A Night Too Longby TumbleweedChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 1It was a dark and stormy night. No, really. A peal of thunder rattled the windows of Fluttershy's cottage, and the teeth of its inhabitants. Fluttershy reminded herself to make an appointment with the dentist, and pulled a small menagerie of rodents and birds closer to her, cowering in the light of a single lamp. “Now now, it's just a little thunder, that's all. Nothing to be scared of.” Fluttershy wasn't sure if she was speaking for her animals' benefit, or her own, but she went on anyway. “The weather patrol was just a little bit behind on their precipitation quota, so they're just trying to catch up, that's all.” Another bolt of lightning flashed, lighting up the cottage clear as day for a split second. “This is perfectly normal!” Fluttershy shrilled as she suddenly found herself beneath her kitchen table. “Somepony's probably just getting a little too enthusiastic with the thunderclouds. I heard that happens to Ditzy Do sometimes.” Fluttershy cringed as another bolt of lightning struck somewhere entirely too close. “A lot of the time. But, the good news is, it's just a storm, that's all. As long as we're inside, we can stay safe and dry. There's nothing out there that can get us.” Fluttershy's front door slammed open, hard enough to wrench the brass hinges in their frames. A cold, howling wind sprayed droplets of rain through the previously cozy home. “It's just the wind!” Fluttershy said, hunching down beneath her wings. “Perfectly normal!” Somepony tall, cloaked, and glowy-eyed appeared in the doorway. “FLUTTERSHY, I HAVE COME FOR THEE!” The Royal Canterlot Voice echoed louder than the thunder ever could. Princess Luna, formerly Nightmare Moon, currently Princess of Darkness, strode into Fluttershy's cottage. She flared her wings, shadowing the scant light streaming in through the windows. It was as if Fluttershy's humble cottage was simply to small to contain Princess Luna's regal persona- a point proved literally as Luna's wings knocked small pictures and knicknacks from their places on the wall, sending them down to shatter on the floor. “Fluttershy's not here! Nopony's here! Go away!” The yellow pegasus trembled beneath her table. “Please?” The various woodland creatures surrounding Fluttershy scattered in all directions, falling back on bottom-of-the-food-chain instincts. Princess Luna trotted into the kitchen and flipped the table over with a dismissive flick of a forehoof. “My apologies, little one, but I fear I haven't the time for the typical pleasantries. You must-” Princess Luna glanced downwards and blinked, as Fluttershy had suddenly fled, leaving little more than yellow down in her wake. “AH.” Princess Luna turned her volume down a hair lower than 'eardrum rupturing.' “My apologies, tiny peasant pony, I did not mean to cause thee alarm. Please, extracate thyself from thine hiding place.” Nothing happened. “NOW.” “Eep.” Said a vaguely Fluttershy-shaped lump behind the couch. “AHA!” Luna's horn glowed, and she yanked the couch out of her way, sending it careening into a cabinet full of fine china. “There you are!” “Please don't hurt me!” Fluttershy sobbed. “Ah.” Luna faltered, just slightly. “Mayhaps I've been remiss in my introduction. Rest assured, fair Fluttershy, I mean you no harm.” “You don't?” “Of course not.” “Then why did you break all my furniture?” “I didn't break all of it!” Luna snapped, and then glanced around at some of the wreckage she'd produced. “Just...certain notable items. Worry not, you shall be duly compensated for the expense. That is, as long as you accompany me on my quest!” “Quest?” Fluttershy peeked from beneath her mane. “That sounds frightening.” “Of course it does! 'twould hardly be worthy of mine attention if it didn't!” “And I have to go?” “'tis of the utmost essence! The very fate of Equestria is at stake.” “Oh my.” Fluttershy murmured, “that sounds really important. But, um, maybe you should try my friend Twilight, instead? She's much braver and much more magical than I am.” “Had I more time, I would have spoken to Princess Twilight first. But, as it stands, she shall have to make do with the letter I sent- I came here directly, as your skills are the ones most needed. You see, gentle Fluttershy, I've been told that your talents in beast wrangling are legendary.” “Beasts? You mean poor, sweet, cuddly animals?” “Yes, those.” Princess Luna said, gesturing idly with one hoof. “So there's an animal in trouble?” “In a manner of speaking, yes. You are the only pony in all of Equestria who can help! Will you join me?” “In that case,” Fluttershy drew herself up, “I'll do it. But, um, if you don't mind my asking, what kind of animal is it?” “I shall explain the particulars while we're on the wing, fair Fluttershy. But we've wasted to much time already. Tally ho!” Before Fluttershy could say anything else, Luna scooped the quivering pegasus up in her forehooves and took to the air, a single beat of her wings carrying the pair through a large window. Fluttershy flinched, but the razor-edged shards of glass merely tumbled from Luna's coat like droplets of evening rain. The Princess of the Night beat her wings, and soon she ascended into the dark clouds above, soaring high enough to make Fluttershy's stomach turn. “Um, Miss Princess Luna?” Fluttershy said, even as the wind blew hair into her eyes. “Do you think we'll be back by morning?” “If we aren't swift enough, Fluttershy, there may not be a morning to return to!” “Eek.” Fluttershy said. Some time later, once the thunderheads had been cleared, Rainbow Dash circled down to her friend's cottage. It had been a long night's work, and Rainbow knew she could crash on Fluttershy's couch instead of making her way all the way home. Not to mention Fluttershy always something good in the back of her fridge. “Uh, hello?” Rainbow Dash said into Fluttershy's cottage. “Anypony home?” Something crunched beneath the pegasus' hoof, and she glanced downwards at the broken glass. Rainbow Dash felt a twising in her stomach she knew wasn't caused by hunger as she put it all together: broken furniture, open door, shattered windows... “Ohmygosh.” Rainbow Dash squeaked. “Fluttershy's been kidnapped!” Chapter 2“Let me tell you a tale, my little pony.” Princess Luna said between wingbeats. The Night Monarch had since released Fluttershy, allowing her to fly under her own power. Thankfully, the winds were strong enough that Fluttershy could glide most of the way, allowing her to keep pace with Princess Luna- if barely. The majestic alicorn showed no sign of discomfort, even after hours of flight- nor did she show any sign of noticing Fluttershy's increasing harried-ness. “'twas many a year ago, perhaps only a decade or two after my sister and I had defeated Discord. Yet, even with the trickster-god encased in stone, there were many other threats to the land.” Luna sighed, wistfully. “I miss those days. 'twas a time of tumult. Blood was spilled, tales were told, and anypony with enough audacity could win themselves fame, fortune, and glory. And none were more famous, more glorious, or richer than I.” “I see.” Fluttershy said, cringing at the thought. “It's probably best that I wasn't around back then. I'm honestly not all that audacious or glorious.” “Precious few are, in these days! Pah!” Luna shook her head ruefully. “I've yet to meet anypony quite like my two boon companions of those heady days. Heartseeker and Catsclaw, their names were. The three of us ranged far and wide across the realm, and the bards sang loudly of our bold deeds!” “That sounds nice,” said Fluttershy, “but, um, I don't think I'm going to be anything like your friends.” “You are right there, meek one!” Luna laughed again. “To begin, neither of my companions had wings, but that matters little. I know what you're thinking, however. And I assure you, all shall become clear soon enough. You see, in our travels and travails, the three of us came across a great mountain beast- Taresk, his name was. Mountains shook with his passing, as the land itself was terrified of such a hellish creature. After an arduous battle, we vanquished the Taresk...but not permanently. Even now, it slumbers, dreaming of the day when it shall bring its terrible vengeance onto the land once more. It has come to my attention that there are those who seek to wake Taresk early, and once again wreak untold destruction on the land. I've only now learned their twisted schemes have been set in motion. You'll now understand why haste is of the utmost essence.” “Oh my,” said Fluttershy, “I, um, hate to tell you this, but I really don't think I'm the best pony to bring along to fight the thing, if that's what we're doing.” “Ha!” Princess Luna's laugh echoed for leagues around. “You? Fight? And here my sister said the pink one was the one with the jokes!” “Thanks, I think?” “I say thee neigh, Fluttershy. If there's any fighting to be done, it shall fall upon my capable shoulders. For you see, Taresk may be enormous and immesurably ancient, but he is still an animal. Thusly, I am turning to you, for perhaps your talents shall allow us to put Taresk back to his slumber.” Fluttershy felt just a little of the dread in her belly fade away. “Oh, okay. That doesn't sound too hard.” “You are a funny one, Fluttershy.” “Thanks again?” Fluttershy murmured. “ So, um, where are we going, exactly?” Dear Princess Twilight, I have taken your friend Fluttershy. If you have the mettle, you shall find us at the Tower of the Screaming Skull. Do not dally. Your Servant, Princess Luna Twilight Sparkle stared at the letter. The seal was unbroken, the the calligraphy was appropriately royal (if a bit rushed, she noted), and a basic authentication cantrip had verified that this was a letter from Princess Luna. Not that Twilight knew of any other ponies besides Princess Celestia (and possibly Princess Cadance) who knew how to make Spike belch out a scroll. This didn't mean things made any more sense. “Twilight!” Rainbow Dash burst in through the library's upper window, slamming the pane against the wall as she pushed through (Twilight had since learned to leave her windows unlocked in case certain pegasai came to visit). “Fluttershy's been kidnapped!” Twilight's eyes went wide. “What?” “I swung by to visit after wrapping up that thunderstorm, only her door was broken, her house was all wrecked up, and she was gone! But check this out, I found a clue!” Rainbow reached under her left wing and pulled out a single navy blue feather. “Now, I'm not a forensic plumologist, but I think this feather came from-” “Princess Luna.” Twilight said. “Whoa, I was just gonna say 'somepony taller than me,' You're really good at this detective thing, Twilight! Must be all those books you read.” “No, it's not that. Here, take a look at this.” Twilight showed the scroll to Rainbow Dash. “Oh gosh. This...this is pretty bad, isn't it?” “That's a polite way to put it.” Twilight said. “I was hoping this was some kind of prank, but you've confirmed my worst suspicions, Rainbow.” “So now what?” “So now, we have to rescue Fluttershy. Look-” According to my maps-” Twilight levitated an atlas from the bookshelf and laid it out on the table, “-the Tower of the Screaming Skull is only accessible by air, and even then the wind currents aren't very forgiving. Since you and I are the only ones with wings, it looks like we're going to have to face Princess Luna on our own.” “It's not like we can rainbow-friendship-laser her anyway, ever since you fed the Elements of Harmony to that tree.” “I know, and that's got me worried.” Twilight said, “but we can't let that stop us. Spike!” Twilight said. The little dragon was at her side in an instant. “Spike, here's the plan- Rainbow Dash and I are going to fly ahead. I need you to gather up Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie. Fire up my hot air balloon and set a course for the Skull Mountain Tower. It'll be slow, but it's better than nothing.” “Got it!” Spike saluted, and then scampered off to start the nesesscary preparations. “Oh!” Twilight Sparkle added on, “Don't forget to write a letter to Princess Celestia, to let her know what's happened!” “Will do!” Spike said. “Now, there's no time to waste.” Princess Twilight Sparkle flared her wings, managing to keep her balance, if barely. “You ready to fly, Rainbow Dash?” “Just try not to slow me down, Twilight. Fluttershy's in trouble, and we're the only ones who can save her!” “Behold, the Tower of the Screaming Skull!” Luna pointed to a tall, dark shadow in the distance. The brutal, slablike construction of the tower helped it stand out amidst the jagged peaks of the surrounding mountains. Dark clouds drifted past the granite tower, cloaking it in shadow. “Um. I don't suppose that name is a little, um, metaphorical?” “Of course not! That is the tower where the Screaming Skull is held. What else would it be called?” “Oh, that makes sense.” Fluttershy shivered, and not just from the cold of the altitude. “...does that mean the skull really screams? That's...just a little bit scary, is all. I don't have to listen, do I?” She whimpered a little, and tried to ignore the ache in her wings. She'd been trailing in Luna's wake for hours, but even then, such an extended flight had taken its toll on her. “Is that all you're concerned with?” Luna turned to glance at Fluttershy, “really, it's not even a skull at all.” “Oh, that's good.” “The Screaming Skull is, in fact, a bell- if one emblazoned with a skull on it. Forged in the firey forges of the deepest hells, the Screaming Skull is an artifact of immeasurable potency- the faintest echoes of its otherworldly tones have driven lesser ponies to frothing madness. It's said that the Screaming Skull is the only thing that can wake Taresk from his eternal slumber. This is why we have to get to it first. What ho!” Luna banked, circling down towards the Tower of the Screaming Skull. “We are too late, Fluttershy, look!” Luna pointed her horn, where, sure enough, a small but swift-lined airship was moored to the side of the Tower of the Screaming Skull. “We are too late! The doom-cultists have reached the tower before us. This complicates matters. Stay close, little one. We shall take them by surprise.” Luna banked into a roll, and Fluttershy grabbed onto the Night Princess' tail to keep up. Unhindered by the extra weight, Luna pulled her wings in tighter and angled into a sharp dive. Her form shimmered, and she changed color, her navy blue coat shifting to an inky black. Rendered effectively invisible against the storm-wracked sky, Luna glided past the two sentry ponies standing on the Tower of the Screaming Skull's balcony. Their hoods didn't even ruffle as Luna towed Fluttershy into the tower, unnoticed. The antechamber was empty, merely an unadorned stone room with the enterance to the outside balcony at one end, and a doorway to a spiraling staircase on the other. Once Luna's hooves touched the polished stone floor, she resumed her normal deep blue. She glanced back at Fluttershy, and held a hoof up to her lips. “Silence,” she murmured, and the single word lingered in Fluttershy's brain. Luna's eyes glinted in the darkness. The little yellow pegasus nodded her terrified agreement- though some more practical part of her brain wondered how Luna would manage being quiet when she had been so loud and terrifying before. The night monarch managed it anyway, stalking across the room and down the stairway like a creeping shadow. The stairs twisted down, down, down, lit only by occasional light-crystals. Even Fluttershy's untrained eye could see the magic of the crystals was fading after untold years of neglect as the reddish light sputtered and faltered, with some of the crystals already extinguished. “Here.” Luna said, crouching low before a large arching doorway. “I can hear the knaves on the other side of this door. Stay out of the way, and I shall dispatch them. Shouldn't take long- I think there's only a dozen of them.” No sooner had Fluttershy nodded agreement that Princess Luna sprung into action. She slammed herself into the heavy wooden door, reducing it to so many oaken splinters. Fluttershy peeked out around the doorjamb, getting sight of a good dozen ponies around the chamber, each of whom was wrapped in a dirty, ragged cloak. They stared at Princess Luna for a few long moments, and then threw themselves to the floor, groveling and bowing. As one, they chanted their reply to Luna's enterance. “ALL HAIL NIGHTMARE MOON!” Chapter 3“Is that it?” Rainbow Dash squinted through the cloudy skies, “I think I see a big tower up in the distance, but it's not screaming or skull-shaped or anything.” “Technically, it's not really a skull, so I don't think they decorated too much.” Twilight panted between wingbeats. She wondered if the night's frantic flight was even longer than the time she had to fly to the Crystal Kingdom- she reminded herself to check the relative distances in an atlas later. “But if we've kept on course, that's going to be the only tower-shaped building in miles.” “Got it,” said Rainbow Dash. “Is there supposed to be an airship there?” “What? The Tower of the Screaming Skull is supposed to have been abandoned for centuries.” “So it's not, like, the maintenance dudes, right?” “Why would an ancient and cursed tower have janitors?” “To reset all the killer deathtraps, duh.” Rainbow Dash said. “That...makes a surprising amount of sense.” Twilight was forced to admit. “But yeah, what's the plan, Twilight?” “Plan?” Twilight blurted, “Eheh. Plan. Well, to be honest, I've kinda been...improvising.” she said the 'i' word like a mild obscenity. “We just need to get into the tower, find Fluttershy and Princess Luna, and ask them exactly what's going on.” “Sure thing!” Rainbow Dash snapped a hoof to her brow in a sloppy but enthusiastic salute. “So what do we do about the janitors?” “The Tower of the Screaming Skull doesn't have any janitors, Rainbow.” “Got it!” Rainbow Dash suddenly snapped her wings close to her body as she angled in for a dive. “I'll take those suckers down like they weren't even there!” and she disappeared in a burst of color and speed. “Wait, no! That's not what I meant!” Twilight flapped her wings frantically to keep up. She added a few quick, short-range teleports to close the distance, still decisive seconds behind Rainbow Dash. “Take that, chump!” Rainbow Dash laid into the first hooded pony, putting all the force of her sudden crash-dive into the blow. The cultist flew backward as if he were yanked back on a line- that is, until he slammed into the stone wall behind him. “BOOSH!” Rainbow Dash cried in victory, rearing back on her rear legs and beating her chest. The second hooded pony rose up behind the pegasus, clutching a dagger between his teeth. He held his blade high, preparing to plunge the wickedly sharp weapon into Rainbow Dash's quivering flesh. Twilight Sparkle furrowed her brow, and the air itself around her horn began to shimmer and crackle with magical energy. The tiniest flick of her neck sent the gathered magical energy streaking through the air, and into the dagger-wielding assassin (who, conveniently, landed upon his comatose companion). “Rainbow! You can't just go charging off like that!” Twilight Sparkle fluttered down onto the balcony. “That pony could have killed you!” “But he didn't.” Rainbow Dash said, smug. “I knew you'd have my back, Twilight. Besides, it's gonna take more than some sucker-chump janitors to take down the one and only Rainbow Dash and her best friend, Princess Twilight Sparkle. BOOSH. C'mon. High hoof. We rule.” Twilight left Rainbow hanging. “They're not janitors.” “Then who the heck are they?” Twilight Sparkle crossed the balcony and held up one of the not-janitor's cloaks to get a better look at it. A large symbol was stitched into the rough black cloth: a slitted pupil, like that of a cat or a reptile against a crescent-shaped moon. “Okay,” she said, very slowly, “the bad news is, it's worse than I thought. Princess Luna must have recruited some Nightmare Moon cultists to help her kidnap Fluttershy.” “So what's the good news?” “The good news is-” Twilight Sparkle swept the black cloak around her shoulders and pulled up the hood. “Now I have a plan.” Nopony spoke. Luna stared in shock, and the eldritch battle-glow faded from her eyes. The bowing, robed ponies dared not speak in the presence of their terrible warrior goddess. Fluttershy dared not speak on principle. “What is the meaning of this?” Luna spoke slowly, choosing each word with the utmost care. “Explain yourselves, knaves. You have one chance.” “Give only the word, and we shall die for you, Lady Nightmare!” A ruddy-red unicorn stepped forward from the rest of the cultists, but he still kept his eyes down on the floor. “I, Thistle Down, am but your humble servant. We have prepared the way for you, so you may have your glorious vengeance.” “The only vengeance I shall wreak is upon you, varlet, lest ye stop babbling in riddles!” Luna stomped a hoof against the floor, cracking the hard granite. “What's your game?” “The Screaming Skull, Lady Nightmare. With it, you may lend Taresk's power to your own, thus you shall cast the Pretender Celestia down. None will oppose you!” “Are you mad?” Luna said, “My name is not Nightmare Moon- not anymore! I am Princess Luna, and I shall lay down my life before I allow the likes of you to wake Taresk. Not that I shall have to.” Princess Luna's hoofsteps echoed as she crossed the chamber, head held high in regal, martial disdain. “Abandon your foolish quest now, and I shall be merciful.” A quiet murmur spread amongst the hooded cultists. “No!” Thistle Down suddenly stood, eyes wide in panic. “Don't listen to her, my faithful! Nightmare Moon is not herself! She's been corrupted by the usurper's foul enchantments!” “The only one here corrupted is you.” Luna's eyes began to glow anew. “I beg of you, take this honorable surrender and return to your homes. I shall not ask again.” “Seize her!” The red unicorn pointed at Luna. “Take her, bind her limbs- once the Taresk is awakened, Celestia's illusions shall be lifted, and the true Nightmare Moon will reign once more!” “I SAY THEE NEIGH!” Luna leapt into the fray with glinting eye and flared wing. The hooded ponies came at Princess Luna from all sides, to little avail. Untold centuries of battle had honed Luna's skill and power, both physical and magical. She threw the cultists about like discarded toys as she advanced on their leader. “Nightmare Moon is dead!” Luna's voice bounced from the stone walls of the chamber and echoed to a near deafening volume. “She was born of weakness, jealousy, and dishonor. 'Tis an onerous burden to bear, and now you seek to throw that in my face, and claim it honors me? BAH!” Luna lashed out with both her front hooves. Thistle Down scrambled out of the way of Luna's blow, but a hooded pegasus behind him was not so lucky; he was senseless before he hit the floor. The cult leader stumbled over his cloak, not daring to take his eyes away from the scorned night goddess even as he tried to escape. “You don't know what you say, Lady Nightmare- the solar usurper's magic runs deep. I feared this might happen- thus, I have a contingency plan!” Reaching beneath his cloak, the unicorn pulled out a small glass urn and shattered it upon the floor in front of Princess Luna. Humid, noxious green vapor rose up from the broken glass, and Luna took a step back. “Poison?” she said, already covering her mouth. “In a manner of speaking.” The red unicorn said. A figure rose from the green mists, rising where there had been nothing previously before. It grew taller and taller, even dwarfing Luna. The faintest rasping hiss was her only warning, and then the shadow struck. Luna saw little more than gleaming fangs and sleek coils as the enormous serpent went for her. “A summoning jar? How quaint!” Luna shot off a quick blast of concussive magic, but it went wide of the giant snake. “'tis been centuries since I've seen one of those! Do you really think to stop me with some mere charlatan's trick?” Luna smashed her hooves into the side of the snake, and it reeled away from her. Its undulating coils twisted over each other, and then, with all the rhythm and inevitability of the incoming tide, the snake struck again. Luna caught the snake's maw with her hooves, prying the fanged jaws open. With a strength borne of inevitability, Luna pushed the venom-dripping fangs away from her neck. Yet, even as she did, the serpent wrapped its coils around Luna, tightening them around her like enormous steel cables. Any lesser pony would have been crushed within moments- but Luna was anything but average. Luna gritted her teeth against the terrible pressure and pushed the snake's jaws a little wider. The tip of Luna's horn began to glow as she summoned up her will, and she angled her head just so in order to aim directly down the snake's cavernous throat. “Stop it!” Fluttershy suddenly appeared beside Luna. She hovered in midair, glaring sternly. “Splendid!” Princess Luna choked out, “I knew there was a reason I brought you along, Fluttershy. Your mastery over beasts shall carry the day!” “I wasn't talking to the snake, I was talking to you.” “What?” The glow about Luna's horn fizzled out as she lost concentration. “You heard me. You can be as loud and scary as you like, but I couldn't just stand by and let you hurt this poor defenseless animal!” “Defenseless?” Luna said. A drop of yellow poison fell off the tip of the snake's fang and landed upon the floor, where it began to hiss. “You jest!” “You may see a monster, but I just see a scared and lonely snake. Isn't that right?” Fluttershy reached up to rub at a spot just behind the serpent's lower jaw, and the beast gave a pleasant little shiver, loosening its grip on Princess Luna. “It tried to eat me!” Luna said. “Actually, it didn't.” Fluttershy nodded. “It hissed at you first- that was a warning. You just scared it, right after it had been let out of that magic jar thingie. If it really wanted to eat you, it would've been quiet when it struck. Now, if you take your hooves out of its mouth, this little guy will go on and leave you alone. Isn't that right?” The snake managed a nod. “Very well.” Princess Luna said, wary. Slowly, she eased the snake's mouth shut. In turn, the snake released Luna, slithering around her for a shudder-worthy moment. The serpent didn't even look back, silently gliding across the floor and up the stairwell. “Impressive, fair Fluttershy. That was quite brave of you,” said Luna. “Oh, um. Was it? I just wanted to make sure that the snake didn't get hurt. I mean, it's not his fault there are a bunch of crazy ponies trying to destroy the world in your name or anything.” “Indeed.” Luna turned her head back to the red unicorn. “Speaking of whom...” “You've forced my hoof, Lady Nightmare!” Thistle Down shouted from the other side of the chamber. His mad, desperate laugh sent chills down Fluttershy's spine, though Princess Luna remained resolute. The ruddy-red unicorn's horn glowed to a near-blinding white. He shot a focused beam of magical energy into the floor. The stones shattered, collapsing into a black pit below. “Quickly, to wing!” Luna yelled over the rumble of collapsing architecture. Had she been alone, she might have been able to cross the room to smite Thistle Down, but she lost precious seconds in yanking Fluttershy along with her. This gave the mad unicorn time enough to cackle further, and fire another blast- this one into the ceiling. Luna barely saw Thistle Doom duck into a hidden passage before a huge chunk of tile plummeted into her shoulder, knocking her off balance. She felt another hit, and another still, the heavy stones doing more damage than Thistle Down or his cultists ever could. “Save yourself, little one!” Luna said, and threw Fluttershy in the general direction of the hidden passage. It was all she could do before the ceiling gave way, and Luna was overtaken by darkness. Chapter 4“What was that?” Rainbow Dash narrowly dodged a large chunk of falling masonry. “Did we just set off a booby trap? I bet we stepped on something and set off a booby trap. I told you we should've flown! Stupid cultist robe keeps getting tangled up in my wings and it smells like my grandma's basement.” “Isn't your grandmother from Cloudsdale?” “Yeah, and?” “How do you have a basement when you live in a magical cloud house?” “Grandma Dash found a way, alright? And she found a way to make it smell funny, too.” “I don't care what you smell, Rainbow. We've got bigger things to worry about.” Twilight Sparkle descended the spiraling staircase, walked through the doorway at the bottom, and out into open air. She yelped in dismay, only just spreading her wings in time to slow her descent, landing hard on all four hooves onto the uneven rubble below. “See!” Rainbow Dash glided effortlessly into place beside Twilight. “Told you we should've flown!” The pegasus fidgeted with her stolen cloak, attempting to fold her wings comfortably beneath it. “Man, what happened here, anyway?” “Something collapsed this entire chamber.” Twilight's horn glowed as she cast a simple (to her, at least) spell. “Probably through the use of a concussive bolt, if I'm reading the residual magical residue correctly.” She frowned and squinted her eyes in concentration. “Any sign of Fluttershy?” said Rainbow Dash. “No- but that may be a good thing. By my estimate, we're standing on at least ten tons of solid stone. There's no way anypony could've survived it-” “I AM NOT JUST ANYPONY!” A beam of blinding white magic lanced through the rubble. Tiny flakes of rock flew in all directions, and Twilight and Rainbow raised their wings instinctively to protect themselves. A moment later, Princess Luna made her grand entrance- battered, bleeding, but still glowing with righteous purpose. “HOLY CRAP NIGHTMARE MOON!” cried Rainbow Dash. “Calm down!” Twilight snapped at the pegasus, “I'm sure there's a perfectly rational explanation for all this.” Princess Luna blinked the granite-dust from her eyes, focusing on the sight of the two ponies in front of her- and the telltale black cloaks they wore. “Oh.” Princess Luna narrowed her eyes, “It all becomes clear.” “Princess Luna, let's be reasonable- just tell us where Fluttershy is-” “You'll never find her!” Luna spat. “Please, Princess-” “You surprise me, Princess Twilight.” Luna sneered. “When I first met you, I thought you were little but a naïve filly. But this...I must say, this sick scheme of yours has been well played. I bet you were the one who leaked word of the 'cult' in the first place, knowing I'd intervene. How long were you planning this? Were you counting on me bringing Fluttershy, or is she part of your treacherous plot?” “What plot?” Twilight blurted. She braced her hooves and tried to ignore the sudden feeling of being much, much smaller than Princess Luna. “I don't know what you're talking about!” “Please, Twilight Sparkle. Your dissembling is shameful. To claim ignorance whilst clad in the vestments of my enemy? Surely, you know I'm more canny than that.” “I don't know half of what you just said, but I do know one thing-” Rainbow Dash snarled, “it's go time!” She lunged forward. “Rainbow, no!” Twilight raised a hoof to stop her, but the pegasus was, as expected, too fast. “Indeed.” Princess Luna's horn glowed, and Rainbow Dash slammed to a halt, frozen in midair by a telekinetic hold. “This is a matter to be resolved between Princesses.” “Princess Luna, wait!” “HAVE AT THEE!” Fluttershy woke. She coughed, delicately, and blinked the stone dust from her eyes. Slowly, Fluttershy's eyes began to adjust to the darkness. For a moment (several moments, actually) Fluttershy trembled and sobbed quietly. “It's okay, Fluttershy.” Fluttershy had once read that vocalizing one's fears was often the first step in dealing with them. It certainly beat hiding in a corner and crying, an option that Fluttershy had only abandoned once she realized that in the blackness of...wherever she was, it would be very, very hard to find a place to hide. “Everything's going to be just fine. I mean, you're only lost. And alone. In the dark. In a big scary evil tower, with a bunch of crazy ponies trying to end the world, that's all. You just need to be optimistic, that's all. Find the silver lining.” It took her a few minutes to find something to be optimistic about. “At least Princess Luna's not yelling at me.” In fact, nopony was yelling at her at all. The cave (or wherever she was) was deathly silent. If it weren't for the circumstances, she might've found the lack of anypony close somewhat comforting. “So. Um. Now what?” Fluttershy asked herself. “Oh, I'm no good at this. Twilight's the one who knows all about magic and adventures and things.” And then it struck her. “What would Twilight Sparkle do?” The answer came just as naturally: “She'd make a list. That's what she'd do.” And so, the little Pegasus began to take stock of her situation. She was still underground (which was bad), alone (which was worse), and chained at the ankle. (This was also bad). She raised her manacled leg, and followed the chain down to the shackle set into the stone floor. “You're awake, good!” Thistle Down stepped out of the darkness, lighting his way with a faint glow from his horn. His coat was dusty, matted with blood in places, but the same unhinged glint still shone in his eyes. “I was afraid there would be nopony around to share in the moment of my ultimate triumph!” “Um. Okay?” Fluttershy tugged against the chain holding her in place, even though she knew she wasn't strong enough to break it. “Now that you've triumphed, can I go?” “Not yet, little one. I'm close, damnably close...but not finished yet. Behold!” Thistle Down tittered madly to himself. He lifted his head, and levitated a battered, tarnished brass bell out in front of Fluttershy. The faint outline of a pony skull was emblazoned on the side of the bell, barely visible in the cave's darkness. “Here, here is the key to my triumph- to Lady Nightmare's ultimate victory! For once I ring the bell, the great beast Taresk will awaken, and then the pretender Celestia shall be struck down!” “That...doesn't sound like a very well thought out plan.” “Silence!” Thistle Down said, “My plan is brilliant! You merely lack the intellectual capacity to understand it!” “Um. Okay. That's probably true. I don't really think about world domination very often.” “Of course you don't! You would've lived your entire life as an unthinking member of the peasantry, with little to worry about besides your day to day life.” “That sounds really pleasant, actually.” “Of course you'd say that! But now, now with the Screaming Skull, I shall wake the Taresk, and bring glorious chaos onto Equestria! All I must do is ring this bell, and it shall all fall into place!” “Are you sure?” Thistle Down bristled. “Of course I am! How dare you question me?” “Oh, sorry! I don't dare to do much of anything. It's just, um, well, I guess I don't see how your plan's going to work. I mean, if the Taresk is the biggest, scariest monster ever, why would it listen to you? Won't it just do whatever it wants?” “Ah.” Thistle Down smiled. “That, peasant pony, is a good point. But, you're making a key mistake- you see, the Taresk is no beast- it is a force of nature! I cannot control it- I only set him loose, to take his rightful vengeance upon the world!” Thistle Down's eyes lit with a twisted gleam. He began to laugh, showering Fluttershy with the spittle of madness. “And all it takes- is this!” He struck the Screaming Skull. “Truly, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said, “you are a worthy opponent.” Princess Luna felt her lungs burn, felt her muscles ache, felt the droplets of liquid (sweat or blood, she couldn't be sure) dribbling over her coat. She hadn't fought like this...ever, she realized. Not even her sister could match Twilight's sheer magical power. Already weakened from having the better part of a tower dropped on her, Luna knew the only thing that kept Twilight from defeating her outright was her comparative lack of battle experience. Or perhaps Twilight was holding back. “Should I be flattered?” Twilight stared at Princess Luna from the other side of the chamber. “I'm no flatterer.” Luna said. “Yeah, you're just a crazy and evil and stuff!” Rainbow Dash piped up from somewhere behind Twilight Sparkle. Sometime during the melee, she'd been trapped inside a force bubble- though it was unclear which Princess had put her in it: Twilght to keep her safe, or Luna to keep her out of the way. “Princess Twilight,” Luna's voice carried all the courtesy of a dagger sliding from its scabbard. “Silence your vassal, please.” “She's not my vassal, she's my friend! Just like Fluttershy! Just like you!” Twilight blinked back the tears she felt forming at the corners of her eyes. “Why won't you listen to me?” “Apart from the part where you tried to loose an ancient and terrible evil upon the realm?” said Luna, “or perhaps I should mention how you've created a doom cult so as to blame it on me. The cloaks are a nice touch, I might add. A bit cliché, though.” “Wait.” Twilight looked over her shoulder at the now-ragged cloak hanging off her shoulders. “This? This is a disguise! I took it from the ponies at the top of the tower! I thought you were the one who started an evil doomsday cult!” “After a thousand years of madness and exile, why would I do such a thing?” “Because you're evil and crazy and scary, duh.” Rainbow Dash said. “Not. Helping. Rainbow.” “Hah! What need have I for a cult?” Luna spat on the floor. “Especially with the likes of these foals?” “She's right, Rainbow Dash.” Twilight Sparkle nodded. “Princess Luna isn't exactly...subtle. If she turned evil and tried to kill us-” “Again.” Rainbow Dash noted. Twilight winced. “Again. I think we'd notice it.” “You certainly would!” Said Princess Luna. She lifted her chin and flared her wings, defiantly. “Not that I would consider doing so.” She added, if a little lamely. “So...” Rainbow Dash said, “you're saying Princess Luna didn't kidnap Fluttershy?” “Kidnap? I say thee neigh! I impressed her into my service, due to her affinity with beasts.” “What kind of beasts is she supposed to be affinitizing?” Said Rainbow Dash. Twilight Sparkle's face paled. “The Taresk.” “The what?” said Rainbow Dash. A great rumble rolled through the dark stone chamber. “The that.” Twilight said. “So you're saying this Taresk thing already woke up and started tearing the mountain down?” “No, Rainbow Dash.” Luna said, “The monster is the mountain.”
Chapter 1It was a dark and stormy night. No, really. A peal of thunder rattled the windows of Fluttershy's cottage, and the teeth of its inhabitants. Fluttershy reminded herself to make an appointment with the dentist, and pulled a small menagerie of rodents and birds closer to her, cowering in the light of a single lamp. “Now now, it's just a little thunder, that's all. Nothing to be scared of.” Fluttershy wasn't sure if she was speaking for her animals' benefit, or her own, but she went on anyway. “The weather patrol was just a little bit behind on their precipitation quota, so they're just trying to catch up, that's all.” Another bolt of lightning flashed, lighting up the cottage clear as day for a split second. “This is perfectly normal!” Fluttershy shrilled as she suddenly found herself beneath her kitchen table. “Somepony's probably just getting a little too enthusiastic with the thunderclouds. I heard that happens to Ditzy Do sometimes.” Fluttershy cringed as another bolt of lightning struck somewhere entirely too close. “A lot of the time. But, the good news is, it's just a storm, that's all. As long as we're inside, we can stay safe and dry. There's nothing out there that can get us.” Fluttershy's front door slammed open, hard enough to wrench the brass hinges in their frames. A cold, howling wind sprayed droplets of rain through the previously cozy home. “It's just the wind!” Fluttershy said, hunching down beneath her wings. “Perfectly normal!” Somepony tall, cloaked, and glowy-eyed appeared in the doorway. “FLUTTERSHY, I HAVE COME FOR THEE!” The Royal Canterlot Voice echoed louder than the thunder ever could. Princess Luna, formerly Nightmare Moon, currently Princess of Darkness, strode into Fluttershy's cottage. She flared her wings, shadowing the scant light streaming in through the windows. It was as if Fluttershy's humble cottage was simply to small to contain Princess Luna's regal persona- a point proved literally as Luna's wings knocked small pictures and knicknacks from their places on the wall, sending them down to shatter on the floor. “Fluttershy's not here! Nopony's here! Go away!” The yellow pegasus trembled beneath her table. “Please?” The various woodland creatures surrounding Fluttershy scattered in all directions, falling back on bottom-of-the-food-chain instincts. Princess Luna trotted into the kitchen and flipped the table over with a dismissive flick of a forehoof. “My apologies, little one, but I fear I haven't the time for the typical pleasantries. You must-” Princess Luna glanced downwards and blinked, as Fluttershy had suddenly fled, leaving little more than yellow down in her wake. “AH.” Princess Luna turned her volume down a hair lower than 'eardrum rupturing.' “My apologies, tiny peasant pony, I did not mean to cause thee alarm. Please, extracate thyself from thine hiding place.” Nothing happened. “NOW.” “Eep.” Said a vaguely Fluttershy-shaped lump behind the couch. “AHA!” Luna's horn glowed, and she yanked the couch out of her way, sending it careening into a cabinet full of fine china. “There you are!” “Please don't hurt me!” Fluttershy sobbed. “Ah.” Luna faltered, just slightly. “Mayhaps I've been remiss in my introduction. Rest assured, fair Fluttershy, I mean you no harm.” “You don't?” “Of course not.” “Then why did you break all my furniture?” “I didn't break all of it!” Luna snapped, and then glanced around at some of the wreckage she'd produced. “Just...certain notable items. Worry not, you shall be duly compensated for the expense. That is, as long as you accompany me on my quest!” “Quest?” Fluttershy peeked from beneath her mane. “That sounds frightening.” “Of course it does! 'twould hardly be worthy of mine attention if it didn't!” “And I have to go?” “'tis of the utmost essence! The very fate of Equestria is at stake.” “Oh my.” Fluttershy murmured, “that sounds really important. But, um, maybe you should try my friend Twilight, instead? She's much braver and much more magical than I am.” “Had I more time, I would have spoken to Princess Twilight first. But, as it stands, she shall have to make do with the letter I sent- I came here directly, as your skills are the ones most needed. You see, gentle Fluttershy, I've been told that your talents in beast wrangling are legendary.” “Beasts? You mean poor, sweet, cuddly animals?” “Yes, those.” Princess Luna said, gesturing idly with one hoof. “So there's an animal in trouble?” “In a manner of speaking, yes. You are the only pony in all of Equestria who can help! Will you join me?” “In that case,” Fluttershy drew herself up, “I'll do it. But, um, if you don't mind my asking, what kind of animal is it?” “I shall explain the particulars while we're on the wing, fair Fluttershy. But we've wasted to much time already. Tally ho!” Before Fluttershy could say anything else, Luna scooped the quivering pegasus up in her forehooves and took to the air, a single beat of her wings carrying the pair through a large window. Fluttershy flinched, but the razor-edged shards of glass merely tumbled from Luna's coat like droplets of evening rain. The Princess of the Night beat her wings, and soon she ascended into the dark clouds above, soaring high enough to make Fluttershy's stomach turn. “Um, Miss Princess Luna?” Fluttershy said, even as the wind blew hair into her eyes. “Do you think we'll be back by morning?” “If we aren't swift enough, Fluttershy, there may not be a morning to return to!” “Eek.” Fluttershy said. Some time later, once the thunderheads had been cleared, Rainbow Dash circled down to her friend's cottage. It had been a long night's work, and Rainbow knew she could crash on Fluttershy's couch instead of making her way all the way home. Not to mention Fluttershy always something good in the back of her fridge. “Uh, hello?” Rainbow Dash said into Fluttershy's cottage. “Anypony home?” Something crunched beneath the pegasus' hoof, and she glanced downwards at the broken glass. Rainbow Dash felt a twising in her stomach she knew wasn't caused by hunger as she put it all together: broken furniture, open door, shattered windows... “Ohmygosh.” Rainbow Dash squeaked. “Fluttershy's been kidnapped!”
Chapter 2“Let me tell you a tale, my little pony.” Princess Luna said between wingbeats. The Night Monarch had since released Fluttershy, allowing her to fly under her own power. Thankfully, the winds were strong enough that Fluttershy could glide most of the way, allowing her to keep pace with Princess Luna- if barely. The majestic alicorn showed no sign of discomfort, even after hours of flight- nor did she show any sign of noticing Fluttershy's increasing harried-ness. “'twas many a year ago, perhaps only a decade or two after my sister and I had defeated Discord. Yet, even with the trickster-god encased in stone, there were many other threats to the land.” Luna sighed, wistfully. “I miss those days. 'twas a time of tumult. Blood was spilled, tales were told, and anypony with enough audacity could win themselves fame, fortune, and glory. And none were more famous, more glorious, or richer than I.” “I see.” Fluttershy said, cringing at the thought. “It's probably best that I wasn't around back then. I'm honestly not all that audacious or glorious.” “Precious few are, in these days! Pah!” Luna shook her head ruefully. “I've yet to meet anypony quite like my two boon companions of those heady days. Heartseeker and Catsclaw, their names were. The three of us ranged far and wide across the realm, and the bards sang loudly of our bold deeds!” “That sounds nice,” said Fluttershy, “but, um, I don't think I'm going to be anything like your friends.” “You are right there, meek one!” Luna laughed again. “To begin, neither of my companions had wings, but that matters little. I know what you're thinking, however. And I assure you, all shall become clear soon enough. You see, in our travels and travails, the three of us came across a great mountain beast- Taresk, his name was. Mountains shook with his passing, as the land itself was terrified of such a hellish creature. After an arduous battle, we vanquished the Taresk...but not permanently. Even now, it slumbers, dreaming of the day when it shall bring its terrible vengeance onto the land once more. It has come to my attention that there are those who seek to wake Taresk early, and once again wreak untold destruction on the land. I've only now learned their twisted schemes have been set in motion. You'll now understand why haste is of the utmost essence.” “Oh my,” said Fluttershy, “I, um, hate to tell you this, but I really don't think I'm the best pony to bring along to fight the thing, if that's what we're doing.” “Ha!” Princess Luna's laugh echoed for leagues around. “You? Fight? And here my sister said the pink one was the one with the jokes!” “Thanks, I think?” “I say thee neigh, Fluttershy. If there's any fighting to be done, it shall fall upon my capable shoulders. For you see, Taresk may be enormous and immesurably ancient, but he is still an animal. Thusly, I am turning to you, for perhaps your talents shall allow us to put Taresk back to his slumber.” Fluttershy felt just a little of the dread in her belly fade away. “Oh, okay. That doesn't sound too hard.” “You are a funny one, Fluttershy.” “Thanks again?” Fluttershy murmured. “ So, um, where are we going, exactly?” Dear Princess Twilight, I have taken your friend Fluttershy. If you have the mettle, you shall find us at the Tower of the Screaming Skull. Do not dally. Your Servant, Princess Luna Twilight Sparkle stared at the letter. The seal was unbroken, the the calligraphy was appropriately royal (if a bit rushed, she noted), and a basic authentication cantrip had verified that this was a letter from Princess Luna. Not that Twilight knew of any other ponies besides Princess Celestia (and possibly Princess Cadance) who knew how to make Spike belch out a scroll. This didn't mean things made any more sense. “Twilight!” Rainbow Dash burst in through the library's upper window, slamming the pane against the wall as she pushed through (Twilight had since learned to leave her windows unlocked in case certain pegasai came to visit). “Fluttershy's been kidnapped!” Twilight's eyes went wide. “What?” “I swung by to visit after wrapping up that thunderstorm, only her door was broken, her house was all wrecked up, and she was gone! But check this out, I found a clue!” Rainbow reached under her left wing and pulled out a single navy blue feather. “Now, I'm not a forensic plumologist, but I think this feather came from-” “Princess Luna.” Twilight said. “Whoa, I was just gonna say 'somepony taller than me,' You're really good at this detective thing, Twilight! Must be all those books you read.” “No, it's not that. Here, take a look at this.” Twilight showed the scroll to Rainbow Dash. “Oh gosh. This...this is pretty bad, isn't it?” “That's a polite way to put it.” Twilight said. “I was hoping this was some kind of prank, but you've confirmed my worst suspicions, Rainbow.” “So now what?” “So now, we have to rescue Fluttershy. Look-” According to my maps-” Twilight levitated an atlas from the bookshelf and laid it out on the table, “-the Tower of the Screaming Skull is only accessible by air, and even then the wind currents aren't very forgiving. Since you and I are the only ones with wings, it looks like we're going to have to face Princess Luna on our own.” “It's not like we can rainbow-friendship-laser her anyway, ever since you fed the Elements of Harmony to that tree.” “I know, and that's got me worried.” Twilight said, “but we can't let that stop us. Spike!” Twilight said. The little dragon was at her side in an instant. “Spike, here's the plan- Rainbow Dash and I are going to fly ahead. I need you to gather up Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie. Fire up my hot air balloon and set a course for the Skull Mountain Tower. It'll be slow, but it's better than nothing.” “Got it!” Spike saluted, and then scampered off to start the nesesscary preparations. “Oh!” Twilight Sparkle added on, “Don't forget to write a letter to Princess Celestia, to let her know what's happened!” “Will do!” Spike said. “Now, there's no time to waste.” Princess Twilight Sparkle flared her wings, managing to keep her balance, if barely. “You ready to fly, Rainbow Dash?” “Just try not to slow me down, Twilight. Fluttershy's in trouble, and we're the only ones who can save her!” “Behold, the Tower of the Screaming Skull!” Luna pointed to a tall, dark shadow in the distance. The brutal, slablike construction of the tower helped it stand out amidst the jagged peaks of the surrounding mountains. Dark clouds drifted past the granite tower, cloaking it in shadow. “Um. I don't suppose that name is a little, um, metaphorical?” “Of course not! That is the tower where the Screaming Skull is held. What else would it be called?” “Oh, that makes sense.” Fluttershy shivered, and not just from the cold of the altitude. “...does that mean the skull really screams? That's...just a little bit scary, is all. I don't have to listen, do I?” She whimpered a little, and tried to ignore the ache in her wings. She'd been trailing in Luna's wake for hours, but even then, such an extended flight had taken its toll on her. “Is that all you're concerned with?” Luna turned to glance at Fluttershy, “really, it's not even a skull at all.” “Oh, that's good.” “The Screaming Skull is, in fact, a bell- if one emblazoned with a skull on it. Forged in the firey forges of the deepest hells, the Screaming Skull is an artifact of immeasurable potency- the faintest echoes of its otherworldly tones have driven lesser ponies to frothing madness. It's said that the Screaming Skull is the only thing that can wake Taresk from his eternal slumber. This is why we have to get to it first. What ho!” Luna banked, circling down towards the Tower of the Screaming Skull. “We are too late, Fluttershy, look!” Luna pointed her horn, where, sure enough, a small but swift-lined airship was moored to the side of the Tower of the Screaming Skull. “We are too late! The doom-cultists have reached the tower before us. This complicates matters. Stay close, little one. We shall take them by surprise.” Luna banked into a roll, and Fluttershy grabbed onto the Night Princess' tail to keep up. Unhindered by the extra weight, Luna pulled her wings in tighter and angled into a sharp dive. Her form shimmered, and she changed color, her navy blue coat shifting to an inky black. Rendered effectively invisible against the storm-wracked sky, Luna glided past the two sentry ponies standing on the Tower of the Screaming Skull's balcony. Their hoods didn't even ruffle as Luna towed Fluttershy into the tower, unnoticed. The antechamber was empty, merely an unadorned stone room with the enterance to the outside balcony at one end, and a doorway to a spiraling staircase on the other. Once Luna's hooves touched the polished stone floor, she resumed her normal deep blue. She glanced back at Fluttershy, and held a hoof up to her lips. “Silence,” she murmured, and the single word lingered in Fluttershy's brain. Luna's eyes glinted in the darkness. The little yellow pegasus nodded her terrified agreement- though some more practical part of her brain wondered how Luna would manage being quiet when she had been so loud and terrifying before. The night monarch managed it anyway, stalking across the room and down the stairway like a creeping shadow. The stairs twisted down, down, down, lit only by occasional light-crystals. Even Fluttershy's untrained eye could see the magic of the crystals was fading after untold years of neglect as the reddish light sputtered and faltered, with some of the crystals already extinguished. “Here.” Luna said, crouching low before a large arching doorway. “I can hear the knaves on the other side of this door. Stay out of the way, and I shall dispatch them. Shouldn't take long- I think there's only a dozen of them.” No sooner had Fluttershy nodded agreement that Princess Luna sprung into action. She slammed herself into the heavy wooden door, reducing it to so many oaken splinters. Fluttershy peeked out around the doorjamb, getting sight of a good dozen ponies around the chamber, each of whom was wrapped in a dirty, ragged cloak. They stared at Princess Luna for a few long moments, and then threw themselves to the floor, groveling and bowing. As one, they chanted their reply to Luna's enterance. “ALL HAIL NIGHTMARE MOON!”
Chapter 3“Is that it?” Rainbow Dash squinted through the cloudy skies, “I think I see a big tower up in the distance, but it's not screaming or skull-shaped or anything.” “Technically, it's not really a skull, so I don't think they decorated too much.” Twilight panted between wingbeats. She wondered if the night's frantic flight was even longer than the time she had to fly to the Crystal Kingdom- she reminded herself to check the relative distances in an atlas later. “But if we've kept on course, that's going to be the only tower-shaped building in miles.” “Got it,” said Rainbow Dash. “Is there supposed to be an airship there?” “What? The Tower of the Screaming Skull is supposed to have been abandoned for centuries.” “So it's not, like, the maintenance dudes, right?” “Why would an ancient and cursed tower have janitors?” “To reset all the killer deathtraps, duh.” Rainbow Dash said. “That...makes a surprising amount of sense.” Twilight was forced to admit. “But yeah, what's the plan, Twilight?” “Plan?” Twilight blurted, “Eheh. Plan. Well, to be honest, I've kinda been...improvising.” she said the 'i' word like a mild obscenity. “We just need to get into the tower, find Fluttershy and Princess Luna, and ask them exactly what's going on.” “Sure thing!” Rainbow Dash snapped a hoof to her brow in a sloppy but enthusiastic salute. “So what do we do about the janitors?” “The Tower of the Screaming Skull doesn't have any janitors, Rainbow.” “Got it!” Rainbow Dash suddenly snapped her wings close to her body as she angled in for a dive. “I'll take those suckers down like they weren't even there!” and she disappeared in a burst of color and speed. “Wait, no! That's not what I meant!” Twilight flapped her wings frantically to keep up. She added a few quick, short-range teleports to close the distance, still decisive seconds behind Rainbow Dash. “Take that, chump!” Rainbow Dash laid into the first hooded pony, putting all the force of her sudden crash-dive into the blow. The cultist flew backward as if he were yanked back on a line- that is, until he slammed into the stone wall behind him. “BOOSH!” Rainbow Dash cried in victory, rearing back on her rear legs and beating her chest. The second hooded pony rose up behind the pegasus, clutching a dagger between his teeth. He held his blade high, preparing to plunge the wickedly sharp weapon into Rainbow Dash's quivering flesh. Twilight Sparkle furrowed her brow, and the air itself around her horn began to shimmer and crackle with magical energy. The tiniest flick of her neck sent the gathered magical energy streaking through the air, and into the dagger-wielding assassin (who, conveniently, landed upon his comatose companion). “Rainbow! You can't just go charging off like that!” Twilight Sparkle fluttered down onto the balcony. “That pony could have killed you!” “But he didn't.” Rainbow Dash said, smug. “I knew you'd have my back, Twilight. Besides, it's gonna take more than some sucker-chump janitors to take down the one and only Rainbow Dash and her best friend, Princess Twilight Sparkle. BOOSH. C'mon. High hoof. We rule.” Twilight left Rainbow hanging. “They're not janitors.” “Then who the heck are they?” Twilight Sparkle crossed the balcony and held up one of the not-janitor's cloaks to get a better look at it. A large symbol was stitched into the rough black cloth: a slitted pupil, like that of a cat or a reptile against a crescent-shaped moon. “Okay,” she said, very slowly, “the bad news is, it's worse than I thought. Princess Luna must have recruited some Nightmare Moon cultists to help her kidnap Fluttershy.” “So what's the good news?” “The good news is-” Twilight Sparkle swept the black cloak around her shoulders and pulled up the hood. “Now I have a plan.” Nopony spoke. Luna stared in shock, and the eldritch battle-glow faded from her eyes. The bowing, robed ponies dared not speak in the presence of their terrible warrior goddess. Fluttershy dared not speak on principle. “What is the meaning of this?” Luna spoke slowly, choosing each word with the utmost care. “Explain yourselves, knaves. You have one chance.” “Give only the word, and we shall die for you, Lady Nightmare!” A ruddy-red unicorn stepped forward from the rest of the cultists, but he still kept his eyes down on the floor. “I, Thistle Down, am but your humble servant. We have prepared the way for you, so you may have your glorious vengeance.” “The only vengeance I shall wreak is upon you, varlet, lest ye stop babbling in riddles!” Luna stomped a hoof against the floor, cracking the hard granite. “What's your game?” “The Screaming Skull, Lady Nightmare. With it, you may lend Taresk's power to your own, thus you shall cast the Pretender Celestia down. None will oppose you!” “Are you mad?” Luna said, “My name is not Nightmare Moon- not anymore! I am Princess Luna, and I shall lay down my life before I allow the likes of you to wake Taresk. Not that I shall have to.” Princess Luna's hoofsteps echoed as she crossed the chamber, head held high in regal, martial disdain. “Abandon your foolish quest now, and I shall be merciful.” A quiet murmur spread amongst the hooded cultists. “No!” Thistle Down suddenly stood, eyes wide in panic. “Don't listen to her, my faithful! Nightmare Moon is not herself! She's been corrupted by the usurper's foul enchantments!” “The only one here corrupted is you.” Luna's eyes began to glow anew. “I beg of you, take this honorable surrender and return to your homes. I shall not ask again.” “Seize her!” The red unicorn pointed at Luna. “Take her, bind her limbs- once the Taresk is awakened, Celestia's illusions shall be lifted, and the true Nightmare Moon will reign once more!” “I SAY THEE NEIGH!” Luna leapt into the fray with glinting eye and flared wing. The hooded ponies came at Princess Luna from all sides, to little avail. Untold centuries of battle had honed Luna's skill and power, both physical and magical. She threw the cultists about like discarded toys as she advanced on their leader. “Nightmare Moon is dead!” Luna's voice bounced from the stone walls of the chamber and echoed to a near deafening volume. “She was born of weakness, jealousy, and dishonor. 'Tis an onerous burden to bear, and now you seek to throw that in my face, and claim it honors me? BAH!” Luna lashed out with both her front hooves. Thistle Down scrambled out of the way of Luna's blow, but a hooded pegasus behind him was not so lucky; he was senseless before he hit the floor. The cult leader stumbled over his cloak, not daring to take his eyes away from the scorned night goddess even as he tried to escape. “You don't know what you say, Lady Nightmare- the solar usurper's magic runs deep. I feared this might happen- thus, I have a contingency plan!” Reaching beneath his cloak, the unicorn pulled out a small glass urn and shattered it upon the floor in front of Princess Luna. Humid, noxious green vapor rose up from the broken glass, and Luna took a step back. “Poison?” she said, already covering her mouth. “In a manner of speaking.” The red unicorn said. A figure rose from the green mists, rising where there had been nothing previously before. It grew taller and taller, even dwarfing Luna. The faintest rasping hiss was her only warning, and then the shadow struck. Luna saw little more than gleaming fangs and sleek coils as the enormous serpent went for her. “A summoning jar? How quaint!” Luna shot off a quick blast of concussive magic, but it went wide of the giant snake. “'tis been centuries since I've seen one of those! Do you really think to stop me with some mere charlatan's trick?” Luna smashed her hooves into the side of the snake, and it reeled away from her. Its undulating coils twisted over each other, and then, with all the rhythm and inevitability of the incoming tide, the snake struck again. Luna caught the snake's maw with her hooves, prying the fanged jaws open. With a strength borne of inevitability, Luna pushed the venom-dripping fangs away from her neck. Yet, even as she did, the serpent wrapped its coils around Luna, tightening them around her like enormous steel cables. Any lesser pony would have been crushed within moments- but Luna was anything but average. Luna gritted her teeth against the terrible pressure and pushed the snake's jaws a little wider. The tip of Luna's horn began to glow as she summoned up her will, and she angled her head just so in order to aim directly down the snake's cavernous throat. “Stop it!” Fluttershy suddenly appeared beside Luna. She hovered in midair, glaring sternly. “Splendid!” Princess Luna choked out, “I knew there was a reason I brought you along, Fluttershy. Your mastery over beasts shall carry the day!” “I wasn't talking to the snake, I was talking to you.” “What?” The glow about Luna's horn fizzled out as she lost concentration. “You heard me. You can be as loud and scary as you like, but I couldn't just stand by and let you hurt this poor defenseless animal!” “Defenseless?” Luna said. A drop of yellow poison fell off the tip of the snake's fang and landed upon the floor, where it began to hiss. “You jest!” “You may see a monster, but I just see a scared and lonely snake. Isn't that right?” Fluttershy reached up to rub at a spot just behind the serpent's lower jaw, and the beast gave a pleasant little shiver, loosening its grip on Princess Luna. “It tried to eat me!” Luna said. “Actually, it didn't.” Fluttershy nodded. “It hissed at you first- that was a warning. You just scared it, right after it had been let out of that magic jar thingie. If it really wanted to eat you, it would've been quiet when it struck. Now, if you take your hooves out of its mouth, this little guy will go on and leave you alone. Isn't that right?” The snake managed a nod. “Very well.” Princess Luna said, wary. Slowly, she eased the snake's mouth shut. In turn, the snake released Luna, slithering around her for a shudder-worthy moment. The serpent didn't even look back, silently gliding across the floor and up the stairwell. “Impressive, fair Fluttershy. That was quite brave of you,” said Luna. “Oh, um. Was it? I just wanted to make sure that the snake didn't get hurt. I mean, it's not his fault there are a bunch of crazy ponies trying to destroy the world in your name or anything.” “Indeed.” Luna turned her head back to the red unicorn. “Speaking of whom...” “You've forced my hoof, Lady Nightmare!” Thistle Down shouted from the other side of the chamber. His mad, desperate laugh sent chills down Fluttershy's spine, though Princess Luna remained resolute. The ruddy-red unicorn's horn glowed to a near-blinding white. He shot a focused beam of magical energy into the floor. The stones shattered, collapsing into a black pit below. “Quickly, to wing!” Luna yelled over the rumble of collapsing architecture. Had she been alone, she might have been able to cross the room to smite Thistle Down, but she lost precious seconds in yanking Fluttershy along with her. This gave the mad unicorn time enough to cackle further, and fire another blast- this one into the ceiling. Luna barely saw Thistle Doom duck into a hidden passage before a huge chunk of tile plummeted into her shoulder, knocking her off balance. She felt another hit, and another still, the heavy stones doing more damage than Thistle Down or his cultists ever could. “Save yourself, little one!” Luna said, and threw Fluttershy in the general direction of the hidden passage. It was all she could do before the ceiling gave way, and Luna was overtaken by darkness.
Chapter 4“What was that?” Rainbow Dash narrowly dodged a large chunk of falling masonry. “Did we just set off a booby trap? I bet we stepped on something and set off a booby trap. I told you we should've flown! Stupid cultist robe keeps getting tangled up in my wings and it smells like my grandma's basement.” “Isn't your grandmother from Cloudsdale?” “Yeah, and?” “How do you have a basement when you live in a magical cloud house?” “Grandma Dash found a way, alright? And she found a way to make it smell funny, too.” “I don't care what you smell, Rainbow. We've got bigger things to worry about.” Twilight Sparkle descended the spiraling staircase, walked through the doorway at the bottom, and out into open air. She yelped in dismay, only just spreading her wings in time to slow her descent, landing hard on all four hooves onto the uneven rubble below. “See!” Rainbow Dash glided effortlessly into place beside Twilight. “Told you we should've flown!” The pegasus fidgeted with her stolen cloak, attempting to fold her wings comfortably beneath it. “Man, what happened here, anyway?” “Something collapsed this entire chamber.” Twilight's horn glowed as she cast a simple (to her, at least) spell. “Probably through the use of a concussive bolt, if I'm reading the residual magical residue correctly.” She frowned and squinted her eyes in concentration. “Any sign of Fluttershy?” said Rainbow Dash. “No- but that may be a good thing. By my estimate, we're standing on at least ten tons of solid stone. There's no way anypony could've survived it-” “I AM NOT JUST ANYPONY!” A beam of blinding white magic lanced through the rubble. Tiny flakes of rock flew in all directions, and Twilight and Rainbow raised their wings instinctively to protect themselves. A moment later, Princess Luna made her grand entrance- battered, bleeding, but still glowing with righteous purpose. “HOLY CRAP NIGHTMARE MOON!” cried Rainbow Dash. “Calm down!” Twilight snapped at the pegasus, “I'm sure there's a perfectly rational explanation for all this.” Princess Luna blinked the granite-dust from her eyes, focusing on the sight of the two ponies in front of her- and the telltale black cloaks they wore. “Oh.” Princess Luna narrowed her eyes, “It all becomes clear.” “Princess Luna, let's be reasonable- just tell us where Fluttershy is-” “You'll never find her!” Luna spat. “Please, Princess-” “You surprise me, Princess Twilight.” Luna sneered. “When I first met you, I thought you were little but a naïve filly. But this...I must say, this sick scheme of yours has been well played. I bet you were the one who leaked word of the 'cult' in the first place, knowing I'd intervene. How long were you planning this? Were you counting on me bringing Fluttershy, or is she part of your treacherous plot?” “What plot?” Twilight blurted. She braced her hooves and tried to ignore the sudden feeling of being much, much smaller than Princess Luna. “I don't know what you're talking about!” “Please, Twilight Sparkle. Your dissembling is shameful. To claim ignorance whilst clad in the vestments of my enemy? Surely, you know I'm more canny than that.” “I don't know half of what you just said, but I do know one thing-” Rainbow Dash snarled, “it's go time!” She lunged forward. “Rainbow, no!” Twilight raised a hoof to stop her, but the pegasus was, as expected, too fast. “Indeed.” Princess Luna's horn glowed, and Rainbow Dash slammed to a halt, frozen in midair by a telekinetic hold. “This is a matter to be resolved between Princesses.” “Princess Luna, wait!” “HAVE AT THEE!” Fluttershy woke. She coughed, delicately, and blinked the stone dust from her eyes. Slowly, Fluttershy's eyes began to adjust to the darkness. For a moment (several moments, actually) Fluttershy trembled and sobbed quietly. “It's okay, Fluttershy.” Fluttershy had once read that vocalizing one's fears was often the first step in dealing with them. It certainly beat hiding in a corner and crying, an option that Fluttershy had only abandoned once she realized that in the blackness of...wherever she was, it would be very, very hard to find a place to hide. “Everything's going to be just fine. I mean, you're only lost. And alone. In the dark. In a big scary evil tower, with a bunch of crazy ponies trying to end the world, that's all. You just need to be optimistic, that's all. Find the silver lining.” It took her a few minutes to find something to be optimistic about. “At least Princess Luna's not yelling at me.” In fact, nopony was yelling at her at all. The cave (or wherever she was) was deathly silent. If it weren't for the circumstances, she might've found the lack of anypony close somewhat comforting. “So. Um. Now what?” Fluttershy asked herself. “Oh, I'm no good at this. Twilight's the one who knows all about magic and adventures and things.” And then it struck her. “What would Twilight Sparkle do?” The answer came just as naturally: “She'd make a list. That's what she'd do.” And so, the little Pegasus began to take stock of her situation. She was still underground (which was bad), alone (which was worse), and chained at the ankle. (This was also bad). She raised her manacled leg, and followed the chain down to the shackle set into the stone floor. “You're awake, good!” Thistle Down stepped out of the darkness, lighting his way with a faint glow from his horn. His coat was dusty, matted with blood in places, but the same unhinged glint still shone in his eyes. “I was afraid there would be nopony around to share in the moment of my ultimate triumph!” “Um. Okay?” Fluttershy tugged against the chain holding her in place, even though she knew she wasn't strong enough to break it. “Now that you've triumphed, can I go?” “Not yet, little one. I'm close, damnably close...but not finished yet. Behold!” Thistle Down tittered madly to himself. He lifted his head, and levitated a battered, tarnished brass bell out in front of Fluttershy. The faint outline of a pony skull was emblazoned on the side of the bell, barely visible in the cave's darkness. “Here, here is the key to my triumph- to Lady Nightmare's ultimate victory! For once I ring the bell, the great beast Taresk will awaken, and then the pretender Celestia shall be struck down!” “That...doesn't sound like a very well thought out plan.” “Silence!” Thistle Down said, “My plan is brilliant! You merely lack the intellectual capacity to understand it!” “Um. Okay. That's probably true. I don't really think about world domination very often.” “Of course you don't! You would've lived your entire life as an unthinking member of the peasantry, with little to worry about besides your day to day life.” “That sounds really pleasant, actually.” “Of course you'd say that! But now, now with the Screaming Skull, I shall wake the Taresk, and bring glorious chaos onto Equestria! All I must do is ring this bell, and it shall all fall into place!” “Are you sure?” Thistle Down bristled. “Of course I am! How dare you question me?” “Oh, sorry! I don't dare to do much of anything. It's just, um, well, I guess I don't see how your plan's going to work. I mean, if the Taresk is the biggest, scariest monster ever, why would it listen to you? Won't it just do whatever it wants?” “Ah.” Thistle Down smiled. “That, peasant pony, is a good point. But, you're making a key mistake- you see, the Taresk is no beast- it is a force of nature! I cannot control it- I only set him loose, to take his rightful vengeance upon the world!” Thistle Down's eyes lit with a twisted gleam. He began to laugh, showering Fluttershy with the spittle of madness. “And all it takes- is this!” He struck the Screaming Skull. “Truly, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said, “you are a worthy opponent.” Princess Luna felt her lungs burn, felt her muscles ache, felt the droplets of liquid (sweat or blood, she couldn't be sure) dribbling over her coat. She hadn't fought like this...ever, she realized. Not even her sister could match Twilight's sheer magical power. Already weakened from having the better part of a tower dropped on her, Luna knew the only thing that kept Twilight from defeating her outright was her comparative lack of battle experience. Or perhaps Twilight was holding back. “Should I be flattered?” Twilight stared at Princess Luna from the other side of the chamber. “I'm no flatterer.” Luna said. “Yeah, you're just a crazy and evil and stuff!” Rainbow Dash piped up from somewhere behind Twilight Sparkle. Sometime during the melee, she'd been trapped inside a force bubble- though it was unclear which Princess had put her in it: Twilght to keep her safe, or Luna to keep her out of the way. “Princess Twilight,” Luna's voice carried all the courtesy of a dagger sliding from its scabbard. “Silence your vassal, please.” “She's not my vassal, she's my friend! Just like Fluttershy! Just like you!” Twilight blinked back the tears she felt forming at the corners of her eyes. “Why won't you listen to me?” “Apart from the part where you tried to loose an ancient and terrible evil upon the realm?” said Luna, “or perhaps I should mention how you've created a doom cult so as to blame it on me. The cloaks are a nice touch, I might add. A bit cliché, though.” “Wait.” Twilight looked over her shoulder at the now-ragged cloak hanging off her shoulders. “This? This is a disguise! I took it from the ponies at the top of the tower! I thought you were the one who started an evil doomsday cult!” “After a thousand years of madness and exile, why would I do such a thing?” “Because you're evil and crazy and scary, duh.” Rainbow Dash said. “Not. Helping. Rainbow.” “Hah! What need have I for a cult?” Luna spat on the floor. “Especially with the likes of these foals?” “She's right, Rainbow Dash.” Twilight Sparkle nodded. “Princess Luna isn't exactly...subtle. If she turned evil and tried to kill us-” “Again.” Rainbow Dash noted. Twilight winced. “Again. I think we'd notice it.” “You certainly would!” Said Princess Luna. She lifted her chin and flared her wings, defiantly. “Not that I would consider doing so.” She added, if a little lamely. “So...” Rainbow Dash said, “you're saying Princess Luna didn't kidnap Fluttershy?” “Kidnap? I say thee neigh! I impressed her into my service, due to her affinity with beasts.” “What kind of beasts is she supposed to be affinitizing?” Said Rainbow Dash. Twilight Sparkle's face paled. “The Taresk.” “The what?” said Rainbow Dash. A great rumble rolled through the dark stone chamber. “The that.” Twilight said. “So you're saying this Taresk thing already woke up and started tearing the mountain down?” “No, Rainbow Dash.” Luna said, “The monster is the mountain.”
