Prologue: Rise of the Night
One Thousand Years Ago
Day
"Thou can not address the princesses in such a way, ungrateful whelp!" The lunar princess shouted toward the lonely disheveled mare. The Princess scowled at the appearance of such a lonely mare within her castle's throne room, unaffected by her appearance and more so by her mere presence.
"B-But Princess Luna, please! thou cannot simply destroy my home like this!" She declared, trying to defend her stake in the argument that seemed to have stretched only minutes, though the tension felt as if hours had occurred with the level of anger the princess seemed to hold.
"Thou think we canno-!" A single white leg clad with a golden horse shoe gently moved its way forward, before the chest of the Princess Luna and interrupting her speech.
"We shall look into thine problem and declare the meeting held to be dealt with anon." Princess Celestia nodded simply, as well as rather quietly in comparison to her sisters shouting of a Royal Canterlot Voice. Her regalia shining brightly as she had the visage of a true princess of the sun, radiant and near glowing as she sat there high and mighty.
"But sister, thou cannot just allow such ungrateful and lowly members into our throne room with such allegations!" She threw her own dark colored hoof upward to thrust away the white one, tossing it aside like a vile object. "And thou cannot just-!"
She was interrupted once more as the Princess Celestia spoke up. "We shall look into your claims, fair mare." She bowed her head softly to show her humble attitude toward the mare. Princess Celestia gently gestured for the guards with an air of calmness and gratitude for their actions as she motioned for them to lead the mare outside of the throne room.
One guard had nodded already leading the disheveled mare out the doors. Her hair almost a rats nest as she looked as though she had little effort put into her appearance whatsoever. "Steady thy heart, the princess shall handle your affairs, do not worry your head," said the guardspony as he made his way out of the throne room. The sight of the bickering sisters was one that filled his heart with a fear unknown, perhaps some future sight as to the events that would one day change the fate of Equestria.
Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, The Twin Thrones
Just After Dawn
"But sister, thou cannot keep letting our subjects just pass by like thou hast been doing, and under our shared rule!" She declared, raising her hooves up in agitation. Luna was clearly not pleased by her sisters lack of formality. "And what, pray tell, of your voice? Does thou not recall thy voice is supposed to be loud to show your leadership and rule over these...Peasants!"
"Luna, thou must-"
"Princess Luna"
Celestia sighed as she took a moment to lift her hoof and rub gently the space between her eyes while she walked across the throne room floor. "Princess Luna, please remember these are our subjects, but we cannot just destroy their homes for their closeness to the castle towers."
"But her home is in the way, and we cannot allow such...Such ungrateful peasants to live in such close spaces as to my tower!" She declared, once more throwing her hoof upward and batting at the air.
"Sister we have discussed this!" Celestia raised her own voice in retaliation. "The citizens are allowed to live in close proximity in order to-"
"To what,Celestia...? To share love and admiration for their favorite princess?" She spoke with spite on her tongue.
"Sister, what is the matter with you? Does thou not remember-"
"Remember what, Celestia...?" She once more interrupted the eldest sister. "Remember how they regard your sun with appreciation and despise the 'darkness and fear' my glorious and beautiful night brings?!" Luna stood from her throne, stomping toward the space beside it. The light shone through the high window as the sun stood in the sky, shining down just behind the thrones.
"Luna, please, we simply have to talk about this..." She tried to reason, moving to follow closely with her younger sibling and co ruler of Equestria.
Luna quickly turned her head. "Not... another step." Celestia blinked, clearly confused as she took a look over her sisters face. She paused in her movements only to stand in her place across the room. Princess Luna continued, "Did you really expect me to sit idly by while they all basked in your precious light?" She began marching forward, marching toward the archway they united the two thrones. "There can only be one princess in Equestria... And that princess... Will be me!"- She lifted her two forehooves and with nightmarish strength crushed the stone that held the archway wall up.
The resounding crack of strength making splinters up the stone, back behind the thrones and between the two seats. It lead up the stone, past it and up the wall. It began to splinter further, breaking more and more rock off of the wall before it reached the high window. The glass started to crack and creak, suddenly exploding inward toward the throne room floor as it lay in shattered remains of what was once the back wall.
Celestia sat there in shock, watching her sister destroy the royal throne arch and covering her eyes for a brief few moments to protect herself from the shattered glass. As she looked up past her raised cannon, her jaw dropped. She sat in a stunned silence as she watched her sister ascend into the air.
With Luna's horn glowing she began to raise the moon into the air blocking out the sun in a perfect eclipse. But, she was far from done. Streaks of black entered the room from beyond the moon and sun, wrapping around and enveloping the princess in its dark and nasty visage. A mere second passed before it suddenly lifted her higher into the air, the orb glowing as bright as the sun from the shape of the eclipse just melding and mashing together before it gave way to darkness once again. Just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished. Giving way to the creature within its darkness seemed to cling to her skin, turning and transforming Luna. Her fur blackened, her regalia turned wicked and more nefarious, and her eyes... As she opened her eyes the pupils formed into slits. Luna opened her mouth to let out a menacing laugh. The transformation was far from over; During her short laugh her teeth grew more pointed and fierce, sharp and monstrous. She quickly stomped down onto the stone floor as she continued to laugh, her dark visage only enhanced by the standstill eclipse.
The sun vanished out from behind the moon, disappearing from the sky entirely before too long. The former princess turned nightmare turned her horn toward the castle wall, shooting off a darkened beam of black and blue magic at it and disrupting the stones then turned her head upward toward the ceiling and grinning maliciously when she watched the stones come crashing toward the ground floor. Laughing maniacally she seemed to shift her self righteous laughter into a scowl of anger.
Princess Celestia finally gathered the nerve to move, giving a saddened gaze toward the stones that lay disheveled and broken on the floor... It only lasted that of moments however as her gaze turned to the darkened sister, a stern look in her eye replacing that of the sorrow it once held.
Princess Luna continued to march forward, her blackened fur and armor shining with the light of the risen moon behind herself. Her hoof falls clacked against the stone as her armored hooves made their way forward, marching step by step in line toward the center of the room.
Celestia suddenly flew up into the sky, just as Luna shot out another beam toward her. She thought quickly as she ducked under the beam and weaved to the side of it, the shot missing though only by a margin. The two sisters seemed to sit at a stand still for what felt like ages, just staring each other down while simultaneously gauging each others power.
"Luna, I will not fight you! You must lower the moon!" Celestia shouted toward her, "It is your duty!"
"Luna?"- her hoof clacked as she lowered her raised hoof back toward the ground. -"I am...Nightmare Moon!" She paused, "I have but one royal duty now..." -she suddenly whipped her head up and around, aiming her horn toward Celestia as she fired yet another stream of her darkened magic.- "To destroy you!"
Celestia was quick to take to the skylines, flying through the opened hole in the castle roof as she took to the now night air to evade this nightmare creature.
"And where do you think you're going?" Nightmare Moon said as she took off after her. Celestia floated in the air by the beat of her wings when Nightmare Moon shot off once more, firing into the open air and missing her sister as she ducked and weaved more of her shots, destroying several buildings in the cross fire.
Celestia fled with worry and fear in her eyes as she was too afraid to look back, yet wise enough to know not to. As she rose up over the castle she was hit! Celestia screamed as she felt the beam of energy catch her just against the chest. It was enough to knock the wind out of her and knock her out of the sky sending her plummeting into the castle remains.
Nightmare moon took the time of success and laughed once again, that menacing laugh filling the night time air.
"..."
Celestia laid there on the castle throne room floor, her chest not moving. She could hear the cries from within the darkness from around her dear sister... She had to get up, she couldn't stay as she was. Slowly, like a phoenix, she rose. Her chest gaining life once more, her breath returning to her body as the air filled her lungs, Celestia standing tall and fearless against the even greater odds. As she stared up into the air she was weakened but not out.
"Oh dear sister, I am sorry... But you have given me no choice but to use these." She turned her head toward the center of the room, looking downward toward the floor and casting her magic before suddenly a large square started to glow with her magic, splitting off like doorways and revealing... "What?" She asked in shock.
She searched around as her fear started to truly take over. Her heart started to race, she was truly alone in this battle. "T-The elements! Where have they gone...?"
"Why, dear sister... Did you really expect me to simply let you use those pesky things against me?" She slowly descended onto the main room floor, Celestia whipped her head around at the sound of her sister entering the room behind herself. "We would be but a fool to let you try that special trick on us...No." Nightmare Moon said darkly, "We feel they have aided you for far too long, ravishing the land of anything that doesn't...Appeal to you."
"No!" Celestia lashed out, "You're wrong! Sister, please! We have used the elements for good, you know this!" She shouted. She took a moment to breathe, trying to calm her own nerves. "Sister, you can go back, all can be forgiven..." She wasn't sure what more she could say... "I fear she may be far too gone for me to help... Please, Equestria forgive me... I was too weak."
Nightmare Moon only laughed under her breath, her laugh becoming more boisterous and loud as she became more open with it. "Really sister, biding time? And for what... The guards ponies to save you? The citizens to whisk away and come flying to your aid?" She scowled, "Your precious light is no longer with you. You hold no power here." She started to charge her horn, the darkened energy entering her form and creating some sort of bubble around her. From underneath her, the ground seemed to have something fade up and out of it. A darkness... A shadow. "Your powers are gone, Celestia. Your subjects abandoned you, and now... The night shall last eternal." The remnants of what was the shadows grew into something... Each glowing faintly with a dark energy before taking form of what appeared to be the Elements of Harmony...
They were sickened.
The elements were poisoned, cursed to take on this twisted and corrupted shape, forming into the Elements of Disharmony. The darkened and near blackened crystals lifted up, floating and flowing around the lunar princess before twisting and spinning around her, creating a ring of pure darkness. As quickly as they did, they stopped. Changing their pattern they formed some odd pentagon of magic, the six point star floating into the middle of it as the five gems all charged the center piece. Nightmare Moon aimed her horn down toward the star, further empowering them and blasting the beam of energy straight at Celestia.
Celestia remained unmoving, tears began to stream lightly down her cheeks... As the beam made its way closer and closer to home, to its target, she could only utter a simple phrase.
She whispered... "I'm sorry." before closing her eyes. Blinding pain suddenly overtook her form, blasting her further and further through the night sky, into the atmosphere and straight into the moon. She was banished to the prison in the sky, a symbol of the might of the new ruler of Equestria, Nightmare Moon.
Chapter 1: The Night Never Ending
Ponyville Schoolhouse
Present Day
Night
"And so with that, class is dismissed," Cheerilee said as she opened the door, letting the fillies and colts wander out and about in the darkened night sky. She sighed for a moment, looking out with a worried look upon her features, glancing about in the sky as she looked past each star that glittered in the blanket of darkness that was the scattered starry air. "I just hope they make it home safe and sound," She said rather sadly. As her hooves closed the door carefully, she stepped toward her desk.
The sound of her hooves on the hardened wood floor echoing through the empty chamber of a room that was the class room. She glanced over some of the fillies and colts work spaces. While she would near them, she would take a quick studious glance about the desks, some in particular. "Those poor children..." She said, lifting one piece of paper from the desk that belonged to a certain white unicorn filly. The paper held a rather crudely drawn crayon image on its once blank canvas.
It was just a simple piece of paper coated in the colored wax of a students imagination. A sunny day with the visage of the princess of the sun, her pink green and even blue hair shimmering in the light with little specks of white crayon for the sparkling effect, the horn was a little crooked, and the legs seemed pretty long, but it was very clear of who it was.
Cheerilee almost felt the sensation of a sadness long overdue coming onto her heart. "She just keeps that imagination of hers, but I'm afraid that day wont come..." The classroom had a few little extras about their design. It seemed there was some sort of occupancy limit, as the building's room clearly stated a rather bold looking number along the wall nearest the door. Twenty written out in numeric design as it sat there on the wall, a guard walked along the corridor connecting the classrooms to the main hall stared at it for a moment, grinning as if appreciative of the numbers value.
The guard as Cheerilee had seen many time before was just an average guard. The night core seemed to be enlisting several more to its ranks as of late. The odd bat-like pony stared into her eyes with his own for a single second before looking off, continuing his trek. A spear positioned on the side of his armor, his wings flapping a few quick times in rapid succession, like he was challenging her.
It was only for a short while though it seemed as he kept his wings raised. Hoof falls leading him outside of the building as he smirked toward Cheerilee. A cruel and wicked smirk. He left swiftly not even giving her the time of day.
Cheerilee let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. It was a scary thing to be stared down by a Nightcore guard, even more so to see one try and assert their authority. However, she was hardly fazed, being subjected to these things many many times. "Those lunar guards are going to really get what they deserve one day."
The fillies and colts scattered about idly as they split off to their various homes and houses, some having to knock upon the wooden doors, others practicing their magic by using it on metal door rings. Knocking several times before being opened, a mare would open the door and quickly usher in the young one within its safe walls. The door would practically slam shut moments after.
A yellow earth pony, one rather young in age, was carefully trying to make her way back home. As it seems, certain days she held residence elsewhere than the farm. A deal Applejack had long since started with certain folks about the town as she had to ensure the safety of Apple Bloom.
Apple Bloom knocked on the door to the carousel boutique, waiting for her friendly neighborhood fashionista to open the door. Quickly, the door once more opened much like the one before it, and the one before that. She near instantly dragged the filly into the room as she closed the door quickly with her magic. "S-See, Ma'am? I have three, promise! Sweetie Belle is just sick up stairs and Apple Bloom made her way here safe and sound!" Rarity said a little quickly, perhaps trying to defuse the situation.
The bat pony huffed for a moment, nodding her head before gesturing for the window, "You got lucky this time. I know you only have the one filly...You're just lucky she made her way 'home' before I took this place in the name of Nightmare Moon." She moved to just take off the safety and bolt out without another word. Rarity was all to quick in shutting the window, and even going as far as to set the wooden pole up against its latch to further ensure it wouldn't be jarred open by yet another creature that night.
She whipped her head around, looking at the filly with a near glare as she tried to stay angry for the sake of discipline but unable to hold it, "Apple Bloom..." She dragged the name on in her somewhat agitated voice. "What took you so long to get here? Don't you realize what will happen if they think it was just Sweetie Belle and I here?"
Apple Bloom panted a little bit, her breath somewhat erratic from the eager pulling into the home and some from the fear of the guard. "I-I'm sorry, Rarity." She said in her sullen tone. "I-I didn't mean to take so long..." She looked down to the floor, gaze downcast as she tried to avert her eyes.
Rarity simply looked to the downcast filly and sighed sadly, gently pulling the little filly into her arms for a hug with a soft smile. "There there, Apple Bloom. I'm sure you didn't mean to cause any trouble of any kind..." She gently stroked her mane and bow.
Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle was making her way down the steps of the boutique, blanket wrapped tightly around her as she was working her way down them carefully as not to trip in some sort of ill stupor and walking over carefully. "Ow...My head is still pounding..." She said as she felt her voice hardly squeak as per normal. The other two looked up at the appearance of the white filly, her eyes looking lightly bloodshot as if she hadn't been sleeping.
"Sweetie!" Rarity said, gently lifting up and away from the Apple Bloom. "What are you doing out of bed? You'll never get over this cold of yours if you keep getting up like this."
Sweetie sniffled as she felt her nose somewhat clogged, evident by her voice and its odd sound. "I'm sorry, Rarity, I just thought I heard someone. Did we have a guest?" She asked, sitting on her rear and tightening the blanket around her, rubbing her hoof along her nose softly.
Rarity nodded. "Yes, Sweetie. One of those lovely nightcore guard ponies decided to pay us a visit. I swear, they're trying to get us evicted if its the last thing they do!" She stamped a hoof on the ground in agitation and anger. Rarity just slumped over once more as she tried to look on the brighter side of things, and failed. "Well, no matter. I have a sick sister here and one who is in need of some soup, I'm sure."
Poor Sweetie Belle on the other hoof was groaning softly. "I...I don't think I can eat anything, sister..." She tried to sniffle again though her nose was still clogged tight. Apple Bloom made her way over and leaned over to hug the other Cutie Mark Crusader.
Apple Bloom thought for a moment, thinking back to the school. "I almost forgot. Sweetie Belle, Miss Cheerilee wanted to talk to you about something before," she said, rubbing a hoof on her chin like she was trying to remember something. "Something about homework I think..."
Sweetie Belle just groaned once more. "More homework? But I still haven't finished the last bit of homework. Aw mare..."
Rarity just made a small smile, straightening up and making her way to the kitchen. "At least children can still be children." As she made her way to the kitchen, she saw the window of the room still thankfully shut from the previous intrusion of the nosy lunar guard.
Canterlot Castle
Meanwhile, the lunar guard was making her way through the night skies, she'd been fast in her travels to make her way toward the Canterlot Castle, its visage much a grim sight. The stones may be white, though the flags flew a symbol of power rather than peace. The symbol of Nightmare Moon. A Single eye and horn of a nightmare creature in a crescent moon.
She swiftly flew down onto the balcony, the other lunar guards nodding and standing aside with their spears and making way to let the mare clad in armor pass by. She nodded back, giving a salute of the lunar guard as she turned her hoof up to her chest, hoof across her chest and chin up. Trotting carefully down the hallways of the castle, she made her way eventually to the throne room, catching gaze of the lunar princess sitting atop her throne. "Nightmare..." She said simply.
The creature of Nightmares opened her eyes to glare at the bat pony before nodding a gentle nod. "Approach." She said, her calm demeanor eerie.
As the mare neared, she gave the familiar salute to her ruler. "Guardsmare Iron Shackle reporting in. Ponyville is keeping its occupancy numbers and no signs of the rebellion as of late, dear ruler." She bowed her head as she finished giving her guards statement.
..."And what of Celestia..." She said calmly.
The mare perked her head up at that. "C...Celestia? But you told me only to-"
"Do not question your ruler! The job of the lunar guard is to ensure that Celestia is not to return and is to be killed, or did you forget that?" She said, voice raising in power as she was progressively getting louder.
"But we have not had any sightings in nearly a thousand years, Nightmare. We don't even believe she is around any longer."
Nightmare rose up quickly, stomping a hoof onto the steps of her throne. "Don't you dare question my authority again! Celestia is to be found immediately, is that understood!" She shouted out, the lunar guard, and some even out side of the room standing watch at the doors saluted.
"Now, leave me and continue the search. Celestia must be found." Nightmare looked up toward the castle walls, standing slowly from her single throne and making her way across the floor, down the steps and toward the near window. She was no fool, she knew of the prophecies and knew that one day soon, one day Celestia would indeed escape. Nightmare looked up out of the window and into the night sky. The stars that surrounded the moon were hers, yes, but it was the moon she focused her gaze upon. The moon, the prison of the solar princess.
The bat pony gave a somewhat shaky nod, back peddling slowly and turning on her hoof to trot out of the throne room. Even someone as high up in the ranks as herself knew the foolishness of fighting against their ruler.
Ponyville
The stars shining brightly over head, the time of day was hard to tell....Many many years ago it may have been simple, but now...Well, ponies seemed to adopt a new system for time in this new day and age, in the Era of Nightmares.
Briiiiiing!
...
Briiiiiing!
......
BRIIIIING!
"Gah!" A mint colored foreleg rose up, bringing it down swiftly on the odd device. It seemed like such a foreign concept in half sleep, and even more so in her fragile half conscious mind. She slowly opened up her sun glow yellow eyes, just looking outward onto the odd box like device with the numbers on the side, a series of buttons along the top edge and a switch. There was a ruffling sound behind her, and the bed shifted noticeably. She tried to decipher what exactly this strange device did...Did it just annoy ponies?Was that all it had to its mere design? Was it simply there to just make a mockery of some ponies sleep schedule? Did it just...-
"Will you quit staring at the alarm clock and just get up?" Bonbon said from across the room, already making her way out of the door. Lyra wanted so very much to just lay there and let the night waste away, but she knew as much as every pony else, the night was here to stay...It was always here to stay. She slowly got up, using her magic to take a brush she kept handy near the bed, just brushing her mane with her magically held brush as she brushed it into its more familiar shape and style.
She took a minute to admire her hoof work, just looking across the room to a wall mirror they had sit on the opposite wall...It was hard to see in the dark she quickly realized. Lighting up her horn with a simple spell, she watched as the room was slowly lit up around her, her horn showing off a soft but bright glow as the mare once more tried to admire her hoof work, or as the case may be, magic work. She just smiled softly at the appearance of a nice clean and well kept mane.
She tried to smile, grinning ear to ear for just a little while before deflating into a frown. "I hate nights..."
"Its always night!" She heard Bonbon shout from down the hall, evidently in the kitchen if she heard correctly.
Lyra just sighed, getting up out of bed and tripping once she realized the sheets were still wrapped rather tightly around her rear hooves, falling onto the floor with an audible and rather loud thud. She grumbled as she fought with her magic to make the sheets obey her mighty force and resign their hold on her legs. "Tonight is just not my night..."
Lyra grumbled to herself as she made her way down the hall toward the kitchen, already finding Bonbon hard at work on a nice breakfast meal. She wasn't sure what it was but it sure smelt sweet.
Bonbon flipped a pan full of what seemed like hash browns into the air, flipping it with some sort of air of elegance to her craft. Cracking an egg against the edge of the counter with her hoof, she grasped it with both hooves and placed the fresh egg into the next pan. Bonbon turned to her newest kitchen guest, looking her over for a moment. "Your mane looks nice today."
Lyra smiled softly at that. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." Bonbon said simply, "So, what are you doing today?"
Lyra looked down and gave a bored sigh. "More work at the farmer's plant. Its amazing that we can still manage to grow anything in never ending night, but still...Unicorns just channeling enough light to grow plants? Its...Its just..."
Bonbon stopped cooking for just a moment, letting the food sit as she walked over and gently reached up with her fore hooves to hug the mare to her chest. "I know, but you have to." -She leaned back, placing her hooves on Lyra's shoulders.- "Without unicorn magic we wouldn't have enough lighting to grow the crops effectively...Just be thankful Nightmare had some sanity when she decided to grant us that much."
Lyra sighed once more, just taking her breakfast from the counter and deciding to help out, using her magic to grasp it from the chair and wandered her way rather tiredly over toward the cabinets. She reached up and grasped at some of the plates, trying to take the good plate from the top and floated it down in front of her. Reaching up she grasped at one more, placing it beside the other.
Bonbon looked over a touch confused. "Two plates? But I already grabbed your plate for you." She blinked, "Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Bonbon asked as she stopped herself for a moment, reaching up with her hoof to hold the side of it against the forehead just under the horn of her unicorn companion. Perhaps a touch too much, but it was meant with good intentions after all.
Lyra rolled her eyes and gently reached up with her own hoof, taking Bonbon's in hers and holding it. "I'm fine, Bonbon. Really." She smiled gently. "Now, the first one was for me," - she pointed toward the first plate on the left.- "And the second one was for Applejack, remember?" She followed up with her other hoof and pointed to the second plate.
Bonbon looked a little perplexed before speaking. "O-Oh... Right." She reached over with her now freed up hoof and took one of the spatulas sitting on the counter, chopping the hash browns into thirds before taking another egg and cracking it over the frying pan.
"We have to thank her for at least landing me the job, right? With out her I may have already been homeless, or worse. You remember the occupancy rules set by our..." -She glanced around the room as if looking for signs of someone listening in.- "Our glorious ruler."
"Now Lyra, I know you're a little reluctant to go to work tonight."
Lyra sighed out.
"But you're making everyone else happy with fresh foods. After all, you're in charge of adding more...More..." She thought for a bit, tapping her rear hoof on the floor.
Lyra perked up a little now with some encouragement. "I add the vitamin and make sure the artificial light isn't killing off the plant life with too much heat." She started to lift a fork to her plate with her magic, prodding at the meal only for a moment before swiftly shoveling it down her mouth when ever Bonbon didn't look directly at her.
Bonbon clapped her hooves together once. "Right! So, go ahead and get this plate to Applejacks before it gets cold." She smiled, gently reaching under the cabinets to grasp at a basket, placing the hash browns onto a smaller plate with a single egg and placing a napkin over it, finally taking a cloth to cover it.
Meanwhile, Lyra was too busy hastily scarfing down her serving while Bonbon wasn't looking. She looked up with a sheepish grin as she realized her friend was staring down at her. "Ehehe..." She swallowed her food. "What? It was good..."
Chapter 2: A Change of Pace
Ponyville, Town Square
Night
After being swiftly and near harshly scolded by Bonbon on the etiquette of eating at the table during meals, Lyra started making her way out of the house. She waved a hoof toward Bonbon while holding the basket in the grasp of her golden magic. It reached out, like some sort of magical boneless arm to grasp at the basket, the basket handle floating in the air suspended only by the end of the magic tendril. Her magic seemed to have its own odd shape to it, coming from her horn rather than floating beside her horn. She paid it no mind however, much like that of her companions did much the same. Some unicorns just had odd ways to control their magic, ponies surmised.
She made her way through the starry night while on her way toward the apple orchard. Her hooves trotting in place as she was running somewhat late. The alarm as it turns out had been rather slow on the upbeat, just short of a few minutes... Or well... A few tens of minutes. Her mind began to wonder on the monotonous repetition of hoof falls on her way to the same place she worked day in and out. The sight of a few fillies and colts playing caught her eye, and she couldn't help but frown somewhat as she watched them play.
"Its like they don't even know whats going on around them," she thought darkly, "At least they don't have some crummy over hyped job ye-Oof!"
She oofed rather audibly as she bumped into somepony else, dropping the basket to the ground, thankfully on its bottom. Looking forward from her somewhat jarred resolve to blankly stare at children while she thought she turned to look the pony straight in the... armored neck. "Oh no..." She looked slightly up, taking in the armored exterior of the stallion. The blackened neck guard, the silver trim on the neck line, the opened jaw area and to top it off, the rather pissed off and annoyed stallion wearing it. She could just barely make out the tips of his wings as they stood tall in agitation behind him.
The stallion looked down, patting down the chest guard with a silver clad grey hoof. He glared down at the mare Lyra, watching her closely. "Oh no? You find it troublesome that you'd just so happen to bump into a guard of the Nightcore?" He said with a sinister infliction to his tone. "What makes you believe its such a bad thing as to have to say "Oh no" Little mare." He was starting to lean in toward her with that scowl on his face.
Lyra couldn't help but fall back onto her rear, trying to scoot back some as she kicked off with her rear hooves. "H-Hey, I didnt- I mean that is to say- It was just...-"
"Just what...Mare," his wings lowered for a moment like he was actually relaxing for a moment. His face grew somewhat curious, a raised eyebrow and a neutral expression. He kept staring at her waited as if wanting to hear what 'good' excuse she would come up with.
"It was just an... Accident?" She tried, smiling nervously. "A-Accidents happen, right?" She started to slowly get up, letting the basket float in her magical grasp still as she tried to not drop it yet again. She reached up with a mint colored hoof to gently pat at and dust off the armor of the guard. "See? All better!" She tried though failed to hide the nervousness that filled her body. The last thing she wanted was to be assaulted by an angered guard for not watching where she was going.
He snarled before turning and brushing her hoof away. "Listen here. I am a Warlord of the Lunar Guard, elite member of the Nightcore, and you..." -He spread his wings to stand proudly.- "Are in my way..."
Lyra took a moment to let it all sink in, not yet getting the hint as she stood there with her nerves still trying to calm themselves. Slowly but surely the hint dawned on her as she felt her eyes widen, quickly scrambling to stand on all four hooves once more and stepped away and to the side just making sure she was no where within his walking distance.
He nodded simply and lost any expression to his face, stepping forward and wearing the traditional guards neutral face while he walked around the town.
As she turned to leave she bumped into yet another guard, armor clanking off of her horn and knocking her onto her flank. This time she learned and quickly kept hold of her magic on the basket. She rubbed her head with a single hoof as she slowly crawled up onto a standing position, looking up into the dark guards eyes for a moment before stepping back. "Let me guess," she rubbed her hoof along her horn once again, bumping into hard metal kind of hurts... "I'm in your way?"
"Eeyup," he said simply, looking down onto her with a short glare before making his way around her, seeming to have some more decent courtesies than the last Nightcore buffoon.
Lyra reached up with her hoof to wipe her brow. "Muscle bound jerks..." she mused within the confines of her own mind and imagination. She lowered her hoof to pat herself down, dusting her fur off and checking the basket as she did. Thankfully, the foods were still perfectly fine, aside from some lost heat which seemed to be all that fueled the moment.
She gasped as she finally realized what it was she was doing. "I'm going to be late!" She thought aloud, quickly placing her hooves back on the ground before galloping off into the distance toward the apple family farm.
Sweet Apple Acres
Night
She galloped as quickly as she could, rushing with... Little grace. She managed to make it there though sadly she was indeed late. It turns out she wasn't late by much however as she ran up the gates of the apple family farm. She was only late by a mere thirty minutes... "Oh I'm so dead."
As she galloped to the farm land, she realized just what was going on. They were hard at work while she was just getting there.
Lyra felt rather bad for how the situation played out so far. She was just arriving to work, the workers were already busying themselves with the daily chores and the other ponies who weren't working were working overtime because she was late on her scheduling.
She slowed herself down to a simple trot while making her way on the dirt road over to the farm house. She lifted a hoof and knocked on the door several times. The door creaked open for a slow but careful measure as a green eye peaked out toward her. Suddenly, the door whipped open. "You're late," Applejack said, her eyes narrowing. "You know as well as everypony else that your time is supposed to be half an hour ago, just after Vinyl, and you're already making her work thirty over!"
Lyra nodded and gave an apologetic look to the farmer. "I know, I know but don't worry, I brought you breakfast at least!" She lifted up the basket for Applejack to inspect, watching her look into it and waiting for her happy-
"Its cold," Applejack said flatly.
Lyra blinked, getting a bit of a sheepish grin. "R...Right, about that...I-"
"Now I darn near told ya twenty times, Lyre-"
"Lyra."
Applejack smacked a hoof to her face. "Lyra... I told ya twenty times already," she said through gritted teeth, "That you're supposed to be here early so things like this don't happen, got it?"
Lyra was quick to nod her head. "Y-Yeah, got it Applejack." She said rather hastily.
"Good, now go get your flank out there!"
Lyra nearly tripped over her own hooves as she turned on her rear hoof to descend down the stairs and away from the farmhouse. She instead made her way over toward the barn where she saw a rather powerful glow coming from the doorways crack. Wandering over she took her hoof and gently pushed the door open, trying to not disturb the concentration of any of the other workers before making her way inside and shutting it just as carefully.
Looking around, there was a lot to take in. Scientific charts, bar graphs, the occasional earth or pegasus pony, the fruits and vegetables as well as various other plants that lay in the ground, and then there was the main event. The glowing miniature sun. She stopped to admire it for some time, just starring upward at it. Lyra still marveled at the thought of creating your own sun, and yet they somehow did it. The strength of a sun held in a room sized orb, how clever of the unicorn race. Thankfully Nightmare Moon had, like Bonbon told her, enough sense to allow them to keep it in order to grow harvests.
Her thoughts were interrupted with a hoof to the side of her head as a white unicorn with purple shades stood beside her. "O-Ooh, hey Vinyl." She rubbed the back of her head. "Did you have to hit me so hard?"
Vinyl laughed lightly. "Sorry, but you know you were supposed to be here an hour ago."
"Half an hour."
Vinyl shook her head. "Right, half an hour. Either way, Vinyl you cant keep dropping times like I drop beats." She placed a hoof supportively on the mares shoulder. "You know we all like having you around, you just cant keep being late." She patted the mare on the shoulder before placing her hoof back on the ground. "Now come on, I'll show you which lot you're taking today." She said, moving to the ladder leading up to the seven other unicorns with goggles that all had their horns pointed toward this giant glowing ball of energy. Lyra nodded, wandering closer to the wall and reaching up with her magic to grasp at a pair of goggles, taking them and stretching the band to fit around her head as she put them on just under her horn.
Hours went by as Lyra kept up her work diligently as did the other unicorns, Vinyl having long since made her way back home. Things were running well and smoothly. Lyra kept up her focus on the orb, but would occasionally glance at the clock, knowing that in just a few more seconds she would be on break. Thankfully, nobody could see her eyes from under the goggles.
Tick...
Tock...
Tick...
...
"..."
Tock...
"Come on already!" she thought angrily.
Suddenly and swiftly, the doors were opened slowly from the outside in. A force of magic unlatching the doors in and pushing them inward. She kept her gaze focused on the clock however, just wanting to go on break.
Ponies around her gasped and some started to breath a little more intensely. She paid them no mind. One started to make his way to the back of the barns second floor, she ignored him. "N-Nightmare Moon..." one said... That managed to catch Lyra's attention.
Looking down, she herself had gasped as she realized just who it was that entered the barn. The powerful figure of Nightmare Moon standing within the artificial sunlight, narrowing her eyes upward at it. "On who's order is this... Solar flare sanctioned?" Nightmare had asked, her powerful voice subtle yet with a certain air of strength behind it.
The various ponies had looked about the room at each other, some hiding, one cowering and the rest...Too fearful to speak. Lyra herself found her voice to be caught somewhere in her own throat, like her throat locked up at the sight of Nightmare Moon and was too scared to even allow her to breathe.
Nightmare looked no more pleased than when she had entered, and considerably less now. Applejack was slowly creeping up behind her, tentatively walking closer toward the barn but keeping her distance. For now she was just to be seen and not heard.
Nightmare Moon lifted a single metal armor clad hoof, the majority of the room falling prey to such a simple gesture and crumbling in their resolve. They all quickly bowed at the sight of her even moving.
Lyra stayed low to the ground, closing her eyes under her goggles. One of the stallion guard ponies wandered up the ladder to the top floor, finding Lyra staying prone to the ground and tapping at her shoulder. She gave a slow look upward, but was too afraid to do more than look. "Y...Yes?"
The stallion gave a rough grunt like he was trying to clear his throat, though his voice came out more like gravel than anything else. "You are under arrest for conspiracy against the ruler of the night." He said shortly.
"W-What?!" She rose up swiftly, only for the guard to turn swiftly and give her a rough kick to the chest, knocking her down onto the ground and causing her to slip off the edge of the top floor, tumbling to the ground and onto her side with a harsh crack. "A-Ahh!" She cried out, the feeling of something cracking in her side as she did.
The guard wasted no time in jumping down and swiftly wrapping his foreleg and cannon around her neck. He gestured for another guard to make his way over, quickly slapping some iron shackles onto her fore and back legs, connecting each pair together to its mate. The stallion guard let up off of her neck and stood at her opposite side. "Get up," The guard mare said. When Lyra didn't move the mare guard gave her a swift kick in the side, causing her to cough and wheeze as she shakily took her stand.
Standing on shaky hooves, Lyra tried to do her best to speak but only managed another cough, she could swear she tasted copper that time. "B-But I didnt...I-I would never!" -She took a step forward, trying to further assert her point.- As she approached, the guards mare on her side whacked her in the side, causing her to cough and nearly collapse again.
Nightmare Moon however watched the whole display, her expression never changing from the serious and unnerving expression she wore. "You shall not speak those vile lies to me, Lyra of Ponyville." She started to get closer, the guards taking their own steps back as Nightmare approached. "I've seen you before, and while I do not know how it is you've gotten into my castle before, I do know that you will not ever again." She gestured for the guards to do their work.
"I-I think they're taking her into the Nightcore."
"I-Is she going to become another one of those guards?"
"Is that even how it works?"
Nightmare turned her head up at the whispers and quiet speaking of the other ponies, stomping her hoof onto the ground. "Be silent!" Her voice shouted out, echoing off the now very quiet walls of the barn, the faint hum of magic fading with nopony to maintain the artificial light. "Now then..." She began in a much softer voice than the last. "Take her into custody... Oh, and one last thing."
Lyra looked up meekly, lifting her head and trying to answer as respectfully and carefully as possible. "Y...Yes, Nightmare Moon?"
Nightmare looked down upon the mare, and with a sickened grin she spoke. "Welcome to the Nightcore." She nodded to one of the guards. Lyra felt her eyes widen, turning quickly to glance at the guard beside her only to see a pair of hind hooves thrust into her face and a blinding pain that followed it. It knocked her brain around and forced her to the floor, she blacked out.
A soft groan emitted itself from a tired mint mares mouth, just barely pushing past her lips. Lyra tried to get a feeling for what was going on around her... She... She couldn't move, not yet. She surely didn't want to be kicked again. She decided to risk it, trying to slowly open her eyes. She was in luck, they decided to let her keep the goggles it seems which means they wont see her peaking.
Wood. Wood and some cloth overhead, a slit in the cloth. Lyra grunted as she felt the floor raise up for an instant, like they hit a bump.
"Ok, I'm... I'm in a cart... I think." Her head was still spinning somewhat, only made worse when she tried lifting her head. The dizzying haze, the moving and shifting floor, and evidently the bumpy road was only working to further upset her shaky sights. She reached with a hoof to pick herself up off of her side, the sound of chains rattling around was a swift reminder of her current position. "R-Right..." She looked slowly from where she could.
Looking up, she saw what looked like a wagons roof, or maybe it was a caravan. Lyra wasn't really sure and nor did she care. All she knew was that she was taken somewhere, and they weren't quite there yet. She tried to stand herself up, the shackled hooves making it difficult. She tried to twist her body, yelping as she got a very harsh reminder in her side. "Y-Yep...I broke something," She thought, pretty sure of it, or of that much for now. Reaching up with a tentative hoof, she slowly rubbed at her side, she could feel something shifting as she did.
Suddenly, the cart abruptly stopped. "Get the mare," Lyra could hear one of the guard stallions saying. The cart flap opened up as a dark bat pony like wing brushed it aside. Lyra thought it may be best to feign injury, to pretend she was still unconscious. With a sigh the bat pony mare reached in and grasped onto her shackle connecting her forehooves, forcibly dragging her across the cart floor and tossing Lyra onto her back. Lyra nearly yelped as she felt herself get tossed onto her bad rib, nearly yelping but biting her tongue.
With her goggles still thankfully intact, she managed to sneak peaks at the surrounding areas. There were some simple ponies around from what she could tell, though this must be the castle courtyard. Various fruit and vegetable vendors were standing around, their own carts set up with similar tents over them.
Canterlot Castle, The Commons
"So this must be where the trades go on." she thought, "There has to be some way they get in and out." she continued. Glancing about with her eyes alone she managed to catch sight of the tunnel network they were about to go through. Trying to keep track of it was going to drive her nuts. So many twists and turns. She tried to count them all, Left, Right, Left, Down some stairs, Left, Right, she started to lose it there.
Deciding it might be best to just give up there, she thought about how many cells there were. At least six to the long walls but only two to the far walls. Each one had a different host within. Some wore collars, others wore shackles, and some had nothing at all but the things they came in with. The guardsmare came to a stop, the sound of lock being turned resounded against the walls before Lyra was rather unceremoniously thrown into the cell. Again on the rib! If she kept this up, she was going to lose her tongue.
The guard leaned down and with a key produced from its side, she held it in hoof and unlatched the shackles from Lyra's hooves. Lyra, for as good an actor as she was, she knew that it was only a matter of time before she reached up with lightning reflexes and-
The guard shut the cell door.
"Crap, there goes my ingenious plan."
She waited for the hoof falls of the guards pony to leave, sighing out as she slowly stood up. Now that she got a chance, she looked around the cell and- "Ahh!" She shouted, quickly holding her mouth with both hooves. There was somepony else in the cell! the brown stallion looked up slowly from his position in the bed off against the wall, glancing at her for few seconds. Moving slowly revealed that on his chest was a rather harsh looking metal collar that ran down over his chest. He slowly sat up, sitting against the bed and partway against the wall. A rather odd position to sit in but who was Lyra to argue with some strange pony.
Lyra decided to be the first to speak up, "U-Um... Hey there..." She tried.
The pony scoffed at her. "Greetings, fellow Nightcore."
"Nightcore? What do you mean, I'm just a pony... Just who are you anyway?" She asked.
He gestured with a hoof to his collar, tapping a hoof against the metal. "The name is Strong Soldier, and this is my prison. Don't worry, you'll get one too."
"Huh?" Lyra took a peak down toward her chest, she felt around her neck for the collar, not finding one there, she sighed out. It seems someone was looking out for her, or at the very least she hadn't been crafted a collar yet. She wandered over toward the stallion, taking his collar in her magic and trying to gently give it a tug.
"Don't bother. Its stuck on tight, and I'm afraid there is no way to get it off. Not that we" -his hoof pointing at the other cells.- "have been able to discover."
"W-Well there has to be something, how does it work?" Lyra asked, trying to yank the thing off from over his head.
He laughed lightly. "It works well."
"No, I said how, not how well." She just sat herself down and resigned to letting go of the collar, patiently sitting down and waiting to be told the details.
"Right... It works like this, or at least that's how I've seen it." Strong slouched off the bed, moving to stand up and pointed a hoof to the cell across from theirs toward a mares simple collar, walking up and pointing at the mare across the way. "These collars are enchanted with Nightmare Moons dark magic. Its a portion of her power that keeps her soldiers under this curse. This is stage one and It lasts about three days." He tapped the bars twice. "I'd say she's new here so she must be on day one." He pointed with the same hoof toward his own, the collar with the odd chest cover. "This is what stage two looks like, it takes around about the same time, three days." His face turned a little grim, he turned toward one of the other cells down the way. She perked her ears up, trying to listen in.
The sounds of metal hinges on a prison door opened up to her, she watched as a darkened pony wandered out of his cell in a full chest and neck armor accompanied by the mare with the gray shackles for a cutie mark. "That is what stage three looks like. It happens on day seven." he said, watching the guard and newly turned Nightcore member wander out of the prison area.
They stayed silent for some time, just letting Lyra let this new information sink in. "You know...I'm on day six."
Lyra turned her head quickly to Strong Soldier, "W-What? You're already on day six? B-But...But you seem fine to me, there has to be some way to get this thing off of you, right?"
"Don't worry too much about me, um..."
"Lyra."
"Right. Really though, don't worry about me. What we need to worry about is you. My collar is already far too gone even if there was some way to remove it you'd have a day to do it." He sighed out, but perked up shortly after. "But you, however... You have a lot of luck not being collared yet. And I'm sure its only a matter of time before they collar you too." He thought for a moment. "Listen, I know I'm cursed to be another nightcore drone, but you don't have to be, and I'll do what I can to help you, Liar."
"Lyra."
"Lyra, sorry." He nodded. "Either way, we need to get you out of here."
She gasped lightly. "G-Get me out, but...Why would you help me if you barely even know who I am?"
He grasped onto her shoulder for a moment. "I believe in chances, and if you were lucky enough to make it here without being collared, you're worth taking a risk in getting you out. Besides, I hardly have much time myself so I'd rather you savor what time you have with your loved ones."
"B... But..."
"Guard! Guard! Come help, quick! This mare is injured!" He started to shout, giving a wink to her. Lyra looked shocked, unsure of what to do. They hardly even talked about an escape plan much less acting one out! He shoved her over, hoping she would at least play the part.
She started writhing about, not because she was acting out, but he managed to push right into and against her broken rib once again. "W-What is with you ponies and breaking ribs!" She shouted.
His face paled a little. "She really was injured...Oh buck me..." He gave a nervous laugh. "Ehehe, I um...-"
A guard quickly made her way toward the cell, seeing Lyra writing a bit on the ground before placing her key in the lock, unlatching the door and quickly coming into inspect her. As she leaned over, the stallion quickly turned and bucked her in the side of the head. "Go Lyra, go!" He said, knocked aside as the mare guard got back up, tackling him and rushing after Lyra to keep her pinned, too slow as the stallion grasped at her tail in his teeth.
Lyra may have been injured, but that didn't mean she was out in the slightest. She quickly rushed up onto her hooves and out the gate. She stopped for a moment, taking the key from the door and slamming it shut. "I-I owe you one, Strong!" She said, rushing away through the castle dungeon.
As she made her way down the catacombs of the dungeon, she tossed the key at one of the cells. "Get everypony else out, just trust me!" She tried, but the stallion refused to move.
"Why bother..."
She was struck dumbfounded. "W-What? What do you mean Why bother?!" She rushed up to the gate holding him in the cell, latching her hooves onto the bars.
He simply shrugged. "Have you even thought this through? There is at least a hundred guards out there, and you don't even stand a chance against that."
Her heart was racing, she just stepped away from the gate and slowly backed up. "No...No I will escape...I have to!"
"Have...to...what...?" A dark and sinister voice spoke out.
Lyra was too scared to actually look behind herself, just slowly turning her head only to be knocked aside by a powerful blast of magic. She went flying through the air, landing near the stairs on the far side of the room, grunting as she coughed up a bit of blood. "N-Nightmare..." She said softly.
"Nightmare indeed..." She lifted up with her magic a metallic collar, holding it open before approaching slowly. Right as she was nearing the pony Lyra started to rush up the stairs, rushing toward the throne room.
Lyra looked for any way out that she could find, checking the doors, the windows, they were all locked!
"Going somewhere?" Nightmare spoke out, ascending the stairs with an air of power. Her darkened aura near palpable as she held the collar just above her head in her ethereal magical glow.
Lyra started to pant, fear catching up to her. The adrenaline coursing through her veins was the only thing that was really keeping her running at this point.
"You have nowhere to run, my little pony. You are trapped within these castle walls with myself and my Nightcore." She started to grin with a sinister fashion. "What do you have to say before I throw you back in your cell to become yet another guard?" She asked, giving her the choice of her final words.
"I-I....I..."
A thunderous crack resounded against the castle walls, some of the windows shattering and the door rattling.
Nightmare Moon's eyes widened. "No...it cant be, not yet!" She rushed toward the window, dropping the collar onto the ground with an audible clank. As she forced her gaze out the window she was witness to a large shooting star falling from...The moon! "She has escaped!" Nightmare rushed to the door, taking a peak outside and looking out from her balcony and down to the court yard. "Follow that star, guards! Do not let it touch down or I shall have all of your heads!"
As she turned to look back, she found the room was...Empty? "And where might you be, you clever little pony..."
