Fire Bird syndrome

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter 1: Let The Nightmare Begin
Chapter 2: A Deadly Encounter
Chapter 3: Celestia's Outburst

Prologue

It was another peaceful day in Equestria, however there seemed to be something different. The night was lasting a bit longer than usual and the sun had not yet come up. Every pony was very confused, there was no sun to wake up the flowers or any other plants. Nor was there light for any pony to see. The moon was not shining thus there was not enough light for the animals to see where they were going, or for the birds to see where they were flying. While this was going on all over Equestria, at the castle the two princesses were arguing.

The younger princess was asking for just a small amount of extra time for night to last so the ponies could see just how beautiful the night truly was, but the older sister argued against this because the ponies needed the sunlight more for crops, heat, and other necessities. The younger sister frowned and started to cry running out of the castle as the older sister sighed. "Guard," she commanded, "Could you please bring my sister back I wish to apologize and explain why I can't allow the night to last longer than it should." The guard nodded and flew off going out to find the princess of the night. The moon began to lower slowly, making room for the sun.

Reluctantly, the younger sister had moved it for the older. As the sun was being raised the guard found the younger sister, Princess Luna, in the ever-free forest. The guard dared not go alone, he turned tail and flew back to find another guard to assist him. Princess Luna saw him and sighed in sadness. "They would only risk there lives for my sister. There is no reason for myself to go back. The sun is more important..." she said wiping tears away with her hooves.

"...What is wrong miss?" Luna glanced up and frantically looked around. "Hello? W-Who is there?" she asked with a trembling voice, not sure if the voice she heard was friend or foe. "Do not be afraid miss, we are not here to harm you..." The princess heard again from the darkness realizing it was a young filly's voice. "Little one are you ok? What dost thou mean we? Is there someone else with you? Are you harmed?" she asked looking for the source of the voice.

"I am here with her miss, we're both ok." She heard another voice, this time sounding as if a small colt had spoken. "There are two of you?" The princess asked, "Are you both lost?" There was a long silence. She whimpered fearing that she was alone again but then heard rustling from a bush nearby. "Little ones is that you?" She asked hoping it wasn't a manticore or cockatrice. "Little ones?" She cowered thinking the worst had happened to them and was now about to happen to herself.

Then something jumped out of the bushes. She screamed thinking the worse was to come, then she heard a soft voice. "Miss are you alright?" She gasped and looked down to see two young ponies. The one who had spoken was a young colt who had brownish fur and a mane with rusty brown, his eyes matching his mane. Beside him shook a small mare, her fur a shade of purple, and her mane was black as night.

Her eyes, which shifted nervously around, were a deep brown, and glasses sat upon her snout. They smiled gently at her with very sharp teeth. The small filly, a unicorn, backed up slightly as the colt, a Pegasus, inched toward the Princess. "Miss? Are you ok?" the small Pegasus asked as the unicorn shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, yes little ones I am fine it's just that...my night is gone..." The small ponies tilted there heads and looked up seeing the sun and backed into the shade.

"...Oh no, Phoenix the sun's up...we have to go." The unicorn said afraid running into the forest. "No little one come back!" Luna shouted. "Miss if you like the night and if it's yours please bring it back..." The Pegasus looked afraid and sad as if he wanted to cry but couldn't. "Why little one?" Luna asked wondering why such a small Pegasus liked the night. After all most ponies his age were afraid of the dark.

After she asked, he huffed and sighed walking into the sunlight, becoming transparent, and becoming even more see threw the longer he was in the sunlight. Luna gasped and made shade with the tree's as the Pegasus panted gaining back his color and solidness. "T-That's why miss..." he panted then disappeared into the woods. She wanted to go after the young ones as the tree's bent back into shape letting sun through. "Princess Luna." She heard as guards surrounded her.

"You must come with us. Princess Celestia has ordered us to take you back to the castle." She sighed and nodded, following them back to the castle. When she saw her older sister, she began telling her about the two little ponies she had seen in the woods. "Luna, my dear sister why did you ru-" "Hush sister!" Luna exclaimed interrupting her. "Sister you must let me hold the moon just a bit longer ple-" "Luna!" Princess Celestia roared interrupting the younger. "We have had this conversation before! No you may not hold it longer, the towns ponies need the sun for light and heat. The farmers need it for there crops." Celestia hissed out angrily. "...I-I know you're more important." Luna said as Celestia sighed "...please sister I...you don't known what I have seen...I saw...I saw two little ones in the ever-free fore-" "And you did not get them sister!? I thought you were kind! You left them in the forest!? They might be dead! Guards go find them and bring them here!" Celestia exclaimed, as the guards flew off to the forest.

Luna gasped and cried a bit. "PLEASE SISTER!!! DO NOT BRING THEM HERE THEY WILL DIE PLEASE!!!" the younger sobbed. "Luna..." Celestia gasped "You can't just leave them in the forest. If a manticore gets to them....." Celestia trailed off with a shocked face thinking her sister had gone mad or had been corrupt. "But sister they are not ponies but entiti-" she started to say but got cut off by Celestia. "SISTER LEAVE TO YOUR ROOM THIS INSTANT I SHALL HAVE THE ROYAL DOCTOR CHECK ON YOU!!! LEAVE!!!" Celestia yelled obliviously.

Luna sobbed and ran to her room in the castle, crying herself to sleep. The royal guards soon came back with two rags fashioned into hoods filly sized. "What is this, Byron?" Celestia asked impatiently. "Why have you brought trash? Where are the little ones!?" Byron, the guard in question, stepped up holding the rags. "...This is what's left of them Prin-" Celestia cut off the guard yelling, "OH NO!!! THE LITTLE ONES!!! IF ONLY MY SISTER HAD SAVED THEM!!!...what happened to them Byron...?" she asked as he shook his head.

"We had found them your highness...but..." he began. "Yes but what? Why are they not here then?" Celestia interrupted again. Byron sighed and explained. "When we had brought them into the light...they had disappeared from our grasp...they were gone...it seems they were not...alive your highness..." He said looking at the rags sadly, all of the guards took of there helmets and bowed as he laid the rags on the floor. They all began crying a bit at the thought that they might have been the reason the small ponies were now gone.

"What do yo-...oh my...I...it is my fault guards...leave me..." They all nodded and flew off as Celestia got the rags going to Luna's room. "Sister...?" Celestia asked but noticed Luna was asleep. She sighed and put the rags in her little sisters arms and left crying, thinking her sister would hate her forever now. The princess of the Sun returned to her throne and sat. As Luna slept she began hearing whispers.

"...llllluuunnnnaa...mooon...get...rid...of sun..." The voice sounded familiar to the Princess but all she could see in her dream was darkness. Slowly she began to see stars but after looking for a bit, she noticed it was not the stars she knew and loved. Then out of the darkness came an older looking mare with armor, black fur, and emerald eyes. Her mane was flowing with stars, and all Luna could do was stare. "Luna," The figure spoke.

"H-Hu, who are you?" Luna asked terrified by this much larger mare. "I am you Luna," the figure explained and Luna gasped backing up afraid. "But I am not like you." Luna said, "I am small not big." She said assured whoever this pony was wasn't her. "I am you, but I am in your head. I am Nightmare Moon." The larger mare spoke smirking. "You see, the night is ours and we shall make it last forever!" Nightmare cackled as Luna's eyes shimmered.

But slowly Luna began to realize that she was actually thinking of overthrowing her older sister, and shook her head. "I-I cannot my sister...my sister is right...night is for sleep..." Luna responded tearing up a bit. "But what about those two small ones wont you make there final wish come true?" Nightmare Moon asked with a smirk as Luna stared confused. "F-Final wish? W-What do you mean?" Nightmare smirked and replied, "Your sister brought them here...and when the light touched them they disappeared. They called for your help Luna, but Celestia killed them." Luna gasped as tears streamed down her cheeks. "But Tia w-" Nightmare interrupted, "Oh but she did, she cares not of the night after all. She only cares for her "precious" day." Luna sobbed and felt a glimmer of pain.

Her eyes began to turn color as she noticed Nightmare disappear. Her thoughts began changing, and soon she realized she was no longer Princess Luna. She was Nightmare Moon, and before her were the two little ones from the forest. "We shall make the night last forever for our children of the night!!!" she said smirking as her dream began to end.

As she awoke the day was coming to an end. She looked around her room and saw the rags in her hooves, immediately the realization hit her. The two young ones were dead...she began to cry and hugged the rags tight. "Miss...? Are you ok?" She heard two familiar voices asked. She gasped and looked behind her to see the almost invisible unicorn and Pegasus. Luna hugged them both sobbing.

"Miss? Are you ok?" Phoenix, the young Pegasus asked again. She nodded and sobbed out, "D-Do you have a place to be?" The little ones looked at one another then both shook there heads. "Not until the night." Phoenix replied. "W-Well want to live with us?" Luna asked hesitantly as she looked up. "Yes." The unicorn spoke quietly for the first time without phoenix talking with her.

"Yes please y-your the night yes..?" asked the unicorn trembling afraid as Luna nodded and hugged them both. "What are your names?" asked Luna "Phoenix" said the Pegasus making Luna smile. "And you little filly?" she asked to the unicorn. "R-Raven...N-Night" said the unicorn again without aid from the Pegasus. "Are you both ok now?" Luna asked worried as they both nodded. "...We used your magic to come back..." Raven said timidly.

"Were sorry if you had a bad dream...us using magic can cause that..." Luna smiled softly and hugged them. "Tis fine if you are both back, after all you are our children." She said making both Raven and Phoenix smile tearing up hugging back tightly. "M-Mommy..." both ponies said as Luna smiled tearing up from happiness. Soon the door opened and Celestia walked in the room. "Sist-...Why do you look like that?" she asked as she looked Luna over.

Her sister was in her newly acquired armor, her emerald eyes and a flowing star mane shining brightly. "...and who are they?" she asked looking at the two young ones. "GET OUT SISTER!!!" Luna roared not even looking at the other. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL US WHEN THE MOON SHOULD COME DOWN OR GO UP!!! IT SHALL BE NIGHT FOR AS LONG AS WE WANT IT TO BE!!!" she yelled turning to face the older princess. Celestia gasped, "SISTER DO NOT DO THIS YOU CAN NOT OVERTHROW ME!!!" she shouted, but Luna had already slammed the door in her snout.

Luna grabbed Phoenix and Raven flying to the courtyard blocking out what was left of the sun light smirking. "GUARDS ALL OF YOU HEAR US! IF YOU ARE SICK OF CELESTIA'S RULE YOU MAY JOIN US AS WE TAKE OVER AND HAVE THE NIGHT LAST FOREVER!!!" A couple of guards looked over and smirked knowing this was an opportunity to get out of Celestia's service and finally do as they wished. The guards who wished to join the side of darkness stepped forward as the rest of Celestia's army gasped seeing so many traitors go along side Princess Luna. Luna smirked, using her magic to cast a spell transforming the guards who wanted to be under her rule. Her royal guards began to glow and soon sprouted bat wings, dark fur and manes with dark armor such as her. Luna smiled at her children and they smiled back.

The sun lowered and the moon came out making it night. "Yay mommy it's night!!!" said Phoenix as he flew next to her. "Of course our child, just for you and your sister." The Pegasus smiled and flew around his sister and mother. "LUNA!? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!? RETURN THE SUN THIS INSTANT!!! IT ISN'T SUPPOSED TO BE NIGHT YET!!! STOP WITH THIS FOOLISHNESS AND RETURN THE SUN!!!" Celestia yelled angrily at her little sister. The small Pegasus glared rising up behind Celestia without her noticing and flew at her turning into a flame, smacking her hard making her crash to the ground beneath her.

Phoenix smiled and his fire extinguished. "DON'T YELL AT MY MOMMY!!!" He growled at the Older Princess as she slipped out of consciousness, "...Did I do good mommy?" he asked his mother nodded happily getting him. "Are you ok our dear?" she asked as he nodded. "I'm ok, I do that when I'm mad right Raven?" he smiled at his sister as she nodded. "Yes mommy he has magic like me, see?" Raven smiled softly as her horn started glowing making most of Celestia's royal guards into harmless little animals.

"Guards return to the castle. We shall stay in the throne room until my sister decides to let us rule as we please." The guards nodded and made their way to the throne room with there new Princess. A day of battle between the two sisters and their army's commenced. As the battle ensued, the older sister realized that with the young ones aiding Luna, Celestia would not be able to talk sense into her sister. She had consulted her guards time and time again within the hours of how to get the two away from her beloved sister. Soon Byron spoke up telling the Princess of the Sun that it was wrong to try to get rid of the young ones.

Celestia glared angrily at him, and let out a small sigh. "But we must," She murmured, "If we don't, I will never help my sister realize the error of her ways..." He frowned and sighed nodding, not truly understanding why such a generous, loving princess would wish to hurt such small children. A guard a few rows behind Byron spoke up saying, "We must draw the small ones into the light! If we do that they will disappear!" Byron frowned angrily looking over at the guard who had interrupted his thoughts. "What if we lure the small unicorn out first," he continued not noticing Byron's glare of disapproval. "We can lure her out with one of the guards that was turned into an animal." He continued as Byron shook his head.

"Hm, yes indeed that does sound like a pleasant idea. Once she is out, we can use her as bait to capture the Pegasus." She smiled evilly. "Byron, go fetch one of the animals, the smallest one you can find, and bring it here." She demanded. Byron glared and shook his head at the Princess. "I will not allow this to happened." Celestia glared as murmurs rang through the crowd. "You will not disobey my orders, least you end up like the other traitors to the thrown shall!" She growled out harshly.

Byron glared defiantly at the princess and threw his helmet down, shaking his armor off along side it. "I SHALL NOT RULE UNDER SUCH A HORRIBLE PRINCESS SUCH AS YOURSELF!!! ESPECIALLY ONE WHO BELIEVES IT RIGHT TO HURT SUCH YOUNG PONIES!!!" He bellowed, "I SHALL TRAVLE ALL OVER EQUESTRIA SPREADING THE TALES OF WHAT HORRIBLE CRIMES YOU HAVE MADE US COMMIT!!! IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME JUST YOU WAIT!!!" He shouted out defiantly. His green eyes locked with Celestia's light purple ones for only a moment before he turned around, his brown mane and tail falling in sadness. The earth pony then sprinted passed the guards who could only stare in shock at the rust orange blur who was once their captain ran passed by them. He was only a few feet from freedom when a force of pink enveloped Byron and floated him towards Celestia.

He twitched in annoyance and struggled violently trying to escape. "I don't think so Byron, you're going to aid me weather you like it or not." She smirked, "And I think I have the perfect punishment for you. You're going to play a big role in capturing the little unicorn..."

As Celestia began to set her plan in motion, Princess Luna sat in her throne. "Mommy, what are we going to be doing now?" Asked the two little ones who sat, looking rather bored by her side. "Do what you like our dear little ones," She said with a loving smile, "The castle is now ours after all!" The two little equines smiled in rejoice and got up sprinting down the hall to the left of them. As they ran down the corridor they past a large door which had the symbol of the sun carved into the smooth wood. Raven paused behind her brother, who continued his sprint, trying to regain her breath and heard a slight whimpering.

Raven tilted her head in confusion and slowly pushed open the heavy door poking her head inside the darkened room. As her brown eyes scanned over the darkness, she heard the whimpering cease. Raven adjusted her glasses slightly, and froze as she noticed a small shadow shaking in the far corner of the room. Raven's curiosity caught the better of her, and she stepped inside. She jumped slightly as the door slammed behind her, but assuming it was merely a breeze, she ignored this and moved toward the figure.

A chain began to rattle as the shadow moved further back into the shadows away from the young mare. Raven whimpered nervously, not sure weather to move forward or run to the safety of Phoenix's arms. After calming her nerves slightly, she stepped closer. The shadow was now in front of her, and the chain rattled louder. Raven closed her eyes for a moment before her horn lite with her black magic giving her just enough light to see. In front of her was no spook or terror, but instead a small rusty orange colored puppy with big green eyes.

Raven gasped as her eyes scanned over the front right paw of the small puppy. His paw was bleeding profusely as he struggled to free it from the jaws of a bear trap attached to the wall next to them. Raven frowned and looked at the puppy, "Don't worry little puppy, I can help you!" She said kissing his forehead. Raven gently started to pry open the trap with her magic. The dog yelped in slight pain, but then began growling and barking at the young filly, trying to get her away from him. Soon Raven got the trap off of the pup's paw, but before she could try and heal his wounds, a guard grabbed her by the hair and knocked the poor filly out cold.

Celestia's guard picked up both the puppy and the filly sighing in regret and started towards the door, as he reached to open it he heard yelling. "Raven!!! Where are you???" It was the voice of a young colt. Phoenix flew slowly down the corridor looking for his friend, slightly worried that she had gotten into trouble. He just couldn't understand where she had gotten to. One minute they were racing down the hall, the next he was by himself.

"Raven???" He called out again, feeling more and more worried as time went on. The guard panicked slightly and backed away from the door, flying out the nearby window instead. Phoenix sighed and slowly opened the door that beared the sign of the sun. "Raven? Are you in here?" He glanced around the room and saw a slight glimmer in the moonlight and slowly walked toward it. "H-Hu...?" He gasped as he saw a dark red pool of blood glimmering.

"RAVEN!?!?" He screamed out in shock frantically looking for his sister. When he could not find her in the room he flew out the open window to find his sister by himself. The Pegasus flew as high as he could into the night sky, but froze when he saw a patch of sunlight in the royal garden. He paused for only a brief moment, watching as he saw a royal guard wearing Celestia's armor heading toward the sun light. In the guards hoof Phoenix saw two smaller figures being carried with him.

Phoenix gasped and glared in anger, setting himself ablaze charging at the guard at full speed. Phoenix hit the guard hard, knocking his helmet off and setting his mane on fire. The guard gasped, dropping both Raven and the puppy, but Phoenix could do nothing help them, for he was falling much to fast to stop. "RAVEN!!!!" he screamed out sobbing as the ball of fire fell closer and closer to the light. His fire extinguished the moment he touched the sunlight, and he became transparent as he fell further and further to the ground.

He sobbed frantically and cried out, "Raven no...! Please...! You're my only friend...I can't lose..." He trailed off as he slowly faded into nothingness. Raven felt a pinge of pain, and she knew something was not right. She slowly opened her eyes and saw a glimpse of Phoenix as he faded away. "No....NO!!!! PHOENIX PLEASE!!!" She cried out, her eyes tearing as she fell to her doom. She sobbed and grabbed for anything to help her, but the only thing in reach was the puppy from before. She grabbed it holding him close."PHOENIX HELP!!!!! MOMMY!!!! SOMEONE!!! ...Anyone...please..." She sobbed out closing her eyes as the puppy snuggled her trying to comfort her.

Suddenly she felt a pair of arms wrap around her as the pup began to growl. "Oh, Byron, don't growl at me." Raven heard a soft but firm voice say. She opened her eyes softly to see white wings flowing in front of her. Celestia smirked yanking the now cowering puppy away from the mare by his torn apart leg. "See Byron, I knew you would help me," She grinned evilly at him as he shook yelping in pain, "Such a shame I can't have you live though, I mean, you did betray me after all." Celestia smirked holding the small figure just out of Raven's grasp.

"No!!! Please don't hurt the puppy!!!" Raven sobbed out reaching as far as she could to the small creature that had caused so much trouble. Celestia smirked dropping the puppy to it's death. "NO!!!" Raven cried out struggling to get out of Celestia's painfully tight grip. The Princess only smirked and flew towards her beautiful sunlight with the small mare in her hooves. As the two neared the sunlight, a voice yelled out, "SISTER!? WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!? WHERE IS PHOENIX!? GIVE US BACK OUR CHILDREN NOW!!!" Princess Luna flew quickly towered her sister and sobbing child. Celestia merely smirked and tossed the screaming mare like a piece of trash into the Sunlight. Raven screamed in pure pain as the sunlight hit her body, making her disappear forever.

"RAVEN NO-" Princess Luna began to scream flying past Celestia, but was cut off when her horn was grabbed by her older sister. "Oh Luna, my dear sweet sister, don't worry. Tia will make the memories of those horrid brats go away." The older princess said with a smirk as a bright light flashed into Luna's tear filled eyes, causing her to pass out.

Chapter 1: Let The Nightmare Begin

Five years had passed since Nightmare Moon had returned to Equestia and been defeated. Princess Luna still had no recollection of what had drove her to try and over throw her older sister, Celestia, which had gotten her a stern punishment of 1,000 years alone on the moon. Yet every night in her dreams, she sees two blackened out figures that appear to be a mare and a colt. They seem to call out to her, as if calling to someone they know, but before she can make out their features, her dream ends and she awakens in a cold sweat. She has also began to notice that in other ponies dreams, simple happy details have gotten dark and twisted into nightmares.

Luna sighed and sat up in her bed for only a moment before getting out and walking to the throne room where her sister sat. "Sister...?" Princess Luna asked as Celestia glanced down upon the smaller mare. "What happened on that fateful night when we refused to lower the moon...?" She asked staring into her older sisters eyes. "Dearest sister, you need not worry about that day. It was a long time ago, and I have forgiven you." Celestia replied with a slight smirk. Luna tilted her head slightly frowning and asked, "Please sister, It feels as though we have forgotten someone..."

Celestia sighed and began to explain, "You just became insane and tried to kill me and my guards..." Celestia knew it wasn't true, and smirked inwardly knowing that this would keep her younger sister at bay for now. Luna frowned looking away from her beloved sister, "We're sorry sister....we didn't....we didn't know better...we....we are sorry...." Celestia got down from her throne, giggling inside her brain, and moved toward the princess of the night yawning slightly. "The day is coming to an end my dear, sister. It is your turn to bring up the moon. Do you recall how to bring the night, or shall I aid you?" She asked smiling gently at Luna. Luna looked up and sighed, "Sister, we are not a little filly anymore..." She frowned, as Celestia nodded and walked away to her room.

Princess Luna sighed as the sun lowered completely making room for her lovely moon. Soon the moon was high in the starry night sky. Luna smiled out the window at it, and with nothing more to do, decided to go check on her loyal subjects dreams. As the princess went through out every ponies dreams she came across something odd. When she tried to enter Pinkie Pie's, one of her new found friends, dream...something prevented all access to it. Luna frowned a bit and tried to ignore this, but she had this urge in the back of her mind...wondering what exactly could be going on...Luna sighed and continued down the path to more pleasant dreams, but little did the princess know that within Pinkie Pie's dream, something evil was lurking in the darkness...

Inside of Pinkie Pie's dream, everything was bright and sunny. She smiled happily walking into Sugar Cube Corner and was immediately greeted by two hugs from Pound and Pumpkin, the Cake twins, which she happily received. After partaking in some pastries courtesy of Mrs. Cake, the pink haired mare hopped up the stairs to her bedroom. Pinkie's eyes widened as her whole body began to shake violently when she reached to open her door. "Oh wow! That one was a doosey, I wonder what's gonna happen!!" She said aloud, frowning slightly.

She bit her lip and slowly opened the door to her room. Her blue eyes widened in shock as the door disappeared. "W-What....Where am I...?" She asked looking confused and getting a bit worried. Pinkie Pie slowly looked inside the room seeing absolutely nothing but pure black. "Hello Pinkie Pie, come in dear~" An unfamiliar mare's voice said eerily.

Pinkie gulped a bit and slowly stepped into the dark abyss and floated on what seemed like thin air. She stepped a bit further into the room and peeked behind her, but soon wished she hadn't. Behind her was....darkness...Sugar Cube Corner was gone. "This way Pinkie~" The voice sang gently. Pinkie frowned and looked back towards the way she had been walking, continuing around the abyss before freezing as she saw a single dim light.

She gulped and trembled slowly inching towered the dim light. As she came closer, she noticed the light shone against a single concrete wall that seemed to have something written on it in a strange crimson red fluid. She looked closer, and gasped noticing it was blood, and quickly backed away from the wall. The light slowly began to get brighter as the pink mare moved further away.. Soon the message in blood became clearer to read, "Life...is a...party...?" Pinkie read tilting her head slightly in confusion. "What's wrong dear Pinkie? Isn't life such a great party?" Pinkie turned around in confusion and saw a mare standing in front of her, her back facing Pinkie.

The mysterious mare was standing over something that Pinkie Pie couldn't quite see. Pinkie gulped, frowning, "W-Who are you? Where am I? What are you doing, it's not anything bad is it?" Pinkie managed to ask nervously. The figure didn't move except to grab what looked like measuring cups, "Well miss Pinkameana, why don't you come over and help me? I'm just making some cupcakes is all my dear~" Pinkie Pie instantly brightened up jumping over to the figure forgetting instantly about the blood. "Oh boy! What kind of cupcakes?" She asked with her usual chipper smile, "Are they, chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, cherry, bluebe-" Her voice ceased when she saw the pony laying on the table, her pink fluffy hair deflating into flat lifeless strands. Pinkies eyes filled with tears as she opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out.

"What's wrong my dear sweet Pinkameana~" The purple mare asked as she grinned, her teeth sharpened to the tip, "Don't you like when I use your special ingredients~?" Pinkie's eyes poured with tears as she glanced between the black haired mare and her best friend, who laid almost lifeless on the table before them. "D-Dash...?" Pinkie sobbed out, "R-Rainbow...Dash...what happen..." She trailed off sobbing as she watched the evil mare beside her rip her friends internal organs out slowly. "Oh what's wrong Pinkameana~?" The unicorn asked as she whipped the specks of blood off her glasses, "Isn't this what you wanted~? I mean this is your doing~" She smirked as Pinkie felt her stomach drop.

The unicorn smirked and disappeared into thin air. "D-Dash...!?" Pinkie Pie stuttered hurrying to her friend, "Dash please be ok...!" She whimpered reaching for the rainbow manned ponies face and freezing. Finally the pink haired mare let out an ear splitting shriek as she saw a bloody scalpel in her hoof. Rainbow dash, who lay barley conscious on the table before Pinkie Pie, gasped in breath and coughed out blood. "P-Pinkie...?" She choked out, "Why.....Why would you do...do this to..." Her sentence was cut short from the loss of blood to her few vital organs as she finally passed out. "No! Dash! Wake up please!!" Pinkie pie gasped out, "I would never do this!!! It wasn't me!!! DASH PLEASE!!!" She sobbed out trying to wake the newly deceased Rainbow Dash up. Pinkameana sobbed holding the lifeless corps of her dead best friend, Rainbow Dash.

Pinkie Pie screamed lunging up in her bed sobbing. "DASH!!! PLEASE WAKE UP!!" She screamed looking around her brightened room panting heavily. Mrs. Cake gasped hearing Pinkie scream and raced up the stairs to her room throwing open the door. "Pinkie dear? are you ok? What happened? Why are you screaming honey?" She asked as Pinkie sobbed holding herself. Mrs. Cake frowned and went over to her house guest hugging her gently.

"I-I killed Dash...!" Pinkie Pie sobbed trying to explain to her motherly figure what had happened. Mrs. Cake frowned and listened, assuring Pinkie Pie that it was only a dream, comforting her till she stopped crying. Pinkie sniffled burying her face in Mrs. Cakes hair inhaling the light cinnamon smell, probably due from a pastry she had cooked earlier. "It felt so real Mrs. Cake..." Pinkie sighed out, "I don't want to hurt Dash..." she murmured feeling a bit more at ease now that Mrs. Cake was here. "Oh Pinkie," Mrs. Cake sighed hugging Pinkie tight, "You wouldn't do that, I know how you act. You wouldn't hurt a fly, and besides, I know you'll forget this soon. You always find a way to be happy!" The blue mare concluded with a smile making Pinkie's hair inflate with joy.

Pinkie smiled and yawned lightly, "Thank you Mrs. Cake, I'm gonna sleep for a bit more if you don't mind!" She said jumping into bed squirming back under her covers. Mrs. Cake nodded smiling, happy that Pinkie was ok now, and left the room, closing the door behind her. The blue mare sighed a bit exhausted, "Maybe I should rest too, but I do have to finish frosting those cupcakes." She sighed out and went over to the dozen or so assorted cupcakes that were made for the Cutie Mark Crusaders weekly meeting and began to finish frosting the remaining three cupcakes. She finished in a few moments and stood from her seat about to head to her room, when suddenly exhaustion hit her hard, making her fall back into the cupcakes, and into a deep sleep.

She awoke to darkness in her dream, but not for very long. Soon lights dimly lit up and she realized she was in her sweet shop, Sugar Cube Corner, but knew something was...different. There was no familiar smell of pastries there was no mess in the kitchen no cakes or any other sweets being baked and there were boxes that looked as though they were newly packed. Mrs. Cake frowned and looked around the room. "Honey? What's going on?" She called out to her husband confused. Mr. Cake came out of the hall with another large box of things.

He looked as though he hadn't slept in days. Apart from being obviously exhausted, when he looked at his still puzzled wife, he had a look of betrayal and sadness. The yellow colt sighed, not answering his wife's question, and continued stacking the box next to the others by the door. "Honey?" Mrs. Cake asked again, "Why are you packing, are we moving?" The mare asked frowning at her husband. Mr. Cake sighed, "What? Are you trying to forget that you cheated on me?" he asked looking at Pumpkin and Pound cake who looked extremely upset.

Mrs. Cake gasped in shock, "I-I didn't cheat on you, I swear! I would never cheat on you! You're the only colt I love!" She said looking distraught and worried. Mr. Cake shook his head and sighed, "Oh sure, you didn't cheat on me? Then who was that colt you came in here with a few days ago when you though I wasn't here...?" He questioned feeling slightly annoyed at the thought. As the married couple began arguing with each other, the two young ones started to sob. As the two continued arguing and ignoring the crying twins, Pound gave a hurt look to his twin sister and hugged her tight before flying out a nearby open window.Pumpkin cake began to cry louder and soon teleported away from her ignoring parents.

Soon the arguing began to get more intense and neither cared what the other was saying, or who was right. Then unexpectedly, Carrot Cake reached up to his chest in pain falling over to the floor. "C-Cup Cake...W-Why...?" Was all he managed to choke out before a pool of his own blood began to circle around him from a new wound that had just opened up. Mrs. Cake gasped in shock, "W-What happened Carrot Cake...?!" She said tears filling her light crimson eyes as she kneeled down to her husband who was barley conscious on the floor. When she reached for him she gasped dropping the kitchen knife that had beautiful rubies running down the shining silver. She sobbed holding her now dead husband in her arms.

"N-No...I-I'm sorry Carrot Cake...I-I don't know how that knife got in my hoof...please forgive me..." She sobbed rocking back and forth with the rapidly decaying corps falling apart in her hooves. As she watched the body melt away, grass sprouted from the wood floor of Sugar Cube Corner. Raindrops began falling from the sky as Cup Cake slowly looked up from the grass. Ahead a few yards away was a funeral. 'It's funny...' She thought, 'I can name every pony there...' Her eyes which held no more tears shifted from pony to pony as she began to name them in her head.

As her eyes landed on Pinkie Pie, who held Pumpkin and Pound cake all three having straightened flat hair, she felt a sharp pain in her heart. The three who Mrs. Cake had taken care of looked distraught and lost without Mr. and Mrs. Cake beside them, like they didn't belong. She shook away the pain in her heart and continued looking through the crowed only to stop on the only pony there she didn't recognize. After every pony said their goodbyes to Mr. Cake for the last time, the once lively colt was buried in his final resting place. The ponies all began to leave, and Mrs. Cake watched as her babies were taken away from Pinkie as she sobbed and cried for the mare that took them to let them live with her instead of the orphanage they were destined to go to.

Mrs. Cake frowned and sighed knowing she could do nothing to help, and let her eyes drift back to the one colt whom she didn't know. He just stood there at the grave, with what seemed like a satisfied look on his face. She slowly walked over to the rusty brown colt, "W-Who are you?" Mrs. Cake asked the mysterious colt. He simply smirked and said nothing, but only stared at the freshly made grave. "Hello Mrs. Cup Cake. Oh I'm sorry Ms. Cup Cake." The colt said still staring at the pile of mud.

"How are you today~? I see you murdered your husband. Was it fun~?" He asked smirking with a pair of razor sharp teeth. Mrs. Cake's eyes widened, "W-What do you mean? It wasn't fun! I didn't want to...kill him..." She said, her eyes filling with more tears as the memory of her husband bleeding on the floor returned to her brain. "Oh but it was wasn't it~?" He asked smirking evilly, "You can help me kill more you know~" the colt said handing her the same knife she had used to kill her very special some pony, which still had fresh blood.

Mrs. Cake sobbed frantically, "NO! I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT ANYMORE!!" She screamed as the colt laughed, his brown mane falling in his rusty brown colored eyes. Mrs. Cake sobbed more running away from him into the darkness. "You can't run from your truth!!! You will kill sooner or later HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH!!!" She heard the colt yelling.

Cup Cake woke up jerking her head waking from the nightmare. She sighed, seeing that gummy had eaten some of the cupcakes. "I-It was only a nightmare..." She reassured herself sighing at the mess gummy had made. She remade the cupcakes as the sun slowly rose up.

Chapter 2: A Deadly Encounter

The sun had finally risen over Ponyville as Mrs. Cake tiredly frosted the last of the Cutie Mark Crusaders cupcakes. She yawned, fighting to hold her heavy eye lids from closing, and jumped slightly as the front door opened and three excited fillies ran inside. "Mrs. Cake!" The three yelled excitedly as they ran over, hugging her as payment, "Thank you for the cupcakes!" They smiled at her as they ran out with the box of goodies over their heads. Mrs. Cake smiled and slowly went upstairs to go sleep, but knocked out on the way up, falling back down the stairs.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders giggled and smiled as they made their way to their tree house happily. They grined as they went up to their "secret" club house and began devouring the cupcakes hungrily. They all giggled at one another smiling. "Boy, those sure were some good cupcakes, weren't they girls?" Applebloom asked her friends happily as the other two nodded in agreement. "Oh! Oh! Guess what guys!" Scootaloo jumped up yelling in sudden excitement causing both Sweetie Belle and Applebloom to direct their attention straight to her. "Rainbow Dash is gonna teach me to fly today!!" The purple haired filly shouted, obviously a bit more than happy at her own news.

"Oh that's so cool!" Applebloom said happy for her friend. "Maybe you can teach us to fly too!" Sweetie Bell smiled as her friends giggled. "Yeah, sure!" Scootaloo snickered, "Maybe when you grow wings!" She giggled. Suddenly they heard a loud thump on the ceiling and the giggling ceased. Hoofsteps began to make their way across the roof of the tree house toward the front door.

Scootaloo whimpered afraid as she hid herself under a nearby blanket shaking. "W-What is it?" Sweetie Belle asked clinging to Applebloom for comfort. "N-Now calm down girls..." Apple bloom said trembling a tad bit. "I-It's probably just a bird..." The red haired filly mummbled, mostly trying to reassure herself rather than her friends. Scootaloo wanted to scream, but held it back by biting her lower lip. "D-Don't worry guys...!" She said trembling a bit. "I-I'll get rid of it...!" She smiled weakly grabbing a nearby chair in her mouth, inching toward the door.

When Scootaloo got closer, the door flew open and the three fillies screamed. Scootaloo hurled the chair towered the rainbow manned equine who now stood laughing in the door frame. The chair hit her hard, she toppled over the wooden railing behind her and fell out onto the grass that laid below the club house. Scootaloo gasped running to the railing, looking down where the mare lay in pain. "O-Ow...What was that for little sis?" Rainbow Dash asked as she pushed the now broken chair off her aching frame.

The young filly gasped and jumped down landing on Rainbow Dash accidently with a loud 'thud' and a earning groan from the elder. "Rainbow Dash, are you ok?! I'm so sorry!!! Please don't be mad please I'm sorry!" The purple haired filly hurriedly said sobbing a bit at the thought of her heroine, Dash being mad at her. What if the rainbow haired mare was so mad she wouldn't teach her how to fly now? Or worse, what if she never wanted to see the young filly again? The thoughts only made Scootaloo feel worse about the mere accident.

"Please I'm so sorry..." she sobbed out moving off of the older mare, not wanting to be hated by someone she cared for so much. "Hey, it's fine," Rainbow Dash said slowly getting up and shaking off the pain. "See? I'm fine. Just gotta stretch," the mare assured her little sister. Scootaloo nodded and hugged her tightly. "Can you still teach me to fly Dash?" The filly finally asked hoping the answer was yes, even though she had just thrown a chair at her older sister.

Dash giggled and smiled down at the younger. "Yeah sis, of course! Just don't throw chairs at me, ok?" She said teasingly as Scootaloo went red and got on to her older sister's back. "SHUT UP!!!!!" she said as the other two CMC's giggled at her. "Hold on tight Scootaloo!" Dash exclaimed as she got into position. With a slight push off the ground, they flew off with Dash's fastest speed.

Sweetie and Apple bloom sighed and wondered what to do while their partner in crime was gone. They decided to go on an adventure (as always) to get there cutie marks. This time they decided to see if Ms. Cheerilee could help them obtain the marks they desired so badly so they went and knocked on her door. "Who is it?" Ms. Cheerilee asked from inside as she looked up from making what was to be tomorrows lesson plan. "It's two of your three favorite students~" they said in unison excitedly.

"Let us in Ms. Cheerilee~" Cheerilee sighed a bit in annoyance having to give up her day of relaxation from her all too eager students. She grimaced at the thought of the two fillies, yet answered with her all to familiar smile. "Why hello girls, what is it that I can help you with?" Ms. Cheerilee asked letting them in as they ran past her. "Can we help you plan for tomorrow Ms. Cheerilee?" Sweetie Belle smiled innocently getting onto her teachers desk reviewing the lesson. "Awe! That's boring, lets do this instead!" she said changing the plans to a big arts and craft's project.

The pink mare gasped and got the papers. "Now Sweetie Belle I'm the teacher, so I need to make the plans. I'm sorry that they're boring, but you need to learn this before you go to any type of school for your future. So please don't change my lessons." She said a bit frustrated knowing she'd have to redo the whole thing now, giving up even more sleep and alone time. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom both frowned, "We're sorry Ms. Cheerilee but we thought if we helped, we would get our cutie marks," Apple Bloom whimpered, her eyes welling up with tears as her and Sweetie were about to leave.The teacher sighed and frowned "Ok girls you can stay, but I need to finish my lesson plans again, alright? Now just sit and be patient and I'll help you alright?" Ms. Cheerilee said beginning to redo the papers as the two fillies sat in silence.

Soon the young girls fell asleep as Ms. Cheerilee finished up her work. After a while, Cheerilee looked up to see the fillies sound asleep and decided to take them home. She picked them up and put them in a carriage. She smiled a bit and took them each home saying good night to their respective families, then heading home herself. As she walked in the direction of her home, Cheerilee began to feel unbelievably tired, and suddenly collapsed at the foot of her doorstep.
~~~~

Night soon fell over Ponyville, Princess Luna having decided she must speak with her elder sister about the strange occurrences with the two inaccessible dreams. As she entered the throne room, she spoke, "Sister, something strange happened last night. We were not able to enter the dreams of two mares of Ponyville. Do you know why?" Celestia's brow furrowed, "It is of no concern to you. Besides, seeing as how you had a nightmare earlier, it may be of exhaustion or perhaps stress," Luna sighed, "Y-Yes sister...that must be it....." She frowned looking away from her elder whimpering slightly. Celelstia sighed, "Sister...I grow tired...lest I start hallucinating like you, I must go to sleep. Now please drop this ridiculous subject sister. We shall discuss it later, if I remember. Now goodnight," She scolded angrily stepping off the throne as the sun lowered. Celestia bit her lip in annoyance as she pushed past her sister and made her way to her room.

The younger sister sighed and sat at the throne. Soon, after sitting there growing bored for a few minutes, she decided to go and check on the ponies of Equestria's dreams. Specifically, the dreams of those in Ponyville. As Luna went through the dreams, she found that there were now 3 different dreams she could no longer enter. They belonged to those young fillies of the cutie mark crusaders.

The young princess frowned, confused, as she tried desperately to enter. Luna gasped when she saw a magical force similar to her own blocked her entry. She grew more and more bewildered, finally deciding to give in, as she recalled her and her sisters conversation. Luna sighed heavily, and exited the dream scape wondering if somehow, Nightmare Moon had returned to the realm where the dreams of all the ponies in Equestria lay. As her brain pondered this, she decided to venter to the Canterlot library to read and find any answers she could on the subject.

The princess of the moon whimpered, tears welling up slightly, afraid her elder sister may send her back to the moon, Celestia was starting to believe she was returning to her evil ways. Luna also had a welling fear that Nightmare Moon would take over and hurt, or worse, kill her Sister and her beloved subjects. As she went deeper throughout the realm, the little fillies of the CMC's were disenchanted with terrible nightmares. Though each filly had different terrors, each dream was just as evil as the last.

Scootaloo's dream started off normaly. She was with her sister, Rainbow Dash, as always, but something didn't seem right. "Rainbow Dash," The purple haired filly questioned looking to her elder who was flying next to her, "Why does everything seem so weird today?" The cyan pony smiled lovingly, "Well, after the test, since you didn't do so good I have to take you to a place so you don't, um... get hurt hehe. I talked to Spitfire and the rest. They said I could do this, so don't worry OK?" Dash said reassuring her sister 'Hu...? But I failed...Oh no...She's probably mad at me or something...' Scootaloo thought to herself as they neared the rainbow factory.

Scootaloo sighed as she thought back to the events of earlier, the flight test, the filly who's wings broke...her subconscious sacrifice for Orion and that filly...The orange mare shook her head and looked up, barely realizing her and the older mare had gone inside. "So...I'm going to have to work here 'cuase I failed?" Scoots questioned, frowning as she made her way with Dash to a darker area of the factory. She raised an eyebrow, this was a place she had never seen before... "Well...In a way, yes," Rainbow Dash murmured as they got to a door made of dense dark clouds. "Hu, what is this place?" The younger asked as Dash unlocked it, opening it as she pulled Scootaloo inside. "Shhh, don't make a sound and don't think of running," Dash said, her eyes going cold and dark.

"This is the only way you'll make it out alive," Scootaloo whimpered in confusion and shock as they heard loud machines creaking and moaning, causing the clouds to shake slightly beneath them hearing nothing but smashing. The young fillies eyes widened, and her stomach ached as the smell of rot and decay filled her nostrils. "Ugh...what's that smell...!?" Scootaloo asked gagging. "That's...what the real factory smells like...This is how we really make the rainbows...hehe...I'm sorry for having to show you this Scoots but it was the only way I could help save you..." She said looking down sadly as they began walking across the dark platform.

"You must not tell anyone of this place Scootaloo...or else I can't protect you..." Rainbow Dash whimpered biting her lip as they walked further down. Suddenly there was a blood curdling scream coming from the direction of the machines. "D-Dash what was that...?" Scootaloo whimpered jumping up about to fly toward the noise. "No!!! Don't go scoots, or else!" The rose eyed pony snapped grabbing Scootaloo. The smaller whimpered and looked around nervously starting to calm down as they continued down the dimly lite path. Soon another scream was heard, but...something was wrong. It sounded like...

"ORION!? Dash I've gotta go! Orion sounds like he needs help!" Scootaloo said, panicking slightly as she flew off as fast as she could. Dash sighed shaking her head a bit and continued down the platform. Scootaloo looked around, flying faster and faster as she neared the screams of her friend. She looked up as she entered a clearing in the machines and saw Orion being picked up by a weird looking mechanical claw. Scoots watched in shock as her best friend was strapped to a machine soaked with fresh blood.

The purple haired filly looked beneath the machine and saw something that made her heart sink. There were piles of bodies underneath being placed on a conveyer belt...by other ponies...She gasped and flew down trying to help Orion out of his bindings. Out of her peripheral vision, a colt in a bloodied lab coat, goggles, and a facial mask started making his way towards them. Scootaloo gulped, slowly taking off Orion's bindings seeing as they were extremely tight. "S-Scoots...leave...don't worry about me...just go..." Orion pleaded coughing up blood.

Scootaloo felt tears well in her ever darkening purple eyes. "No! I won't leave you!" She sobbed out feeling the tendons in her heart begining to snap. Scootaloo gasped as she felt a hoof grab her, yanking her away from her now unconscious best friend. The last thing she saw was more of those evil ponies placing Orion back into the restraints, then everything went dark. There was nothing around them just...darkness...

"W-What?!" Scootaloo exclaimed as the colt put her down taking off his facial mask. He smirked showing his sharp bloodied teeth and rustic brown fur. "What's wrong Scootaloo~?" The strange colt purred. "Can't stand to kill your best friend to be with your beloved Dashie? Hahaha!!" The rust colored pony laughed, the sound piercing Scootaloo's eardrums, as he stepped closer to her snapping his neck.

Orion appear still bound upon the machine. Scootaloo gasped, running over but no matter how fast she ran, she didn't seem to get any closer. As a matter of fact, she wasn't moving at all. Her legs were like lead...she was to terrified of moving, she was terrified of the colt who stood smirking evilly in her way. Mostly the filly was terrified of her friend about to die.

"What is it little filly~? Can't save your friend~? Hahahahaha!" The colt said as he made a cane magically appear twirling it around. "Hehe well, tell me brat, who would you rather save? " He chuckled. The colt grinned cracking his knuckles...now dash appeared, also bound. He smirked as Scootaloo started to sob, not sure what to do. "Well well well, look what we have here~! A failure, and a worker who cant follow instructions properly~" The colt smirked, his bronze colored eyes gleaming as he walked over to the two ponies.

"Well? You can only save one. Either your best friend, or your mentor. Your choice kid, who dies, here and now," he said, spinning the cane around his hoof. He grinned, going over to Scootaloo, slamming the cane onto the floor, sticking and turning it into a lever. Scootaloo stared at it whimpering. One side of the switch was the same color as Orion's fur, the other resembled Rainbow Dash's. Scootaloo sobbed as the evil colt chuckled darkly.

"Oh, and if you don't choose soon, they'll both have to die. Then it will be all your fault dear Scootaloo~!" he said laughing, disappearing into thin air. The young filly trembled not sure what to do. Scootaloo looked up at them only to see a giant hour glass in front of her. She whimpered as she heard the mysterious colts voice whisper in her ear, "Oh, And you have five minutes," Young Scootaloo watched in horror as the sand slowly started filling the hour glass, beginning her five minutes.

"S-Save Dash, Scoots...I-I wont last long anyway..." Orion said gasping for air, his lungs having been punctured by his ribs. Orion gave a small, bloodied smile to his best friend, obviously in immense pain. "Scoots just kill him already! He's a useless nobody! Besides, he's the reason you failed the test in the first place! That brat is the reason you didn't get to be with me! Orion's the failure here! Now kill him so we can get out of here!" Rainbow Dash said growling a bit scowling at the dying colt next to her. "B-But D-Dash... he's my best friend..." Scootaloo spit out, eyes welling over with tears. "I-I cant do it..." She whimpered as she felt her elder sisters piercing eyes on her.

The purple haired filly sobbed frantically, wanting desperately to wake up from this nightmare. "Just fucking kill him Scootaloo! He's no use to us! If you pick him, I'll die! Then both of you will too, but if he dies we can be friends Scootaloo, and real sisters. Kill him now! You're running out of time~!" Dash said smirking knowing her "sister" would do the right thing. "S-Sisters...R-Real sisters?" Scootaloo muttered out, in a trance as she slowly watched the grains of sand fall to the larger pile beneath the hour glass. "Yeah Scoots, and we can hang out all day, play games, and maybe I'll even show you how to be as cool as me." The older pony said proudly, grinning as the younger gently grabbed the lever. "O-Ok Rainbow Dash heheheh..." The younger said, slowly starting to loose her sanity. "We can...even kill other useless colts and filly's like him, right Dash?" Scootaloo laughed evilly, her once vibrant violet eyes starting to turn dark, and gray.

"Yeah, sure squirt. Just kill him and we can do more stuff, alright?" The rainbow manned pony asked as the binding slowly starting to loosen around her hooves. Scootaloo grinned maniacally as she pushed the lever to her former best friend's side. Orion's eyes widened slightly as his machine turn on, a few needles coming out and stabbing him several times, puncturing his vital organs as he chocked, crying out in pain. Soon the needles buried themselves in his body, his colors disappearing. With the last of his life being drained, his eyes locked with those of Scootaloo's. The filly's grin never faded as Orion's body fell into the collection, the hour glass bursting into smoke. Scootaloo smiled as she flew over to her idol hugging her tightly, laughing a bit as tears fell from her face. The old Scootaloo was gone...and in her place, a monster appeared.

~~~

As the night went on Princess Luna had gone down to Cantorlot, going through the few shops that stayed open all night just for her. The Princess smiled as she went into "Pony Joe's Doughnut Shop" and ordered her usual, moon cakes and chocolate milk. She was sitting on a stool, eating, when she heard the front door to the shop open. She looked over and saw two ponies cloaked in black that she was certain she had never seen before. They sat next to Luna, as she smiled, happy to see that two ponies loved the night enough to come out and enjoy it.

The young princess called over Pony Joe, "Yes princess?" he asked refilling the glass of chocolate milk. "Could you please give as many doughnuts two those to subjects as they want," She replied motioning over to them. Joe looked over and frowned in confusion. "Who princess? You're the only pony here tonight," he said looking around to make sure they hadn't moved to a different location. "What do you mean? Those two-" she stopped as she turned and saw that no one was there.

Luna gasped slightly in confusion. "Were there not two other ponies here just a moment ago?" The princess questioned as the owner looked at her worriedly. "No Princess...Are you feeling alright? I'll call the royal guard to take you home. You must not be feeling well," he said going to call the guards. "...Y-Yes...maybe we are not feeling well..." Luna whimpered getting up and starting to leave. She had a lot to think about.

Had she really seen two ponies walk inside or had it been her imagination. No more than a moment later, her royal guard came to escort her to the castle. As they walked, two ponies blocked there path, they stood in the middle of the side walk, side to side, not allowing the Princess and her royal guard to pass. "Move along citizens," the guard ordered, the two unknown ponies just stood staring at them. Luna's eyes widened. "T-Those are them...! The two we saw at the shop!" The princess exclaimed as a feeling of dread raised in her stomach.

"Shall I seize them Princess Luna?" The guard asked preparing to fight. "N-No...!" Luna stuttered, nervously inching forward. "We must speak with them," The princess of the night gulped back the sickening feeling in her throat, "Who are you two?" She questioned trying her best not to whimper. "Did I not see you both at Pony Joe's?" The two mysterious ponies said nothing, only inching closer to the now trembling princess. "Halt! Do not move any further or I will be forced to detain you!" The guard shouted extending his weapon towards the unknown assailants.

The cloaked figures ignored the guards commands, inching ever so closer the princess, who in return backed away. The guard glared, readying his weapon. "I MUST PROTECT THE PRINCE-Ack!!" With a flash of purple magic, the guard was silenced. Luna gasped in horror, her eyes filling with tears as her guard dropped his weapon, falling silently into a forming pool of his own blood. "N...No..." The princess whimpered, tears steadily flowing down her cheeks.

"W-Why...? Who are you...? Why would you do this...?" They inched slowly closer, "What's wrong Mom? You don't remember us? I mean, why would you, you left us on the moon to rot!" Shouted the colt to the left of the two ponies. "Oh mother, we don't want to hurt you, but this is your fault. I'm just surprised you don't remember all the tears you shed for us that first year of our departure," the filly next to him growled out as they shortened the distance between them. Princess Luna sniffled a bit trying hard to recall anything about these two.

"W-What do you mean...? We do not remember either of you..." she murmured backing up against a building, these two were getting far to close to her. "P-Please stay away! We do not wish to hurt you...!" She shuddered slightly as they got only inches away from her. The colt reached out, gently rubbing the tears away from her now damp cheek with his rustic colored hoof. "Don't worry mother, we don't want to hurt you just yet," He snickered as the elder flinched. "Yeah mommy~," The girl whispered to the sobbing princess. "We just want to watch you suffer for a while longer," They grinned evilly, their white sharp fangs showing through the darkness of their cloaks.

The night princess gasped and closed her eyes tightly in terror. "Goodnight for now mother dearest," She heard them whisper. When the princess opened her blue eyes, the two had vanished. Luna sobbed and collapsed next to the rapidly decaying corpse of her guard. The air around her grew cold and a wind blew past her. "We love you mother~ Your children of the night have returned~..."

Author's Note

*WE DO NOT OWN THE IDEA OF THE RAINBOW FACTORY, AND ORION IS NOT OURS! CREDIT GOES TO THEIR CREATORS!!!*

Chapter 3: Celestia's Outburst

Alone in the dead of night, a young princess lay next to a worm infested corpse, sobbing quietly. "Princess Luna? Are you Alright?" What was that...? Was someone calling her? Soon, two guards wearing the celestial armor emerged from the shadows immediately coming to a halt when they saw the princess of the night crying next to a corpse bearing her royal markings. "W-What happened here Princess Luna!?" One of the guards shouted as the other leaned against a nearby wall, throwing up everything he had eaten earlier that day.

"A-Are you safe Princess?" The same one asked rushing over to aid the star manned pony off the ground. Luna said nothing, only trembling in fear as the kind hearted guard picked her up flying her to safety as the now faint guard stayed to clean up the remains of what used to be a pony. Soon the guard arrived with Princess Luna, taking her into the throne room where her elder sister sat awaiting their arrival. The guard gently placed the younger down and rushed over to the sun princess explaining what him and his fellow guard had witnessed. The emotions of both shock and pure anger were clearly shown on the elders face as the information flowed from the guards mouth.

"...Leave us." Celestia snapped to the nervous colt who simply nodded and rushed out of the room. "What happened sister? Why was one of your guards killed? What did you do to him?" The elder questioned stepping off her throne and towards her younger sister. The traumatized mare stood quietly for a few moments, trying to recollect her thoughts. "W-We...were at the doughnut shop...We saw two ponies new...then we went to our guard to go home...the strange ponies arrived...and killed him...They said we abandoned them...and that they were my children of-" Luna was silenced when her sister's hoof made contact with the side of her face in an audible slap that echoed through the empty room. "AND YET YOU DID NOT KILL THEM!? YOU SET THEM FREE AFTER THEY KILLED THE GUARD THAT WAS MENT TO PROTECT YOU!?" The white mare shouted and her sisters deep blue eyes widened, tears streaming down the reddening mark on her cheek.

Luna sobbed gently, "W-We did not mean to sister, we panicked! We-" The angry Princess scoffed at the quivering mess that was her beloved sister, "You are nothing but an incompetent little foal! Why would you believe anything those monsters had to say after they brutally murdered that guard? You would obviously remember if you had children, so they have lied to you!" The pink eyed princess glared at her sister walking in circles around the pathetic mare who simply stood there, still holding a hoof to her bruised skin.

"S-Sister...Please, you must believe us when we say that they were no ordinary ponies...something was very familiar about them though we do not remember them...Please do not be angry at us for being frightened..." Luna pleaded, not daring to make eye contact with her elder. "They are nothing. I could have handled this problem. What would you even know, it's not like you had a chance of even saving them-" Princess Luna's eyes shot up to her as Celestia cleared her throat. "W-What do you mean Tia-" "Nothing. We are not going to discuss this any further. Now go get ready for bed," And with that, the Princess of the Sun left the throne room, leaving Luna alone with her thoughts.

As the princess of the night sobbed in her bedroom, her elder sister raised her glorious sun. The white mare sighed as she sat, contemplating what to do with her useless sister. Thoughts of years passed came to mind, those two sickening little brats that tried to fool her sister, having to strip those horrid thoughts from the younger sisters feeble mind.

"Hm...what to do..." She thought aloud slowly getting up from her throne, and making her way to her writing room, pulling out a scroll and plume. 'Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle...' A smirk grew across her face, making her features appear dark and twisted. Princess Celestia chuckled as she wrote an urgent letter to her most faithful student...Twilight Sparkle of Ponyville.

~~~~~~

Twilight yawned as she stretched, slipping out of bed with a smile as she made her way down the hall passed her assistant, Spike's, room. The purple mare stopped as she heard an audible belch come from the small dragon's bedroom. "Twilight..." Spike groaned as he crawled out of bed and stumbled to his door. A small smile formed on the ponies lips as her dragons claw slipped out of the door with a letter. "Thanks Spike, go back to bed ok?" The princess said taking the letter with her magic, and heading down stairs to get some cereal.

She sat down with the bowl of oats and unraveled the scroll, spooning some of the food into her mouth. "Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle," She read, smiling a bit as she ate another bite of her breakfast. "Your friend Fluttershy is still close friends with Discord, yes? If so, I must speak to him urgently. From Princess Celestia..." Twilight frowned as she hurriedly finished her meal and rushed to her shy yellow friends house knocking gently on the door. The door slowly opened and two worried blue eyes peeked out. "H-Hello?" A timid voice squeaked out as the eyes scanned over the purple unicorn.

As soon as the pegasus recognized her, the door sprung wide open. "Oh, hello Twilight...what did you need?" She asked allowing entry to her guest. "Um...I know this is strange to ask, but is Discord here? Princess Celestia wanted to see him right-" The purple pony was cut off when the draconequus in question appeared in between the two ponies. He smirked, "Celestia wants to see me~?" He asked snapping in his fingers appearing once more in a black suit, pulling a bouquet of roses out of his sleeve, "How interesting~," he chuckled as Twilight glared slightly in annoyance. "Just go already..." she said pushing him out the door.

Discord smirked, "But of course~! I wouldn't want to keep my princess waiting~!" With that, Discord poofed into a cloud of smoke, and appeared in the throne room of the Cantorlot castle. Celestia stared at the draconequus unamused as she slowly made her way over to him. "You needed to see me my sweet~?" Discord grinned at the Princess who now stood inches away from the God of Chaos. "Cut the act Discord. We have an important matter to discuses," The solar princess snapped as the visitor frowned, dropping the flowers as they wilted and dried. "We need to speak of the day my sister was banished," Celestia's eyes glowed dark as she spoke the last words of her sentence.

~~~~~~~~

Sweetie Belle smiled as she finished the final stitching's on her dress. This was it, this was the one that was going to make her sister finally proud. The young mare squealed as she stared down at the elaborate patterns in the fabric...the fabric...where did she get it...? Rarity didn't have anything like this in her Boutique, the white pony was positive of that. What kind of fabric was this? The mare stared intently at the pinkish colored fur....fur? Was this fur...?

Sweetie shrugged and stretched, as long as Rarity was happy, then so was she. A knock at the door startled the cutie mark crusader as she glanced over. "Sweetie~?" It was Rarity! The pink and purple manned pony smiled widely as she listened to her elders sing song voice through the door. "Have you finished your newest dress darling~?" She questioned, a rather dark tone dwelling in the dress makers voice. "I hope that little brat didn't give you too much trouble, after all, she should be proud that you chose her of all your class mates to be part of something so wonderful. Besides, I wouldn't want my dear sweet sister to have any bruises..." Sweetie Belle looked very confused, a pinch of fear eating at her consciousness.

"R-Rarity? What are you talking about...?" The younger timidly got up gulping slightly. She slowly made her way to the door, feeling herself tremble as anxiousness crawled through her skin. Sweetie Belle slowly went over opening the door, gasping slightly as she saw Rarity...or...what she guessed was Rarity...Her sister was grinning maniacally, her mane tattered, with matts of blood tangled into her once beautiful curls. The younger whimpered as she glanced at her sisters left eye...scars slashed across it, making the iris discolored and rather disturbing.

"R-Rarity...? What happened...?" The younger mare stuttered out biting her lower lip as her elders smile grew wider. "What do you mean darling~? Nothing happened~ I just wanted to see how your dresses are doing~ Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go dispose of Diamond Tiara's body, just like the other three lovely dress materials you didn't need," Rarity laughed darkly dragging a blood soaked bag behind her. The younger sister stood there in complete shock...She glanced at where the pony of Generosity was mere seconds ago, and in her place were three mannequins, each with a dress that looked similar to the one Sweetie had made before Rarity came.

The one on the farthest left was of an orange color...with purple cross stitching's embedded into it..."S-Scoota....Scootaloo...." The pony questioned, tears filling her light gray eyes. She glanced and the one in the middle, sobbing quietly as she did so. A yellow summer dress with red hearts stitched into it, a pink sash that slipped around the waist into an all to familiar bow. "A-....Apple Bloom....No....NO!!!" She sobbed frantically as she fell to her knees in anguish.

"Why....?" She questioned herself, her heart beating rapidly. "Now, now little Filly....They were so happy to help," A soothing voice whispered in her ear, causing the young girl to look up worriedly. The fillies eyes scanned the dimly lit room as they settled on the last dress...A deep purple coat....and black stitching...that made a symbol of a large raven. "H-Hello...?" The child questioned, her voice cracking from the tears that had fallen down her checks.

Suddenly the mannequin moved, it's face forming a crooked smile, sharp fangs protruding from it. The young ponies mouth opened to scream, but nothing came from her vocal chords. The mannequin smirked and grabbed the pole that held it in place, slowly lifting itself up off of the metal with a sickening sound of real flesh moving around the impaling object. Blood oozed from the gapping hole in the objects diaphragm and Sweetie Belle sobbed, wrenching painfully at the disgusting sight. "Scootaloo and Apple Bloom did you such a wonderful favor Sweetie~" The mannequins voice purred and it stumbled towards her on shaky hooves.

"The didn't scream or cry, they just laid there as you skinned them to make such wonderful things for your sister~" It cackled and the swirl manned pony gaged at the putrid smell from the demonic...thing..."N-No please....stop!" The young pony begged, she didn't want this...she didn't want to believe that she had done such a terrible thing to those so close to her. "Oh, don't worry kiddo, Rarity won't rat you out. She loves your dresses, she loves you, and so do your friends~! They all want to help your dream dear Sweetie Belle," The mannequin smirked and inched closer. "I-I don't want to do this..." The younger cried out holding herself as she rocked back and forth. The mannequin's frame grew twisted chunks of flesh fell from it, as it sat next the pathetic mess of a mare.

"Oh but dear, look, this helped you get the two things you wanted most in life...Your sisters affection...and your cutie mark..."

~~~~~~~

"NO! I WOULD NEVER DO THAT!!" Sweetie Belle screamed, jolting up in bed sobbing frantically. The filly looked around nervously. She was back in reality...that thing had gone...and everything was ok...The door opening made the light grey eyed pony scream as she hid under her covers. "Sweetie Belle?" The younger trembled as she heard her elder sisters hoofsteps approaching her bed.

Her eyes shut tightly as the covers were gently taken off of her. "Sweetie Belle, it's me darling. Did you have a nightmare?" The soothing voice of her sister made the filly look up. It was her...it was really her sister. Sweetie Belle sobbed frantically jumping up and hugging the violet manned pony tightly. "Y-Yes sis...I had a really bad dream..." She cried out as her sister gently hugged her back.

"I'm sorry dear...Why don't you get some more rest, alright?" The elder asked gently getting up starting to leave. "But...isn't today Monday Rarity...? Shouldn't I start getting ready for school...?" The filly questioned tilting her head slightly as her elder paused at the door frame. "Sweetie..." Rarity turned on her heels and looked worriedly at her younger sister. "School has been...canceled for a while...Your teacher...Ms. Cheerlie is...in a coma..."

Author's Note

Chapter 3 is finally done! Please comment with feedback and stuff! Me and Pheonix Really appreciate any support!