//-------------------------------------------------------// Nightmare Moon's Awakening -by Artemis64- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// Prologue //-------------------------------------------------------// Prologue Prologue   Its been 1000 years since Luna has seen anything but darkness. Her cage has been dark, with nothing to disturb all the shadows or, the princess of the night, the girl within the shadows, Luna. The day she was put in here she had been angry that Celestia was the people's 'major ruler'. She had been caught and sedated, carried and placed in a cage. She woke up and heard Celestia's words clearly when she was placed here: 'You will stay here until you have learned your lesson.' 'What lesson?' I asked. 'Exactly.'   Celestia, supposedly the better ruler, was the slightly more mature sister. She can at least put something on before a date. I smiled. 'Was I supposed to do the dishes?' 'No! Don't you know who- what you've done?' Celestia slipped. Luna caught it. 'Who I've done? Nobody worse than Discord, I bet.' 'He raped me!' Celestia exclaimed. 'You didn't wear any clothes,' Luna countered. 'He had no reason not to fuck you.' 'Well, you had sex with the chair once,' Celestia shook her head. 'Just, learn something, okay?' She walked out.   Celestia from then on forgot about Luna, only kept tabs on her from the chart on the moon, stating if Luna was in her cage or not. A girl on the moon meant Luna was in her cage, no girl meant Luna was loose. Fairly simple, and caused the legends about the girl on the moon.   Celestia didn't treat her younger sister like this very often. They often liked going to clubs and casinos to use up government money and to have sex. They loved it. Every Saturday (until now, since Luna is in a cage) they did their 'Adventurous Night to Find Booze and Sticks' night, which could be extended, thanks to the Lunar Princess and her punishment.   Most of Luna's belongings had been put up into the Cloud Storage Facility, because Luna's stuff was valuable. She never told Luna about this transition, since Celestia wanted to leave Luna to learn her lesson in peace. The only things that Luna was allowed to keep were a pillow, her 'scarf thing' as Celestia called it,  and a stuffed toy from her childhood, a pony version of herself. She had always loved the small toy, but never did much with it. But in her cage, she played with it a lot to deal with her boredom.   Luna's cage was typical, as far as cages go. Steel bars on all sides and steel top and bottom. Magically protected to prohibit use of magic inside of it. Food came from the castle, brought to her every night, when Celestia's phoenix teleports it to her cage, with its magic, since the phoenix's magic has no glowing aura, like everybody else. Everything had been dark. No color but black. Nothing. No hope.   Luna had been in this cage, stuck to be taught a lesson. She ended up stuck, to be enveloped in darkness. She loved the dark, she was it's ruler, and the darkness didn't bother her, but it often didn't listen. Either way, she had been in her cage for 1000 years, and had definitely learned something. Well, two things over that time. Of course, being Luna and also being stubborn, she didn't learn the 'lesson'. One thing she did learn, though, was her plan to escape her cage and overthrow Celestia to take over the kingdom, and the other thing that Luna learned… Darkness causes insanity. //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 1: Planning //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 1: Planning   Twilight Sparkle had just arrived at the small town of Ponyville, and she was disappointed. She thought she was going to a big city, with a magnificent library to continue her studies, but a small town on the outskirts of the Everfree forest? Twilight couldn't be more disappointed. Maybe living in Canterlot all her life may have taken a toll on her 'vacation'.   Spike was also disappointed. "Does this place have a good laboratory?" Spike was the result of a science experiment, to make a human/dragon person. He wasn't a mistake, he was the guessed outcome of this experiment. She won first prize in the Canterlot High Science Fair. He, of course, had to have his own room, so Twilight made him a room at her house. His room doubled the house.   Twilight looked at her companion. "Probably not, Spike. I might have to break my promise to make you a friend like yourself."   "Oh," Spike looked at his feet. "Maybe when we get back to Canterlot?"   "Maybe," Twilight said sadly. She looked at Spike. "But I hope Ponyville is a good place to set up our celebration." In fact, it was. Just not as big as they were hoping.   "Lets get going, Twilight."   "Alright. Let's-"   "HIYA! Are you Twilight? Is this Spike? Of course it's you, Celestia said you would be the only on the train, so I can't be wrong, can I?" A girl wearing excessive amounts of pink said, while jumped in their way.   "Uhm..." Twilight stopped. "No?... You aren't wrong."   "Hooray! Celestia was right! I know she set it up, but if she wasn't the princess and got it right, she could be a gypsy or something. Oh, that reminds me! Once I was a gypsy for a party, and... OH YEAH!" This sudden volume change made Twilight and Spike jump. "I LOOOOOVE parties! I get to help you set up the big party for  tomorrow! I throw the best parties in Ponyville! Oh, and my name is Pinkie Pie, if you didn't know. Are you going to go sightsee? There's a lot to se-   "Hi Pinkie Pie. Not to be rude, but we must continue on, we can't talk forever." Twilight tried to walk away, but Pinkie followed them.   "I know we can't talk forever, so thats why I like talking fast, so I can say everything I want, without taking forever. How long is forever? Forever is too far away to count to, just like one hundred. Are you going to Applejack's farm? You just passed it."   "Well then stop talking randomly and tell me the directions," Twilight said while turning around. "And maybe open your eyes."   "Oops, forgot about those," Pinkie said while opening her eyes. Twilight rolled her eyes. "Have you met Applejack? I made this theory that her name could be Jacqueline and Apple could be her last name, and it is, so my theory has a chance, but maybe she didn't like her name, so she shortened her name to Jack for a nickname and for her first job application she had to put her last name then her first name, so it said 'Apple, Jack' and the employer read it as Applejack, and thats my theory of how she got her name."   "Hmm, that could be true," Spike said. "Why haven't you ask her?"     "Because I just made it up," Pinkie said.   "That's a good theory for two seconds of planning, how did you do it?" Spike asked.   "Uhmmm... Hey there's Applejack!" Pinkie bounced over to her.   "Howdy, Pinkie. And this must be Twilight and Spike." Applejack said.   "Yep! Me and Twi are like besties now!"   "You are?" Applejack looked at Twilight.   "We are?... I mean no, we aren't." Twilight looked at Pinkie.   "Oh, my bad!" Pinkie smiled and started hopping again.   Twilight sighed. "So, Applejack, how is the food coming along?"   "Just dandy!" Applejack replied. "We have plenty of apple fritters, apple pies, apple cakes, caramel apples, apple ice cream, normal apples, apple burrito, apple-" "Apples, okay. And that's it?"   "And a few hundred steaks..."   "A few hundred?! Twilight, a huge buffet! We should go!" Spike told Twilight.   "That's what I'm planning, Spike. We're kind of going to matter what."   "Oh, yay!" Spike did a small dance.   "So... are you going to be finished for tomorrow, Applejack?" Twilight asked her.   "Well, yeah, but if it's alright with y'all, I got to get back to work preparing the food, or gettin' more apples."   "Okay, just get the food there to the place before-"   "Y'all don't worry, I'll be on time, I pride mahself on being on time." Applejack started walking away. "Enjoy your stay in here Ponyville, Twilight."   "Yeah, we should enjoy it, Twilight. It's not every day that we go on a vacation to a different town." Spike agreed.   "Shut up, you've said that already."   "That's not nice, Twilight, you should- A BUTTERFLY!" Pinkie shouted. She chased the butterfly to a girl nearby, who was conducting a symphony of birds. "Twilight, I found Fluttershy!"   "Aah!" Fluttershy jumped and hid behind a bush. She peeked over. "Oh, hi, Pinkie."   Twilight walked over to where Pinkie was standing. She looked around. "Where?"   "Uhm, hi, I'm down here..." Fluttershy said, still behind her bush.   "Oh, sorry. Hi, my name's Twilight, and you are..."   "My name is Flu..."   "What was that? I couldn't hear you." Twilight smiled.   "Didn't you hear me, Twilight? Her name is Fluttershy, duh!" Pinkie sighed.   "I know, Pinkie." Twilight rolled her eyes. "I'm trying to be polite."   "Just making sure I was heard." "OHMYGOSHISTHATADRAGONHUMAN?!" Fluttershy squealed, surprising all Twilight, Spike and Pinkie. She jumped out of behind of her bush and went to see Spike.   "Uh, yeah, I'm a dragon human creature... Why?"   "I love this combination of beings because it looks so cool!"   "Do you... find them often?..." Asked Twilight.   "...no... But this one is so cute! What's your name?"   "My name's Spike."   "Oh hi, Spike, my name is Fluttershy."   "Hi, my name is Twilight. How is the music coming along, Fluttershy?"   "Oh, uhm... good, but I don't know why you had to ask..."   "Okay, Fluttershy, you should leave us alone, we have some stuff to get done, so if you don't mind..."   "Yeah... I'll leave you to... yeah..." Fluttershy walked back to the tree to continue conducting the birds to make music.   "Don't make her feel bad, she's my friend, you know!" Pinkie told Twilight.   "I know, but I don't need anyone else trailing behind me, because I have a lot to get done. We have to do planning!" Twilight said while beginning to walk.   "Let's start planning at my house, it's closer than the library." Pinkie said. "Where is-"   "THERE IT IS!" Pinkie hopped and pointed to the Sugarcube Corner Bakery.   "You live at a bakery?" Spike asked. "That is so cool!"   "I try my best," Pinkie said. "Let's go get some planning done!" //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 2: Escape //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 2: Escape   Years of planning should all pay off tonight, if executed correctly. Timing was everything. If Luna failed at one thing, she would suffer another horrible speech from Celestia, much like the first speech, but including something about Luna not learning her lesson, Celestia not believing she let this happen, and another argument.   But Luna wasn't planning on failing. She had everything mapped out in her head, all of the castle halls, exact timings, and what restaurant she was stopping at before she left Canterlot. All of the plans were ready, so all she had to do was wait.   "All we have to do is wait, Luna. It shouldn't be long, food will be here, right?" Luna said to herself. SHUT UP! The other side of her, Nightmare Moon, yelled back. Nightmare showed up one day, and her and Luna had become 'friends'. We have to wait until we hear the buzzing noise, then make our move, okay?   "I know, but-" SHUSH!   Luna sighed. This is one of the few moments when she wished her and Nightmare were separated. It didn't happen often, only when- There it is! GO! Nightmare yelled. Luna jumped into the phoenix's magic and used the bit of her own she still had to teleport to her bedroom. This only worked because the phoenix was the only one allowed to use magic in the cave, and if Luna was able to jump into the magic, making the cage think the phoenix was using its magic still.   When Luna/Nightmare made it to their room, they got a surprise: there was nothing there. What did you plan wrong, Luna?   "Nothing, Nightmare, I didn't know that my stuff wasn't here. Celestia must have moved it since then." Well, it seems we will have to talk to our sister a bit earlier than we were hoping.   "It doesn't matter. Let's just get out and get food." Luna started walking. We need money, fool.   Luna stopped. "I forgot about that part of the plan. I guess I forgot I can't just keep walking into places and getting stuff for free." Hmm, I see the transition. Where is the vault?   "That's a trick question," giggled Luna. "We don't have a vault." Well, then where is the money?   "Well, the stallion uses his magic to protect the money, but I bet now he will probably only let Celestia in." Where is her room, then? We could dress in her clothes.   "Her room? Right next to mine, of course." Luna walked into the door next to hers. On the opposite wall from the door, there was windows covering it. Against that wall was a 'princess-sized' bed and a lamp. On the wall adjacent to it there was- "The closet!"   Luna walked over and opened it. Inside there was... A wall? Nightmare was confused. With life size picture of a dress and a picture of her flowing hair?   "Yeah, watch, Nightmare," Luna said. She grabbed the picture of the dress and pulled it off the wall. Instead of the picture peeling off, a real dress came from the picture instead. "See? Paper magic." And the picture of her hair?   "Occasionally her hair stops flowing." Luna grabbed the hair and put them both on. Thats what Celestia looks like? Nightmare scoffed.   "Yeah, she likes this flowing hair thing." Luna walked down the hallway, looking for where the room with the money in it. She soon found it and started walking up to the man. I hope you know what you're doing,Luna   "Hello, Shining Armor." Luna said. How did you know his name?   "Princess Celestia! How may I be of service?" He replied, bowing for the princess.   "I need money. I'm heading out for the night." You seem so confident, Luna.   "How much do you need for your trip, princess?" Shining Armor asked.   "I need..." ALL OF IT!   "...fifty dollars."   "Alright." He turned around to grab the money for 'Princess Celestia'. "Here you go, princess."   "Thank you." Luna took the money and started to walk away. "Have a good day, Shining Armor."   "Have a good trip, princess." How the hell did you manage to pass for your sister? And how did you know his name?   "We kind of look alike, and I've always been able to imitate her voice. And his name was on his badge." So, all we need to do now is to find our way out.   "That's easy!" Luna started back to Celestia's room. How is that easy? There's tons of guards at the entrance, I bet.   "I'll show you when I get our dress back on." Will we have to go through a bunch of security?   "No," Luna finished putting on her dress and walked over to the bed. She lifted it up to discover a hole in the ground. What?!   "Emergency escape. For fires, or something. Let's go!" Luna jumped down and started falling... and falling... and falling... until she landed in water. Quite a long fall for a princess, Nightmare said.   "Yeah, but no worries, there's a full body dryer over there, and then past that there is a ladder up to a hole near the city." When was this made? Nightmare asked, curious how long ago this was made to verify it was safe.   "Hmmm..." Luna thought. "...two thousand or so years ago." Oh... totally safe, then. At least it's not five thousand years ago.   "Yep." Luna walked through the full body dryer and started climbing the ladder. When she got up to the top, she said, "Welcome back, Luna." And Nightmare Moon, Reminded Nightmare.   "Oh, and Nightmare Moon." Luna started walking. Now where are we heading?   "I don't know, somewhere with good pancakes or french toast. And good coffee. Then we can go give Celestia our 'gift'." And the cookies. Don't forget the cookies.   "Of course. I almost forgot that. We need breakfast food, coffee, cookies, and revenge." Luna smiled. "How's that sound?"   Nightmare Moon smiled. That sounds delicious. //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 3: Surprises //-------------------------------------------------------// Chapter 3: Surprises   Twilight stood up from the table, exhausted from all the planning that she and Pinkie had done. "Well, do you think the party cannons will work in this arrangement 100%?"   "As sure as I am that I have pink hair," Pinkie replied, standing up. "I think we have the perfect plan!"   "Finally!" Twilight silently was glad that she could go home. "Pinkie, I-" Twilight stopped. Pinkie wasn't there. "Pinkie, where are you?" She called. "In my kitchen, silly, I asked you if you wanted a soda, but you didn't answer, so I went and got myself one."   "I did not- oh," Twilight realised that Pinkie had left when she closed her eyes and did her happy dance. Pinkie walked back in the room. She hoped Pinkie didn't think she was crazy.   "That was a good dance, by the way,Twilight. Maybe you could- HOLD THAT THOUGHT!" Pinkie jumped and ran out of the room.   "I wasn't saying anything," Twilight muttered. Twilight sat down.   "Twilight, I have to go to the library," Pinkie said, standing behind Twilight. Twilight jumped out of the chair. So much for trying to sit down.   "Pinkie, don't do that, it- did you say library?"   "Yeah, why? Did you think I wasn't civilized enough to go to the library?" Yes, Twilight thought. "Of course not. I just thought maybe you didn't have one for..." A small shitty town "...such a small town."   "Well, the town isn't that small, Twilight, it's only small compared to Canterlot. Anyway, you should come, it's gonna be your home for tonight."   "Sleeping in a library? Sounds awesome! Let's go!" Twilight raced to the door of the bakery, then stopped. "Where's Spike?   "Upstairs, playing with my pet. I can get him if you want."   "No, I can get him,Twilight said.   "Okey dokey lokey," Pinkie said. She hopped to the door. "I'll wait here."   "Alright, I'll be back." Twilight walked to the staircase and opened the door... and screamed.   Pinkie Pie teleported next to her. "What happened? Did something bad happen? Or did something good happen? Was it one of those happy screams?"   "No, look! A baby alligator!" Twilight pointed. There was a baby alligator on Spike's stomach, and Spike wasn't moving. Neither was the alligator. It kept staring at Twilight.   "Ha, silly Twilight," Pinkie patted Twilight on the head and went to pick up the alligator. "This is my pet."   "Your PET?"   "Yeah, his name is Gummy. You like him?"   "No! He killed Spike! Can't you see his blood?"   Pinkie turned to face Spike. There was some red liquid pooled around him. "I'm not a doctor, but let me do one test."   "Test? Why?"   "Alright, I'll do it, if you insist." Pinkie kneeled next to Spike and touched the blood.   "Don't touch- WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING PINKIE?" Twilight yelled at Pinkie. She had put her finger in her mouth that had the blood on it.   "Mmmmm, delicious." Pinkie Pie put on an evil smile.   "You're a cannibal!" Twilight concluded loudly, frightened.   "Wow, Twilight." Spike laughed, and got up from his position on the ground. "You fell for that?"   "I- you- what?" Twilight stumbled with her words.   "We tricked you, silly, that blood was actually red wine." Pinkie giggled and started walking down the stairs.   "When did you form this plan?" Twilight asked Spike.   "When she showed us her room. We thought it would've been obvious we were making some sort of plan, because of all our talking." That red wine now is sounding appealing, Twilight thought. "That's what you were doing, then." Twilight started walking down the stairs. "We should get going to the library, Spike."   "We should probably head out before it gets too late," Pinkie called out to Spike and Twilight.   Twilight rolled her eyes. Spike giggled.   "Why are you giggling, Spike?" Pinkie asked when they made it to the door.   "You, Pinkie!" Spike kept giggling. "You're just so silly!"   "Well, that is what I'm known for, just like parties." Pinkie opened the door and started walking to the library. "Let's go!"   "Okay, Pinkie, can you show us what buildings are what?" Twilight asked.   "Of course I can! I know everybody in the town of Ponyville, and where they live!"   "How?" Spike asked.   "I deliver donuts!"   "A delivery donut system? Cool!" Spike turned to Twilight. "Can we sign up for delivery donuts?"   "Probably not, since we live in Canterlot."   "Anyway, that house is Octavia and Vinyl Scratch's, they're roommates. Vinyl is a great DJ, and Octavia is a great... player of that big violin she has."   "A chello?" Twilight said   "Bless you! Anyway, that's Lyra's house, above us is Rainbow Dash's house, and-"   "Above us? How?"   "A giant fan. Ask her more about it if you want. Over there is the spa, and there is the library!" Pinkie pointed at a giant tree.   "Your library is a giant tree? Isn't that a bit ironic, since paper comes from trees?" Twilight asked, amazed by how big the tree was.   "Yeah, but- NO! I forgot my library card! Do you mind waiting inside until I get back?"   "Uh, sure."   "If I take more than five minutes, then go inside. I shouldn't be long." Pinkie hopped away.   "So Spike, what do you think of this town?"   "It looks nice, but I wouldn't wear it."   Twilight sighed. "No, Spike.   Spike giggled. "Oops, sorry. Thee town is nice, especially with the donut service."   "Can you get over the donuts? We are only here until tomorrow evening."   "Fine, but this place has some awesome weather." As Spike says this, it starts to rain.   "Great timing, Spike. Has it been five minutes yet?"   "I don't know, but we could wait outside for a bit longer. It's not storming." Thunder booms.   "In Celestia's name, Spike, Can't you just stop talking?"   "I can, but-" He was silenced by Twilights hand on his mouth.   "Shut up... Pinkie Pie isn't back yet, and its been forever. Let's just go inside." Twilight dropped her hand and walked inside to total darkness. Spike followed her in.   "Why is it so dark?" Spike asked. Suddenly, the lights turned on, blinding both Twilight and Spike. Streamers and balloons fell as Pinkie and many other ponies jumped out of hiding.   "Hiya, Twilight, welcome to your 'Thank you for planning the big celebration' celebration! This is all of my friends! They all came over to party and thank you in advance for the awesome celebration tomorrow! Isn't that awesome?" Pinkie said as Twilight and Spike regained sight.   "A p-party? But what about sleep?" Twilight said, standing up and rubbing her eyes.   "Silly, if you want to sleep, go upstairs! This is your house, but it is also a public place. We are leagally able to do this!"   "I never said you couldn't."   "ANYWAY! We are here to party! Twilight, all the drinks, such as beer, wine, vodka, and punch are all over on that table. Choose what you would like, and have fun!"   "Twilight, may I have wine? Just this once?" Spike asked eagerly.   "No, you may have some punch. I think that I may only have one glass of wine, though." She walks over to the table, making het way through a crowd of people she didn't know.   "Wait for me!" Spike runs after her. "Can I please have a glass of wine?"   "No! Have some punch or nothing!" Twilight snapped. "Wine has alcohol! Alcohol is one of the only things I will not let you have at your age!"   "Oh... " Spike looked at the ground. "Then can you pour me a glass of punch?"   "Yes... I allow you to have punch."Twilight grabbed a glass and poured punch into it and gave it to Spike. "It smells very fruity, so I think you will like it."   "HURRAH!" Spike runs off with his drink.   Twilight sighed. Now where is that red wine... Twilight thought. She found it and poured it into the fancy glass cup, according to Spike. She drank slowly from the glass. Why do I have to deal with Pinkie Pie? She's so... random. Twilight finished her wine and filled it again, this time adding a shot to it.   "Oooh,  Twilight, those are my Pinkie Pie SPECIAL shots!" Pinkie said, appearing beside Twilight. "They have extra alcohol and sugar! They are soooo GOOD!"   "Oh... um, okay." Twilight drank the wine quickly, and immediately got the effects from it. "Pinkie... that stuff is amazing! Lets be friends." Twilight immediately put her arm around Pinkie. "You know, Pinks?"   "What, Twilight?" Pinkie asked."   "Lets party!"