Hard Truths

  Nightmare's mind tried to process what was happening, while her body simply reacted on impulse. Before she knew it, Nightmare was leaping, the pieces of door passing under her as she landed right in the middle of the living room.

  Glancing around in panic, Nightmare felt herself get kicked in the side, and she went flying into a wall. The wall cracked under the force, dropping Nightmare into the tiny kitchen of the house.

  Body protesting, Nightmare scrambled up and backed away from the living room, eyes darting around to find...nothing. What in the seven hells of fucking Tartarus?

  Just then, the pieces of cracked wall scattered, and Nightmare saw something shift, the living room became an odd blur through whatever entity was coming after her again.

  Now trapped against another wall, Nightmare watched with a growing sense of horror as whatever this weird thing was approached her, no doubt wanting to kill her.

  "Get away from my daughter!"

  In all the ruckus, neither being had heard Nightmare's father rushing down the stairs. Now, he leaped into the kitchen, landing between Nightmare and the apparition.

  Despite all that Brute had done, Nightmare had never been so happy to see him. "Dad, what the fuck is that thing?!" she asked him, her voice high-pitched and squeaky.

  Without looking back, Brute answered, "Nightmare, there are things in this world I was hoping this family would never have to deal with again. It looks like I was hoping for nothing. This family really is cursed, but in a much darker way than you think. Now hurry, kick out that wall and run. Whatever you do, do not look back."

  While they spoke, what could only be a phantom got closer, shards of the broken wall rising around it as he went to attack. Brute did not miss this, and was quick to slam his hooves down on the oven door. It came detached with a shriek, and he held it up as a shield just as the shards flew at them. One managed to get past the shield and slash Nightmare across the cheek, making her gasp in pain as blood splashed onto the ground.

  It was then she took her father's advice, and gathering her strength, she kicked the wall behind her with all her might. Of course, the old, termite-ridden wood splintered easily under the blow. Whipping around, she finished the job with her forehooves, punching at the wall until there was a hole just big enough for her to get through. She glanced back at her father, who was still fighting the phantom, one last time. The final thing she saw of him was his cutie mark, the door to a jail cell with a silver key in front of it, as she leaped through the opening.

  As she ran down the street, a blood-curdling scream sounded from her house. Inside, freshly spilled organs and blood now painted the walls.

[[[[[[[[[[[[]]]]]]]]]]]]]

  Nightmare could feel the thing now chasing her. It put terror in her blood, knowing it would not be satisfied till all the Stalkers were dead.

  Running as hard as she could, Nightmare raced around corners, through alleys, across roadways, and through small, stagnant streams that crisscrossed the entire underbelly of Canterlot.

  It wasn't until she rounded an old, broken down pub that she finally stopped, and it wasn't her decision to do so. As she raced around the outer wall of the club and past another alley, something reached out and yanked her back. She opened her mouth to scream, but  now what felt like fur obstructed her mouth, making any kind of noise impossible. She kicked out instead, landing a solid hit on whatever living pony now held her in thei-

Wait...living pony?

  Pausing in her frantic struggle to get away, she saw a familiar silver coat stumbling down the alleyway, obviously reeling from one of her blows.

  "Damn, girl, you sure got some kick to ya!"

  Before Disco knew what was happening, hooves were wrapped around her neck, and she was being squished in a bear bug of epic proportions. "Oh thank Celestia it's you, Disco! I really need someone who might know what the hell is going on, as well as maybe a little comfort because I think whatever attacked the house killed..."

  Unable to finish the sentence, Nightmare released Disco, who began coughing to get her air back. After a couple minutes, she finally managed, "Damn, I feared as much. Peacock and Rex didn't make it either."

  Nightmare's eyes widened. "Wait, why go after mom and her new coltfriend? They have nothing to do with us!"

  Disco looked up at her goddaughter, a sad expression on her face. "They weren't married yet, which means she still had the Stalker name. As far as he is concerned, all Stalkers must die."

  Nightmare tilted her head. "Who is he?"

  Before Disco could answer, there was an odd, throaty gasp down the street. Disco Light immediately pulled Nightmare behind the dumpster that sat next to them. "Listen," Disco whispered, "ya have to get away from here. Escape the city, and hide. Whatever happens to Equestria, don't let them find you. Ya need to train and prepare yourself. Go to the Pie family rock farm, tell them who sent you. Ya might now just be the last hope. When I distract that thing and take it around the corner, you need to run. Got it?"

  Nightmare went to protest, but the look on Disco's face forbid it. Near to tears, Nightmare nodded. Satisfied, Disco leaped out from behind the garbage dumpster and ran into the street, yelling, "Hey, ugly, come get some!" A heart-stopping scream sounded, and then Disco hoofed it around the corner, a floating green mare specter on her tail.

  Taking a deep breath, Nightmare counted to three, then ran. Just like before, she did not stop. She continued to weave in and out of the grimy Canterlot streets, till suddenly, she saw a light ahead. Taking a chance, she leaped through it, and now she found herself in the classier part of the city. She almost paused to look around, but just then, an angry cry from behind her made her blood freeze. Now, she went even faster, galloping down a sparkling clean upper Canterlot street. Behind her, she heard much yelling, and then some screaming as they saw whatever was after her.

  When she reached a large, open city square, she felt something brush her tail, and, acting on impulse, felt her magic rise to the surface. A shield formed behind her as the grey blast from her horn lit up the entire square. Panic seeped into Nightmare's brain as her eyes flickered their odd red on blue match to a glowing grey.

  Knowing what was about to happen, Nightmare looked about wildly, then spotted her only real means of escape.

  Now at a full-out gallop, she launched herself over the wall, directly into the pool of water below. The moment she was in the water, the current pulled her in, and screams echoed above her as she tumbled down the waterfall, falling down the mountain towards the river below.