Showdown! Battle with Nightmare Continues!

Equestrian Heroes

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Naruto x ?

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Story Start

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"Do you think a mere Earth pony can save you Luna? Even your sister chose to seal you away over trying to help you. You need me. I make us strong. Without me you'll go back to being the mare no one cared about while everyone loves and worships your older sister." The dark alicorn spoke.

"Enough of your nonsense beast. I won't let you hurt her anymore." He said as a vast aura of bright violet chakra washed over the blond. 'I know you can't help me like normally partner, but enough of your chakra has been flooding my bodies for years that I can at least boost myself to basic cloak levels.' Naruto thought as his orange coat radiated a bright yellow sheen.

The shadows that made Nightmare's Moon began to grow in surprise. It then came to life as it shot out several tendrils at the orange pony.

Naruto quickly scooped up the surprised Luna into his front legs and leaped away from the attack. He landed and gently placed her down. "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yes."

"Don't worry, I won't let that thing hurt you." He said as he began concentrating. Hundreds upon hundreds of identical white smokes puffed into existence as an army of identical copies formed between them and Nightmare Moon.

Luna couldn't help but gaze in awe. What manner of magic was this? Even at their strongest with the Elements of Harmony the Alicorn sisters wouldn't have been able to make so many tangible copies of themselves.

"Your tricks are useless mortal!" Nightmare howled as her hooves split and formed into nightmarish claws, her mane becoming sharp like thorns and her teeth forming into fangs. She began bulldozing through the clones like they were plastic.

The creature let out a wide area blast of magic from her horn. She took to the sky as her aura around her horn darkened.

Naruto charged forward calling his clones to him. Two clones came to a dead stop allowing Naruto and one of his clones to leap off their backs like foot stools. The two of them ascended into the air as they soared at the flying creature. The clone took the original by the hooves and swung him with all his might.

Tucking himself into a ball Naruto soared at the creature with impressive speed, but he proved too slow as Nightmare Moon merely flew out of the way. She then charged after the blond with breakneck speed. Naruto landed only to narrowly miss his neck being torn out, the claws of the Alicorn slashing at his neck.

Naruto let out a gargled cry of pain as the sensation flooded through him. This was no normal mindscape dimension. Even if this mental plain was an illusion, any physical injuries caused by that creature were indeed real. One false step and he could very well die. He dodged to the left as Nightmare Moon attempted to impale him with her horn.

He found himself going on the defensive as the creature jabbed at him with near supersonic speed. The taste of copper filled his mouth and he found himself dazed. A pain coursed through him and Naruto had already figured it was some sort of magical attack.

His body skidded across the round with a few tumbles as he heard the nightmarish roar. He let out a blood fill cough as he quickly recovered. Catching his opponent off guard he rammed into her with all his might. He gritted his teeth landing on his hooves as Nightmare Moon was momentarily off balance. He leaped again; head butting her again using the time to press the attack only for Nightmare Moon to sank her teeth into the flesh of his shoulder.

Any and all formalities that came with this beast went out of the window. It seemed fully intent on killing him without giving him any quarter.

"No!" Luna's voice cried out as a powerful burst of magic colliding with the creature. It sent it flying, dislodging its vice like grip on the blond's shoulder.

"Warrior!" Luna cried out to his, rushing to his side and helping him up. "W-We can't win. W-We can't beat her we have to run." She pleaded with him.

"I can't…" Naruto said in between pained breaths.

"Why is thou being so stubborn? Thy has barely met me for a mere quarter. Why risk so much for me?" she didn't understand. Was it some misconstrued loyalty or honor he was raised with? Why was he risking his life to help her? At that moment Luna felt so ashamed and weak. Unable to follow her vow to help a loyal subject in need. "I…as your Princess I order you to go."

A weak smile formed on Naruto's face. "Then I have to disregard your order Hime. I made a promise to help you and I never go back on my promises." He remarked as he steadied himself. Nightmare Moon radiated with a near soul crushing black darkness. The angelic like wings twisted and began to change shape into something more befitting of a demon.

"You're too weak Luuuuuuna. You can't even protect one pony. Is it any wonder your subjects so readily forgot you?" Luna was about to argue but then a memory flooded through her mind. It was Nightmare Moon's arrival and how no one seemed to recognize or know her name. Except for one Unicorn Pony. "Your own sister changing history to disregard your existence." The creature taunted. Tears began pouring down the Alicorn's eyes. The darkness seemed to take great pleasure in reminding her how forgotten she had become. A memory of the past came to mind.

"Tia please…I had enough." She found herself unable to break out of this dream-like state. Why couldn't she wake up? Why couldn't she go back to Equestria?

"Foolish foal there is no going back. Your sister has locked you away forever within the body you governed."

"Liar…Tia would never do that!"

"Your sister has vanished you. Leaving you to rot while she rules Equestria."

No, this couldn't be true. There was no way that her sister would banish her! Her loving big sister would never do that to her.

"You're lying to yourself! You were a threat to her power! Her vision! An obstacle to remove!"

"Stop it! Thou's attempt to cause me to fall into an ardent manner will not work." It wasn't suppose to go like this. She just wanted the love and respect of their citizens. It was never supposed to go this out of hand. How did things go so wrong? How did they go wrong?

Images like painted scenes filled her mind. Of the beauty of the moon being ignored as everypony love and frolicked in the sun.

"It matters not Princess! Once we break free we shall show them the beauty of eternal night. "

There was no telling how long it would take. And because she had succumbed to the darkness in her heart she would probably never she those who meant the world to her again. "What… what've I done?"

"You chose the path to power. We will make them all fear and worship the night!"

With force greater than either could follow Naruto disappeared from his place and in front of Nightmare Moon. The force of his hit sending the dark Alicorn flying down into the surface and causing a crater. "You make me sick parasite!" Luna found herself brought out of her daze. Nightmare Moon seemed to be once again trying to break her spirit.

"How dare thee. I will take great pleasure in ripping you asunder!" roared the evil alicorn, quickly recovering. Before even getting a chance to begin the assault the dark Alicorn found herself launched into the air by a kick to the jaw. Naruto appeared behind her, gripping her in a bear hug. "Omote Renge!" they began spinning, forming a oval shaped or orange and black before Naruto jumped away, letting her collide with the ground. Thankfully while physical injury was real in this realm, things like exhaustion or such didn't seem to affect him.

A near blinding aura of dark magic erupted from the crater from the last attack. Nightmare Moon had grown three times her size. Nightmare Moon then let out a mixture between a shriek and roar as thousands upon thousands of beams of magical energy began to bombard the blond.

The sound of Naruto's hooves skittering across the ground echoed as he jumped and leaped out of the way avoiding the various beams. He quickly created clones which were quickly dispatched by the attack. With each every hand full of clones destroyed he was beginning to see a pattern to the creature's attack.

He slowly began making his way to the creature whose attacks continued to bombard him. He charged forward and attempted to Rasengan only for several beams to strike him and send him crashing to the ground.

Naruto began his assault again only this time channeling his element. His hooves encircled by little wisps of wind as he started dodging her assault. Hit directly by one of the blasts Naruto powered through it. Dropping on the ground, he put all his strength into his back legs and jumped forward. Using his front legs he began delivering a barrage of punches to the opponent, and then finished with an uppercut, creating a large gust of wind throwing the evil alicorn into the air.

Despite the attack the dark creature didn't have nary a scratch. A growl escaped Naruto's lips, but he didn't let that deter him. He continued pressing the attack, overwhelming her with thousands of clones and even following up with a wind infused Rasengan but no matter how much damaged he did the creature seemed to shake it off.

"It's hopeless!" Luna thought to herself. "Nightmare Moon isn't a tangible being. It has no true form and it can't be killed."

Naruto continued his attack. Maybe if he kept on attacking maybe the creature would spend its energy healing. He charged forward with a right hook only to hit air. 'I missed?' he pondered for a second. He then quickly spun and avoided a blast of energy as the creature attempted to bring her powerful hooves down and crush him. Naruto twisted out of the way and swung with his left hoof only for the sound of swishing air to occur. 'No…how?' he thought as her hooves colliding with his side sending him flying.

Luna remembered her first encounter with the Nightmare. No matter how hard or how much she fought it didn't seem to matter. It just took all of her attacks without so much as a scratch.

As she watched Naruto try to stop it she couldn't take it anymore. "Stop! Stop it!" she landed in between the two. "No more! Thou wants me right? Then thou treasure is right before thy eyes on the grounds you leave thy warrior in peace." She wasn't going to stand by anymore. She would not let this brave soul die while she stood by, too cowardly to do anyting.

"It is far too late Princess. You are too weak and broken to fight me off for much longer." Nightmare's voice was now decadently masculine and familiar.

"Don't give up Princess!" Naruto pleaded as he pushed himself to his hooves. "This is your mind. That parasite is trying to make you think you're weaker than it is, but its not. Its been a thousand years and its failed to change you. You're stronger than it'll ever be." He told her.

Luna's head bow in shame. "Tis is my weakness that allowed this abomination to come to surface. This truly is thy penance and responsibility."

"No one is perfect Luna. Don't let this creature win." He pleaded with her. "If we let this thing win it'll be the end of everything. It'll be the end of all life on this planet and your sister. "

Suddenly another memory came to mind. One in regards to her youth long before she and Celestia were rulers. It was a rather stormy night and Luna had just had a nightmare. A whimper had escaped her lips and terror coursed through her. She found herself unable to go back to sleep.

Every sound of creek sent spine tingling terror through her. The shapes that the looming shadows that seemed to litter her room caused nothing but unrest. She found herself unable to drift back to sleep. Without a second thought she dashed out of her room and into her sister's room next-door. When she woke her sister up she had tears streaming down her face.

"It's alright Luna." Using her wings Celestia had wiped the tears from her frightened sister's eyes. 'Why don't you sleep with me for the night? I'll keep you safe from the shadows.' That feeling, Luna gripped to that feeling. That feeling of having Celestia as a big sister.

Luna suddenly found herself enveloped by a warm light. She let out a gasp as she recognized where she was. The palace? But how?

She began looking around until she recognized the sound of something. "Tia?" she got closer and indeed recognized the voice of her sister. "Tia. TIA!" she found her sister standing on the balcony, the moon high in the sky.

"If only I tried harder. Maybe you'd be here with me now." Celestia spoke to herself, peering up into the heavens.

"Tia," Luna called out to her, reaching to touch her sister only to go right through her. What was going on?

"I remember when our parents first brought you home. You were the most adorable little foal. You were so energetic you almost always tipped over. I was so nervous that you wouldn't like me." A solemn laugh escaped the lips of the princess. "But when you immediately tittle over and hugged by my face all my fears subsided."

Luna now realized what was happening. This was a memory. When Nightmare Moon trapped Celestia and began draining her power, did that somehow connect them? Or did the bond they used to share with the Elements had something to do with it.

"Do you remember when you first try to pronounce my name? The only eligible part was Tia." She was remembering happier times. "I failed you Luna. As your big sister I was supposed to look after and protect you. I was so naïve back then. Remember when we were heralded as Princesses and our defeat over Discord, the love and admiration of so many ponies. Remember when we banished Sombra? Every time we accomplished something great I felt so proud that I began to lose sight of what gave me inspiration in the first place.

I remember that day I was first tasked to raise the Sun. I was so nervous, but then you came running up to me. I remember your words clearly. "Tia I hope to grow up to be like you some day." Her lips curved into a brief smile. "As long as you were there to support me I felt like I could do anything. I let my ego as the older and wiser sister get the best of me. I mistook your concerns and loneliness as mere overreactions. Because I failed to take your concerns seriously I may have lost you forever. " sorrow then etched onto the face of the Alicorn of the Sun. "I failed you baby sister." Tears began to flow from the Alicorn's eyes. "Not a night doesn't go by when I think of my failure and how much you must have been suffering. Only now when it is too late I wish to act like your big sister." Her words were now angry, but they were directed at herself. "Luna….sister…if I could have one more chance I'd do it all over again. I'd never abandon you. It isn't fair!" she suddenly wailed. "That you have to suffer for my failures." She whispered. "I know I don't have any right to ask you this, but can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?"

"Sister…I'm the one who should apologize. I shouldn't have been so quick to throw away our bond. I…I won't let this thing wi. I won't let it do what it pleases anymore." A new surge of power coursed through Princess Luna.

Nightmare Moon's wings spread and her horn glowed. "This is the end of you mettlesome creature." The evil Alicorn bared its fang as it bared her horn at Naruto.

An explosion of dark, yet benevolent energy drew the attention of both combatants. They turned as Princess Luna underwent a transformation. Her light azure mane transformed into a brilliant Persian blue color. Her light phthalo coat was now a deep cerulean color and the small pony was now far larger than before.

"Nightmare Moon, Thou shall no longer do as one pleases anymore. Tis is the end of your tyranny and reign as Thou will be banning you to the darkest depths of the Underworld. Thou shall pay for the harm that was caused."

"Luuuuuuuuuna." The creature wailed as it shot towards her, temporarily forgetting about Naruto. The creature soon found itself sent hurling back by the might of the Moon Princess. Luna landed next to Naruto who was in awe by the transformation.

"Brave warrior, this one thanks you. Let us kick this abhorrent abomination from my mind." One of her domains was that of the dream world. Now no longer crippled by fear and despair Luna had the power to will Naruto free of this plane restrictions as well as to stop fueling Nightmare Moon with her own crippling self-doubt.

Naruto found himself blanketing in an even bright gold aura. "It is about time the connection has been reestablished."

A grin formed on Naruto's face. 'We'll have to play catch-up later Kurama. We got one ugly parasitic monster ass to kick.' In his new horse form the cloak had changed into something more befitting which resulted in him being blessed him with wings to fly and a horn to channel his power.

The two of them took to the sky with a mighty flap of their wings. Nightmare Moon let out a snarl but would not be deter by this new development. She took to the air after them, with the intent to destroy them once and for all.

Meanwhile within the waking world Twilight Sparkle began to stir. She was confused and a groan left her lips. It took her a few seconds to remember and recall what happened. 'I hope the others are okay.' She thought as she began channeling her power to levitate the five Elements.

She suddenly yelped as a burst of magic sent her skidding across the ground and elements tumbling. Darkness began to converge and formed the form of Nightmare Moon. "The foal that remembered me to think you've come this far. You have graciously brought me the five elements though this one is afraid your quest was for naught." The Evil alicorn let out a nefarious laugh. Dark magic began to glow from Nightmare Moon's horn.

Twilight could only look up in shock. Was this really how it was going to end?

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Chapter End

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Title Preview: Showdown Continues: Twilight's Counterattack! Pupil of Celestia Unleashed