Queen of the Nightmares

Beige Bandit sneered down at Ruthless, cackling as she flared her wings wide. She backed Ruthless into the back of the wall of the alley way, blocking every exit possible. Ruthless closed her eyes and started to cry helplessly, shaking and shutting down. She pushed her body as close as it would go to the ground, but the dirt held firm.

"You're nothing more than a wimp!" Bandit said as she slapped her hoof straight down onto Ruthless' head. "You know what I do to wimps?"

"Please, s-stop! You're hurting me!" Ruthless cried out, only to be given another whack on the head, this time Bandit's hoof smacking her horn down, mashing her face into the dirt. "Stop!"

"What did I say about wimps?!" Bandit yelled, flaring her wings larger, intimidating Ruthless further. "Well?!"

"Wimps cry and don't fight back!" Ruthless said obediently, like she had been yelled at to before.

"That's right. Now what do wimps get for being right?" Bandit sneered.

"I-I-I-I d-" Ruthless was pulled up by her mane, looking directly into the eyes of Beige Bandit. "I'll give you all my bits, but-"

"Gimme your bits, wimp!" Bandit yelled, smashing her hoof down onto Ruthless' head again.

Ruthless obeyed and gave her a tiny satchel which held ten gold bits, and also angered Bandit.

"This is all?!" Bandit asked.

"Y-Yes!" Ruthless covered her head, ready for another hit.

"Pfft. You're a waste of time, space, and money." Bandit said before lifting her up in the air by her horn, then punching her in the stomach.

Beige Bandit turned on her hoof and pranced out of the alley, leaving Ruthless to lay in the dirt, her lip bleeding. She spit out the blood and laid down and cried some more, once she was sure Bandit was out of earshot. Ruthless stopped when she heard a soothing voice.

"Hey, now," It said, a feminine curl to it. "Dry your tears, little one."

"Wh-Who's there?" Ruthless asked, cowering further into the soil.

"No pony that wants to hurt you," The voice responded. "Follow my voice, we can talk. But only in private."

"O-Okay," Ruthless agreed, trotting out of the alley.

A few ponies looked at Ruthless sideways; she still had blood dribbling down her lip. She limped to where the voice cooed and called, alluring and deep, but beautiful. Ruthless found herself in the Everfree Forest, close to the Everfree Creek. She looked into the creek, and instead of her reflection, she saw a black furred pony with a long, flowing red mane.

"Y-You're quite pretty," Ruthless mumbled.

"Aw, you flatterer, you! There's no need to cry, little one." She spoke, smiling kindly in the puddle.

"Beige Bandit keeps bullying me. T-There's nothing I can do to make her stop. She's so mean! I wish I could make her stop!" Ruthless said, wiping her lip with her fore hoof. "Why are you in a puddle?"

"That's not important right now, little one. My name is Black Rose. What's yours?" Black Rose asked.

"Ruthless. My name is Ruthless." The unicorn said, smiling down at the pony in the water. "Are you a princess? You're an Alicorn."

"I am royalty, I admit, but it's not important. I am the Queen of the Nightmares. Alas, Celestia locked me in this puddle. She views me as a threat, but I've done nothing wrong! My subjects cannot hear me, and I cannot speak to them, for I am trapped in this puddle. Will you be my friend?"

Ruthless put a hoof to her lip and smiled. "I'll be your best friend, Black Rose."

"Excellent," Black Rose snickered from her puddle prison.

"Your magical aura is very strong. You must be very powerful..." Ruthless said, rubbing her chin. "Why did Princess Celestia lock you in this puddle?"

"I don't know, my dear, we were attempting to put an end to the war between our kind, and she locked me here!" Rose lied, faking a frown.

"Maybe I can get you help! My friend Princess Twilight Sparkle can-" Ruthless was cut off.

"No! I mean, one Princess is bad enough for me right now, I couldn't stand to see another!" Black Rose said, black wisps waving from her hypnotic eyes.

"Okay... right, I won't tell Twilight about you." Ruthless said, her eyes staring directly into Black Rose's.

"Come, child, touch your horn to mine, and see what power you can have!" Black Rose exclaimed, beckoning an already hypnotized Ruthless closer.

"Oh dear, I know in the future there shall be fear!" Zecora rhymed. "Twilight Sparkle I must warn, before our nation is simply torn!"

Ruthless slowly cantered to the puddle, touching her violet horn to Black Rose's dark gray one. A rush of magical energy surged into Ruthless' body, sending her flying backwards. Ruthless rubbed her aching head, then noticed her fur. It was a tinge darker than she remembered, and her mane was growing strands of black.

She paid no mind to it and walked up to Queen Black Rose. "Thank you for your magical contribution, my Queen." Ruthless knelt down before the Nightmare Queen.

"Now go, my dear, but return tomorrow, please." Black Rose said, smiling devilishly.

"I promise," Ruthless smirked as she cantered out of the forest and straight to Beige Bandit's conveniently secluded house at the edge of Ponyville, with one goal in mind.