Queen of the Nightmares

"When I reigned supreme, the land was shrouded in darkness. Nightmares were free to eat the dreams of ponies, and the ponies did not fear the Nightmares. Until Celestia and Luna were born. They challenged me, accusing my species of horrid acts which we had not even thought about. I fought valiantly, but it was in vain. They overpowered me and my subjects, and we were banished into the shadows. Of course, Celestia locked me into this puddle, forever to sit alone in my prison of falseness." Black Rose spoke, faking a tear.

"Don't cry, Rose," Ruthless said, reaching a hoof down to the puddle. "I'm here now, and I promise I'll get you out."

"There is a way, but you'd never go for it." Black Rose replied, turning her head.

"I'll do anything for you, my queen. Anything!" Ruthless replied.

"Ruthless, my dear, go to your friend Twilight's home and ask for the Book of Nightmares. Read it all and come back. Don't tell Twilight why you need to read it. Tell her it's a surprise." The Queen said, smiling full and fang filled.

"Of course, My Queen," Ruthless said, bowing then running off to Ponyville in full gallop.

Ruthless ran past Zecora, who shouted out to her. "Be wary, dear friend! Do not be a message send!"

Ruthless stopped and turned around to Zecora, her eyes flashing between red and green. She cantered back to Zecora, the whites of her eyes turning a tinge darker. She glared into Zecora's unchanging eyes. She quick zap of brown rushed through her eyes and she left the zebra, heading for Ponyville once more.

"Oh dear," Zecora said, looking down. "I know her fear."

Zecora cantered back to her home to prepare for it. Ruthless ran through Ponyville, dodging other ponies and jumping over various obstacles, even pushing ponies out of her way. She finally arrived at Twilight's tree house/library and knocked hard.

"Hello, Ruth. How's it going?" Twilight Sparkle asked.

"I'm fine, I just need a really old book for a surprise, Twilight." Ruthless said.

"Oh, come right in!" Twilight responded, opening the door fully and allowing the unicorn inside. "Need any help to find the book?"

"No, it's a surprise, silly!" Ruthless replied, trotting off to the 'B' section.

[Ten Minutes Later]

"No... no, that's not it. No. Nope. Nope. No! No- wait a minute..." Ruthless said, a dark gleam shining in her eyes as she spotted a large book.

She used her magic to pry a book from its hold in the tree. Her magic was tinted slightly darker, but she paid no mind to it. She had lately felt her bones ache.

"That's right," She said, remembering her aching bones. "Hey Twilight?"

"Yes?" Twilight asked, dropping her books as she saw Ruthless' book and magic. "What is happening to you?!"

"What..? Nothing, I feel fine, but my bones ache. Do you have anything that could help me?" She asked.

Twilight was already knee-deep in the situation, evaluating Ruthless' body. "We should get you to Princess Celestia, she can-"

"No! I don't want her help!" Ruthless yelled. "I just need to borrow this book for the surprise!"

Ruthless teleported past Twilight and ran out the door, back to the creek. Twilight let out a sigh and used her magic to start her letter to Princess Celestia. "Spike! We have a friend in trouble again!"

"Again?!" Spike asked.

[At the Creek]

"I got the book, but Twilight's being really nosy." Ruthless said, putting the book down next to her.

"That' expected of a princess. Don't go into Ponyville anymore, Celestia has her under a spell." Black Rose responded quickly. "We cannot help her, she's far, far too gone to be helped, as are the other Elements of Harmony."

"I... okay, my Queen." Ruthless bowed, her colors darkening more. "Ah!"

Ruthless fell to the ground as her bones stretched, other bones forming where wings would be on a pony. She let tears drip down the sides of her face, crying out in agony.

"W-What is happening to me?!" She shouted, screaming in pain as her bones got longer and longer slowly.

"It's okay, you're just becoming more accustomed to the truth, my dear. Touch your horn to mine and it'll help, I promise." Black Rose said, her long horn poking out of the prison, a faint yellow spell blocking it.

"O-Okay," Ruthless said, picking herself up and touching her now elongated horn to Queen Black Rose's.

Ruthless let out a scream of relief, the light in her eyes dimming and the green making a permanent home in her iris. Her mane was now longer and had more black like her Queen's, and she had wings the size of a newborn foals. She flapped them in confusion, before she smiled, fangs filling her teeth.

"I feel... powerful." Ruthless said, the green growing deeper in her eyes.

Soon I'll be able to commence my plans. Black Rose thought to herself.

"Okay, start reading so we know every lie Celestia had written down. There should be a spell to free not only me, but my subjects as well." Black Rose said, eyeing the book.

"Of course, my Queen." Ruthless said, opening the book in her now black magic.

[A Couple Hours Later]

"Ruthless!" A voice called, taking her attention and Rose's attention to the source. "We need to talk."