a cartoon building in real life, cool yet also sorta disorienting.
Rarity walked in closing the door and walked towards the dressing room "follow me dear and we'll get you in proper shape" she trotted to the room.
Following I peaked into the room seeing the pony mannequins, some sporting dresses, rolls of fabric were on one side of the room, some tables with fabric stretched out across it, some had needles in them, all preparations for dresses.
Walking in I looked at Rarity as she stood beside a chair sitting in front of a mirror with a counter, it looked like a barbers but...more fancy...and girly…
Moving over to her I sat in the chair, different than how I would have as a human...it looked more similar to that of a dog sitting, Rarity got in front of me and began getting to work, levitating different items in the air and to me.
From straightening irons, to scissors and combs, she started with my mane brushing it before using the straightening iron to press the hair, cutting the few to long strands with the scissors.
Rarity pursed her lips before speaking "Darling….have...you been using the proper conditioner for your mane?...you have so many split ends...and it's not as vibrant as it could be…"
"Uh...I'm..not really used to using these hooves so, no…"
"Well that won't do" she turned the chair and Nightmare along with it so her back was facing the counter before she hit a lever and the chair leaned back placing Nightmares head in the sink.
"Uh Rarity?" I looked at her confused before water began running onto my hair...guess I was getting the full salon special…
Rarity put some soap into the water allowing it to bubble before she turned the water off and ripped her hooves in and began rubbing Nightmares mane, she couldn't believe a mare wouldn't take care of herself this much, it was as if she had no desire to make herself presentable.
I sat in the chair...uncomfortable, it wasn't the chair itself more so the surroundings...I didn't have a phone to watch a video on while this happened, so I was left looking around with my limited view point, looking at Rarity felt awkward.
After half an hour Rarity hit the lever letting the chair sit straight up, she then returned to cleaning and fussing with the mane, brushing it and fluffing it with her magic before she moved back in front of Nightmare.
"Alright time for the finishing touches" she smiled and levitated make up over.
My eyes widened "woah woah, uh Rarity...I...appreciate all the help but...I'm not into makeup...at all.."
"Oh don't be silly darling, all mares love a little makeup, and how else would I teach you generosity than to gift you the experience of looking your best?" She smiled and began applying the makeup not bothering to wait for Nightmares reply.
Cringing and squirming a bit I sat as Rarity began to bring multiple different makeup items to my face, I hated this...I hated this a lot...I felt so uncomfortable and embarrassed...I'm a guy and no part of me was into putting makeup on…
Rarity finished with applying some lipstick before stepping back "you look fabulous darling! Now to complete this look we should get to work on getting you a dress, I should have one that fits your mane and fur but it'll need some adjustments, your quite bigger than the mares I usually make dresses for" she chuckled softly trotting to her rack of dresses and looking through them.
I turned in the chair and looked at myself in the mirror, the sight...had two reactions….one hoof the mare in the mirror was stunning, her dark fur and blue eye shadow and lipstick caused her to look alluring and beautiful...on the other hand I was that mare...I felt..so wrong...I shouldn't look stunning...alluring...or beautiful! I was a guy...and one that didn't want this!
Swallowing my suddenly dry throat I had to look away from the mirror, my breathing felt heavier...and my legs were trembling, closing my eyes I breathed in deeply, I had to calm down, it was fine...I was fine..nothing to worry about…
"Darling you'll need to stand on the platform for the adjustments, the lighting is far better there than on that side of the room" Rarity called not turning away from her dress search.
Standing I walked over and stood on the platform, at least I didn't have to look at a mirror….correct that...there's a full body mirror over here...goody I get to see my entire alien body now…
Turning my head away I looked out the window at the outside world, somewhere away from my problems...somewhere I don't have to deal with this..
"Ah hah! Found it!" Rarity walked over with the dress levitating behind her.
I looked and felt ice go down my spine, the dress was dark blue and black….and a dress...a very feminine dress "Rarity….do...I have to wear that?"
Rarity frowned looking at the dress "why? Do you not like it?"
"No no..it's not that it's just...I...I um…" I didn't know how to put it into words, I tried to avoid with the makeup but she ignored that, I didn't want to hurt her feelings either.
Sighing with my ears pinned back I looked away from the dress and Rarity "nevermind…."
Rarity looked at her about to say something before shaking her head and began working on the dress, cutting some points to get it on Nightmare before restitching them so it fit better on her "hm bigger than Luna, similar to Princess Celestia's size, wings are a bit smaller, and flanks are a tad wider."
Each comment about this body made that knot in my stomach tighten, my ears were pinned back so hard it felt like they were ready to push right into my head, this wasn't my body...I wasn't a mare...just had to breathe, in and out...slow and steady...
After a bit more stitches there, and an addition of fabric here the dress adjustments were finished, stepping back Rarity looked at her hoofy work "Fabulous darling! Simply fabulous."
Turning I looked at my reflection in the full body mirror, the large blue mare stood with a flowing mane and tail in a dark blue and black dress, the fabric had a glittering to it giving it a sparkle, it perfectly complimented the mane and fur, it was beautiful…
But I hated it….I hated seeing it on me..I hated seeing myself in this mirror...I hated being this! I wasn't a mare! I wasn't beautiful! I'm not supposed to be!! I'm supposed to be normal! A normal guy! Not this! Not a girl!!
My breathing was heavy and quick, my heart beating a mile a minute I could hear it in my ears, my ears which were different...longer than they should be, not human...these lungs I was breathing with weren't my own, larger than a humans, my body was heavier than a humans, longer, larger, not normal, not human!
Backing up with shaking hooves my eyes were wide and focused on the floor, my vision flickering in and out of focus and starting to tunnel, a ringing filling my ears deafening all other sounds. The walls closing in the room around me, mind racing with thoughts, thoughts of panic, rage, sadness, disgust, fear….my horn began glowing..
Rarity was smiling looking over her model before she noticed Nightmares sudden change in attitude, her head was hung down and there was a look of distress in her face, her eyes were wide and she was breathing quite heavily, ears falling back Rarity began to get worried "d-dear?....are you alr-"
The mirror suddenly exploded sending the glass flying across the room, then the next mirror, and the next, and the next, the dress encasing Blake was ripped off in a glowing blue glow before it burned up in the air, the other dresses in the room soon igniting before immediately turning to ash.
Rarity stood in shocked silence looking to the destruction of her room.
I stood shaking and breathing heavily, the ringing slowly stopping and my vision clearing I blinked and looked around gasping as I saw the shattered mirrors and burning dresses, lifting a hoof I looked to Rarity who looked horrified "I-I'm sorry Rarity...I'll clean this up I j-"
"Get out…."
"W-what?" My ears pinned back further.
"Get out!!" Rarity yelled glaring at her.
Stumbling back I quickly rushed out of the room and then out of the boutique, I didn't even realize what I was doing...even now it's a blur, I didn't remember breaking the mirrors or burning the dresses...I didn't even know I could do that….I...I just...didn't like seeing myself like that..as not me…
Soon arriving at the castle I rushed in closing the door behind me and stood there for a couple seconds, that knot though not as tight was still there...just seeing my legs reminded me of how I wasn't me....the knot tightened ever so slightly...it made me feel sick...closing my eyes tightly and breathing in and out shakily I tried to not think about it, not think about not being me.
"Blake? Your back so soon? It's only been a couple hours...I was expecting you to be with Rarity for most of the d-Blake?...is everything okay?" Twilight walked towards the large mare after hearing her return, but getting closer she noticed her shaking form and stressed expression.
"I...I just...I don't…" my voice quivered and I doubt I could form the right words...couldn't say what I wanted because I didn't know...I didn't know anything! I didn't know why I destroyed the library, why I destroyed the boutique, why I was such a freak!! Tears forming in my eyes I broke down sobbing, I don't even understand why I was crying...something in me just broke…
Twilight's ears went back and she frowned hurrying over to the mare to hug her as she began crying into her shoulder, Twilight didn't understand what happened at all...Blake had just went through so many different emotions today, from anger, to excitement, to relaxed, to now crying…
Though not understanding she wrapped her wings around Blake trying to comfort her, she still wondered if this mare truly wasn't Nightmare but she couldn't let a pony suffer "come on...let's get you to your room so you can rest...okay?"
Sniffling Blake nodded not confident enough to try speaking.
Walking her down the hall Twilight kept glancing to the large sad mare, such a different personality from the Nightmare Moon she had fought all those years ago...and if it is the same Nightmare than she's either changed...or the greatest actor Equestria's ever seen.
Spike walked out of the library and saw them "is everything alright?" He didn't feel the safest around the evil Alicorn of darkness but even he could tell she wasn't very evil currently.
"Yes Spike...could you make us some tea and bring it to Blake's room…?" Twilight asked her dear little assistant dragon.
He nodded and hurried to the kitchen.
Twilight walked Blake into her room and laid her in the bed which she fixed while Blake was gone, pulling the blanket up and over Blake and sat beside the bed looking to the sniffling mare as she hugged a pillow...she looked like a child honestly..a scared child...
With the blanket over me I didn't have to see this body...closing my eyes I pressed my head further into the pillow I clutched.
Twilight hesitantly reached her wing over before gently petting Blake's head, she didn't know what else to do to comfort a sad pony currently, all she could think of is when she was sad or sick as a filly her mother would tuck her into bed and pet her head gently, though simple it helped calm her when she was younger.
Sniffling I was surprised by the caressing of Twilight's wing before I relaxed slowly, the gentle movement eased my tension and stress away, the thoughts that clouded and stormed my mind faded to the back of my mind.
Twilight smiled seeing the tension leave Blake's body, as she pet her head she began to hum softly, a song her mother had hummed to her as a child.
Memories of my mother came to my mind, days when I was sick or dealing with a migraine….her humming and gentle caressing of my hair….it melted away the aches and pain….my eyes felt heavier before I closed them allowing myself to just listen and feel.
Spike walked through the door but stopped seeing the two, Twilight's smile and gentle petting giving him fond memories of the past, quietly stepping back out of the room he walked back down the hall, they needed time alone and he didn't want to ruin it for them.
Slowly awareness returns to me as I awaken, slowly looking around the room with half lidded eyes I figure out this is in fact not a dream, I've started to understand the differences between the real world and these intense lucid like dreams….I somehow can feel the difference, I feel my sleeping body in the real world while in the dream one, hence the usual numb feeling…
Sighing I roll onto my back and look up at the ceiling above, I wasn't sure if waking in a dream was bad...it meant I now was back in the real nightmare, inescapable….at least in the dream it wasn't real but now...now I was constantly reminded of my fate…
A fate the little ponies put me….they so badly wanted to find the answers to Nightmare Moon that they brought me here…seems all to convenient that I turned into Nightmare Moon and they were trying to find out how Luna became her…
Looking at my dark furred hoof I glared at it, they didn't know the pain I felt from having my hand transform into a hoof, having my entire body forcefully stretch and pull into a different form...then they had the gall to then treat me like shit because of my forced arrival? Hell even now they only treat me "nice" because the princesses said to...but has one even apologized for this? Even stood up and understood their fuck up? No…
They don't even believe me, don't believe I'm not actually that monster...to them the idea of an innocent being trapped within the form of Nightmare Moon is impossible..
…..but they weren't all horrible….Rainbow Dash saved me from falling...and Twilight comforted me….Fluttershy was the only nice one from the start….does that mean I should forgive them? Part of me just wants to hate them, make them suffer for what they did...but another part hurts from just thinking that...thinking such cruel thoughts...they didn't know...they didn't do it on purpose…
Closing my eyes tightly I decided to just push all the thoughts back...thinking about it was just running me in circles, forgive them, hate them...each one hurt me in a way…
Rolling out of the bed and moving towards the door I opened it only to be surprised by Twilight standing there in the process of opening the door, she had a tray with food on it levitating beside her.
"Oh! Blake sorry, I was just coming in to see if you were awake and hungry" Twilight smiled.
Hungry...hm something I haven't really felt...but the sight of food definitely made my mouth water "thanks Twilight."
She smiled and walked over to the bed setting down "I wasn't sure what you liked so I just got the regular."
I looked at the food, pancakes with syrup, a glass of orange juice, and some toast, liking my lips I sat down and reached for the toast with my hoof only to realize I didn't know how to grab with hooves...frowning softly I then leaned my head down taking a bite, swallowing the bite of toast I closed my eyes smiling in content.
She tried using her hoof….she would have expected her to use her horn or maybe wing to pick it up, now thinking about Twilight couldn't remember the last time she's seen her use her wing, she could understand her wariness of not using her magic after the events in the library but she'd have to ask her about that after her day Applejack, she just hoped Applejack got along with Nightmare..Blake...Twilight still didn't understand why she wanted to be referred to as that….what she remembered of Nightmare Moon she definitely was proud of herself.
But after bringing her back accidentally she's completely different, not even the same pony, though that could be just a facade, wouldn't be the first time someone's tricked Twilight's friends and her.
Discord pretended to have changed before revealing his true colors, he did then actually change so...its difficult to really figure out if she should trust Nightmare or not.
Licking my lips I look to the pancakes...toast was easy because it's small...but pancakes were a whole other story, much larger and usually required to be cut, rubbing my chin I then tried to take a bite out of the top pancake, pulling on it to try and bite a piece off but it just simply came with and hung from my mouth dripping with syrup.
Twilight came out of her thoughts and stifled a giggle seeing Blake's current predicament.
"Umm.. Twihight I heed some hell…." I said with a pancake still hanging from my mouth.
Twilight stood and used her magic to cut the hanging piece off and put it back on the plate "do you want me to help more..?"
Swallowing the smaller piece I nodded embarrassed slightly.
Twilight cut off pieces of pancake before sticking them with a fork and levitating it up to Blake's mouth.
Blushing at how embarrassing it was to be fed like a child I ate the piece, the only good part of this was that these pancakes tasted fricken amazing! The best pancakes I've ever had honestly.
Maybe because they were super pure pancakes? Or maybe they're magic?...if this were an episode of mlp this would be the Pancake episode, where I the strange out of place protagonist try to discover why the pancakes of this world are so good.
As I ate I suddenly realized the giddiness building in me...the familiar rush from eating some delicious in this body, memories of when I had eaten bacon at my house coming to mind...I tried to resist, to hold it in….I failed..
Tapping my front hooves on the ground I hummed in excitement closing my eyes at the deliciousness of the pancakes, opening my eyes I saw Twilight who had sparkles in her eyes like she's just seen the cutest thing.
That was the cutest thing! Twilight couldn't believe she thought that of her once enemy but she couldn't deny how filly like that reaction was! She wished she had a camera or a image spell to capture that reaction.
Blushing hard I looked away, curse this body and it's low tolerance to delicious food, thinking quickly I figured out a way to get away from this embarrassment "so….what am I doing today?"
Blinking Twilight refocused her attention and smiled "well today you'll be having a lesson with Applejack, she'll be teaching you all about Honesty."
"....but...I'm a pretty honest person…"
Person?...that sounded familiar...but still was strange to Twilight's ears "well...the princesses want you to have an experience with each of us and to learn each of the elements from us."
"I guess that makes sense.." all of this really seemed pointless...I understood each element and honestly I didn't feel I needed to relearn it all...
"If your finished eating we can head over to Applejack's And you can begin your lesson" Twilight stood.
"Yup, I'm ready" I stood and towered over her, a fact which made me uncomfortable..
Twilight lit her horn focusing on a spell before casting it, the two vanished in a purple flash before reappearing outside in front of Sweet Apple Acres.
Wobbling from the sudden shift in area I looked around "h-how did...when?..what???"
"What?" Twilight looked at her confused.
"How'd we get here??"
"I..teleported us?"
"You can teleport???" Remembering when the castle of the two sisters was collapsing and she saved the other girls, and in the library all those multiple times she vanished and appeared now it all made sense, she could in fact teleport "you can teleport!!"
"Yes...how did you not know that? Both Celestia and Luna can as well."
"They can??....I missed so much…" I now realized I should have tried watching the entire show instead of taking a break after season one…
"Okay...well we should get to Applejack so she isn't left wai-" suddenly a burst of green flames appeared in front of Twilight before a letter fell, Twilight catching it in her magic before it hit the ground, opening Twilight read over.
I looked around for spike because last I remembered he needed to be here in order for Twilight to get a letter "how'd you get that?...I thought you needed Spike?"
"it's a new spell I'm trying, seems to work.." she said while reading the letter "..Oh my okay I'll need to go back to the castle, um you're ok with meeting up with Applejack alone right?" Twilight looked at her.
"Um well...yeah?....but.."
"Okay good see you at the castle" she vanished in a purple flash.
Blinking I frowned before beginning to walk down the dirt road into Sweet Apple Acres, looking left and right I saw the bajillions of apple trees, once again I marvelled at the insanity of being in a real life version of a cartoon world.
As I walked while looking around I suddenly spotted a small figure, one which filled me with excitement, none other than the youngest member of the apple family, Apple Bloom!!
I made my way towards her and noticed she had a mark on her hip, squinting I realized it was a cutiemark….Apple Bloom has a cutiemark...my excitement shot through the fricken roof and I began tap all my hooves onto the ground like a prance before trotting to her.
Apple Bloom wiped the sweat from her forehead, now matter how long she's worked outside the heat always got to her, thinking back to earlier she was curious who her sister was talking about coming over, Applejack didn't want her to talk to whoever it was for some reason.
As Apple Bloom worked she suddenly heard somepony trotting closer, looking up from the basket of apples she figured it was her sister, as her eyes found the source of the noise they suddenly widened in fear.
The towering dark figure of Nightmares Moon came closer, her turquoise eyes with snake like slits focused on her, her fang like teeth shown in a wide snarl, and the cloud like mane and tail flowing behind her.
Apple Bloom stumbled back knocking into the bucket behind her "N-N-Nigh-"
The large mare opened her mouth preparing to bite down onto Apple Bloom's small head only to be stopped by the yell of a familiar female voice.
"Hey! Leave her alone" Applejack hurried over getting in front of Nightmare Moon "I don't want ya anywhere near mah little sister, got it??"
Nightmare Moon had a look of shock before nodding.
"Now c'mon I got some work fer ya to do" Applejack order walking away "Apple Bloom head on in, ya don't have ta work fer the rest of the day."
Apple Bloom was going to say something, ask about what was going on but the two were already walking away into the orchard of trees, though previously afraid... Apple Bloom had never been this close to Nightmare Moon before, sure she's met Luna in a dream or two but Nightmare Moon?? The closest she's came was to the statue on Nightmare Night…
Frowning I followed Applejack after being told to avoid Apple Bloom, she acted like I was gonna attack...all I wanted to do was introduce myself….while in the form of Nightmare Moon…..right...good going Blake…
Groaning in self annoyance I looked to Applejack "so….um...what are we doing today?"
"Well Twi wants me to help teach ya about Honesty, and the best way I can think to do just that is by having ya work a honest days work" Applejack stopped walking as the arrived to a grouping of wooden baskets "so I want you ta fill each and every one of these here baskets with apples."
"Me?...fill up all those baskets….with apples?"
"Yah is that to much fer ya your highness?" Applejack looked at her annoyed, she never liked it when a pony acted like a task was to hard when it wasn't.
"N-no no...shouldn't be to hard at all….I uh...just am not sure how fast I can do it...I'm not good at using my hooves for grabbing...but Rainbow Dash taught me how to fly so I should be able to get to the tops of the trees fine…" I looked at the trees while also giving my wings a little flap, while magic would be an option….I didn't do so well before with it..
"Grab? Yer gonna be bucking the trees so the apples fall" Applejack kicked a nearby tree with one hoof causing apples to fall into the basket below to emphasize her statement.
My eyes were wide "I..don't think I can do that….you've..you've trained and done this way more than me, I've never kicked a tree to get apples to fall before…"
She complains more than Rainbow Dash, Applejack huffed "look your a big mare, just kick and make sure the baskets beneath it, I can't hold your hoof all day."
Frowning with my ears folded back I dug my hoof in the dirt slightly much like a scolded child "...alright…."
"Good" Applejack walked away.
Huffing I looked at the baskets and trees, I tried moving a basket with my hooves but that wasn't working so well, so I begrudgingly craned my neck down and grabbed the edge with my teeth and dragged it over to a tree, the taste of wood is not pleasant I must add…
Once under the tree I looked up and then turned around so my back was to it, looking back I felt like I was working in a geometry test, lifting one back leg and nearly loosing balance I kept myself steady before kicking not extremely hard making a dull thud as the hoof connected with the wood of the tree.
Five apples tumbled down from the tree, three making it into the basket while the other two hit the grass, sighing I realized this was gonna be a long day, I went to work on picking the apples up and putting them in the basket before kicking again.
After ten more kicks I was sure I'd gotten all the apples from this tree that I could, and much like I'd assumed this was taking forever, moving to the next tree I tried to think of how I could get more apples down...Applejack kicked it once and she got twice as many as I did with three kicks…
Maybe kicking harder was the strategy? But I didn't want to sprain my ankle from kicking a tree….horse legs though strong are also super weak and break easily, I didn't know if that's the same rules of this world though.
Positioning myself I raised a back leg and with a stronger kick caused eight apples to fall down, I smiled victoriously even though most were outside the basket.
Bending down and picking the apples up with my mouth I placed them into the basket, it felt really humiliating to use my mouth for all of this however my lack of hands meant I had to resort to doing things an animal would when trying to grab certain things.
Once the apples were put into the basket I returned to bucking the trees now going much faster due to my new strategy of hitting it harder...ok so it isn't a brilliant strategy but it works.
As I kicked the next tree I heard the sound of someone walking up, looking over I see Applejack's returned, she looks at the baskets and trees "hm ah was expecting more to be filled but ah guess it is yer first time."
I grumbled softly at her comment but kept bucking, of course it's my first time! I've never had hooves before, or needed to kick trees for apples!
"So y'all want to tell me why yer really playing pretend?" Applejack suddenly said.
"What? Pretend? How am I pretending?"
"You know what ah mean, y'all say yer not actually Nightmare Moon but it's kinda hard to not see it as otherwise."
Growling at the fact this was so hard to understand and that she called me Nightmare Moon, I looked at her with a glare "I am not Nightmare Moon, I keep telling you all that and calling me that is really annoying."
"Then what should ah call ya?" She raised a brow still with an unamused expression.
"My name, which is Blake" I growled.
"That ain't no pony name, sounds like yer just mispronouncing black" she huffed.
Growled and gritting my teeth memories of the numerous times kids at school would call me black or purposefully pronouncing it in a mocking way, it's incredibly aggravating to be called a name that's not yours "it is a name...and it's Blake...like I had told you all at the hospital...I'm not a pony, and I'm not Nightmare Moon."
Applejack looked me in the eyes intensely, like she was trying to see my thoughts or read my mind...it was really uncomfortable and unnerveing "what??"
"Nothin…" she looked away and walked over to a fallen apple grabbing it by the stem before putting it in the basket "yer aims pretty bad, yah know yer supposed to get em all in the basket right?"
Huffing I rolled my eyes "I've never done this before so forgive me if I'm not very good at it."
"Hmph ah bet you didn't do a lot of things besides plotting to rule Equestria" Applejack kicked a tree causing the apples to fall into the basket beneath it perfectly.
My eye twitched "I told you...that wasn't me…" growling I kicked my own tree getting only six to fall and half didn't make it into the basket, I so badly wanted to just kick one away…
"Ah'm sure ya said the same thing to luna before ya took her body" Applejack kicked another free, another hatching landing perfectly in the basket.
"I didn't do anything! I didn't even know her!! The only time I've seen her in person was at the hospital!! I didn't do shit to anyone and I didn't take anyone's body!!" I yelled stomping my hoof hard on the ground actually shaking it a bit, some trees loosing a couple apples from all around us.
Applejack looked tense and on guard before she re-listened to what Nightmare said in her head "y'all said you hadn't seen her before the hospital, but ya said it like you still knew her" She looked at her suspiciously.
"What? Well...I…" if I say I've seen her in the show that'll lead to me explaining how I've watched them through a thing called a tv that lets me see their lives...which would make them even more suspicious, either they believe me and think I'm a creep, or they don't and anything I say about not being Nightmare Moon becomes less believable.
"Well?? Ya gonna answer and try and get out that hole ya just dug yerself or ya gonna leave me to figure out the rest for mahself?" Applejack looked at Nightmare with a smug look, she knew if she got her to talk she'd catch her in a lie.
I gritted my teeth and glared at her "I thought I came here to do an honest days work...not have you question me.."
Applejack's smug look dropped and she glared back at the mare "fine...ya want a honest days work, ah'll give ya a honest days work" she walked off.
I stood confused and a bit nervous, I may have done a bad…
Applejack soon returned pulling a wagon behind her, she unhooked it from herself and walked up to Nightmare "alright, ah want you to fill all those baskets and this here wagon, that should do for an honest days work."
I looked at the wagon "but that's gonna take forever!"
"Well you should get to work then shouldn't you" Applejack walked away a smug smile on her face.
I glared at her as she left...oh so when I get mad I should hold it in but when she does she gets to act out?? Gritting my teeth I marched over to the next tree and kicked it sending apples tumbling down, then once again putting the ones that missed the basket in the basket, I kept doing this over and over and over again my anger not cooling and only burning up more, as if each kick only seemed to fuel the fire.
Soon enough I had filled the baskets and was left the wagon to fill "well….at least it'll be hard for the apples to miss…" I then noticed Applejack had left it in the middle of the clear area I was in so that meant it wasn't close to any of the trees, groaning I realized I'd have to move it.
Walking to the front of it I tried to figure out how exactly I should get it on...crouching under one of the long posts I shimmied under it and got it on my back, then pushed my backside under before I stood between the two posts, then with my head I bent down and lifted the middle bar up and onto my back, it was uncomfortable because it rested on my wings…. probably not meant for a pony with wings…
Walking I pulled the wagon and it didn't feel really heavy, more so just uncomfortable, I also felt ridiculous and humiliated at the fact I had to work like an animal now, breathing in deeply I calmed myself...I didn't need another freak out like at Rarity's or the library.
Pulling the wagon to a tree and then struggling to get the dang thing off, shaking and squirming wasn't getting it off of me "get off...off...off….offfffff!!!!!!" I jumped and the bar lifted off then slammed back down on my head, didn't hurt really at all but it damaged my ego.
Huffing and dropping the wagon off my body I walked the tree behind it and gave it a hard kick, the apples fell down into it, all making it into the wagon which made me smirk.
My smirk fell when I realized I'd have to move the wagon again, eye twitching I shoved my body against the wagon pushing it towards the other tree, no way was I bothering to struggle to get it on.
Pushing the wagon my hooves dug into the dirt slightly before it suddenly gave causing me to slip and fall to the ground, looking up I watch the wagon roll towards a tree before slamming into it making me flinch as it made a cracking noise, a couple apples from the tree even landed in the wagon.
"Some damage to the ego but apples made it into the wagon….fair…" I stood up finding my hooves covered in dirt, flashes of Rarity's obsession with cleanliness and what had happened yesterday caused me to close my eyes and breathe deeply.
Just push the thoughts away….don't think about them...just work...and distract myself….with a deep breath I suddenly realized the dryness of my throat….jeez I needed something to drink..
Walking away from the wagon I walked back towards the house passing multiple apple trees, once I exited the orchard I walked towards the house before stopping and looking at the nearby well...I could go in and deal with miss moody, or drink well water...weighing my options I walked towards the house, I may have to deal with miss moody but it's better than drinking whatevers in the well water.
Walking up the door I tapped my hoof against it knocking, after no answer I knocked a couple more times.
"Ah'm comin, ah'm comin! No need to get antsy sheesh" the old female voice of a familiar mare spoke coming closer.
Oh my God it's Granny Smith! After all the crud I go through I almost forget I'm in a world with my favorite characters!!...which is all of them….hm does it count as favorite when there's so many?
The door opens and the old green mare with silver hair looks towards her unknown guest only for her eyes to widen at the sight of the large dark mare before her.
"Hello Granny Smith!" I smile widely.
"Ah'm not ready to go reaper!!" Granny Smith slams the door in the sharp toothed demon.
Blinking I'm suddenly reminded of my appearance and groan hitting my head in the door, why must my enjoyment be taken away just as quickly as I get it..?
"Hey! What are ya doin tryin to get in mah house??" Applejack calls towards the dark mare standing at her homes door "tryin to break in?? Scare more of mah family??"
I look back at her and huff "I'm thirsty…actually…"
Applejack looks at her intensely again before walking towards the well.
Of course...I sighed and followed after her, should have just gone to the well from the start, though I bet she'd have said I was poisoning the water or something.
Applejack brought up the bucket of water from the well and set it down by Nightmare.
I grimaced at the water.
"What now? Water to good fer you? Need some sparkling cider? Maybe some wine??"
I glared at her "I'm getting really sick of you treating me like some prince of something"
"Princess but actually your not much of that, just some bad copy of Princess Luna"
My pupils shrank and I slammed my hoof against the ground causing the stone of the well to crack "I AM NOT A COPY OF HER!!!" The booming royal canterlot voice escaped my mouth making birds in the distance fly off.
Applejack stumbled back ears pinning back, now she was starting to look more like the old Nightmare Moon…
Breathing heavily I glared at her...I could so easily knock her down...beat her...show her I am not the person to mess with….show how much stronger I am than her, she's nothing...just a small mare...and she thinks she can talk to me like this??
As I glared at her I saw my reflection in the bucket of water, the rage and viciousness in that face...it didn't belong to me...that wasn't who I was...ears falling back my anger died out..it was the library all over again...closing my eyes I looked away from the reflecting and Applejack "....I'm sorry….I...I didn't mean to get mad….I just...don't like being compared to her...or Nightmare I'm not them….I don't want to be them...but no matter what I do...I just end up looking just like her…"
Applejack frowned….she had been trying to read Nightmare all day and every time she did she got...confused, Nightmare hasn't lied once today...at least not to her, it didn't make sense, everything she said was impossible but yet Applejack could tell she was telling the truth.
Stepping closer hesitantly Applejack reached a hoof up before gently touching Nightmares shoulder.
I tensed and glanced at her, I was expecting some glare or fierce look...but I saw remorse...and what looked like regret..?
"Ah'm..sorry for the hard time ah've been giving you all day... ah'm still not sure if yer Nightmare or not...but you are different from her...so maybe you do want to change…"
I didn't like that she didn't believe what I was saying about not being Nightmare Moon but...she at least understood I wasn't evil.
"Now how's about you get a drink and y'all can get back to work? But seeing as how ah've been acting y'all only need to buck one more tree, then how about we head in for Granny Smiths famous apple pie?"
I smiled "that sounds great...thank you Applejack."
"No problem N-....Blake" Applejack smiled.
I bent my head down to the bucket and took a couple gulps of water before raising my head and walking back towards the area I had been working at, I was finally making some ground with the Applejack...she even used my name.
Getting to the area I smiled thinking about how everything may just be alright after all, I walked over to the tree which the wagon had crashed into and got into position to buck it, one last kick and I'll get to actually try apple family pie...what a dream come true!
Pulling my leg up and then throwing it back it connected with the tree with a loud WACK!! And a bunch of apples tumbled into the wagon making me smile contently, I was about to head back towards the house when I heard a creaking from behind me, looking back I saw the tree slowly starting to fall backwards,looking down I realized that when the wagon ran into the tree it had hit it hard enough to loosen it...and my kick just now knocked it right out of the ground.
I ran towards it to try and catch it from falling when I saw something that made my fear for punishment become fear for life!
Apple Bloom sat in her room looking out the window...she couldn't stop thinking about Nightmare Moon...why was she here?? And what did her sister mean she had work for her?? Was Nightmare Moon going to start working in the farm???...that actually sounded kind of cool...she could just picture telling all the other fillys and colts at school that she is working with none other than Nightmare Moon at her farm!
Now she wished she was brave enough to have talked to her earlier...instead she got all scared and could barely speak...she was the sister of the bravest pony she knew...and she acted like a total whimp…
Gaining a look of determination Apple Bloom marched out of her room and down the stairs, she found Big Mac trying to calm Granny Smith as she was saying something about the reaper not getting her all while she held a rolling pin….not the weirdest thing she's seen on the fam today….
Heading out of the house she looked around before heading into the orchard, she wasn't sure where exactly Nightmare Moon was but she figured she'd have to be somewhere by where they had been bucking the latest apples.
Walking around trees and past them she looked around, she wasn't sure if she should call out to her or just try to find her...part of her was afraid Nightmare Moon might still be dangerous, but then again she knew her sister would never let anything dangerous in the farm.
Suddenly Apple Bloom heard a creaking….like a tree but different then when wind would make the trees creak, looking around Apple Bloom's determined look fell and became one of unease...maybe this wasn't such a good idea…
The creaking became loud cracking before a large shadow over took her, spinning around she saw a apple tree falling towards making her stumbled backwards only to fall onto her haunches, she scrambled backwards and screaming in terror.
Darkness enveloped her as the tree slammed down onto her….only it felt soft...and warm...and...like fur?
Opening her eyes she found she wasn't under the tree...the fallen tree was a couple feet away...and what had enveloped was the large body of Nightmares Moon.
"Are you ok?? Did you get hurt??" Nightmare Moons panicked voice asked her as the once scary face Apple Bloom always remembered her having was now worry and fear...she was scared for her?? But why?
Oh god she's not talking...did I hurt her when I grabbed her?? Oh god I should have looked before I kicked the tree!! Looking at the small Filly in my arms she looked scared and confused, I didn't even think about how terrifying I must be to her...she's just a kid and I literally look like a monster!
"Ok hold on Apple Bloom, I'm going to go get Ap-" I was abruptly cut off by a loud yelling.
"Apple Bloom! I heard you scream is everything alri-WHAT ARE YA DOING TO MAH SISTER?!?" Applejack roared with anger as she found her small sister in the arms of Nightmare Moon, her sister looking scared, Applejack ran towards them and quickly slammed into Nightmare Moon knocking her away from Apple Bloom, she then jumped back and stood over her small sister protectively.
I got to my feet...hooves and shook my head from the sudden impact of Applejack "no wait Applejack you don't understand sh-"
"Ah don't wanna hear anymore of yer lies!!!" Applejack was pissed, she let herself trust this monster and look what happened! Her litter sister nearly lost her life because of her mistake!
I stepped towards them "no Applejack it's not like that!"
"Don't come any closer ya monster!!! Ah'm not gonna let ya hurt her!!" She gritted her teeth glaring.
I stepped back at her outburst….I may have called what I look like a monster but...hearing her call me one….hurt more...she actually thought I was a monster....not because of how I look but because she actually thought that's what I was…
...I wasn't though...I was normal...a regular person….but...that reflection in the water earlier...that was a monster….what I did at Rarity's...that's what a monster would do…..what I did to Twilight….and...I almost killed Apple Bloom….maybe...maybe I am a monster...maybe I've just been lying to myself…
Breathing shakily I backed up as my legs shook I looked at the two ponies in front of me "I-I'm sorry…" I quickly ran away from them, running out of Sweet Apple Acres.
I ran through the town trying and failing to ignore the frightened gasps and screams from the ponies surprised by my sudden sprint through town, I just needed to get to Twilight's and then...and then...then what? She didn't trust me either….I had no where to go, no one to help me...I needed to get away...away from everyone so I couldn't hurt them…
I rushed past the town hall and out of town, I just kept running not really knowing where I was going, following the path I passed a barn and thought about the possibility of staying there...but then again it was close to town and ponies would probably go there...so I kept running down the path, the sunlight slowly fading to dark as the large white moon above began to shine down, although the sun had burned me the moon seemed to carry a weight I had not felt before...as if some force was being sent out from it and onto me…
As I ran I looked towards the Everfree Forest….a forest known for monsters….somewhere no pony dared to entere...maybe that's where I belonged…changing direction I ran off the path and towards the heavily wooded area in the distance.
Each strike of the hoof to the ground the image of Apple Bloom's scared face replayed in my head...seeing her nearly get crushed...Applejack's enraged face looking at me with hate...why was this happening to me?? Why couldn't I have been born normal...not this..freak….
Tears formed in my eyes as I ran blurring my vision, sniffling and shaking my head to clear my eyes, they soon go wide as I suddenly saw the drop off in front of me, moving to fast to stop I ended up running right off it and crashing into a streaming river.
The ice cold water engulfed me as I sank down to the bottom, thrashing and kicking I realized I had no clue how to swim in this body, panic filled me as I thrashed and tried to move towards the surface, the sudden crash in the water had prevented me from getting much air into my lungs.
Kicking and struggling bubbles of air escaped my mouth and a rush of freezing river water took it's place, gagging and trying to force it out I only succeeded in taking more in, my eyes were wide in terror as the rushing water threw me around, my vision spinning as I'd see the moonlight shining through the surface before being replaced with a rocky floor then repeat.
The water threw me against the jagged rocky ground sending jolts of pain through me making me scream as my burning lungs were filled with water at this point, any tears that I shed were lost in the water I was surrounded by.
Eventually as I was thrown around my vision started to become blurry and tunneled, choking on the water my thrashing limbs became sluggish and forced, like weights were holding them down, soon the chilling water faded...everything going numb...everything...getting darker….
Fluttershy awoke to sound of birds tweeting outside her window, they were kind enough to always wake her up on time so she could feed the animals, smiling she got out of bed and trotted to her bathroom cleaning herself up a bit before moving around her home to feed the animals inside, specifically Angel Bunny who currently had his head under a pillow not wanting to wake up.
Giggling softly she filled his food bowl up with some carrots before exiting the house and beginning to feed the animals that roamed around her home.
She hummed softly as she sprinkled some bird feed out on the ground for the birds, as she walked around sprinkling the seeds suddenly she heard some chittering coming up behind her, turning around she found Mr. Beaverton Beaverteeth running up to her, he had been staying over after getting a splinter in his tail preventing him from making any dams.
Mr Beaverton chittered and stood on his back legs as he began making gestures while chittering.
Fluttershy nodded listening carefully before she gasped and hurried under the bridge in front of her cottage, there lying on the bank of the river was the dark furred unconscious form of Nightmare Moon, suppressing a scared eep her care for others over powered her fear and she rushed to the mares side.
Lying her head against the mares chest she listened before sitting up and began performing compressions on her chest, then moving to blow air into her mouth, after a couple of compressions and breaths the mare suddenly gasped and coughed up water.
She then began thrashing around in sudden panic forcing Fluttershy to back off, she then hurried forward and wrapped her hooves around her arms to hold them down so she wouldn't hurt herself.
Slowly Nightmare Moon calmed down and went unconscious again, sighing in relief Fluttershy let go and looked at the mare, she wasn't sure how she got here or ended up drowning but she needed to get her inside, she was ice cold.
Trying to lift her Fluttershy found her a bit to heavy, frowning she thought before she flew off and returned with Harry the bear "Harry would you please carry her into the house for me? I would but you are much stronger than I am.."
Harry made a few growling and gutteral noises expressing his discomfort in being near her.
"Oh please harry, she needs help, wouldn't you want to be carried to safety if you were hurt?" She pleaded looking up to him.
Harry looked away thinking about it and then nodded and got down picking her up before laying her on his back, Fluttershy helping to keep her steady as they made their way out from under the bridge and to the cottage.
Flashes of light filled the once blue sky which now was a fierce violet, the sun obscured by the lands second divine body, the black sphere up above surrounded by a golden ring, the first eclipse Equestria had ever seen…
A bright blue flash lit the sky up sending Celestia smashing through a glass window and tumbling to the ground, hurt but not willing to give up...not now...Celestia began to try and stand.
A dark shadow like figure flew in through the window and landed on the stone floor before Celestia, the metal of its armored hooves clopping against the stone.
Spreading her wings to express her glory...her might over her fallen sister...Nightmare Moon looked down at her with a wide smirk, her vicious sharp white teeth defining her nature….no longer prey to others...she now stood a predator...a being above all others...even the glorious most loved Princess Celestia.
"L..Luna...please….hear me through that wicked shadow….this is not you-" Celestia tried to plead only to be cut off by the loud cackling of her dark sister.
"Not me? Oh dear sister how would you even know who I am?...you've been blinded by your glorious day and adoration of the ponies for years...this is who I am, no longer the unwanted Luna!! I am Nightmare Moon!! Queen of the night and soon to be queen of Equestria!!" Nightmare Moon stood proud, cloud like mane and tail flowing behind her.
Celestia turned her head away….she could not look at this shadow that hid her sister from her...it's tainted image of Luna, she had tried to reason with her...tried to speak to her sister deep within this Nightmare Moon shell….but her sister could not hear her…..not when so tightly in the claws of this beast..
Glancing back to the room Nightmare had thrown her in Celestia saw the large stone pedestal that sat in the middle of the room, sitting upon each of its stone branches were colored crystals...each one slowly rotating by an unseen force...the Elements of Harmony.
Celestia's heart almost breaking at the thought that entered her mind….she couldn't...not to her own sister, not with the unknown powers of the elements...she didn't know what they would do, or if she could even control them..
Looking to her dark sister she saw Nightmare's horn now a lit with glowing blue energy, a spell beginning to be cast….Celestia's eyes returned to the elements, and with a pained look in her eyes she grabbed each of them off the pedestal with her magic and levitated them in front of her, tears running down her face as she looked to her sister "forgive me Luna…"
The elements glowed before getting brighter until they released a flash of harmonic light as Celestia channeled her magic through them, Nightmares eyes going wide as she saw the elements release their light, her horn firing off the spell she was charging attempting to try and stop the light, the blue beam of magic striking the harmonic rainbow beam she tried to push it back to resist the power...but like it...she was consumed by the radiating energy, struggling and thrashing she let out a roaring yell of anger towards her sister before her form vanished in the glowing light as if vaporized.
Each of the elements clattered to the ground their glow now faded, Celestia looked to where her sister had been...fear of what she might have done filling her as the ground lay smoking....before she saw upon the moon which eclipsed the sun...a marking which gave the appearance of a mare….when Celestia had used the elements...she tried to use them to trap Nightmare...place her somewhere she couldn't do harm onto her ponies...the elements seemed to have full filled this desire…
More tears began to stream down Celestia's face before she broke down sobbing, she had failed her sister….failed to be the older sister she needed...deserved….it was her fault..it had to be…as the older sister it was her sworn duty to protect her sister, take care of her….and now she's sentenced her to imprisonment on the moon...
Nightmare gasped awake eyes wide she jumped up looking around in rage as her horn was flowing with a spell, she'd kill her sister for even trying to use the elements on her!!
But as Nightmare Moon looked around in rage...she realized...she only saw a white wasteland….a star filled sky hanging over it, confused Nightmares horn stopped glowing...she looked around her new surroundings seeing only the white ground which was covered in numerous different sized craters.
"What...what trick is this?...where has that wretched mare sent me??" Growling she turned around to look behind her only for her glare to drop immediately and be replaced by shock….there large and in the near distance...she saw..the world….the world she should be standing on now...it didn't make sense, how could she see the place she was on?? And why was it so far away...perhaps a illusion spell??
Her horn lit and she fired off a cancellation spell...only for it to fizzle out, looking to her horn confused she attempted it again...and again...and again, then tried different spells, any she could think of, all of them!....but nothing...her horn only sparked the spells never releasing.
"This..this is impossible….my magic gone? No..I feel it but I cannot release any spells….what is this?? What is this?!" She roared stomping her hoof creating a new crater, white dust and rock being kicked up...and floating in the air.
Nightmare watched the floating rocks in bafflement, she had not casted a levitation spell..at least not one that had worked, walking to the floating white rocks she tapped one with her hoof and watched it float the other direction…
Stepping back she looked from the rock to the world then back again, her eyes widening in realization of what had occurred "no….no no NO!!! This...this cannot be...this is a lie!! A fabrication!!!" She tried once more to cast cancelation spells but they continued to fail.
She glared towards the world before smiling widely "you think I will just stay here?! Foolish sister I shall make you suffer for this!!" She spread her wings and took off into the air towards the blue planet, laughing victoriously at her sisters failed attempt to strand her.
She suddenly felt her body get yanked back after only going twenty feet off the ground, slight pain ringing through her body as it had felt like a cord or rope had been attached her and she'd just reached the end of it, flapping her wings she looked around before looking back and gasping, a ethereal like blue chain reached all the way back towards the moon the end fading to invisibility and seemingly connected to nothing, the opposite end connected to Nightmare spreading out like tendrils and we're wrapped around each of her limbs and neck with manacles.
"No...no!!!" She flapped her wings hard attempting to fly to the planet, break free from these chains...yet they didn't so much as even creak from strain, her struggle and pull had no effect on the chains.
She kept pulling and flapping her wings as hard as she could eventually leaving her body tired and aching, wings no longer even moving yet she floated there... suspended in the absence of gravity….slowly as if by some force she began to drift back towards the moon before gently being laid down onto the surface, breathing heavily she laid there on her side, each breath kicking up some dust that floated there….
Emotions rushing around through her body, rage, annoyance...sadness...she didn't know what to do..she felt so...so out of control...she was a prisoner...a prisoner of her sister once more...gritting her teeth she stood up and roared with pure rage and sadness.
She wasn't sure how long she had yelled into the emptiness…..but she realized it didn't matter….by what could she mark her days? She could see Celestia's damned sun move over the planet but at what point was that? What day? By the time the sun moved across the land she could see returning from the otherside, that could be the start of one day, or the end of another...and her very own prison moved as well...chasing after the sun slowly...like she had for so many years…
Even now she desired to be where her sister was….back home...praised by the ponies...basking in their adoration and love….Nightmare's tainted cold heart ached at the thought….a mix of two beings pain…..
...And their rage….thoughts of how she would make Celestia suffer filled her head, each worse than the last yet not fulfilling enough, she'd break every bone in her body!! burn her alive!! Tear her wings and horn off!! Anything to make her suffer!!!
I gasped awake covered in a cold sweat...my heart raced and pounded….those thoughts...they made my stomach twist...I could still see Celestia's torn apart image...that rage….I hated it...
Where did that dream even come from?...it definitely wasn't an episode...ugh god my head's killing me…
I rubbed my forehead with my hooves before I suddenly remembered falling into the river last night..was...was that part of the dream? How else would I have even gotten back to bed?
Looking around the room I realized...this wasn't the room at Twilights, I didn't recognize this room actually, where was I? And how did I get here??
Suddenly a door to the room opened and pink haired head peaked in she talked softly "oh your awake, that's good I was really worried" Fluttershy walked in.
I got on edge as she walked over...not because I was afraid of her...more so I didn't want her afraid of me….
She looked at me curious before looking worried.
Oh god did I already scare her?? No no no please not Fluttershy! I can't handle scaring her!! Pinning my ears back I held my eyes shut tightly just waiting for her to scream, faint, or yell at me to leave…
Instead I felt her gentle hoof touch mine "are you alright..?" Fluttershy asked in a soft worried tone.
Opening my eyes slowly I looked at her "you're...not afraid of me?"
"Oh no, I couldn't be afraid of a hurt pony who needs help" Fluttershy replied.
"Injured?" I titled my head only to wince, looking myself over I found bandages wrapped around the lower part of my right foreleg, and the upper part of my left foreleg, more bandages around my neck explaining the pain of titling my head…
"Yes...you must have gotten very very hurt by the river throwing you around, you're very lucky I was able to perform cpr on you" Fluttershy smiled softly.
...I drowned?...wow ok...that..that was a lot...I owed my life to Fluttershy "thank you...thank you so much….I...how can I repay you?...I don't have any money but I'll do anything."
"Oh you don't need to repay me, you needed help and I helped, what kind of a pony would I be if I didn't help?" She smiled the iconic Fluttershy smile...so warm and comforting.
"I have to repay you….in some way at least" I couldn't just go on my way acting like saving my life meant nothing.
Fluttershy thought about it, she really didn't want to force her to do anything...she just wanted to help her...but if she didn't let Blake repay her she knew she'd just feel about about herself, suddenly remembering the princesses orders to help Blake learn the elements she got an idea.
"Well...if it isn't to much, maybe you could help me take care of the animals today?"
"I'd love to! I love animals!" I smiled widely, this would be great! I can repay Fluttershy and also spend time with some cute animals.
Fluttershy smiled at seeing Blake excited, it always made her happy to see others happy.
I started to get up from the bed when Fluttershy tried to stop me "what?"
"You need your rest...you were in an accident" Fluttershy quickly said, she really didn't want Blake to strain herself.
"I feel fine actually..beside some slight aches I'm ok really" I smiled down at the yellow mare.
Fluttershy hesitated before stepping aside allowing Blake to get up, she was very tall...frightening so...Fluttershy subconsciously shrunk down lower.
Seeing her shrink in fear I frowned and my ears laid back oh no...I scared her…
Oh no! I made her sad! Fluttershy quickly stood back up and smiled "let's go outside so we can tend to the animals."
Seeing her relax I did too though I had to make sure I didn't do anything that scared her, I followed her out of the room and into the main room area, so this was her house? It looked cozy...but kind of small for my current height...and size…
My hip bumped into a dresser "oop sorry" moving away I accidentally bumped into another "sorry again!" I smacked my front shin into a small table and was about to curse from the pain
Fluttershy turned to look at her worried "are you ok?"
I bit my tongue and pressed my lips together tightly holding in my curses, forcing a smile I nodded, she seemed hesitant but continued leading me...towards the kitchen? Confused I followed limping slightly.
Fluttershy walked over to the counter and placed the top piece of bread onto a sandwich before carrying two plates over to the table, she set them down and looked at Blake, she blinked and then gasped "oh I didn't ask you what you wanted for breakfast,I can make you something else if you don't like sandwiches."
"No no it's fine" I sat down and looked at the sandwich….two mornings with breakfast...wow, not wanting to worry Fluttershy further I took a bite from the sandwich by leaning my head down, chewing it...I realized it...tasted off... specifically the ingredients...there was bread and…. something else...kind of rubbery?...but sweet….
I moved one of the pieces in my mouth before poking it out of my mouth, my eyes widening as I saw a flower petal...did...did she just prank me??
Looking at Fluttershy...she was eating the same kind of sandwich...not a prank….right horses….of course they'd eat plants...flowers were plants….hm...this was something to think about..
Fluttershy looked at Blake to see if she was enjoying the sandwich only to see her looking down at the sandwich with a cheek full of food and a contemplating look on her face "is everything ok? Did I make it wrong?"
"Hm? Mo mo….ish gooh….mmmm" I nodded my head rubbing my stomach with a smile...please buy it.
She blinked and looked away returning to eating.
Ok...now what?...I had a chewed up flower sandwich in my mouth...do I swallow it?...that didn't sound pleasant...but she'd think she made it wrong and be sad if I didn't…
Swallowing both my disgust and the food I forced it down coughing a second, giving Fluttershy a thumbs up as she looked at me...wait I didn't have thumbs..
Fluttershy blinked, why was she raising her hoof….was she asking for more? She hasn't even finished eating her first...wait why was she even questioning it? If Blake was hungry then she should be allowed to eat "sure I'll make you another" she smiled happily standing up and walking back to the counter.
I slammed my head into the table as I realized she read the situation wrong.
After eating three sandwiches...yes three...I ended up accidentally asking for another when she asked me if I was still hungry….now her and I stood outside the cottage, me a stomach full of flower sandwiches...and her smiling cutely….
"Alright, let me introduce you to the animals first, it's best they get to know you before you work with them, alright?" She asked looking up the dark furred mare.
I nodded smiling, I may puke up flowers if I tried talking….to many flowers…
Fluttershy lead Blake to the animal pens, the multitude of animals roamed around the area each having some sort of bandage or cast, or something ailing them.
My eyes sparkled upon seeing the animals, so many cute animals!! Oh my god there's otters!! I've never seen an otter in person!!!
"Everyone I'd like you all to meet somepony who will be helping me today in taking care of you" Fluttershy spoke not very much above her usual octave.
The animals looked towards her excitedly...until they spotted the tall dark mare beside her...she towered over most of them and her eyes made even the snakes afraid, the carnivorous animals who had agreed not to mess with the herbivores were fearful of the sharp toothed monster that looked to them baring it's fangs.
The animals immediately scattered making panicked noises and hiding in any place they could, some under rocks, other behind the small shacks and coops, even in trees and ponds, eventually the once animal filled pens...were barren.
Fluttershy frowned and looked towards Blake making her frown deeper.
I had a look of pure despair….so many animals...terrified of me, memories of my own dog attacking me when he saw me as this….did I give off a dangerous sense to them?...something that made them think I was a threat…?
But why?...there wasn't a reason to ask why, just remembering who I'd become was answer enough...Nightmare Moon, mare who didn't like others would obviously give of a aura of get away from me or I'll kill you…
I groaned closing my eyes...once again my new body ruined any chance of happiness..
Fluttershy practically able to just read Blake's thoughts through her facial shifts knew she needed to act quick to cheer her up "I'll go get one of them and we can introduce you."
"Is that a good idea?...they..don't really seem to like me…"
"They...just don't know you yet" she smiled and flew over the fence and in the pen softly, she eventually returned with a squirrel who upon getting closer to Blake clutched to Fluttershy for dear life "Mrs Squirrelly Squirrel I want to to meet Blake….now don't worry she's very nice and wouldn't hurt a fly."
My eye twitched at the feminine pronouns Fluttershy used but kept my smile up and looked at Mrs Squirrelly...do all squirrels in this world have squirrel names?...or just her? How did Fluttershy even learn her name?..could she actually understand animals, like hear them?
Mrs Squirrelly looked up at the large dark shadow pony...her practically glowing slitted eyes and dangerous teeth yelled she was a predator….b-but Fluttershy said she was nice so that must mean she i-
"Hello" I moved just barely closer and spoke as soft as I could.
Mrs Squirrelly lost her cool and leapt from Fluttershy's hooves scratching the shadow mare in the face before running off towards a tree.
Fluttershy held her hooves to her mouth gasping as she looked at Blake...oh no she was going to get mad wasn't she?? Would she hurt mrs Squirrelly??
"Ow…" I winced and rubbed my face with a hoof, it didn't hurt per se but it did kind of sting, no blood however, I looked towards the tree Mrs Squirrelly ran to and sighed sadly.
Fluttershy calmed down and almost scolded at herself for thinking Blake would loose her temper and do something that drastic.
"Sorry for scaring Mrs Squirrelly…..I think I give a bad sense to the animals….just..another gift of this body" I kicked the dirt slightly.
"What do you mean?" Fluttershy was curious what that meant.
"This body...Nightmare Moons has had….effects that I've never had before….bad relationships with animals, horrible nightmares...crazy magic...mood swings…..very low tolerance to sunlight….just everything that makes me...not me…" I glanced at the cutiemark on my flank...did Luna go through this? I almost wish I could ask her if not for the fact she hated me and I was afraid she and her sister would send me to the moon….
Flashes of the dream I woke from this morning replayed in my head...that isolation on the cold deserted moon...it was horrible...so horrible..I didn't want to ever experience anything like it…
Fluttershy hugged Blake noticing her sombering mood, after hearing all that Blake's been suffering through she's amazed she hasn't just broken down and hid in her bed all day...Fluttershy knew well more than any pony how something bad could make you want to hide away and just wish all your problems to vanish…
I looked at the small mare hugging me and laid my head against hers...it felt so nice to be hugged….comforted...the stress of everything that's happened in just a week had hit me so hard….but maybe I could get through it...Fluttershy seemed to accept I wasn't evil...RainbowDash seemed pretty cool with me...Twilight was beginning to believe me...I just needed their help to help convince the others…
After a while we broke apart from the hug, Fluttershy looking to me smiling, I smiled back feeling better honestly.
"Ok we can head inside if you want, I imagine you don't want to try taking care of the animals after that…" Fluttershy looked up at her.
As much as I honestly wanted to...I knew I couldn't "....no no I still want to help...I can't let one bad thing ruin the day right?" I smiled, if I let this beat me down I knew I wouldn't be able to get back up afterwards.
"You sure?..you really don't have to.." Fluttershy pushed to see if Blake would change her mind, she really didn't want Blake to push herself.
"I can do this Fluttershy" I smiled brightly.
Fluttershy….blinked her wide eyes...this...this was the first time she'd really seen this mare so genuinely happy...she'd been so used to the terrifying Nightmare Moon, and the sad Blake who wore the same face...but now...now she saw a pony trying to be herself while looking so different.
Smiling herself she lead Blake over to a shed where large bags of feed sat "you can try feeding the animals and even if they don't come close to you, you'll still be helping them eat.."
Perfect! I'd help and wouldn't need to risk scaring the animals by interacting with them to much, giving Fluttershy a salute "I won't fail you ma'am" I smiled.
She giggled at the salute and being called ma'am "don't strain yourself Blake, if your injuries hurt come in right away and tell me so I can get you some ice" she trotted towards her door.
I nodded still smiling, it felt so nice to be cared for like this….so great honestly...now to get to work on moving some sacks of food
Realizing I didn't want to risk using my obviously dangerous magic I gripped the edge of the bag of feed and dragged it across the ground walking sideways, this was degrading and gross...this bags been on the ground...I probably had dirt in my mouth now yeck!
"Do you always complain?" A voice spoke suddenly.
I jumped dropping the bag and looked around in panic, my attention being caught as fingers snapped up above, looking up I spotted someone...something? That made me shiver in fear.
It was that strange mix matched creature from before...that one who popped in existence at the hospital and then...in my room while I was sleeping..I still don't even know what he or it was doing to me while I slept!!
"If your going to monologue can you do it quieter?" He huffed rubbing in his ear with his pinky before pulling out a small speaker from his ear with a pop, on it writing in small text was PROTAG MONOLOG TRANSMITTER "or PMT for short" he smirked.
….he...he could hear my thoughts?!?
Sighing heavily he pinched the bridge of his no-muzzle "yes...yes I can, also he or it isn't doing it for me, my name is Discord."
"Discord…?" I looked his form over...that made sense.
Discord suddenly pulled a shower curtain over his body "hey my eyes are up here" his eyes grew to exaggerate his words.
I leapt back "how the hell are you doing that??"
"Hm you know you didn't curse this much before all this" he waved his hand in the air gesturing to Blake.
...that was true...but your morals kind of go out the window after you've turned into a female horse..
"So many would beg to be in your place" Discord glance behind him at a door that was pushing open and multiple voices beginning to speak out with wishes or declarations of wanting Nightmare Moons body, he snapped his fingers and it slammed shut before getting boarded up by a floating hammer.
Watching that happened I was starting to really think the sun's gotten to me...maybe drowning caused brain damage??? This was too crazy even for my current situation.
"You haven't seen nothing yet" Discord smirked.
"Ok ok...just hold on...you told me your name but...who are you??? How are you doing..anything you're doing!?" I needed answers.
Discord deadpanned "you seriously don't know who I am?...Discord...lord of chaos...master of disaster….second villain to appear in the show….I'm one of the most famous characters in the show!"
"Look I didn't make it past the first season before I became th-...wait you said show...you know this is a show?!?" I yelled.
"Well I know of your world's version of mine which is a show, this however is a universe where it. Is. Real." He punctuated each word.
Oh my god... someone who knew the truth...wait he knew I was human!! "Oh my god you know I'm human!! You can help right?? That must be why your here! Your crazy powers must be able to send me home and fix me!!...Or maybe this is all some strange coma dream and your my conscience trying to tell me that it's a dream...maybe this is my chance to wa-"
Discord snapped his fingers making Blake's mouth vanish "there peace and quiet, for a second there I thought a human had ended up in me with how much you were talking…"
Realizing I didn't have a mouth...I lost my shit, trying to force my mouth open resulted in nothing...it was just gone!! I reared up on my mind legs and silently cried out in panic.
Discord watched head resting in palm "Ya done?...good, I'm not here to send you home or change you to a human, as funny as it would be, it's not really my place to decide your fate" he floated looking full of higher knowing...before he rolled his eyes dropping the radiant look "and I also don't want to."
It tried to exclaim something….but no mouth.
"Oh right" he snapped his fingers and Blake's mouth returned.
I smacked my lips together and thanked the lord's for returning me my mouth, looking to discord I repeated what I couldn't say before "Please you have to!"
"Actually I don't have to do anything, see it's here in my contract" he held out a piece of paper with a shy Fluttershy in lingerie, his eyes shooting out of his head before he quickly hid it chuckling "hehe ignore that" clearing his throat he pulled out a contract, glancing at it to make sure it was actually it before smiling.
I squinted reading it over and it did in fact say he didn't need to do anything..hey wait a minute this contract says it was authorized by Disc-
He put the contract away "Aaaaanyway I just stopped by to see your strangeness and to well tell you" he popped up in front of Blake and grabbed her by the horn "if you so much as think of one, ONE dirty thought involving Fluttershy...I will make you regret it...got it??"
Each word he moved his head closer and closer to my own till I was having to pull it back cowering, I nodded the best I could with his eagle talon around my horn.
Discords fierce look vanished and he smiled "good" he pat her head and vanished.
I heaved out a held in breath panting afterwards….one normal day….that's all I ask….and to return to my family….my family...when was the last time I thought about them?...I couldn't remember honestly.
The tense atmosphere quickly changed to a somber one...my mom was probably worried sick, wondering if I'd come home..if I was alive….my dad trying to do everything to search for answers...answers her never find with how impossible a situation it was...your son turning into a female horse and then getting sucked into the TV…
And then I just don't think about them...don't think about how worried they must be...I mean why should I?? It's not like their my fucking parents!!! The people who raised and loved me!!! Oh nooo I shouldn't think about them at all!! Only me! Me me me me!!!!
A nearby bird house exploded causing me to snap out if my dark thoughts, I hadn't even realized my eyes were wet with tears….rushing to the bird house and rummaged through the pieces of wood for any signs of s bird... luckily there was none..it was empty thank goodness…
Take a deep shakey breath I tried to calm myself, it wasn't my fault...so many things were on my mind lately...anyone could forget….their parents.
A water trough boiled before exploding and then instantly freezing in a spiked death ball of wood and ice.
"Easy...m-mistake" I forced a smile.
The doghouse nearby went rocketing unit the sky landing somewhere on the other other side of PonyVille out of sight.
"Haha! Ok time to finish feeding the animals!" I gripped the bag of feed in my teeth and dragged it towards the animal pens, each fence post I past snapped in half, got wrapped in giant vines, or just burst into flames, just gotta keep going! Don't worry about it!
Finally I reached the food trough and struggled to pick it up but finally got it on the edge if the fence before I stabbed my horn in and ripped it open letting the feed pour in, I smiled victoriously as I heard the door to Fluttershy's cottage open and close.
"Hey Fluttershy! Everything is fine!" I smiled widely.
Fluttershy set the book she was reading down as Angel Bunny was making gestures communicating to her how he didn't like the idea of Nightmare Moon working here "oh Angel Bunny, you don't need to worry about Blake, she's not bad and she isn't going to be working here, she's just helping out for the day...well unless she wants to help out more...oh I could maybe help her find a animal companion! I'm sure there are a bunch of night animals that would love to spend their nights with her!"
Angel crossed his arms.
"Sorry" Fluttershy chuckled getting carried away.
Angel made more gestures.
"Ok if it will make you feel better we can go check up on her" Fluttershy stood and trotted towards the door, Angel following behind.
"I honestly don't think you should be this worried, she may have had a couple accidents earlier with the animals but this is an easy job" Fluttershy tried easing Angels worries as she pushed the door open for her friend and walked out behind him, she looked towards Blake and...her smile dropped.
"Hey Fluttershy! Everything is fine!" Blake smiled widely.
All the animals were running around in panic as most of the pens were on fire and others were raised into the air by giant vines, one dog was trying to pull it's tongue free from a frozen block of water it had tried to lick.
The birds were flying around a tree which was broken at the middle and bent sideways, harry the bear ran as a giant bee chased after him.
Fluttershy's wide fearful eyes focused on Blake "w-why??"
"W-why??" Fluttershy asked looked so scared and...hurt…
I looked around and my ears pinned back seeing the chaos, did..did I cause this?...oh god I did...I now could feel it...the magical afterglow I felt after using a spell….I did so much damage….I didn't even control it...I just tried to ignore what was happening…
"No Fluttershy I…I didn't…." Why was I bothering?...I was a monster, I caused destruction and pain! That's all I was good for! Explain myself?? What for! No one would listen! They shouldn't! I obviously couldn't control myself!! I should have just died in that river!......
My rushing thoughts slowed...focusing in on that single thought….would the world be better without me?....it was better without the original Nightmare Moon...I just took her place….the only thing I didn't do is turn it permanently night...that's all that makes us different…
My teal eyes locked onto Fluttershy "I'm so sorry…" and with a blue flash I vanished.
Twilight walked down the halls of her castle quickly, she had a focused look on her face, her mind however was far from focused, so many thoughts raged within her, memories coming up and replaying as if trying to spot something she hadn't at the time.
"...Twilight…" Spike spoke up he'd ben worried for her but not just her all the girls recently, he didn't fully understand what was happening but something was going on..
Twilight didn't understand how she didn't see it...how she could have been so easily fooled, after she arrived at Applejack's a letter appeared,she was testing a new spell with spike for when they were separated, that way if he got a letter it could go straight to her….the letter she received at Applejack's was from Rarity and she sounded distressed about something but she didn't say what in the letter.
After leaving Bl-Nightmare Moon she went to Rarity's to see what was wrong, she saw the destruction of Rarity's workroom, the mirrors were shattered, and not a single dress hung from the racks, Rarity lay on her fainting couch eating from a bucket of ice cream, numerous empty buckets on the floor beside her.
After worryingly asking her what happened she found out that yesterday Nightmare had destroyed the room for no reason after Rarity cleaned her up and made her a dress, Twilight wondered if this was why she came home-...back to the castle so upset.
Trying to reassure Rarity that it must have been a misunderstanding and that Nightmare hadn't been sleeping well and that could have been the cause of her outburst, but after arriving home later in the day she was greeted by a raging Applejack who demanded to know where Nightmare was, Twilight said she must be in her room but upon checking she found her nowhere in the castle.
Asking wy Applejack as so enraged she found out that Applejack found Nightmare pinning Apple Bloom to the ground, Applejack then saying she told her to leave and Nightmare ran off, she'd figured she had gone here but she obviously had not.
With no other choice and so much evidence against her...Twilight knew they needed to find Nightmare and restrain her before bringing the Princesses to deal with her, rounding up the girls they began searching the town, however Rainbow Dash told them they should probably leave Fluttershy at home since she was already pretty fearful of Nightmare Moon and they didn't need to out her through anything stressful.
They're days worth of searching came up with nothing unfortunately, Nightmare couldn't be found anywhere in and out of town, even the castle of the two sisters was empty.
They'd tried thinking of where she might go, Canterlot being an option thought probably not smart since the Princesses were most likely already looking out for her even without word of her recent actions, unfortunately they didn't know much of anything Nightmare liked...places she'd want to go….none of them really...asked her or spent all that much time getting to know her….
Twilight gritted her teeth thinking back to the times she comforted Nightmare….she was so close...so open to her….and it was all a trick! A scheme to hide her true nature!
"Twilight!" Spike yelled.
Twilight was snapped out if her thoughts "oh I'm sorry Spike….I've...just been thinking alot."
"I know you all have, but no one will tell what happened!" Spike looked at her.
Twilight huffed and explained everything, getting a bit heated when retelling him "she tricked all of us...and now she's just vanished!"
"......wait so we're talking about the same Nightmare Moon right? The same mare who was crying on the ground and then brought to her bed where you comforted her to sleep?...that Nightmare Moon?" Spike asked in disbelief.
"Yes Spike, that same liar…" Twilight glared at nothing in particular.
"....I don't believe you." Spike crossed his arms
"What?!?" Twilight looked at him wide eyed.
"Well she just...didn't seem all to evil anymore...I don't know to many super villains that will cry and then let their enemy pet them, maybe something happened that made her do those things? Or….maybe…..we just need to hear her side of the story?...we can't just judge her because of things she did in the past if she is trying to be better….if we did that Discord wouldn't be our friend today."
Twilight blinked in shock "...Spike….when did you…..become so mature..??"
"Well I learned from a bunch of good ponies" Spike smiled eyes closed.
Twilight smiled and nuzzled him "....alright...I'll keep what you said in mind….let's get the girls and search again…." Spike nodded and the two headed out of the castle.
Fluttershy was flying around slowly looking around the edge of the town, after seeing the mess that had happened and helping to calm the animals….she had gotten worried about Blake...she at first thought she did all of it on purpose...but upon looking back to Blake's expression and behavior,, she realized Blake looked scared and apologetic, even her last words brie vanishing were an apology and she didn't need to have Applejack's sense of truth to know when a pony was actually sorry "um Blake? Please come out…." She called softly as she looked at a tree with a squirrel sitting in it "excuse me Mr Squirrel, have you seen a tall black mare with blue wavy hair?"
The squirrel rubbed it's chin and then chittered.
"Oh thank you" Fluttershy smiled flying the direction the squirrel said, flying into the open field she looked around not seeing anything besides a single tree, her eyes suddenly went back to the tree and focused under it where the shade was, beneath the tree was lying Blake.
Sighing in relief she began flying over but her pace slowed as she looked at Blake, her eyes were closed, her mane and tail slowly flowing behind her, she looked relaxed and peaceful, Fluttershy remembered being so fearful of Blake because of how she looked, though now she found Blake was actually beautiful looking.
Fluttershy's focus shifted from Blake to the sudden movement next to her, a small rabbit hopped through grass by Blake making her eyes widened, she wasn't sure how Blake would react to the rabbit, though she had a fear of the reaction...the animals never reacted calmly around her and if that was what set her off back at the cottage then it could happen once more..
Blake's eyes opened and she gave the rabbit a side glance, her face showing disdain at the rabbit.
Fluttershy picked up her pace flying towards them in panic.
Blake raised a hoof slowly and moved it over the rabbit, her eyes were cold locked on the rabbit, the rabbit itself looked up and sniffed the air.
Fluttershy was freaking out as she tried to fly faster to save the rabbit.
Blake's hoof suddenly went down at the rabbit and Fluttershy threw her hooves up covering her eyes as tears formed in them, how could anypony be so cruel?? Especially to an innocent animal? Maybe she was wrong about Blake, she truly is Nightmare Moon.
Slowly peaking through her hooves Fluttershy looked towards Nightmare Moon and where the rabbit once was, only...she saw a soft smile on Nightmare Moon's face as her hoof slowly pet the rabbits head, confusion filling Fluttershy as she slowly flew over.
"Blake?" She asked softly looking towards the large mare.
Blake's body tensed as her eyes locked onto the ground wide and with fear "h-hey Fluttershy…" her voice was quiet and sounded fearful.
Fluttershy took a careful step towards her seeing her wings twitch...she was ready to run if she moved closer, taking a step back she sat down "...are you ok…?"
"...am I ok?....why are you asking if I am??...after what I did to your home...the animals…" she closed her eyes tightly.
"I know you didn't do it on purpose….and while some of the animals said you did...there were others who noticed how stressed you looked...scared…" Fluttershy gingerly moved closer.
"I-I'm sorry Fluttershy...you were the last per-pony I wanted to upset….I...I've ruined everyone's life I ever entered…yours...the girls….my parents….maybe...maybe if I never was born everyone would have been happier..?" Blake looked to the ground somberly
"No!" Fluttershy suddenly spoke up with a brave voice, Blake looking surprised by it "never say that!....you've been dealing with things no pony should ever have to.." she moved closer "I know you didn't mean to do what you did...and I know that you are trying to prove to us that you're not Nightmare Moon…"
Blake kept her gaze away for Fluttershy but when her chin was gently pulled to look at her she found a smiling Fluttershy "everypony deserves to be happy...you as well...and I think...you've been focusing on everyone else's happiness that...you forgot your own.."
"But….what if I just bring more pain to everyone?"
"I know you won't Blake...I'll help you...and so will our friends" Fluttershy assured.
"They aren't my friends…" I said softly, it might have sounded crueler than intended but it was true...after all I'd done…
After the destruction I caused at Fluttershy's I could only say I was sorry as my thoughts were on despair and wanting to just...get away from doing any more damage...my magic seeming to activate and I was suddenly out in a field... fearful at first I got the idea it may have been a teleportation spell..
Most likely from the amount of magic I used, and the day I went through I collapsed from exhaustion falling asleep right then and there….I only woke the next morning when the sun shines into my eyes.
I didn't know where else to go so I sat beneath a nearby tree and just...waited….for once I was happy only because I was away from anybody I could hurt, my existence in this world seemingly to bring harm and pain...whatever higher being deciding what would be...had a sick sense of humor….to unleash me on such a happy world…
With a day just to myself my mind honestly wondered, so many different thoughts, why's, how's, and what for…like why did this happen to me? A simple human who'd done nothing all to exciting in life...what connection did I have to this world or this body?...I didn't know and I doubted I ever would...
Honestly my time waiting made me wonder if the Princesses would come to take me away...maybe Celestia would send me to the moon as she had the original Nightmare Moon, the land would be safer, I'd be away from anyone I could hurt…
Maybe it was for the best?....but then again that solitude would be maddening, that dream told me neither the the moon wasn't the best place to spend a thousands years on….a thousand years…..an impossibly long time yet possible for me now…
"But they are" Fluttershy reassured "whatever problems you had we can work through it..if friends gave up on each other then the world wouldn't last...I'll tell the girls if they have doubts to keep trying, I know it will be ok."
As much as I wanted to say she was wrong, say it was hooked and just to fly away or to try and teleport again…..I couldn't...that hopeful look in her eyes, the innocents that said she believed her words….made me want to believe too, taking a deep breath and exhaling it i nodded "o-ok…."
Fluttershy smiled widely.
"I already checked there" Rainbow Dash groaned resting her head on her hoof while sitting in her chair around the crystal map table.
"Yes darling we've checked everywhere, I say it's time we send a letter to the Princesses and have them try to find her" Rarity said poofing her mane.
Twilight huffed "we have to keep trying, and having the Princesses go and search won't help either, they would have just as much luck as we are" she looked to her friends who all looked like they were out of ideas and frowned.
Twilight knew they couldn't just give up "Well it's not like she's just going to appear from thin ai-" she was cut off as the doors to the room opened and Fluttershy waked in smiling.
"Oh wow I thought she was really about to just walk in" Rainbow Dash chuckled softly.
"Oh well…." Fluttershy looked back and slowly stepping out from the hall and into the room, the tall dark furred mare stepped in, eyes avoiding all the girls.
Twilight sat slack jawed, Rainbow Dash mimicking the expression in her own surprise.
Rarity and Applejack both went from surprised to glaring at Nightmare Moon, memories still fresh of the days they spent with the mare.
Fluttershy noticed the looks and cleared her throat "Blake...has told me what happened during her days with everyone...and I believe we all need to work on how we work with he-them" she had picked up on how Blake reacted to using female pronouns, she'd have to tell the girls later about that.
"She's sorry?? Sorry won't fix my boutique and the countless months I spent on those dresses!" Rarity exclaimed.
"Or what happened on mah farm and to mah sister!" Applejack glared.
"I...I'm sorry about the dresses Rarity…." Blake took a deep shaky breath "I….was not a mare...back home….and...the dresses and makeup made me feel not like me….I panicked and...I think my magic...activated? I don't remember what happened at the boutique…."
Rarity frowned…she'd remembered how Applejack didn't like dresses or normal mare things…
"And Applejack I really wasn't doing anything to Apple Bloom….after we talked and I went to get the last of the apples I had kicked a tree that...became loose, it fell over and when I looked back I saw Apple Bloom there and realized she was right in the path of the tree and I ran grabbing her getting her out of the way….but...it's my fault the tree even fell….I won't deny it's my fault all these things happened….but..I don't mean for them to...I just...am not normal."
Applejack remembered seeing the fallen tree...but she assumed it was Nightmare trying to get back at her also...Apple Bloom hadn't talked about the day but...she didn't look afraid when Applejack mentioned Nightmare Moon….
"I think we should try harder to help Blake feel more at home here.." Fluttershy said looking at her friends.
"I agree with Fluttershy" Twilight said looking to the yellow mare and the tall one "I believe we have been viewing this as a task or job...when we should have been seeing it as something a friend would."
The girls looked to each other before they nodded, Rarity looking at blake and smiling softly "I... apologize for making you uncomfortable darling...I want to try and actually be generous for you…"
Applejack rubbed the back of her neck "ah want to apologise too...ah may have...acted without thinkin...like Rarity said I want to actually try and help ya learn honesty...without bein so harsh on ya."
Blake smiled "I'd like that...and...I'll try to..learn control of myself."
"I'll help you with that" Fluttershy smiled.
"And I'll help with your magic, without pushing you to perform spells" Twilight smiled and glanced to Spike who smiled proudly.
"So then..what should we do first?" Rainbow Dash asked looking at all the girls.
"I have an idea" Twilight smiled
I looked at the girls who surrounded me...each talking with each other, joking, smiling...Twilight did have a good idea about what to do, eating all together was a good way to really become closer to someone...
"Oh hey Blake! What's your favorite food??" Pinkie asked excitedly.
"Oh it's ba-.....ked...bread...." I was almost about to say bacon when I realized I was surrounded by herbivores, that definitely wouldn't have painted a good picture of me.
The girls looked confused "you mean toast?" Twilight asked.
"Yeahhh...toast is another name for it...good ol toast..." I smiled nervously.
All the girls burst out laughing each finding the reply humorous, I even found myself laughing after a couple of seconds it kind of was a funny thing to say your favorite food was, baked bread.
Pinkie giggled falling off her chair making Rainbow Dash snort.
I looked around as the girls laughed, maybe things could be better but it was gonna some work from both me and the girls, but...I have hope.
"Oh oh! We should have a sleep over!!" Pinkie yelled popping up from the floor.
"Oh that's a wonderful idea darling" Rarity smiled "I will have to find somepony to watch Sweetie Belle though."
"Why doesn't she have a sleep over at the farm, that way Apple Bloom will have someone to spend time with while ah'm gone" Applejack offered.
"Oh good idea" Rarity smiled.
"Well then unless anyone has any complaints it's settled" Twilight smiled, the girls nodding smiling.
I...was less enthusiastic...my nights haven't been the most successful maybe I could work my way out of it? "Uh...I've...never had a sleep over before so.."
"WHAT???" Pinkie exclaimed.
"Uh...I've..never have a sleep over?" I looked around seeing numerous shocked expressions "is that...that strange?"
"Well now we gotta have a sleep over! We can't just let you not experience a sleep over!! They're sooo important! You get to spend a night with your friends and if you've already won't a day with them the it's like twenty four hours of friendship fun!!" Pinkie had climbed across the table and grabbed Blake by the cheeks pressing their heads together.
I blinked "ok...I understand...but can I have my head back?"
Pinkie blinked "oh sure" she let go and hopped back to her chair.
Rubbing my cheeks I looked at them "uh...I guess...let's have a sleep over" I smiled nervously.
The girls all cheered and got to prepping the sleep over.
I stood nervously in the bedroom of Twilight, I hadn't actually been in this room before....and there was also the normal embarrassment of being in a girls bedroom...which would soon be filled with six girls...all of which will be sleeping here....as well as me...oh noooooooo...
Look no need to panic! You do fine around girls! You can handle this! You haven't had any awkward moments with them....oh god I've had so many, if I'm not fighting or messing things up with them, then I'm having awkward moments with them!!!
"Blake?" A gentle hoof touched me and sent me up into the air before I fell down in my back, blinking I looked at s very surprised looking Twilight.
"Oh...hey Twilight...what's up?"
"Well I noticed you looked a bit...stressed over something?"
"No nope I'm all good" I smiled and got up.
"....alright..." Twilight eyed her suspiciously before her attention was taken towards the door as the girls walked in carrying the sleeping bags, she lit hr horn and he bed suddenly changed into sleeping bag.
"Uh....why'd you do that?" I looked at her
"Because it's more fair and fun" she smiled.
I looked around at everyone's sleeping bag, they matched their colors and even had their cutiemarks in them which was actually pretty cute, they all had sleeping bags for the sleep over...except for me, I guess I could sleep on the floor...made sense I mean I did ruin thier days....maybe I shouldn't even sleep in the same room as them...or even the castle at all...yeah...I don't deserve this comfort...
"Oh blake darling" Rarity walked over after setting up her sleeping bag, she took another roll off her back and set it in front if the larger mare with her magic "I figured you didn't have one of your own and fortunately I had a spare, I'm sorry I didn't have time to give it some flare but I hope it's alright" she smiled.
I looked down to the rolled up sleeping bag, the dark thoughts that had begun to cloud my mind dissipated, I smiled "than you Rarity, it's perfect."
She smiled.
"Oh good, thank you Rarity I was about to make one for her" Twilight smiled and trotted over to the other girls.
I unrolled my new sleeping bag with my nose, it was a simple grey color but I liked it, never had a sleeping bag before but....it was nice to be given one..
"Alright so what should we do first?" Twilight looked to be friends.
"Well I brought mud masks and some other beauty care items" Rarity levitated her saddlebag in the air.
I froze in the middle of unrolling the bag, my eyes looking to Rarity's saddlebag, there was probably makeup in there....she'd want to put it on me....of course she would, why did I think she'd change?!
Rarity glanced at Blake and lowered the saddlebags remembering earlier "w-well we don't need to this first but it's here for later..." She slid it behind her back.
"Hmm what about s'mores, ah brought all the stuff" she set out the crackers, chocolate and marshmallows.
"Oh good idea Applejack" Twilight smiled and stood before suddenly pinkie leapt into the air behind her.
"PILLOW FIGHT!!!" Pinkie roared and smacked Twilight in the back of the head with the pillow.
Twilight went face first into the floor, and pinkie looked for her next target.
Rainbow Dash grabbed a pillow and flew into the air, she was not loosing to Pinkie in a pillow fight.
Fluttershy shuffled into her sleeping bag head looking out as she looked around.
Rarity squinted at Pinkie "Pinkie...my mane will get messy....don't think about it..."
Pinkie squinted back and cocked the pillow "I won't..." She leapt at her.
"Pinkie no!!" Rarity threw a pillow through the air at her before pinkie dodged it mid air and wacked rarity with the pillow making a pomf noise.
Pinkie stood and looked around for her other targets, just three to go...
Applejack was huddled in a corner with a grouping of pillows and Rainbow Dash was up in the air holding a pillow.
I looked around, it'd had gone from sleep over to a fricken war! Pinkie seemed to take pillow fights seriously...oh no she's looking at me...crud what do I do??
Pinkie stood on her hind legs and spun the pillow around her head like nunchucks before holding it out ready.
I kicked a pillow at her in panic.
The pillow whacked pinkie in the face before sliding off "oh no!...I've been hit...blehh" she fell face first into the pillow.
Well that went rather well....oh wait the last two... Applejack looked pretty cozy in that corner so she wasn't budging and Rainbow Dash was-flying right at me!! I ducked as she swooped by swinging the pillow.
"Dang it, Blake I'm gonna win this, I have the high ground" Rainbow dash held her pillow ready.
....did...did she just...does she know?....Is there pony starwars?... questions for later, I grabbed a pillow with my teeth and looked towards Rainbow Dash intense focus in my eyes.
Rainbow Dash Flew down pillow held out forward.
I ran towards her holding my head up high with the pillow, I then quickly ran to the right away from her.
Rainbow Dash shook her head surprised before chasing after her, she really thought she could escape her? Hah! She was a Wonderbolt!
I kept running glancing back, good she was following...plan was working...
Rainbow Dash sped up trying to touch blake with the pillow, just a couple more inches and....she'd....be...tagged! She lunged forward but Blake's head ducked down causing her to gasp as she saw Applejack in the corner with her pillow shields, Applejack sporting a surprised expression as well
With an explosion of feathers Rainbow Dash crashed into Applejack making thier pillows release their feathers, they laid in a pile of feathers, Rainbow Dash raised her hoof up before dropping it in defeat.
I dropped my pillow and smiled victoriously, for my first pillow fight I had claimed victory! Now I stood the champion of sleep overs!! Because none could surpass I!! Pillow lord!!
A pillow tapped the back of Blake's hind leg.
Blake blinked and crane she'd neck back, her eyes wide as she saw huddled on the ground still in sleeping bag and a pillow held in her mouth was none other than Fluttershy "no....my....power..." I collapsed into the pile of feathers and mares.
After a moment of silence...the room was filled with a cacophony of laughter from each of the girls.
"Fluttershy I can't believe you were able to stay hidden that whole time!!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed "well actually I can..."
"I was so close...I could taste victory...no wait that's a feather" i spit the feather our and sat up smiling
The girls giggled and started cleaning up the mess.
I helped the best I could, glancing to Rarity her mane indeed was a mess now....but we didn't look upset, I guess she was saying that for dramatics, I couldn't help but chuckle softly as I cleaned, the pillow fight was waaay more fun than I thought!
"Alright, now we can have some s'mores" Applejack smirked and glanced at pinkie who was pulling a pillow from her mane before slowly pushing it back in upon being caught.
Wait how were we cooking the s'mores? We're inside and unless they wanna try making a fire indoors then I'm about to see some magic...
Twilight lit her horn and suddenly a small floating flame appeared in the middle of the circle they had made, Applejack handed out the roasting sticks which sported marshmallows on them to each of the girls.
I looked at the stick as it was held out to me, I looked at each if the girls as they held theirs with their hooves....how??? It just..stuck there for them...not wanting to risk it I grabbed the presented stick with both hooves punching them together to hold it, the girls looked at me strangely before focusing on roasting their marshmallows.
I held mine forward over the flame and watched the magical purple fire beneath begin to roast mine as well as the others marshmallows, I kept pulling mine away from the fire when I feared it would burn, I never liked the whole black coating marshmallows would get when they burned, dipping the marshmallow down to the fire it suddenly caught flames, I panicked and quickly yanked the stick up out of the fire and lowered it to see the damage of my marshmallow....only there was no marshmallow...looking around in fear I then cringed as I saw the marshmallow stuck to the ceiling.
Twilight looked confused before she shook her head "I wanted to ask if you liked staying here at the castle?"
"Oh uh yeah it's nice...thank you again for letting me."
"Oh you don't need to thank me, but...you don't sound fully content."
"Well...." I rubbed the back of my neck "it's nice really, living in a huge castle...but it doesn't feel homey...and I feel like I'm relying on you all the time...honestly I feel like I rely on everybody...my parents...now you guys...." I sighed looking at my hooves.
Twilight frowned "Blake you don't need to worry about that, I'm happy helping you out, we all are." The girls around her nodding in agreement.
"I know we didn't have the best experience together darling but I we all definitely care about you and want to help in any way we can" Rarity smiled.
"Thank you...all of you" I smiled, I felt a bit...more comfortable now.
Rarity smiled, before a marshmallow plopped onto her horn and the girls erupted into laughter
Applejack yawned and smacked her lips together "yeah Ah'm gonna hit the hay too"
Sleep? No....that meant I was going to have a bad dream...the night was going so well! Maybe I could convince them?? "Uhh what about um...a board game?"
"I'm to tired to play" Rainbow Dash yawned and stretched.
"But...but..." I looked between them all.
They began heading to their sleeping bags "don't worry Blake, we'll have all tommorow to do more together" Twilight comforted as she got into her sleeping bag.
I frowned as all the girls were getting to bed, I shuffled into my own sleeping bag but didn't try sleeping...maybe I could stay up all night?...shouldn't be to bad...yeah...like when I was young...just gotta occupy myself...in this dark room....with sleeping girls........bad brain! Bad thoughts!
Twilight yawned awake rubbing her eyes, she looked around seeing her friends still asleep, Applejack however was up and out of the room probably in the bathroom, she also noticed another bright and early mare in the room.
Blake sat in her sleeping bag, she'd blink a couple times each getting slower before her eyes closed and she tlpped forward only to jump back up eyes wide, she'd then repeat this..
"Blake are you ok?" Twilight looked at her getting up from her own sleeping bag.
Blake jumped "hm? Oh yeah fiiine."
"....did you sleep alright?"
"Yup!....like a rock...." She rubbed her eyes smiling.
Twilight wasn't completely convinced but she didn't want to push Blake to answer incase she got upset "alright...well let's go get breakfast."
Blake nodded and got up stumbling a bit before she walk into the door, she shook her head and turns walked out.
"...I....no...I'll wait for her to tell me..." Twilight followed.
Doesn't suspect a thing heh, I couldn't help but smirk at my perfect acting! She couldn't even tell I was completely exhausted and ready to just pass out, I successfully stayed up through the night which meant no nightmares so it was worth it, true I was pretty tired but I could handle it.
"Blake you passed the kitchen" Twilight called from behind.
"Right Twi I was just counting the tiles of the floor from the bedroom to here, exactly fifty eight." I walked into the kitchen passed her.
Twilight looked down at her non-tiled floor then towards the large mare....she followed her in.
"Alright we need three eggs, two scoops of sugar, and a banana!! I'm making pancakes!" I slammed my head into the counter and fell over.
"Blake!" Twilight ran over to the mare who's teal eyes spun around in her head.
"Didja get eggs?" There were three of her so at least one of the Twilights got the eggs.
"Blake...are you sure your alright..?" Twilight was worried.
I shook my head "yeah I'm fine Twilight...sorry just a bit...wonky this morning" I got up, I actually felt less tired after that.
"Why don't you go wait at the table...I'll make breakfast" Twilight said feeling uneasy about Blake working in the kitchen like this...
I nodded and walked that way, once there I sat at the table and yawned...ok so maybe not sleeping at all last night was affecting me...I've never felt like that before though....just have to make it through a day...that'll wake me up.
As I sat my new ears swiveled back towards the kitchen as I heard the other girls voices, wincing I shook my head to try and regain control of these blasted ears...any new noise and they suddenly get a mind of their own, after reigning my ears in i glanced towards the kitchen door listening to their barely audible voices, for a second I swear I heard one of them say Nightmare....ughh are they just calling me Blake when I'm around?...they don't believe who I really am...
Why would they? Not like I literally have done nothing that mare has done!! I've literally just tried to live while being stuck here, not my fault they've been forcing me to do things I don't want to....or can do...this body still refuses to work how I want it too..
I glare towards the kitchen door, what could they be saying about me? No doubt on what to say when around me? How to better deal with me? Maybe how to act nice around the mare who they killed?
"Good morning darlings" Rarity yawned softly as she trotted into the kitchen.
"Morning" Twilight greeted smiling as she watched Rarity be followed in by the rest of her fitness who greeted her.
"Where's Blake?" Fluttershy asked.
"Oh she's by the table, she's very tired and...well let's just to save it at tired" Twilight glanced towards the door leading to the dining room.
"Did she not sleep right?" Applejack asked as she walked in after doing a little morning jog, since she was away from the farm she needed something to do when she woke up so early.
"It's possible, she's been having nightmares recently apparently" Twilight explained.
Rainbow Dash snorted getting some confused glances and glared "sorry just funny that the mare who looks like Nightmare Moon is having nightmares..." She looked at her friends and rubbed the back of her neck realizing that it was rude to laugh about that "sorry..."
"So what should we do to cheer her up?" Rarity asked.
"Oh oh!! What if we threw her a welcome to PonyVille party???" Pinkie asked excitedly.
"Um...good idea Pinkie...but I think it's still a bit early for a party for her...she's still not used to all of us...or her situation" Twilight reasoned to a frowning pinkie.
"Yeah....that's fair..." Pinkie frowned sadly.
"Speaking of that, what is her situation...?" Rarity looked curiously to Twilight.
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked confused.
"Well is she actually Nightmare Moon or perhaps another pony? And if so what do we do for either?" Rarity awaited her friends answer.
"Well...if she is Nightmare Moon then we continue to help her reform...she obviously wants to be different from her past self" Twilight said.
"And if she's another being in Nightmares body?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Well then..." Twilight didn't know....ponies ending up in another body was strange and not unheard of....but a being from another world ending up in a pony's body? That seemed impossible "I....suppose we do the same?...and also attempt to return her home...I'll need to do research into that but before I do is like to be fully certain that she is not trying to protect herself from being blamed for her previous actions...we need to make her feel comfortable and understand we just want to help her."
The girls all nodded agreeing to Twilights plan.
"That's why I want to look for a house for her." Twilight suddenly added.
"WHAT??" all five girls exclaimed.
"WHAT?!?" I exclaimed after being told I was being kicked out of the castle!...ok so she didn't say she was kicking me out, just that she wanted to look for a place for me to live in...but still! That meant I was being kicked out of the castle!!
"What did I do??" I yelled honestly wondering what I did.
"Blake calm down please...after what you said last night about feeling like the castle wasn't home to you, and that you were relying to much on us I thought maybe what you needed was a place for yourself, where you could feel like home and not worry about relying on everypony" Twilight explained looking sincere.
I...that made sense actually...I had said that, and still felt that way sort of...so maybe...maybe finding a place to stay was a good idea?...and owning my own home would be fun right?...I mean I was always afraid of it back home...having a job and trying to figure out how to support myself was and still is a scary thought...but I suppose here I wouldn't need to worry about that...this world seemed more forgiving in that regard...taking a deep breath I looked at her "your right...sorry...maybe this is a good idea" I smiled...mostly forcing it.
Twilight nodded "and if we can't find anything then you can still stay here if you'd like, I don't want this to feel like I'm forcing you to do anything...we all just want to help you feel more at home."
"Till I can go home" I added.
"Yes of course" Twilight smiled, guess it was still undecided whether or not she was who she said, or if she was making up a story still.
"So when do we start looking?" I asked her munching on a waffle.
"After breakfast, unless there's something you wish to do before that?" Twilight asked curiously.
"Nope" I shook my head cheek full of waffles, after finishing breakfast we all headed out leaving the castle and walking all together into town, memories of leaving the hospital surfacing...that was the last time I was with all of them together outside, such a different atmosphere now...back then it was cold and tense, now far warmer and far happier....the girls having smiles on their faces.
The towns people however kept there same reactions...fear....no matter how many times they'd seen me they all still were afraid, I couldn't name them they no doubt knew why I was suddenly so frequent around town...to them I was a monster who had been killed only to somehow now return and regularly go through town...
Sighing I looked at Twilight "so...where are we starting?"
"I have a few houses picked out and we'll see how they are" Twilight smiled.
I nodded following them, well house searching never was my favorite activity but hey! Magical world of ponies...yay!
We arrived at the first house on Twilight's list...she actually had a list that Spike handed to her from her back when we got to the house, girl always had a list for everything a thought which I couldn't help but smirk at, I focused on the house and found a baby blue and cloud white house, it looked cute and had a decent yard.
The girls walked inside inspecting the house "This is nice, wouldn't you agree darling?" Rarity asked.
"Well...I can see one problem it has..." I commented.
The girls looked towards Blake in confused only to realize what said problem was.
Currently I stood inside the very nice house...head hunched down very uncomfortably as my horn nearly scraped the ceiling...funnily enough pony homes are not meant for the tall...to be specific, the princess bigger ponies of Equestria.
"Oh dear" Rarity frowned walking over "well...I suppose crouching around your home wouldn't be very comfortable..."
I shook my head "no...no it would not...but very nice floor" I nodded before wincing as I hit my horn "ow.."
Rarity winced "why don't we look to the next one?"
I went to nod before remembering "yes...let's" I walked out of the house whacking my head down the door frame "son of a-..butter..nugget!!!"
Rarity raised her brow as she followed "dear are...are you censoring yourself?"
"Yeah..." I rubbed my horn gently, it felt similar to stubbing your toe...only worse "I've...been cursing way more than I used to and...I wanted to try and stop...not really used to it anymore.."
"Well that's very valiant of your darling" Rarity smiled.
"Thanks Rarity" I smiled.
We arrived at the next house on Twilight list, this one was a mint green and forest green, it also didn't have the height flaw like the other, however it did have neighbors like the other...might be hard to relax when I'm living by people or rather roomies who are terrified of me.
"What's wrong?" Twilight noticed Blake's uncomfortable look while looking towards the other houses.
"Oh...just...ponies don't like me..."
"That's not true Blake" Twilight frowned.
Spike was about to say otherwise but chose not to...making the big mare feel worse wasn't the greatest feeling.
"It is though...they think I'm Nightmare Moon, and that will be hard to ignore when living right by them..." I huffed.
Twilight looked to the tall mare frowning....she understood why that would be uncomfortable.
I glanced at her noticing she was frowning "but..let's take a look inside!" I smiled trying to cheer her up, she nodded and we walked in with the girls, I looked around "hm you know I actually kinda like this on-woah!" I slipped and flailed my limbs as I arrived on a tiled floor, I stabilized myself by not moving.
The girls watched with wide eyes.
"Ok...ok" I started slipping again before my hooves left from under me "woah!!!" My rump hit the floor and slid across it before I smacking into the wall across the room.
The girls winced before hurrying over to the fallen Mare.
"Blake are you alright??" Twilight asked.
"Yeah you really hit that wall hard" Rainbow Dash stifled a laugh.
"No kidding..?" I grumbled on my back "imma pass on this house Twilight...I don't think I'm ready to tiled floors..."
"My castle had tiled floors..."
"Yeah well these are different it seems....crystal and stone tiles are different..."
Twilight nodded and crossed out another house in her list.
After getting up and ignoring my bruised rump and pride we left for the next house, following the girls I glanced to the flying Rainbow Dash her little enjoyment of my slip bugged me a bit....payback time.
Smirking devilishly most definitely aided by my fangs and eyes, I gently nipped her tail and quickly looked away.
"Gah!" Rainbow Dash looked back quickly rubbing her hind end, she saw the girls walking and Blake looking around town....she didn't know which one did it or if any did...slowly she looked back forward.
Looking towards the unsuspecting rainbow mare I grinned again and nipped her tail a tinsy bit hard before looking up at the clouds.
"Hey!" She glared back again but once more found none looking towards her... Blake was looking at the sky? She looked up and saw the clouds...hmm she suspiciously looked towards Blake before slowly once more looking away.
I looked back to her smirking, time for the finally...
Rainbow Dash felt the yank on her tail and spun around quickly "ha!!" She pointed her hoof towards the culprit catching them....only nopony was there "what the?" Suddenly she felt a tap on her head and looked up to a wobbly flying Blake.
I stuck my tongue out at Rainbow Dash smirking.
Rainbow Dash was surprised before she smirked "well well a new prank competitor.."
"Me? Why whatever do you mean Rainbow Dash?" I batted my eyes innocently.
"This isn't over" She smirked.
"I'd be disappointed if it was" I snickered and landed continuing to walk with the girls and Spike who were giggling at our antics.
We soon arrived at the next house...each of us looking to it...with similar reactions...the house before us was...well not the most intact, it looked like it hadn't been lived in for years, the wood of the house was old but not rotting...in most places, and nature had all but taken it over...not to mention it was a bit aways from town.
"Well...what do you think?" Twilight smiled.
"Uhh...well" I walked to the house "some concerns...uh when was this house abandoned and why? I see many health code violations....and is that a nail poking out of the roof??" I ducked my head avoiding the rusty tetanus infected nail that stuck out begging to poke me...ugh..did I still have my tetanus shot in this body?...questions for later...
"Well there are a few..." Twilight watched a vine catch a fly and drag it under the porch "....problems...but it's distant from other ponies so no fear of them being afraid of you, and hey we all can work together to fix it!" She smiled.
I looked back at her as I walked, fix this place? You'd might as well buy a whole new house with how much work this place ne-the floor creaked loudly under my hoof before there was a crack "....." Suddenly the floor boards under me collapsed and I fell forward back end stuck in the air.
The girls winced.
"....so....pass on this one..?" Twilight asked smiling nervously.
"Yes....I think so..." I replied still in the porch "...can someone help me I appear to be stuck and I am afraid to open my eyes to witness the horror that is underneath this porch...please tell me that is my hair touching my fa-SPIDER!!!!"
The girls watched the blue and black rocket shoot up through the roof of the porch sending splinters of woods all over, suddenly Blake came back down rolling and thrashing in the floor yelling "get it off! get it off! get it off! get it off! get it off!"
Rainbow Dash was snorting a laughing holding her stomach while floating in the air, as she cackled suddenly a small brown spider floated down by a web parachute, landing atop the blue mares muzzle, Rainbow Dash's laughter ceased upon the feeling and looked crossing her eyes spotting the spider on her nose, pupils shrinking she screamed and joined blake in the ground rolling "get it off! get it off! get it off! get it off! get it off!"
Spike and girls all laughing at the display.
I twitched as I walked...I felt like it was still on me....I always hated that about spiders...they could send ghost senses to you, make you feel like their in you when they aren't...I shivered and looked towards the next house.
This one was back in town though closer towards the edge, it was a cream color and was two stories, yard was also nice with a tall hedge fence surrounding it, after looking around the outside we walked in, no need to duck through the door way or inside check...
I looked at the floor and rubbed my hoof against it gently, it didn't slip or collapse beneath me...check.
I walked to each room checking them out, decent sized kitchen, didn't need much myself to be honest, I walked upstairs finding the bedrooms and bathrooms, the master bedroom was very nice and had a window with a great view of the town and forest, I could even see Twilights castle!
"So...what do you think?" Twilight asked hopeful.
"I...like it...it's honestly perfect" I gently touched the windowsill...this room felt similar to my old one...not in Twilight's but back home...it was nice....to feel like I was home even if just a little bit....
Twilight looked towards her curiously as she stepped closer "are you alright..?"
"Hm?..oh yeah...yeah I'm fine Twilight" I smiled to her.
"Good..let's head back down and we can make this officially your house" Twilight smiled be trotted out of the room.
My house....hm...I followed her out if the room and got to the stairs...huh...stairs are different from this angle, slowly I stepped down on the first step...ok, next my other leg, then the back ones and then-...why was I going forward still?
The girls smiled as Twilight told them this was the one before they heard thumping and hanging coming from the stairs as they watched blake bounce and hit each step, she landed at the bottom on her stomach "oh blake!" Fluttershy ran over following by the others.
"I'm fine..." I got up and shook my head "waking down stairs is going to take some getting used to..."
"You've never walked down stairs?" Spike asked.
"No I have...but uh just not with four legs, way different feeling" I explained to the small drake who I envied most..he had hands...and feet.....lucky little Barney...
Spike looked confused but shrugged.
Twilight lit her horn bringing a paper up she signed it with a quill before turning it to Blake "ok just sign the bottom line and this will be your home." She levitated the quill to Blake.
I was about to take it in my hoof but remembered my lack of dexterity with these appendages, grimacing I took it in my teeth and went to sign.
Twilight looked at her weirdly but remembered she had trouble with her hooves and magic, though she thought of another thing which she could test now "remember...this is a legal document that requires your legal name..."
I blinked at her...oddly specific....did she think my world didn't have legal documents? Shrugging I wrote my name the best I could with the quill in my mouth, afterwards I spit it out.
Twilight caught it in her magic and poofed it away, she then looked at the document and found...Blake signed on the line, either she was honest...or Nightmare didn't care enough about legal documents...rolling the document up she had spike send it away to Mayor Mare "Blake, welcome to your new home" she smiled.
I looked around smiling "I'm gonna need some stuff..pretty empty right now."
"Oh I can help with a couple things" Twilight walked to the bedroom and teleported the bed from the castle to the room, along with a couple of the dressers that were in that room, she then walked back down "there we go, your bed and some dressers are now in your room, they were from the castle."
"Oh I'll give those back when I get some of my own furniture." I said not wanting to take her things...
"No no you can keep them, it's completely alright Blake" Twilight reassured.
"...only if your ok with it...I'll still probably give them back" I sighed still not feeling ok with it.
"Only if you want to Blake" she chuckled.
The sun was close to setting so the girls all left saying thier goodbyes, Twilight and spike being the second to last to leave as Fluttershy had stayed around wanting to make sure I was ok with being alone for really the first time, I told her I was gonna be fine and that she could head home...after assuring her a couple more times she finally complied and left.
It was nice to have someone to worry about me while I'm here...and so much so like Fluttershy, she had so much love in her heart for everyone...honestly amazed me...
Looking around the empty house, my empty house...huh crazy to think I had my own house...jeez I still had a couple years before I'd move out back home...now I suppose it was natural to get your own home young here...ages were odd in Equestria cause I swore Twilight and her friends were like early twenties at times and teenagers at others...
I rubbed my arm as the silent room was all that surrounded me....ok time for bed, I walked up the stairs and arrived at the bed room....Twilight had set the bed and dressers almost exactly as they were back at my home on earth....it had to be accidental because I never told her...walking to the bed I slowly climbed in and shuffled in it a bit...first night sleeping in a new place....again....man I've been sleeping in new places a lot....I missed home....missed my family....heck I even missed school...what if I never can go back?...just stuck here...forever...
Grumbled I pushed the thoughts away and rolled on my side pulling the blanket up, nope not thinking about all that junk before sleeping...won't help....I closed my eyes and tried to sleep....just gotta clear my mind...and drift...
I slammed against a stone wall before hitting the door, the air in my lungs leaving me as I coughed and hacked, my body chilling as I saw blood hit the stone...I could taste it in my mouth....looking fearfully towards my attackers I shook....the six mares marched towards me...all eyes glowing white as they glared towards me...
"Please...what did I do?! I thought we made up???" I yelled desperately trying to figure out what went wrong
Rainbow Dash zoomed through the air before her hooves struck my head making a loud crack, my head getting knocked to the side from the strike and my vision going spinning as the pain radiated through my skull, suddenly an orange blob appeared and struck me in the face knocking my head the other direction, I was seeing stars now as the pain was in two places melding together.
I coughed and spit a couple white shark teeth out, I shakily looked towards the bloody teeth as my vision went in and out of focus, I struggled to my hooves I needed to get out if here....run get away, escape this nightmare!
Wait maybe this was a ni-suddenly a piece of the broken wall on the ground glowed purple before it flew up through the air and struck me sending me backwards before smashing into the ground, the stone breaking apart on top me.
Coughing from the dust and pain I stood, my muscles burned and ached...everything ached, I could feel my blood dripping from different spots across my body...and my wings...looking towards them I saw one was limp beside me while the other was crunched down against my back...both were numb till I tried moving them sending fiery hot pain through me "GAHHHH!!!!" My voice cried out through the stone room.
Panting and breathing heavily I hung my head letting the pain fade...suddenly I realized where I stood....this spot now so familiar to me "no....no no..please..." My shot towards the girls where I saw them all lined up, elements headed and beginning to glow...this scene all to familiar...the girls floating up and being surrounded by the radiant light...
Flashes of Celestia using the Elements replaced the girls like a glitching game before returning to the main six...I stumbled back confusion and fear across my face...what..what was happening..this wasn't right...wasn't possible...
Suddenly my eyes saw something behind the girls...or rather someone, I saw a figure standing in the shadows....their dark fur allowing them perfect camouflage in the darkness....they stood still..motionless, it was amazing I even spotted them....but I could see it...in their eyes the rage...anger...and...enjoyment across their face....they...they were doing this...it was them!! But...but who were they?? Who could do this?? Who would want to-....Nightmare...it was her!! She was here!! She was doing this! I had to tell the girls, I had to warn th-
Suddenly the rainbow harmonic new struck me sending burning pain through my body as it torn me apart, I screamed in pure pain my body disintegrating or burning away like paper in fire.
The pain seemed to never end as the light raked across my body, burning and burning more of me away, I looked to the girls with tears, and the mare behind them with begging eyes...I wanted it to stop....just stop!!!!!
I leapt awake in bed, cold sweat across my body as I shook...I breathed heavily and looked around in panic...the room...new one...no angry six...no evil mare...I fell back head hitting the pillow as I stared at the ceiling....why can't I just...sleep peacefully?....why did I think I could even get any?...I never had the luck....I couldn't remember the last peaceful sleep I had...
Shuffling in bed I looked towards the window, it was dark out still...I wasn't even asleep that long...ughhh...it was going to be a long night...was this my fate?....long miserable nights?...I was sleeping in a empty house now too....I was alone...I'll always be alone....but the mornings I'd be able to hang out with the girls....but what was the point?...what would I do??...risk ruining thier lives just with my presence?...cause them to deal with more of my horrible life? Drag them down with me so we're all miserable?...that's not what I wanted...
My thoughts drifted towards the ones I had back at Fluttershy's....if I had drowned...so many problems would be solved....I wouldn't have nightmares anymore....no restless nights....no ruining other's lives....maybe that's how it should be....?
"Angel I already told you Blake just moved into a new house, they'll need food" Fluttershy said to her small bunny friend as she walked through the market filling her saddlebags with different foods, of course paying the vendors.
Fluttershy was so worried for Blake last night, she didn't want to leave her alone all night. She knew how scary sleeping alone was, hence why she always had someone with her now. if not Angel Bunny then another of her animals friends.
That was specifically why she was getting food for her today, she knew she wouldn't have any unless Twilight gave her some but it wouldn't hurt to see. Plus if she brought too much then they could possibly have a picnic...oh! Maybe discord could come and they could be friends, Blake seemed like someone who would enjoy Discords personality.
Fluttershy trotted up to the door to Blake's new home and gently tapped her hoof against it, she smiled waiting for Blake to answer....after a couple seconds she knocked again and hummed softly waiting. But after a couple seconds of no answer she knocked a bit harder starting worry, though she worried she might disturb blake if they were just sleeping.
Oh no Twilight said she had been having bad nights recently...oh dear what if she just woke blake up from a good rest???
Even as she worried...she found the door still had no answer...Fluttershy was now very worried, why wouldn't they answer the door?? Were they afraid to? Or maybe they were upset and didn't want to be disturbed?? Or what if they were hurt and couldn't answer the door???
Fluttershy almost felt like fainting from the troubling thoughts, picking Angel Bunny up as she flew towards the castle, she needed to tell the girls about this.
The girls all sat around the friendship map, Twilight having sent them a letter telling them to come to the castle because Fluttershy had something important to tell them "Fluttershy now that we're all here can you explain what's wrong?" Twilight asked.
"Yeah I was on my way to Wonderbolt practice before I got the letter.." Rainbow Dash grumbled.
"And ah had apples to buck..." Applejack adjusted her hat.
"W-well earlier today, I had gone to Blake's new home to deliver some groceries because I believed she wouldn't have any" Fluttershy explained.
"Oh how is Blake?" Rarity asked.
"That's just it, when I knocked they didn't answer, I even knocked louder than I usually would but still no answer" Fluttershy said both sounding and looking worried.
"Darling I'm sure everything is fine" Rarity tried to calm her down.
"Yeah she's probably just sleeping in" Rainbow Dash shrugged, she'd sleep in a lot herself.
"But what if they aren't....?" Fluttershy looked to her friends still worried.
"Well...why don't we go there and see?" Twilight offered.
Pinkie suddenly gasped "we could surprise her with a housewarming party!!"
"A nice idea Pinkie....but I'm sure surprising Blake with a party may not be best in the case she isn't feeling to well" Twilight said looking apologetic.
Pinkie deflated "fiiine.."
Nodding Twilight stood and they all left headed for Blake's new home.
Upon arriving they noticed the windows had their curtains closed still, walking to the door Twilight knocked and they waited for an answer, but found none.
"Here, ya ain't knocking loud enough" Applejack walked up and turned around before she bucked the door giving a loud bang, she then turned back around smirking.
Fluttershy whimpered hiding behind her hair, she really hoped that didn't scare Blake...
The door remained closed, and no sound emanated from within "...well that's....discouraging" Twilight frowned "Rainbow Dash can you fly up to her window and knock on it?"
Rainbow Dash nodded and flew up there knocking on the window "yo Blake...you awake? We've been knocking on your door for like eeeever" she hovered there waiting but got no answer. She put her hooves against the glass trying to see in, however she saw the curtains closed, grumbling she flew back down "she didn't answer and I can't see through the window."
"Did you knock loud enough?" Twilight asked.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes "yes Twilight I knocked loud enough, why don't we just bust the door down??"
"Besides that being a bit extreme how do you think Blake will feel with us just bursting into her home? Especially if she's not in a good mood?" Twilight looked at her brow raised.
"Ughhhhh then what do you want us to do??" Rainbow Dash crossed her arms.
"Well..." She rubbed her chin trying to think of something to do....before she suddenly had an idea, specifically the idea of another "Pinkie you said you wanted to throw a Housewarming party right?"
Pinkie jumped up smiling and nodding "yes!"
"Well...why don't we all go search for gifts for Blake and meet back up here to surprise her with gifts and a housewarming party?" Twilight offered looking to her friends "that way if we do wake her and she comes out upset, she'll be surprised with gifts to help cheer her up."
"YES!!!" Pinkie yelled jumping up into the air releasing balloons and confetti, she then zipped off.
"Well I suppose that decides that" Rarity said smiling.
"Alright, good luck everyone" Twilight asked and vanished in a teleportation.
Rarity and Applejack walked off together, while Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew off together all intending to find a gift for Blake.
"Ah don't know what Blake would want..." Applejack said walking around the market.
"Oh what about this? I'm sure Blake would like this! Or maybe this?? Or this too!" Rarity was picking out a bunch of items that were very beautiful.
"Rarity...were getting a gift for Blake...not you" Applejack deadpanned.
Rarity frowned and put the items back "fine your right....honestly I can't think of anything that mare would like...."
"Yeah well...that's partially our fault...we never asked her anything like that, to busy caught up with not trustin her..." Applejack frowned.
Rarity did too before she had a look of encouragement "than we will find a gift to make up for our mistakes!"
Applejack smiled and nodded getting encouraged as well.
"Now let's guess what she would like...she doesn't like make up, or dresses" Rarity said thinking.
"And she doesn't like hard work...but she would still do it...." Applejack thought as well.
"Her and Rainbow Dash share similar qualities too..."
"Both like pranks.."
"And are afraid of spiders..."
Suddenly the two mares spotted a set of items sitting on a market stand which immediately caught their eyes, simultaneously the two mares looked to each smiling as they had found the perfect gift!
Meanwhile...
Rainbow Dash groaned "I don't know what she'd like..."
"Oh well...maybe something for their house would be nice?" Fluttershy looked to her hot-headed friend.
"Fine but what?? I don't want to just get her a picture frame or lamp...that'd be lame" she grumbled crossing her arms.
Fluttershy thought about it "hm well maybe we'll find something that will work?"
Rainbow Dash huffed and flew around with Fluttershy looking around, she was never good at this, getting gifts for her friends was so hard....Blake was worse because she didn't know what she liked! And she didn't want to get her something lame.
Fluttershy hoped they could find something Blake would like, hopefully it would cheer them up, oh but what would they get them? Maybe a recipe book? They could use it for making meals....or maybe a new blanket?? One they could snuggle with when they were scared or alone??
Rainbow Dash looked around slightly annoyed ever her eyes spotted something that checked off all the things she was looking for, it was useful for the house, and it wasn't lame! It was the perfect gift!!
Meanwhile.....once more....
Twilight was levitating books from her bookshelves over reading through this before setting them aside "hmm...no..." She set another aside and read through another only to huff and put it away.
"Twilight?" Spike walked up seeing the stacks of books "rearranging?"
"No I'm looking for a gift for Blake" she set another book down.
"In a book?" Spike raised a brow.
"Yes, there has to be something she'd like in here" Twilight huffed as she kept looking.
"Well...why don't you ask her?"
"What?...Spike I'm pretty sure that'll ruin the surprise if she knows it's coming" Twilight looked at him.
"...ask her subtly" Spike nodded.
Twilight frowned "Spike..." She suddenly went silent as she found something in the book she held in her magic, she gasped aloud "Spike...I found it! This is the perfect gift!!"
Meanwh-ok you get it at this point...
Pinkie slid down her yellow and orange slide down into her Party Planning Cave or the PPC for short, she zipped over to a large board, she used this when she was desperate for information on the pony she was planning a party for, looking to it she stared at the collected information....
A single photo of Blake running around outside of Twilight's castle sat on the board.
Pinkie put her hooves to her cheeks "how can this be???? How can I have nothing on her???" She rushed to her file cabinet and searched through her files, there was nothing on Blake!!
She sat on the ground hand under her chin thinking, she didn't know her favorite flavor of ice cream, favorite color, or hobby! And she couldn't go find out now with Blake hidden away in her house, if only she could of had a longer day with Blake and gotten to know her better....she could have helped her make that cake better too...
Wait a minute! She rushed over to a pile of boxes moving them aside even throwing some before she found one small crafted wooden box, slowly opening it causing a golden light to shine from within. She gasped eyes sparkling...before she pulled the flash light out "I was looking for that" she giggled and put it in her mane before she pulled out the small book within, flipping through it she stopped it on a chapter that was perfect for this situation, this was the best gift ever!!
Just kidding it was the perfect gift!!
Rarity and Applejack hurried towards the market stand as they saw the perfect gift for Blake, it was the full collection of Daring Do, and if Rainbow Dash and Blake were as alike as the two mares believed than that meant this gift would be exactly what they needed.
As they hurried to the stand they both gasped as upon arriving they found the books gone!
Rarity looked to the vendor "sir, do you know where the collection of Daring Do novels went??"
"Hm? Oh yeah I just sold them to that stallion over there" he pointed with his hoof to caramel colored stallion fading from view.
The two mares jumped to action chasing after him, they couldn't let their gift get away! The mares raced after the stallion but lost him in the large crowd of ponies panicking they looked to each other.
"Ah'll look on the right side" Applejack said.
"And I'll look to the left" Rarity said.
The two mares rushed off splitting up to find the stallion, Applejack raced by ponies looking around trying to see if she saw the stallion anywhere. She looked under a wagon but didn't find him there, she then spotted him and ran towards him.
Rarity squeezed by and dodged ponies as she looked, he had to be somewhere he couldn't have just vanished into thin air! She looked around for a quick second...darn it...last time somepony said that Blake appeared....lightly grumbling she hurried through the crowd before she spotted the stallion, smiling she hurried towards him "excuse me sir I would like to-"
Applejack suddenly crashed into Rarity and they tumbled across the ground.
The stallion turned and looked behind him for the voice who he assumed called to him, not seeing anyone really looking at him he shrugged and continued walking.
Rarity groaned as her and Applejack were wrapped up in each other's limbs "Applejack darling....could you please get up?"
"Right away Rarity once ya get up off mah tail" Applejack grumbled.
The two struggled to stand only to collapse back on the ground stuck on each other.... actually stuck on each other though..
"Applejack....are...are you able to pull away?" Rarity asked.
Applejack tried but found she was actually stuck to Rarity, not like their limbs were wrapped around each other but that they were almost like glu-Applejack's eyes widened as she saw the stand they had bumped into during their crash was a in fact a glue stand...and one of the jars was knocked over pouring glue onto them "Rarity...we have a problem..."
"I'm well aware Applejack, how would I not be?"
"No...ah mean a bigger one.."
"What?" Rarity looked back towards Applejack's head and her own eyes widened seeing the spilling jar "ohhh ponyfeathers..."
{Rainbow Dash & Fluttershy}
"This is it!!" Rainbow Dash said as she grabbed a lava lamp though it had a multi colored wax inside instead of a single color.
"Oh do you think they'd like that?" Fluttershy asked looked at the globules as they floated inside.
"Of course! These things are cool and this one's twenty percent cooler than normal" Rainbow Dash smirked.
Fluttershy nodded "ok then we should get it."
"Hey are you gonna pay for that?" A mare asked annoyed.
Rainbow Dash set the lava lamp down beside her and grabbed some bits before giving them to the mare "there happy?"
The mare gave a nod and looked to her other customers.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and went to grab the lava lamp...only it was gone "uh....Fluttershy...have you seen the lava lamp?"
Fluttershy nodded before realizing she meant where it was "oh didn't you just set it down?"
"Yeah but it's not here anymore" Rainbow Dash looked under the market table, even the thing she set it in was gone...did someone steal both??
Fluttershy looked around before eeped in fear and poked Rainbow Dash's shoulder.
"What didya find it?" Dash looked up to her.
Fluttershy pointed forward, Rainbow Dash following her hoof and her eyes going wide, down the road a wagon was moving, on the back of it the lava lamp bounced and shook, both mares flew after it one going faster than the other.
"No no no don't fall!!" Rainbow Dash yelled catching up to the wagon and trying to catch the lamp before it fell however the wagon suddenly lurched to a stop causing Dash to fly right over the lamp and past the wagon looking underneath herself back at it in shock before she crashed into a tree.
Fluttershy winced and flew over to Rainbow Dash "are you ok??"
"Ngh..fine..." She pulled herself from the tree "where's the lamp??"
The two flew back to the wagon quickly before the driver left.
Fluttershy flew over to the wagon driver "um excuse me...but I believe a friend of mine accidentally left something on your wagons if you wouldn't mind we'll just retrieve it.."
"Oh sure!" The stallion smiled and unlatched the wagon from his back setting it down, as the wagon shifted form the movement the lava lamp toppled over and bounced off the back of the wagon before rolling down the road.
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew to the back of the wagon just in time to watch this causing them both to gasp and fly after it as it rolled back into the market.
{Applejack & Rarity}
"Ok ok right hoof...left hoof...now right again" Applejack said slowly.
"I.." rarity blew her hair out of her face "know how to walk Applejack" she grumbled.
"Yeah so do Ah but Ah never had to do it stuck to another pony" Applejack growled as the two mares were currently stuck together via glue, fortunately they were stuck side to side allowing for easier movement... unfortunately Applejack's left leg was stuck to Rarity's chest while Rarity's right leg was stuck over Applejack's back, Rarity's right back leg was also stuck to Applejack's left back one, along with their tails.
Even stuck the two mares were focused on getting the Daring Do novels, both had made their fair share of mistakes when handling Blake and both wanted to make up for it, even if they currently were glued together.
"I see him!" Rarity exclaimed pointed forward only to result in hem falling over from the lack of balanced support.
Wincing Applejack looked up and spotted the stallion as well "c'mon! We can't loose him now!" Helping Rarity up they began a awkward run towards the stallion, the other ponys around them quickly moving out of the way giving strange looks at the two mares in the awkward position.
"I got him!" Rarity launched forward.
"No wait, Rarity!" Applejack exclaimed before loosing her footing as Rarity leapt forward sending the two mares crashing and rolling across the ground in a ball.
The stallion hummed as he trotted before he paused hearing a strange noise, looking confused he looked back and his eyes widened as a white and orange blur rushed at him and slammed into him.
Rarity and Applejack groaned with heads spinning, a third groan joined them and they looked down seeing the stallion with a grey mane and tail beneath them looking dizzy as well, they got off him wobbling as they regained an awkward balance.
The stallion got up "what is wrong with you two??" He rubbed the bump on his head.
"We're dreadfully sorry sir, but as you can see we've had quite the day and we may have overreacted when we saw you" Rarity apologized.
"We...?" Applejack looked at her brow raised.
Rarity nudged her glaring at her.
"Oh well if that's the case...bye" the stallion grumbled recollecting the saddlebags.
"Wait! We need those Daring Do books!" Applejack said quickly.
"What? Why??"
"A friend of ours has been very down lately and we believe a gift to her will cheer her up, those books specifically" Rarity explained.
He looked at them brow raised "well....I bought these with my own bits...I can't just give them to you."
"We can pay you back!" Rarity reached for her coin purse but realized it was on the side of where they were glued together "...Applejack darling...your bits wouldn't happen to be..?"
"Yup.....they are" Applejack huffed.
"Oh ponyfeathers.....um well I'm sure we can pay you back...later?" Rarity smiled hopefully.
He stared at them before beginning to walk away.
Rarity hung her head sadly.
"Don't worry Rarity...we'll...we'll just ask Rainbow Dash for hers? We'll get new ones for her after" Applejack tried to comfort her.
"Wait...did you say Rainbow Dash??" The stallion walked back over.
"Um...yes?" Rarity looked at him confused.
"Your friends of Rainbow Dash?? Why didn't you say that! I'll gladly give you the books!" He smiled hoofing over the novels.
Both Applejack and Rarity gasped, smiling "wow thank you!"
"No problem, Rainbow Dash would do the same if I asked" he smiled.
The two mares looked at each other then him "how do you know Rainbow Dash?"
He blinked "wait... Rainbow Dash didn't tell you about me?"
They shook their heads.
He huffed "did she even mention my name?...Quibble Pants?...we met at a Daring Do con??"
They both stood silently.
He huffed and gave them the books "it's fine..it's fine....not like we went on an adventure with Daring Do herself" he grumbled softly.
"Well....thanks!" Applejack made Rarity walk with her as they left headed for Blake's house.
{Twilight}
Twilight looked back and forth between the book she had open and a table with numerous crystals, glass bottles, and magical ingredients.
She took a bottle of green liquid and poured it into an empty bottle before looking back at the book, she then grabbed a small bowl of grey louder in her magic and sprinkled some into the bottle causing the green liquid to fizzle and change to a yellow color.
"So....what exactly is this gift?" Spike asked, looking at her frantic back and forth behavior.
"Well if I'm right this should remove the need of that ring in her horn, i can't imagine how uncomfortable it must be to wear it twenty-four seven." Twilight replied.
As she spoke to the small dragon she poured a blue liquid in the mixture causing the yellow color to change to a light blue color.
"How'd you figure out how to do that?" Spike asked curiously.
"Oh well I've been thinking about it since Blake told me about her sun condition" Twilight said turning to spike "I searched through nearly every book i had on either the sun, medical conditions, and magical afflictions, I finally found one which seems like it should work for Blake."
As Twilight explains with Spike holding his chin nodding as he listened he slowly peered over her shoulder witnessing the bottle foaming up and beginning to pour out the top "uh Twilight" he raised a claw up with his eyes wide.
"Spike don't interrupt, you asked me how i found this potion and i was explaining, don't just get bored while I'm trying to explain" Twilight scolded the little dragon growing.
"No no Twilight the potion!" Spike said hurriedly.
"What?" Twilight turned back and her own eyes went wide.
The once only slightly foamy overflowing liquid,was now a huge mount of blue bubbles that only grew with each second.
{Pinkie}
Pinkie flipped through the small book quickly, the pages flying by as her eyes quickly scanned over them before she closed the book and placed it in her mane "got it!" She zipped around the Cake's bakery before arriving back at the counter and depositing a collecting of items which spilled across the counter.
She moved a large bowl into place and then grabbed some butter before smearing it around the bowl before dropping it in it. Pinkie then grabbed some cake and crumbled it into the bowl following it with three eggs, some milk, a lil cream, a dash of vanilla, and then nutmeg, sugar plums, gingerbread, cookies, and candy canes.
Grabbing a whisk she mixed the ingredients together stirring them around till the compile of ingredients soon became a teal gel within the bowl.
Pinkie dipped the tip of her hoof into the bowl before tasting it and gasping as her eyes went wide, fireworks going off in them "it's perfect! Now i just gotta get a container, don't you go running off now pudding" she told the pudding and giggled before hopping away
Blake was gonna love this gift! This pudding was known for bringing friends together! And with it she'd learn all her secrets, and with those...she'd be able to plan the perfect party for her!! Pinkie laughed maniacally as lightning flashed and thunder boomed
"Pinkie, remember how I told you maniacal laughter scared the customers?" Mr. Cake asked, standing in the kitchen.
Pinkie blinked, holding a flashlight and a thunder sheet, chuckling sheepishly as she put the two objects back in her mane "sorry!" She grabbed the container she was after and quickly hopped over to the counter where the gift lay.
Or not, seeing as it was gone now.
Pinkie's eyes went wide and she looked around for it, she searched the kitchen and the floor before going to the cabinets and opening them all, upon opening the next one she found the bowl of pudding, and two foals sitting around it delightfully digging in.
"No! That was Blake's gift" pinkie said despairingly to pound and pumpkin, the foals looking to one another before holding the empty bowl out to her frowning apologetically.
Pinkie sighed but smiled "oh it's ok, i can just make more...but don't eat it this time you little sneaks" she giggled grabbing the two and the bowl before setting them down.
Once more she made the pudding, buffering a bowl, crumbling cake, three eggs, some milk, some cream, vanilla, nutmeg, sugar plums, gingerbread, cookies, and candy canes.
She gave it a taste before sighing in relief, looking around for any would be gift thieves she stuffed the bowl into her mane and rushed out the door headed for Blake's house.
Rushing through the town she skidded to a half upon arriving at the house, she noticed no one else had arrived yet "ooo Dash is gonna be made when she sees I got a gift faster" she giggled and pulled the bowl from her man, and looked down at her before gasping in horror.
{Rainbow Dash & Fluttershy}
The two pegasi mares flew into the makers trying to keep track of the lava lamp as it rolled between pony's hooves. The two were unable to grab it with the traffic of ponys moving around.
Dash focused in on the lamp before rushing down when she saw an opening in the crowd, diving in she scooped it up smiling victoriously before suddenly getting her tail stepped on causing her to yank back down to the ground, the lamp going flying through the air.
Fluttershy flew backwards hooves open wide "i got it i got" she smiled as it came down towards her....and then proceeded to fall past her into a wagon with a large pile of hay "....i don't have it" she replied sheepishly
Rainbow Dash groaned and flew up to Fluttershy looking down at the hay with her "alright, shouldn't be too hard just gotta get a lamp out of a haystack, c'mon how hard could it be?"
Twenty Minutes Later...
"Gah!! This is impossible!!" Rainbow Dash cried in frustration as she kicked some hay away, she had sticks of hay in her mane and tail while she sat in the pile.
Fluttershy popped up from another section of the pile "yes...it's a lot like looking for a needle in hay-...oh" she blinked in understanding.
"I swear I searched this whole thing! How can it just hide in here?!" Dash dived back down and dug through the layers of hay.
Fluttershy watched her friend dive down, she looked around the hay from outside before she raised a brow at a clump on the ground and shimmied her way over.
Dash dug down till she got to the bottom of the wagon, it was hard to look around and avoid hay going into her eyes, and hardly any light made its way through the pile so it was dark too.
She felt around at the bottom moving around in search of the lamp. She couldn't just show up without a gift, Blake was an alright mare, sure a little odd but she definitely was way cooler than Nightmare Moon, plus the way she was so excited during the flying lessons really reminded her of herself and Scootaloo...
She couldn't even imagine failing to get Scootaloo a gift, especially when she was feeling down, but searching for a lamp in hay was getting really annoying!!
The haystack exploded out sending hay flying all around the area, Dash floats in the air, limbs extended as she breathed heavily, teeth gritted, she looked around for the lamp, surely it was revealed because of that right??
Nope! Apparently it still was hidden!!! Dash yelled in anger and rushed around to each smaller pile of hay made from her outburst. She tore the smaller hay piles apart, her hooves kicked and swatted the piles in frustration.
"Um Dash?"
Maybe it was in this pile?? Dash kicked the hay away but nothing was there.
"Dash?"
Or this one! She kicked another toilet away revealing nothing.
"Dash!" Fluttershy suddenly yelled gaining the attention of the blue mare, she blushed and hid behind her mane "sorry...but um..." She held up the lava lamp.
"You...but i...how??" Days asked baffled.
"Well um when you hit that first bit of hay away it um was in there...i guess" Fluttershy explained.
Dash's eye twitched before she face hoofed "ok...ok that's fine, we got it, let's get it to Blake so it is her problem" she groaned.
Fluttershy nodded and began flying that way with the lamp in her arms, a defeated Dash following behind sulking.
{Twilight}
Twilight flew close to the ceiling and held her small dragon assistant in her arms, as below a roaring blue bubble ocean was filling the room.
"Twilight, how do you make it stop??" Spike asked fearfully.
"Um well m-maybe a dispelling spell?" She lit her horn up getting ready to cast the spell only for a wave of bubbles to rush up and spam the two into the ceiling "or maybe a fall into the bubbles?" She groaned and fell downwards with the dragon.
The two were thrown around the bubbly storm as more and more was made from the bottle, if not stopped soon it would fill the entire room and the two i side wouldn't have any air.
Spike tried swimming towards the top before he was lifted up by a rush of bubbles and then thrown across the room by a wave, he yelled as he flew.
Twilight suddenly appeared above the bubbles in a flash of purple and gasped, a quick teleportation spell always came in hoofy-sSpike crashed into the purple mare sending them both in the bubbles.
Twilight was throwing around the rushing bubbles, she looked around cheeks puffed out from sir being held in them, she had to think, how could she stop all this? A dispelling spell maybe but she'd need to get to the source and that was somewhere at the bottom of this mess. She couldn't even understand how this happened, this was supposed to be a potion to stop sun afflictions not make a bubble bath of doom!
An idea suddenly came to her, she looked around through the bubbles before spotting light shining through, focusing she lit her horn and teleported there, she appeared beside the window and then switched spells shooting a blast at the glass shattering it, direct sunlight shined through the open window hitting the bubbles.
The bubbles glowed brightly before they all began to pop slowly draining the room till the glass vial on the table was left with a single bubble at the top.
Spike was mid swim when the bubbles vanished, he looked around before looking down as gravity returned and he hit the floor with a thud.
Twilight sighed in relief flying over to her assistant "are you alright spike?"
Spike rubbed his head as he stood "yeah, nothing like a fall to make you wish you had wings" he grumbled.
"We'll be happy it's over, I guess I added a bit too much of something to cause that kind of reaction" Twilight said trying to think which one she accidentally added too much of.
"A bit?" Spike deadpanned looking at her.
Twilight looked at him and nervously chuckled "ok...maybe more than a bit.."
Pop!
The two jumped and looked to the source of the noise seeing the final bubble at the top of the bottle finally popped, the two sighed in relief exhausted from the event.
{Pinkie}
Pinkie gasped in horror looking down in the bowl she clutched in her hooves, sitting there with a bloated gut was the small alligator.
"Gummy?! You...i..." Pinkie looked down at the gator.
It stared with its large purple eyes going the opposite directions before slowly blinking one after the other.
"Ohh i can't stay mad at you" she smiled and nuzzled him before putting the gator back in her mane, she then rushed down the street back to Sugarcube corner.
Pinkie rushed into the kitchen and slammed the bowl on the counter. She grabbed each ingredient and threw them in the bowl, taking a whole cake and crushing it into the mix before she pulled out a large drill from her mane and shoved it in, turning it on.
Teal globs of pudding went flying across the kitchen as it all missed together, tossing the drill away she picked the bowl up and rushed out of the kitchen "everyone out if my way!!!" She yelled as she ran out.
Mr and Mrs Cake blinked as they both were covered in pudding, pound and pumpkin soon began wiping the pudding off their parents faces and ate it.
All six mares and one dragon came rushing to the front of Blake's house before gasping at each other and their appearances, each looked like a mess.
"What happened to you??" All seven asked in unison.
"Rarity and Ah were lookin for the right gift and then we spotted it but it got taken so we chased after the pony who had it" Applejack started.
"And then we got drenched in glue! My mane and fur are ruined, but we got the books!" Rarity said, eye twitching as she held the books up.
"I was making a potion to solve Blake's sun problem more permanently but then it went out of control and tried to drown us-" Twilight explained.
"Fluttershy and i were looking for the best gift and we found but then it got on a wagon and then in the hay-" Dash replied
"I was trying to make pudding but everyone kept eating it, and then I got here before everyone else before I found gummy in the bowl after he ate it too!" Pinkie said holding up the pudding
All seven of them blinked at the mess of explanations before bursting into laughter, each not expecting the others to have gone through similar struggles with their gift getting.
Pinkie suddenly gasped "we didn't put up any decorations!"
The rest of the group went wide eyed in realization.
Pinkie quickly pulled out a box of decorations and rushed towards the front of the house trying to decorate it quickly, the group jumping in to help too grabbing different items to help.
"Come on we gotta hurry before-" Twilight began to say as she lifted a banner up over the door.
"Before what?" A familiar voice asked curiously.
All seven spun around and found Blake standing before then outside the house looking at them confused.
Pinkie quickly jumped in front of them whipping out her party cannon "surprise!!" She yanked the cord as a blast of confetti blew out and sprinkled down, behind her the mess of decorations which were rushed upon the house didn't look the best.
Some decorations in places they didn't belong, like the table cloths hung up on the roof and windows, the balloons taped to the ground, and the banner was upside down and lopsided. The banner's left side suddenly came loose and fell off the house.
"We uh noticed you weren't answering your door so we thought you were feeling down and thought you could use some cheering up" Twilight smiled.
"Yeah! So we each got you awesome gifts" Rainbow Dash said pointing to the lava lamp. Each of the girls held up their respective gifts and presented them to Blake, each smiling nervously as they knew how messy this was.
Blake blinked looking at all them and the decorations. She looked at the gifts and then back to the mares seeing them each a different type of mess, a smile slowly grew on her face before she snickered and proceeded to break into a fit of laughter.
She held her stomach laughing, having to sit down in order to not fall down, her wings splayed out wide as she laughed.
The mares looked at each other's ears pinning down, they made her feel better...only if just by making fools of themselves.
Blake slowly calmed down, she wiped her eyes with her arm and chuckled looking at them "i-i wasn't in my house all day" she revealed her reason for laughter.
The mare's eyes went wide and their jaws dropped.
"Y-you weren't?" Twilight asked.
"So then we..." Rarity said, looking at her glued body.
"I ran into a tree For nothing??" Rainbow Dash yelled.
Blake chuckled "not nothing...this is all amazing" she smiled and walked over looking at the decorations and gifts "the fact you guys wanted to make me feel better by getting me gifts when you thought i was sad is...well amazing, you all are so nice and i can't thank you enough" she smiled and grabbed them all and pulled them into a hug "thank you guys..."
The mares' moods brightened after hearing that, all their struggles weren't really for nothing in the end it seemed, they hugged her back smiling.
The group began handing out the gifts to the larger mare and explained each story that came with them, Blake apologizing for making them go through it all for her, but in the end the mares were happy to go through it for their friend, and looking back found it funny themselves.
"I can't believe you all went through through all that... especially for me" Blake said as she looked at the mares.
"Well we haven't been great to you, so this is us trying to make it up to you" Twilight smiled.
"And i was so worried when i thought you weren't answering the door on purpose that i may have worried the other girls" Fluttershy blushed.
"Well i have been hard to handle, and Fluttershy it's really ok, you don't need to beat yourself up over it" Blake smiled.
Fluttershy smiled.
Blake looked to the bottle of blue liquid gently tapping it "so...this will replace the need of the donut on my head?" She asked looking to Twilight.
Twilight nodded "correct, it will be the same effect just without the uncomfortable feeling of a ring on your horn" she smiled.
"Hm...ok.." she wrapped her lips around the top before tipping her head back and chugging it, she set the bottle down and gagged "it tastes like cough syrup" she held her tongue out.
"Good thing it didn't explode into bubbles again" Spike said.
"It what?!" Blake yelled before she hiccuped a squeak and her hooves flee to her mouth.
The mares blinked.
"Twilight i think-" squeak "-there's a side effect" Blake blushed.
"Well at least our present doesn't cause you to squeak" Rainbow Dash said pushing over the lava lamp.
Blake smiled widely "i always wanted one of these!" She pulled the lamp over and pressed her muzzle against the glass watching the colorful globules drift up and down, her eyes sparkling.
Dash and Fluttershy hoofbumped.
"Mine didn't make me squeak" pinkie smiled holding up the pudding they each had a smaller bowl of.
"That is true" Blake said looking from Pinkie to the pudding "definitely never had pudding like this" she chu kids softly before squeaking and growling softly shooting a flare at Twilight
Twilight hummed eating a spoonful of pudding as she looked away trying to act like she didn't notice.
"Ah don't know if s book can make ya squeak but Dash may have to be judge for these" Applejack said gesturing to the stack of books.
"Daring do does not make me squeak" Dash replied.
"How come she looks like you?" Blake asked looking at Daring Do on the cover.
"She does?" Dash asked.
"What you don't see it??" Blake held the book up showing her.
Dash put her hood to her chin squinting "...not really.."
"What about you guys??" Blake held the book beside Dash.
The girls and Spike looked between the book and dash before shaking their heads.
"Oh come on i cannot be the only-" Squeak "-ugh" Blake gave up and the girls all laughed, Blake eventually getting a small smile before she soon joined in the laughter too.
A day full of panic and disaster in the end seemed to turn out alright in the end for the group of ponies and dragon.
Slowly my tired eyes blinked open, and with them a heavy sigh. Waking up was always cruddy, but it had become worse when I arrived in ponyville. Going from nights of nightmares to the nightmare of life in a foreign body just made existing all the worse..
Reaching up, I rubbed the tiredness from my eyes but paused, in the darkness from my covered eyes, I felt around my face with my hooves...only they weren't hooves...they were hands!
Jumping up in bed, I uncover my eyes and look at my hands, gasping as I look in shock to find...I have hands.. my hands! Looking over myself, it's not just my hands but all of me! I'm me again!! No more nightmare pony!!
Wait...slowly I feel under my blanket in a private area finding another once lost familiarity returned, making me almost cry tears of joy. Everything was back! I needed to tell the girls! Life in Equestria could finally be looking up!
Jumping from bed, I hurried out of the room, crashing to the floor as I tried to walk on all fours, but my arms being shorter than my legs made it a hard landing, forgetting I could finally return to walking upright. I pushed myself up and headed out and down the stairs.
First Twilight, get the nerding out out of the way, then mayb-
"Morning Blake."
"Morning mom", then maybe Fluttershy?-....I froze in place at the door and slowly turned to the source of the greeting, seeing my mother on the couch looking at me curiously, I felt myself almost pass out, my mom...Was here?? How the heck did she get here?!
Finally, taking in my surroundings, I realized this...Was not my pony vill home, no...this was my house...On earth! "What...What's going on?"
"What do you mean sweetie?" My mom asked, confused.
"I.. you... Did I get really sick a couple of days ago?" I asked.
"Sick? No unless you were hiding it.. are you feeling alright?" She asked, now worried.
" No no...I'm...fine... " I muttered, falling into deep thought. Last time I was here I was sick for a day...now though it's like...it never happened, it wasn't possible it was all a dream...right? Looking at my hands once more and then my mother, I walked over and hugged her tightly.
My mom blinked surprised but hugged me back nonetheless.
"I missed you so much... " I said, not breaking the hug.
"What do you mean? I didn't go anywhere? "
"I just... Had a bad dream.. "
"Well... I'm glad it's over then Blake, think some breakfast would help? " She asked and I nodded, breaking the hug before following her to the kitchen.
I was then treated to a breakfast I hadn't had in a long time, nothing spectacular but definitely incredible with the familiar taste of my mom's cooking. With a content sigh, I leaned back in my chair just enjoying everything familiar...
"If you're feeling better sweetie, think you could get ready for school? " My mother asked
I blinked, school? Oh my god! School!! I jumped up smiling, hurrying upstairs to get ready. Not once in my teen life had I been excited about school, but now? Now I can't wait! I couldn't wait to sit in a boring class surrounded by more annoying students!
Hurrying back down after a shower and a new pair of clothes, I hopped in my mom's car as she drove me there. That lack of a license now more apparent. Maybe I should try and get it, just do all the things I thought I'd lost when becoming a pony.
Soon enough, the drive ended with the school coming into sight. Giving my mom a kiss on the cheek and one more hug, I hurried off to my day of learning. Entering the school halls, I went to my locker and struggled to open it, the lock always stuck but nothing was gonna ruin my mood. Tossing my stuff into the locker, I headed for my first class.
Plopping down in my seat, I smiled and waited for the class to start. Other students filed in. I focus on a friend of mine, "Hey Dylan".
"Sup Blake", he sits in the seat by mine.
"Isn't it a great day?" I smiled.
He stared at me for a moment "What drugs did you do..? "
" What? No! I'm just happy is all" I shrugged.
"riiiight..."
Shaking my head, I smiled, looking forward only to raising a brow as I saw a girl I hadn't entered the class. Her hair was dyed a light blue color while she wore darker blue and black clothing, more goth-like in appearance, making her only stand out more as there wasn't a goth girl in this class, that's second period...
"Hey Dylan, who's she? " I gestured to her as she took a seat in the back of the class.
"Who?" Dylan asks.
I'm about to point her out when the teacher enters and I shut myself up. Even in a good mood, I know this teacher is a stickler for talking in class.
Class continues as I sit listening and taking notes, a lot more diligently than I would have in the past, yet...my mind could not stop thinking of the girl... something about her was just...strange...
Glancing back, I find her blocked by other sitting students. Looking to the front where the teacher was focused, I slowly began leaning back in my chair to see around the students. Suddenly, the blue-haired girl came into sight...glaring at me.
I jumped and my chair fell backwards with a loud clatter as I hit the floor, some students gasped, most laughed, I groaned and slowly picked myself back up.
"Blake, if your going to try and get attention, I'll suggest you do it in the principal's office" the teacher growled.
"Sorry sir...worn happen again" I huff and sir back down hanging my head.
"Nice one there" Dylan whispers with a smirk.
"Shut it…floors just slippery.." I made an excuse as I pouted.
Picking my pencil back up, I go back to taking notes, only for my pencil to lightly clatter to the desk. I blinked and looked at my hand flexing my fingers...that was...weird. Picking it up once more, I go to write only for it to slip out of my fingers once more and clatter. I grab it again, holding it tightly as I start writing, it's slipping in my hand, and it feels like my grip loosening before it slips free again.
"BLAKE! Do I need to repeat myself??" The teacher growled.
"N-no sir, my pencil is just slippery" I replied nervously.
"No excuses, I hear one more disruption of my class from you. I'll be sending you to the principal's office" the teacher threatened.
"Yes sir..." I focused back onto my pencil and go to grab it, only to freeze as the appendage which reaches to the pencil is not my hand, it's a hoof...a dark blue almost black furred hoof, one I recognize instantaneously 'no no no, not now come on' I grab the pencil with my other hand and wrap my pony wrist...ankle? Around it as I grab my changed arm to steady myself as I try to continue my test, the graphite making sharp shapes as I try to write in a way I never have.
The letters were different sizes and mostly over-sized as I tried to stay on the line, these questions were hard, I never was good at math...wait... wasn't this English? And I thought I was taking notes..?
No no can't get distracted, I needed to get this done. Just a few more questions to go...
17. 3ab + 4ac - 2ad = -(3ab - 4ac + 2ad)
True
False 18. Irene is N years old. If Tom is twice as old, which of the following algebraic statements shows his age now?
a. 2N
b. 2N + X
c. 2 - N
d. N - 2 19. Solve X where 5X = 20.
a. 4
b. 5
c. 10
d. 15 20. Solve X where X - 5 = 15.
a. 10
b. 15
c. 20
d. 25 21. A father gave 500 bits to his two sons. He gave X bits to one son. Which of the following expressions correctly shows the amount he gave to the other son.
a. $500 + X
b. $500 ÷ X
c. $500 x X
d. $500 - X 22. Which earth pony leader was important to the war of Coltinfield?
a. Rainstone
b. Cobaltlight
c. Cindermark
d. Flinthoof
I blinked at the test as my brain struggled to find an answer. First math, now history?? I glanced over to Dylan "do you know the answer to twenty-two??" I whispered.
"Shh man you're gonna get us in trouble" he whispered, trying to avoid the teachers' wrath.
I looked back at my test swallowing nervously, I then tensed as a tightness formed on my back, my shirt getting tighter and tighter as something pushed out from my back but was restrained by my shirt "" come in please", I pleaded in a whisper.
He huffed, glancing about before tearing a small slip of paper and scribbled on it before quickly tossing it over.
" Thank youu " I quickly unfolded it with one hand with a relieved smile...only for it to drop, on the paper was...well just gibberish, there were letters he recognized and letters he didn't sprawled out in what could be a word. But it was unreadable, I looked to Dylan confused as this was not the time to play a joke but I blinked in surprise as his own test had the same gibberish all over it, I looked around at other students tests and it was all the same, fearfully I looked down at my own and saw the very same.
Was I having a stroke?? What was going on?? I just needed to get this test done and get to the nurses' office. Maybe it was stress? I grabbed my pencil once more and began trying to answer the gibberish on my paper, some words going all the way to the edge of the page and stopping, some more even having what would be answers to choose from.
Trying to do the best I could, I suddenly felt my shoe slip off my foot and thud to the floor. Peeking under my desk, I found my socked foot now looking more like a large stump, slowly the leg shape bending to an inhuman shape.
Swallowing nervously again, I tried to return my focus ro my test, just gotta finish it, just gotta finish it...
Trying to write, I began to feel my pants tightening in the sides, tensing up I winced and squirmed. I felt my hips and thighs flaring out, god damn...fricking thick pony! I hunch over as the pants tighten to the point of digging into my hips before the button pops free, giving immediate relief.
A student ahead of him winding a button smacked him in the back of the head, gulping I focused on my test to elude suspicion. Returning to my attempt to answer the test, I heard a loud ripping noise from my back, as suddenly two large feathered wings erupted from my back, the right one smacking the wall and the left being narrowly avoided by Dylan.
"Blake! I've had enough of this! Go down to the principal's office this instant!!" The teacher roared in anger.
"No no please m-my test I-I need to-" my body stretched and pulled, shifting from my human self into the large equine one as my desk scraped across the floor loudly as my body pushed it away from the large form.
Students turn, looking not in shock or surprise but annoyance at their tests being interrupted, their gazes judging and angered.
I futilely paw at my pencil with my hoof only for it to roll off the desk and I follow it as I lose balance hitting the floor. I look around in panic and those around me stretch upwards like towers as their human guises melt away into dark shadowed shapes with bright white piercing eyes staring down, I shrink down into myself seeing them in fear, looking around for any familiar friendly faces, but not even Dylan here anymore, replaced by his own shadow demon. My head pounding in my skull as a headache rages within, fighting with everything to break free.
My panicked slitted eyes soon land on a stand out from the walls of judging shadows, the goth girl...she's still herself but looks with the same judging glare...
I stare pleadingly and fearfully at the same time before, suddenly the tiled floor beneath me falls and I am dragged with as I see the shadows rush forward and consume my sight.
I jumped awake gasping loudly as my heart races in my chest, a cold sweat soaking my fur as I panted...I quickly looked around the room, finding the familiar ponyville house I'd been given. Looking down, I pull away the tangled sheets, finding the female pony form of nightmare moon I've yet to get used to.
A tight knot, twisting in my gut upon seeing the form below me, feeling the sweat sticking to and dampening the fur that covered me, my nose's stronger sense of smell taking in the scent of this body's wet fur mixed with sweat, that knot in my stomach twisting tighter and tighter till it finally snapped sending me leaping from the bed, bursting into the bathroom and scrambling to the toilet where I empty my stomach's contents into the ivory bowl.
I have as my stomach tightens to push everything out, the water of the bowl splashing across my muzzle as my lower half is sprawled out across the floor, wings lying limply beside me and hair getting wet from the toilet water.
Panting and choking back air I wince as my stomach tenses to empty more than it has but couldn't as it was already empty. Clenching my eyes shut, I slowly slid down to the floor below the toilet...
Lying there even unable to see myself, I could feel everything alien to me. The larger form, the heavier feet and hands, longer limbs, wings on my back, tail trying to worm it's way between my legs in subconscious fear, reminding me of another alien feature of this body...Its gender...disgust filling mixing with rage and contempt...
I hated this body... everything about it reminded me of what wasn't mine and that I was a prisoner in it, forced to deal with its issues.
Shakily standing, I flushed the toilet and dragged my hooves over to the mirror as I stared into it. The eyes that stared back weren't mine...but they held how I felt, tired, sad, angry...disgusted, the eyes scanned the face of a female pony, fur damp and clinging together, my nose twitching as I smelt the smell which revolted me... I smelt like a wet horse....an animal…
My teeth gritted as I stared at the female animal...before I suddenly threw one of my hooves up and slammed into the glass, shattering it into a spiderweb of cracks, small pieces falling into the sink as now looking into it I saw a mess of reflections, a face practically indiscernible in the shattered mirror.
Looking at the hoof, I saw it wasn't even damaged, didn't even hurt...could anything even hurt me? I could drown...but physically, nothing actually made me bleed...my eyes glanced at one of the shards of glass in the sink before quickly looking away...
'no... I wasn't going to do that...' my mind was exhausted, sleep hadn't given me any rest, my head was full of a mess of emotions. Turning, I left the bathroom and crawled back onto the bed, plopping my heavy body down onto the blankets, cringing as my wet fur met the wet bed 'God I hate this body...'
Lying there, I didn't plan to sleep, but my body was tired and a bed, even if wet from nightmare cold sweat, meant relief from the ache of my muscles, my free ear not trapped beneath my head swiveled to listen to the sound of the night and the house, quiet...
At least in the dark I couldn't see myself...And as long as I didn't move much I wouldn't feel the difference of my body...would this feeling ever go away? Was I always going to feel this contempt for myself...this body? How would I live like this? Being this wrong broken thing...?
I curled close to myself, limbs hugging tightly to my body as I moved into a fetal position, I just wanted to feel normal...Happy…
A colorful cosmos spread as far as the eye could see, stars scattered in the endless abyss with galaxy's and space dust bringing light to the darkness, vivid clouds of color almost like droplets of paint into water.
"Magic...." A feminine voice echoed though the space.
"...Harmony..." The cosmic clouds glowed in response to the voices' words. Violet, blue, pink, red, orange, and purple.
"...Friendship.." the clouds took the forms of equine creatures, all in their respective colors. Instances of them together in moments of joy.
"It's more than a linear path" slowly moving closer to the images, the cosmos suddenly fractured, a spiderweb of cracks spread across the landscape "..it's a prism.." it suddenly shattered, the cosmos still lying behind it, yet now shards of various sizes and shapes began to float and drift in the cosmos.
"..of endless possibility.." the shards shimmered before displayed images, moments in time. The mares from before now in situations familiar, and not...there were even mares and stallions never seen before "Where a single choice can branch out into infinite realities.."
Moving forward with the shards along either side, still showing events which never happened in the original timeline...events that could be so different, hardly even recognizable to the original, that it takes just a sliver of familiarity to be descendible.
"...Creating alternate worlds from the ones you know...." The movement forward increased, the shards rushing past in glittering glows of multitudes of colors like an alien starscape.
The rushing movement came to a crawl as sitting within the cloud of shards was a piece of rock, the top of it's surface flat enough to almost resemble an island, to contrast the rock beneath was jagged spikes of stone, as if ripped from it's resting place and dropped here in the middle of this uncanny pocket of space.
A figure stood on the island of rock, a violet-furred tall equine, crimson mane and tail flowing in an invisible wind which couldn't exist in this vacuum. Protruding from the crimson blanket of hair was a long curved black horn.
Upon the mare's back were black feathered wings. Upon her flanks were black shapes, almost resembling a vortex. She was adorned with black pieces of armor, hoof armor and a chest plating just below her neck.
The mare opened her eyes, revealing the red irises within the black pools of her eyes. "I am CrimsonWraith" she spoke with a smirk to her face "your guide through these vast new realities, follow me and ponder the question.."
The mysterious mare closed her eyes as her black horn glowed red, the shards around the island suddenly glowed red, she opened her eyes with a sinister smile on her face showing her fanged teeth "What if...?"
Echoing clops of hoofsteps rang through the cosmos, the dark orangish red rocky land seeming lifeless, nothing to grow off of. Yet something lived upon the rock..
The violet mare walked across the rock she stood upon, a cocky sort of smile on her muzzle as she walked towards the edge of the rock. She looked about the shards, eyes scanning the mock stars before she focused on one individual shard.
Horn alighting in a red glow, a small shard was plucked from the wall of shards and gently floated over before stopping inches in front of the mare.
She peered into it with crimson eyes seeming to look into it and see something not visible to the naked eye, but her eyes saw it all.
"Equestria...universe 1168, a human is born on earth with a bizarre birthmark, and upon a full moon at the age of seventeen, he is transformed into the form of an equine mare, resembling that of a cartoon villain. Following that day, he is sent into another world, the world of Equestria where he finds nothing is as he remembers, and he is treated as the form he appears to be..." The mare spoke as she looked at the gently rotating shard.
Her horn glowed bright for a moment and the shard was sent forward to the wall of shards where once it struck they all suddenly flashed in a wave of light before shimmering and slowly rotating and shifting to create a smoother wall.
The glow in the shards changed, becoming an image of another cosmos "but in another universe...a single change created a whole new outcome, universe 1170, just a single universe apart from its counterpart."
Universe 1170:
Blake quickly pulled the collar of his shirt up over his mouth and nose as he sneezed and groaned, dropping his shirt collar, this "cold" was getting old reeeeeaaal fast.
Three days ago he felt ill and it was an illness he'd never felt before, sure he's had a cold before, and sure the doctor said it was just a cold now, but Blake could feel the difference.
Something was different from a normal cold, he had all the symptoms of a cold, yet...there was just something off, something he couldn't put into words...a strange feeling he could feel deep inside himself.
"Blake?...blaaaake....Blake!" Blake's mother suddenly shouted as she tried to get her son's attention.
"Gwa?" Blake said, snapping out of his thoughts.
"Hun, I was talking to you for a full minute when I realized you were just lost in Neverland" his mother replied, looking at him from the left side of the living room couch.
"Right sorry...just thinking about my incurable illness" Blake smirked from the right side of the couch.
"Oh would you quit it, it's just a cold" she huffed.
"You say cold, I say illness that plagues this world which we have no way of actually preventing or curing" Blake said matter of factly.
"Well I..." She paused, he did have a point in some sense...
Blake nodded, eyes closed smirking.
"Well....why don't you try doing something, it is the weekend after all" she replied, trying to change the subject.
"What am I supposed to do while sick? Aren't I supposed to get a lot of bed rest, and orange juice?"
"Yeah well, you get a lot of bed rest every day, and you don't even like orange juice."
"This is true..." Blake muttered.
"Well, if you can't think of anything I'm just going to watch the news" his mother replied as she turned the TV on and switched it over to the news.
"The news?? Ughhh it's almost as bad as the channels in languages we can't even understand nor watch...why do we even have those??" Blake asked, slouching on the couch.
"They were free, now shush" she replied, looking to the current broadcast which was talking about something that caught her attention.
"The 1859 Carrington Event was the last time we experienced a direct impact solar flare, numerous electronics were destabilized from the electromagnetic waves produced by the flare, numerous fires were also caused by it. Even in the danger of this event, a beautiful Aurora was witnessed globally in the sky." The news reporter said, standing outside with a microphone in hand.
"We are now going to show you the sun's current state" he continued, as a filter was put over the camera and it moved, looking up at the sun.
The blazing ball of gold currently had wisps of light around it like tendrils of some creature "in approximately five minutes a flare will strike the earth and scientists warn it could cause an emp-like effect wiping out all electronics. We are going to keep filming while the flare hits to keep everyone informed" the reporter said as the camera kept it's focus on the sun.
"There...That's the moment that created a new universe, a cosmic event which normally would occur every two hundred and fifty years, to four hundred and eighty years happened today, a random astronomical event in which magnetic fields crossed and entangled with one another unleashing incredible cosmic power...this wouid be the key moment where the universe split." CrimsonWraith's voice echoed ethereally and unheard by those she watched.
"Awesome, what a great Saturday" Blake huffed "I'm sick with some unknown disease and every electronic in the world's gonna fricken explode."
"It's a cold, and he said there's a chance of it happening" his mother replied, though she couldn't hide the worry in her voice.
Blake kept his arms crossed as he looked at the tv screen, seeing the flare slowly moving like a snake on the sun sent a shiver down his spine....a fear grew deep inside him as he looked st the screen.
In the vacuum of space, the flare slithered through the emptiness and headed straight for the earth, like a bolt of lighting being attracted to a metal rod. The flare had a set destination and would not stop until it reached its target.
The flare rushed forward before striking the blue marble, blanketing it in opalescence from the electromagnetic energies.
A light filled the sky and Blake felt the house shake before something washed over him and a burning filled his thigh where his birthmark lay. He cried out in pain from the searing heat as his vision went white.
"A solar flare?...one had not occurred in centuries...why now?" Luna asked as she walked through the pearl white halls with her sister.
"I am unsure, but I detected it upon raising the sun that day. Perhaps the raising and lowering of the sun over the years has built up too much magic and it is forcing this flare to expunge it" Celestia theorized as she walked, looking out the window to the orange glowing sun, different from its natural yellow...
Luna nodded, agreeing with this thought "Is there anything we can do?"
"Nothing besides console our ponies so they do not go into a panic over this event" Celestia replied.
Luna nodded once more as the two sisters came to a stop at the balcony looking out to the sky where the blazing sun had tendrils of golden energy writhing around it.
Suddenly, a burst of energy erupted from it's center. A flare rushed towards the equestrian planet, striking it with pure magical energy and engulfing it in a pearlescent glow.
Spiderwebs of electricity crawled arose the sky with the pearlescent glow following behind it, the electric condensing in a single spot over the Everfree forest, before in a rainbow bolt of lighting it struck down hitting the ground below.
I coughed and hacked as the gift of air suddenly returned to me, my lungs greedily taking in too much, causing me to cough it all back out, each cough bestowed upon me the knowledge of my aching body. I didn't understand what happened...one moment I was watching TV about a solar flare, next thing I knew there was blinding light and burning pain. Had the TV exploded from the flare? Was that even a possibility?? If so, the news anchor should have mentioned it!
My mind still processing everything, my eyes suddenly shot open, my pupils pinpricks as I looked around in panic, where was my mom?!? If the TV exploded she could have been hurt. Looking around, I saw crumbled debris all around me. The whole house must have collapsed from the explosion "mom! Where are you?!? Can you hear me?!"
I didn't hear her voice, nothing! Panic filling my entire being I leapt to my feet to try and dig through the debris to try and find my mother and save her. However, as I stood up, my back pinched painfully and i was dragged back down to the ground, crashing into the stone flooring, jaw connecting first, my teeth clacking together from the impact.
Wincing painfully, I opened one eye, keeping the other closed from the pain as I winced. My back....it....it had to be broken...or or hurt or something! God, how was I supposed to help her?!
Shakily, I pushed myself up with my arms. Maybe I could crawl to find her? Wincing, I tried crawling, dragging my lower body across the stone towards the rubble. I began to dig through it, trying to find my mother. "mom, please answer me!!" I tried to grab hold of a stone and pull it away, only for my hand to drag across it. Blinking, I slowly looked at my hand to find out why I couldn't grab it, fear filling me as I worried I might not have fingers anymore..
However, the fear I felt was nothing in comparison to what the sight I saw before me brought about. My human hand was gone, no semblance of it at all, not because the explosion blew it off, no...it was because it was replaced with a goddamn white marshmallow stub!!!
I screamed, my throat releasing the loudest scream I've ever made, the screaming shaking the room around me causing dust to fall and rocks to clatter and roll. My lungs pushed all the air they had in them out as I screamed and scrambled away from the appendage which followed.
Eventually, I choked as I could scream no more and resorted to looking at the shaking limb in fear. My hands didn't just turn into white stubs! Blinking, I took my other hand up and choked back another scream as I found my other hand suffering the same fate. I had no hands! My hands were gone, replaced with stubs!! Furry white stubs!!!
Breathing heavily, I backed up once more but felt my back hit cold stone, something attached to my back twitching from the touch, causing me to jump forward and hit the ground. I craned my overly long neck back and my eyes winded again. Wings....I had wings, big white feathered wings attached to my back....
My eye twitched and I swallowed my desert of a throat. What kind of solar flare was that?...my panicked eyes caught the sight of a glow further down my pale white-furred back, I saw flames flicking about in the air.
I screamed once more, jumping up and running on unfamiliar limbs, though running isn't a good description, seeing as I stumbled, crashed, rolled, and crawled more than ran. Looking back once more, I found the fire chasing after me, yelling I spun around to try and back pedal from it, only it vanished the moment I turned around.
Looking confused, I turned my head about before looking back and helped seeing the flames behind me again. Jumping I saw them follow, my panic slowed to a crawl as I laid on the floor looking back at the flames which seemed intent on sticking behind me, curiously I shook my back end and watched the flames fallow.
Choking on air from a gasp, I looked on in shock as I realized I had fucking fire attached to my ass!!! Cautiously, I swiped at the flames watching my stump pass through them, but hit something inside the flames, wincing from the hit, I looked at it confused, it was a tail....and I had a tail inside it, so the flames were like....hair?
Looking at my hand, or rather stump, I saw no scorch marks nor burns, it was completely fine.....besides being a stump....
My eyes fluttered as everything became a tunnel, nearly falling over. I shook my head taking deep breaths as I almost passed out, all of this was way too much for my mind to handle. Breathing deeply, I tried to keep calm...best I could in this situation, but as I saw some flames whip around my head my pupils shrank again, fire...on my head, hah ok...remain calma fire hair?? Nothing new, just got it in more than one place!
Taking more deep breaths, I looked around, finally taking in my surroundings just so to distract myself, I...was not in my house....at all....this was a...ruined castle? That's the best I could understand it.
Ok....solar flare made me...a monster fire thing, and put me in a castle..... totally normal! I felt movement on my head as something pressed back against my head. Jumping slightly, I reached up and felt around with the stubs soon enough, finding long pointed things...that felt like my ears....on top of my head....
My eye twitched and I pulled my arms down, setting them on the stone floor producing a clopping sound. Blinking, I looked at them with my eyes wide, that almost sounded like a horse's-....hooves....
Wings....white furry stumps....pointy ears....
My wide eyes went even wider "...I'm a pony?.." a squeak of a very not my male voice escaped my lips, clamping my han-hooved to my face-muzzle I covered my mouth, the voice I just heard sounded very....womanly, and familiar...gulping I opened my mouth slowly "t-testing one two t-three....oh god I'm Celestia" my voice went into a squeaky pitch I was unused to.
I recognized the regal female sounding voice from anywhere, it was Celestia's from my little pony, I was her...the solar flare turned me into her?! My eyes rolled back as I couldn't prevent this mind break from taking me and I hit the stone floor with a thud.
"It struck down in the Everfree?" Celestia asked a guard pony.
"Correct your highness, a couple of Ponyvill's residence witnessed it and immediately reported it to the guard" the guard pony replied.
Celestia nodded "thank you Sargeant Silver" she turned to her sister after the stallion saluted her.
"We must go there at once, we do not know what the solar flare may have caused within the Everfree, that much raw magic in that forest is dangerous" Luna spoke up to her taller sister.
Celestia nodded in agreement "indeed, we will go at once...and pray we are worried for nothing" her home became encased in a golden glow before the two princesses vanished from the hall of the canterlot castle.
Groaning, I slowly woke up and pulled my body to a sitting position, looking to my altered self and frowned. I had hoped this was all a dream but it seemed not. Glancing around, nothing else seemed to have changed, I was Celestia....and I had a bet I was in the woods of my little pony rather than an earth castle.
I was in another world....who knows how far from home, in the body of a princess pony....tears welled up in my eyes, stinging them as my entire body tensed up. I hung my head as I fought back the tears but lost the battle as the sobs wracked my body shaking me, I might never see my home...my family....
Was my mom even ok?? If the solar flare did this to me, what did it do to her?? Did it just burn her? Or send her to some other universe too??? I wasn't getting any answers as the tears ran down my new muzzle and fell to the ground soaking into the grey stone.
I needed help.....but who could even help me with this?? Wait.....I was in the land of magic and friendship, Twilight was here! She had to know some kind of magic to fix me and send me home, or at least know someone who did!
Getting to all four of my hooves, I wobbled before carefully walking forward towards a hole in the stone wall. I had a plan, and if it worked I'd be home back to my family where everything was ok. I just had to get to Twilight and explain everything to her.....piece of cake!
My stomach rumbled at the thought of cake as my mouth watered slightly, startled I shook my head "o-ok....let's not think about that food..." I mumbled before cringing slightly from the voice that I produced without effort nor choice.
After leaving the castle I found myself out in the woods, the Everfree if my memory was correct, seeing it from a sort of free camera perspective was....wild to say the least, sure I was in a horrible situation that very well could mean the end of my normal life....but I was in the woods of a show I loved and dreamed of visiting...guess dreams do come true.
I chuckled to myself at that thought, before blushing....my laughter was... actually kind of cute, or I guess Celestia's was cute...I still can't believe I turned into Celestia! Celestia with a fire mane and tail though...never seen that before....was i some form Celestia could take? Or....her twin? Did she have a twin?? I knew she had a sister, Luna but another sister who looked like her just with fire hair? Maybe my face was different? I didn't have a mirror, so I couldn't be sure.
Ugh, this is why I shouldn't have taken a break after season one and postponed watching the rest. This mare I am is probably in season two or three. It probably has a whole explanation to my problem, like she's able to cross universes or something.
Huffing I shook my head at myself, when I got home I'm binging the entire series and then watching it all over again just to be sure I got it all. Deciding my future goal, I suddenly paused as my tongue felt around it's new home, my teeth felt odd...like they fit together rather then sat atop each other, opening my mouth a bit I felt around with my tongue before flinching and looking scared.
My teeth...were sharp....like shark teeth sharp, and all of them were. Closing my mouth, I kept walking, keeping my eyes to the ground as a layer of cold sweat blanketed my body, a shake to my legs as a fear took hold. My mind was playing out different possibilities of my newfound self. I knew only one pony who had sharp teeth, and that was nightmare moon, last I checked though Nightmare Moon was black furred with a star cloud mane and tail.
So what? I was some Nightmare Sun?? DawnShadow? Solar Flare??...that one actually was likely with my current situation, so I was an evil Celestia.....oh god was the real Celestia inside me?? Trapped???
"....um... princess Celestia? Can you hear me?" I asked aloud, hoping and also hoping not for an answer. I was gifted none. So, either I wasn't the parasite on Celestia or she was locked away deep inside me....both had questions surrounding them....
My hoof caught a tree root and I stumbled forward, almost falling but I fortunately caught myself. I also notice new muscles on my back flex as my new wings spread out. Inspecting them, I looked at them in awe, they were beautiful, like angel wings. The white feathers sparkled in the sunlight.
They then proceeded to flop to the ground limp. I blinked and gave one a poke, I felt it but it didn't move. I tried focusing on those muscles from before and the wing twitched. Grumbling, I picked it up and pushed it to my back. Fortunately, finding it sticking there, going to walk I was reminded I had two wings as the other extended limb got caught in a bush. Groaning, I repeated the process of getting the other wing to stick.
Looking forward, I was greeted by the sight that made my broken aching heart feel healed and full of joy. The town of Ponyvill sat ahead of me and even from here I spotted it was busy with life as ponys walked about the streets.
I smiled before looking confused when I saw a huge purple crystal castle that was not there before, ears flicking back. I feared I may not be in a Equestria I knew...maybe there was a kind princess in there who could help? Or send me to the moon...or rather the sun in my unfortunate case.
Taking a chance, I headed forward towards the town I watched and so wanted to be real. Now I just hoped it was as friendly as I remembered. Moving through the open field I felt nervous as I thought over my appearance, Celestia with flaming hair and sharp teeth.... probably not a welcoming sight to the little ponies...but maybe if I looked friendly enough they'd see past bad parts?
Gulping, I stepped into the streets of Ponyville, my destination either Twilight's library, or that crystal castle. Walking through the streets, I glanced about at the ponies who looked shocked and surprised upon seeing me, some looked scared...but they otherwise looked confused.
Ok...so they didn't run from me..so maybe they didn't recognize me?...or I wasn't seen as evil here....both were good, just gotta journey through town and go find the help I needed...should be fine.
Screams suddenly filled the air behind me, making me jump and turn around, a house behind me had its roof set ablaze and a mare was panicking in the street in front of it. Did...did I? Oh god my hair and tail is fire!
I rushed over and began blowing on the fire, trying to put it out with my breath, surprisingly it didn't work nor do anything to the flames which continued to burn the roof "water...we need water!!" I shouted looking at the surrounding ponies. They all jumped to action, running to get water.
I looked around before running over to a table and grabbing the table cloth on it, yanking it away and miraculously leaving all the items on it untouched. I shook away my shocked expression and pride in myself for that and quickly hurried to the fire. I began to swing my head around, swinging the sheet in the air to try and put the fire out with the air it fanned on it.
I, however seemed to forget the fact my head was a flaming torch and when I swung the cloth back and then forward it was ablaze in bright orange flames. My eyes went wide and I dropped the flaming cloth from my mouth backing away. The burning ash from the roof came fluttering down from above and made it's way into my nostrils as I breathed in.
Eyes going wide, I choked and back up showing my head from the invasive particle, but suddenly a tickling spread from inside my nose, flaring my nostrils, I shook my head feeling a sneeze coming on as my nose worked to rid the irritating invader "ah...ah..Ahh..AHCHOOO!!!!"
A burst of flames erupted from my mouth with the sneeze and roared through the air, blanketing numerous other rooftops in the blazing orange flames. I backpedaled as my mouth acted as a flamethrower, shooting a stream of fiery death.
The flames soon died in my throat and I coughed before looking around. Panic had enveloped the town, ponies screaming and running, others throwing buckets of water to put the flames out, some pegasi even grabbing clouds to make rain onto the burning homes.
"Oh...oh god...what have I done??" I asked, stepping back in horror.
"Dear Celestia, hold still ma'am!!" A stallion yelled, rushing up with a bucket of water towards a tall mare he thought was on fire.
I looked back wide-eyed, hearing the voice only to witness a wall of water flying through the air at me, the cool water splashed across my body and a loud hiss filled the air as my main and tails flames fizzled out, replacing them with clouds of dark grayish black smoke billowing.
Coughing, I shook my head of the water and glared at the pony who threw the water, as I was about to yell at him, though I found my lungs burning and squeezing painfully. Gasping, I tried to bring air in but none reached my lungs. My eyes went wide in panic as I stumbled backwards.
My mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. I felt much the same as the fish as I couldn't breathe. My lungs refused to get air into them as they burned and squeezed in on themselves tighter and tighter, it was like I had the wind knocked out of me yet it never would end.
I stumbled gasping, I needed help, someone had to be able to help! I hurried towards the stallion who threw the water at me and tried to talk, but I couldn't get words out past my choking.
The stallion looked on confused and worried at the mare who looked like she couldn't breathe.
I shook my head trying to either snap out of this suffocation or get air in. Stumbling, I went towards another pony, reaching out towards them, only for them to leap back away from my touch. Missing the pony, I fell over unused to standing on only three legs in this body.
Hitting the ground, I wheezed and my body tensed, muscles spasming as my body was going into panic mode from lack of air. I clawed at my throat in futile hope of alleviating this torture. I felt the scratches being dug into the skin of my neck as my hooves clawed desperately.
My eyes were wide and full of tears as I struggled on the ground, though my struggling was getting weaker, my head felt light as a headache engulfed my skull, no air, my brain was getting deprived of oxygen.
My hooves fell to the ground and clawed at the dirt, all four limbs digging into the dirt. It was getting too blurry to see, spots forming in my vision as I now much more weakly gasped for air, my movements getting slower.
As my world was turning to black, I saw a bright light appear, a tall glittering being coming before me, its huge wings spreading out to welcome me in a comforting embrace.
And everything went dark....
Celestia and Luna appeared in their old home within the Everfree, the two sisters looking around for signs of the solar flares' magical effects. Yet nothing stood out before the sisters, the castle remained in shambles as it had for many years.
Luna lit her horn, performing a magical scan of the area "I sense an increased magical presence here sister, it is without a doubt the location the solar flare struck, however it is curious...it almost seems...lacking of the expected amount of such a power."
"Is that so?" Celestia questioned, looking curious.
Luna nodded, extinguishing her horn "Yes, even with the natural dispersal of stagnant magic, it should not have happened this quickly."
Celestia looked puzzled by this, her sister was right, the magic should not have weakened in such a short period of time, could something or someone have perhaps taken some of the magic or worse, been affected by it..?
Celestia was shaken from her thoughts by her sister's touch "Celestia look! " Luna pointed towards the sky. Following her gesture, Celestia saw smoke clouds in the sky and gasped, it was in the direction of ponyville!
The two sisters rushed off towards the town, flying through the air where they saw houses set ablaze by fires. Swooping down, Luna began extinguishing the flames with magic, while Celestia flew down to help those in need.
She landed by a group of ponies surrounding a figure on the ground and hurried over to aid them, only to stop in surprise as lying on the ground was well... Herself, or at the very least a strange copy of herself, her mane and tail were grey smoke like clouds, and her eyes were a dark reddish orange, she was squirming on the ground looking as if she couldn't breathe before she finally went unconscious.
Lighting her horn, Celestia casted a spell on the mare to try and see what could be wrong, if there was smoke in her lungs or something blocking the passageway of air. In her searches, however she found nothing of the sort, only that strangely her magic was dropping quickly. Changing spells, she began to try and stabilize the mare, running through different spells to try and heal or return her breathing, eventually using a spell to pull and push air, focusing it slowly into the mare's lungs. It took a lot of precision, as if she forced too much air it could kill her.
She mimicked the motions of breathing and slowly the mare's mane and tail began to flicker before flames erupted from her scalp and tail, at first erratic and dangerous, before slowing down to a gentle candle-like flow. Celestia was shocked, but living with a sister with a mane and tail of cosmos stars, and she herself rainbows, it wasn't too surprising, only that another had such when it was a rarity.
A clone of herself with flaming hair, it was quite the unusual sight...
"Tia, I have put out the flames..Who is that?" Luna asked, seeing the double.
" I am unsure, but she is hurt, we must take her to ponyville hospital" Celestia said, lighting her horn once more and teleporting the three to the hospital.
In the past hour, Celestia would be stuped over and over again. As she asked the ponies what they knew of her double, they stared she randomly arrived in town and lit the buildings in fire though accidentally, and when water was thrown on her it extinguished her flames causing her to suffocate.
The ponies had no such idea of the suffocation due to the water, but Celestia was able to piece the two together. The hospital was able to treat her and currently she had oxygen supplied to her, though weakened as it was made apparent that if pure oxygen was given to her, her flames became more uncontrollable. Now in a magical enchanted hospital room with the enchantment set to fire retardant so she didn't accidentally set the room ablaze, Celestia sat outside the room thinking deeply.
It was obvious the solar flare had something to do with the mare, if she caused it, or it caused her. Celestia was uncertain, a part of her feared the theory that, due to her control over the sun, the essences of her from her magic had imprinted onto the suns magic and that when this flare occurred it changed an innocent pony into this twisted copy of herself...
To be the cause of this mare's unfortunate state worried her greatly. She had already thought of ways to make it up to the mare and ro help her.
"Sister.. you cannot hear yourself up over this, you did not know of the effects of the solar flare, nor do you know if it even is to blame for her" Luna tried to reassure her sister.
"I know Luna but... I cannot help but fear it is my doing."
"Celestia, take it from me, I blamed myself for years for nightmare moon, but both you and Twilight sparkle and her friends helped me understand that I am not to blame. "
Celestia was quiet but smiled and nuzzled her sister " thank you lulu..."
" Of course Tia " Luna smiled.
A loud clattering alerted the two sisters towards the room and both shot to their hooves. Walking in, in the bed Celestia's twin sat awake looking at a knocked over water pitcher before looking at them with wide eyes.
"Y-you're..." She stuttered
"The rulers of Equestria, yes, are you...well?" Celestia asked and looked at the pitcher of water, realizing what she had wanted, using her magic to lift the pitcher and fill it with new water before pouring it into a glass for her.
The mare jumped at the sudden levitated pitcher before looking in awe.
"You're thirsty I imagine?" Celestia asked.
"Yes... I am, thank you" she went to pick the glass up but struggled a bit before grabbing it in both hooves and lifting it to her lips.
It was strange to hear her own voice speak from another, but Celestia hid her discomfort as she put on a small smile, only for it to be replaced as the mare coughed and choked, spitting out the water, her mane fizzling and smoking.
Celestia quickly took the water away, hurrying over to the mare.
"Wh-what's wrong with me? The water...it... It stung to drink'' she said raspily as she rubbed her long neck.
"I...believe the magic which encompasses your body, has a weakness towards water, seemingly acting like a flame even though all but your mane and tail are not fire" Celestia explained.
"I.. I can't drink water? How am I supposed to live??" She asked fearfully.
"We shall find an answer, I promise, but first...I require answers, answer as to...Who you are" Celestia said gently " as you have noticed, you and I look...quite similar, just with differences. "
The mare nodded slowly" yeah...I noticed and...Well...what I have to tell you is...strange" she muttered.
"I promise you not to judge, after all I have lived for quite some time and seen a lot my pony, what you might say could very well be a regular to me" she smiled warmly.
"Okay.." she took a deep breath and her flames glowed a bit brighter as she did "I'm a human from earth, and I got teleported here and turned into a nightmare version of you..."
Celestia's jaw dropped, that...she had not experienced before...
Luna face hoofed. Today was making out to be quite strange…
"A random occurrence gave birth to a whole new universe, and gave the multiverse a new story... " The sinister female voice spoke from the abyss as slowly the sight pulled away to a warped coloring as it layed with a crystalline prism "As for me, these are my stories. "
The crystal pulled away back to its siblings which was floating in the galactic abyss where it joined the many other crystals that made up a star-like blanket.
" I observe all that transpires here, but I do, have, and will interfere, for I am... " The alicorn mare stepped forward, her eyes closed before opening them smirking "CrimsonWraith."
Slowly I blinked my tired eyes, the brightening of the room signalled it was now morning... groaning softly, I pushed myself up and climbed out of bed, glancing towards the open bathroom where the mirror sat shattered, looking back forward I dragged myself downstairs to the kitchen and looked through the empty cupboards, I wasn't hungry but I was bored...and I don't want to bother any of the girls...or really deal with any of them.
They were all so energetic and happy and...I just didn't want to be around that right now, but unfortunately I needed to go out to get food, so I'd have to deal with happy ponies today.
Sighing heavily, I walked to the front door and headed out into the magical world of Equestria. Walking down the street, I caught the fearful gazes of the ponies around me. They still weren't used to me...that really improved my mood, being looked at like a monster.
Not like I don't look at myself that way anyway, sighing heavily, I just try to focus on walking, walking to get food...where would I get food here anyway? I don't remember seeing a store in pony vill, but then again, my memory of stuff in the show blows, and I also was in potentially a waaay farther along season since Twilight was an alicorn and lived in a castle.
God, I still can't believe this is my life, that this was possible, to just become a whole other person and be sent to a fictional world made real. I still don't even understand it, no one did, it seemed impossible for everyone, even for a world of magic. I looked up at the sky, seeing the fluffy white clouds pass through the blue sky, it looked like my worlds sky...but it wasn't...
Would I see it again? Living here...Like this...It just wasn't working, no one liked me...sure the girls say they do, but it wasn't true...they tolerate me, and I just let them walk all over me, let them abuse me. It was their fault I was here, I shouldn't let them decide how I should feel.
I was better than them, I could fly to the highest mountain, I could build a tree house! Move the moon! Bake a cake! Heck even take over Equestria!!
I quickly rushed closer to a passing pony crouching down so we were eye level "You think I could take over Equestria, don't you??"
The pony flinched and looked around in panic "y-yes? "
I reeled my head back cackling "see clouds!? This pony thinks I can, you judgy bastards!!" I continued cackling before choking on the spot and hacked coughing till it passed, I looked around at the confused looks of others as I slowly wiped spittle from my chin "uh...clouds...they judge..."
Every one of the ponies looked up and then back down with even more confusion on their faces.
I cleared my throat "uh...carry on, little horses." The ponies slowly returned to walking and returning to what they were doing beforehoof.
This lack of sleep was messing with me...making me think loopy...taking in a deep breath with closed eyes and continued forward, looking around I found a market to my left, there was food around at certain stands. So it would have to do. Walking that way, I tried to distract myself from my previous thoughts.
Stands held different items from food, to clothing, to even pottery. Unfortunately, even though I came out to find some food, not being hungry made looking for food difficult, nothing looked really good, and I couldn't stop thinking about my thoughts from before. Why did I say take over Equestria? I didn't wanna do that, right? And what about what I thought about the girls...they didn't know what they were doing, they didn't do this to me...right..?
Shaking my head again to clear my thoughts, I walked glancing at different stands, my eyes were heavy from tiredness and I nearly fell forward from just blinking. Being this tired was messing me up, weird thoughts, almost passing out....yelling at clouds.
Walking near a stand with some grapes, I smiled as I always liked grapes, however as I got close, the mare went under the counter quickly grabbing her supplies, dragging it under the counter and ducked down before reaching out, putting a closed sign on the counter, huffing I turned to another shop across from it with some pottery who quickly threw sheets over his supplies and whistled "casually".
The same happened for each ship I visited. They were all scared of me because of my cursed looks. There was no way for me to escape this judgment, none of them saw past my Nightmare Moon guise...
My tired eyes were soon drawn to a stand where what looked like magic potion bottles sat and hung all over it. Walking over in curiosity, I looked at the bottles. They had labels on them for different things: hoof pain relief, stomach ache relief, wing itch, feather growth, mane and tail growth, droopy ear fix.
This was like a remedy shop...so probably snake oil...wait where did that even come from? Snakes aren't oily, and by oil did they mean grease? And who the heck would put snake grease or oil on themselves?? How would they think it had any helpful uses? It's fricken snake oil...
"Hello ma'am how can I help ya?" A unicorn stallion popped up from behind the counter with a two-toned white and red mane and a tail with yellow fur. He was lanky, taller than most other ponies and was wearing an old barbershop hat and a blue and white striped vest with a bowtie.
Jumping from his sudden appearance as I was distracted with my thoughts, I looked around but realized he was referring to me, he wasn't scared? "Uh...I was just passing through and saw your shop...You're not afraid of me?"
" Afraid of you? Now, why would I be scared of a lady like you? " He smiled as he spoke in an almost old school radio host tone of voice.
This guy's whole vibe was like he was in the wrong century, but most bewildering was the fact he wasn't scared of me, unlike everyone else " uh...you know...cause I look like Nightmare Moon..?"
The stallion rubbed his chin looking at her squinting as he inspected her, I awaited his realization until he shrugged, smiling "sorry, name doesn't ring a bell, but sure is spooky. "
I blinked, staring baffled. How did....I...but...what?? Shaking my head, I chose to just roll with it, he was probably going to be the only person here who would sell me anything. Looking once more at his supplies, a thought came to mind "you wouldn't happen to have something to like...make me feel happy and energized, right?"
"Happy and energized you say?" He repeated, rubbing his chin once more "One moment madame" he ducked under the counter, rummaging through items, tossing a few bottles around before popping up with a small brown leather pouch which he set on the counter.
I leaned my head down looking at it and then him "and this is..?"
"Why, it's Hypouder" He said and slipped it open, revealing a glittering blue pouder inside.
"And that's..?" I asked, confused.
"The ultimate fix for low energy and low joy, just a sprinkle on your muzzle and boom, your rearing to go for a couple hours, take it to finish work! Got a party to go to but just not feeling it? Take some Hypouder and boom, your a party animal, ever wanted to learn a new skill but just don't got the motivation? Hypouder's your friend!" He smiled as he pitched it to me.
Rubbing my chin, I nodded " alright yeah, sounds perfect for me."
" Alright, that'll be fifty bits" he held his hoof out, smirking.
Fifty?? Jeez, unless money's different in Equestria, this stuffs expensive...reaching back I went to grab some bits...but then realized I wasn't wearing clothes and didn't bring any money with me. Face hoofing, I groaned loudly. This is another reason I hate being tired, I can't even remember to bring fricken money to pay for the food I wanted to buy!
" Right...um, I'm sorry but I... don't have any money on me..." I smiled nervously.
The shop pony's smile dropped " no money...no Hypouder" he went to pull it away.
I quickly stopped his arm with my hooves "wait wait wait! Um, if you wait right here, I can go and get it! I...I really need this stuff.."
"Hmm well...I suppose I could wait, however in today's market...the price of supplies might increase" he smirked, slyly tossing the pouch up and down in his hoof.
He...he was trying to make me pay more?? Glaring, I grabbed him by the bowtie yanking him closer "Listen here you little-."
The shop looked at her fearfully "l-look ma'am I-I didn't mean no harm."
"Yeah? Well now I'm starting to think maybe this is all a scam" I growled.
"Scam?? Good lady I never! I hold myself up to a standard, ask anybody Hypouder is the most purchased medicinal item, it's completely safe as long as it's used in small amounts, anymore will have disastrous results."
Blinking weary now, after he said that last bit, I leaned back "uh woah woah wait...you know what….I don't actually need that.."
"Nonsense, it's completely sa-" a feather fluttered down from the air and landed on the stallion's nose, he looked at it before scrunching his nose and inhaling "ah..ah...ACHOO!!" he sneezed loudly before sighing rubbing his muzzle "sorry about that ma'am now where was I-" his eyes went wide as the opened sack in his hoof is empty and the mare in front of him had a face full of sparkling blue glitter "oh no…"
I blinked as the cloud covered me and then looked at the empty pouch"...how much did you say to use?"
"A-about a tablespoon worth" he said worriedly, still in her grasp.
"Ah...crap baskets" I released him and wiped my face with the same hoof before looking at it seeing the blue sparkles on it like I'd just been hit by a glitter bomb. However, as I looked at it I saw the glittering grow brighter as my slitted pupils dilated.
The mane six walked down the street having met up to all give Blake a visit to ensure she was adjusting well to living alone, though it was mostly due to Fluttershys urging staying it was better to be sure Blake was adjusting than assuming so.
"Blake looked as happy as could be during the party. I doubt she flipped like a switch in just one night" Twilight said.
" Oh! Maybe we should have another party then, and then another, and another, and another-" Pinkie rattled on as she hopped along with the group.
"Well, I know from experience, a night alone can always be scary, so being there for him could help his mood" Fluttershy explained.
"She is a rather down pony isn't she?" Rarity said with a flip of her mane "I've hardly seen the poor girl smile since we met her."
"Well, ah can't blame her, she don't got no family, we're the closest things to friends she's got, and she's in a different body than her own...or so she says" Applejack added.
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, looking back and raising a brow.
"every time she says she's not Nightmare Moon, ah get mixed messages. Part of me believes she's telling the truth, and another part says she's lying, but ah can't figure out which is true, that never happens to me, ah can usually tell a ponies lying or not, by what they say, but with her it's as useless as gum on a pony shoe heel" Applejack explained.
"What could that mean? Could she be that good at lying, it's tricking even your lie detection?" Twilight asked, even more puzzled "I don't want to ask her cause-"
"him" Fluttershy corrected softly.
" What?" Twilight asked.
"Blake prefers to be referred to as, he/him" Fluttershy explained.
"What? But she's a mare" Twilight said, not understanding.
"Well yes, on the outside, but um inside he is a stallion, so I think it would be best to refer to him as one" Fluttershy explained anxiously.
"She certainly acts like a stallion" Rarity huffed.
Twilight huffed "fine, I'll try to remember to call her-erm him by stallion pronouns."
" I'm sure that will make him happy " Fluttershy smiled.
"He looks pretty happy to me" Rainbowdash said, flying in the air lagging behind as she stopped to look down the street. The girls looked confused and walked over looking down the street as well and all gained looks of surprise as, the street market was currently in disarray due to a large familiar mare rushing around excitedly giggling like a school filly.
Blake rushed over to a stand looking at the items for sale "oooo! What's this??" She picked up a small glass sculpture, pushing her face into it to look through it "oooo wiggly" she looked off suddenly to another stand gasping and rushed off, leaving the sculpture in the air before it dropped. The stallion in charge if the stand quickly catches it sighing in relief.
She ran over to another stand, stumbling and rolling across the ground before landing in her feet upright as she looked at the contents on the counter. It was a collection of pins with different encouraging phrases and imagery, the mare behind it cowering low as she looked up at the towering mare.
"Ooo I like that one and that one and that one and that" she pointed to each one before squinting and pointing at another " except that one...that one I hate..." She pointed to her eyes, then the pin as she slowly walked away.
The mare looked at the pin, then the large mare and frowned sadly.
Blake looked around at other items before she spotted the girls and her eyes widened along with her smile before she zipped over to them, skidding to a halt just in front of them and kicking up dirt from her sudden stop. She hopped in place smiling at them "Hey girls!! Did you know they have a buuuuunch of stuff here!? It's so cool! Oh look at that" she zooms off almost matching, Pinkies speed.
"What in tarnation happened to her??" Applejack asked, shocked.
"I'm not sure but we should follow her and find out" Twilight hurried after the mare, followed by her friends. The girls race after trying to keep up with the surprisingly quick mare before they all gasp as Blake has lifted an entire wagon of apples up into the air over her head, dangling from the one end was Big Mac.
"Blake! What are you doing??" Twilight asked in panic.
"Put my brother down!" Applejack yelled, glaring.
Blake looked up from the ground and blinked "hm? Oh! I found a bit!!" She holds the small coin up from the ground as she drops the wagon beside her, the jostle causing Big Mac to fly upwards into the air.
The bulky stallion flailing around as the fast approaching ground rushed towards him, making him shield his face with his arms as he prepared for a painful landing only to suddenly find a cushioned one greeting him. Blinking, he unshielded his eyes looking around and found he was in the arms of the large mare who had just be the cause of his fall.
"Woahho!!! Ya almost went splat!! Haha!" She giggled and set him down " here have this" she lifted his one hoof and put the bit in his hoof "for your troubles" she winked at him before zooming off.
Big Mac stood blushing and watching the mare go….he...he was confused since it was Nightmare Moon yet….he's never been so easily picked up like that...he didn't know she was that strong...his eyes stayed focused on the direction Nightmare went, even if he couldn't see her anymore.
Applejack hurried over "Big Mac are ya alright???"
Big Mac smiled "eeeyup" he still just stared off dreamily.
"Mac…?" Applejack looked confused about her brother's actions.
"Applejack, we need to find her!" Rarity said and ran off.
Applejack took one last glance at her brother before following after Rarity.
The girls ran after Blake who was now leaving the marker street and into the town "We need to catch her and try to bring her back to the castle so I can figure out what's wrong with her" Twilight said as she ran.
"She's surprisingly fast for someone who's normally clumsy and falling over their own hooves every day" Rarity stated.
"Maybe my party did really help her! " Pinkie smiled.
" Worked too well if you ask me, I don't even see her anymore!" Rainbowdash shouted as she flew higher up trying to get a view from above but could not spot the black mare.
" Ughh okay, girls we'll need to split up to find her, search everywhere she'd go and anywhere else, who knows what her thoughts are in this state, not only could she cause trouble she could hurt herself too" Twilight said looking to her friends.
"Think Pinkies ahead of you Twi, cause she's gone" Applejack said.
" What?? " Twilight looked for the pink pony before huffing "hopefully pinkie doesn't cause more trouble with her..."
The remaining girls split apart and spread out across town to find their strange companion.
Pinkie looked around as she hopped down the road scanning the area before she gasped, seeing the large Blake mare hopping down the road ahead of her casually. Smiling pinkie sped up after her.
Blake turned her head back, seeing pinkie and smiled picking up the speed.
Pinkie blinked before speeding up again. In response Blake did the same. The two ponies hopping faster and faster in response to one another until soon a black and pink blobs would rush by with smoke trails down the street.
Blake suddenly cut left down a side road as Pinkie went rushing by looking back and skidding her hooves across the ground as she looked shocked at Blake's sudden turn, her hooves digging through the dirt as she slowly sank deeper into the ground the further she slid until she was buried.
Pinkies head popped up from the dirt mound with a flower in a small pile of dirt on her head. Climbing out of the hole, she paced, rubbing her chin with the flower and dirt still on her head before she got an idea and smirked.
Getting to another road ahead of Blake, Pinkie peaked around a house looking down the road sneakily. She then spotted the oncoming mare still racing down the road, smirking she ducked back behind the house and slowly stuck out a pink hoof to trip her.
Blake rushed by with a woosh and smoke trail, the hoof now twisted up like a screw. Pinkie peaked out looking at the hoof, shocked before she stepped out holding a prop hoof and frowning. She was happy she used a fake hoof however.
Looking back to where Blake went, she rested her arm on the prop hoof and scratched her head with her other as she tried to think of a new plan, the prop hoof suddenly dragging her off the ground and spinning her through the air as it unwinded, leaving her all twisted up and dizzy.
Blake hopped down the road smiling as happy as could be before she heard a following clopping and looked back, finding Pinkie once more on her tail. She smiled as she looked back forwards running down the road before quickly making two left turns to be behind Pinkie, leaving behind a half square smoke trail.
Pinkie went rushing through the smoke trail blinking before skidding to a halt and looking back where she found the mare absent, scratching her head she looked back the other way coming face to face with Blake.
"Meep meep!" She exclaimed, surprising the pink mare as she then rushed off once more down the road.
Pinkie was standing on one hoof with her others curled in close to her body from surprise. She blinked as she got back down to all fours staring down the road before looking towards nothing and holding up a white sign which read "egad" before following it up with another sign with two exclamation points.
The two mares ran down the streets of Ponyville once more, smoke trails leaving behind them as pinkie tried to catch the quick mare.
Blake suddenly stopped in her tracks, her back to pinkie before she casually side stepped to the left and watched pinkie rush by with a smile on her face.
Pinkie looked back as she ran and skidded to a stop, her smoke trail engulfing her like a fog before she peaked up over it with a smoke beard and glaring.
Blake smiled at her before racing off the opposite direction.
Pinkie watched in shock and her jaw dropped to the ground.
Pinkie waited on top of a rooftop with a large metal tub beside her, she looked around down below watching ponies pass by, none of them her target...
Suddenly she heard the sound of rushing hooves and saw the dark mare herself hopping down the street quickly in her direction, smirking. Pinkie with the tub ready before she leapt off and slammed the tub down onto the mare, trapping her under. She snickered as she pinned it looking down, she then reached into her mane pulling out some nails and then searched for a hammer.
A black hoof held out a hammer to her which she politely took and began nailing the edges down to make sure Blake could get ou-....Pinkie slowly looked to the kind pony who handed her the hammer.
Blake stood smiling with dilated eyes before she stuck her tongue out blowing a raspberry at Pinkie and rushed off.
Pinkie blinked and her eye twitched before she looked under the tub and back out confused.
Pinkie stepped around the open field placing down mouse traps before quickly sneaking around the numerous traps she'd set around the field, ranging from bear traps, pit falls, trip wires, even pink dynamite sticks sticking out of the ground. She got to the safe distance behind some hay rolls where a remote control sat with a large red button, peaking around the edge. She smiled wickedly towards a cupcake sitting in the middle of the open field surrounded by the traps, this was it! This will get her!!
"Pinkie what are you doing?" Rainbowdash asked, flying up with the other girls.
"Hehe, I've set up the perfect trap! Traps all over the field, and in the middle a cupcake that's super duper delicious, Blake will be tempted by it and will try to get it, even if she gets to it past all the traps" pinkie held up the remote "I'll push this and KABOOM!!! Blake is blown sky high!!!" Pinkie laughed manically "I call it fluffer nugget!!"
"PINKIE!!" The five girls exclaimed, making the pink pony jump.
"We're trying to catch her, not blow her up!!" Twilight yelled.
Pinkie blinked "ohh yeahhhh" she giggled embarrassed "we should probably get the cupcake then before Blake is lured there.."
The girls following Pinkies' movement save for Fluttershy and Rainbowdash, who fly over the traps and make their way to the middle where...the cupcake is gone.
Pinkie gasped hooves to her cheeks in shock "she took it!!!"
"Yeah but where is she??" Rainbowdash asked.
Across the field beside the hay rolls a large black mare trots over casually and stops as she looks to a remote on the ground, dilated eyes looking at the large red button with the cupcake in her mouth. Hoping over, she looked at the detonator and crouched down wiggling her rump in the air much like an excited dog before she pressed it down.
Pinkie looks around before she spots Blake by the detonator. She squints her eyes "clever girl."
A huge mushroom shaped glitter cloud fills the sky, Blake trotting down the path unaffected and happily eating her cupcake muzzle covered in pink frosting.
The girls return to the castle covered in glitter, Pinkie flopping onto the floor coughing out a cloud of glitter.
"We can't win...she's impossible to catch!" Rainbow groaned, falling to the floor exhausted. She had a branch stuck in her mane from earlier when she was chasing Blake and hit a tree.
"We have to keep trying, if she needs our help we have a duty to help her! If any of us were in her hooves she'd help us!" Twilight said.
They all look tired and not very hopeful.
"Where would we even look?? We looked all over town already" Applejack huffed.
"Then we'll search again! She couldn't have just vanished!" Twilight says.
The girls suddenly go wide-eyed, looking behind Twilight "uh Twi" Applejack says.
"She's our friend! And as her friends, we cannot give up!"
"Twi…"
"We'll do whatever we can, push ourselves as hard as possible, search high and low! Under every rock and stone! To the tallest mountain! And to the lowest cavern!! We will find Blake and we will help her!!" Twilight declared wings spread majestically.
"Twi!!!"
"WHAT?!?" She yelled, looking at Applejack annoyed, her glare suddenly turning to surprise as she felt something wet go up her flank.
"Hehe I taste purple."
Twilight's head spins around as she sees a loopy looking Blake, her head beside Twilight's flank with her tongue out with a half-lided gaze '….she licked my flank?!?'
"We found er" Applejack said, monotone.
Blake suddenly climbs onto Twilight, causing her to lay down, as she nuzzled her "mmmm nice purple pillow~"
"Nghh Blaaaake! Get off!" Twilight groaned, blushing.
"Shush, pillows don't talk…" she kept nuzzling her.
"Oh my" Fluttershy walked over, looking at Blake, she put her hoof under her chin and looked at her dilated eyes. She then used her wing to brush some sparkles from her face and looked at it.
"What is that darling?" Rarity asked.
"It's some kind of powder.." Fluttershy sniffed the sparkles "wait, I know this powder! It's an energizing medicine!"
Rainbow looked at Blake who was cuddling Twilight "Well, she definitely was energized earlier."
"I think its what made her act so wild" Fluttershy said, waving her wing clean "if you sprinkle too much on you, you can get very...loopy" she explained before suddenly a hoof poked her muzzle.
"Boop" Blake giggled after booping her nose.
"well is there some sort of remedy for this powder??" Twilight asked from her new position as a pillow beneath the large mare.
"I'm sure Zecora has one, we can go and get one while some of us stay here and watch Blake " Fluttershy replied and looked at Blake after " don't worry Blake, we will help you" she gently pat Blake's head.
Blake smiled drunkenly "hmmm thanks yellow one."
"She's as bad as my aunt at an apple family reunion" Applejack muttered towards Rarity.
"Alright Twilight, we'll get the antidote, you keep Blake here with Applejack and Rarity" Rainbowdash said.
"Like I had a choice" Twilight replied.
Rainbowdash, Pinkie, and Fluttershy left the crystal castle for Zecoras' hut to get a antidote for Blake's strange state. Applejack and Rarity closed the doors to the room so Blake wouldn't get any ideas or make a run for it, and Twilight remained pinned under the large mare pouting. And after a few minutes the girls returned cure in hoof.
"Finally!" Twilight exclaimed "quickly give it to her so she can get off of me."
"Aw but Twilight you two are soooo cute" Pinkie cooed, looking at the two.
Blake was sound asleep atop her purple nest.
"Pinkiiiie" Twilight growled.
"Oh fiiine" pinkie relented, smiling.
"I don't know Twi, I'm with Pinkie here, you two are really cute" Rainbowdash snickered " makes me wish I had a camera. "
Twilight glared out from under Blake.
" Girls, enough joking, let's get Blake back to normal... Oh and uh help twilight out" Fluttershy blushed, embarrassed and brought the bottle towards Blake, popping the cork.
Blake's eyes shot open and she jumped to her hooves " is that medicine?? I'm not taking it!" She ran off.
"get her!! " Applejack shouted.
Blake ran for the door but Rarity quickly got in front of it, blocking her. Blake skidded to a halt in front of her before hopping over her and kicking off the wall to turn around.
Rainbowdash swooped down, tackling her from above, while Applejack tackled her legs, taking her down. Applejack quickly tied up Blake's legs while Rainbowdash restrained her upper body so Applejack could tie her up.
"No no!! You'll never make me drink it! Nevveeeerrrrrrr!!!!-" Blake shouted before choking as Fluttershy stuffed the bottle past her lips, the contents draining out down Blake's throat, the mare's eyes widening as her dilated pupils shook before shrinking down to normal. She spit out the bottle and coughed, gagging "Oh god! That tastes horrible! Guh what the heck was that???" She asked and looked around before looking more confused "um...and how did I get to the castle...? "
" Wait, you don't remember? " Fluttershy asked.
" Uh... I remember feeling... Cruddy, and going to the market to get food, but then I found some, uhh I wanna say potion shop but I think it was a medicine thing, and this weird pony showed me this powder called high power or powder or something, and then he tried to make me pay more, I got mad, he sneezed, and then everything gets really blurry... Oh! And a cupcake! Yeah" Blake nodded.
The girls looked at one another before looking back to Blake.
" What? " Blake looked at them confused, then looked at her tied hooves " why am I tied up? "
The girls proceeded to explain all that had transpired for the day to the amnesiac mare, how she was hyper and a bit destructive as she raced around town.
" I.. can't believe I did all that... I... It sounds familiar but like a dream" Blake said shocked, now untied and sitting on the floor upright.
" Tell us about it, we had a heck of time just trying to catch you and you ended up here anyway " Rainbowdash huffed.
" I'm sorry guys, if I had control of myself I wouldn't have been such a problem for you all...but I think the worst part is...I remember feeling so...happy" she smiled somberly" in the first time in... forever, I actually felt really really happy and good about myself...but I caused such a big problem doing so..."
The girls frowned and circled her going into a group hug "oh Blake, I'm sorry you haven't been feeling good and felt you needed whatever this stuff was to do so" Twilight apologized.
"how come you didn't tell any of us? " Applejack asked.
" Well... I just didn't want to bother any of you... " Blake said.
" Oh nonsense darling, we'd be willing to help you whenever, all you need to do is just ask" Rarity smiled.
" Yeah, it's not like we'd think you were less cool if you did, just swing by my place whenever you're feeling down, you and I could go for a quick fly, air things out" Rainbowdash offered.
" Or me and we could make a cake...again, but uh...less messy" Pinkie smiled.
"I could always tell the animals to try and be a bit more friendly when you visit" Fluttershy replied warmly.
Blake smiled softly " thanks girls... I'll.. remember that from now on."
The six smiled and hugged the larger mare happily, and after a moment broke to allow her to stand, she wobbled a bit and Applejack and Rainbowdash quickly supported her "woah.. uh guess I'm a little dizzy."
"Looks like you still need time to fully recover, so why don't you stay here the night to rest? " Twilight offered.
" Oh um I couldn't, I just got my own house, staying here after you all spent the day trying to get me, I feel like I'm abusing you guys" Blake said, looking at them each.
" Nonsense, you stay and in the morning if your feeling better, you can go back to your house... After breakfast" Twilight said.
Blake smiled softly " alright, sure. "
The six lead Blake to the spare room she'd been living in for a while before her house, and once Blake was in bed they each said their goodbyes before leaving her to rest.
"Bye.." I said, watching the six girls leave, and once the door closed my smile fell, they didn't notice how I've been feeling? I know it's not their responsibility to keep track of my emotions but...I didn't think I needed to outright say I'm depressed...I've always been depressed her, and now I'm back where I started...Twilights castle, in this room...Alone...
Shuffling and pulling the blanket close to myself, I prepped for another sleepless night. It was the only way I would actually have a chance of being happy tomorrow. No sleep meant no nightmares...
The sun shone over the town of Ponyville, ponies enjoying their daily lives and going about their business, and within the crystal castle at the edge of town six mares were about to begin their own business for the day.
The mane six walked through the doors into the throne room, although Twilight didn't like to call it that it was better than the chair room...
Spike lay in his own thrown arms and head resting in the right armrest as he snored softly from a nap the small dragon usually partook in.
Pinkie bounced across the room hopping into her own throne causing the replica of her cutie marks upon it to glow a glittering light. Rainbowdash flying over to her own as well causing the same effect as pinkies when she laned and sat on the throne. Both mares cutie marks glowing as well before their thrones did.
"Let's go through this one more time" Twilight stared with a hoof under chin, a pondering expression on her face.
Rainbowdash sighed exasperated and stood back on her hooves in the chair to look at the purple pony "We've been over it like a million times, Twilight! We found all six keys, defeated Tirek, and got this sweet castle! End of story!"
"Yes, but why?" Twilight asked, still puzzled by it all.
"I dunno, sugarcube. Maybe it's just your new house and there ain't nothin' more to it than that." Applejack said as she walked to her throne and climbed onto it sitting with a gentle smile.
"I must say," Rarity started as she sat on her throne "speaking strictly on aesthetics, there really doesn't need to be more to it. It's all simply divine!"
Flurtershy was mid step onto her throne but looked back at her friends "I agree with Twilight. And Rarity. And Applejack. And Rainbow Dash. And Pinkie Pie. Oh, and probably Spike" She finished as she'd gotten on her throne while talking.
Spike snored now moved into a position on his back in the seat of his throne, little limbs rucked close to his body.
"As princess, I've been chosen to spread the magic of friendship across Equestria. So why would the Tree of Harmony want us to sit in a castle in Ponyville? It doesn't make any sense." She said while pacing in the open middle of the room where her friends and respected thrones circled. Ending it by hopping into her own throne with Spike on her left, as she did her star cutie mark glowed and the replica upon her throne lit up like the others before and sparkled a magical glow.
Each if the girls looked up in aw as they each noticed the glowing makings grow brighter with a magical hum, the sparkling increasing before condensing to the center for each marking and shooting out a colored beam towards the center point of the room in a triangular shape, each light fitting together much like a pie slice as soon a whole circle was made from the light.
The floor rumbled as each throne suddenly erupted from their base crystalline growths which grew towards the center the light shined upon, each thronws crystal trailed met at the center and then twisted as one and built up where a circular platform began to grow at the top spinning around as it's bad twisted and upon it a imagery lay, as it grew and widened it's light shined brighter and brighter to a blinding degree until finally in a slow flash it faded just as quick it had started.
Spike groaned out a yawn waking up, looking tiredly forward before his eyes went wide seeing as now in the middle of the room before them all was a huge table with a map of all of Equestria on it "Is that new? I like it."
All the surrounding mares looking towards the new map in different expressions of awe and surprise.
Spike hopped up into the table walking across it to look at it all more closely as he smiled at the spectacle "This is incredible! It's got all of Equestria!" His small deer passing through the holographic imagery that was the map.
Pinkie Pie leaned din close spotting her family's rock farm and smiled "Hi, Mom and Dad!" Spikes foot suddenly stomping downro the farm accidentally, Pinkie's eyes filling with tears.
Twilight jolts as a feeling washes over her, lifting her alicorn wing and looking towards her haunches she finds her cutie mark is flashing with a pulsating glow, sparkles spreading out from its center each pulse.
Pinkie Pie giggles as same happens with her own cutie mark. Each girl looking to theirs as the same occurs before soon glowing versions of their marks fly off of them and into the air spinning around together surrounding Twilights like planets around the sun. The marks slowly then descend down to the map before moving over to a specific spot and float above it.
Twilight lights her horn grabbing spike in a levitation spell before carrying him off of the map so they can look at it more clearly without the baby dragon atop it.
Fluttershy looks at the map, going from the crystal castle to where the marks now reside "But if this is Ponyville, why are our cutie marks over there?" She pointed with a hoof.
"I don't know. But it seems like the map wants us to find out" Twilight said, now puzzled once more and gently taps her hoof on the table's surface "The Tree, the chest, this castle, and now the map. How can we not follow it?"
Rainbow Dash floars over the map upside down as she looks closely towards where cutie marks pointed out, a smirk on her face " Y'know what? There's a ton of room for dangerous adventure along that route, Count me in!"
"Aw, shoot, I reckon you're right" Applejack replied, smiling.
"Well, I was planning on organizing my baking sheets, but okay!" Pinkie said tilting her head left and right before smiling excitedly.
Rarity sighs with a smile "Very well." Her and Pinkie Pie quickly moved over to the remaining members of their friend group.
Fluttershy blinks as her two friends suddenly hurry up to her smiling, looking then to the right as Rainbow Dash flys over smiling as well "Um, maybe I'll just stay here with Spike."
"Awesome!" Spikes exclaimed now already wearing a gem cup har and foam dragon claw finger on his little claws "Me and Big Mac have a huge weekend ahead of us talkin' hoofball, and... and trading hoofball cards, and arguing about hoofball stats..."
Fluttershy cringes at the little dragons listing of a subject she really didn't have all to much interest in "O-o-on second thought, m-m-maybe I'd better go with them. In case they need me."
Twilight walks up smiling "Looks like it's time for a road trip." The girls all walk together towards the doors to leave.
"Well, suit yourself, But he's got a Hock Fetlock rookie card I plan to sweet-talk right into these hot little claws." Spike smirks.
As the girls open the doors to step out they all stop in their tracks as they are greeted to the sight of a familiar tired looking mare.
Blake blinks looking at them, and then past them towards the new table "woah, Is that new? I like it."
"Oh Blake! I had almost forgotten you were staying here, the girls and I were just about to go out and investigate something the um... Cutie map pointed out to us" Twilight said,
"Really? More magic huh? Cool" Blake replied with a soft smile.
Fluttershy blinked sr the reaction and gently nudged Twilight, she blinked in response before looking at Blake's reaction and gained a smile of her own "since we'll be going out of town why don't you join us? See more of Equestria for yourself?"
"Wait really? You want me to join?" Blake looked surprised before rubbing the back of her neck "I... don't know, I guess it'd be cool to see more of Equestria, it is a once in a lifetime experience...hopefully" she muttered the last bit under her breath before looking at the girls and nodded with a smile "sure, I'll tag along."
"Yay!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, hopping up into the air excitedly.
Blake's smile only grew from Pinkie's reaction. The seven mares now leaving the castle and headed for the Ponyville train station together as a new adventure awaited them all.
The train engine chuffed and chuffed as it went up and over hills on tracks across the land, within numerous ponies were either sitting in their seats or walking to different cars, a pony pushing a cart down the isles with snacks and beverages hoofed out items to those who wanted them.
In one of the cabin cars, the seven mares sat in the room talking.
"Wait wait wait, so you fought a huge red fist centaur dude, days before I even showed up??" I exclaimed.
"Yup" the girls nodded, smiling.
"Man I really missed a lot.." I muttered to myself scratching my head, not only did I miss twilight becoming an alicorn, apparently I missed a whole season villain! Hearing his description I'm a bit happy I only ended up on all fours, six limbs sounds like way too much...however hands may have made up for it.
"Um Blake, if you don't mind me asking? How did you sleep last night?" Fluttershy asked.
I blinked "oh um well...I slept well..." I lied, I hadn't slept at all last night, on my own account. Sleeping meant dreaming, and dreaming meant nightmares, and nightmares meant no rest, so by not sleeping I was getting to the same point as I was now.
Applejack made a face but chose to go back to chatting with Rarity.
"Well that is good to hear" Fluttershy smiled.
"Yeah..." I muttered, feeling bad for lying to her, but if it told the truth then they'd all worry about me, try to help with the nightmares...but unless there's a magic spell to help with nightmares, there was nothing they could do.
Staring out the window I watched the scenery pass by, a whole magical world I've never seen. So many things I've dreamed of seeing, pony's, places, just things in general. Even now sitting in the body alien to me I can't help but be caught by wonder of what was new to me...
The train passed from region to region, leaving the green forest filled lands to more yellow desert plains, rocky mountains and ridges lay scattered about, the train going across a bridge into a tunnel on a mountain. Rounding and coming back out and traveling across mor eleven ground as soon it entered a clearer desert plain with distant large rock mountains and formations.
The train squeaked to a stop as it reached the end of the track, smoke pluming out from the top of it.
"Alright girls, let's go" Twilight said, getting up from her seat and heading for the door, the girls following her.
I tried to ignore being looped in with the term girls, just assume she was used to saying it with her fiends...The seven of us step out of the train into the desert land, and immediately I crinf from the heat "oof...it's hot.."
Twilight lights her horn and the seven are engulfed in a pink glow before it faded, and in that moment I no longer felt not.
"Woah! You got an ac spell?? You have to teach me that" I smiled.
"Oh! I'd love to" Twilight smiled, she then pulled out a map and looked at it before rolling it up and looking forward as she walked followed by the group.
The travel took us into jungle-like land, huge hills in the distance and twisted trees. As soon we came across a rickety bridge, the girls went across easily but I was a bit more cautious and flew over it with Rainbowdash.
Traveling through the jungle-like land we came over a hill seeing below... A grey desert with a small town sitting in the middle of what was just an empty path of land, large dark grey rocky formations sitting around.
"That's it! That's the place on the map!" Twilight smiled looking to Applejack.
Rarity to Twilight's left parting dust out of her hair "Right. Let's get down there and find the spa." She steps forward.
Twilight teleports in front of Rarity in a purple flash hoof extended to stop the mare, surprising her in the process" Wait" she put her hoof down turning back towards the town "We don't know why the map sent us here. We shouldn't just walk right in. It could be dangerous."
"Yes!" Rainbowdash cheered hoof pumping.
"Well this place is colorful" I replied sarcastically "also where the heck did this town come from? There's one road which just leads to us and ends, but no railroads to bring supplies, and the trees that are here are so thin they may as well be twigs" I said looking at a nearby tree.
Pinkie rushed up in a pink blur "Stay behind me, everypony! I'm on it!" She pushed her friends aside and leaned forward towards the cliff edge.
" Careful, Pinkie!" Applejack called.
Pinkie fell over the cliff and rolled down it in a pink blob all the way to a rock where she came to a stop back to it, peering around the side towards the town with a squint she waved her friends down before going around the rock towards the town.
Pinkie zipped to a rock getting under it to hide, and then to another larger one, before rushing to a much larger rock and grunted as she lifted it upwards over herself, she then smiled waving the girls over before the rock slammed down onto her hood still extended our from under it, she then kept waving them over and pulled her arm back under before she began moving the rock while under it.
I watched jaw dropped as she was crushed her still survived "what the..."
Pinkie moved the rock before she stopped and squeezed out like toothpaste before climbing up it to peak around, the girls following her and I joined as we all looked over the side of the rock at the town now closer.
"This is where the map sent us? It looks like the most boring place in Equestria." Rainbowdash asked, flying above the rock and girls.
"It's just an ordinary village full of ordinary pony folk." Applejack said.
"It could certainly use a few more architectural flourishes, Or any architectural flourishes." Rarity added.
" I think it's lovely." " Fluttershy flew a bit down to Rarity.
"I think it's a cult..." I replied looking at the creepy town noticing now all the houses were the same as well as the ponies in the sense of hair and tail styles, also their smiles were really creepy.
I don't like it, I don't like it one bit, I know smiles, And those smiles? They're just not right." Pinkie said glaring suspicious.
"I'm with Pinkie on this one" I replied surprised with even myself.
"Forget the smiles. Look at the cutie marks" Twilight pointed out.
Focusing on that I realized they all had the exact same curie marks!
"Okay, that's weird" Rainbowdash said, now weirded out pointing at the town and looking at her friends.
"An entire village with the same cutie mark? How can that be?" Twilight asked, puzzled once more for the day.
"I bet there's some sort of horrific monster behind it." Rainbowdash said looking at the town.
"What makes you say that?" Twilight questioned.
"Cause fighting a horrific monster would be super-awesome!" Rainbowdash smiled.
I rolled my eyes at the blue flyer pony, she was too much of an adrenaline junkie...
"Ah reckon we just ought to head into town and talk to some locals, find out what's goin' on." Applejack suggested.
" Great idea, AJ" Rainbowdash flew down between her and Twilight "Let's go!" She rushed off towards town, the girls following her.
"Those smiles are bad news." Pinkie said slowly sliding down the rock.
I nodded in agreement as I followed the pink pony.
Entering into the town the residents turned their focus towards the seven of us, each sporting those eerie smiles as their focus solely laid on us all.
"Welcome!" A brown stallion greeted.
"Welcome!" A pink mare greeted.
"Welcome!" A blue stallion greeted.
"Welcome!..." Another pink make greeted more eerily than the others.
"Welcome!" Another pony greeted.
"Welcome!" Mare greeted happily.
"Welcome!" Three fillies greeted with the mare smiling towards them proud.
"This must be the most pleasant place in Equestria!" Fluttershy smiled.
"This is a cult" I replied unnerved.
" Welcome!" A pegasus mare greeted Fluttershy flying up to her making Fluttershy giggle.
"Ugh. Thanks a lot, map." Rainbowdash groaned, disappointed.
"Am I the only one seeing the cult themes here?" I replied looking at the girls.
"Cult?" Rainbowdash asked.
"Welcome! Pardon my forwardness, but are you both Alicorns?" A greyish blue stallion wearing a brown messy down hood walked up greeting them all before focusing on Twilight and I.
Twilight put on her best smile.
Pinkie squinting suspiciously at the stallion and town.
"That there's the Princess of Friendship! And our friend Blake" Applejack stared proudly.
I looked down at her, while I understood Twilight was a princess and her title was more grandiose, being the follow up to that and labeled just friend certainly made me feel lame in comparison.
"Well, you've certainly come to the right place for friendship." The stallion smiled.
" What brings you to town?" A all white stallion suddenly said beside the first making me jump
"Jesus Christ! Where did you come from??" I look around quickly for any more surprise ponies.
Twilight blinked at Blake's outburst but looked back to the white stallion who did just appear and di surprise her too but she was able to restrain herself "We're not entirely sure." She replied to his question. All while the greyish blue stallion put space between him and the white stallion standing in front of Rarity smiling, Rarity getting uncomfortable leaning back away at the unblinking stare.
"I see, Well, all are welcome here in our little village, My name is Double Diamond, and this is Party Favor." The white stallion now known as Double Diamond responded gesturing to the other stallion named Party Favor.
"Howdy, Double Diamond, I'm Applejack, and this here's Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Blake, and Twilight Sparkle" Applejack replied pointing out each of the group.
"And you all have your own unique cutie marks" Double diamond said leaning in close looking at each of their marks but when he got close to me I moved away as my tail instinctually moved to cover my flank, not even noticing Pinkie doing the same.
"ha yeah, stay away from me please" I replied looking at the cult pony, it was like a f'ing cult of oompa loompas with my height.
"If you don't mind, has there been any sort of... trouble here, lately?" Twilight asked looking at Double Diamond.
"Trouble? Why, I don't think we've ever had trouble in our little village" Double Diamond smiled.
It's true, You'll see, Hm." Party Favor smiled as well but closed his eyes as he did.
"Perhaps you'd care to speak to our founder Starlight Glimmer." Double Diamond said turning walking down the street, Party Favor following.
"Hey hol' up can we circle back to that last thing Party said?? That was ominous as F" I spoke up looking at the girls who just shrugged and followed along.
"I wish everypony in Equestria was as friendly as these ponies are." Fluttershy said, smiling as she followed.
"I've got my eye on them, Something's rotten in... whatever the name of this village is that we're in right now!" Pinkie said, looking back to the ponies behind them who were now following.
Oh my god the whole town's following us, this shows supposed to be cute not culty!!
The two stallions lead us to the single house at the end of the street before both simultaneously knocking on it with their hooves before pushing it open "Starlight, we have some new visitors." Double Diamond said with a smile similar to Party Favor.
The girls followed them filing into the house "Be ready to fight. We don't know what's gonna come through that door" Rainbowdash said ro Applejack.
The green door opened revealing a dark inferior with a dark silhouette within, it moved closer before stepping out into the light revealing a light pinkish purple unicorn mare with a three-toned purple, light purple, and blue mane and tail "Welcome! I'm so pleased to have you here."
Rainbow Dash groaned in disappointment again.
"This is Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Blake, and Twilight Sparkle." Doublediamond announced pointing to each of them.
Pinkie looked towards the new mare more suspicious.
Starlight Glimmer puts a hoof to her chin inspecting the two mares before lifting her head "Forgive my bluntness, but I'm assuming it's Princess Twilight Sparkle and Blake? We don't get many Alicorns around here." She replied looking at the two alicorn mares.
"Yyyes, but "Twilight" is fine." Twilight smiled.
"ditto...Wait I mean as in just my name not that you call me Twilight too…" I said and fumbled with my words.
"So! How did you hear of our little village?" Starlight Glimmer leaned forward towards them smiling.
"It's kind of a long story, Let's just say we found it on a map." Twilight smiled.
"Technically, it's a Tree-chest-castle-map!" Pinkie smiled before it immediately dropped back to the suspicious glare.
"Well, however you found us, we're happy to have you! We're happy to have anypony who wants to experience true friendship for the first time." Starlight Glimmer replied smiling.
"Say what?" Applejack asked half lidded eyes looking a bit annoyed.
"Oh, indeed, That's what's so unique about our village, you see, Around here, we don't flaunt our special talents because we don't have any special talents to flaunt." Starlight Glimmer spoke walking over to a picture of an equal sign which she straightened from a crooked position.
"Is that why you all have those cutie marks?" Twilight asked, pointing towards Starlight's haunches.
Starlight Glimmer looked at her cutie mark with what I swore was a glare but when she turned back to us she was smiling "Perhaps it would be easier to understand if I gave you a tour of the village!" She smiled head upturned.
Marching drums began to emanate from seemingly nowhere, I looked around opening my mouth to say something before suddenly Starlight pushed open the door outside.
"Heads high, ponies! Marching proud!" Starlight Glimmer ordered as she marched into town head held up and eyes closed, a whistle then blew "All together now! Every one of you! No pony left behind!" She said towards a house where a mare stepped out smiling
Flutes and whistles played in a rhythmic tune as all the ponies marched and followed along with Starlight Glimmer.
"Oh my god it's a song" I blinked in awe.
" Life is so grand in Our Town, We're always filled with cheer, We never have to look around, To know that we're all here" Starlight sang acting out each description she sang.
"In Our Town, in Our Town We don't have to wait To find out that our destiny Is just to emulate" the towns ponies sang along together walking along the edges of the road encircling us all as we stood in the street, all while Starlight Glimmer nodded to the beat watching.
"Let's see those big, happy smiles! Life is a smile in Our Town, Our cutie mark's the same, Because we do not separate Ourselves by more than name" Starlight Glimmer sang as a group of mares lined up smiling.
"In Our Town, in Our Town We dare not compete Winning only breeds the worst Ego-filled conceit" two pegasus stallions flew to Rainbowdash's sides and lowered her to the ground with everyone else.
Rainbowdash sporting an uncomfortable expression as they sand and lowered her down before giving an exasperated look.
"You see? Now everypony wins!" Starlight Glimmer cheered popping out from behind Rainbowdash surprising the mare before marching off down the road "Life is a joy in Our Town We're all equal here No one is superior And no one shakes in fear" she used her magic to braid a mares hair into twin pigtails from the flowy hairstyle it had been.
"In Our Town, in Our Town We work as a team You can't have a nightmare If you never dream" the ponies marched in a line together in groups of fours, mares and stallions in separate groups.
I blinked at that last line now feeling very very uncomfortable, I already didn't like this cult song, but now it felt like it was calling me out specifically.The girls all looking uncomfortable as well
Starlight walked up to Fluttershy and a glaring Pinkie "Other ponies argue Do you ever wonder why? When you think your talent's special You don't see eye-to-eye" Starlight walked to Twilight an doubled her head down till they were literally seeing eye to eye due to to Twilight having been taller There's just too many differences That lead to disarray But when you learn to act as one It's like a holiday" Starlight Glimmer walked over to some dancing mares with one dancing off near who, seeing Starlight Glimmer, quickly got back into rhythm.
"In Our Town, in Our Town We don't complicate When you learn to simplify Life is oh, so great Join in our utopia Come out of the dark Banded by equality By our cutie mark!"
Fluttershy rocked to the rhythm of the song before Pinkie looked at her glaring and shaking he these, Fluttershy tearing up.
The town ponies circled the group before split on the two sides of the road in two lines making a equal sign, they each turned to face away from the roads so their equal sign cutie marks showed and they smiled towards the group, pegasi flew up spinning before posing in the air, two more flying over head holding a equal sign banner as Starlight Glimmer sat at the far end in the middle smiling.
"Buck this" I turn to leave the town but Applejack holds my tail preventing me.
Rainbow Dash laughed flying and holding her stomach "You're kidding, right? Give up our cutie marks?" She pointed to hers to emphasize "No way!"
"Rainbow Dash, don't be so rude, I don't think we should judge them, They all seem perfectly happy with their choice." Fluttershy scolded.
"Don't believe their smiles, Fluttershy." Pinkie said looking at the town ponies.
"I'm sorry, I guess we're just a little confused by all of this." Twilight said walking up to Starlight Glimmer.
"We have no judgments here in our village. Each of us was confused once as well, blinded by the false promise of our cutie marks." Starlight Glimmer said and hung her head frowning, ponies behind her following.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Is she for real?" Rainbowdash asked, smirking.
Twilight glared at her friend before walking to Starlight Glimmer smiling "When we were sent to this village, we assumed it was to help in some way. But, well, it doesn't seem like you need any help."
Starlight Glimmer began walking towards them smiling " Have you considered perhaps that you might have been sent here so we could help you?" She put her hoof on Twilight chest before turning and walking away "After all, nopony has ever come to our village and wanted to leave, Why should you be any different? But that is entirely your choice, Please enjoy our little corner of Equestria, We're all quite fond of it, No doubt you will be as well" she walked back towards her house but turned back " Double Diamond, please help our guests with whatever they might need."
"Of course." Doublediamond said and smiled towards the group making us all jump.
As Starlight Glimmer walked away my ear twitched hearing her saying something to herself, squirming I watched her leave very suspicious of the mare...
"Welcome!" A stallion greeted.
"Welcome!" A maee greeted.
"Welcome!" Another rmare greeted.
Twilight was walking puzzled again as she tried to process all that she's learned "A cutie mark is a representation of a pony's unique talents and skills, How is it possible to-"
Rarity gasped, cutting Twilight off " What in the name of Equestria is that?!" She pointed at a hanger with three unpleasant cloaks.
"Welcome! Care to sample some local fashion? We've got cloaks this month!" A bulkier stallion greeted.
Rarity gagged "Wha- Ooh, er, perhaps another time, good sir, thank you." She backed away with Twilight following her as they made their way to a table to sit "No wonder nopony's wearing anything!" She whispered to Applejack.
Fluttershy spoke in a hushed tone "Really, girls! They may do things a bit differently than we're used to, but that's no reason to be rude."
"No, the reason to be rude is that they all keep staring at us!" Rainbowdash said in a hushed voice as well.
"Need something?" Doublediamond asked from across the street at another table.
"Uh, no! We're good!" Twilight replied before looking at her friends and spoke in a hushed tone "Fluttershy's right. If we're going to get to the bottom of why the map sent us here, we'll need the help of these ponies."
"Are you two insane?? How many times do I have to say it?! This. Is. A. Cult!" I whisper yelled hitting my hooves in the table to extenuate my words to Twilight and Fluttershy.
"Blake they're just different, I would think you or all ponies wouldn't like to be judged for being different" Fluttershy said.
I glared at the yellow pony "my situation is far different from theirs Fluttershy, I'm not part of some cult in the middle of who knows where, I'm in another world, and if I hear you defend these freaks one more time.." I growled at the pony I normally would never but she's been rubbing me the wrong way since we came to this cult town.
Applejack pulled Blake back to sitting down to cool tempers "ah think what Blake is trying to say is, we ran off to the end of Equestria before we even knew what that map was!"
"If we were at the end of Equestria, we'd be sitting on a big 'A'!" Pinkie giggled " Get it?"
I blinked at her before processing "oh you meant the-okay gotcha.. "
"Oh, please, Miss Pie! This is hardly the time for jokes! We've come all this way and for what?" Rarity said, crossing her hooves over one another on the table.
"Maybe you're right, But we're here now, and it sure feels like something's wrong." Twilight said, looking to her friends.
"That and two bits'll get you a cup of cider." Applejack said.
"Is this a bad time?" The waitress pony asked
" We shouldn't be bickering like this in front of our new friends, Really, Applejack, you're almost as bad as Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy said.
" We're not friends with them" I growled.
" Don't drag me into this!" Rainbow yelled slightly.
A mare and stallions in the road covered her children's ears.
"Is your friendship ending?" The waitress mare asked in a comforting tone.
"Are you crazy?!" Pinkie put her hooves on the table standing up in her seat "We'd never let a disagreement get in the way of food!"
"O-kay, well, my name is Sugar Belle. What can I bring you? We have: muffins..." Sugar Belle trailed off looking at them with a soft smile.
The girls exchanged awkward glances "Then I guess we'll take six muffins!" Twilight said.
"Make that twelve!" Pinkie reached her hoof up, but looked at the gazes of her friends at her "What? I'm hungryyy!" She whined before sliding her hooves down the table till she had her chin on the table.
"Come on, girls, We've got to stick together. It doesn't matter what happened before, we're here now." Twilight whispered. "Ah guess you're right, And the sooner we figure out why, the sooner we can go home." Applejack said.
Sugar Belle pushed a stack of steaming muffins onto the table, surprising Applejack "Forgive me for overhearing, but just a moment ago you were disagreeing, and now it sounds like you're... agreeing."
"Uh-huh..." Applejack said monotone.
"Well, you had such differing opinions...and cutie marks." Sugar Belle said.
"We have differing opinions all the time, darling." Rarity said with a smile.
"But you look like you're friends." Sugar Belle said confused.
"We are friends. A simple disagreement wouldn't change that." Twilight stated.
Sugar Belle's ears folded back against her head "I'm sorry, I'm just having a hard time understanding." She suddenly went into a stoic expression" Different talents lead to different opinions, which lead to bitterness and misery" she fell out of the stoic expression back to her gentle one " So... why aren't you bitter and-?"
Pinkie chokes and spots the muffin she was eating back out as she coughs and hadis over the side of the table only to stop as all eyes were on her, she then out on a fake smile "Mmmm... good..."
"It's all right. I know I'm not a very good baker. At least, I know I'm not any better than anypony else in the village" she frowned somberly before getting tense and looking back towards Doublediamond" Well, I... hope you enjoy our little village!" She walked back towards the door to her shop.
Pinkie groans holding her tongue out and scraping off muffin bird with her hooves.
Sugar Belle hurried over between Twilight and Pinkie "Come inside before you go! Meet me downstairs!" She whispered in a hurried tone before looking to Doublediamond smiling and quickly went inside.
The girls all sat with confused glances "Okay, that was weird too." Rainbowdash said pointing to the door.
Twilight spoke in a whispered tone "Let's all sit here and eat these muffins and act normal, I think we're being watched."
Ponies all over the street even while doing their business were watching them with the same large eerie smiles on their muzzles.
"You think?" Rainbowdash said sarcastically.
"You figured that one out on your own, didja Sherlock?" I add
"No, not like that! I mean somepony here doesn't want us talking to Sugar Belle." Twilight whispered and gave a head tilt across the street.
Double Diamond took a bite out of his muffin smiling towards them.
Applejack rubbed her chin thinking before putting her hoof down on the table "I got an idea. But you gotta eat all of them muffins, Pinkie."
"Me?! Why me?!" Pinkie exclaimed in dread as she grabbed her mane crumpling on the table.
"You got a stronger stomach than any of us, and that filly in there might be our best chance at findin' out what the hay is goin' on round here." Applejack explained in a whisper.
Pinkie frowned looking at the stack of elven muffins.
Pinkie laid her head in the table face green as her body was pudgy as she sweats sickly from eating so many gross muffins, she reached sluggishly towards the last remaining muffin before eating it.
"ah can't believe you ate all our muffins, Pinkie Pie! We'd best go inside and get some more!" Applejack said stiffly, the girls smiling and nodding as they got up and stepped inside the shop.
I blinked at her as I followed, good lord she was bad at lying.
"Nice work, Pinkie." Twilight said as they descended the stairs.
Pinkie bounces and thumps against the stairs rolling down it till coming to a landing on her rump "I've accidentally eaten cardboard tastier than that...""
"You've eaten cardboard? Also no way they were that bad.." I said looking at Pinkie.
Pinkie nodded "it was an accident, It was a fake cupcake with some real ones.."
Twilight looked around the dimly lit basement "Hello? Sugar Belle?"
"Wait a minute...why the heck did I agree to come down here??" I suddenly realized this is where murders happen, parents literally tell kids not to follow strangers and we went into some weird dark basement!!
"Thank you for coming!" Sugar Belle said from the darkness walking out with a large smile on her face.
My ears pinned back as I backed towards the stairs, I knew it!! Murder ponies!!
"Why did you want us to come down here?" Twilight asked nervously.
"So nopony could see what's about to happen" she smiled ominously as soon party Favor and another maee walked out from the left and right encircling us smiling those large eerie smiles.
Twilight lit her horn preparing a spell to defend herself and her friends.
Party Favor moved in close to Twilight "Are you really the Princess of Friendship?"
Twilight blinked confused as the ominousness faded.
"Do you know Princess Celestia?" The new mare asked, leaning towards Twilight.
Sugar Belle quickly grabbed pinkies haunches "I love your cutie mark!"
I blinked more surprised that pinkie was suddenly no longer bloated or sickly.
"How can you be friends with different cutie marks? Don't you end up hating each other?" The mare asked Rarity and Fluttershy.
Sugar Belle grabbed Fluttershy's haunches "Oh, look at this one! This one's great too! I'd love to have my special talent back even just for a day!" She pulled back looking reminiscent "Make something besides those disgusting muffins..." She hung her head sadly.
"So what's stopping you? Go get your cutie marks back." Rainbowdash said.
" Daydreaming is one thing, but you mean actually having it put back on? That seems extreme." Party Favor said nervously.
Rainbowdash rolled her eyes.
Sugar Belle frowned "I'm not sure Starlight would like that. She wants us all to be happy in our sameness."
Twilight stepped forward "How do you take somepony's cutie mark anyway?"
"The cutie unmarking is a beautiful experience! Starlight uses the Staff of Sameness to magically take them away and replace them with these." The mare said showing her equal sign cutie mark with the other two.
"That sounds made up" I said aloud looking at the three ponies
"Oh no, I assure you it's real, we've seen it" Party Favor smiled.
"Right...much like how everyone is happy here" I muttered.
"But nopony should keep you from your cutie mark. It represents such an essential part of who you are." Twilight explained, looking disturbed by the idea.
"Oh, we're not kept from them. They're in the vault up in the caves. We can visit them any time we like to remind us of the heartache of a life with special talents." The mare explained.
Twilight made a perturbed expression before an idea came to her and she smirked "Can we visit this cave?"
Starlight Glimmer lead the seven down a path and over a hill "I'm delighted you're interested in our cutie mark vault, We hope someday every pony in Equestria will make a pilgrimage here to our little village to have theirs removed too, and our message of perfectly equal friendship can finally spread across the land."
She talked on as Twilight and the group began to whisper to one another "This must be the reason we're here."
""Pilgrimaging"?" Pinkie asked, confused.
"No, helping those ponies get their cutie marks back." Twilight whispered looking forward at the still talking Starlight Glimmer.
"Oh, are you sure, Twilight? Maybe they miss them a little, but even they didn't seem all that unhappy." Fluttershy defended.
"Fluttershy..." I groaned, face hoofing "when a cult takes you, they do everything to make sure you think like them, they don't want you for you, they want more of them, it's like bacteria or cancer...it only cares about growing..."
"And then why did they want to meet us in secret? And why did they ask us not to tell Starlight who told us about the vault? Something's not right." Twilight said but took more of Blake's reference.
Starlight Glimmer walked up to the mouth of a cave turning back to the group "Just through here!" She stepped in.
"Yeah also, people don't usually put things in caves unless they're hiding them or an animal" I said looking at a totally not suspicious cave, before glancing at the girls realizing they were animals just not by normal standards.
As we entered into the cave we were soon beheld by the sight of a huge glowing blue shelf like wall, rows upon rows of cutie marks lay within glass containers a wooden frame surrounding it and set upon a podium in front of it was a twisted forked stick.
"Behold! Our cutie mark vault!" Starlight Glimmer presented a hoof extended towards it.
Twilight Sparkle looked on in awe, not of the cutie marks but that it was even possible "I've never seen anything like it!"
Starlight Glimmer walked up to the podium with the stick " And here is the Staff of Sameness" she picked it up in her horn a teal flow surrounding the stick as she floated it over facing us "It was one of the great Mage Meadowbrook's nine enchanted items."
Twilight made a face looking to the side as she thought for a moment before looking towards Starlight Glimmer suspicious.
"We are incredibly fortunate to have it here, This is the tool that allows us to free ourselves from our marks!" Starlight Glimmer said as she looked at the stick, before gaining a humored expression and looking towards them putting a hoof to her chin before pointing it at them "I'm curious...how did the subject of the vault come up?"
" Oh, some ponies were telling us how much they missed their cutie marks, and-" Pinkie exposed as I quickly put my hoof to her mouth, shutting her up, but it was too late.
"Pinkie!" Twilight scolded.
"Oofs..." Pinkie replied muffled by my hoof which I let drop as I sighed heavily and spread my wings knowing exactly where this was going.
Starlight Glimmer gave a faux gasp "Were they? Well, it seems you inspire all sorts of free thinking, don't you?" She walked towards them furrowed brow but smiling as she spun the staff around in her magic and sneered dropping the smile.
Rarity laughed nervously "Well, w-we certainly didn't intend to cause any disruptions to your charming little-"
Starlight Glimmer cut Rarity off as she leaned in towards her " Good...Let's just make sure of that, shall we?"
Rarity backed away from Starlight Glimmer only to stop as she backed into Doublediamond who stood smiling eerily behind her.
More towns ponies walked out from the surrounding cave tunnels encroaching around the group of them, surrounding them all as the ponies smiled eerily.
"It's a trap!" Twilight exclaimed.
"You are just full of astute observations Twilight" I remark looking around at the enclosing ponies.
Twilight lit her horn and teleported off the ground and up into the air before charging up a magical blast at her horn with a sparkling purple ball of magic.
Starlight Glimmer held the staff out towards Twilight as it fired our a blue beam of magic from the forks and strick Twilight making her jolt and squirm in the air, the spell she was preparing fizzling out as her body seemed to become restrained from the offending magic.
Her cutie mark then began to peel off like a sticker as Twilight groaned and cried out in pain trying to resist the magic, but it was futile as the magic tore the cutie mark away, purple string attached to it before it broke away and flew towards the staff landing between the forks.
Starlight pulled the staff closer, smiling before her smile grew as she looked at the cutie mark in her hold, she then looked to the wall of cutie marks and flung it over as a glass box opened and the cutie mark floated in closing behind.
On Twilight's haunches a equal sign cutie mark faded in sitting where her stars used to, the magic leaving her as she fell downwards and collapsed to the ground with a thud too weak to catch herself.
The five girls look towards Twilight in shock before suddenly the same blue beam collided with them and they are all engulfed in the magic, they strained and struggle to break free but like Twilight the magic is too strong as it restrains them all and begins to pull at their cutie marks.
One by one the markings which represented the five mares' special talents and what made them who they are, were pulled off and sent to the wall of stolen cutie marks where they then became sealed behind glass.
Each of the girls looked to their nare flanks before the grey equal signs faded in, each looking tired and exhausted from the spell as soon their colors dimmed to a greyish tone.
Starlight Glimmer walked up to them "Aw, I don't blame you for what you tried to do here today. You've spent your whole lives thinking those marks are a good thing." She said with mock sympathy.
Twilight pushed herself to her hooves, wobbling weakly as she glared towards Starlight Glimmer "Give them back!"
"Well, now you can spend the rest of your lives here with us! And we'll teach you just how much better life can be without your cutie marks!" Starlight Glimmer smirked towards the six mare-she blinked and looked around quickly at the towns ponies and the girls "where's the tall one?? The one the tlooks like nightmar-"
I rushed down from above, tackling Starlight Glimmer to the ground and grabbing the staff, she however wrapped her own hooves around it as we wrestle with it "forgot about me huh?? Figured you would with your attention set on Twilight" I smirked as I reared back flapping my wings to pull the staff away.
Starlight Glimmer growled as she kept her hold "your smarter than I thought!" Her snarl turned to a smirk "but not much" her horn glowed.
My eyes went wide before I was blastwd by a teal beam of magic sending me flying backwards, hitting the ground I winced in pain as my body was forcefully gripped and restrained, grunting as I felt the pulling sensation on my hips, a burning pain spreading through me as I felt it begin to peal off like a bandaid, the resistance of it only adding to pain before it soon popped off from my thigh and floated over to Starlight, my body being released as I flopped down, glaring and weakly lifting my head I looked to the cutie mark in her hold as sweet ran down my head.
Starlight Glimmer smirked before she quickly lifted the staff making the cutie mark sit between the forks.
I raised a brow but refocused on her and the cutie mark, the white crescent moon surrounded by purple splotches sitting in the blue glow, glancing down at my bare haunches I saw for the first time in my life my birthmarks were gone "I would not call that a beautiful experience" I grumbled rubbing my sore flank.
Starlight Glimmer sent the cutie mark to the vault as she walked towards the mares smirking "welcome to the village."
The towns ponies surrounded us on our left and right lined up creating the image of an equal sign with us all trapped between them.
"In sameness, there is peace. Exceptionalism is a lie." Starlight Glimmer's voice spoke muffled over a speaker in the top corner of the room. The pounding of the wooden door a food distraction from that mares cult talk, since she'd locked us all in this small hous.
"Free yourself from your cutie mark. Choose equality as your special talent."
And yet it still was hard to ignore..
Rainbow Dash grunted as she hit her hooves and slammed her body against the wooden door to break it down, however it was futile as the door wouldn't budge and she slumped to the floor groaning sadly.
Either it was sturdier than it looks, or Dash was weaker...
"Difference is frustration. To excel is to fail."
Twilight and Applejack were pacing the room, Twilight most likely trying to think of a way out, while Applejack was just trying to do something beyond sit in this shack.
Pinkie Pie was flipping through a book she found on a small shelf and read while sitting on the floor "Hey, this is pretty good!" She said to the others pointing it, all that was on the page was an equal sign.
"Welp pinkies lost it.." I muttered.
"Be your best by never being your best."
" Ugh, we've gotta find a way out of here! I can't take much more of that voice!" Twilight groaned pacing and looking towards the speaker.
"Oh, this is horrible!" Rarity cried mascara tears running down her cheeks.
Fluttershy originally looking out the window turned to her friend and walked over rubbing her back to comfort her "There, there, Rarity... It's not so bad..."
I made a face towards Fluttershy as she said that, someones been drinking the cool aid.
"Yes, it is!" Rarity exclaimed looking back at Fluttershy making her flinch back "Look at those drapes! I have no idea if they're tacky or not!" She said pointing towards old raggedy fabric hanging from the window.
Flutterdhy looked at them "Well, I think they're nice."
On Rarity's flank her equal sign pulsed with a black glow, her tears only growing "So do I!"
Flutterdhy backed away from her balling friend.
"They're worse than tacky Rarity, they don't even count as curtains ar this point" I replied looking at the ugly fabric.
A bird flew through the window and landed on the windowsill tweeting softly. Fluttershy blinked and turned back looking "Oh, thank goodness! Can you help us, little birdie?"
The bird tweets in response to her. Fluttershy tilted her head confused at the tweets as her equal mark pulses with the black glow as well "Go on, now! Fly away and get us help!"
The bird tweets once more titling it's head confused too.
"Oh, even tweets don't make sense any more!" Fluttershy hung her head frowning.
" Oh no seriously? Well I'm sure it's not that bad Fluttershy" I glare towards her from the floor on the itherise of the room as I was laying on my side head upright.
" Oh Blake I was just saying that maybe we should have been more open to their ideas" Fluttershy defended frowning.
"Right, the ideas of the cult who stole our cutie marks and obviously had some form of an effect on all of you" I rolled my eyes.
Rainbowdash huffed sitting against the door before loud clopping rushed towards her and she quickly rushed off the floor as Applejack came rushing over and spinning around bucking her hind legs into the door only to bounce off and roll on the floor in a heap.
Applejack grunted "This door's shut tighter than a... summer of..." Her equal mark pulses making her struggle to think "...uh, piglets in... shoot! I can't even make countryisms no more!"
Pinkie jumped up to her hooves from the floor "I don't know! Maybe it'll be super fun to be all the same!" Her equal mark pulses and her excitement washes away as she mellowed out "Sort of. More pleasant than fun, I guess..."
"Something odd about that staff. I haven't studied Eastern unicorns as much as I should have, but I'm pretty sure Meadowbrook only had eight magical items, not nine. And I don't remember any of them being a staff." Twilight states walking up to her friends.
"Yeah and id expect a magical staff to look more refined than that, the forks were uneven plus Starlight Glimmer only ever used while levitating it, I know you unicorns like to hold stuff with magic, but if it's a staff wouldn't you hood it in your hoof? At that point why not just have a horn attachment." I replied with a shrug.
Twilight raised a brow "what are you hinting at Blake? You think Starlight Glimmer did it? That kind of magic is powerful, starswirl or alicorn level powerful."
" I only know one of those rhingsm but still, I know that whole staff situation and Glimmer rubbed me the wrong way, why is her mane and tail different from every other mares when apparently they're all equal? And why is she the boss? Shouldn't there be no boss?" I asked gesturing around with my hoof.
"Well, it looks like you'll have plenty of time to try to think about it." Applejack said while lying down on the floor tilting her her over her eyes to rest as she put her arms behind her head.
"...Choose equality as your special talent. Difference is frustration. To excel is to fail. Be your best by never being your best. Conformity will set you free. Accept your limitations, and happiness will follow. You're no better than your friends. "
Time went on, the seven of us stuck in the room as we spent our time pacing, lying around, or sleeping, pinkie had taken all the books off the shelf revealing f each had only equal signs on every page. A whole day going by of us all trapped in this room.
"I've got it!" Twilight shouted waking us all from our sleep as we jumped awake "I know how we can get out!"
Rainbow Dash sighed "Forget it, Twilight. This door's not opening."
"And I'm afraid the windows are much too small for escape." Rarity added downtrodden.
"But there is a third way." Twilight smiled with a plan.
"Of course! Eventually the wind and the weather will wear down the walls until they start to crumble! Then all we have to do is wait for a big enough hole to form and we can just walk out! It's the perfect plan!"" Pinkie jumped to her hooves hopping around excitedly before rrotting in place, however her equal mark suddenly pulsed and her mood soured as she frowned "I guess."
"We don't actually have to escape. They'll just let us out when they think we've accepted their philosophy!"" Twilight smiled.
"But they're never gonna believe we switched over in just one night." Applejack countered.
"There's one of us they might believe." Twilight smiled and looked to the pony she was referring to.
I looked to Fluttershy as well, they'd definitely believe she was with them with how she defended everything they were doing, and even seemed to accept the removal of all our cutie mar-why was everyone looking at me..?
My eyes widened "wait me?? But Fluttershy's there one who's been drinking the cool aid this whole time!" I said as I stood pointing towards her.
"While true, they'd believe her since she's been more open than the rest of us, your the only one who's not been affected by this cutie mark removal" Twilight explained walking up to Blake.
"She has?" Rainbowdash asked.
"Think about it, you and Applejack are weaker, pinkies less energetic, Rarity can't judge fashion, Fluttershy can't works with animals, and I can't perform magic, Blake meanwhile has been acting exactly like herself!" Twilight said smiling.
I blinked and looked at my equal mark, I really haven't felt any effect from my cutie mark being stolen, not weird pulsing from the new mwek either "crap... Your right, but why??"
"Because she didn't steal your cutie mark" Twilight revealed smiling proudly.
"She didn't??" Pinkie hurried over and smiled towards Blake's flank only to look confused at the equal sign.
"Uh Twi, I think she may have taken your ability to see too cause I definitely don't have my cutie mark" I replied pointing to the equal sign which was the same as all of theirs.
"But it's not your cutie mark, it's Luna's, her talent is moving the moon, not yours, but since you had Luna's cutie mark the spell only affected that talent!" Twilight smiled proudly.
I blinked my wide eyes, she was right! A cutie mark represented a pony's talent and who they are, but since the only cutie mark I had represented another pony, it technically wasn't mine!
"Never have I felt happier at being in a body that isn't mine" I smirked and got to my hooves
"Woo-hoo!" Pinkie cheered jumping into the air before her mark pulsed and she slowly sank back down calming "I mean, cool..."
"But what do I do once I'm out?" I asked Twilight stretching my wings a bit.
"You've gotta find a way to get our cutie marks back." Twilight stressed.
"Right..." I replied.
The speaker suddenly crackled as it came to life, id almost forgotten it had stopped spouting off Glimmer's cult ideals.
"Oh, good morning!" Starlight Glimmer greeted cheerfully.
The door opened to a smiling Starlight Glimmer who stepped into the room "I trust you had a pleasant night? This way, please." She turned back to the door and looked back to the heoup "There are some friends who'd like to see you."
I exchanged glanced with the girls before following Glimmer out of the house, girls following behind me as we stood behind her, in front of us was the towns ponies all smiling those same smiles.
"Gather round, friends, gather round! We've come to ask if any of you are ready to join us! There are so many friends to be made once you realize you don't need your cutie marks" Starlight Glimmer spoke to the town and then us aas she then leaned in towards Twilight "or the talents that come with them."
"We have a welcome ceremony for new friends! The whole village joins together to build you your own cottage-" Doublediamond began talking before being cut off.
"Not interested! You may have them now, but we're going to get our cutie marks back!" Rainbowdash shouted to the surprised towns ponies.
"Y'all don't understand, do ya? You can't force nopony to be friends! It don't work like that!" Applejack tried to reason.
"Please, join us!" A Stallion pleaded with a smile.
"We love new friends!" A mare added.
"It's all right, everypony. This is a perfectly normal part of the equalization process for those who haven't... quite seen the light yet. We'll try again tomorrow once you've had a bit more time to consider our philosophy!" Starlight Glimmer said roqased her faithful followers and gave a nod towards the ponies she has guarding the house, the two leading the girls back inside.
"Wait...I'd like to join" I replied stepping away from the girls hanging my head even as the town ponies all smiled wider and chartered in joy.
"Blake? How could you?!" Twilight said in false despair.
"let's be honest Twilight...we've never been real friends, you all only tolerate me because you have to, if we'd never met do you really think we'd be friends?" I asked looking back to the purple mare.
Twilight blinked as her ears fell back.
"everyone's always judged me because of how I look, in this town none of that matters, everyone is the same, equal...maybe it's my only chance at real friendship..." I lamented hanging my head.
Starlight Glimmer's smile faltered as she looked at the Alicorn, something in her resurfacing for only a moment.
Twilight slowly turned and followed her friends into the room.
"Starlight?" Doublediamond asked as Starlight Glimmer had been stood there in silence.
Starlight Glimmer blinked and looked around "oh um" she walked to the door lighting her horn and closing it "W-We have a new friend, everypony!" She put her smile back on as she looked to the towns ponies.
The towns ponies chattered in excitement and joy aas they enclosed around me and I smiled my best fake smile.
Starlight Glimmer walked towards me smiling as all the ponies moved aside "Now, there's one more order of business." She wrapped her hoof around me leaning on me in a sympathetic manner "It seems some in our midst might be... dissatisfied with the village life!" She pulled away looking somber to her ponies.
The towns ponies gasp and look to one another fearfully.
"Unfortunately, it's all too true, my friends! Will you kindly tell us the names of those friends who so desperately miss their cutie marks that they would sneak around in the shadows talking to strangers about it?" Starlight asked leaning towards me squinting.
Party Favor, Sugar Belle, and the other mare who had brought the group downstairs to talk all looked to each other nervously before forcing smiles.
"Just so we can be sure your intentions are indeed pure." Starlight Glimmer smiled towards me.
I blinked glancing around at the surrounding ponies, before smiling as my eyes landed on a particular one "Doublediamond" I immediately pointed to the white stallion
Doublediamond smiled before blinking as his smile dropped "Wait what?? She's lying!"
"That's an unfriendly thing to say" I frowned with faking innocence " I knew it...even in this town of friendship...it's hopeless for me...I'll always be seen as a liar and monster" I let a few tears slip free my eyes, I learned back home how to make myse shed a few crocodile tears, never for use but it sure was coming in handy now.
Starlight Glimmer looked towards the tall maee and once again felt that feeling bubble up once more, she looked to Doublediamond, him betray her? He was there to help capture them, but maybe he was trying to elude suspicion? "How..." She glanced at the mare once more now seeing tears run down her dakr muzzle "selfish..." She pointed towards the door lighting her horn to open the door.
Doublediamond looked around at the disappointed faces and frowned before walking to the room head hung low.
The door slammed shir behind Doublediamond as he stepped into the house hanging his head
"Doublediamond? What are you doing here??" Twilight asked confused.
"Your friend Blake pointed me out as being the one who told you about the cutie mark vault, why would she do that??" Doublediamond exclaimed frowning.
"Well, you did help kidnap us" Rainbowdash crossed her arms glaring.
"Kidnap you?? We would never! We only just-" doublediamond defended only to get cut off.
"Took us, stole our cutie marks, and then locked us in a room against our will?" Twilight cur in.
"No it...but we.. " Doublediamond looked left and right as he began rethinking every decision he's ever made.
"Don't worry, Blake will have us out of here in no time!" Rainbowdash tried to cheer him up.
"Didn't you see what just happened out there?! Your friend has accepted our way! You will all accept our way! It's only a matter of time!" Doublediamond shouted running up to them before frowning and went into the corner holding himself.
"This guy's a barrel of laughs." Rainbowdash remarked.
"Laughs don't come in barrels. They come from inside you as your body's response to delight." Pinkie replied flatly making everything look at her in shock.
"So what are we gonna do while Blake's out there lookin' for our.." Applejack said to the girls before dropping to a lower whisper "cutie marks?"
"We have to stay as positive as we can. If Doublediamond sees how much we really do like each other, even though we're all different, maybe we can use him to spread our message to the rest of the village." Twilight replied with a smile trying to reinstill hope to her friends.
The loudspeaker crackles as Starlight Glimmer's voice soon comes through it once more, the girls looking up to the speaker "To excel is to fail."
"Let's hope they don't convert any of us first." Rarity replied frowning.
"Welcome!" A mare waved greeting.
"Welcome!" another maee beside the first greeted.
"Welcome!" A stallion beside the two greeted.
Even if I knew they all were brainwashed cult ponies who wanted everyone to join their cult town...I did enjoy being waved and smiled st, no one was cowering or avoiding eye contact...though some less eye contact wouldn't hurt, I feel like I haven't seen any of them blink in hours...
Starlight Glimmer stopped in front of me and turned back with a gentle smile as she moved closer to me "Come, All new friends stay with me until their cottage is completed." She turned back and walked towards her house.
I couldn't help but blush as she'd gotten so close, even if she was a cult leader she was still a cure pony...
"Let's get you settled, and then you can enjoy all that our little village has to offer." She used her magic to open the door as she ascender her stairs and looked back towards me and gestured to the town with one hoof.
Looking back I saw Sugar Belle and the other mare with her, they waved anxiously towards me and I quickly put on my best fake friendly smile waving back as I then stepped into Glimmer's house.
Starlight Glimmer looked back towards the town before following inside and closinf the door behind her, she smiled forward before stopping as she came face to chest with me.
I blinked down at her "oh woops sorry" I backed up trying not to bump into anything, houses were not build for my height.
"You are...quite rall aren't you? Id almost say your Celestia's height" Starlight Glimmer smirked.
"Eh about yeah, never actually got to see here eye ro eye I was laying in bed when we met" I replied looking behind myself at tables and vases to avoid bumping into.
"You've mer the princess in person? Oh well of course you have, your a princess yourself" Starlight Glimmer shook her head at her own foolishness.
"Oh I'm not a princess" I looked at her.
"You... aren't?" Starlight Glimmer tilted her head.
"No, well...um I guess I don't know? You've probably noticed unless your town never heard of her, I look like Nightmare Moon, and by all in tense and purposes I have her body, I just became her one day and then ended up in... Ponyville, so far no one knows anything and I'm just kind of...stuck..." I explained.
"I've...never heard of anything like that, I know if Nightmare Moon, but for a pony to become her randomly it's so strange" Starlight Glimmer said before realizing what she said and looked at the me "oh no not to mean your strange just the situation! "
" "Don't sweat it...I've...been called worse..." Mostly by myself... "Twilight and her friends tried a spell, and the next thing I knew I was Nightmare Moon, since then...I don't know...I just felt like a...sore thumb everywhere I went... Pony's in town are scared of me but like why wouldn't they be? I look like someone they tell their foals will eat them if they're naughty, and it's been that way for what? Like a thousand years?"
"I wasn't a social person before but I guess when suddenly your out and about in public and everyone looks at you like your monster it hurts, I guess I just never realized before when I wasn't looking for friends that when I didn't I was..." I wasn't sure if I was lost for words or they choked in my throat.
"..alone..." Starlight Glimmer replied, fake smile fone and now a soft understanding frown on her muzzle.
I blinked and looked away clearing my throat as I fought back some tears I'd dredged up on my own "y-yeah.." I winced as my voice broke.
"I..." Starlight Glimmer started as she looked down before taking a step forward and reached her hoof out hesitantly before pulling it away "um...your room, it's upstairs, follow me..." She walked to the stairs avoid eye contact.
I sighed and followed her up to the room as she opened the door, it was simple, obviously a guest room but it should be nice...cept for the small bed but I wasn't planning on sleeping anyway.
"Oh um, I could make the bed bigger if you wanted, sorry I wasn't expecting a taller mare to-" Starlight Glimmer trailed off as she looked at me.
Crap I think she noticed me flinch when she said mare.
" Is something wrong..? " Starlight Glimmer asked.
" Oh no it's nothing really..." I walked into the room and pushed my hoof in the bed resting out the softness.
" Well...goodnight then Blake, get some rest, we have a lot to do tomorrow when I show you around" Starlight Glimmer said as she took the door handle in her hoof and closed it gently.
Sitting in the bed I passed the time trying to think of how I was gonna get the girls curie marks back, sure I was stealing them...or well reclaiming them, but how? I doubted the glass was just glass...
Eventually the sun set and night descended upon the town, getting up I walked as quietly as these hooves could and went to the window, slowly lifting it open I then squeezed my body through it first extending my arms and wings forward before pulling myself out, then I just gently flew down.
"Excellent work, Lemon Lime" Starlight Glimmer's voice spoke making me quickly fly back up to avoid sight and then slowly flew towards the source of her voice.
Peaking around the edge of the house I looked down and saw Starlight Glimmer standing in her doorway with a white mare with a yellow and green mane and tail. Beside her were seven jars in a basket, inside them were our cutie marks.
"Of course, but I don't understand why you wanted me to bring them here, Blake is one of us now, Surely she can be trusted." Lemon Lime said confused by Starlight Glimmer's orders as she followed the mare in with her levitating the basket in with them.
With the door closed I flew down to the nearest window and kept to the edge of it peaking in as I saw them walk into the center of the room.
Starlight Glimmer lifted up the jar with Twilight's cutie mark inside with her magic "This one belongs to a princess. It could be very important to our cause."
"But if Twilight Sparkle becomes our friend, then why do we care about this old cutie mark?" Lemon Lime asked confused as she followed Starlight Glimmer towards a door.
"I just want to keep them close until everything is... settled." Starlight Glimmer said examining Twilight's cutie mark" You may go, Lemon Lime."
The mare nodded and turned heading to the door. I will quickly flew up our of sight as she exited the house and walked away, once fsr enough I slowly descend peaking in once more.
However I saw Starlight walking away from the door shed been going to before, and now went upstairs, as she disappeared up I was about to follow when I heard a crash and Starlight Glimmer shout.
"Ow!" Starlight Glimmer shouted.
Flying to her window I saw a bucket rolling across the floor spilling some water as it soon came to a rest in its bottom.
"Ugh! Starlight, you clumsy foal!" Starlight Glimmer groaned soaking wet and waving her wet hoof in the air, jars floating above her before moving them to a nearby dresser and picked up a folded towel, she then began drying herself off.
As she dried her flanks and pulled the towel away, a purple star with a blue trail was revealed on her haunches.
I knew it!...okay I didn't know she had her marks but I had a feeling since everything about her was different from the others in the town, different hair, using her magic, way less brainwashed looking, and just more personality in general, plus she was running things.
Of course like any cult leader she didn't actually follow her own beliefs, it was all for control after all, I couldn't help but grit my teath as I thought about all I told her, just fuel for her to use later...
Starlight Glimmer covered her marking with pink makeup before using a paper cutout with black smudges and used black makeup to put the fake equal sign marking on her flank.
She then turned the light off in her room and climbed into her bed, as much as I wanted to just grab the jars now, she had way more magic knowledge than me and if she had any other powerful spells like the make stealing id be screwed...
Flying back off into town I went to the house the girls were being kept at, avoid the gaze of the guards as I flew down to the fsr window "psst, Twi you up?"
Twilight's purple muzzle soon came into view of the glassless window "Blake? Is that you? Did you get the cutie marks??"
"No I-" wait why didn't I just kick the window open? Sure it was a right for but we didn't even try to escape, also this felt like a drug deal but nevermind, shaking my head "Starlight Glimmer's got them in her room, she's holding them, but there's more, she's not actually cutie markless! She's only pretending " I whispered to her.
Twilight gasped softly" of course, that's why her magic is still so strong, she never gave up her talent...Okay, Blake, she should come back here tomorrow to try and get more of us to join her, when she does I'll say I will and then we'll reveal the truth to the town, even if they're following her they'll still feel betrayed and realize she's been lying. "
" Hopefully that's enough to make them change, cause this towns really really under her hoof" I replied.
" We have to have hope" Twilight said.
I nodded sighing "if not...I'll just choke her out, alicorn strength and all."
"Wait what?" Twilight asks.
"Bye, see you tomorrow" I quickly flew back to my room and squeezed myself in before closing the window and getting in bed, tomorrow everything would go down...for better or for worse...
After an awkward breakfast Starlight Glimmer lead me out of the house and gathered the towns ponies as we all stood before the house with the girls inside, I tried to hide my anxiety as I glanced from Starlight Glimmer to the door awaiting it all to unfold.
The guard ponies opened the door and the girls filed out before standing in a line, each looked exhausted, sleep rough for them with the lack of beds inside and lack of entertainment to take your mind off being trapped in a room.
"I've got a good feeling about today! So, Doublediamond, will you join us, please?" Starlight Glimmer smiled and asked towards the all white stallion who rushed over getting down on the ground as he hugged her hooves.
"I'm sorry, Starlight! I'm sorry, everypony! I've seen the error of my ways!!" Doublediamond cried, lamenting as he looked at the town ponies and starlight.
The towns ponies cheered as Doublediamond looked up at Starlight Glimmer "They tried to break me! They wouldn't stop talking about how different they are, and that somehow makes their friendship stronger!"
"Such backwards thinking." Starlight Glimmer shook her head smiling softly.
"But I didn't listen! I knew what they were up to, and I didn't listen!" Doublediamond smiled widely.
Fricken little snitch...knew I pinned him for a reason...
"Well done, Doublediamond! We welcome you back with open hooves!" Starlight Glimmer smiled putting her hoof to his chest, she then looked to the girls "now do any of you have anything you'd like to say?"
Twilight looked to her friends before she stepped forward resulting in the crowd gasping in surprise "I-I think I do, But I just want to be sure, If I agree to leave my cutie mark in the vault, I'll really be happier?"
Starlight Glimmer pushed doublediamond away as she stepped forward "Just look around! Equality has given us more happiness than you've ever known!" She gestured around the town before pointing at Twilight.
"And you wouldn't let me just live here in the village with my old cutie mark?" Twilight asked lifting her right wing and looking back at where her cutie mark used to lay on her flank, replaced by the equal sign marking.
"Out of the question. A pony with a different cutie mark in our midst would destroy our entire philosophy. We are all equal here!" Starlight Glimmer praised smiling proudly.
The crowd mutterwd in agreement with one another nodding and smiling.
"Then how do you explain this?!" I suddenly shouted and licked my hood before slapping her flank with a loud whap.
Starlight Glimmer jumped lurching forward and stumbling as she turned around looking shocked "y-you lied..?"
Doublediamond looked towards Starlight Glimmer's flank where I had slapped and his eyes widened as he saw the equal sign msidhed away revealing her real cutie mark.
Starlight Glimmer followed his gaze and gasped with wide eyes quickly trying to turn herself away from him "No! Get away!"
It however was too late as the crowd based having seen the making as well and now knew the truth.
Starlight Glimmer quickly used her tail to cover her marking "Wha...What are you looking at?! They're the problem, not me!" She pointed an accusatory hoof at the girls and then herself shaking her head smiling a stressed smile as she tried to keep hold of the lie.
The girls smirking at her as they knew it was far to late for her.
"How could you?" Doublediamond asked hurt by the truth "You said cutie marks were evil! You said special talents led to pain and heartache!"
Starlight Glimmer frowned "They do! Don't you see?! Look at them!" She pointed to her eyes and rhen the girls again.
"Then why? Why did you take ours and not give up your own?" Sugar Belle asked frowning.
"I..." Starlight Glimmer sweated nervously before it all became to much as she glared at them "I had to, you fools! How could I collect your cutie marks without my magic?!" She finally snapped.
"But the staff has all the magic we need!" The black mare from before said walking up.
"The staff is a piece of wood I found in the desert!" Starlight Glimmer snapped leaning in towards them.
I knew that thing looked like just a fricken stick!
"It's my magic that makes all this possible!" She held her hoof to her chest before gesturing to them with the same hoof "You'd all still be living your miserable lives thinking you're better than everypony else if it weren't for my magical abilities! I brought you friendship! I brought you equality! I created harmony!" She growled lunging at the crowd with each exclamation.
"You lied to us!" Doublediamond pointed at her glaring.
"So what?" Starlight Glimmer suddenly regain some sense as she realized she was loosing their trust "E-Everything else I said is true! The only way to be happy is if we're all equal!" She turned away from them smiling and raising her head proudly.
"Except for you." I remarked and was rewarded with a sneer from Starlight Glimmer as she lit her horn up reading a spell only to stop as Twilight spoke up.
"Everypony has unique talents and gifts, and when we share them with each other, that's how rea—" Twilight began before she was cur off.
"QUIET!" Starlight Glimmer roared veins popping on her neck as she snarled.
Twilight flinched back sheulsijf herself with her wing and hoof. The girls behind her looking at the mare wide eyed in shock, even I was shocked a pony could look so angry.
"You can't have a cutie mark, Starlight! Either we're all equal, or none of us are!" Sugar Belle said as the ponies began moving forward towards Starlight Glimmer glaring from the betrayal.
Starlight Glimmer crouched low ears pinned back as she slunk backwards only to stop as shed been backed towards Twilight and the girls who glared fiercely at her, the towns ponies joining to encircle her before she suddenly charged up a spell engulfing herself in a blue dome of magic which spread out and suddenly popped pushing the ponies back as she then quickly rushed past towards her house and slammed the door shut behind her.
"Come on! Let's get our cutie marks back!" Doublediamond reared up on his hind legs kicking his front as he smiled and charged off towards the cave followed by the cheering crowd.
"Come on! Let's go get our cutie marks!" Rainbowdash called waving her hoof as she flew towards the cave.
"Our cutie marks aren't in the vault! They're in there with her!" I said pointing towards Starlight Glimmer's house freezing Rainbowdash in her tracks.
The seven of us rushed up to the door, first trying to open it but found it was locked, Pinkie, Rainbowdash, and Applejack began pounding on the door to get it open, but with their weakend stared they weren't making even a dent in the wood.
"Move, I got this" I said as I took a few steps back.
Suddenly a loud whistling and rushing sound filled the air grabbing all of our attention as cutie marks with glowing trials rushed about in the air like fireflies, some straying off and flying into different towns ponies and engulfing them ina w hite flow before almost new ponies were left, their hairstyles all different.
"Even without my cutie mark, I can tell this is beautiful!" Rarity smiled looking in the air wt all the flying about cutie marks.
Refocusing on the door I dug my hooves in the dirt before rushing forward taking off the ground with my wings spread as I rushed through the air towards the door, holding my front hooves our I smashed through the door splintering it into pieces as I skidded to a halt on the floor.
I then rushed for the stairs as the girls hurried inside and began searching the floor below, rushing up and bursting through Starlight Glimmer's door I looked around only to find the jars gone and her bed completely flipped revealing a secret tunnel beneath "the heck?? When did she even build this??"
I hurried forward and down the stairs soon enough being followed by the now restored towns ponies as the girls lagged behind us.
Running through the dark tunnel it suddenly began to brighten as a opening sat up ahead, rushing out I found we were back outside, a large rock sat a bit aways, no doubt previously covering the tunnels entrance.
But Starlight Glimmer was no where in sight!
Rainbowdash flew out from the cave and looked around before pointing towards the snowy mountains "look!"
Party Favor looked towards eehe aprh leading to the mountain where a purple shape was moving across, he suddenly looked to his cutie mark and smiled as he pulled dour a orange balloon and blew into it inflating it before he began twisting it and wrapping it around and produced binoculars...made form balloons.
"What?" I asked confused looking at him, now or all times jokes?? Also where di those other balloons on it come from?
Party favor put the balloon binoculars up to his eyes looking through them "She's headed for the pass! If she makes it into those mountains, we'll never find her!" He called.
Pinkie took the binoculars and looked through them, the ends twisting and turning like eyes making me cringe " These are amazing!"
"There's a whole network of caves up there! Your cutie marks will be gone forever!" Sugar Belle cried with the hrils looking towards the mountains growing with her.
"Then let's get moving, y'all!" Applejack called trotting forward with everypony running after.
Rainbowdash flew forward eyes closed as she strained while a pegasus rushed by her, Rainbowdash's equal making pulsing as it kept her from going any faster, ponies running by below her. She looked down and saw the girls also only able to go at a slow trot making her groan "Oh, come on!"
"Ugh you guys!" I yelled flying back over to them and picked them up one by one as I continued to fly forward moving faster though now I was slower too due to carrying six mares.
"Yay air Blake!" Pinkie cheered.
Even slowed I was able to get us close enough to finally see Starlight Glimmer closer as she was galloping with a wagon strapped onto her back, the jar rocking and joslring the jars inside which rattled and clanked together.
Starligh Glimmer looked back towards the oncoming ex-rown ponies who pursued "Are you all so willing to give up everything because of these strangers?!" She fired a magic blast at a ledge of snow up above knocking it down onto a pegasus mare who was knocked out of the air and into a pile of snow on the ground.
"We gave up everything for you, because we thought you were our friend!" Sugar Belle ran after Starlight Glimmer.
"I can't believe we have to count on these other ponies to save our cutie marks!" Rainbowdash grumbled sitting on my back
"I can't believe your all so frickin slow!! " I growled flying and wobbling as I tried to remain in the path so I didn't end up sending us all plummeting to our deaths.
"If we hadn't come here to help them, they'd still be living under her rules! Now it's their turn to help us!" Twilight smiled.
"And I know they can do it!" Fluttershy added smiling too.
"Your all sure you can't move faster??" I begged as my wings were burning.
Starlight Glimmer rushed across a rocky bridge dodging snow so she wouldn't slip, looking back she saw Doublediamond, Party Favor, and Sugar Belle chasse after her.
Sugar Belle looking to her cutie make and smiled as she got an idea and lit her hone as she passed a snow pile and grabbed a chunk carrying with as she formed it into a shape "My newest recipe...snow pie!" She sent it flying through the air at Starlight Glimmer.
Starlight looked back with wide eyes before the snow pile slammed into the handle sof the wagon smashing it apart and sending her rolling forward, the jars being launched ahead of her as they careened over the edge of the bridge, her ears pinned back and she leaned dover the edge lighting her horn grabbing the jars stopping thier fall before pulling them back up just before they hit the ground.
She continued running down the path forward carrying the jars behind her in a magical grasp. She then stopped and looked dbsck flaring before firing a blast at the bridge blowing it apaet dropping the perusing ponies before continuing running.
Sugar Belle caught Doublediamond before he went over the edge and the two looked forward frowning before they heard a balloon crinkle and looked to Party Favor who was blowing a balloon up and rapidly began tying multiple balloons together forming our a large balloon construct in the shape of a bridge.
The pegasus mare flew over pushing the bridge down to connect to the other end as the three ponies began bouncing across it to the other side.
Blake came following behind with the girls on her back as she sweated from the strain.
"She's gonna get away!" Rainbowdash cried.
Double Diamond ran after Starlight Glimmer before skidding to a halt as skis sat embedded in a snow bank to his left, he walked over to them, recognition in his eyes "Whoa! These are my old skis! This is where I first met Starlight!" He gently caressed them with his hoof.
"Maybe you can reminisce another time! She's almost to the caves!" The pegasus mare said flying over to him.
Double Diamond looked to his skis as an idea formed and he smirked looking back at the pegasus mare "Feel like an air drop?"
Starlight Glimmer kept running carrying the jars behind her in her magic as she could see the cave entrance coming up ahead, she suddenly looks back hearing wings flapping as she sees the pegasus carrying Doublediamond in her hooves.
Doublediamond is carried ahead of Starlight Glimmer to the mountain above before he's dropped as he uses his skis to slid across them kicking snow down in the process, he follows after Starlight Glimmer as a huge wall of snow comes crashing down onto the cowering Starlight Glimmer burring her and the cave entrance.
The jars left afloat before the snow until they each drop and shatter upon the ground releasing each of the trapped cutie marks and flew off towards the seven.
Blake panting as she carried the six before she saw the seven markings rush towards them and strike each making them tense and strain when the light engulfed them in light as their colors return along with their cutie marks and energy.
Blake blinks as she finds only her mark returned since she never felt a change beyond it, but a smile spread across her face as she saw each of of the girls regain themselves.
Applejack bucked around smiling happily "Yee-haw! Finally, I can buck like a five-bit snake herder in an Appleloosa ranch house again!"
"Ooo And you got your countryisms back, too!" Fluttershy smiled.
The seven quickly run and fly down the path towards the snow pile up ahead.
Doublediamond slide up to Sugar Belle, Party Favor, and the Pegasus mare smiling to them before suddenly some snow is thrown off the pile as Starlight Glimmer pushes herself up from the pile.
Starlight Glimmer looks around frowning before glaring at the four of them rage burning in her eyes as the four flinch and cower away from her. Lighting her horn she begins charging a spell to use against the four raging engulfing every instinct in her.
The four ponies sheisk themselves in desperation as their oncoming doom fast approaches them before suddenly Twilight swoops down casting a spell unleashing a large purple shining magic shield, starlight's blue magical beam of magic firing out striking the sheild as it was blocked.
The magical energy rushes around the field with ground shaking force as Twilight resistors it protecting the four ponies from the beam until Starlight Glimmer finally stops and looks up.
Twilight drops the shield glaring sternly forward wings spread protectively.
Starlight Glimmer's eyes go wide as she looks to the princess in shock before sneering "Wh- I studied that spell for years! How can you-"
"I studied magic for years too!" Twilight spoke as she walked towards Starlight "But what I didn't know then was that studying could only take me so far, Each of my friends has taught me something different about myself!" She pointed to herself and then back to her now arriving group of friends "It was their unique gifts and passions and personalities that helped bring out the magic inside of me! I never would have learned that I represent the element of magic without these five! And I certainly wouldn't be here to stop you now!"
Starlight Glimmer rolled her eyes as the princess of friendships speech " Spare me your sentimental nonsense! I gave these ponies real friendships they never could've had otherwise!"
"How do you know that?! You never even gave us a chance!" Doublediamond countered.
Starlight Glimmer glared as her horn is engulfed in magic and a huge blue magical sphere surrounds her shining brighter and brighter forcing the group to shield thier eyes as it suddenly explodes in a blinding light.
When sight returned a smoking spot is left with the surrounding snow melted away, and in the snow hoof tracks left trailing off into the darkness.
"She's getting away!" Rainbowdash yelled looking down the cave.
"We'll never find her in there!" Doublediamond frowned.
"We just have to hope that when she's had a chance to think it over, she realizes that you all have taught her something." Twilight replied looking to the cave before back to the ponies.
Party Favor suddenly wake up beside Twilight "It's you who have taught us something, We all came to this village because we were searching for something missing from our lives. We thought Starlight had given it to us, but now... now it seems it was in front of us all along. It's us!" He smiled as he walks to his friends and hugs them tightly in a group hug.
"Does that mean you'll stay in the village?" Twilight asked smiling raising hoof up.
"It's our home. I'm not going anywhere." The pegasus mare smiles.
"This is a chance for all of us to get to know each other again for the very first time!" Doublediamond smiled towards his friends.
"And I finally have a chance to bake something besides terrible muffins!" Sugar Belle smiled excitedly.
The ten of them all laughing together before Twilight looks around as her smile drops "hey where's Blake?" The rest looking around all realize the large mares nowhere to be seen.
Starlight Glimmer galloped down the cave looking back as she saw the light of the entrance fading and she lit her horn to illuminate the path ahead of her only to slid to a stop as she sees the ebony face of a mare in front of her.
She snrled preparing to fire a magic blast at her.
"Starlight wait..." I quickly said holding my hoof up.
Starlight Glimmer for her part does stop however her horn continues to pulse and glow "what is it?? Come to trick me so I lower my defense once more?? How did you even get a head of me??"
"That's calling the kettle black isn't it?" I remark and shake my head eyes closed "while Twilight was saying her friendship speech I snuck around to catch you by surprise if you tried to attack her, then you did your dragon ball move so I hurried backwards into the cave, turns out you were just flash bombing them, which brings me to why I'm still here. "
"Well?? Go on!" Starlight Glimmer says impatiently.
"You could have thrown an attack spell, tried to take twilights cutie mark again, bur you didn't, you ran, why? Your strong enough to go against her, trust me even if I suck at magic I can tell you don't" I replied pointing my hoof at her.
She glared "there were too many, id her over powered so I chose the safer option and ran, though since your here and as you say your magic sucks...then you won't mind if I take your cutie make again as you suggested" she smirked devilishly as her horn glowed brighter.
"Go ahead" I turned so my flank was more visible.
Her smile fell as a shocked expression overtook it "..what?"
"Take it, it's not mine, doesn't represent me or my talents, it's why I wasn't affected when you took it in the first place, this mark isn't who I am."
" Oh so I'm no threat to you then am I?!" She snarled again.
"No.. " I huffed closing my eyes before looking at her gentler "what I'm saying is...I don't disagree with what you've said about friendship to a certain point...I've... I've had a horrible friendship experience in Equestria, I don't have friends her, I have ponies who tolerate me and maybe even like me, but even if they say it and maybe mean it it, we're not friends..."
"In your town as corrupt as it was and Starlight before you even try to deny it" I add in as I see her begin opening her mount before shutting it " you know what was in that town...wasn't friendship, nor was it right, but none the less what you did there...I felt...the closest to normal I have ever felt in weeks...and you did that! You could have done something good in that town, offered to take a cutie make and let ponies see each other outside of talent before reintroducing them either when asked or after a time limit. "
" Then they could decide if it was good or not, not through you trying to force feed your version of equality" I explain looking at her as I turn to her "where I come from...there is so so so much inequality, so much chaos and pain...but what people don't understand there is that there can never be perfect equality, yes there should be for obvious instances, but others there just can't be, not everyone can be the exact same, and you know what?? That's not bad! It's okay to be different, to be strange, but when we begin to shun that, to try and force into something it's not...then we are cresting inequality..."
"I know...there's a good maee in you...Who's just hurting, I don't know what happened...but bottling it and pushing it down only makes it so much worse for you...but... If everything I said has gone in deaf ears, and you are holding true to your ideals... " I turned to my side once more showing my cutie mark "then take it...you said you were helping this eoinies by taking it...so help me, take mine and maybe I'll be different enough to actually be somepony of my own, rather than a twisted reflection of two others..." I closed my eyes turning my head away.
Even close I could see the glow of her horn through my eyelids, the movement as turned her head about and the increasing brightness as she readied the spell...
The towns ponies laughed and chattered as the town now was filled with life and color, tables and banners pread about, food and ponies all over, inflated beach balls bouncing about from pony to pony as they celebrated.
"Now those are real smiles." Pinkie smiled rearing up on her hind legs.
Applejack tensed as her cutie make began to pulse and glow, the other girls markings doing the same "ah'll never get used to that."
"I think it's divine." Rarity smiled looking at her cutie mark.
"Does that mean that the map is calling us somewhere else?" Fluttershy asked looking at her own mark and then ro Twilight.
"I have a feeling it means our work here is done." Twilight smiled.
"Looks like you were right, Twilight. The map did have a reason for sendin' us here. We brought real friendship to these here ponies. Guess that's why you're the Princess of Friendship." Applejack smiled and winked to Twilight.
Twilight Sparkle smiled gently "But the map didn't send me, It sent us. You're a part of me, all of you. And there's no doubt you're a part of my mission to spread friendship too." The six girls all clump together into a group hug as pinkie squeels happily.
"This feels like an ending! It doesn't have to be an ending yet, right?" Pinkie frowned before smiling "'Cause that Sugar Belle can bake!"
"Maybe we can stay a little while longer, after all we still need to find Blake" Twilight siad with a smile.
"hold off the search party and hunting dogs" I replied walking up.
The girls gasp before hurrying over "BLAKE! where have you been?? We thought maybe you went back to the town but you were no where in sight!" Twilight exclaimed.
"Yeah dude you scared us half to death!" Rainbowdash said relieved now but upset I had scared her.
"Sorry, I went after Starlight, I thought...Maybe I could reason with her..." I muttered I glanced back at my flank.
Fluttershy gasped "oh no...did she..?"
The girls all peered around the large mare fearfully as they gazed upon...a crescent moon sitting in purple splotches, all six sighing in relief.
"No, she left my marks...and she still ran away" I replied with a soft smile.
"Don't worry...I'm sure we'll meet her again, and when we do...we'll help her" Twilight smiled putting her hoof on my shoulder.
I looked at her hoof and and then her and smiled a bit more "yeahh...knowing our luck, she definitely will." The girls all giggled and laughed and I couldn't help but join them.
"Come on Darling, we were just heading in to enjoy the party" Rarity said walking forward.
" Yeah! You have to try Sugar Belle's new muffins! They're sooo good!" Pinkie giggled.
"Sure, I'm down for a muffin" I smiled and followed, glancing back towards the mountains one last time before looking forward.
Starlight ran out from the cave running down the path as plumes of mist puffed our from her nose, her teeth gritted and tears in her eyes
*Minutes ago...*
"then take it...you said you were helping this eoinies by taking it...so help me, take mine and maybe I'll be different enough to actually be somepony of my own, rather than a twisted reflection of two others..." Blake the alicorn said turning her head away and closing her eyes.
It would be so easy now, just take her cutie mark, she was literally giving it away! She even said she was better off without it, everything Starlight had worked for was taken away because of this mare and her friends, and she had the gall to say she was right in the end?!
Starlight's horn glowed brighter as she prepared the spell.
...so then why did it feel so wrong?...she hate cutie marks more than anyone...and now seeing another so willing to give it up? Even the ponies of her rown resisted a bit when she offered...
So why was this mare different?? What could hse have gone through that made Starlight feel like she wasn't...
...Alone...
Again that word...she remembered Blake's words in her house, shed though they were a true and then a lie...until now...
Was it possible she wasn't alone? That somepony else could feel the way she felt? In Equestria the land of friendship, could ther really be two so similar friendless ponies..?
Starlight looked at the mare before cancelling the spell making her horn dimm the mare opened her eyes looking at her confused "I don't want your stupid cutie mark...not if it makes you feel better! After you took everything from me, it's only fair I give you nothing!" She rushed off down the tunnel, reminding herself not to look back, she couldn't look back, she couldn't open herself up to that pain again...Not again...
I yawned wide before smacking my lips together as I glanced out the train window tiredly, the scenery familiar from days ago now passing in reverse, finally going back to Ponyville after this adventure sounded so nice, even if sleeping was out of the question a nice rest in my bed would be nice.
"Darling, why don't you lie down to get some sleep? We've all gotten some sleep since leaving except you" Rarity said, looking at me from her seat across from mine.
"Oh no I'm fine, no sleep needed here" I smiled before yawning again and grumbled.
"Alright..." The unicorn mare replied not wishing to push further.
"Yup, I'm goo-oof!" I exclaimed as the train suddenly rocked to a stop sending me off my seat and fell head over hooves, grumbling I pushed myself back up "the heck was that?" Looking out the window I found the train completely stopped, we were sitting in the middle of a forest at night...wait night? It was just the middle of the day last time I looked out the window...
"Hey girls, you seeing this? It was day like a second ago ri-" Looking over to the mares in question my eyes went wide, the cabin was empty save for me, looking around and even under the seats there was no one, standing up I walked to the door opening it and looking out, the hall was empty and the car was silent... slowly walking out I peaked through each window seeing empty cabin after empty cabin.
"Hello?? Any...uh pony?" I called out but got no response, huffing I kept walking through the car till I got to one of the doors leaning out and opened it stepping out onto the dirt ground, glancing left I saw the train ready out for seemingly miles "okay..." Looking right I saw...the same... "Hm hm...hmmm...so recap, everyone in the rain including the heroes of Equestria have vanished...And the trains gotten longer, oh and also it's now the middle of the night in a forest I do not recognize seeing on the way to that town."
" And I'm talking out loud to myself, jeez okay let's try and figure this crud out..." Since the engine was on the left end I should head that way, maybe get it running to keep the train going and once I'm out of this obviously magic forest.
Beginning my trek, my hooves clopped in the forest night air, I definitely noticed the forest was as dead-uhh stone cold quiet like the train, no dead heh heh just uhh weird magic that took everyone and left me in a weird forest...
Glancing around to keep my mind off the possibility Starlight killed me and I'm in limbo, hopefully it's just magic weirdness, the forest in question just looked like any ordinary forest in Equestria, well actually it did look a bit like the everfree, almost completely tree covered canopy...
"Huh you know more I look at it it really does look like the everfree, but I don't remember train tracks being in the forest, plus the place is super cursed so a train through there would just be asking for trouble...so then it's gotta be a different forest, plus we were nowhere near as close to Ponyville to get there, heh whew close one, nearly thought this world was actually out to get me" I wiped my forehead relieved.
Suddenly my hoof clopped extra loudly as I felt stone beneath it. blinking, I looked down and found a...rock? No wait, it's too square...
Slowly looking around I spotted more random rocks similar to the one beneath, it was like a old stone walkway..."This...felt familiar, why though? I... can't remember, ugh im really starting to hate this forest, hwy wait... Where's the train go?!" Looking to my side I found the train was now gone, and ahead of me instead of the long train I saw...
"no..." I shook my head backing up, it was impossible, there was no way I was here or all places " wait...the train, the sudden night...oh no...I...I fell asleep..."
Lightning flashed across the ruins of a old castle, reclaimed by the forest. Thunder rumbling as a roar of the lightning my body flinching from the sound as I felt it go through my bones.
I was standing in front of the castle of the two sisters, a place I've dreaded since I first slept, a place of my nightly torment...but not this night!
Turning I booked it the opposite direction down the path I had walked before just lakcinf the train now. There had to be a way outta this dream, I just have to run and get away from the castle then I'll wake up!
The rapid clopping of my hooves filled my ears as I rushed down the path, looking back I saw the ruined caslt reading in the distance, smiling I looked back forward and skidded to a halt as my hooves met stone and the castle sat before me once more.
"No no...I refuse!!" I turned around and ran into the forest this time "okay paths a no go, maybe forest now? Yeah! Forest works!" Branches scratched and leaves whipped as I rushed through the untamed wild forest. My hooves running as fast as they could carrying me through deeper and deeper before one connected with a large root sticking out from the dirt, my head flying downwards as I crashed to the ground skidding across it before flinging off a edge and through the air before slamming into the hard ground oncoming the wind out of my lungs
Wincing and gasping I soon coughed, getting air back in my lungs, groaning. I winced from the scraping my body just did across the forest floor and landed unceremoniously on...a stone floor...oh no...
Looking around quickly I found crumbling walls and pillars surrounding me, vines hanging from a shattered ceiling above where a star filled sky lay like a blanket, and a white flowring moon floated. My eyes then landed to the floor before me, lower than the one I currently was laying on, and the stage for six mares all glaring in my direction with glowing necklaces and crown facing towards me.
"N-no no wait please" I scrambled backwards to escape the fate I knew too well was coming for me.
"You see, Nightmare Moon, when those elements are ignited by the uh...the spark that resides in us all, it creates the sixth element...the Element of Magic!" Twilight smiled as she closed her eyes when the sixth element turned into a blinding white ball of light above her.
With each of the elements glowing, they began engulfing each of the ponies with pure magical energy lifting them up into the air as a spectrum of light shoots out of each element combining into a radiant rainbow above them that shoots off towards the ceiling, as the rainbow magic is about to collide with the ceiling it suddenly stops and begins traveling towards me.
I shook my head back as far as I could as the events played out like they had before, however a memory came to me, my eyes scanning the room falling to a figure I'd seen before...Nightmare Moon...It was her, standing in the shadowed far corner, this was her doing!! The rall dark mare whose mane flowed in no wind, her horn sticking out from her head like a spear, I'd recognize that mare from anywhere because I've been forced to look like her.
Before I could do anything to attack her the rainbow beam struck me and I screamed our in pain as my form was torn away from the pony body beneath. I jolted awake in bed and looked around panting before memories of the previous days came back to me, we'd rode back to Ponyville without issue after freeing the town from Starlight Glimmer, and I was able to keep awake for another couple days but exhaustion took me finally and now here I was...
Flopping back down on the bed I rested my arm over my sweat covered forehead "so...I have Nightmare Moon in my dreams and she's making me dream the same dream over and over again...how do I stop her? Maybe Twilight? No...she was busy with figuring out the map table.. " I muttered to myself.
"if she's in my dream and I can feel the rainbow harmony blast...then maybe I can push her in the way? If she's hit she'll be harmonized and out of my dreams!...but that means dying...a lot in my dreams..." I grumbled.
"But what if it also sends me back home?? Maybe that's the key to home?" New hope and confidence filled me as I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Not sleeping for a good couple days made falling asleep easy, one moment I closed my eyes.
The next I was looking at the castle of the two sisters, taking another rfew deep breaths to keep my confidence I smirked and booked it inside, the clopping of my hooves echoing in the hall, moving up the spiral staircase double doors lay before me closed as I picked up speed and burst into the room I despaired.
Looking around quickly my eyes scanned the old stone room looking to the corner I'd seen her before and I spotted the mare "ah ha!! Prepare nightmare!" I paused at what I said, god that was cring-
A rainbow blast hit me from the side as my vision melted away.
Jumping awake again I growled hitting my hoof on the bed "okay! No more one liners!" Grumbling at I'm idiocy for getting too confident, I closed my eyes and opened them to the dream, huffing I looked the castle over before remembering something about the room, spreading my wings and flying up, I flew towards the tower hovering over head as I found the hole still in the roof as I remembered,unfortunately I couldn't see Nightmare from this vantage point.
Since rime was limited with the six mares ready to purify me, I swoopee down rushimg for the corner I'd seen Nightmare last dream and rushed through the air hooves extended only to find it empty causing me to skid to a halt freezing in the air "what? Where did..?"
"You see, Nightmare Moon, when those elements are ignited by the uh...the spark that resides in us all, it creates the sixth element...the Element of Magic!" Twilight smiled as she closed her eyes when the sixth element turned into a blinding white ball of light above her.
Jumping I looked towards the sudden appearance of the six mares "Twilight wait I'm try-" a blast of rainbow cut me off.
Groaning my body ached from the memory of the purity ray, I didn't even open my eyes this time and forced myself back to sleep to both get this over with and get away from the phantom pain. Running inside the castle again and up the stairs I burst into the room and looked at each corner before spotting the mare.
I then rushed towards pushing myself as fast as I could ro get her quickly before the girls spawned, but before I could reach the shadowed undercropping of the roof, two cyan hooves impacted my face sending me tumbling to the thrones platform.
Finishing rolling across the floor now lying on my stomach I winced and moved my mount around feeling something loose floating around my tonfue, I pushed it to the front of my lips and spitting it out to the floor below, a fanged tooth clattering to the ground with some blood, disgust turned to anger as I flared towards the cyan mare in question "daaaaash!!!"
Rainbow death beam soon took me moments after. Eyes snapping open my slitted pupils thinned even more from rage "RAINBOWDASH!!!!!" I roared in my royal canterlot voice shaking my house and nearby ones.
cross town a cyan mare jolted awake in her cloud bed pulling her eye mask off looking around confused and startled awake "wha? Huh??"
Huffing I rubbed my eyes with both hooves while I remaining laying down, inhaling I dropped my hooves to my sides and tried once more. Runimg inside I booked it to the stairs and pushed through the door "Nightmare!!" I took a wild guess she'd be in the same corner and leapt at the mare. Flying thriughnt the air I found my guess was on the money as I saw the shadow mare look momentarily surprised as I neared reachinf her. Only for a rope to wrap around my legs and yank me back to the ground jaw slamming to the floor first with a loud crack as I felt one of my teeth crack in half.
Rainbow death was quick to follow.
Wake up to back to sleep, spread wings, fly to tower "Surprise motherfucker!!" I burst through a window and landed on the ground, my eyes going wide as an orange and cyan hoof rushed towards me before I saw stars and then rainbows, taking notes of two more teeth flying from my muzzle.
Run into castle, go up stairs, through door. I pushed through the doors "Nightmare...I've come to bargain" a rainbow blast shot me back through the doors, the two swinging open and closed from the force much like a western bar door.
Groaning assking in more annoyance at the failed attempts st bargaining and also the increasingly aching of my body as I had to stretch and move my limbs just to get a different feeling to flow through me, huffing I flopped over onto my stomach head on pillow as I closed my eyes.
Rushing into the caslt ei hurried through the halls and up the stairs before skidding to a halt at the door, I needed a plan...as I rubbed my chin with my hoof I noticed it was dusty white, rising s brow I looked down at the floor caked in dust, reaching down I scooped some up and smiled it across my leg watching the Blake fur turn to white, a smile spreading across my muzzle.
"oh nightmare I've missed you so, it is I Celestia" I strutted in wearing a fine cost of duty white fur, couldn't find any randow dust for my mane so hopefully the fur could distract long enough.
"You see, Night- Celestia?" Twilight asked confused as the elements stopped glowing.
"Indeed my faithful- Wait Twilight you can hear me? " I asked dropping my act in bafflement.
" Twi, it's a trick! She's nightmare!! " Applejack shouted, the girls gasping in realization as their elements lit up.
"Applejack you snitch bitch!" I growled at the orange mare before a rainbow blast struck me leaving a white smoke ring from my failed disguise.
Fly to tower this time! I crept through a broke window crouched low as I hummed the mission impossible theme before rolling into the center of the room "dunanaaaa...wait why the hell did I roll here?"
A rainbow blast was the response I got.
I screamed into my pillow as I put it over my face when I woke up before rapidly slamming it on my head till I slept.
Fly, tower, I leapt into the room from over the wall and looked for the mare.
"You see, Nightmare Moon, when those elements are ignited by-" Twilight began before I cut her off walking off the throne stage.
"Yeah yeah friendship blah blah I'm a loser for it the sixth millionth time" I growled looking for the mare before dodging a cyan hoof when Rainbowdash flew by "ha! Knew you'd do that dashy!!" I quickly flew up as Applejack's lasso missed me and went around Rainbowdash tying her up instead, I flew down and then spun her like a rop dragging Applejack over and tying the two together.
"Okay now where was- oh hello Fluttershy, why do you have bird seed-" birds flew in from all around and began attacking me, I screamed higher than I expected as I scrambled around in panic, when they left I looked around feathers sticking to my fur before I saw the girls recovered "ah phooey" a rainbow blast hit me.
I rolled off the bed and hit the floor.
I flew down to the stage and roared my wings out "you little foals!! Even with the elements you think you are enough to defeat me?! I am the queen of the night! I defeated Celestia! A few measley little mares are morning to me!! And where is the sixth element?? You failed and eternal night will reign forever!!" I laughed manically.
"You see, Nightmare Moon, when those elements are ignited by the uh...the spark that resides in us all, it creates the sixth element...the Element of Magic!" Twilight smiled as she closed her eyes when the sixth element turned into a blinding white ball of light above her.
I saw nightmare take a step forward to see the full experience revealing the corner she hid in, a smirk spread across my face as I dropped my act "got you!!" I shouted and flew through the air slamming into her and busted through the wall behind leading into the empty dusty hall.
Coughing and hacking I waved the dust away getting back to my hooves "it's over Nightmare Moon, you won't torment my dreams any m-" my eyes went wide as I saw the mare before me recover from the hit and stand.
The mare shorter than me, with dark blue fur and flowing blue star mane and tail, black armor hanging from her body, a fierce glare of anger burning in her eyes, the mare standing before me was not Nightmare Moon it was..
"Princess Luna..?" I took a step back in shock.
"What? Surprised even your dreams can be entered Nightmare?" Princess Luna snarled, taking a step forward.
"Y-you? You're the one who's been... But why?" I asked in disbelief unable to form a proper response.
"Oh please! I do not need to explain myself to you!! Is it not you who torments the dreams of ponies all across Equestria?! This is payment for all those poor ponies who've suffered from nightmares made by the fear of you."
"Luna, that wasn't me!! I'm not Nightmare Moon! Please you have to understand I-I... I'm not her!" I was lost for words, all this time, all those nightmares...it was her...
"Even in your dreams you'd lie to me...your not escaping your punishment Nightmare!!" Luna's horn lit and suddenly I was back in the room once more, the girls were standing before me glowing as the elements began to charge the harmony blast.
Gasping I stumbled back in shock just being here abruptly, throwing my hooves up to protect myself "no stop!!" I shouted and flinched away bracing for the pain...but it didn't come...peaking past my hooves I saw the girls...frozen in place "what..?"
Slowly getting back down to all fours I walked towards them all, hesitating every few steps in case they suddenly attacked, but they didn't, they were frozen like statues...I waved my hoof in front of Twilight's determined face, her expression frozen, the others were all the same...they really were frozen...buuut just to be sure, I poked Twilight's muzzle "booop!" I let myself giggle.
Poking her muzzle was actually a lot more fun than I expected, it was so squishy and soft and fuzzy, like a fuzzy marshmallow, so adorable. I won't lie this was a good distraction from tonight's events.
"What is this?!" Luna roared and suddenly the girls washed away in colorful dust, my eyes going wide as I scrambled back from the vaporized mares, horror on my face, good feelings gone!!
"I knew I feared you for a reason!! You've regained your powers...or perhaps now decided to reveal them, it does not matter, I sense you are weaker than before, and I intend to make sure you are punished accordingly...but seeing as you've gained control over this dreamscape...it seems it is time I step it up a notch..." Her words dripped with malicious intent as she lit her horn.
"No no wait Luna wait-" I reached my hoof out before suddenly darkness rushed out from around her and engulfed me.
Groaning I pushed myself to my hooves holding my head with one hoof, looking around I saw the same room, I was back in the raised floor, ugh she reset the dream, okay just gotta grab her again and explain to her I'm not Nightmare Moon.
Strangely however I noticed Twilight was still here and currently frozen like before... strange...Moving to get off my hooves suddenly stopped and moved back into place "what?" I looked down and tried to move my legs but they wouldn't budge, squirming and straining. I felt my body slowly freezing up "wh-what's going on?? Luna!! Luna hel-" my jaws snapped shut and I felt my brow furrow into a glare
I laughed evilly before rearing up on my hind legs and slamming my fore hooves down onto the elements which lay at my hooves, their shattered fragments scatterijg around me 'wh-what?? I didn't do that! I can't control my body!' I thought as my muzzle betrayed me.
The little lavender unicorn in front of me looking distraught "you little fool! Thinking you could defeat me! Now you will never see your princess or your sun, the night will last forever!!" I laugh maliciously as my mane and tail swirl above me against my will, I was acting out the episode against my will.
My laughter is cut short when I heard indistinct shouting coming from down the hall 'no no no'
Twilight gasped before smiling "you think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that?" She turns to me looking far braver than before.
I felt my lips frown as I internally tried to move away, my body refusing however.
"Well you're wrong! Because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right here!" She yelled as the girls rushed in and stood by her.
'Please Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbowdash, anyone help me!!' I cry internally.
The elements shards begin glowing and shaking before floating up around me "what?" I was forced to exclaim as I wanted nothing more than to cry as I was getting closer to what I dreaded.
"Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of honesty" Twilight calls as some shards float to Applejack
'Applejack I'm sorry I called you a bitch!!'
Twilight looks to Fluttershy "Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of kindness" more shards flew to Fluttershy who looked confused and scared at first.
'please Fluttershy d-don't'
"Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of laughter" she looked to Pinkie who excitedly watched shards fly to her.
'I wanna bake another cake, Pinkie...'
"Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift, represents the spirit of generosity" more shards flew through the air and surrounded Rarity.
'i didn't mean to ruin your dresses... '
"And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart's desire, represents the spirit of loyalty" she looked to Rainbow Dash as shards surrounded her "the spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us."
'dash please!! I'm sorry I yelled at you!'
The five mares were circled by the shards floating around them "you still don't have the sixth element, the spark didn't work!" My mouth spoke as I wanted nothing more than to punch myself in the face.
"But it did, a different kind of spark" Twilight turned to the girls "I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you, the spark ignited inside me when I realized you all…" she had tears of happiness in her eyes as she turned back to face me "are my friends!"
Light erupted from above the six ponies as the sixth and final element descended down, my foreleg was held up to shield myself from the light the element cast but to be fair I would have done the same, the light was bright...
"You see, Nightmare Moon, when those elements are ignited by the uh...the spark that resides in us all, it creates the sixth element...the Element of Magic!" Twilight smiled and closed her eyes as the sixth element turned into a white ball of light above her before exploding outward in light, each shard came together forming a necklace on each of the girls necks except for Twilight's which formed a crown on her head, each of the six floated in the air engulfed in the magical energy before a rainbow energy formed above them heading for the ceiling when it abruptly bent down towards me.
My eyes widened as I watched the display, the rainbow energy flew towards me "Noooo!! Nooooooooo!!!!" I was forced to yell as internally I screamed in rage and sorrow from my prison, the rainbow energy circled me, I wanted to thrash and squirm as the energy ripped into my body, my eyes moving against the will looked to spots opposite of what I wanted, the dark coat I've come to know ripping off and burning away revealing a blue coat.
Everything burned as I wanted just to scream out before suddenly it was gone, I felt weight return to me as I hit the floor, while the intense pain was gone, the lingering stinging like a sunburn remained across my whole body, somehow this dream felt like it did the first time I had it...I forgot how used to the pain I'd gotten...
Groaning I slowly wobbled to my hooves nearly falling over but I was able to keep upright, slowly I looked forward...and felt my heart sink, Twilight was standing before me alone, my eyes shot down to my hooves I saw shattered gems lying across the stone "no... No no no..."
My right hoof slowly slid into place before my left followed and I felt my whole body stiffening as muscles tensed and forced me into a pose, I shook my head violently trying to deny what was happened as tears welled up in my eyes, eyes which were forced out of a blink as I forcefully looked to Twilight and began to laugh maniacally, my tears running down my cheeks as everything played out again, my mind across sming within its prison.
Luna smiled softly looking to the orb displaying the dream Nightmare Moon was currently trapped within, the celestial space surrounding her held gently floating orbs of dreams belonging to separate ponies across Equestria.
Suddenly knocking brought Luna out of her dreamscape as it all pulled away to black whisps before she blinked open her eyes from the balcony
"Luna? Might we speak a moment?" Her sister's voice greeted beyond the door
Looking back to her door she couldn't help but raise a brow, her sister bothering her at this time? Walking over Luna opened the door with her magic looking to her confused "sister...What are you doing awake at this time?"
"Yes it is a bit late for me isn't it?" She smiled softly looking around at the dimly lit hall, before her smile fell and she looked to her sister with a gentle expression, one Luna recognized as when Celestia had something serious to talk about "might I come in?"
Luna made no reply and simply stepped aside allowing her taller sister in, she stared at the white mare confused "what is this about Tia?"
"...I wish to talk about Blake..." Celestia turned to her sister.
"You mean Nightmare Moon" Luna replied sternly.
Celestia sighed "we have not discerned that..."
"There is nothing to discern!!" Luna shouted "I know with all my being she is Nightmare Moon, I sense it, that same vile feeling I felt when trapped with her springs forth whenever I am near her.."
Celestia raised a brow "near her?...sister you have not left canterlot since we went to see her that first day Twilight wrote to us..." She squinted at her sister before fear filled her "Luna...what were you doing before I entered..?"
Luna looked away furrowed brow "I was in my dreamscape, dealing with a ponies dream as I do every night."
"Who's dream?" Celestia stressed.
"...a canterlot-" Luna began before a heavy stomp of her sister's hoof quieted her.
"Do not...even attempt to lie to me Luna...I have reviewed every conversation we ever had before I lost you, do not think I have not learned how to tell when you lie..." Celestia said with authority in her voice as she looked down upon who she thought was her adult sister, bur now saw a filly who looked like she was caught with her hoof in the cookie jar.
"I..." Luna took a glance towards Celestia and regretted it immediately, those eyes, fierce, yet caring and maternal, gritting her teeth she closed her eyes inhaling before exhaling "it was Nightmare Moon's...hers was the dream I was in.."
"For how long?" Celestia asked.
"An hour or so" Luna replied, still not meeting her eyes.
"No, for how long have you done this? Beyond this day" Celestia reiterated.
"...since she arrived..." Luna admitted.
"and what dear sister have you done in these dreams, forgive me but your demeanor suggests you've done something we will need to take care of" Celestia said tensely.
"..." Luna remained quiet, damning herself to Celestia's fears.
" We are going to see her, now" Celestia ordered and lit her horn, and before Luna could argue they were fine from the night princess room appearing within the household of the ebony mare, Twilight had painted it far better than it truly was, the room was practically empty, just a bed and dressers...
However her attention was drawn to the mare in question who currently squirmed in her bed making soft whines and groans, she looked to be having a nightmare, a very intense one at that, rage flared in Celestia as she glared towards her sister "make it stop, now."
Luna lit her horn and with a quick motion dismissed the nightmare.
Blake's form suddenly gasped awake with bloodshot eyes, she looked around quickly before chocking in air as her eyes landed on the two mares and she scrambled backwards her back hurting the walk behind her bed as she shook "C-Celestia? L-Luna? Is...Why are you here?"
"Blake calm yourself, we are here to-" Celestia began before the mare suddenly shook her head violently.
"No no no! This isn't real! This is the dream I'm still dream" she breathed heavily looking around in panic before looking at her hooves "I need to wake up" she chomped down onto her ferpock and tore fur away tears rushing down her cheeks before she then began biting into her feathers.
"Blake!!" Celestia rushed over and pulled the mare's muzzle away from herself.
"No!!" Blake screamed and thrashed "let me go!!! Let me out!! Luna?! Please!! Make it stop!! I'm sorry" she screamed in fear as Celestia began to restrain her with her hooves and pull her into a tight hug as she cradled her in the bed, Blake kicking her hind legs tangling the blankets up as she thrashed but her upper body was restrained.
"Shh shh" Celestia let her mane soothingly as she gently rocked the frightened mare.
"I-I'm sorry...I'm sorry" Blake shook as she muttered her words repearirrhem over and over again as her struggling weakened until she lay still in Celestia arms unable to speak any longer and just whimpered.
Celestia nuzzled her head from behind "shh shhh, it is okay...Do not apologize...It is over now...you are going to sleep now-" she tensed as Blake began to struggle again.
"No no no please" she whimpered and tried to get free.
"Shh shh Blake no nightmares, just sleep, I promise you, you will not be harmed, you need to sleep my pony..." Celestia urged gently.
Blake's struggling weakened again as she whimper glancing at Luna before crying softly and pushing her muzzle into Celestia's neck "please don't let her h-hurt me.."
" She won't.. " Celestia promised and looked to her sister "put her to sleep...no nightmares. "
"Tia-" Luna began.
"Now Luna..." Celestia ordered.
Luna held her mouth closed and lit her horn, in a second Blake's form limped as her whimpers became silent.
Celestia slowly moved away using her magic to lay the mare down as she stood beside the bed tucking her in, she stared down at the now sleeping pony silently, watching each gentle twitch her body made in its sleep tensing each time preparing to hold her if she panicked, but when she did not she relaxed.
"...Tia-"
"Why did you do this? Did it make you feel like a powerful pony to reduce somepony to this?" Celestia looked to her sister bitterly.
Luna saw rage she has not in her sisters eyes in years, as well as disappointment, while she felt sad at the look rage filled her as well "I feel nothing but contempt for Nightm-"
Celestia suddenly pounced at her sister slamming her to the walk with her hooves "You will call her by her name! Or so help me I will send you to the moon for another thousand years" she snarled, teeth bared.
Luna's anger was washed away by shock, she threatened her with...banishment "Tia...how could you-?"
Celestia slammed her hoof beside Luna's head "you will call me Celestia, and don't you dare ask how I could after what you did, I did not want you to simply give up your anger with her, but I did not expect you to do this...your actions make me wonder if my sister was ever freed from Nightmare Moon, because tonight...I've seen a side of you I had not since that day..."
Tears welled up in Luna's eyes " n-no ti-Celestia, I am me...I am not that monster"
"And neither is she!!" She dropped down from the wall and walked over to the sleeping Blake "did you forget Twilight Sparkle's letter?? How she told of Blake's aid in freeing that town from Starlight Glimmer's control? You tell me right now if you see this mare as Nightmare Moon, and I want you to think back to seconds before you let her enter a dreamless sleep, I want you to remember her tears, and you tell me that she is Nightmare Moon."
Luna looked from her sister to the mare in the bed, she slowly hesitantly took a step forward, she saw the black coat covering the mare, messy and covered in sweat, her mane the same, her eyes landed on the bleeding hoof with fur torn away revealing bare raw skin, and her wing missing primary feathers, each left on the bed.
Her eyes went to the mares face, she had bags under her eyes, stains from tears on her cheeks...what in Equestria has she done to this mare? "Celestia...what...what have I done..?" Luna looked to her sister, tears running down her muzzle.
"Harmed a pony as you have been harmed, we and Equestria should be thankful your actions have not created a new...worse Nightmare Moon, perhaps we thank her, for bearing it all for so long..." Celestia gently brushed Blake's mane out of her face, she then used a spell to heal her hoof and wing.
"What should I do?" Luna asked desperately.
"you will enter her dream once more, and you will apologize, if she forgives you or not is up to her, and you will live with whatever the decision, after that, you are to relinquish your night duties for a month after tonight, perhaps then you will be capable of treating ponies well again" Celestia ordered looking down at her sister.
Luna nodded silently and lit her horn "I shall try..."
Luna opened her eyes looking around at the void which surrounded her, a space she was nor unused to due to entering many dreamless sleeps in times past.
Looking around, her eyes finally landed upon the owner of the void, Nightmare moons form floated in a fetal position in the air, taking in a deep breath Luna strutted towards her walking across the empty space with nothing beneath her.
As she reached the mare Luna felt that sickly feeling in her gut, that pure hatred for this mare...or rather who this mare reminded her of, she did not know if this was truly Nightmare Moon or not, but she knew what she had done was wrong.
Lighting her horn she casted a spell and within moments the dark mares eyes opened to the teal reptilian eyes, she slowly floated down as awareness returned to her.
Nightmare Moon looked around disoriented rbefore her eyes went wide seeing Luna and she scrambled back "no no get away from Me!!!"
Luna suddenly was blasted backwards as a psychic force struck her, spreading her wings to stop her movement she looked towards the mare shed harmed, in her attempts to punish nightmare she unknowingly returned her power over the dreamscape, her rime entering others dreams taught her once a pony has control over their dream they rivaled even an alicorn in this realm...
Nightmare began to run off into the abyss trying to get as far away as possible.
Luna lit her horn teleporting ahead of her "Night-Blake stop I wish to speak!" She held her hoof out to her.
She flinched away from the hoof "please stop this...I didn't do anything to you..." She shook as she backed away.
"I-I know...What I did to you was wrong...I let my anger control my actions but it is no excuse..." Luna replied, hanging her head "I am sorry for what I've done...I know my actions will forever scar you...and I am sorry for this, you do not need to forgive me, nor do I request it..."
Nightmare was quiet as she shook, back turned to Luna, she looked like she was trying to squeeze herself as close to herself as she could.
Luna lifted a hoof and Nightmare immediately flinched hearing the movement, she sighed heavily "...your dreams will not be tampered with, unless you ask it of me...good night" she closed her eyes lighting her horn as she closed the dream.
Opening her eyes she did not take them off of the sleeping mare "it is done..."
" We shall return to canterlot where you will finish your night under my watch" Celestia ordered sternly.
Luna nodded without argument, she knew she was in the wrong.
Lighting her horn Celestia teleported them both back to the castle in Luna's room, Luna proceeding to the balcony where she sat and went into the dreamscape. Celestia standing behind her watching for any unwanted tampering.
Luna looked around the many dreams which belonged to ponies all over the land, instinctually her eyes landed upon the black one floating a distance away, shaking her head to forget her foolishness she looked for any dreaming pony needing aid, her attention soon landing upon a small yellow earth filly, a Nightmare made from her fears as she ran from the shadow of her fear.
Nearby a orange pegasus and a white unicorn fillies suffered similar dreams, perhaps there was some good she could do for the night…
I'm not sure how long I stayed in my bed, after finding out the pony in my nightmare was actually Luna, and that she was responsible for all my nights of suffering, followed by being forced to experience a looping nightmare of Nightmare Moons defeat. I lost count after the sixth time, but I know it continued more, I soon realized waking allowed the pain of the dream to fade, but trapped in the dream the pain only stacked, the only moments to recover where when my body was forced to act out the moments from the episode.
Each sore muscle, broken bone forced to move in excruciating pain, while neither were truly there with a fully healed body, the pain remained, eachoes of it seared into my body as it happened over and over again, my mind breaking as my bodies freedom was restricted and forced to move against my will.
And then finally it was over, I wooke but found Celestia and Luna themselves in my room... everything was a blur after that, I remember being in someone's arms...it reminded me of my mother's, or maybe just a motherly hold. In the end I blacked out, I felt nothing but peace till she returned...Luna.
I could only feel panic as I can through a dark void but like any nightmare I couldn't escape, she spoke to me, admitting to what she did and how it was wrong, and apologizing, I still don't know if I believe or forigive her. I did believe she did it all, just I don't know if I believe she actually was sorry...
After that I was slsoowed back into the emptyness thoughtless space, some point I woke, and for the first time in a long time I felt rested, but my mind was still a mess, my body felt recovered, just everything in my head felt worse off. Part of me wondered if I actually was out of the nightmare, there were moments where id blink and fear if open my eyes ro that room in the old castle...but it never came.
Not sure how long I just laid in bed, I feel like I remembered the sky turning dark and then light a couple times, if those were clouds or not I couldn't tell, my curtains drawn and with me having no energy to check I just remained there, going in and out of dreamless sleep. I did note when the girls came by, I assumed they'd ask what was wrong however...they didn't... They asked if I needed anything, if I felt like walking, if I felt like eating, talking, etcetera...
My guess was Celestia told Twilight what happened or at least I was in a bad spot, she then must have told the others, I was thankful they all were gentle with me, talking, never forcing me to do anything.
Yet...I never responded, not with a voice, and barely with a head movement, when Fluttershy asked if I was okay and her hoof touched my exposed hoof I pulled it away back under the blanket, fese for the girls returned to me after such a long time of getting over it...all the work for nothing.
Pinkie attempted to cheer me up with jokes, I wanted to smile...I did...But I just couldn't...my mind was tired, but not for sleep, I think I was just tired of thinking, experience things...
When Dash asked if I wanted to go flying to clear my head, I thought for s moment, thinking of the sky, I loved flying...a childhood dream come true...but the thought of the wings I was forced to have tainted that dream, with a somber shake of my head Dash backed off, she looked disappointed if not just because her attempt to make me feel better failed...I liked dash, she was nice to me, kind of like a big sister, never had one though so I just had to go off feeling...
Next came Applejack, she didn't ask me anything or offer to do anything, she simply sat with me in silence, she chose the route of waiting to see if id say anything in the quiet. I didn't dislike her approach, it actually was comforting in a way like the others, the silence and company even if a bit unwanted was nice.
Rarity chose to talk about Sweetie Belle and work, telling how her younger sister got into all kinds of trouble with the rest of the cmc, work involved orders for dresses, and now jer sowijg machine ended up breaking, it did take my mind off my thoughts for a moment, but after a while those thoughts returned and I shuffled in deeper on myself.
Finally Twilight took her turn, she read to me, a couple different books, some about magic and promises to teach me spells within, as well as fictional stories, it was one of the Daring Do books, id forgotten Dash and Fluttershy had gifted me a volume, it was somewhere in my house...with the rest of the gifts they'd all gotten me...
I'm not sure when they left, nor when they returned, possibly the same day, maybe another, some trying again, others just keeping nesr in case I came out of this, after a while I looked up from the mattresses my head rested on and saw small shadows gently falling past the window, staring s moment, mind slow to process what it could be, I finally lifted myself from the bed and climbed out dragging the blanket over my body like a cloak.
Pulling the curtain away I peered out the window and felt myself breathe in sharply a moment. It was snowing...was it that close to winter? I didn't even know, I watched a few snow flakes drift down and land on the windowsill outside, joining the small pile already there, slowly I turned says and moved our of my room and done before I exited my house entering the cold white expanse of winter scape Ponyville.
Each breath which left me came out in puffs of white vapor clouds, blinking at the puff which drifted and dispersed above I blew out another, before popping my lips making a small puff, a small smile crossing my face.
A snow flakes gently landed upon my muzzle redirecting my attention up as I stared up into the fall fuzzy blanket overhead, I saw so many smoke flakes fall but at a distance it was just grey clouds above. I loved the sound and smell of rain, but watching snow fall had captured my heart long ago on earth, seeing such gentle movements in silence as they fell, it felt... impossible in a way, that something so gentle her vast could be made in clouds.
"Blake??" A surprised female voice spoke.
My head turned down gently towards the voice and I saw the fashionista mare Rarity standing a couple feet away wearing a white furry cylindrical hat, much like a British guards, on its side three diamonds similar to Rarity's cutie marks, around her neck a furry collar hung, and upon her feet where fur cuffed boots, and a bag which had been floating in her magical grasp before she'd dropped it to her side. after looking her attire over I lifted a hoof and gently waved.
She stood in shock before shaking her head and hurrying over only to stop and then continue slower "Darling...it's dreadfully cold out, surely you have more then your blanket?"
I gently shook my head.
"Right well, let's go back-" she paused looking at the house and was quiet a moment, an expression of worry going across her face before she looked back to me and gently smiled "to the boutique? I'll make you something to help in this chilly weather."
I hesitated a moment, thinking back to when she had me try makeup, and my freakout which followed...
Rarity apparently noticed as she spoke up "I promise I won't have you try anything you don't want to, Pinkie promise " she raised a hoof smiling.
Looking at her then her hoof, and back to her a small smile spread on my lips and I nodded "okay..." My voice softly left my lips barely above a whisper, I sounded a bit no pun intended, hoarse.
Rarity smiled s bit wider and began leading me through the snow back to the boutique, upon entering she lesd me to a sitting spot as she let me warm up although I wasn't there cold really, she returned eirh s few things as she began to carefully measure me, every few moments backing off and asking if she could continue which I would nod to give approval.
I spent most of the time looking out the nearby window ro watch the snow, not sure how much time passed but Rarity gently called for my attention as she presented the winter clothing, my eyes widening as she showed a mannequin wearing black leg length felt boots, and a black hooded small cloak with a purple underside.
Slowly I walked up to it looking over the clothing, Rarity standing nearby anxiously looking between me and her work, I raised my hoof gently feeling the fabric, it felt so soft...I looked to the small mare and her anxiousness grew.
"Is...is it not good? I'm sorry, I didn't want to disturb you while I was designing it, so I just went with something that marched your fur and was simple so it isn't too gaudy, as well as making sure it wasn't extremely feminine, perhaps I went roo simple though, and it could be less feminine too.." Rarity worried before suddenly I put my hoof on her shoulder making her look at me.
I smiled " no it's...it's incredible Rarity, I love it"
Rarity smiled tears welling up in her eyes before she quickly wiped them away "shall I help you into it?"
I nodded and let the blanket id been wearing drop as she mahiced the clothing off the mannequin as I lifted each hoof for the boots to pull up and ducked my head for the hooded cloak, walking over to the nearby mirrors I looked at myself, the cloth was just s shade lighter than my fur so it was more noticeable but it blended so well, and the hood felt so comforting over my head, no restriction to my pony eses as well.
Smiling I looked to Rarity "thank you Rarity, how much do I owe you?"
"Oh please darling, this is free, we're friends...I'd never force you to pay" Rarity waved her hoof smiling.
I blinked but didn't argue, id find a way to repay her, instead I decided to change subject "so...where are the girls?"
" Oh well let's go find them I'm sure they're at Twilights" Rarity smiled "oh um we can go see if you wish, o-or um...go back to your house to chsr, or or just sit if that's what you want. "
"we can go see them" I replied and she nodded walking to the door holding it open for me as I stepped out and felt the warmth of the outfit help with the little cold I had previously felt, it was nice though and I smiled as I looked to Rarity who began leading me down the road, following with her I enjoyed the crunching of snow beneath my booted hooves, gently puffing out vapor as I walked smiling all the way.
"Alright once Rarity is back we can go check in Rainbowdash, she really isn't taking Tanks hibernation well" Twilight said looking to her three friends sitting around the cutie map, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Applejack nodding in agreement.
The doors suddenly opened and Rarity trotted "Giiiirls!" She greeted happily as she stepped in. The three smiling before gasping ss following behind was a mare they hadn't seen their house in days!
Blake stepped in looking around before looking at them and smiled waving her hoof gently "hi" she walked over to the map wearing a dark hooded cloak and boots.
Pinkie jumped out of the sest towards Blake only for Applejack to catch her tank making her stretching forward before rubber band back "don't get overexcited Pinkie, take it slow with her remember??" She whispered.
"Ohhh right" pinkie nodded and walked over to Blake "hey Blakey, how are you doing?"
"Hm?" Blake asked mid poking at a hologram mountain on the table "oh...snows nice" she smiled.
Twilight walked to Rarity "Rarity, how did you get her to come out of her-er his house??" She mentally chided herself for forgetting Blake's pronouns beiffe continuing "We've been trying for days! What worked??" She whispered while trying to hold back a joyful smile at seeing Blake up and about.
"I didn't do anything darling, I was going to visit him like I said earlier and then there he was outside! I was about to call him inside to get out of the coodbut then panicked he may go right back to bed, so I offered to make him some winter clothes and he agreed! He even let me help him put it on!" Rarity explained and smiled looking to Blake and the new outfit " I'm happy to say shew cured Twilight."
Twilight smiled before frowning "I...don't know Rarity, he might be up but...he doesn't seem to be recovered... remember what Celestia said, the nightmares really really hurt him, he was showing symptoms of depression, It was getting to the point that we may have needed to take her to a hospital, now though she-he is up but he's disoriented, quiet...I've read about this, up days in depression where they aren't feeling so sad, it might not last. "
" What? For how long?? " Rarity asked frowninf and looking sadly towards Blakw, she was happy she was finally up.
"I don't know, could be just and hour or just the day, maybe even a week, or it could just be gone, but Blake is in a fragile state, anything could send him spiraling..." Twilight frowned before taking a deep breath in "we just need to be there for him, try and keep him from getting worked up."
"It's the least we can do for now we've treated him..." Rarity replied somberly.
Twilight remembered when Celestia appeared at the castle and told her to assemble her friends, and then told them of Blake's state.
~Days Ago~
"She...she was harming herself..?" Twilight said horrified, similar looks across her fiends faces.
Celestia nodded softly "yes...nightmares have plagued her mind since coming here, to the point she's avoided sleep, last night she attempted to confront this and it only got worse...when she awoke she began to hurt herself believing it to be another dream, I was able to stop her but I fesr the dmasge ro her mind might be far worse than the physical injuries she has. "
"What can we do?" Twilight asked.
" Maybw Luna can help! She's good with dreams, this should be a cake walk for he-" Rainbowdash smiled as she spoke before Celestia cur her off.
"No!" Celestia shouted but paused as the ponies around her flinched, taking a deep breath in she calmed herself "Luna is...taking a break from dream walking, recent events transpired resulting in a much needed break, for the safety of ponies...and herself. "
"So then what do we do?" Rainbowdash asked.
"be there for Blake, ensure she doesn't haem herself by showing you all care for her, you are her friends, and I am certain at this point she's proven she is far from the Nightmare Moon we know, whether she is a new being, or a reformation of the old, we must accept Blake as she is...much like we accept Discord." Celestia stared.
" Of course Celestia, we'll do everything we can, as her friends" Twilight replied looking to her friends who all agreed.
Celestia nodded "thank you all, I must return to canterlot but if she indeed becomes to unstable, send a letter to me and I shall aid as best I can."
Twilight nodded slowly blinking as her memories faded, she looked towards Blake and our on a smile walking over "so Blake anything you'd like to do today?"
Blake blinked thinking a moment "well...maybe Dash and I could go flying...my wings ache a bit from laying down so long...where is she anyway?" He looked around for the cyan mare.
Twilight's eyes widened remembering their other friend who was currently not in there nes for moods "oh yes, um well she's home dealing with....uhh" she was red sure what to say, if she said Rainbowdash was sad because tank was going to hibernate it could domino effect and make Blake sad too.
"Tank going into" " Pinkie squinted looking sound before putting her hooves by her mouhr and whispered " hibernation.."
"Pinkie! " Twilight yelled in panic.
"what?? " Pinkie looked confused " I whispered so dash wouldn't hear!"
"Tank?" Blake asked.
"He's her pet tortoise" Fluttershy said.
"Tortoise?" Blake responded before giggled softly "fastest pony has slowest pet."
Twilight chuckled softly "yes we all did find that funny when she picked him" she glanced at her friends "well, we were going to go see how she's doing, but I'm sure one of us could stay here and keep you company, since I'm sir you don't want to tag along."
"I don't mind" Blake smiled.
Twilight blinked "are you..." She paused thinking if she forced Blake to stay even for her own good, it could also make him sad, it was really a lose lose situation, sighing internally she smiled "sure! Let's go girls..."
The girls exchanged worried looks as they grouped together and Twilight teleported them all to Rainbowdashes house.
I blinked my wide eyes as I stared up at the huge house which belonged to Rainbowdash, either I missed something and all pegasus get mansions, or Rainbowdash is rich because none of her friends have houses like this! Well... Twilight did I suppose, I keep forgetting to ask about that, what happened to her free house library? And where did her castle come from?
Glancing over to the glimmering rainbow waterfalls another thought came to me...want do raindows feel like? Especially liquid ones? Or were they still light and just looked like liquid...could one taste a raindows..?
Taste the rainbow mother fu-
"Blake are you coming?" Twilight asked in the doorway as the others had already went in but paused looking back.
"Oh yes sorry, thinking about raindows" I trotted after them journeying through the cloud mansion and up the stairs, it was so interesting, while I should be falling through cause it's clouds and it shoulder be freezing, it felt like a normal house, and the stairs were like any stairs, a bit spunge like carpeted stairs.
The girls stopped and entered a hallway with me following behind as they gathered st a door, pinkie going past towards a wall making me raise a brow as Fluttershy opened the door and looked inside before entering with Rarity, Applejack, Twilight, and myself following behind.
Pinkie trotted through the wall knocking some clouds loose which quickly reformed to an intact wall "🎶knock knock! 🎶" She greeted with a sing song voice.
Looking to the bed in the cloud room my eyes landed on the number one flyer lying in bed wearing a purple robe, on her hind hooves were turtle slippers, and her front left arm was wrapped over a tortoise wearing a blue cloud themed robe and Rainbowdash slippers, she looked quite the opposite of the adventurous mare I'd come to know and we'll respect really...
The girls trotting up to the bed, Fluttershy smiled sympathetically with the girls mirroring it "how are you feeling Rainbowdash?"
"Whatever..." Rainbowdash replied in a broken voice.
My ears falling backwards as I felt my heart clench hearing her voice in that state. Her lying in bed like this, depressed...it...it was just like I was...
Rarity walked over to Twilight frowning "The poor thing looks so sad! Just what are we doing to do?"
"I don't know what we can do." Twilight frowned too.
Applejack walked to the side of the bed purring a soft smile on "Buck up, Sugarcube, You just ain't yourself these days."
"Whatever..." Rainbowdash repeated despondently.
"Uh, how can I say this tactfully...? You've lost your sparkle, Rainbow Dash." Rarity said hesitantly at first.
"I hate to say this, but, well..." Pinkie began looking like she was about to deliver heartbreaking news as she covered her mount with her hooves before she moved close to the bed and whispered "you've become..."A party pooper!" Rainbow Dash frowned lifting her head to look at them "Didn't you hear me? I said 'whatever', I don't know if you're here to cheer me up or what, but I'm fine." Shed sat up to speak to them before turning away again and lied down with more annoyance in her voice.
I couldn't help but feel the same annoyance, how could they all just...Just tell her to feel better?? She was obviously depressed and their answer to it was just her over it?!
"Let me handle this." Fluttershy walked to Dash eyes closed "Rainbow Dash, your winter is going to be pet-less." She stated matter of factly.
Rainbowdash's ears sprung up and she sat up looking to Fluttershy staring before her eyes teared up and her lip quivered and hooves pulling up to her chest until she burst out sobbing, picking Tank up looking at him as she took in a couple gasps before sobbing more huffing the tortious
"Whatever did you do that for?!" Rarity asked from behind Twilight.
"Because she'll never get past this until she lets it all out." Fluttershy said in my opinion remorselessly.
I looked between Fluttershy and the still sobbing Raindowdash feeling my heart cracking and breaking more and more.
Twilight looked to Applejack and lit her horn before pushing the orange mare forward, said mare looking back with furrowed brows, Twilight just waving her to Dash.
Applejack looks back towards Dash and walking over "Uh... it's okay. Tank'll come back in a few months."" She said awkwardly obviously not used to dealing with a pony in this state.
Rainbowdash opened her eyes wide "Months?!" She cried out "I don't want him to go!" She sobbed kicking her hind legs.
Applejack looked uncomfortable before petting Dawn "Alright, alright, There, there." She moved to Fluttershy putting her hoof to the side of her muzzle to quiet herself as she whispered "Nice going, Fluttershy, How do we get her to stop?"
" She's got to be about done by now. Can't be too much left in there." Fluttershy whispered back.
I turned the two mares out as realization hit me, they said Tank was hibernating but I was now understanding that if this were an episode this would be a metaphor for loosing a pet and how to deal with those emotions...
Rainbowdash sniffled and wiped her nose as she stopped crying, Fluttershy walking over to her and getting up on the bed to sit by her
"Feeling better?" Fluttershy asked.
Rainbowdash sniffled and nodded "Uh-huh..." She then teared up before resuming her sobbing.
Fluttershy teared up "Oh, you poor, poor thing..." She then began crying and hugged dash.
Rarity's eyes steamed up "I can't bear to see Fluttershy cry!" She began walking over to the two crying mares.
Pinkie Pie teared up as well as she walked over "It's just heart-wrenching!"
Applejack tilted her hat to hide her eyes.
Twilight looked to her "You too?!"
Applejack lifted her her back up fine now "Nope, I'm good."
"Oh Jesus" I growled as my horn lit up and grabbed the three mares pulling them off Raindowdash and pushed them to Twilight and Applejack before walking over.
Twilight looked wide eyed "Blake...you just-"
"Shh!" I shushed and walked to the side of the bed "...Dash...I.." I took a deep breath in and let it out "I know...how hard it is to...to say goodbye, back home...I lost my pet cat because he got sick...and..." I stared down at the bed not really rounding on it but rather in as my thoughts went back to that moment, sitting in the privacy room as I held my cat in my arms "I-I had to say goodbye to him that day...it still hurts to think about that day...and it will...for a long time...but I still smile when I think about him because I remember the happy times we had together..."
I climbed onto the bed lying beside Dash "I know...it's not the same, not saying it is, but I know your strong, and I know...even if it will hurt...you need to do it...for both you and Tank, and...Tank will be okay, because he learned to be tough just like you" I smiled softly as I held back tears in my eyes, wrapping my wing around her.
Rainbowdash sniffled looking to me staring into my eyes for a moment before she wiped her nose calming down while tears gently ran down her cheeks "It's alright, Blake, It's alright."
The girls smiled as they calmed down as well, Applejack walking up to Twilight whispering "You think she's done or just getting a third wind?"
"I don't know..." Twilight said to Applejack before looking towards dash "Rainbowdash? Are you okay?"
Rainbowdash set Tank down and I moved off the bed as she got up and stood sniffling taking in choked breaths "I think so." She smiled softly "I feel better, Really, I do, Thanks, everypony, I don't know what I'd do without you." Her smile began to quiver as tears returned to her eyes, she looked back towards Tank who crawled to her on the bed, her smiling falling as her voice broke more "Or him..." She sniffled "Oh, Tank... I'm sure gonna miss you." She crouched down in her knees putting her hooves in the edge of the bed as she looked at Tank.
The tortious slowly putting his foot on her hoof as they touched heads.
I looked up at the ceiling taking in a shaky breath, Dash didn't need someone else crying in her time if need, right now it was her time to cry.
We all stood back in the ground as we each were adorned in winter gear, Applejack stood by a pile of snowballs.
"Well, guess we're starting winter with a bang." Twilight remarked.
Applejack muffled a snow ball on her hoof before sliding it into the air "The fun's come early! Yee-haw!"
Pinkie dodged the oncoming snow ball by falling backwards into the snow and began making a snow angel "You think we could mess up winter every year? It's way less work!"
"Uh, I don't think Rainbowdash could handle it." Twilight smiled softly looking to Pinkie and then to the approaching Raindowdash.
"Riding that entire season from Cloudsdale to Ponyville was pretty awesome." Dash said smiling as she walked up Tank cradled in her saddlebags.
Tank yawning and stretching.
"I thought you guys might like to say goodbye to Tank, He's ready to hibernate." Rainbowdash added.
" Ooh, you're using the word! Oh, she's using the word!" Pinkie cheered and hurried over to Rainbowdash "and when Tank finishes hibernating, I'm gonna throw him the biggest welcome home party ever! Or wait. Should it be a 'welcome above ground' party? Or a 'happy wake-up' party? Maybe an 'it's about time!' party!"
Rarity walked over "And I'll design him a very special suit just for the occasion, whichever one it ends up being."
"I'm glad you're feelin' a little better, Rainbow Dash." Applejack smiled.
"Yeah, me too." Dash smiled walking to a snowbank and dug into it till she got to dirt below. Tank crawling over slowly and pushing himself into the dirt before smiling up at Dash "So, you really wanna do this hibernating thing, huh?"
Tank nodded smiling.
"Goodbye, Tank." Rarity said.
"Happy winter." Fluttershy replied.
"See you later, little feller." Applejack said.
"Have a good sleep, Tank!" Pinkie waved.
"Goodbye, Tank! We'll miss you!" Twilight smiled.
"Cya bud" I softly smiled
Tank pulled dirt and snow up burying himself.
Raindowdash teared up slightly but held strong.
Twilight walked up to dash putting her hoof to her shoulder comforting her "Well? Ready for some winter fun?"
"Uh, I'm gonna hang here and read to him a bit. That little guy can never get to sleep without a bedtime story." Rainbowdash walked over and sat down beside the door spike was buried as she pulled a book out from her saddlebags "I'll be right there."
Twilight smiled and turned following her friends away.
I followed after glancing back at Dash "she's a tough girl, she'll be alright."
Twilight nodded "since your feeling better, maybe we could talk about you doing magic back at Raindowdash's"
"I did?" I asked before suddenly remembering "I did!! I-I just did it without thinking!"
"That's usually how magic works sometimes, we can try as hard as we want but when we just go with instincts it usually works."
"Wow!" I felt so excited, first flight now magic?? "think we can get started on magic lessons again? I think I'm ready now."
"Sounds good to me, but let's enjoy this winter for a bit before we start" Twilight smiled.
I nodded as I followed her to the others 'maybe things wouldn't be so bad?'
I groaned lying in bed "pleeeeasse kiiiilll meeee" I begged reaching my shaky hoof out.
"Oh Blake please" Twilight huffed touching her hoof to my horn which currently was red at the tip "it's just horn allergy" she tucked me in a bit.
"Ugh I've never had allergies before I became a pony...such weakness" I groaned, my nose stuffed giving my voice an off sound to it.
After winter had wrapped up I'd almost immediately gotten sick, I at first thought it was just a cold but I have never been hit by a cold like this, usually just sniffles and coughs, but this was more like the cartoonish cold where you get bedridden and disoriented like you'd see in a cartoon, made sense cause this was a cartoon world...or cartoon adjacent.
Normally I'm used to clogged noses when I get a cold, now I had a clogged nose and horn, I don't even understand how that works! I can snort my nose clear for a second like I usually do, but my horn?? Now that I was lost on, picture it like those nights where you can't breathe through one nostril cause it's clogged and you try to clear by blow or snorting, now make that a big frickin unicorn horn in your forehead with no way to snort or blow it, that's my hell.
Of course me, the untrained magic horse, would get probably one of the worst magical flu's, I grumbled and wiped my nose with my arm "so doc, what's the damage? Am I dying?"
Twilight huffed "no Blake you're not dying like I said before, from what I can seeing as it's all the same symptoms, you have Alicorn Ailment."
" Oh is that it? Well thank goodness, for a second I thought it was something I knew about" I grumbled with a stuffy nose, as I rolled my eyes.
She huffed "it's like a allergy, or the cold, but focused on alicorn magic, from my understanding in what little there is written of it, it's caused by lack of use of alicorn magic, I got it not long after I became an alicorn, and seeing as you've struggled with your magic, it only make sense that said magic would build up to the point of the the Alicorn Ailment."
" Ugh...awesome...another thing I gotta deal with now, you know magic ain't all it's chalked up to be Twi, I thought Alicorns were like gods or something, but we can still get sick??" I huffed crossing my arms "what else do I gotta worry about?" I asked sarcastically.
"Well, there is a time of month where mares have to deal with-" Twilight began before I leapt from the bed pushing my hooves to her snout.
"No no no! I am not hearing you say those words! That doesn't exist in this world!! Pony's don't get red visitors!!" I shouted in desperation as my ears were firmly pinned back.
Twilight raised a brow and used her magic to lower my hooves "red visitor? I was referring to Estrus."
"Esta who's it?" I asked, confused.
"The time of month when a mare feels overly affectionate and wishes to find a special somepony to snuggle and hug?" Twilight replied looking at Blake confused "your world seriously didn't have Estrus? Instead a red pony shows up?"
"I...Not a pony...Wait wait wait" processing what Twilight said I searched through my mind vault, I recognized the word now, but Twilights explanation sounded off...instead of horny it sounded like pony just get cuddly "you ponies are weird, months were you get more cuddly, thought for a moment I was gonna be going out trying to bang someone."
Twilight blushed brightly "i-is that the red visitor??"
"Twilight stop thinking about the red visitor, it is not important" I huffed.
"Well...If you wish to b-bang...somepony, during that time I'd suggest doing it safely" Twilight said and lit her horn making a box appear, a box with books, pamphlets, and-nope!
"Nope Twilight, that's it, we're not talking about that!!! I already know!! I do not need the talk!!" I yelled in desperation.
Twilight blinked "you...sure? It's not so bad, plus these books are really informative, I don't mind explaining-"
"Twilight either stop now...or I sneeze on you...and your books" I threatened.
Twilight's eyes widened "...alright...but I'll leave these here" she pushed the box by the bed with her magic.
I huffed "fine" I used my hoof to push it under the bed "but I ain't readin it"
"It's your choice, but back to the alicorn ailment, Zecora has an antidote which I can go get now, so just remain in bed and it should all be fine" Twilight smiled and lit her horn before disappearing in a purple flash.
"Well I was planning on going on a job through the everfree..." I muttered sarcastically to myself before jumping when Twilight appeared in the room.
"Okay so...Zecora is out of the antidote, she's going to go collect the ingredients to make a new batch, but until then we just have to tough it out" Twilight smiled nervously.
"Okay... shouldn't be to ba...ah...ah.." I winced and scrunched my nose up as I felt the horrible tickling of a sneeze running up my nose. Twilight's eyes widened and lit her horn up, putting a shield up.
"ACHOOO!!! " my voice boomed out in the canterlot voice as my horn fired off magic blasting Twilight backwards breaking through her shield, I groaned softly and shook my head from the sneeze before looking towards Twilight worried "oh god, Twilight I'm sorry! I don't know what happened!"
Twilight picked herself up off the ground wobbling "it's okay...part of the ailment is your magic will spontaneously cast spells when you sneeze" she shook her head and blinked a couple times "Pinkie? When did you get here? And where's Blake?" She looked around confused.
I looked for the pink mare in question but didn't see her anywhere "I don't see Pinkie...and I'm right here Twilight" I pointed to myself and sniffled my runny nose.
Twilight looked at me "Pinkie...you can do a Blake impression?"
"...Twilight, I am Blake..."
Twilight squinted and rubbed her eyes before looking at me again before groaning "that spell you accidentally casted is making me see you as Pinkie Pie" she said slightly annoyed.
" What?? That's a spell??"
" Well...I imagine there's one similar to it, but the ailment makes you cast random magic, very close to discord's chaos magic" Twilight explained.
"So I'll be making everyone I sneeze on see me as Pinkie?" I asked.
"No necessarily, it will make you cast a multitude of random spells, ranging from simple levitation to possibly even transmogrification and-...this is so strange to explain to Pinkie, I'm half expecting you to bounce around excitedly asking me questions but instead your just sitting still not even smiling..." Twilight said, staring at me debating if this was a joke by Pinkie or not most likely.
"Hopefully that'll help you separate me from the real Pinkie when she inevitably shows up, probably already working on a sick day party" I replied with a roll of the eyes and a soft smile.
"Pinkie usually knows when ro hood back on a pony when they're under the weather" Twilight replied smiling.
"Ohhh I have to remember to say something like that when Raindowdash is sick, pegasus pun" I chuckled trying to think of a rewording of the joke to work.
Twilight squinted "you're sure you're not Pinkie and you and Blake didn't just make this all an elaborate prank?"
I groaned heavily "nooo Twiliiiiiight!"
She sighed, closing her eyes and then opening them "okay, I'm going to go check and see if I can help Zecora with the potion, you stay here and rest and hopefully in just a few minutes will be back with the finished potion to cure you."
I gave a thumbs up "sounds good to me, Twi."
Twilight stared at me confused " is...Something wrong with your hoof?"
"What?" I blinked and then looked at my raised hoof, right...no thumbs "oh it was a thumbs up...but I have hooves."
"Oh! That's a gesture in your world too?" Twilight asked with interest.
"Wait, there are thumbs up in Equestria?" I asked surprised.
" Well with Spike and other creatures with hands yes, but in another world I visited it has that same gesture" Twilight smiled.
"Woah wait what other world??" I sat up in bed only to then groan and wobble holding a hoof to my head as the entire room spun, I was suddenly hit with dizziness.
Twilight looked worried and hurried over pushing me gently back down to a lying position with her hoof "oh Blake, you need to be more careful, this illness while mostly affecting your magic still ravages the body."
"Noticed that..." I groaned as I laid back, closing my eyes and taking in a deep breath through my nose, as best I could with it clogged and exhaled it out my mouth stifling a cough.
"Alright, I'll get going, stay here, and try to rest Blake" Twilight said lighting her horn before pausing "oh, I almost forgot but I thought about it yesterday and I realized when I gave you those documents for the house I never specified what they were, I don't know if legal documents are different between our worlds, you signed your full name correct? Blake isn't a nickname nor shortened is it?"
"No Blake's my first name, but um...I may have forgotten to write my last name...the document only said name, not firer and last name...or middle" I muttered nervously, was I living in a house that didn't actually belong to me??
"Oh that's fine, last names are rarer in Equestria, I'm guessing not so much on...uh Earth?" Twilight said obviously having forgotten the name of my home world at the moment.
I nodded with a smirk "yeah earth is correct, and yeah everybody has a last name there, I do too just mines pretty common."
"It is? What is it then?" Twilight asked curiously.
"Smith" I replied, never liked my last name, it was one of the most common last names, and there were waaaay cooler ones 'oof my Raindowdash is showing...'
"Smith? Hm Applejack's grandma is named Granny Smith, and I see you as Pinkie right now... And their families are distantly related... interesting" Twilight rubbed her chin thinking.
"Twilight, potion" I reminded.
"Oh, yes! I'll go then, be back soon Blake!" She poofed away in a purple flash.
I sighed softly closing my eyes, I felt cruddy but at least it would be over before the days over, cartoon logic ruled, no more weeks worth of having the cold...er alicorn illness, now just barely a day, then again the only difference between today and any other day for me was I felt sick.
I did pretty much the same everyday...I really needed to find something to do while I loved here in Equestria, a job or hobby...but what would I be good at? Jobs were centered around a ponies talent, and from what Starlight Glimmers spell proved, I don't have one, or at least my mark didn't represent my talents.
Ugh if i'd known i'd eventually need to have my life centered around my special talents or have tried to focus on just one thing, I liked drawing, watching anime and movies, but not much else...maybe I could go into animation? Did Equestria have cartoons...wait scratch that I can't draw with my hooves, maybe if I can figure this horn out I could try drawing again.
And I needed to tell the girls about the Luna thing..hiding it from them wouldn't be good, they've been worried about me since I basically shut down..but how do I tell them something like that? One of their ruling royalty was haunting my dreams making my nights living hells? Would they even believe me? What if I told them and they thought I was ly-
"Ah...Ahh...ACHOOO!!!" My voice rang out in the canterlot tone as I felt my horn flare with a increase in heat, groaning I rubbed my muzzle and blinked my eyes open finding...not my room...
Green walls and a country themed decor surrounded me, somehow familiar yet it definitely wasn't my room...and not my bed...oh crud my sneeze teleported me 'ugh okay don't panic, you just appeared in another ponies bed, just explain yourself and hopefully your not made Ponyville pervert.'
My ears swiveled to the door on my left as it opened and I froze in place coughing the blanket up to my chest.
"Hold on Granny Smith, ah just gotta grab something from mah roo-" Applejack said walking into the room and freezing as we made eye contact.
"Um...howdy" I said now realizing who's room this was, probably the worst room to end up in if I'm to be honest.
Applejack's face showed a variety of emotions, ranging from confusion, fear, before settling back on anger, as her mount opened I suddenly spoke up.
"Now I know what your going to say, and-" my nose twitched making my eyes widened before I choked in air "ah ah ah ahahahACHOOO!!!" I sneezed and my horn heated up firing off magic sending me flying back and smashing through the window outside what I found to be a two story house as I hit the ground below rolling a couple feet into a upright sitting position blinking a couple times, glancing to my right I found a shocked Big Mac in the middle of unlatching himself from a cart.
I stared at him "oh hello, I was just in your sister's bed-ROOM!" I quickly added in panic, good lord this cold was messing me up.
Big Mac blushed brightly.
Speaking of the orange earth pony...I fearfully looked towards the window of the room, I really really hoped I didn't shoot Applejack with that spell, I didn't need to have two ponies mistaking me with another pony, I'd just gotten them to realize I'm not Nightmare Moon.
"Sit here Mac" I spread my wings and flew up to the window, my flight however dipping up and down as I wobbled in the air unsteadily, shaking the dizziness from my head I regretted it immediately as it didn't relieve the dizziness and only added a headache, landing in the room my back hooves missed at first slipping before I stepped in "uhhh Applejack..?"
Scanning the room I spotted the far side was a mess from someone being thrown that way, the dresser there was totaled with an orange shape lying in the splintered wood "oh no no no!" I rushed over and pulled the wood away "Applejack are you okay?? Oh god please i-i didn't mean to i-" I killed her...I killed Applejack, I was a monster, the apple family, the girls...I ruined all their lives.
As tears formed in my eyes I suddenly heard a groan making me gasp as joy replaced the devastation "Applejack!! Your alive!!"
"Nghh course immalive...course yer little magic sneeze sure tried..." Applejack groaned, or at least I think it was her...Since that voice was...deep....
"Oh buck..." I whimpered looking at the pony before me.
The orange shape sat up, rubbing their head and adjusting their hat, uncovering their face making me gasp, they raised a brow looking at my shock confused "what?" Applejack asked.
"Uhhh..." I looked about before picking up a large piece of the broken mirror on the floor and raised it up shakily "weeeeelllllll."
Applejack gasped in horror as her eyes went wide, as in the mirror she saw or rather he saw a orange stallion not to different in appearance to her brother, his emerald eyes stared in shock at the masculine reflection "wh-what in tarnation...Happened to me?!?"
" Funny story, I have Alicorn illness, and well I guess I made you a stallion..." I chuckled nervously though a bit of venom struck me as I couldn't help but feel jealousy boil in me, of course Applejack gets hit by the male transformation magic, not me! Damn magic land.
Rage ignited in Applejack's eyes as he thrusted his hoof forwards striking the mirror causing it to shatter and fall revealing his anger glared at me "Blaaaaake!!" He growled.
"I didn't mean too!!" I cried stumbling backwards when I slipped on a piece of the dresser landing on my flanks.
Applejack stomped forward after me before he pushed his hoof into my chest pushing me back further "if y'all don't fix this this second I'm gonna-"
"Applejack, B-blake, y'all goo-" Big Mac's voice rang from the hall as he appeared in the doorway, eyes going wide, his blush deepening.
Applejack and I blinked towards the stallion, then each other as we found ourselves in a position which currently didn't look great with me on my back and Applejack as a stallion atop me on hoof on my chest, and my back legs spread since his were between mine.
A deep blush spread across our faces and we quickly looked to the stallion "it's not what it looks like!!" We both shouted.
Big Mac looked like his brain fried as he stared in shock frozen.
Applejack returned to glaring at me now however with a deep blush on his muzzle "you are so dead."
"I didn't mean to make it look like we bang!" I cried before my nose twitched again "oh no-ACHOO!!" I felt myself but the ground strangely even though I was already on it, opening my eyes the angry new stallion and awkward situation was gone, I now set in the middle of what appeared to be a forest "I teleported...maybe I am lucky!"
A growl emanated from a source beside me, taking a glance I found a pile of wood in the shape of an angry wolf with glowing green eyes.
"Oh hello, I'm Blake and you are?" I smiled nervously as sweat ran down my head.
It lunged at me making me cry out as I flapped my wings sending him flying across the dirt, the timberwolf's jaws snapping in the dust cloud I had previously sat at.
Flapping my wings to get me up I then took off running, and judging by the sound of wood clanking and ground thudding Woody was on my ass!!!
Ohhh man my head was killing me, running was not making me feel better, and my stupid nose wouldn't stop running!! Speaking of running this woof was fast as fuck! Or I'm slow cause I'm sick, either way, he's biting at my cloud tail!!
The timberwolf snapped its wooden jaws at my cloud tail confused as to why it wasn't able to grab anything in its wooden teeth, making it growl in annoyance.
Looking around I tried to look for an escape when I spotted something that just might help me, making a quick left I leapt through the air skidding across the ground on my belly to a bush which I crashed into, the timber woke behind me skidding to a stop when I popped back out holding in hoof my key to victory "your fucked now buddy!!" I shouted holding out a flower.
The timberwolf titled its head much like a confused dog as it stared baffled.
"Heh heh" I stuffed my nose in the flower and inhaled before my eyes watered "ah ah..." My tickling nose faded "oh you punk bitch" I growled at my nose before whimpering as the wolfs confusion faded and it returned to growling and stalking towards me
"Wait wait! We don't gotta do this! I have a pet dog! I know how ya are, maybe we could play with a stick-I meant a uh uh stick! No fuck I can't think of anything other than stick!"
The timber slammed it's wooden paws on my chest as it leaned in closer jaws twitching open as it prepared to strike, it's putrid breath washing across my face making me gag and-.
"ACHOO!!" I roared out and sneezed blasting the timberwolf off, blinking a smile spread across my face "ha ha!! Take that bark boy! Now let's see what happened to yo-OH FUCK!!" I shouted scrambling back as I watched the wooden wolf in a blue glow begin to grow, it's wooden limbs thickening ss the broken wood branches turned to thick logs, vines spreading and wrapping around its time with large thorns, and leaf plooms growing around and up its neck along with its tail.
The once equal height timberwolf now stood towering over me as a timber titan!! The huge wolf looked at itself confused before it looked back to me and I swear I saw a smile as it growled deeply before it lunged at me, jaws wide open.
"Eep!" My horn glowed, and in a poof of a blue flash everything went dark as I passed out.
A purple flash of light filled the upstairs bedroom of Blake's house, Twilight smiling as she held up a small bottle of green liquid "Blake I have the cure!" She awaited Blake's happiness, before blinking her eyes open and found the room empty "Blake..?"
She stepped out of the room checking each different one as she made her way down till she stood in the empty living room "uh oh..." She quickly left the house looking around for the missing Blake, she really really hoped he didn't just run off while sick like this, the entire town could get affected!
She trotted down the road looking around for the big dark mare while holding the potion aloft with her magic, however after a couple minutes she suddenly face palmed, Blake didn't look like Blake to her right now, she-he looked like Pinkie!! And she swore she saw Pinkie walking around a minute ago, that could have been him!
She needed help with this, preferably somepony who could see Blake as themself, taking a scan around she soon spotted a familiar orange mare, quickly trotting over she smiled "Applejack, thank Celestia I ran into you, I need your hel-" she suddenly blinked as the pony standing before her was orange, did have blond hair, freckles, green eyes, and a Stetson, but was definitely a stallion.
"Oh I'm sorry sir, you really reminded me of a friend of mi-" Twilight blushed embarrassed for mistaking this stallion as her friend.
The stallion huffed, rolling his eyes "Twilight I am your friend, it's me Applejack."
"Wat.." Twilight's eyes went wide looking that stallion up and down, he looked more like big Mac with Applejack's color- oh no..."don't tell me...was it Bla-"
"Yes it was Blake!! That mare, I swear the next time I see her I'm gonna-" Applejack the stallion suddenly paused as ponies around looked at him with suspicion, he cleared his throat glancing about "give her a good talkin too...I didn't know bein a stallion meant what I said could sound more threatenin and less innocent..."
"Well I guess you'll have to be careful until this is fixed, but since you wanna find her I need your help, Blake's got Alicorn illness, and I was hit with magic too, so now I see her as Pinkie Pie" Twilight explained.
"You what? That there flu makes no sense, it's like poison joke" Applejack huffed.
" Yeahhh I know, but let's focus on finding Blake, so if you see a Pinkie tell me it's Pinkie so I don't make a mistake" Twilight said and Applejack gave a nod before they trotted off to find the missing mare.
Trotting and keeping an eye out a thought crossed the newly made stallions mind, one which overshadowed the anger towards the black mare "...Twi...have you noticed Blake's not very...well depressed like the princess warned..?"
Twilight sighed "I have..."
"Is she really over it just like that? It's hardly been a month and she's actin like she normally would" Applejacked asked looking to her friend.
"I have a theory..." Twilight replied, looking somber.
"Well? We got a bit of walkin on our hooves."
Twilight took in a deep breath "I believe she-he may be repressing it, I noticed it before princess Celestia told us about the breakdown, I wasn't completely sure then but I am now, whatever trauma Blake has he pushes it down and tried to just live day by day, but like we saw when he can't repress it he breaks, now he's repeating the process, burying his feelings until he can't anymore and explodes, the worst part is if we confront him about it it might just make it worse!"
Applejack frowned "is there anything we can do..?"
"maybe try to talk to him about it gently, try to talk about things one at a time" she replied
"Things?" He raised a brow.
"There's whatever happened that broke him, but there's also about not talking to us about the extent of the dreams, his gender identity issues, his past life, and in general just how he's doing here..." Twilight explained.
Applejack nodded "we got a lot on our plates don't we?"
"Oh yes we do" she sighed.
Slowly I groaned awake rubbing my dizzy head, last I remembered I made a timberwolf huge and then everything went dark after my horn flashed...it was kind of similar to when I sneeze teleported I think...opening my eyes I found i was in a moving wagon, a pony sitting in front of me and to my right were other ponies.
Did I...teleport? Without a sneeze? I was thinking in my head how I wanted to get away from the wolf...and my magic responded! Maybe I was learning to get the hang of my magic after all!! Smiling, I looked around at the surrounding forest, now where the heck was I..?
I looked to the stallion sitting across from me and went to open my mouth to speak when he spoke first.
The stallion had light brown fur with a long dirty brown mane and beard "Hey you, you're finally awake" he said with an accent I didn't recognize, maybe Scandinavian? "You were caught trying to cross the border, right?"
"What? No, I teleported away from a timberwolf, where the heck am I?" I asked confused.
"Oh...this is our travel wagon, we found you on the side of the road in a ditch so we picked you up, it's dangerous to be in the forest alone" he replied.
"Oh...uh thanks...wait, are we near the border of Equestria??" I asked in panic, had I really teleported that far??
"Oh no, we're near the edge of Ponyville actually" he explained
"....then why'd you think I was caught near the border...?"
He stared at me for a moment nervously "well, this is your stop, Ponyville is that way" he pointed as he made the driver stop.
"Riiiight" I spread my wings and flew off the wagon before heading back towards Ponyville wobbly. Looking around I sniffled and tried to spot the town, soon enough catching sight of the big purple castle, smiling as I flapped my wings heading that direction.
Dipping here and there I struggled to maintain the same altitude, my wings already felt sore and tired, being sick su-a bird promptly smacked into my face.
Flailing my limbs around I smacked the bird off "gah! What the heck?!?" I glared at the bird which recovered and flew off, stupid fricken bir-a feather sucked up my nose "ack! Ah ACHOO!!" blinking my eyes open after another sneeze I found I was back in town, both relief and annoyance filled me, these sneezes needed to make up their minds on if they wanted to be helpful or not!
Sniffling I took a look around trying to figure out where ein town I was so I could her back home before I caused any more damage...
"Blakey!!" A familiar bubbly voice cheered from behind.
"Ohhh nooo" I slowly turned back and saw the pink party mare come hopping up, taking a few steps back I looked around for any birds or pepper shakers "hey pinks, I gotta go, like seriously."
"What?? But you just got here!" Pinkie frowned.
"Got here..?" Glancing about I realized I was directly in front of sugar cube corner, and inside it looked like a party was happening with ponies filling the building partying.
"It's Bright Blooms birthday! I didn't know you and her were friends!" She giggled.
"I'm not, don't know her, but I got Alicorn illness and every time I sneeze I cause issues or teleport, and I don't wanna do anything to you" I replied stepping away.
"Oh! Is that that flu Twilight had?? That was pretty funny, it was like when discord broke free, or when we all touched Poison joke! My tongue was all big and pokadoty and Applejack was so tiny, oh oh and Fluttershy's voice was so deep!" Pinkie giggled as she rambled.
"Heh yeah that was really funny, speaking of funny I gotta go" I went to turn only for pinkie to be in front of me again.
"How come you walking around if you're sick?" She suddenly gasped "you need to lie down! Bed rest is the best" she giggled.
"Pinkie I'm really trying here, any moment I could...could..." My eye twitched and I quickly shook my head as my nose tickle, pressing my hooves to my nose to cover it I resisted the building sneeze, tears filling my eyes from the horrible tickling in my nose before....it faded, groaning I sniffled behind my hooves "sneezes su-ACHOO!!"
Blinking I looked past my hooves and found the spot pinkie had been empty, spare a few blue glitter sparkles, raising my brow I lowered my hooves and looked at the glitter, did pinkie just glitter ninja vanish?
"Blakey whatcha looking at?" Pinkie's voice said right in front of me, making me jump back.
"Uhhh pinkie?" I looked around.
"Yes?" Pinkie's voice asked from the empty space.
Squinting I slowly reached a hoof out towards the spot of glitter, my hoof suddenly coming into contact with something in the empty space which resulted in giggles from Pinkie "ohhh crud... pinks, you're invisible."
Pinkie gasped "I am??" There was a pause and then another gasp over by the window "I am!!" She giggled invisibly.
"Yeah this is what I was talking about, I made Applejack a guy too" I rubbed the back of my neck looking at the empty space trying to figure out where Pinkie was exactly.
"Woah!! Was she handsome??" Pinkie asked beside me, making me jump.
"Uhh I don't know, yes?...I'm not interested in guys..." I mumbled and wiped my nose "now I'm going home before I make Rainbowdash a chicken or something" I began walking and if the telltale sound of boings following me said anything Pinkie was following "Pinks, I really don't know if I could magic sneeze you again, your lucky your just invisible, I could make it worse...like uhh..." I squinted trying to think of something else.
Though that was proving difficult, my head is a little bleh right now, also her boings are a bit distracting. Maybe she'd be a spring? Or maybe-
"Yo Blake have you seen Pinkie?" Rainbowdash called flying down.
"...technically yes and no" I replied and took note of the silence of boings, pinkie has gone incognito...
"The hecks that supposed to mea-" Rainbowdash began before suddenly a loud bang and explosion of concrete behind Rainbowdash sent her helping and crashing into my head.
Pinkies giggling filled the air and Rainbowdash like a scared cat scrambled on my head perching herself on top of it "wh-what the heck?? Pinkie?? Why can I hear Pinkie??"
"Well...cause of my sneeze she's invisible, and making the best of it" I replied wiggling my nose as Rainbowdash's tail brushed against it " oh crud rainbow ru-ACHOO!!"
Sniffling I looked for Rainbowdash quickly, but I didn't see her anywhere...so maybe she esca-
"Blaaaake!!!" Rainbowdash called from above in panic.
Glancing up my eyes widened as I saw Rainbowdash floating off into the air flailing, spreading my wings, I flew up and grabbed hold of her, immediately noticing she didn't feel like a pony...looking at her in my arms I realized why, she was a balloon!!
Taking the inflatable dash down I landed and set her down, only for her to float back up slowly making panicked noises, pushing her back down I held her in place "hey pinks?"
A string levitated over and I gratefully took it wrapping one end around Dash's waist before handing the other end to Pinkie "tie this around your mane or something and don't let go" I huffed and began walking.
Pinkie bounced after me if the boings and bobbing Rainbowdash said anything.
"What's going on?!??" Rainbowdash cried flailing around as she tried flapping her wings to control her movement but failing.
"Pinks" I replied sniffling feeling way too sick to explain everything.
"Blake's got that alicorn flu Twilight had, she sneezed on me making me a ghooooost" pinkie said and assumably did a ghost pose as they stopped moving before giggling "nah I'm actually invisible, Applejack's a stallion, and your a balloon!"
"Ughhh" Rainbowdash groaned, running her hooves down her face stretching it with a rubber creaking before it snapped back "You Alicorns always cause trouble!"
"I'm aware" I grumbled and walked.
"Pinkie!" Twilight called from the right down another road before she paused and looked to the stallion Applejack walking beside her "is it actually Pinkie or Blake?"
"I'm Pinkie!" Pinkie's voice replied with a giggle.
"Well...ah thought it was Blake but I hear Pinkie" applejack scratched his head.
"I am Blake, Pinkies invisible, Rainbowdash is a balloon" I huffed, glancing at the floating pegasus who crossed her arms.
"Haven't ya ever heard of coverin her muzzle??" Applejack glared.
"Yeah yeah I know" I rolled my eyes.
"Well fortunately Zecora finished the antidote so we can change every back to-" Twilight said, holding the bottle up before suddenly a swarm of birds flew by smacking the bottle out of her magical hold and clinked to the ground. She gasped and went to grab it again only for the ground to rumble as a stampede of forest animals came rushing down the road and swept up ponies as well as the bottle.
"What in tarnation is goin on??" Applejack yelled, leaping back dodging the animal swarm.
"Woah! Woah!!" Pinkie exclaimed though the only showing of her moving was the flailing Rainbowdash.
"Pinkie!!!" Rainbowdash yelled as she flailed and was battered about by birds and rooftops.
I dodged and flew up above the animals "the heck is going on??"
"Something spooked all the animals out of the forest, I tried to tell them not to run into town but...oh they're all just so scared" Fluttershy replied suddenly flying up gently like a butterfly as she looked to the panicked animals with sympathy.
"Wait something in the forest?" I repeated thinking before fear and memory filled me "oh no...I forgot I sneezed on someone else...or something..."
Screams filled the air of panicked ponies as suddenly a hulking moving forest came stomping down the street snarling, the huge hulking timberwolf stomped down the street and slashed its claws and jaws through buildings as it followed after the fleeing ponies.
"You made a timberwolf huge?!?" Twilight exclaimed.
"I like to think of it as a timbertitian" I chuckled nervously rubbing the back of my neck before gasping and flying out of the way of a torn off rooftop "okay that was personal Pinocchio!" I glared at the walking tree which growled back at me
"We have to stop that thing!" Applejack yelled, grabbing a pony moving them out of danger.
"The antidote will return it to normal size, I just need to find it" Twilight said looking at the stampede.
"Twilight, Pinkie, and uh Rainbow too, you guys go for the antidote, Applejack, Fluttershy, you and me will keep me wood chips over there busy" I instructed and they each nodded before I flew off towards the giant, Applejack galloping after on the ground dodging animals left and right while he got his lasso out.
Pinkie, Twilight, and Rainbowdash hurried down the road with the stampede in search of the antidote, pinkie ducked down looking past hooves and paws watching dirt and rock get kicked up and knocked about before her eyes spotted the small bottle which rolled and bounced in the dirt.
She leapt up in the air "there it is!!"
Twilight looked at Pinkie, and found a floating balloon, she watched Rainbowdash sigh and shrug, rolling her eyes and flew up and moved with the crowd trying to find the bottle past the animals.
"Darn it, I guess being invisible isn't all it's cracked up to be" Pinkie huffed.
"I'm feeling the same about being a balloon, except from the start!" Rainbowdash yelled.
The three moved with the stampede, Pinkie pulling Rainbowdash along as she made her way towards where she last saw the bottle, she swooped down past some hooves and snagged the bottle holding it up " ah ha! -eck!" The string around her mane suddenly yanked her backwards as she found a deer tied up in Rainbowdash's string.
The bottle flew from Pinkie's hoof through the air, Pinkie and Rainbowdash gasped watching the bottom twirl and fell through the air headed for shattering doom.
An alarmed cry filled the air as the fashionista mare was carried atop the stampede before a small bottle landed in her hooves, she blinked, stopping her screaming as she looked at the bottle "what's this?"
"Rarity!!" Twilight flew over grabbing her and then flew to Pinkie and Rainbowdash, or rather where she assumed Pinkie was.
"Darling what in Equestria is going on?? I was in the middle of getting the mail when suddenly all these animals came running down the street and carried me away!" Rarity said, looking stressed.
"Blake's got Alicorn illness, and just a lord happened" Twilight huffed.
"Oh no, please do not tell it's what you had, I cannot deal with another rollerblade hoof!" Rarity said worriedly as she looked around for Blake.
"oh no, it'll probably be worse" Rainbowdash huffed, bobbing up and down in the air.
Rarity jumped as she'd thought Dash had been just a balloon "Rainbowdash is-is that truly you??"
"Yeah and Applejack is a stallion!" Pinkie's voice spoke up causing Rarity to jump again and look for her.
"Pinkie's invisible as well" Twilight sighed before finally getting the string free from the deer "now let's get to Blake and cure him before the timbertitian destroys the town!"
"The what??" Rarity asked.
"Hey hey! No teeth!!" I shouted dodging the chomps from the giant wooden wolf.
The timbertitian snarled and snapped its jaws at me as it turned in circles following me as I flew around its head dodging around.
Fluttershy was helping animals and ponies move out of the area as the giant timberwolf stomped its heavy paws across the street.
Applejack rushed between the giant paws hooking her lasso onto a branch of its leg before she began moving back and forth between and around its legs pulling the other end as it wrapped around the giant limbs.
The timberwolf snarled and lunged at me, jaws open wide, my eyes going wide before I felt pressure in my horn and suddenly a blue light flashed out from it blowing chunks of wood from its mouth causing it to flinch back.
I blinked and looked up at my home which glowed for a second before it faded to normal color albeit it still has the red tip from the illness, my thoughts ranging from did I just do that, to can I do that again??
The timbertitian went to step back when its leg caught on something pulling the others as it did and it fell backwards smashing into the ground with a mighty thud kicking dirt up into the air.
"It won't stay down long, we gotta do something!" Applejack said, looking up to me.
"Blake!!" Twilight yelled flying through the air, she then launched the bottle through the air with her magic.
I moved back and forth in the air trying to figure out where the bottle would go towards me before suddenly everything went dark.
The girls and one stallion gasped as Blake vanished into the maw of the timbertitian who had leapt back up onto its feet, swallowing the titan turned with a wicked grin as it darkly chuckled, snapping the rope from its paws it turned towards the small group of ponies growling readying to have another meal.
A white fish engulfed Twilight and she looked around confused.
Applejack soon flashed white and now the familiar mare stood looking to herself confused before smiling.
A flash appeared in empty space and Pinkie appeared who frowed "aww there were so many pranks I could have done..."
Rainbowdash flashed and then proceeded to hit the dirt, no longer a balloon.
The timber titan looked at them all co fused before its eyes widened and it whimpered before it flashed and proceeded to explode out in splintered wooden pieces.
Blake gasped loudly and hacked as she was covered in green slime "I...drank...the antidote..." She panted, shaking slightly "and...I was swallowed..."
The girls cheered rushing over hugging the mare even if she was sticky, Blake smiled hugging them back as peace was restored to the town.
"Hey wait, Twilight didn't that antidote have a side effect?" Pinkie asked.
Twilight eyes widened "oh no."
"Wait wha-" Blake said before a bright flash engulfed her and the girls found themselves hugging empty space, the six looking at each other in a circle before looking down at the ground and gasping.
Sitting looking at themselves was a small dark furred, star maned filly, looking at her hooves she frowned and dropped them "aw cwap…"
A colorful cosmos spread as far as the eye could see, stars scattered in the endless abyss with galaxy's and space dust bringing light to the darkness, vivid clouds of color almost like droplets of paint into water.
"Magic...." A feminine voice echoed through the space.
"...Harmony..." The cosmic clouds glowed in response to the voices' words. Violet, blue, pink, red, orange, and purple.
"...Friendship.." the clouds took the forms of equine creatures, all in their respective colors. Instances of them together in moments of joy.
"It's more than a linear path" slowly moving closer to the images, the cosmos suddenly fractured, a spiderweb of cracks spread across the landscape "..it's a prism.." it suddenly shattered, the cosmos still lying behind it, yet now shards of various sizes and shapes began to float and drift in the cosmos.
"..of endless possibility.." the shards shimmered before displayed images, moments in time. The mares from before now in situations familiar, and not...there were even mares and stallions never seen before "Where a single choice can branch out into infinite realities.."
Moving forward with the shards along either side, still showing events which never happened in the original timeline...events that could be so different, hardly even recognizable to the original, that it takes just a sliver of familiarity to be descendible.
"...Creating alternate worlds from the ones you know...." The movement forward increased, the shards rushing past in glittering glows of multitudes of colors like an alien starscape.
The rushing movement came to a crawl as sitting within the cloud of shards was a piece of rock, the top of it's surface flat enough to almost resemble an island, to contrast the rock beneath was jagged spikes of stone, as if ripped from it's resting place and dropped here in the middle of this uncanny pocket of space.
A figure stood on the island of rock, a violet-furred tall equine, crimson mane and tail flowing in an invisible wind which couldn't exist in this vacuum. Protruding from the crimson blanket of hair was a long curved black horn.
Upon the mare's back were black feathered wings. Upon her flanks were black shapes, almost resembling a vortex. She was adorned with black pieces of armor, hoof armor and a chest plating just below her neck.
The mare opened her eyes, revealing the red irises within the black pools of her eyes. "I am CrimsonWraith" she spoke with a smirk to her face "your guide through these vast new realities, follow me and ponder the question.."
The mysterious mare closed her eyes as her black horn glowed red, the shards around the island suddenly glowed red, she opened her eyes with a sinister smile on her face showing her fanged teeth "What if...?"
The dark red rocky island floated in the middle of a colorful cosmos, small debris of it floating around it in small chunks and pieces.
The violet mare walked across the rock she stood upon, crimson mane flowing in an impossible wind almost like solid flames, her armored hooves impacted the dirt leaving behind hoofprints, hoof prints which layered upon hoofprints.
"In a multiverse of infinite possibilities, the slightest alterations could branch off into cataclysmic events" a small pebble inflamed in a red glow lifting off the ground and gently roared in the air as it lifted to the mares face, she then gently pushed it away allowing the absence of gravity to take it.
The pebble floated gently in the air before it struck another rock, and that rock hit another, and another, as a domino chain of rock and debris clattered and struck into each other, shattering and creating more debris that hit and banged and mashed.
Two rocks cracked together and pushed off one another from the impact revealing a blue and green globe, an innocent looking marvel in the sea of stars, yet upon it something unfolded, something that would connect two universes.
On the marble a family lived, one that had been normal up until two days ago, when the son of the family seventeen year old Blake Smith, was mysteriously transformed into a pony from a cartoon show, while the change was shocking, the love for their child never left the parents, accepting their child.
However, fate had more in store for the boy, and upon a migraine and the static of tv he was forcefully being dragged into the screen.
Blake's dad groaned having been knocked back by a bubble of electricity sprouting from the TV, as he regained some awareness he saw his wife trying to pull their son from the television, as quickly as he could ignoring the pain corseing threw his body he got up grabbing his son, he pulled with his wife in vain,
No matter how hard they pulled, how hard they planted their feet into the ground, it was like trying to pull a train up a hill with shoestring, Blake wouldn't budge.
Tears filled Blake's eyes as he looked at his parents "mom dad! Wh-what do I do?? I'm scared!"
"It's ok Blake! We'll figure this out! We aren't letting go of you!" Blake's dad yelled as he put his feet on the edge of the tv and pulled with everything he had.
Blake's mother did the same to try to save her boy "we are not letting whatever this is take our son!!"
Miraculously, Blake felt himself start to get pulled out from the tv. Whatever force wanted him, being overpowered by the love of his parents.
A smile grew on his face, looking at them smiling with tears of joy in his eyes, when suddenly he felt the electricity pulling his horn once more and with a powerful tug he was yanked back into the TV. hoof desperately reaching for anything to grab, he accidentally caught his mother's necklace breaking the chain, as both my parents lost their grip as a direct result of the necklace breaking Blake was sent hurling into a static tunnel watching the rectangle window leading to his living room slowly get further away, his home getting further from reach.
"Blake!!" Blake's mother yelled running at the tv but her hands just hit the screen.
Blake's dad grabbed at the screen trying to reach in, both parents looking in fear as their son was dragged away into the static void.
"A tale told before, but this event led to the branching of infinite universes" Crimson spoke watching the scene play out, her horn lighting.
The land of Equestria lay beneath the sun, the golden glow washing over the green land, as ponies went about their days, smiling, laughing, living.
"Equestria; universe 1176, a close relative to the prime of this story." Crimson replied as she looked over the land, her eyes however searching for a specific sight, soon enough landing in the desired spot.
Twilight and the girls walked along a old dirt path within the everfree, she held a book up gently fidgeting her wings as she read "okay, this spell should be exactly what we need, I've been studying it ever since we found it while exploring the old library in the castle of the two sisters."
"And yer sure this spell will explain what happened to Luna?" Applejack asked.
"Yes!" Twilight smiled before her ears pinned back as she looked anxious "or well...it should..."
"You don't know??" Dash flew in front of her "ugh you're saying we came all the way out here for nothing??"
"N-no, I'm sure it will collect the ambient energy Nightmare Moon left behind and allow us to see her memories" Twilight defended and pushed forward.
Dash huffed following.
"Oooo! Maybe it will help me find out what Luna's favorite kind of ice cream is!" Pinkie smiled hopping along.
"Oh! Or perhaps even some regalia of a thousand years ago" Rarity smiled, eyes sparkling.
"Um...maybe?" Twilight replied walking along.
The six soon arriving at the destination, the crumbling castle of the two sisters, retaken by the forest, journeying within and up the stairs they found their target, the throne room where they faced a feared foe and found their friendship.
Twilight looked to the book in her magic hold reading over the pages once more "alright, I'm beginning the spell, nobody get in front of it, this spells old and so much more fragile than modern ones." As she spoke a ball of purple magic formed much like when she held something in magic, this time however it was empty space, until slowly shadowy wisps were pulled from the stone floor and walls collecting into the sphere.
The mares all nodded and decided to either watch or look around the room. Rainbowdash flew up to the windows looking out them, finding it covered in dust she inhaled before blowing on it to get some dust off, the glass pane suddenly falling backwards and down, she cringed at the distant sound of glass shattering before slowly floating back.
Rarity pulled a brush out from her saddle bags and combed her hair "this mugginess is doing horrible things to my mane, and don't get me started on this dust" she huffed cringing as she lifted a now dust covered hoof.
"While I don't care much about mah mane, I gotta agree with Rarity, it's mighty uncomfortable in here" Applejack pulled her hat off wiping her sweat covered brow.
"I don't mind it much" Fluttershy said walking over with a gentle smile "this environment is perfect for the little animals who like their homes nice and cozy."
"Darling, what animal could possibly enjoy this environment??" Rarity huffed, flipping her mane.
"Well there are lots, lizards, flys, gnats, crickets, spiders, all sorts" Fluttershy explained.
Rarity felt a chill up her spine "oh please do not even mention any of those! The dust and mugginess is one thing, but all those creatures too??" She shivered again feeling the tingling on her back from the mere thought...until the tingling continued...
Raising a brow Rarity turned her back back to see what tickled her fur, her eyes going wide as a small spider stood on her back, it looked up with its four glowing red eyes resulting in a scream which filled the old castle.
"And here we find the change, the first domino of this universe, once more, something so simple and trivial can result in drastic changes..." Crimson spoke watching.
Rarity rushed forward throwing her head back as she screamed like a small filly, running around trying to shake the voice spider off her back, the spider holding on desperately.
Rainbowdash burst out laughing holding her stomach as she floated in the air, Pinkie joining with giggles.
Applejack face hoofed.
"Oh no, Rarity please be careful, their legs are very fragile!" Fluttershy said, trying to follow the panicking mare.
Rarity's scream heightened at the mention of that.
Twilight grumbled "girls...I am trying to focus! If I miscalculate one aspect of this spell who knows what will hap-"
Rarity tripped on a loose stone and went tumbling forward hitting Twilight and collided with the magic sphere, the white mare suddenly getting dragged up into the air with a panicked yelp as she sat in the direct middle of the bubble.
Twilight's horn flashing as the spell was prematurely set off, making her gasp.
The bubble glowed brightly as Rarity and the shadow wisps spun around quickly in the bubble, the light growing brighter and brighter before the whole room was engulfed in the bright light blinding each of the surrounding mares.
"RARITY!!" all six cried out in fear for their friend.
I screamed as I flew through the static void, thrashing around trying to grip anything but felt nothing in my surroundings, slowly the static turned to many different colors turning into a rainbow tunnel, ahead I saw a bright light making my eyes widen, memories of the nightmare I have been having, the similarities to what was happening now filling me with fear.
"I don't want to die!!!" A female voice yelled out in fear.
After the last few days I had a female sounding voice, however, the one which spoke similar words to which I wanted to say had not come from my vocals.
Plunging into the white light I suddenly felt a familiar warm engulf my body, though it lacked the pain I had accustomed it with, I felt something soft and warm press up against my own, the sudden movement of such making me realize it was another person.
Or animal as I felt fur brushing against my own, reaching a hoof out into the light I touched the strange creature and a hard appendage collided with my face knocking my head to the right with a grunt, glaring I smacked it back and then felt a slap against my other cheek.
A slap fight proceeded to be engaged as I battled the being in the light "stop slapping me!!"
"You started it!" she cried.
"You hit me first!!"
"You touched my flank pervert!!"
"I can't see anything, I'm sorry!!" I yelled back and felt another slap to my face, only the hand or whatever it was didn't pull away, growling, I grabbed it and pulled it away, or tried to as I found it stuck, like it was glued!
Grunting and squirming the lady kicked with her legs "her your filthy hooves off me!"
"Hey, quit it!! Your hand or whatever is stuck to my face!!" I yanked and pulled on it yet it wouldn't budge.
"What? H-hey my legs!!" She yelped as I felt her legs squirm and pull on my stomach now stuck too.
We squirmed and puked and pushed off each other but we remained stuck, as we squirmed we both felt a pressure pushing each other rin towards one another, our squirming and struggling both increasing and weakening as we felt our limbs lose mobility.
Panicked whimpers escaped her while panicked breaths left me, suddenly I felt my head press against hers and soon an alien feeling filled me, as in her head pushing into my own and filling me!!
It was as if I was hollow or a suit and she began to wear me, her body filling into my own as each of her limbs moved into place with mine, her arms with mine, her legs, her chest, her head!
The most uncomfortable feeling engrossed me, as I felt like my own skeleton moved opposite of my skin, squirming and tensing I cringed and whimpered feeling her moving around inside of me in panic, panic which I didn't deny was warranted as this was all insane.
The warmth encompassing my body increased and I felt my skin almost bubble, not painfully but definitely not pleasantly, as it did I felt a tightness within me as her struggle ceased in each limb that the bubbling crawled up my own, it was like my body was restraining her own within me.
Her arms and legs kicked until they went stock still inside my arms and legs, her quick breathing matching mine as her chest squeezed from mine, and finally her thrashing head was tightened like a vice from my own.
And just as the bubbling left my body the light flashed away like a camera flash blinding me with splotches of light, I crashed hard into a cold stone floor, my head clacking against the ground sending a jolt through my skull, wincing I laid on the stone panting, everything hurt and I could smell the scent of smoke, I also heard a group of people gasp in shock.
"Nghh!" The female voice grunted in pain.
Shakily I lifted my head up opening one eye to look around, a gasp escaped my own lips as what stood around me were none other than the Mane Six-er five...one was missing, looking around in panic finding the old castle of the two sisters around me, stumbling to my hooves which clattered against the stone and echoed throughout the halls I got up fumbling backwards before I abruptly stopped feeling the uncomfortable tension in my limbs.
"Girls!! Oh thank Celestia it was all a horrid dream!!" The girl from before cried out as I was suddenly pulled forward feeling my hooves move on their own.
"Wh-what's happening?!?" I cried out, yanking my hooves back and backed away looking at them, my freak out freezing as I heard a familiar unfamiliar voice leave my lips, it was the girl's voice but my words.
"What?? Who said that? Why did I move??" She suddenly asked, my head turning left and right as my eyes looked around against my will.
"Stop that!!" I shouted, shaking my head violently and forcing my eyes closed, it was like watching a horribly edited camera pov shake around, it was nauseating.
She suddenly groaned "oh my stomach..."
Cringing I felt like my stomach did barrel rolls and whimpered swallowing warm saliva rushing up my throat and proceeded to choke as something stopped my swallow.
Hacking and coughing my head suddenly lifted up and eyes went wide "girls!! Somethings controlling my body!!"
"You're being controlled?! I'm the one being dragged around like a puppet!" I shouted now looking for the annoying girl but still didn't see her.
"You! You're the one! Stop hiding and show yourself!!" My lips shouted and I threw a hoof up silencing them, there was a whine of annoyance before I felt my brows raise up when I lifted my hoof from my lips.
My eyes widened against my will and my hoof suddenly twisted and turned in place as I was forced to examine it before a deep gasp filled my lungs.
"My coat!! What's happened to my coat!!" She cried out and my eyes looked across my body, or at least it was the changed body I knew, now it looked different! The large feathered wings on my back were gone, and the star cloud of hair and tail were replaced with fake purple and white hair.
Reigning in control of the examination I looked over my changed body, limbs and everything seemed the same, save for the wings, horn was still up top, sharp teeth check, but my birthmarks, or Nightmare moon's cutie marks were gone! Replaced with a grouping of star like diamonds...familiar looking diam-oh no.
"Stop making me look at my flanks!!" The voice I now recognized as Rarity shouted from my own throat.
"Oh no...no no no" I whimpered, grabbing my head "Rarity??"
"What?? I knew it! You are the one doing this!" She shouted with anger.
"Rarity we're in the same body!!" I cried out.
"What?? That's preposterous!!" She shouted and suddenly we were back in our hooves as she dragged us over to a still standing window "I am still my same self even if my cost is-" our voice choked in our throat as our teal draconic eyes landed upon our reflection in the glass.
Looking back was some fusion between Nightmare Moon and Rarity, or what Rarity would look like as nightmare moon??
In synchronicity we both marveled at our appearance in fear and awe, I looked fearfully at my once again transformed visage, but Rarity seemed to look at us in awe, I could feel her emotions like they were my own, there was fear obviously but also wonder and amazement.
Our hooves delicately poked sr our muzzle finding it familiar and new at the same time, from Rarity I felt she found we were beautiful, but all I saw was a new face for the monster I'd become, that ach in my heart returned like constricting viper, our face a look of awe twisting into discomfort.
Wrangling our head away I forced us towards the middle of the room again, having to focus my full attention on my legs as I felt Rarity try to move on her own, the result was twitching steps which sometimes shook mid step before coming down.
"What did you do with our friend Rarity Nightmare Moon?!" Twilight shouted glaring, her horn lighting up brightly.
"Twilight it's me!" Rarity suddenly spoke, lifting a hoof to her chest.
"Yeah right, like Nightmare Moon wouldn't just use her voice to trick us!" Applejack glared.
"Wait! What if she's telling the truth??" Fluttershy asked, looking at her friends trying to calm them before they did something they'd mistake.
"How would we even prove that??" Twilight asked, glancing between the dark mare and Fluttershy.
"Oh oh I know!!" Pinkie said jumping up and down waving her hoof "she can prove it by saying something Rarity would know, like, something only she would remember!" She suddenly rushed over to us standing in front of us "Like, Rarity, remember that time we were at the spa and the hot tubs bubbles stopped working? And I told you that joke about the aardvark marrying a pipe cleaner, then poof! Suddenly there were bubbles?? You were so embarrassed you made me hoofie swear to never ever ever tell?!" She smiled before gasping, covering her muzzle "I'm sorry! I totally just told!"
I felt warmth wash over my cheeks as suddenly I leered over pinkie ears pinning back "Pinkie!!! You swore never to tell!!" She whined.
Second hand embarrassment washed over me in a new fashion, following it was a flash of memories of said event, only from the perspective of Rarity, the feeling of shame and embarrassment washing over me as I experienced the event. I cringed, which took over the body "ugh pinkie why that of all memories??"
"No you did not just see that!!" Rarity exclaimed and I nodded embarrassedly.
"Wait...you're talking to yourself?" Twilight asked, raising a previously furrowed brow.
"Yes, I'm in this body with some other pony! A pervert if their touching and looks aid anything." Rarity grumbled but our expression quickly turned to a glaring.
"I am not a pervert!! I was blind and and then I wanted to see what happened to us!!" I growled.
"Oh and were my flanks different from your memory?" Rarity snarked.
"No! They were still fat!!" I remarked.
She gasped "how...DARE you!! My flanks are not fat!!"
"Oh darling" I flipped my mane "if the horseshoe fits" I smirked hoof under my chin.
She snarled and slapped us across the face, both experiencing the pain.
"Oh nice one thunder thighs" I growled rubbing the sore cheek.
"Ugh!!! Twilight! Undo this spell now!! I can't stand this, this ughh!!" Rarity shouted too annoyed for words.
"I-I don't even know how it happened! This spell wasn't supposed to do this...I don't even know where to start.." Twilight said, frowning.
"What, you mean we're stuck??" Rarity said in horror "stuck in the same body as a pervert?? Never to see my beautiful face again??? Of all the worst things that could happen, this. Is. The. Worst. Possible. Thing!!" She cried out and our horn lit up before suddenly a large chair rushed over and she threw us into it as she began to sob.
The feeling of despair pushed onto me as I felt the stinging tears leave my eyes "ugghhh noooo Rarity!" I whined as our body sobbed and cried "Twilight pleeeeasse think of something this is terrible!"
"I-i'll try and find something but we should get you...both back to the castle, try and sort all this out..." Twilight said, trying to help the two mares.
"anything!" I whined, forcing us up and wiped away tears only for new ones to replace them. I also noticed mascara running with the tears "ughhh."
"So...your sayin you were something called a human, who turned into Nightmare Moon, and then got pulled there a TV, and ended up here?" Applejack reiterated looking at me, or us.
I nodded and sniffled, flicking an ear back from annoyance at the constant tears "p-pretty much" what didn't help was I found I could quite literally hear Rarity in my head sobbing, shared psychi and all...
"I know about humans, maybe after this I can get you home" Twilight said smiling.
"I'd like that...but if you hadn't dragged me here and turned me into Nightmare Moon this never would have happened!!" I shouted at her, a mix of my own anger and Raritys exploding out.
Twilight flinched and frowned, hanging her head "I'm sorry...I had no idea the spell would...drag another being across universes...or change their form..."
"Well, maybe you should have done some more reading then Darling?!" I snorted at her glaring.
"Wait, was that Rarity or Blake?" Rainbowdash asked, flying overhead.
"Me" I huffed giving her a glance.
Dash deadpanned.
Blinking my eyes widened "oh right, me Blake, um I mean I'm Blake."
"Then why'd you talk like Rarity?" Pinkie asked.
" I did...oh Celestia I did!! Ah! I did it again !!" I yelled covering my mount with my hooves.
"Darling, why is that happening??" Rarity suddenly asked, recovered from her crying.
"I don't know, but my best guess is both your minds are fused, so mannerisms from the both of you are slipping over to the other." Twilight hypothesized.
"Well crap" Rarity said and then gasped clamping our hooves back to our mouth "I didn't mean to say that!"
"Oh I cannot have Rarity's fru fru mind! I am not meant to be ladylike!" I whined looking at Twilight desperately.
"How are ya supposed to be..?" Applejack raised a brow.
"A guy!! Male!! Normal!!" I whimpered before suddenly a loud gasp escaped my throat.
"MALE?!?! I am not fused with a stallion!!!" Rarity spun us around quickly trying to look under our tail, I steeled our head away.
"No!! Do not look down there!! That is the last thing I want to look at!! I don't need any more reminders of what I lost or what is being forced upon me!!" I snarled.
"Woah woah calm down you two, take deep breaths, Rarity Blake here's in the same spot as you... probably worse seeing as she's in a totally different body and gender" Applejack said, holding her hoods up to calm us.
"But.." Rarity began.
"No buts, y'all have to work together on this, that means understandin each other too" Applejack said firmly.
Rarity huffed "...I suppose you are right...panicking and fighting this won't fix it.."
"Exactly" Applejack smiled.
Rarity smiled and wrapped her hoof around the smaller mare " "thank you Applejack, sorry for freaking out there a moment."
"Um...no problem Rarity..." Applejack said as she was hugged by the large mare, she was used to her being the same size.
"And...I apologize to you too Blake...this must be horrible for you.." Rarity frowned.
"It's...not awesome...I miss my family...that's what's the worst..." I frowned harder looking at our hooves on the ground.
"Oh I'm so sorry, I know if I was forced away from Sweetie Belle I'd just be torn up by it" Rarity replied remorsefully as the thought passed our mind, soon enough tears filled our eyes.
"Losing the ones we love..." I started with a whimper.
"Sucks!!" Rarity finished and wailed as we both broke down sobbing.
"Aaand they're crying again" Rainbowdash huffed.
Fluttershy walked over parting out shoulder "oh you poor things, there there"
I grabbed Fluttershy in a hug as I sobbed into her shoulder.
"Oh, oh dear" Fluttershy e poked as she was held.
"You two are sure you don't want to stay at the castle?" Twilight asked, looking at the singular mare.
"Sweetie Belle needs me here, and I believe Blake would appreciate some comfort and care and seeing as we're sharing a pony body I know best how to comfort and care for it here" Rarity smiled.
"I don't wanna separate Rarity from Sweetie Belle, and honestly as much as I hate it the parts of Rarity in my head agree about the comfort and care...I know nothing about this body..." I replied.
"Very well, some of us will stay with you then just to make sure you're both alright, at least for tonight " Twilight said.
"Oh slumber party!!" Pinkie smiled.
"That sounds splendid darling" Rarity giggled.
I had to resist cringing at the sound, I don't giggle...the six or seven? Six and a half? We all entered the boutique with Rarity letting the girls in first before stepping to enter after only to slam our horn into the door frame sending a vibration of pain through our skull which traveled throughout our nerves and skeleton to our hooves.
Wincing I stumbled back retaking control "ow ow ow ngh Rarity, darling, please be aware of our stature..." I gingerly rubbed our horn feeling the pulsating pain.
'Sorry sorry, I had forgotten our increase in height, I was so focused on the girls I simply forgot how much I've changed...' Rarity replied mentally.
"It's fine...I'm dealing with the changes as well, beyond body, these new compulsions are quite new" I huffed ducking under the door frame as I walked and flicked the door closed with my magic before I froze and gasped, spinning around I looked at the door "darling...was that you or me?"
'The closing of the door? That was you...why?' Rarity asked.
I looked at the handle and focused, there was no way...surely I didn't also gain that? My thoughts were interrupted as I gasped seeing the door open, with a thought I moved it back and forth in my magic soon enough giggling in excitement.
'darling? I don't believe the hinges will last if you continue' Rarity cut in.
"Oh! Yes sorry" I closed the door with my magic holding back and excited giggle "seems our fusion has given me a better grasp on magic, I couldn't do anything with my horn besides stab walls" I smiled trotting towards the girls before suddenly my left side lurched to the stairs nearly sending me to the ground.
"Woah! Oh apologies I wish to head upstairs" Rarity said now aloud.
'rare, give me a heads up, we're gonna be together for a while and I'd prefer not to be doing so with risk of sending us into walls or floors' I mentally remarked allowing her control of our hooves.
'So then what do we need in our-your room, pardon, memories are a little frazzled' I mentally huffed as I took a backseat in control and just watched through her eyes.
"Well that humidity left our mane a mess, and that dirt and dust is sticking to our fur from sweat" Rarity cringed as a thought passed through her mind, giving me a full view of it.
'Oh right...mixed sweat...that is gross...' I replied.
"Oh! You read my thoughts??" She replied startled pausing at the top of stairs.
'I noticed a sort of...well how do I put this, shimmering here in the void, focusing on it revealed your thoughts in my head, I don't think I will always see them I'd just need to focus on them' I replied easing her concern as she returned to walking.
Rarity remembered to duck beneath the door frame this time and stepped into her bedroom, this suddenly reminding me of our surroundings, she walked to the mirror and we both gently gasped seeing ourselves in a clearer reflective surface.
"Oh my...I certainly look like myself...if I were Celestia's height and well..." Rarity turned her head left and right.
'curvature?' I offered.
She blushed slightly "yes...I'm not actually fat am I?"
"What?" I asked aloud.
"You before said my flanks were fat..." Rarity pouted.
"No no no I was just...well trying to hurt your feelings dear, you called me a pervert and I am far from it, and it hurt to be called such, so I said something back that hurt you" I replied.
Rarity pinned our ears back " I am sorry for that, I was just so... overwhelmed, I do not believe you are a pervert, I would do the same really if I ended up in another body...especially one so alluring " she floofed our mane and smiled into the mirror.
'Jeez Rarity, I'd almost say you were attracted to us' I replied jokingly.
"We are beautiful, I wouldn't mind needing us" she batted her eyelashes at the reflection. We both suddenly froze with Rarity's eyes going wide in shock "B-Blake darling, you... wouldn't happen to have been interested in mares before this?"
'um women yeah...and...uh....oh buck...' I realized exactly what Rarity was hinting at, now regretting my attraction to the ponies of the show.
"W-We may find this...partnership far more difficult than we previously thought, because I want to ravish this mare and it's me" Rarity blushed brightly.
'us' I corrected adding to the blush 'how about we um...look away from the mirror and distract ourselves?'
"Yes Let's! We could brush our mane, think of what to do tomorrow, perhaps something to relax us because I feel sooo much tension in our hooves and shoulders...oh the spa and bath time are going to be so much more difficult..." She sighed.
Flashes of those thoughts elicited memories from Rarity, and fear overtook me 'n-no I...I don't want anything to do with those areas...W-We can wash blind folded or or just sit in the water!'
"Sit in the water?? I know you're a stallion but a slob too?? A mare needs lots of work to look this fabulous" Rarity huffed fluffing her mane.
I yanked our hoof down and shook my head "no! I-I don't want any part of that!!"
"Darling, we're filthy! And we are taking a bath before we begin to smell!" She marched our body into the bathroom with some difficulty as I tried to pull our hooves back, stumbling and sluggishly moving she finally got us in.
"This will go so much easier, if you'd just allow us" she huffed annoyed.
'I don't wanna take a bath!' I yelled mentally.
"Ow darling, softer please, feels like a headache when you yell" she rubbed her hoof to her head before he ended her magic to turn the water on and add soap to it.
I groaned and tried to cover my eyes but found it increasingly difficult to separate my vision from here even in the void, I yelled upon the feeling of our hooves touching the warm water 'nghh Rarity please!'
"It's just a bath! Why are you so against this? Yes I know we're sharing a body but we can't very well see one another, so we can treat it as alone" she looked at the bath thankfully it was so large seeing as their body was much bigger than her pony one.
Sitting in the suds filled bath she let out a sigh of relief as the water soaked into their fur, rubbing her hoods up each limb and her chest she hummed softly while she got the soap deep in her fur, as she did though she noticed the shaking of her hooves, as well as the quickening pace of her breathing as her chest rose and fell faster than the rise and fall before it.
"B-Blake" she couldn't fight the stutter in her voice "what is g-going on? I feel as if I'm about to have a panic attack!" She awaited his response but only heard mutters and whimpers in her head "B-Blake?"
'I-I'm I'm not a mare! I'm not a mare...' I whimpered trying to disconnect the feelings the body was sending to me, I didn't want any of it, I didn't want to think about what I lost and now had, I was me, not this...I jolted suddenly as I felt my arms wrap around myself, but against my will.
"Darling..." Rarity frowned, speaking softly "forgive me, I did not realize how this must be for you, I at least retained my gender, your...we will take this slowly okay? We'll avoid down below for now, but we will need to face that in time if we cannot reverse this...even then you may be a mare, even unfused, but I'll help you through that as well..."
I was silent but soon took in a shaky breath and nodded our head 'okay' my voice barely above a whisper as I sat there in Rarity's hold, letting my racing heart calm, we could get through this...we could...
"Two souls one body, what an interesting circumstance, their fates intertwined, but for now, their story ends here for you" CrimsonWraith smiled, letting the crystal shard float away as she turned and walked the opposite direction "until next time…"
