A New Dawn on The Horizon

by thunderhawk7865

Rating: teen
Tags: Sex, Main 6, Gore, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Sad, Nightmare Moon, Romance, Princess Luna, Original Character, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Adventure
Length: 57188

10 years after the events of The 7th Element, Blazing Dawn must face a foe that has resurfaced.

/Intermediary sequel to The 7th Element/

It has been 10 years since Blue "Ace" Bass left Equestria, leaving behind Rainbow Dash and his alicorn son, Blazing Dawn. As he trains to be an alicorn with Lunar Eclipse, a new threat rises that threatens to not only destroy him and his mother, Rainbow Dash, but Equestria itself.

Published 2012-04-21 16:04:02 UTC
Last updated 2012-07-27 00:10:02 UTC

The Chase

Chapter 2: The Chase

"Blazing Dawn!" Scootaloo, who was wearing a school saddlebag, called from the patio outside Rainbow Dash's cloud home. "Blaze! Could you hurry it up? We're gonna be be late!"

"Hold your horses, Scoots!" Blazing Dawn's moderately toned voice echoed from inside his cloud home. "I'm coming!"

Down below, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, who were also wearing saddlebags, were waiting patiently, tapping their hooves.

"Cheerilee will have our front hooves if we're late again!" Sweetie Belle groaned.

Applebloom, who was leaning against a tree, just shrugged. "Ah don't mind..." She chuckled to herself. "Cheerilee can threaten us all she wants, but I reckon she'd never hurt a fly!"

"Speak for yourself..." Sweetie Belle sighed.

Back up on the cloud, the door opened and Blazing Dawn hastily stepped out of the dwelling with his saddlebags as well.

"Fiiiinally!" Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "What took you so..." She paused and widened her eyes at the sight behind Blazing Dawn. "Long?"

The two Red Hooves, Blue Arrow and Papyrus, were flanking Blazing Dawn. Blue Arrow smirked, "We were gettin' ready too, lass..."

"Yeah!" Papyrus rubbed a forehoof on his armor. "This stuff is hard to shine, you know?"

Scootaloo looked confusedly at Blaze. Blaze smiled and said, "Bodyguards."

Scootaloo just made an "Ah" shape with her mouth before she shook her head in disbelief.

"Bye, hun!" Rainbow Dash leaned out of the entryway and waved. "Don't get into too much trouble!"

"Ditto, mom!" Blaze replied dryly before taking to the air with Scoots and the Hooves and flying down towards the waiting Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. Rainbow just giggled and shut the door.

As the Pegasi touched down on the ground with the land-bound ponies, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle both stared intently at the stone-faced Hoof guards accompanying them.

"Okay..." Applebloom walked up to Blazing Dawn. "What crazy pony slash creature slash evil spirit is tryin' to whack ya'll now?"

"Something called The Nightmare..." Blazing Dawn sighed as they started to walk into town and towards school, as was their custom every weekday, "No pony knows what exactly it is, but it would be in the 'evil spirit' category..."

"Ah see..." Applebloom frowned, "Are ya' gonna be safe, Blaze?"

"Are you kidding?" Blaze smiled as they walked through town. "I've got oodles of protection! Now I have Blue Arrow and Papyrus in addition to Lunar!" He pawed the ground and grinned. "That Nightmare thing stands zero chance..."

"Sounds pretty dangerous to me, B.D..." Scootaloo said as she flew slightly in the air above the group, "You might wanna be careful with this one..."

"Pfff..." Blazing Dawn shook his head, "You're starting to sound like Twilight..."

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle giggled at Scoots, who sheepishly touched down on the ground and began walking again.

As they rounded a corner onto the main street of Ponyville, they noticed a crowd of ponies gathered around Sugar Cube Corner.

"What the bloody hay is goin' on over there?" Blue Arrow wondered aloud, an eye cocked.

"I don't know..." Blazing Dawn said as they got closer.

Upon getting closer, they saw an ambulance pony cart and a few police carts as well. The ponies in the group gasped when they saw none other than Trixie, clearly unconscious, being loaded into the back of the ambulance cart on a stretcher by paramedic ponies.

"What in Equestria happened?" Sweetie Belle asked in wonder as her eyes fell on Trixie's cart halfway through the front window of the Ponyville eatery.

The Hooves at this point just stood idly by, keeping an eye on the kids from a distance.

"Beat's the hay outta me..." Applebloom said as she watched intently.

"Oh, hello, kids..." The group turned and saw Mr. Cake, the proud owner of Sugar Cube Corner, coming trotting out of the crowd towards them. "Sorry about the mess..." He frowned. "I hope this little distraction hasn't made you late..."

"Nah, we're cool for a few minutes..." Scootaloo said, looking up at the clock on Town Hall.

"So, Mr. Cake..." Blazing Dawn pressed. "What happened? Why is...Trixie...getting loaded into an ambulance?"

"And more importantly..." Applebloom added. "How the in hoof did that get in yer store?" Applebloom pointed at the cart lodged in the window.

Mr. Cake shook his head and sighed, "I'm sorry to say I don't know how it got there, kids. It couldn't have been Trixie..." Mr. Cake tapped a hoof on the ground as he thought out loud. "She's no where near strong enough to throw something that heavy..."

"Magic?" Sweetie Belle offered.

Mr. Cake shook his head. "No magic was used in the tossing of the cart..." He turned and looked at the police ponies taping off the scene. "The Unicorn Police ponies did a magic scan, and no magic was used on the cart..." He paused. "Though they found a very strong reading on the unconscious diva that's being driven away..." He pointed at the ambulance cart, which was heading towards the hospital.

"Why only on her?" Scootaloo asked.

"The police are baffled at that one..." He sighed. "The best they can come up with is somepony knocked her out and threw her cart through the window to frame her. Needless to say, the police will be twice as watchful today..."

"That's weird..." Blazing Dawn said. "You didn't see her do it, then?"

"Oh, no. I only stepped outside and saw her on the ground, but..." Mr. Cake paused. "Well, I heard her talk before I came outside."

"Why do you look so freaked out about that?" Scootaloo asked. It was true. Mr. Cake's mane seemed to stand on end as he recalled the event.

"Her voice...was different...like two ponies talking at once..." He shuddered. "One sounded like her, and the other sounded male...and evil...veeery evil..."

The CMC and Blazing Dawn exchanged glances of awe before looking back at Mr. Cake.

"What...what did she say, Mr. Cake?" Blazing Dawn pressed.

Mr. Cake inhaled deeply, "Something about...well...you, Blazing Dawn..."

"Me?" Blazing Dawn pointed himself in shock, "She already tried to foalnap me once and failed! Why would she mention me?"

"I heard what I heard..." Mr. Cake closed his eyes in thought. "Though she sounded very angry when she shouted it..."

"Did she say anythin' else?" Applebloom asked anxiously.

"One last thing about Princess Luna, I believe..." He nodded. "Then I came outside and found her out cold on the ground."

"How peculiar..." Sweetie Belle tapped her chin with a forehoof.

"You're telling me..." Blazing Dawn said, trying to process Mr. Cake's testimony.

"You kids better hurry along..." Mr. Cake said, turning back to his store, "You won't wanna be late!"

"Thanks for the info, Mr. Cake!" Sweetie Belle said before the group trotted down the road.

"That's mighty strange, don't ya' think, guys?" Applebloom straightened her red, white laced cowpony hat, "Trixie, of all ponies, causing unnecessary collateral damage to the Cakes?" She snarled, "Ah mean, wut did they ever do to her?"

Blazing Dawn shrugged, "Well, I didn't do anything to her, and she still tried to kidnap me and absorb my power a few months back..."

"B.D.'s right..." Scootaloo said from the air above them. "She's just a crazy bi-"

"Well, well, well..." A high pitched, migraine inducing female voice rang through the air from behind them. "If it isn't the Cutie Mark Blunderers!"

"Speaking of bitches..." Blazing Dawn sighed and turned around with the CMC, Scootaloo chuckling at Blazing Dawn's statement.. Walking down from town towards them was Diamond Tiara, now as tall as the CMC with a longer styled mane and tail. Her trademark tiara was still placed neatly on her head. Behind her was her lackey, Silver Spoon. She, too, was just as older and more spoiled looking if possible..

"Hey, Diamond Tiara..." Sweetie Belle groaned. Applebloom and Scootaloo glared at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon with extreme contempt, while Blazing Dawn stood idly by with the Red Hooves.

"I'm assuming that's the cliche popular mare in school, right?" Papyrus hissed to Blue Arrow.

Blue Arrow nodded, "Aye. 'Tis Diamond Tiara, the daughter of Representative Rich."

Blazing Dawn sighed, "Yep. Any second now she'll recognize I'm here, criticize me about hanging out with Applebloom and her friends, and then hit on me."

Papyrus and Blue Arrow exchanged glances of shock. "This happens..." Papyrus tapped his forehooves. "Often?"

"Almost everyday." Blazing Dawn rolled his eyes. "I've got it narrowed down into that three step plan of action she always takes..."

"What do you do?" Papyrus asked anxiously, earning a nudge from Blue Arrow.

"Just watch..." Blazing Dawn sighed again.

It was then that Diamond Tiara began her assault, "Please don't tell me you fillies are still trying to help the other hopeless blank flanks in the town find their so-called special talents, are you?"

Silver Spoon nodded, "It's such a lost cause..."

"Nah listen here, Diamond Tiara..." Applebloom stepped forward, "We got our Cutie Marks through effort an' hard work..." She smirked. "Ya'll got yers by a stroke o' luck..."

"Snap!" Scootaloo shouted from the background, causing Sweetie Belle to chuckle.

Diamond Tiara twitched slightly, trying to think of a retaliation, when step one of her plan fell into place.

"Blazing Dawn..." She narrowed her eyes seductively and smiled, brushing past Applebloom and walking up to the young alicorn, who was looking at Diamond Tiara with dry scorn on his face, "Still hanging out with the wrong crowd, I see?" She walked around him, brushing her tail up against his muzzle. "Why not come chill with me sometime?"

"They're my friends, Diamond Tiara..." Blazing Dawn growled, still looking ahead, "I suggest you find some..." He glanced at Silver Spoon, who mimicked Diamond's seductive glare, "Real friends..." He looked at Diamond as she stopped her walking around in front of him, "It would help you out, I'm sure."

"Oh, please, Blaze..." Diamond scoffed, "When your father is in the hierarchy like mine, one doesn't need friends like...them..." She gestured over her shoulder at the CMC.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, in turn, snarled while Applebloom galloped up and skidded to a halt in between Blazing Dawn and the pampered filly, "Leave him alone, Diamond Tiara! He ain't interested in you!"

"Oh really, cowpukey?" Diamond Tiara smirked, face to face with Blazing Dawn, "And I suppose you know all about the inner machinations of his mind?"

"Ah do, actually!" Applebloom growled, pawing the ground. "Better than ya'll ever will!"

"Dirty applebucker!"

"Glam-whore!"

"HEY!" Blazing Dawn shouted, pushing past Applebloom and standing in between her and Diamond Tiara, "C'mon, guys! Knock if off! We're gonna be late if this keeps up!" He nodded at Diamond Tiara. "Now, if you'll excuse us..."

"Hold it, Blaze!" Diamond Tiara circled around and stopped in front of Blazing Dawn and Applebloom as they tried to walk away. "Time to come clean!" She narrowed her eyes. "Who are you interested in, then, huh? Her?" He pointed harshly at Applebloom, who scowled. "Or me?"

"Ugh..." Blue Arrow facehooved. "First day on the job, and already, we get drama!"

"For real..." Papyrus sighed.

Blazing Dawn scowled, "Okay, one. You don't have the right to call me Blaze. Two, if I had to pick, it would be Applebloom!"

"What?!" Diamond looked taken aback.

"I thought it was kinda obvious, dude..." Scootaloo chuckled while flying overhead.

Sweetie Belle chuckled and just sang a line from a popular pop singer that just arisen in Equestria as she walked by:

Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?

Blazing Dawn smirked, "Seriously, Diamond...back off. Hay, even your so-called 'friend' over there would be better than you..."

"Really?" Silver Spoon asked, completely floored by his statement.

"Are you insane?" Blazing Dawn made a weirded-out look and shook his head, "No! I was just making a point!"

"Oh..." Silver Spoon blushed, looking at the ground.

Blaze looked back at Diamond Tiara, who was flabbergasted by what had transpired. Blazing Dawn took Applebloom by the hoof and winked at Diamond before walking off with the rest of the CMC and the Red Hooves into the schoolhouse, "Seeya, Diamond! Tell your Dad I hate him!"

As the group walked inside, Blue Arrow and Papyrus could not stop snickering at what had just happened.

"Oh, Gods!" Blue Arrow managed to say as he walked in the front door, "I love this kid!"

"I'll be heading to Canterlot again as usual." Lunar Eclipse called out from the living room, I'll be back at the usual time as well..."

"Okay..." Rainbow flew out of her room, "What do you do there anyway? You go over there like every day!"

"Rainbow..." He said dryly. "My business in Canterlot is personal..."

Rainbow cocked an eye, "Luna?"

Lunar smiled and nodded.

Rainbow chuckled, "Then who am I to pry? Go on! Get!" Rainbow smiled, took to the air, and waved her forehooves at him in a shooing motion.

"Goodbye, Rainbow." Lunar chuckled before unfolding his massive wings and taking off into the horizon.

Rainbow touched back down and trotted happily into her room. She opened her closet and grabbed a light blue polo shirt with a black tie with a golden clip. It looked like an Earth pilot's shirt. The nametag proudly gleamed the name "Rainbow Dash, Co-Captain" in silver text.

She hastily put on the shirt and and straightened the tie. She looked down at her long sleeves and rolled them up, for this is what she did to personalize her shirt. She trotted over to the mirror in her room and looked herself over.

"Ah, if only Ace could see me now..." She sighed as she gazed at herself, "A co-captain of the Wonderbolts...with Soarin'..." She smiled, "He would probably throw a fit if he knew the Wonderbolts wanted him to join too after that race..."

It was true. Her dream was realized. Rainbow was a Wonderbolt. At the race at Ghastly Gorge ten years ago, Rainbow and Ace pulled off a Double Rainboom to win the race. After Celestia and Luna pulled Ace aside to break the news, Soarin' and Spitfire offered Lightning Flash, their opponent, and Rainbow positions on the Wonderbolts. They accepted, and the Wonderbolts captains asked where Ace was. Rainbow, not knowing what was going on, said she would ask Ace later and get back to them. After Ace's departure, a depressed Rainbow had to tell the Wonderbolts the "official" story of how Ace went off to the Zebrahara as an envoy.

She sighed, straightened herself up, and flew out of her room. Rainbow Dash flew out the door, locked it, and spread her wings wide and took off into the skies above Ponyville towards the train station. "Another day with the Wonderbolts..." She chuckled, "Livin' the dream, Rainbow...livin' the dream..."

As Rainbow flew by over the town, a small cloud floated lazily above Rainbow's flight path. The cloud, upon Rainbow Dash flying by down below, stopped suddenly. The husky voice from the night before echoed around the cloud. "Hmhmhm...excellent...Loyalty is alone...time to destroy her..." The cloud suddenly changed from a pure white to a sinister purple, and, laughing evilly, the Nightmare shot down out of the sky towards a pair of guards that were on their daily patrol down below.

"I'm just saying..." The first guard said. "The mayor really has a pink mane!"

"No way!" The second guard said. "You sure?"

"Positive, Noteworthy..." The first one replied. "I saw her with my own eyes...pink mane and all!"

"What's wrong with having a pink ma-ACH!" The dark blue Pegasus suddenly started suffocating after a purple cloud of gas shot down from the sky, holding his forehooves up to his throat to try and stop it.

"Noteworthy?" The first guard widened his eyes and turned to his partner, "Noteworthy, you alright, bro?"

Noteworthy stopped suffocating briefly and just stood there, staring into space.

"Whew..." Noteworthy's friend said, wiping sweat off his helmet. "For a second there, I thought you were-GAH!"

Noteworthy suddenly turned and grabbed his friend by the throat, flying up into the air.

"N-Noteworthy...what-what are y-you doing!" The first guard managed to choke out.

Noteworthy said nothing; rather, his eyes, which were closed, snapped open to reveal his yellow eyes had turned into the serpentine eyes of Nightmare Moon. The first guard was speechless as Noteworthy grew in stature. His wings mutated to that of bat wings. His armor transformed to that of Nightmare Moon's guards. Purple gas surrounded Noteworthy, turned his hide black.

Before the first guard could say anything else, The Nightmare, now in complete control of Noteworthy, threw the first guard on the ground with surprising force, knocking him out on impact.

The Nightmare cackled, then took off after Rainbow Dash into the sky.

As Rainbow flew through the air, she heard the beating of wings behind her. She turned and gasped. Noteworthy was flying after her, but he looked...strange.

"Noteworthy!" Rainbow called out. "What are you doing, buddy? Shouldn't you be on your rounds right now?"

"Noteworthy" said nothing. To Rainbow's horror, however, he drew his sword and flew up to Rainbow with a sudden burst of speed, slashing at her.

Rainbow shouted out in surprise, narrowly dodging it. "Noteworthy, what in Equestria are you do-WHOA!" She narrowly dodged a slice from the mutated guard pony again. Rainbow flew through the air nimbly, expertly dodging various swipes and hacks from the mutated guard's sword, "Knock it off, Noteworthy! This isn't funny!"

At this point, Rainbow had had enough. She growled, whirled around mid-flight, and kicked the guard square in the chest, causing the mutated guard to stagger, "Back off, Jack!" Rainbow barked before diving down towards the Ponyville market below.

"Noteworthy" kept up with her easily as she took a low dive into the market, going underneath a market stand he just steamrolled through. Quickly dodging the explosion of produce from the stand, Rainbow Dash swerved around a bystander, who was knocked to the ground by "Noteworthy". Immediately, she swerved upwards and using a front hoof, she jumped over another market stand, taking flight through the transition. The corrupted guard broke the stand into pieces, sending civilians to the ground.

The town water fountain zoomed into view in an almost disorientated way for Rainbow Dash, who, for her part, curved up into the sky, hoping to ditch her pursuer, but to no avail. "Noteworthy" was still fast on her tail, almost as if he was possessed with the ambition of taking her out of the sky. It was truly starting to scare her.

Narrowing her eyes at the wide blue sky, Rainbow Dash muttered to herself, "Let's kick things up notch, shall we?" A cone started to form around her as she sped past the town, the library, her home, and just as she was reaching her son's school, a blast of sound rocketed the area as a splash of rainbow filled the air around her. Her Wonderbolts polo shirt ripped off her body as she sped up into the Rainboom state.

"Now what would be the best place to ditch this bozo..." Her eyes opened wide as an idea struck her mind. "Sweet Apple Acres, here I come!" She shouted gleefully into the air as her Sonic Rainboom carried her forward at speeds far above the sound barrier.

Blazing Dawn sat at his desk near one of the large windows in the room, bored out of his mind while his teacher, Cheerilee, was preparing to teach them new mathematical material. Sighing, he looked out the window with a bored and tired expression. All of a sudden, a giant rainbow wave filled his vision as the window slowly rattled from the intensity of a—

"Sonic Rainboom..." Blazing Dawn whispered to himself.

Suddenly, the schoolhouse shock intently, books and papers scattered all over the floor. Fillies and Foals screamed in sudden panic while Cheerilee tried to wade through her students to the window and get a glimpse of what was going on. Just as she was about to make it to the window near her desk, a second blast of air rocked the schoolhouse so hard, its foundation shook. Shelves, desk, and even the ceiling fans fell to the ground, debris clouding the air. The students screamed in unbridled fear, though luckily none had been harmed. Windows which had been exposed to all kinds of weather and strain blasted inwards and showered everypony in glass, shimmering brightly like the sunny day.

Blazing Dawn moved his hoof down from protecting his face and looked up at the trail of the second rainboom and was left speechless. It was just as long and thick as his mother's, but instead was composed of a purple smoke and blue lightning bolts that warped around and throughthe purple haze.

Hopping to his hooves, Blazing Dawn spread his wings as wide as he could, ready to take off after whatever was clearly chasing his mom.

"Wait, lad!" Blue Arrow rushed forward with Papyrus from the back of the classroom after helping some kids up, their swords drawn, "Don't do anything stupid now!"

"My mother is in danger, Blue Arrow!" The young alicorn snarled, "I can't just sit and do nothing!"

"Yes, you can!" Applebloom ran forward and turned Blazing Dawn around grasping him by the shoulders, "Let them Hooves handle this, please? 'Ah don't want ya'll—" She paused, blushed, then recovered. "We don't want ya'll ta' get hurt!"

"Let the Hooves handle it, sweetie..." Cheerilee managed to say from the other side of the room while caring for some scared students.

Blazing Dawn sighed and shook his head, "I'm sorry..."

Without another word, Blazing Dawn rocketed out the window as fast as his young wings could carry him.

"WAIT!" Applebloom extended a hoof out towards him, but it was too late.

"Celestia damn that lad!" Blue Arrow swore, turning to Papyrus. "C'mon! We've got a job to do, Corporal!"

"Yessir!" Papyrus growled before zipping out the window after Blazing Dawn, swords drawn.

"Alright, everypony remain calm!" Cheerilee still ventured among cowering groups of students, trying to give comfort to her students.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle walked up and flanked Applebloom as she watched Blazing Dawn and the Hooves rocket after Rainbow Dash and her mysterious pursuer.

"He'll be okay, Applebloom..." Scoots put a hoof on her shoulder, "He's Blazing Dawn after all! He can handle himself!"

"Ah have a bad feelin' about this one, girls..." Applebloom frowned as she watched the Pegasi disappear over the horizon towards Sweet Apple Acres.

The Royal Canterlot Gardens were bustling with life during the morning. Birds flew about from flower to flower or through the wonderous forest that could shade anypony from the unforgiving sun. Two alicorns in particular happened to be taking a peaceful stroll to the expansive forest side of the gardens.

"I'm very proud of Blazing Dawn's progress with not only learning magic, flight, or strength training, but also just how hard he's been working to sharpen his mind for any given situation." Lunar Eclipse spoke happily, his every graceful step falling in line with the Princess of the Night.

She looked at him thoughtfully, "I certainly agree with you, Lunar Eclipse, but I still worry for him, given how the council has shown nothing but disdain or distrust for him. It's almost as if he's being denied his rightful place in government." Princess Luna commented, her eyes narrowed so slightly, that only those who knew her as well as Lunar and their friends did could pick up on her public displays of emotion, "Especially Filthy Rich. That stallion does nothing but speak ill about Blaze's father and it irks me to no end. I can't tell you how many times I've come so close to physically striking him down and silencing his insolence!" She seethed with barely restrained rage.

Lunar Eclipse quickly thought of a topic change, his dark eyes sparking at the thought of Dan, "Speaking about 'Ace', Dashie still hasn't quite adjusted to being without him..." He let the statement linger, speaking volumes about his concerns, "I...heard her crying as I flew off his Blazing Dawn yesterday..." He sighed, "She does it every year."

Luna's teal eyes immediately softened at the mention of Rainbow Dash and Ace, "I still find it hard to believe it's been a decade without him, but—" She paused momentarily to breathe deeply before slowly exhaling, the regret flashing for a moment behind her eyes, "It still hurts to know that Rainbow still isn't taking it lightly. I don't blame her though. I felt sad being back here for a while because of how wrong it felt to be back here with Tia' and all our wonderful subjects. For the longest time I was so afraid of trying to fit in again, that it took Twilight to get me out of my shell on Nightmare Night so many years ago..." A forlorn expression sat lightly on her face as she thought back to that fateful night.

"Luna...There's no need to feel afraid to try to get back into the swing of things...After I had been gone for so long, I the Prince of Death, felt afraid to return to Equestria after being imprisoned for so long. The fear that I'd be marked and tagged as an enemy or treated as nothing more than second rate made me feel nothing but uncertainty. Then one particular somepony came to mind that snapped me out of the haze my mind had been caught in..." Lunar Eclipse stopped talking as he leaned his forehooves over a bridge the two had started to cross over.

Princess Luna looked at him and asked, "Who was that special somepony, Lunar?" The anxiety made her all the more curious as to who the pony was.

He looked over the bridge at the beautiful lake thoughtfully before his dark steel-grey eyes locked onto her and quietly whispered a single word, "You..."

Her cheeks lit up with an explosive blush that covered every square inch of her face. Before she could answer however, Lunar Eclipse grasped his head with a forehoof and grunted in pain.

"What's wrong Lunar?"

"I-I'm not...sure..." He gasped between breaths.

The pain in his head increased until he heard a voice he vaguely recognized as Blazing Dawn's voice echoing in his head. "Lunar! Guard! Gone! Crazy! Need! Help! Trying! To kill! Mom!" His voice sounded strained like he was in battle, or flying through the air.

His eyes snapped open in shock at the relayed news and he quickly gathered himself, wings spread wide and proud, "I'm sorry Luna, but I gotta go help Blazing Dawn before something happens to Dashie!"

Luna walked up to him and wrapped her front hooves around him, embracing him in a tight hug before lowering to the ground, "Don't worry about it Lunar, he needs you. Go get 'em!" She called after him as he took off into the air and sped off like a bullet towards Ponyville.

She walked over to the same spot he had looked over the bridge and looked at her reflection, her mind thinking over what they had just talked about. Luna found it nice that that special somepony had been able to convince him to come back to Equestria without even speaking to him; that was some special somepony to grab his attention like that. Suddenly, the gears in her head spun and she blushed intensely, remembering that she was the special somepony who had given him the strength to want to return home. Return home to his people, to Canterlot, to...her.

Rainbow Dash was putting all she had into this one Rainboom. Never before in her life had her own life been in danger when she did a Sonic Rainboom, and this was was it. This was the longest sustainable Rainboom she had ever pulled off. She managed to turn her head around while in the Rainboom state and gasped when she saw "Noteworthy" also in a Rainboom state, gaining steady ground on her.

"Since when can Noteworthy do a Rainboom?!" Dash shouted inside her head.

She turned her head back to a forward position and snarled, her eyes watery from the intense speed, and stuck a hoof forward in an attempt to increase her aerodynamics. She was fast losing her energy.

Up on a mountain nearby, a lone brown-colored mare with a expedition hat and shirt was climbing a rock face while attached to a safety harness. Wiping sweat from her brow, she paused to take a drink of water from her canteen and turned around to take in the scenery. What she saw make her almost drop her canteen in amazement. Two continuous streams of color, one that of a rainbow and the other of black stretched across the sky down below.

"Wow..." The mare said, shaking her head in disbelief. "That is quite possibly the baddest rainbow I've ever seen..."

Rainbow Dash couldn't take it anymore. The Rainboom had tuckered her out completely. The steady stream of rainbow behind her sputtered and died, and she started spiralling out of control.

"CRAAAAAAPPP!" Rainbow managed to shout out as she spiralled through the air, before landing with a heavy thud in Sweet Apple Acres below, a shower of dust erupting into the sky.

"What in tarnation?" A large, red stallion who was bucking apples nearby exclaimed as he heard the crash landing. The stallion was Big Macintosh, the older brother of Applejack and co-owner of Sweet Apple Acres. Seeing the cloud of dust, he dropped his apple bucket from his teeth and galloped towards the impact site as fast as he could.

Upon arriving at the scene, he gasped, "Rainbow? Wut in the hay happened to ya'?" Rainbow was lying in a small crater, totally red and sweating from exhaustion, eyes closed. Big Mac ran forward and kneeled down on his forehooves, "Rainbow? Speak ta' me! Ya'll okay? Wut happened!"

Rainbow tried to use her forehooves to get up, but she fell down from exhaustion. All she could do was shakily raise a hoof up and point behind Big Mac.

"What're ya'll pointin' at—WHOA!" Big Mac turned around to look at what Rainbow was pointing at just in time for him to narrowly sidestep a swipe from "Noteworthy's" sword.

Without asking why "Noteworthy" was attacking him, he roared and charged the corrupted guard, slamming into him and stunning him, "Eeeyup!" Big Mac barked simply before he whirled around and bucked the corrupted guard square in the chin as he would an apple tree.

A sickening crack was heard as "Noteworthy's" jaw shattered and he was flung through the air, "Noteworthy" landed with a heavy thud and lay motionless.

Big Mac snarled, "That oughta teach ya' not ta' mess with R.D., ya'...ya'..." He gulped in horror.

"Noteworthy's" head slowly raised up from where he was lying, and he smiled evilly, his jaw extremely disfigured as he did so. Suddenly, a cloud of purple gas streamed out of Noteworthy's muzzle, and the guard pony fell backwards and returned to normal, unconscious on the ground.

"Wut in the hay?" Big Mac widened his eyes in horror as the cloud of gas hurtled towards him at a breakneck speed, the familiar husky laughter filling the air.

Rainbow Dash heard Big Mac start to make a strange choking sound from her face-down position on the ground. Shakily, she used what strength she had in her forehooves to lift herself up halfway to look up at Big Mac, but was quickly picked up by the strong forehooves of Big Mac by the throat and slammed up against a tree behind her.

Big Mac had changed just as Trixie had the night before. Big Mac was now larger, wings had sprouted from his back, and a large horn was placed on his forehead that was glowing with dark energy as it pointed at Rainbow Dash. Big Mac was surrounded in purple gas as the other victims, but the trait that scared R.D. the most was his eyes. They were green, but they were serpentine, like Nightmare Moon's.

"Now, Loyalty..." Big Mac's voice echoed with the husky voice as a harmony to his, "I shall destroy you once and for all..."

"What..." She gasped through her strained breaths, "What...are...you?"

"Big Mac" only chuckled with his eyes closed, then tightened his grip on Rainbow Dash before getting up in her face and muttered snidely, "You honestly don't remember me, Loyalty? You don't recall the legend?"

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes and snarled, though she still had strained breaths. "What...legend?"

"Nightmare Moon?" "Big Mac" smiled evilly.

Rainbow's eyes widened in horror, "You're...you're the...gah...Nightmare!"

"Indeed..." The Nightmare chuckled, it's baritone voice blending in with Big Mac's eerily. "Very good, Loyalty..."

"What..." She choked as The Nightmare tightened its grip some more, "What do...you want...with me?"

Big Mac's face was manipulated into that of scorn, "You and your pesky son have been interfering with my powers of manipulation!" The Nightmare closed Big Mac's eyes in thought, "You see, ever since that alicorn was brought into the world, my powers have weakened mysteriously. How? I do not know..." It made Big Mac snarl, "But when I destroy you and your son, I will have free reign of my power once more!" The Nightmare slammed Rainbow against the tree again, the horn on Big Mac's head glowing more intensely. "Once you are both gone, Luna will rejoin with me! And the night! Will last! FORE—ARGH!"

Before The Nightmare could finish his statement, a sudden slam into Big Mac's side sent it crashing into the ground. Blazing Dawn, who had just flown in with extreme speed, glared angrily at the Nightmare and snarled.

"Don't you bucking dare touch my mother again or I'll rip you to shreds!" The young alicorn's voice literally oozed pure hatred as he pawed the ground and snorted angrily.

The Nightmare just laughed and stood up after realizing that Blazing Dawn was the one that slammed into him, "Excellent...now I can destroy you BOTH!"

"Bad idea, lad!" Blue Arrow barked as he and Papyrus landed behind Blazing Dawn, swords drawn.

"Release control of Big Mac and surrender! NOW!" Papyrus roared, ready to attack.

The Nightmare made Big Mac frown, "The Red Hooves..." The Nightmare was powerful in Big Mac's body, but nowhere near powerful enough in its weakened state to take on both Blazing Dawn and two well-trained Red Hooves.

The Nightmare looked over at the exhausted Rainbow Dash, who was collapsed on the ground, and then back to Blazing Dawn, who was, for all intensive purposes, ready to throw down with all his alicorn training.

The Nightmare snarled in frustration at first, but then laughed and smiled, "I'll be back, Blazing Dawn. And next time...you WON'T be so lucky..."

In an instant, the cloud of purple gas leaked out of Big Mac's muzzle and flew up into the air and away, the husky laughter echoing through the air. The Hooves and Blazing Dawn watched, shocked at how the transformations Big Macintosh had gone through just melted away. He collapsed on the ground next to Rainbow Dash, unconscious like The Nightmare's other victims.

"MOM!" Blazing Dawn zipped up to his mother through the air and landed next to her, nuzzling her exhausted body as she laid face-down, panting heavily into the dirt, "Mom, c'mon! Sit up!"

"She pooped herself out from that rainboom, lad..." Blue Arrow frowned, sheathing his sword, "It's no wonder she can't bonny move..."

"Mom, please!" Blazing Dawn kneeled down and turned her body around. Her eyes were closed, her face was beet-red, and she was breathing heavily and strenuously, "Just hold on!"

"What in Equestria?" Cheerilee's voice sounded from behind Blazing Dawn and the Hooves. She and her class had followed the Rainbooms to the crash sight and the students gasped and cringed in horror when they saw Big Mac unconscious and Noteworthy with a disfigured jaw.

"MS. CHEERILEE!" Blazing Dawn shouted desperately, "Call an ambulance! NOW!"

"R-Right!" Cheerilee galloped away as fast as her hooves could carry her towards the Apple family home nearby.

Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all galloped up to Rainbow's side as well.

"B.D.!" Scoots said with worry in her voice, "What happened?"

"The Nightmare!" Blazing Dawn patted his mother's cheeks, "He...almost got her in Noteworthy's and then Big Mac's body's."

"BIG BROTHER!" Applebloom cried out in horror before running over to where her unconscious family member lay, "Big Mac, c'mon nah! Don't just lay there! Git up!"

"Applebloom..." Blazing Dawn frowned at seeing her in such distress. He turned his attention back to his mother, whose eyes were barely open.

"B-Blaze...?" Rainbow reached a hoof up shakily.

"Mom!" Blazing Dawn cradled her head. "You'll be okay! Just hang on!"

Rainbow's head fell off to the side as she passed out, her son's words echoing through her head.

"Mom! You'll be okay! Just hang...on...!"

OCs:

Blue Arrow and Papyrus (c) QTXAdsy

Song from Sweetie Belle:

Complicated by Avril Lavigne

Something Bold

Chapter 3: Something Bold

"Well, that was embarrassing..."

"Hehe...it sure was..."

"H-hey! It's not funny! I...I hurt my left wing in the forest!"

"Haha! I figured you weren't from Ponyville. You got guts goin' through the forest, though; I haven't seen you before. What's your name?"

"Da- Blue Bass."

"Hahaha! That's a weird name, dude!"

Beep...beep...beep...beep, beep, beep...

"So, why is your Cutie Mark a bass cleffy thing?"

"Haha! It's a bass clef, Dash. I have this because I am a musician."

"Really? What do you play?"

"Piano, mainly. I dabble in the guitar and saxophone as well..."

"Can you sing?"

"Haha... Well, yeah, I can. I don't like to brag about it, though."

"Sing me something!"

Beep...beep...beep...beep...beep...beep...

"Just a small town mare...

Livin' in a lonely world..."

She took the midnight train...

Goin' aaaanywheeere..."

Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep...

"She's waking up! Mom's waking up!"

"Oh, for land's sake, ah was worried!"

"Me too."

"Everypony, stand back! Give her some breathing room!"

"Wow...he sounds really good..."

Rainbow's eyes fluttered open slowly. She moaned a rubbed her head with a forehoof. "Where-?"

"The hospital, silly!" A high-pitched crazy-sounding voice rang through Rainbow's ears. Rainbow sat up suddenly in shock and came face to face with Pinkie Pie, the pink party mare herself, holding a batch of cupcakes in her forehooves.

"Waaah!" Rainbow backed up against the headboard of the bed she was in, "Pinkie! For Celestia's sake! You'll give me a heart attack!"

When Pinkie Pie withdrew from her sight, Rainbow Dash took a good look at the room she had been placed in. It seemed drab like any other hospital room and almost stank of antiseptic, but she noticed the other three beds to her immediate left.

Big Mac, Noteworthy, and Trixie lied in similar beds, although none of them showed any real sign of having been conscious, their bodies lying as still as a log. She took note of Applebloom, who had her head laid on top of Big Mac's slowly rising chest and Applejack who gently rubbed her sisters back. Hearing some mixed up sounds, she turned back to the foot of her bed and was surprised to see her son and Twilight looking at her expectantly. Twilight's mouth moved, but the words that came out seemed out of sync with what she heard.

Shaking her head, Rainbow could finally make out what she was trying to say to her.

"Rainbow, are you okay?" Twilight asked with a heavily concerned expression.

Rainbow Dash nodded quietly, "Yeah, I'm fine...just needed to let my head clear up for a moment."

She stretched out her hooves and noticed an IV attached to one of her forehooves. Before she could attempt to take it off, a purple aura gently encased the butterfly IV tag and gently wedged it out from the joint.

"Thanks." Rainbow Dash groggily said with a small smile.

"Not a problem, Rainbow!" Twilight cheerfully said.

"Mom!" She heard Blazing Dawn shout as he embraced her in a tight hug.

Rainbow Dash laughed quietly and smiled warmly at her son who nuzzled her lovingly. Returning his affection she quietly laughed and chuckled, "It's nice to see ya too, kiddo." He smiled up at her, glad to know she was safe.

The pegasus sat quietly in her bed before clearing her throat and asking, "What happened exactly?"

"The doctor said that you fainted from heat exhaustion after that Rainboom..." Twilight said with a small frown. "That was the longest Rainboom in recorded history, Dash. It took a lot out of you."

"Oh yeah!" Pinkie started bouncing up and down excitedly. "It was so long and beautiful! All the way across the sky!"

"Really?" Rainbow hoof-pumped while still holding Blazing Dawn with the other hoof. "SWEET!"

"Ah saw the Rainboom, too, Rainbow..." Applejack looked over at Rainbow with a solemn expression. "But ya'll 're forgettin' the sour apples o' this here situation, sugarcube." She said quietly as she continued rubbing Applebloom's back comfortingly.

"Applejack..." Rainbow lowered her hoof and released her son. "Are you...okay?"

"Well, nah...nah ah'm not, R.D..." A.J. sighed and turned back to Big Mac. "This whole incident is kinda unsettlin'..."

"What do you mean?" Rainbow frowned, showing pity towards her cowpony friend.

"It was so sudden..." A.J. related quietly. "Ms. Cheerilee bursts in and asks fer a phone..." She looked down at Big Mac sadly. "When I asked why, she told me..." A tear fell on Big Mac from her face. "What happened...and ah ran as fast as ah could..."

"Applejack..." Dash's throat slightly tightened with emotion as she watched Big Mac's chest rise and fall with steady breathing, Applebloom's head rising and falling with it.

"What's...what's wrong with them, Twilight?" Rainbow asked, looking over at the other victims. "Do they know?"

Twilight nodded, "Well, aside from Notewrothy's jaw being absolutely obliterated by Big Mac's kick..." She paused and muttered, "Thank goodness he couldn't feel it..." She coughed after Blazing Dawn chuckled slightly and continued. "They are all in a comatose state. Their brain waves are all out of whack because The Nightmare was up there in their heads causing trouble."

"That's...that's really bad..." Rainbow looked down in horrified awe.

"Since Trixie is here too, and is suffering the same symptoms..." Blazing Dawn tapped his forehoof on his chin in thought. "That means that she must've been taken over by The Nightmare when she threw her cart through Sugar Cube Corner!" Blazing Dawn smirked at his deductiveness and turned to Twilight. "The Nightmare's responsible for the damage to Sugar Cube Corner!"

"The Nightmare!?" Pinkie looked shocked, dropping her tray of cupcakes. She stomped the floor angrily before narrowing her eyes,"That meanie pants again!?"

Rainbow raised an eye in surprise, along with a questioning forehoof. "Uhm...Pinkie? How...how did you know about The Nightmare?"

Pinkie stomped pawing the floor angrily, stood up straight, cocked her head to one side, and shrugged. "I dunno..."

"Anyway, Rainbow..." Twilight said, trying to recover from the reeling shock of Pinkie's supposed psychic powers she still couldn't figure out. "The doctors told me to tell you that you are good to leave once you woke up..." She smiled. "Like I said, you were just really tired..."

"Great!" Rainbow leaped up out of bed and stood on top of the covers. "I'm late enough for training as it is!"

"Mom, are you nuts?" Blazing Dawn flew up in front of her, holding out his forehooves in a stopping motion.

"C'mon, son!" Rainbow gently pushed Blazing Dawn aside. "You know I can handle it..."

"But mom..." Blazing Dawn persisted. "You'll hurt yourself!"

"Blaze is right, Rainbow Dash." Twilight nodded in agreement. "I've informed Spitfire about what has transpired here today. She said she would prefer it if you didn't train today, seeing as you wore yourself out so much with that Rainboom."

Rainbow slumped down onto her haunches on the bed and folded her forehooves. "Fine..." She huffed.

Blazing Dawn chuckled when he saw his mother's cocky and slightly childish personality shine through once again. "Wow, mom..." He smirked. "You've never been late before..." He laughed. "Isn't your catch-phrase "ten seconds flat?"

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes dryly at her son before chuckling slightly. "Watch yourself, son..."

"What're you gonna do?" B.D. folded his forehooves while in the air, bi-pedal style. "Chase after me?"

His mother fixed him with a challenging gaze, ready for a rebuttal when Lunar Eclipse suddenly appeared in the room.

"Hey there everypony. I'm sorry for being late, I got caught up with fixing up the schoolhouse." Lunar said.

"Lunar, come over here." Rainbow Dash gestured with her front hooves.

Lunar Eclipse walked over to her and wrapped her in a gentle hug, his wings protectively wrapping around her for the briefest of moments. Once they had finished hugging, he backed up and looked at her.

"It's nice to see you up and about so fast Rainbow...you really had me worried back at Sweet Apple Acres." He admitted quietly.

Rainbow Dash for her part laughed, "Oh come on Lunar! Nothing's been strong enough to put me under and I'll see to it that it stays like that!" She confidently boasted.

He smiled at her and chuckled quietly, "If anypony else told me that, I'd be hard pressed to believe that, but I believe you're the exception to the rule, Rainbow. Unfortunately, I need to head back to Canterlot and seek some advice regarding today's happenings."

"And I need to make a report." Twilight announced from behind him.

She walked up to Rainbow Dash and hugged her, "I'm so glad to see that you're okay Rainbow Dash, but please take it easy and just relax, alright?"

"Alright, I promis—" Rainbow Dash was suddenly interrupted by Pinkie Pie.

"Pinkie Pie Promise!?" Pinkie Pie shouted out of the blue.

"Cross my heart, hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye." She said, acting out the gestures accordingly and smiling.

Pinkie closed her eyes and smiled warmly before taking her tray of cupcakes with her out of the room.

"Rainbow..." Twilight said who turned to leave as well. "Be extra careful from now on. I told the two Hooves out there that one will go with you, as we now know that it's still after you..."

"Right..." R.D. waved. "Thanks again Twilight."

Twilight smiled at her friend, glad she was okay. She then turned and walked out the door behind Lunar Eclipse and Pinkie. Before the door swung shut, Rainbow could make out the figures of Blue Arrow and Papyrus standing guard outside the room.

"Welp..." Applejack sighed and shook her head, looking down at Applebloom, "C'mon, kiddo. Let's get ya' home. Ya'll 've been through a lot, sugarcube."

"No..." Applebloom muttered, not moving. Her head was still rested on Big Mac's chest. She angled her head slightly so that she could look up at her sister, "Ah wanna stay with Big Mac..." She sighed heavily and shakily, "Ah wanna...make sure he'll be okay..."

Rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn exchanged a sorrowful glance with one another before looking back over at the Apple siblings.

"C'mon..." Applejack nudged her sister, "Ah'll get ya'll some apple pie..."

Applebloom shook her head slowly. Applejack sighed and looked over at Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash looked down in thought for a moment, then smiled at A.J, "Go ahead, A.J. Blaze and I will keep an eye on her..."

Applejack smiled, though she still looked incredibly distraught, "Thank ya', sugarcube..." She ruffled Blazing Dawn's mane as she walked past, "Seeya, kiddo..."

The cowpony walked out the door of the room, kissing Papyrus on the cheek as she did so. Before the door swung shut, Rainbow saw Papyrus blush and wave at A.J. and Blue Arrow roll his eyes and nudge him.

"Mom, I was so worried..." Blazing Dawn hopped on the bed in front of her, sitting down on his haunches, "You weren't moving for the longest time..." He looked down, "Ms. Cheerilee said you'd be fine, but...but I don't know..."

"C'mere..." Rainbow reached forward and dragged her son towards her, embracing her son again, "I'm okay...I promise..."

"You won't fly off and do something stupid?" Blazing Dawn sniffed, "Like I would?"

Rainbow chuckled and released her son, "Glad you know what you need to work on, son..." Rainbow Dash smiled, happy that her son was here with her, safe and sound away from The Nightmare.

A dreary sigh from off to Rainbow's left caused her son to turn his head and frown. Rainbow did likewise and she frowned as well. She had forgotten about Applebloom and how she was feeling about her big brother.

"Hey, Blaze..." Rainbow whispered and nudged her son, "C'mere again..."

"What's up? Why are we whispering?" Blazing Dawn cocked an eye and whispered back.

"Go talk to Applebloom..."

"What?" Blazing Dawn widened his eyes. "I...I can't! I—"

"Blaze..." Rainbow hissed, "Go talk to her. Get her mind off of Big Mac." She smiled, "In fact, try and get her out of the room. Go on a walk with her or something...you know, to calm her nerves..."

Blazing Dawn silently looked over at the depressed Applebloom for a moment or two, then nodded and fluttered his wings, levitating himself off the bed and onto the floor behind Applebloom.

"Hey, Applebloom..." Blazing Dawn asked, stepping forward a little, "Are you...are you doing any better?"

Applebloom sniffed before angling her head to look at Blazing Dawn with sadness in her eyes, "Ah'm...ah'm okay..." She blinked away some more tears, "Ah know what the doctor said, but...ah can't help but worry he ain't gonna wake up..."

"Applebloom..." Blazing Dawn frowned, his throat slightly clogging up with emotion.

"Ever since Granny Smith...passed away..." She sniffed and blinked away another lone tear, "He's kinda been our provider..." She closed her eyes and started sobbing a little, "Ah can't lose another family member, Blaze! Not so soon!"

Blazing Dawn gritted his teeth in sadness behind Applebloom, who had now buried her head on Big Mac's chest, sobbing.

Blazing Dawn slowly rose a forehoof in the air and moved it towards the crying Applebloom's shoulder. He stopped for a second, closed his eyes, nodded, and slowly moved it onto to Applebloom's shoulder.

"Hey..." Blazing Dawn's voice dropped a register as he tried to calm Applebloom down, "Hey, Applebloom...you'll be okay...he'll be okay..."

Rainbow raised her eyes. She had never heard Blazing Dawn sound so mature before, even around Applebloom.

Applebloom instantly stopped crying at hearing Blaze's voice. In a move that surprised Rainbow, Applebloom sat up and turned around and hugged Blazing Dawn. Blazing Dawn smiled and rubbed her back as she hugged her, a blush kissing his cheeks.

"Applebloom..." Blazing Dawn said as she continued to hug him, "Come on a walk with me..."

Applebloom moved back and looked at Blazing Dawn, whose eyes now glowing with the golden aura that his father's eyes did.

"I have a feeling that you'll feel better..." Blazing Dawn smiled at her.

Applebloom looked down at the ground, thinking. She then looked up at Blazing Dawn, then at Big Macintosh on the bed, then back to Blazing Dawn. She now had a tiny smile on her face. She gave a small nod, "Alright, Blaze..."

Blazing Dawn smiled back at her and gestured out of the room with his head, "C'mon, then..."

As they walked side by side out of the door, Rainbow Dash sat up in her bed and called out to her son before he left, "Blazing Dawn!"

"Yeah, mom?" Blaze leaned back into the room.

"Don't fly off and do anything stupid?" She smirked, "Like I would?"

Blazing Dawn narrowed his eyes dryly, "Oh, ha ha, mom." He smiled before leaving, "I'll see you at home."

Rainbow jumped out of bed and threw her off gown, ruffling her feathers and stretching out her wings. She narrowed her eyes in thought as she trotted towards the door, "Why would Blazing Dawn and I be a problem for The Nightmare? How would we be...disrupting its power, as it put it..."

She walked out of the room and into the hospital hallway deep in thought, her eye twitching slightly as she did so.

"Hey, R.D..." Papyrus said from off to her right, who was still standing guard, "I've been reassigned to guard you while Blue Arrow goes with Blaze..."

Rainbow nodded indifferently in Papyrus' direction, still thinking.

"What're you...doing...?" Papyrus asked strangely.

"Argh..." Rainbow shook her head and sighed, "Thinking..."

"Why?" Papyrus pressed.

"Well..." Rainbow nodded determinedly, "I'm gonna have to pay a visit to Twilight tonight..."

The sun began to slowly set over the treeline of the Everfree Forest, and two lone figures were walking along the path outside the border to the forest. They were Blazing Dawn and Applebloom. Up in the sky behind them quite a distance away was the Red Hoof commander, Blue Arrow. He was keeping an ever watchful eye on the alicorn and the Earth pony as they trotted along, the cool evening air blowing through their manes.

Blazing Dawn watched Applebloom as she trotted along next to him. Her head was steadily staring at the ground, her eyes still full of sadness. It was not as bad as when she was in the hospital in front of Big Mac, but Blazing Dawn decided that progress and progress and made his first move and trying to get her to feel better.

"Hey, Big Mac's a tough pony..." Blazing Dawn smiled sheepishly and nudged her playfully, "He'll be fine, I'm sure of it..." He chuckled, "Remember, on Hearts and Hooves day all those years ago? When you poisoned him and he pulled a bucking house to get to Ms. Cheerilee? He's tough as nails!" Blazing Dawn rose a forehoof and clenched it to emphasize his point.

Applebloom looked up and laughed at Blazing Dawn's dramaticness, "Ah do, actually..." She shook her head at Blazing Dawn, "But didja ya' really have ta' bring that up as an example?"

"Hey..." Blazing Dawn shrugged, "It worked, didn't it?"

"It did..." Applebloom chuckled again, "But, ya' have ta' understand, Blaze..." She looked down again, "Ah am worried 'bout Big Mac, but..." She sighed, "I also feel bad for you."

Blazing Dawn was taken aback, "Me?" He cocked his head to one side as they continued to trot along, "Why would you feel bad for me?" There was a tad of laughter in his voice as he asked her that question.

"Ever since you were a foal..." She looked up at the evening sky, "Ya'll 've had ponies, evil critters, and all manner a' evil spirits after ya', an' now this...this Nightmare thing, which is a fragment of Nightmare Moon herself, is after ya'..." She looked over at him, "Ah just feel bad that...ya'll 've been through so much...an' yer father hasn't been here ta' protect ya'."

Blazing Dawn stopped walking suddenly. Applebloom turned and looked at the young alicorn, who was looking at some plants that were waving in the evening wind, "I...never knew him, Applebloom..." He looked at her, "I...don't know what it's like so..." He nodded, "I'm fine."

"It's still sad..." Applebloom sighed and stepped closer to him, "That ya'll are without a stallion to guide ya'...ah've got Big Mac..." Applebloom sniffed, "So ya'll can understand why ah'm worried, but...Blaze..." She smiled, "Yer daddy was great stallion..."

Blaze looked over at the cowpony with curiousness, his mouth open slightly. "Was he...was he really the legend everypony says he is?"

Applebloom nodded, "Yer daddy was that an' more, Blaze." She gestured for them to continue walking, and Blazing Dawn followed, "He wasn't just a hero. No..." She looked up at the sky, "He was a great friend to me an' mah sister...and everypony he met...an' his voice could melt yer heart..."

"He sounds great, Applebloom..." Blaze smiled. This wasn't where he thought the conversation would go, but at least Applebloom's mind was off Big Mac.

"He loved ya', Blaze..."

Blazing Dawn turned his head in her direction again, this time with a look of minor shock on his face. He'd never heard that before from anypony, aside from his mother and Lunar.

"He loved you so much..." She sighed, "His eyes were always on ya' when you was around him...he could barely manage to leave ya' with when I foalsat ya' fer the first time at that race..." She smiled, "You sure took a shine ta' me that day..."

"Heh..." Blaze blushed slightly, "I...I sure did, didn't I?" He turned his head back in her direction. She stopped. His eyes were glowing again.

"You have his eyes..." Applebloom smiled slightly as she stared into the golden aura that radiated from the young alicorn's eyes. Blazing Dawn stared back into her beautiful amber eyes for a moment or two before Applebloom shook her head and looked down at the ground again. She started walking again and Blazing Dawn frowned and followed her.

Blazing Dawn racked his brain for anything he could think of that might take her mind off of Big Mac, as this whole conversation about Ace didn't seem to have the desired lasting effect. Suddenly, he stood up straight.

He got an idea.

"Applebloom?" He ran up beside her, "What...what will it take to get your mind off this whole Nightmare thing?"

Applebloom sighed, "As long as that thingis still after ya' and everypony else ah know...ah..." She looked up at him as they continued to walk. "Ah won't be able ta' forget about it..."

"Well, what if I-" Blazing Dawn stopped walking, rolled his eyes, as if he couldn't believe he was going to say what he was going to say, and said, "What if I did something...something so bold, you couldn't believe it?"

Applebloom stopped and looked at Blazing Dawn with an unbelieving look. She rolled her eyes, "Like what?"

Blazing Dawn looked down, let out a short chuckle, then trotted a few steps toward her. He stopped, looked her square in the eyes, and, to her utter astonishment, began to sing in a beautiful young tenor voice.

I've been the needle and the thread...

Weaving figure eights and circles 'round your head.

You try to laugh but cry instead...

Patiently wait to hear the words you've never heard.

Applebloom was still shocked, her mouth hanging open, as Blazing Dawn turned and started gazing up at the treeline of the Everfree Forest.

Fumbling through your dresser drawer, forgot what I was looking for...

Try to guide me in the right direction.

Making use of all this time...

Keeping everything inside...

Close my eyes and listen to you cry.

"Blaze...ya' don't have ta'-" Applebloom started to say, who put a hoof over her chest in awe after Blaze sang the line about her crying, but Blazing Dawn held up a hoof and put it on her shoulder and smiled as he gazed at her.

I'm lifting you up!

I'm letting you down!

I'm dancing 'til dawn!

I'm fooling around!

Blazing Dawn rubbed her back with his forehoof that was on her shoulder in comfort before he smiled and continued to sing.

I'm not giving up!

I'm making your love!

This day's made us crazy and we must get out!

Applebloom was looking down at the ground again, but Blazing Dawn lifted her face up by putting his forehoof under her chin and lifting her face up. He smiled and started trotting forward again. Applebloom gave a tiny smile and followed him attentively.

This is not goodbye, you said.

It is just time for you to rest your head...

You do not walk you trot instead...

Down these jagged streets and into my hooves...

She walked up beside Blazing Dawn as he continued to sing. He glanced over at her, smirked, and flew up onto the branch of a nearby tree. He slumped down and dangled a hoof off the edge of the branch. He kept staring at her and continued to sing.

When I was...

Fumbling through your dresser drawer, forgot what I was looking for.

Try to guide me in the right direction.

Making use of all this time...

Keeping everything inside.

Close my eyes and listen to you cry.

"Blaze..." Applebloom chuckled, "C'mon back down here, ya' dirty casanova..."

Blaze laughed and flew down next to her, brushing up against her, "Oh, trust me...I'm not done..."

Applebloom laughed even louder and tried to stop him. "Blaze—!"

I'm lifting you up!

I'm letting you down!

I'm dancing til dawn!

I'm fooling around!

I'm not giving up!

I'm making your love!

This day's made us crazy and we must get out!

"Applebloom..." Blaze turned so that they were face to face, "Listen to me right now..."

Applebloom was too entranced by Blazing Dawn's beautiful voice to try and stop him this time. She slowly smiled and nodded.

Blazing Dawn straightened her red cowpony hat, smiled, and continued.

There's only so much I can do for you...

After all of the things that we've gone through.

Oooohhh!

Blazing Dawn's eyes started glowing intensely as his father's love for music shone through. Applebloom couldn't help but smile again as Blazing Dawn looked at her almost lovingly and sang the chorus one last time, but gentler and quieter.

I'm lifting you up...

I'm letting you down...

I'm dancing til dawn...

I'm fooling around...

I'm not giving up...

I'm making your love...

This day's made us crazy and we must get out...

Applebloom was speechless, "Wow, Blaze..." She chuckled slightly, "Ah can't believe ya' just up and sung like that..." She shook her head in disbelief, "Ah mean, ya' never sing willy-nilly like that! Not fer no-pony!"

Blazing Dawn stood as tall as he could, extending his wings proudly as he trotted along, "A pony can do anything they put their mind to..." He folded his wings up and looked over at Applebloom with a smile, "That right there was Lunar Eclipse words of wisdom..." He chuckled and blushed a little, "And it doesn't hurt that no pony other than you was around to hear it..."

"Haha! Imagine if Scoots heard it, Blaze!" Applebloom held a forehoof up to her mouth to stifle a chuckle. "You'd get so much cud from her!"

"Knock it off, Applebloom!" Blazing Dawn playfully shoved her, "That was from the bottom of my heart!"

"And ah' appreciate it Blaze..." She smiled and looked down at the ground again, "And it helped...a little..." She stopped and Blazing Dawn followed suit, "But...ah still can't stop thinking 'bout Big Mac an' y-" She stopped herself, "An' Rainbow...and the danger we're all in..."

Applebloom started walking forward again, but Blaze stayed behind. Upon noticing Blaze wasn't coming, she stopped and turned around. Blaze had stayed back and had his gaze locked on to her, his eyes still glowing their rich gold color.

"What's..." Applebloom narrowed her eyes in thought, "What's wrong?"

"Me, of all ponies, singing, wasn't bold enough for you to forget? It wasn't enough for you to get thinking about something else?" Blazing Dawn stared at her intently, his eyes piercing her very being.

"Ah'm sorry, Blaze." She sighed, "Ah just can't—mphm!"

Blazing Dawn, before she could say anything else, suddenly zipped through the air towards her, cupped her muzzle in both of his forehooves while still in flight, and kissed her on the lips for a second or two.

Blazing Dawn broke away after those few seconds. He was still airborne, and he was blushing furiously. Applebloom stared up at the young alicorn with pure shock on her face, her mouth agate.

Blazing Dawn let go a short laugh of disbelief of what he had just done. He narrowed his glowing eyes dreamily and hovered in front of her muzzle, so they were eye-to-eye.

"Then think about that for awhile..." Blaze said quietly, still blushing.

Applebloom said nothing; rather, she just kept staring at Blaze like he was a ghost.

Blaze exhaled deeply, rubbed a forehoof with his other forehoof while flying in a bi-pedal style. "Goodbye, Applebloom. Stay safe."

And with that, Blazing Dawn zipped off into the air faster than a speeding blast of magic.

Applebloom was still as silent as a graveyard as she watched Blazing Dawn fly off towards Blue Arrow in the distance. As soon as he left, a beet-red blush exploded across Applebloom's face. Slowly, she smiled and gazed dreamily after the young alicorn.

Suddenly, she shook her head angrily, "No!" She straightened her hat, "T'aint right! He's young! C'mon, Applebloom! Ya' used ta' foalsit him every day! Don't think like that!"

She turned and started walking towards her family's apple orchard in the distance, clearly racking her brain about what had just transpired.

Blazing Dawn flew up into the air as fast as his young wings could carry him, the cool evening air cooling down his red-hot cheeks. He finally stopped in front of Blue Arrow, who had stopped and was floating in the air, his mouth also hanging open in shock.

Blaze chuckled, "You saw that, huh?"

"What the bloody hay were you thinkin', lad?" Blue Arrow shook his head slowly, still in disbelief.

Blazing Dawn smiled sheepishly. "Well, she needed something to get her mind off of her big brother's coma..." He cocked an eye at the Hoof commander, "It worked, didn't it?"

"Well, aye, lad, but..." Blue Arrow shook his head and regained his composure, "Never mind." He smiled. "We should head home and check up on your mum..."

"Yeah..." Blazing Dawn agreed by nodding his head.

Blue Arrow flew off in an instant. Before Blazing Dawn followed, he turned his head and looked one last time at the Earth pony mare he had just kissed. He smiled slightly, blushed a little bit more, and flew off after the Red Hoof.

Back in the quiet and serene town of Ponyville, ponies were leaving their jobs and going home to their families as sunset loomed overhead. The treehouse library's lights shone warmly through the windows as Twilight Sparkle and her assistant, Spike the dragon, were ending their work for the day.

"Spike, take these books down to the basement to be sorted later..." Twilight hovered some books over to a now moderately taller Spike.

He caught the books and nodded, saying in a slightly deeper voice, "Can do, Twilight..."

As he walked through the main room of the library from the top floor, he passed Rainbow Dash, who was sitting in a chair reading a book entitled "The Legend of Nightmare Moon."

"Oh, hey, Rainbow Dash..." Spike smiled a toothy grin at her as he walked by her towards the basement door.

"What up, Spike..." Rainbow responded without looked up from the book, turning a page. "Hmmm...where is it?"

She turned another page and narrowed her eyes, "Bingo! The Source of the Nightmare's Power!" She tapped a forehoof on the respective page and started to read intentively.

Twilight Sparkle, now out of her representative robe, trotted out of the kitchen with two cups of warm tea hovering in front of her. Twilight sat down across from Rainbow and dropped one of the cups on a table next to Rainbow's chair. "So how's your 'research' coming along, Rainbow?"

Rainbow peered over the edge of the book dryly at her Unicorn friend. "Eh, the only thing I've ever been able to take seriously while reading is Daring Do..." She rolled her eyes. "And that series ended a long time ago..." She went back to the book. "So to answer your question, Twi...it's not going so well..."

Twilight chuckled, taking a sip from her own cup of tea. "So, how's Blazing Dawn doing these days?" She smiled. "I hear he has a little crush on Applebloom..."

Rainbow rolled her eyes and turned another page. "That's an understatement...ever since he was foal, my son has been infatuated with A.J.'s sister..."

"Is that a problem?" Twilight asked, concerned.

"Well, no..." Rainbow sighed, peering over the edge of the book again. "It's just odd. Applejack used to have a thing for..." She looked down. "For Ace, after all..." She returned to reading. "So to see my son, an alicorn testament to Ace's very being, going for her younger sister..." Rainbow chuckled. "I don't know. I guess it's a bit ironic, really."

"I agree..." Twilight took another sip. "I'm glad you are being mature about it, Rainbow. You really have grown up a little over the years..."

"Yeah, yeah..." Rainbow waved a hoof. "Twilight, I appreciate the small-talk, but this is serious. I need to find out why the Nightmare is after me and Blazing Dawn." She shuddered slightly. "It could mean life and death."

"I apologize..." Twilight Sparkle put a forehoof to her chin in thought. "It may have something to do with Ace, or the way that Blazing Dawn was transformed into an alicorn..."

Rainbow Dash nodded. "Those are both really good possibilities, but..." She lowered the book down onto her lap. "I've found out how the Nightmare gets its power."

Twilight leaned forward, intrigued, setting her tea down on the coffee table in front of her as she did so. "What does it say?"

Rainbow tapped a paragraph next to a picture of a very evil looking purple cloud of gas with red serpentine eyes emanating from it. "It says the Nightmare gets its power during the night and through acts of disharmony and hate..." Rainbow looked up and stared ahead, as if she just had an epiphany. "It feeds off of it..." She looked over at Twilight and nodded. "So, the reason it's powers are weakened..."

"Is because Ace left a reign of peace over the land..." Twilight finished, pointing a forehoof forward in response. "And because you gave birth to an alicorn whose magic bubbled to the surface at-"

"Dawn." Rainbow finished, her mouth hanging open at this sudden realization. She looked down. "That's why it wants to kill my son..."

Twilight frowned as she watched Rainbow close the book and put it on the table in front of her. Rainbow buried her face in her forehooves. "Gods..." She shook her head. "I don't know how much more I can take of this..."

"Rainbow..." Twilight stood up and trotted around the table and stood next to her friend. She put a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder, and Rainbow looked up. "It's okay...we can beat it. You're an Element of Harmony, and so am I and the rest of our friends. We can beat it, I promise. Blaze will be safe, just like he always has..."

Rainbow smiled a little, "Thanks, Twilight. I mean, I can take Trixie, zebras, and dragons, but...this is just too much." She looked down again and sighed.

"I'm worried about why the Nightmare is after you, Rainbow." Twilight continued, removing her forehoof from off of Rainbow's shoulder and looking out of one of the windows of the library." She gazed silently at the setting sun. "We now know why it's after your son, but..." She turned around to face her friend. "There is no good explanation as to why it's hunting you." Twilight turned to look out her window again and gazed at Papyrus, the Red Hoof corporal. She couldn't help but wonder if these two Hooves protecting her friend and her son were enough.

Twilight turned around when she heard the flapping of wings. Rainbow had taken to the air and nodded at Twilight. "Well, I'd better go home so I can be there when Blazing Dawn gets back..." She flew up and hugged her friend mid-air. "Thanks for letting me use your books, Twi."

"No problem, Rainbow Dash." Twilight patted her back before they released. "I'll keep looking into why the Nightmare would be after you as well."

"Great." Rainbow opened the door and flew out. "Seeya, Twi!"

"Any luck?" Papyrus asked, taking to the air with her as they flew away.

"We know why it's attacking Blaze..." Rainbow explained as they flew over Ponyville. "His alicorn powers that surfaced at dawn are the cause, and because the Nightmare gets its power from the night; it's too weak to do anything really dangerous."

"What about you?"

"...That remains to be seen..."

Night had fallen, and in the capital city of Canterlot, Lunar Eclipse stood stone-faced in the Royal throne room of the castle, staring ahead at the double thrones. The only sound in the large room was the sound of magic as Celestia levitated a scroll in front of her and Luna. Their faces grew more and more shocked as they read. Luna seemed more ill-at-ease than Celestia, her teeth being gritted as she read. Lunar looked down for a moment, pawed the floor briefly, then looked back up.

After a few moments, Celestia lowered the scroll and Lunar could feel both pairs of majestic eyes staring at him.

"Did all of this indeed transpire but a few hours ago?" Celestia asked, leaning forward anxiously.

"Every word in that report is true, Princess..." Lunar nodded solemnly.

The Princesses looked at each other and nodded determinedly. Taking on looks of seriousness, they both turned forward again.

"Shining Armor!" Celestia's regal voice rang throughout the throne room.

The sudden intense clopping of hooves was heard on the marble floor of the Throne Room as Shining Armor, captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard and Twilight Sparkle's older brother, came galloping in behind Lunar Eclipse. He stopped a few meters behind the Prince of Death, his armor clinking around as he did so. he gave a smart salute. "Yes, Princess? You called?"

"Captain, I want double the security in Ponyville. Now!" Celestia stood up and nodded. "And I want you and your top division of guards dispatched there immediately!"

Shining Armor was taken aback. He shook his head, trying to process what the Princess had just ordered him to do. "Erm, as you wish, Your Highness." He dropped the salute and was about to leave when he said, "Has...has the Nightmare thing you told me about struck?"

"Indeed..." Lunar turned around to face the guard captain, his eyes narrowed. "And it did more damage than we ever thought possible..."

Blue Arrow and Papyrus (c) QTXAdsy

Song: Must Get Out, Maroon 5

Lockdown

Chapter 4: Lockdown

"I'll show that gimpy stud how flying's really done..."

"This gimpy is no longer gimpy...haha..."

"GAH!"

"A little clammy and none too fresh after that rave, but no longer gimpy... See?"

"S-sorry you had to hear that..."

"What? The gimpy thing? Pff...forget about it..."

"Y-yeah...let's go with that..."

Rainbow tossed and turned in her bed as what sounded like drum beats started echoing in the town below.

"Okay, you feel these?"

"Yeah?"

"Delicately, but with a slight amount of power, do what you did when I saw you coming out of the forest, but flex them both at the same time."

"Got it..."

"And over and over again to get a flapping motion so you can stay up."

Rainbow Dash groaned in her sleep as the drumbeats slowly got louder; she began tossing and turning even more.

"What'd ya...what'd ya think, Ace?"

"What did I THINK? The question is what DIDN'T I think! Haha! I've never seen anything like it! I didn't even know it was possible to go that fast!"

"Take me home, Ace..."

"What?"

"The Sonic Rainboom takes a lot outta me... Heh... I can barely fly straight..."

"Haha! What, am I your designated flyer now?"

"No... Just for tonight..."

The drumbeats were getting louder and louder. Dash started to clench her teeth and grab the covers of her bed tightly. A tear slid down her cheek as her dream continued.

Impulsively, not knowing why, he bent down and kissed her cheek.

Dash yawned and stretched a little in her sleep, a little smile forming on her face.

"Goodnight Dash..."

"Hey, mom! Wake up!"

"Gah!" Rainbow Dash sat up suddenly in her bed, panting heavily. She rubbed her eyes and looked at her door. Blazing Dawn was standing there, his mane ruffled from sleeping and a concerned look on his face. The drumbeats still reverberated from the town below.

"What's going on, son?" Rainbow asked in a crackly, I-just-woke-up voice.

He trotted forward and leaned on her bed, "I don't know..." He looked behind him towards Lunar's room, "Lunar is gone. I don't know where he is. Maybe he already flew out to see what in the hay is happening down there..." He growled, "I swear to Celestia, I'm gonna beat down whoever ordered those stupid drums..." He put a forehoof to his mouth and yawned.

Rainbow shook her head and and slid out of bed, "C'mon, let's go see why Royal Guard drums are booming through the town..."

"Royal Guards? Those are their drums?" Blazing Dawn looked surprised as he followed his mother out of her room.

"Yep." Rainbow gave her trademark evil smile, "Still wanna beat them down, son?"

"N-not so much..." Blaze stammered, blushing a little.

"That's what I thought..."

A large platoon of at least thirty royal guards or more stood at attention, some holding torches, while others kept lookout. A crowd of Ponyville citizens began to mumble amongst one another, rubbing their eyes with sleep and others were still in their nightwear. What many didn't notice was a heated conversation taking place further away from prying eyes or ears between the captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor, dressed in his armor, and Lunar Eclipse.

"I demand that you take your guards and leave immediately, Shining Armor! Their presence here does them and everypony else in this town more harm than good! And besides, we've already got two Red Hooves here! That's more than enough!" He nearly growled at his friend, the frustration beginning to boil intently in his veins.

Shining Armor sighed imperceptibly, "By order of Princess Celestia herself, I have been tasked with protecting the town of Ponyville at any cost." The Captain responded cordially.

"I don't care if the order came from my bucking mother!" Lunar yelled angrily, "The Nightmare is too powerful!" He insisted once again.

Patting Lunar's back, Shining Armor responded with a confident grin, "Believe me, Lunar Eclipse. We here at the Royal Guard have the situation under control."

Lunar Eclipse pulled away from the friendly pat and growled, "The Nightmare could take over any of us at any given time ,and stab Rainbow Dash and Blaze in the back! Is that what you want? Put the blood of not only the innocents of this town, but of the Element of Loyaltyon your hooves?" He questioned rationally, trying his best to keep his explosive anger in check.

"Lunar, I insist to you, my friend, that we willhave things under control as soon as we finish setting up." Shining Armor insisted.

The flapping of two distinct sets of wings caught their attention, distracting them long enough for them to take note of Rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn setting foot on the ground nearby.

Blazing Dawn spoke first, "What the hay is going on?! Can't a pony get some darn shuteye?" He complained loudly as he rubbed away at his eyes.

Rainbow Dash just sighed, "Yeah...What gives? Is an attack about to happen or what?" She questioned with narrowed eyes in Shining Armor direction.

"It's of no concern for you, Rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn; I assure you that," He paused as he called out a guard with a swift motion of his eyes, "Please take our visitors back to their lovely home and make sure they stay safe, please." Although it sounded like a genuine statement of concern, the guard knew better than to question his motives and acted directly on the disguised order.

The guard approached Rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn and began to escort them away, preparing to fly them back to their dwelling. Stubbornly, the two tried to free, only to be forced into submission when more guards poured in to restrain them.

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash fluttered her wings ecstatically, "Let. Me. GO!"

"WHHY?" Blazing Dawn growled, his horn glowing. He teleported out of the group of guards, but was quickly tackled again, "Why can't I just sleep!"

Lunar trotted forward briskly and clashed his head against Shining Armor's helmet. Both stallions gritted their teeth as they stared each other down.

"WHAT THE BUCK!?" Lunar shouted, causing Shining Armor to close his eyes from the force of the yell, "How is this protecting them!? Where in the hay are the Red Hooves, anyway?!"

Shining Armor was irritated now. He shoved Lunar Eclipse off of him and scowled, "The Red Hooves, Commander Blue Arrow and Corporal Papyrus, have been reassigned to guard the town from overhead..." Shining Armor paused and glared at the alicorn, "Security of these two..." He gestured over his shoulder, "Is now in my charge..."

"THIS IS CRAZY, SHINING ARMOR!" Lunar barked loudly in a similar fashion to that of the Royal Canterlot Voice. "Let them GO!"

Shining Armor shrugged Lunar off as if he were not there, turned, and wove his hoof around in the air towards his troops. At once, they broke formation and galloped all around Ponyville. Primarily, guards ushered tired residents back inside their houses and dwellings. Some flew to the rooftops, others, in camouflaged gear, took to the trees and bushing, preparing crude, experimental pistols. Guards took up positions around key buildings around town as well, such as Town Hall, Sugar Cube Corner, and Twilight's Library. Several guards took up positions down below and around Rainbow's cloud as well.

At the library, the door burst open. "Hey!" A disgruntled Twilight snarled at the pair of guards in front of her doorway, "What the hay is going on?"

"Ma'am, go back inside." One guard said, turning around, "We're putting the town on lockdown."

"On whose authority!?" Twilight was shocked.

"Captain Shining Armor, ma'a-HEY!"

Twilight didn't need to think twice when she heard her older brother's name. She galloped past the two guards and ran towards the town square with all the speed she could muster.

As she saw the state of Town Square, the guards, Rainbow Dash and Blaze, Lunar, and-

"SHINING ARMOR!" Twilight's nostrils flared as she tried to see over the line of guards that blocked her way.

"Twily?" Shining Armor looked over in her direction.

"Miss!" A guard in the line stopped her, "I'm sorry, but you must go home. Now."

"I am a member of the Royal Hierarchy!" Twilight stomped a hoof down, "And you will do as I say!"

The guard stuttered, "O-oh! Of course, Representative Sparkle! The light's just..." He stood aside, "Really bad..."

"I'm sure..." Twilight said dryly before stomping up to her older brother.

"Twily!" Shining Armor smiled, "How are you?"

"Don't 'Twily' me right now!" Twilight barked, gesturing over at the struggling rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn, "What in the hay do you think you are doing, you idiot!"

Shining Armor smiled awkwardly, trying to ignore the insult, "Twily, please. Celestia ordered me and my platoon here to Ponyville for your own protection against the Nightmare."

"I don't care!" Twilight pointed sternly at her older brother. Since he was much larger than her, the sight was rather odd to view, "Release them, now!"

Shining Armor sighed, turned his head towards the guards restraining Rainbow and Blaze, and nodded subtly.

Reluctantly, the guards obeyed, dropping Rainbow Dash and her son to the ground. Rainbow got up and stuck her tongue out at the guards, while Blazing Dawn shot the guard holding his front two hooves a dirty glare.

"Thanks, Twilight..." Rainbow said, nodding to Twilight. Twilight nodded, then turned to her brother again.

"Are you brain-dead? C'mon, I thought you were smarter than this!"

"Twily, c'mon!"

"Married life has made you stupid, or something!"

"I seriously doubt that!"

Rainbow trotted up to Lunar Eclipse with Blazing Dawn in tow. She rubbed her eyes tiredly before shaking her head and saying, "What...is happening? I'm still thoroughly confused..."

"I'm just tired..." Blazing Dawn muttered before sitting down on his haunches.

"I'm so sorry, Dashie..." Lunar sighed, looking over all the guards as they put Ponyville into lockdown, "I tried to convince him to do this differently before we came here, but...he wouldn't listen to reason." He looked down at the ground and scowled, "Shining Armor should know how to handle a situation like this better, given the circumstances...and his position..."

Blazing Dawn gazed warily around the town as guards continued to take up positions, hiding on roofs, in alleyways, and standing in front of houses, wondering how the hay they could be up and about with this much energy at this hour.

"His orders are to lockdown Ponyville..." Lunar continued, gazing around and stopping to watch Pinkie Pie and the Cakes get ushered into Sugar Cube Corner, "His soldiers have set up barricades on major roads and have fliers patrolling overhead. Their orders are to not let anypony in..." He paused, "Or out."

"We can't leave!?" Rainbow's eyes widened.

Lunar just shook his head. "Nope." He growled, "Which makes things worse. Their presence here will only attractthe Nightmare! GODS!" He stomped on the ground in anger. "I wish Celestia would've been more specific!"

"I agree..." Rainbow scowled, "Can...can Twilight do anything?"

"I seriously doubt it..." Lunar rolled his eyes, "If they won't listen to the bucking Prince of Death, I doubt they will listen to a hierarchy member..." He pawed the ground, "And Shining Armor's as stubborn as an angry Gryphon..."

At this point, Twtilight trotted over from tearing her brother a new one, and sighed, "I'm so sorry about my brother." She smiled sheepishly, "I'll...I'll try to fix this..."

"Gee, thanks, Twi..." Rainbow responded dryly before Twilight turned and trotted back to Shining Armor. Rainbow heard a loud yawn behind her. She turned and chuckled upon seeing Blazing Dawn sprawled out on the ground, groaning, "Can we go home now?"

Rainbow giggled and helped her son up, "We're going home, Blaze. Sleep is almost within reach. Haha." Rainbow turned and winked at Lunar, "Try and keep these guys in line, yeah?"

"I will try..." Lunar growled, "It will be difficult to keep them in line, but...I will do my best..."

"For Luna?"

A light blush kissed his cheeks, "For the town's sake."

"I'm sure."

An hour later...

Ponyville was a spot of light in the darkness that night. It was eerily quiet as guards stood guard and hid around town, shifting uneasily at their posts and in their hiding spots as they waited for the Nightmare to attack. In Rainbow Dash's cloud, Rainbow and her alicorn foal were sound asleep, as if they were blissfully unaware of the guards patrolling around their cloud. Blue Arrow, Papyrus, and Lunar Eclipse soared through the sky silently as Earth stealth bombers, carefully watching out for anything suspicious. Down below, in the Town Square, Twilight Sparkle and her brother were sitting on a park bench, gazing up at the trio of fliers as they flew overhead. A pair of guards flanked nearby them as they sat there.

"I'm just worried that The Nightmare could take a guard over easily and cause mayhem." She sighed, "I mean, just look at what happened to Noteworthy!"

"Twily..." Shining Armor sighed heavily at his sister's worry.

"What scares me even more is that it's night!" Twilight threw her hooves up in the air.

"Twily, there's no need for worry!" Shining Armor sat up and smiled, gazing at his sister, "I assure you, no pony can get in or out of this town without me knowing about it!"

Just then, the sound of galloping was heard from the direction of one of the road blockades, "Captain! Captain!"

Shining Armor stood up and turned to address the soldier, "Yes, soldier? What is it?"

"Your wife..." The guard managed to get out through his pants as he skidded to a halt in front of him, "Princess Cadence... is here..."

Twilight stood as well. She cocked an eye, "Cadence?"

Shining Armor was shocked, "What...what in Equestria is she doing here?"

The guard shifted in his armor as he looked on nervously behind him before answering, "I'm not quite sure, sir...she just said she wanted to see you and nothing more."

"What could she be doing here, bro?" Twilight asked her brother, squinting into the distance. Sure enough, the form of Princess Cadence was slowly walking towards them down the street from the barricade on the road.

Shining Armor shook his head, "I...I don't know, Twily..."

Brother and sister watched as Princess Cadence approached, her head looking down at the ground steadily, as if she were sad. Shining Armor began to trot over to his wife with an awkward smile on his face, "Honey! What are you doing here? I told you I had work in Ponyville tonight..."

As Cadence got closer to her brother, Twilight widened her eyes, as the realization of what was about to happen hit her like a brick. "SHINING ARMOR! NOOOO!"

Cadence's head snapped up, and what Shining Armor saw made him gasp in terror. Her eyes were serpentine.

She was under control of The Nightmare.

Before Shining Armor could do anything, she leaped forward and tackled Shining Armor to the ground. As she stood over her husband, she grew in stature and mutated further, growing bat-like wings and a longer, more menacing, horn.

Guards in the square all turned to see what was going on, but it was too late. The controlled Cadence was already upon them. A guard cried out in pain as she impaled him with her horn, and another one could only shout as he was vaporized by a spell from her horn. The guards were being routed, as they did not know how to fight a royal family member.

As the guards tried to incapacitate Cadence, Twilight galloped over to her brother and helped him up, "Bro! Are you okay?!"

"That...thing..." Shining Armor snarled as he stood up, drawing his sword, "Took over my WIFE!"

Twilight clenched her teeth and nodded, "The only pony you'd let through the barricade!"

Still snarling at Cadence, his horn started glowing with magical energy. "Attention, all units! Attention all units! We are code red! The perimeter has been breached! The Nightmare is inside! Do not let ANYPONY leave! Not even me! Or Lunar! Code Red!"

Twilight kept her eyes focused on Princess "Cadence" as she impaled a guard, throwing him through a second story window of nearby residential home. She jumped in after him, the screams of an innocent family contrasting with the groaning guards who laid in different states of health.

"Twily..." Shining Armor said in a serious tone, "Gather the Elements of Harmony and go find somewhere safe to hide..." He gulped quietly to himself, "I'll deal with this...thing..."

"Can...can you fight your...wife!?" Twilight was shocked and looked worriedly at her brother.

"I can try..." Shining Armor galloped forward, sword at the ready with magic, and leaped through the shattered window after "Cadence."

Twilight gulped audibly before nodding at him and running off in her desperate attempt to gather the bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

Shining Armor leaped through the window, weapon at the ready. Looking around, he quickly found the victims of The Nightmare's sudden attack. A family of three sat cowering in a corner, their filly huddled just behind her parents. In front of them laid one of his guards, dead. Clearly he had taken a fatal blow to protect them, blood pooling on the floor. Nodding in respect, he approached and put on a small, comforting smile.

"Did you see where Princess Cadence went?" He asked curtly, hoping that they would be able to co-operate with him.

The mare raised a shaky hoof, pointing down the hall next to him.

He leaned slightly to the right and saw the furniture neatly placed, some family photos, and other assortment of things spread about. Slowly he approached the living room, making sure to keep his hoof steps silenced. Nothing was out of place or even remotely touched. He sighed quietly and went onwards, checking all the rooms. After checking all the nearby rooms, he noticed an extra hallway just out of view and steadily made his way over to the opened room. Just as he walked in, Princess "Cadence" crashed through the ceiling, tackling him straight to the ground and knocking the sword outside the reach of his hoof.

The two of them grappled expertly. One through military skill. The other through being possessed. Shining Armor gasped as he looked into her hateful, serpentine eyes.

"Please Cadence, snap out of it! This isn't you! We love each other waytoo much to just senseless try to kill each other, honey!" He pleaded, hoping that somewhere deep inside her mind, she'd hear him and try to fight with all her strength.

She merely laughed maniacally before snidely replying, "I am not Cadence, but I am certainly your undoing."

Shining Armor flinched at the way her voice sounded, letting down his guard momentarily, "Cadence..."

A wide grin overcame her features as she lifted him up with her magic before proceeding to throw him through the wooden wall and onto the street below, sending wood and splinters flying everywhere.

He grunted as he stood back on his hooves, and snorted angrily.

"Release my wife...NOW!" Shining Armor demanded. With a slight nod, five guards came out of nearby hiding places and stood their ground by their Captain.

The Nightmare possessed Cadence merely laughed, "You pathetic ponies are FOOLS for trying to mess with me." Suddenly, the Nightmare exited her body before hurling Princess Cadence forward through the air towards the group, impaling another guard with her shrinking horn, though luckily not killing him.

Before Cadence could fall to the ground, Shining Armor rushed forward and caught his wife in his forehooves. Shining Armor shook his wife, gently stroking her mane, "Cadence? Oh Gods, Cadence! Are you okay? Please be okay..."

"You should be more worried about yourself..."

Before the Royal Guard captain could do anything else, the cloud of gas shot down from the sky and flew into Shining Armor's muzzle. The Unicorn stood up, holding his forehooves up to his throat, "NOOOOOO!"

He then mutated like the rest of them. Bat-like wings sprouted from his back, tearing the fine cloth on his armor asunder. He grew in stature, his horn grew longer, and his eyes turned to the serpentine eyes of Nightmare Moon. Shining Armor's eyes snapped open and he looked up, taking in a breath of air.

"This body should last all night..." The Nightmare chuckled, looking itself over. "Interesting..." It smiled, "It is indeed powerful enough to destroy Loyalty and her spawn in a matter of minutes...hmhmhmhm..." It smiled, "My powers are far superior in this body...perhaps I shall keep it...for now..."

"FREEZE!" A voice shouted from behind the Nightmare.

The Nightmare hesitated briefly, before turning around to face the guards Shining Armor had called to his aid a few moments ago. Their weapons were all drawn. The one who spoke up was the one Cadence's horn and impaled. He growled and barked again, "Release our Captain, and stand down!"

The Nightmare stared at them before laughing maniacally and lowering his head, aiming his horn at the group of guards, and blasting mysterious bursts of dark energy at the guards. They looked like small clouds of gas.

"Excellent...bwahahaha..." The Nightmare chuckled while listening to the sounds of the guards suffocating.

"Dash...argh! Cough...cough..."

"Ace...y-you saved me..."

"Y-yeah...rrrr...what...what happened, anyway?"

"You did...a Shining Rainboom... You...haha...you went a little bit less faster than me when I do my rainboom..."

Bang bang bang!

"Rainbow! Rainbow Dash! Wake up!

"Why...why didn't I end up in the crater...l-like you?"

"Rrr...I th-threw you down into the...ARGH...canopy shortly before I...I hit...COUGH...ack...Because I...I knew if we both hit...then we would both...GAH...die..."

"N-No! D-don't say that, Ace! I-I'll go g-get help! I can-"

"It's...grrr...it's too late...hehe...I'm not sure...what, but...grrr...I think that rock punctured something i-important..."

Bang bang bang bang bang!

"Rainbow! Seriously, girl! Get up! You're in danger!"

Fallin' down...

Ace then leaned up with all his strength, and kissed her.

"RAINBOW!"

Bang bang bang bang!

As I fall...to...sleep...

As I fall...to...sleep...

Ace leaned his head back in her forehooves, and his breathing stopped. For all intensive purposes, the musical pony was dead.

"NOOOO! Nonono no! Celestia, please! Noooo..."

"RAINBOW!"

"ARGH!" Rainbow sat up abruptly in her cloud bed to the sound of the banging on her door. She groaned, rubbed her messed-up mane, and sighed.

"Who's there?!" She shouted.

"Papyrus! Rainbow, open up, quickly!" Papyrus' voice responded.

Rainbow didn't have to think twice. Instantly, she zipped out of bed and flew to the door. Upon opened it, she gasped. The Red Hoof Corporal stood there with a black eye, blood dripping from his muzzle and mouth, and his armor was all banged up.

Rainbow was shocked, moving to catch Papyrus as he swayed slightly, as if he was about to fall over. He steadied himself however, and shook his head, regaining his composure. "What in Equestria happened to you!" Rainbow asked worriedly.

"The Nightmare!" Papyrus exclaimed suddenly, his good eye started twitching. "It attacked in the body of Princess Cadence!" Rainbow gasped before papyrus continued. "That's how it got through the lockdown! It's chaos down there!"

Rainbow looked at Ponyville down below, and gulped when she saw a few small streams of smoke drifting up from a few buildings, "Where are Blue Arrow? And Lunar?" She turned back to Papyrus, inquiring about the few ponies they could trust.

"I don't know!" Papyrus growled in pain at one of his wounds, "Argh...I got separated from them when Cadence...erm, the Nightmare attacked! But..." He stood up as straight as he could, "I'm here to make sure that you are safe!"

"WHAT the CUUUUD?" An adolescent voice groaned from behind Rainbow. Blazing Dawn was out of bed again, floating lazily in the air and rubbing his eyes tiredly, "What in Equestria is SO bucking important as to wake me up? AGAIN!" He stopped short, however, when he saw the bruised and bleeding Papyrus, "Oh..." He gasped, "The Nightmare!?"

Rainbow, before saying anything else, trotted behind her son, and nudged him out the door of their cloud, closing it behind them, "Yes, hun. We have to get someplace safer right now..." She growled, "It'll probably check her of all places first!"

"I second that..." Papyrus nodded shakily.

"Why don't we just make a run for Canterlot?" Blazing Dawn asked intently, "We can get the whole dang Royal Army to help us!"

"Impossible..." Papyrus scowled. "Shining Armor put the whole town in lockdown before Cadence...gawl, the Nightmare, attacked and they're not letting anypony in..." He paused, "Or out."

Rainbow Dash swore under her breath and Blazing Dawn sighed heavily, "Idiot..."

"I think, and this is just my professional opinion..." Papyrus inhaled heavily, "That we find a safe house to lay low in until sunrise, like...Representative Sparkle's library?"

"Yes, that's perfect!" Rainbow nodded before gestured to her son, "C'mon, Blaze. Stay low when you fly."

"Okay, mom."

With that, the two Pegasi and the young alicorn took off into the night sky, flying low over the treeline towards Ponyville, hoping that the Nightmare wouldn't see their approach.

Representative Twilight Sparkle paced the first floor of the town library and home, her friends, bearers of the Elements of Harmony stood by quietly, waiting for some output from her. Pinkie Pie got fed up before she started quietly bouncing around the library, her eyes screwed up in concentration as she tried to find some logical way to rationalize what was happening. Fluttershy cowered near one of the barely lit corners of the library, Shadow Breeze, her coltfriend and one of Ace's good friends before he left Equestria, holding her in a safe and protective embrace. Rarity, meanwhile, comforted her younger sister Sweetie Belle, all the while her eyes darting back and forth across the library; keeping a watchful eye. Applejack had long given up on trying to comfort Applebloom, who, for all intents and purposes, refused to interact with anypony, finding comfort in staring out the window. Her concentration was interrupted, however, when two boards floated magically over to the window and covered it up, followed by a hammer and nails. As twilight magically boarded up the window, Applebloom continued to grimace as screams of townsponies could still be heard outside.

"Applejack..." Twilight said to the cowpony after wiping sweat from her brow, "Blow out the candle...darkness is our only ally right now..."

Applejack nodded, and trotted slowly towards the lone candle in the middle of the room. Fluttershy leaped forward and blocked A.J.'s path in an instant; the usually timid pony was growling, "NO! NO DARKNESS!"

"Fluttershy, ah..." Applejack backed away a tad before Shadow Breeze was beside his marefriend, wrapping a comforting hoof around her, "It's okay, Fluttershy. We can leave it on..." He looked over at Twilight. "Right, Twi?"

Twilight sighed, "I suppose there's no harm in it..."

Fluttershy smiled and nuzzled up against Shadow Breeze, thanking him by whispering in his ear.

"Twilight..." Rarity said from her corner of the room, where she was still rubbing the back of a disheartened Sweetie Belle, "What in Equestria has come over the ponies in this town? All hay has broken loose, it seems!"

"It's an evil spirit called the Nightmare. It used to be a part of Princess Luna all those years ago at the Summer Sun Celebration." Twilight took a seat in a chair near the lit candle. "It can take control of ponies and mutate them to look like Nightmare Moon." She gulped, "And it's here to destroy Blazing Dawn and Rainbow Dash because they are screwing up it's powers. It's turning the town inside-out trying to find them, it sounds like." Twilight finished by wincing to the sound of a screaming mare outside.

"So, it can take control of ANYPONY?" Pinkie Pie asked, clearly puzzled.

"Yes." Twilight nodded solemnly, "Thankfully, one at a time." Twilight sighed, "We need to stay here and wait it out until morning, then we can send for help."

"Can't spike just send a letter ta' the princesses, sugarcube?" Applejack asked with a cocked eye.

Twilight nodded, "Yes, and I am going to do so, but with lockdown in effect, there's nothing even THEY can do...we're on our own..." She gulped, "I just hope Rainbow and Blaze are okay..."

Suddenly, violent thudding on the door to the library sounded across the room. Everypony gasped, and Twilight turned towards everypony and held a forehoof up to her mouth to quiet them. A.J. and Rarity had to clamp hooves over their siblings' muzzles to quiet them and keep them from screaming.

Everything was quiet for a moment, save the screaming, when a familiar voice rang through the door. "Hey, egghead! Let us in, Twi! We're sitting ducks out here!"

Everypony inside breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Twilight opened the door with her magic and quickly ushered in Rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn, along with Papyrus inside and slammed the door shut the moment they stepped hoof into the library.

"Oh, awesome!" Rainbow smiled. "You guys are all here! Thank Celestia!"

"Ya'll were worried about us?" Applejack shook her head, unable to stop smiling at the fact her friend was okay. "We were plum worried sick about you an' Blaze!"

Everypony else greeted them as well with similar sighs of relief. Blazing Dawn looked over at Applebloom and smiled. Applebloom looked down at the floor when their eyes met, clearly embarrassed still about their awkward moment near the forest.

Papyrus trotted on over, tightly hugging Applejack, enjoying it before gently whispering in her ear, "Are you and Applebloom holding up?"

Her eyes darted away from him momentarily, " 'Ah am, but Applebloom's worryin' me. She won' answer me or talk ta me. Jus' staring out that window...fearin' for Big Mac." Applejack rambled, tears beginning to well in her eyes.

Papyrus felt bold and kissed her on the lips, "Don't you dare be acting all wishy washy!" He whispered in her ear, "The A.J. I know is a strong mare and she doesn't back down for anypony...well, except me, that is..." He added with a sheepish smile.

She smiled back at him and kissed Papyrus back gently on the lips, "Ya'll right, Papyrus...we all gotta stay strong...if'n we can't rely on each otha', than who can we rely on?" She questioned, her confident grin back on display.

The two hugged each other tightly as Blazing Dawn slowly walked over to Applebloom, who was still looking down at the floor. Blaze frowned and felt pity for the poor cowpony's condition. Her mane was ruffled, and it was apparent that she didn't have time to grab her hat when they retreated from their home.

"Um..." Blazing Dawn gulped before looking down and off to the side and asking, "You...you doing alright, Applebloom?"

Applebloom looked up and nodded. "Yeah...ah'm fine..."

"Good. I'm...I'm glad." Blazing Dawn narrowed his eyes and smiled awkwardly. This caused Applebloom to raise a forehoof to her mouth and giggle.

"You and Sweetie Belle are here..." Blaze looked over at his Unicorn friend before looking back at Applebloom. "Scootaloo?"

Applebloom shook her head, "That's somepony else ah'm worried about...'sides Big Macintosh..."

"Applebloom..." Blazing Dawn sighed sadly before moving froward and embracing her in a protective hug. "I'm sure Scoots is fending for herself..."

Applebloom again found herself blushing at the very touch of Blazing Dawn. She shook her head as they parted from their hug, trying to chase away the feeling.

Twilight cleared her throat before addressing everypony in the room with a serious expression, "Now that the Nightmare's targets are here..." She began slowly, "Their job is to stay here hidden and protected by us until the morning, when we can consult the Princesses on what to do..." She explained straight to the point.

The room remained silent for several minutes as everypony let the information dig in before Fluttershy broke the tense silence, "What about all of our other friends? We can't just leave them out there at...at that thing's mercy!"

"Fluttershy has a point..." Papyrus said, growling, "What about Blue Arrow? And Lunar Eclipse?"

"It's too risky to leave..." Twilight shook her head, "The Nightmare could've take either of them over by now..."

This statement sent a chill down the spine of everypony in the room, and it grew uncomfortably quiet again.

"It can take over Lunar?" Blazing Dawn asked, shocked.

"I'm inclined to believe it can...it is nighttime, Blaze..." Twilight responded.

Blazing Dawn gulped and trotted over to his mother Rainbow Dash, who wrapped a forehoof around him.

"No pony, under any circumstances, is to leave or peek out of openings." She started pacing in front of the group, "You must all stay quiet. And if somepony knocks on the door, do not open it unless it is my brother." She nodded and smiled slightly, "We can trust him."

"What if he's...taken over, darling?" Rarity asked, raising an eye.

"I'll be able to tell, Rarity..." Twilight smirked, "He is my B.B.B.F.F., after all..."

There was a quiet murmur of agreement throughout the room, with Blazing Dawn asking what in the hay B.B.B.F.F. stood for.

"Again..." She nodded sternly to everypony, "Do not let anypony in. Now..." She trotted over to her desk, "I suggest you all get some rest. Don't go to sleep. We all need to be awake."

"I'll go upstairs..." Papyrus said from beside A.J. "And take watch from the balcony." He waved a hoof at Twilight after she shot him a questioning glance, "Relax, I won't be seen..."

Twilight sighed and nodded, gesturing for him to go upstairs. Papyrus nodded and flew swiftly and quietly up the stairs.

"Twilight..." Spike, the bigger dragon, entered with a quill and a parchment, "Here's the stuff you wanted...to write a help letter..."

"Thanks, Spike..." She took the items with magic, "Go upstairs and help Papyrus keep watch..."

"Alright." The dragon silently walked up the stairs after the silent Pegasus.

One by one, the denizens of the room started hunkering down around the single lit candle in the middle of the room. Fluttershy and Shadow Breeze were cuddling in a corner, Rarity and Sweetie Belle picked up a book from Twilight's shelf, one of the Daring Do books, and began to read to get their minds of their situation. Applejack and Applebloom found a blanket from the couch and spread it out, laying down on it near the candle. Pinkie Pie, unable to stop bouncing, had to be pulled down by the tail by A.J, who then shrugged and hunkered down on the blanket as well. Rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn were huddling near the boarded up window, listening as the screams of chaos started dying away to near silence.

Rainbow looked down at her son off to her side. He was staring into space, and looking very disheartened and scared. She was puzzled. She'd never seen him this way before

"Blaze..." Rainbow Dash nuzzled her son, "We'll be okay. There's nothing to worry about." He looked over at his mom's magenta eyes and she smiled back at him, "We will be safe, I promise."

"I've..." Blaze started to talk quietly, but stopped, gulped, shuddered, and continued, "I've never been so genuinely scared for my life before, Mom..." Blazing Dawn said sadly, sniffing.

Rainbow gasped quietly. She was right. Her son was terrified. She could feel it. Perhaps it was her mother's intuition talking.

"Why is it scary, hun?" Rainbow asked gently. Applebloom, who was huddled down nearby, turned her head and looked over at Rainbow and her son as they talked.

"It's...different..." Blaze responded, shuddering, "Because I could be killed by...by Aunty Twi...Uncle Armor...or..." He tried to lower his voice, but Applebloom still heard what he said...

"Applebloom..."

Applebloom sniffed sadly. She felt bad that the strong-willed alicorn she had known her whole life had feelings that were finally bubbling to the surface.

"I...I..." He started crying slightly, "I don't know how much more I can take, Mom..."

"I...heh...imagine how your mother feels..." Rainbow Dash smiled and nuzzled her son again, ushering him closer to her. He cuddled up right next to her torso, "Sleep, Blaze. I won't let anything happen to you..."

"I want my dad..."

Rainbow gasped quietly. She looked down at her son, who was burying his muzzle into her fur. She sighed, wrapped a protective wing around him, and laid her head down on the floor as well. A single tear fell from her face.

"I do, too..."

Applebloom stared at Blazing Dawn and his mother for a few moments until they were both asleep. She sniffed and turned, curling up with Applejack near the candlelight.

"Ya'll gonna be okay, sugarcube?" A.J. asked, concerned.

"Ah'll be fine..." She muttered, frowning and staring at the dripping candle, "Ah'm more worried about...them..."

Applejack sighed and nuzzled her sister.

"It'll be alright, sugarcube..."

OCs:

Blue Arrow, Papyrus, and the Red Hooves (c) QTXAdsy

Shadow Breeze (c) AnonJ37

Betrayal

Chapter 5: Betrayal

Only an hour had passed since Twilight had set up a plan of action to guarantee their survival until the morning, when backup would arrive to save everypony. Rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn slept huddled together, Rainbow's wing wrapped around her son like a blanket, keeping him closer to her side. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie slept on their sides, quietly breathing in and out as they peacefully slept. Rarity, Twilight, and Sweetie Belle slept in a tight pack to maintain body heat and uphold a certain level of comfort.

Spike softly smiled from his post by the door at seeing his beloved sleeping so tranquil, until his eyes caught the sad expression Papyrus had. Following the direction of his head, Spike saw what had him feeling down. Applejack was softly rubbing Applebloom's back while her younger sister tossed and turn in her sleep; shivering every now and then. Clearly, it looked like she was having an unpleasant dream.

Turning away from the two Apple sisters, his eyes focused on the candle in the middle of the room. It burned brightly, illuminating the silently ticking clock above. The clock read 2:00 AM
and spike felt glad he had turned off the chime. After all everypony deserves a good night's rest even in the middle of an apocalypse of a nightmare—-A loud knock echoed from the door, startling everypony who wasn't awake. Almost everypony's eyes widened in fear before Blazing Dawn, Applebloom, Fluttershy, and Pinkie attempted to scream-only to have their mouths covered from making any noise.

Papyrus flew down the stairs, drawing his sword at the ready while Spike lengthened his claws, ready to battle anypony who tried to break in.

Twilight quietly walked up to the door and waited for whoever knocked to identify themselves. After a few tense quiet moments, they all heard a familiar voice, "Twily! Are you in there!?" Called the worried voice of Shining Armor.

Everypony sighed in relief, visibly relaxing. Blazing Dawn stood up and walked over to Twilight before saying, "Aunty Twi, I think it's safe to open up." He said. Blazing Dawn floated gently into the air before whispering, "He doesn't sound taken over to me..."

Shining Armor spoke up again from behind the door, "Twilight, Blazing Dawn is right! it's safe out here for now since I took care of...Cadence." His voice almost fell to a whisper the moment his wife's name came to his lips.

"Alright Shining Armor," Twilight begun, "If it really is you, then answer this question: Name all the Elements of Harmony, including the seventh and who has them."

It got quiet for several moments before Shining Armor replied, "The Elements of Harmony are Magic, Laughter, Generosity, Kindness, Honesty, Loyalty, and Love. Magic is Twilight, Pinkie is Laughter, Rarity is Generosity, Fluttershy is Kindness, Applejack is Honesty, Rainbow Dash is Loyalty and Ace was Love, but it can only come out when he comes together with Rainbow Dash, making her the only bearer of the Elements of Harmony to wield two of them simultaneously." He answered curtly.

Twilight audibly sighed in relief, "You got it all right, Shining Armor. Just stand back a bit for me to open the door." She heard him backup and using her magic, she opened the door, only to gasp when a white hoof wrapped tightly around her throat, causing the rest of her friends to gasp in horror.

Shining Armor cackled maniacally and began to transform into the mutated form all the victims of the Nightmare became, "I am no longer 'Shining Armor'," He said in a mocking tone, "I am Nightmare Armor!" His guards also gave up their disguise, transforming back into the dark form Rainbow Dash had been exposed to.

Papyrus had heard enough and rushed at him with his sword, but was surprisingly slapped aside by a simple swipe from Nightmare Armor's other hoof.

Twilight gurgled and gagged as she felt her consciousness slipping in the grasp of her possessed older brother's hoof. 'Nightmare Armor' cackled maniacally before tightening his steel grip further, "I am very thankful that your brother had such an abundant source of energy, making me even more powerful. And now that I've gained this new power, I will take over everypony in Ponyville and put an end to Loyalty and her spa—" Nightmare Armor was interrupted when Rainbow Dash suddenly slammed into his side, sending him crashing into one of Twilight's many bookcases.

"For all that power, you're not very aware, are ya' now?" Rainbow Dash remarked snidely, head turned up in a prideful manner while Twilight caught her breath.

Shakily, Twilight stood to her hooves, tears streaming down her face at the loss of her brother. Nodding her head at the basement door, everypony made quick haste to go downstairs and regroup, Twilight following just behind them.

"Spike!" Twilight cried out hoarsely, "Open the secret exit so we can all slip out of here and buy us more time!" She pleaded to her assistant.

The young dragon nodded in acknowledgement, as he and Papyrus tried to move the heavy boxes that covered the hidden exit. A shrill of terror echoed down into the basement.

"Rarity!" Spike called out in haste as he quickly ran to help.

When Spike reached the stairwell, he understood why she screamed in fear. Nightmare guards were swarming the stairs and attempting to separate Sweetie Belle from Rarity, who would have none of it.

Spike unclenched his claws and jumped over Rarity, swiping a guard across the face and knocking him to the ground. Another guard made an attempt to slice the dragon in half, but failed when a veil of light blue pushed him above the strike. Angling himself mid air, Spike shot back to the ground and toppled the guard before receiving a swift hoof strike across the face, knocking Rarity, Spike, and Sweetie Belle down the stairs.

The three screamed in panic before something soft held them back from impacting the ground. Spike looked behind him and sighed in relief, "Thanks a bunch, Shadow Breeze!" He said earnestly.

Shadow Breeze's face was immediately tinted in a light blush, "Don't worry about it," the stallion replied calmly. Looking over at Fluttershy who stood by the cleared exit way he shouted, "Go on ahead Fluttershy! I'll help them out and we'll catch up when we're done here!"

"But it's no—"

"It doesn't matter, 'Shy! They need all the help they can get and I'm not going to back down when they need it. Please go!"

"I..I.." Fluttershy heaved a deep breath to prevent herself from crying, "Please be safe Shadow Breeze...I love you." The nervous mare said quietly.

"I love you too, Fluttershy." He answered back as he allowed the two ponies and dragon to get up.

Rarity nuzzled her younger sister and pushed her in the direction of the exit, "Go on Sweetie, I got a few mongrels to take care of here."

Sweetie Belle stammered, "B-b-but sister! It's too dangerous!" she pleaded with Rarity.

Her older sister looked away before looking up at the approaching nightmare guards, "There are a lot of things that are dangerous Sweetie Belle, but we have to take risks if we want to maintain peace and order for everypony...now go...I'll catch up with you when I can."

"I don't wan—" Sweetie Belle was interrupted by Twilight as she spoke up from the entrance, "We need to go now, Sweetie Belle! If we stay here any longer things are going to get bad and fast." Sweeite Belle sighed before she trotted over the councilpony. Rarity gave Twilight a thankful nod for her help.

Once everypony got through the tunnel and locked the door and placed all the necessary enhancements, Sweetie Belle could have sworn she heard a large thud behind her as she trotted with the rest of the group.

The group shortly resurfaced just outside of some nearby shrubbery behind the library. They trotted quietly and quickly, making haste towards the town center, only to be horrified by what laid before them. Many residential homes and other buildings had caught fire, debris was falling onto the scorched and ruined streets every now and then. What scared them the most, especially Blazing Dawn, was the bodies of the innocent ponies that laid strewn about the town. Many laid motionless, others tossed slowly as they laid unconscious, wounded in various ways.

"This is horrible...There are so many dead and dying ponies because of the nightmare...so many innocent lives ruined and lost...because of me..." Blazing Dawn thought with a guilt stricken expression as he looked at the ground to avoid looking at the destruction in front of him.

A soft voice pulled him out of his self-loathing, "Honey, we need to keep moving if we wanna get to safety." Rainbow Dash said as she nuzzled her son and began to trot ahead lightly.

Blazing Dawn nodded to himself with grim determination and caught up with the group. They travelled around the large craters, overturned carts, debris, and tons of wreckage, the guards were beginning to catch up to them.

One of them had managed to leave the pack behind and tried to directly attack Rainbow Dash, only to be met with an equal match. He struck her in stomach after leaning in below a hoof strike aimed at his head. She grunted momentarily before redoubling her efforts and struck one her hind legs forward, nailing the guard in the crotch. As he was sent flying, Rainbow Dash quickly rotated on her hind legs, leaned forward and bucked him right below the chain, send him into the wall of a nearby shop that collapsed in on itself from the impact. The purple shroud of energy around the guard dissipated as he fell unconscious.

The moment the guard was down for the count, the whole group set out at a faster pace, aimlessly looking for a place to hide in the hopes of finding potential safety from "Nightmare Armor" and his platoon of possessed guards. Unfortunately, more and more guards started pouring out of alleyways, buildings, and the guards who had been chasing them miles back had finally started to close in on them.

Applejack yelled out to the group as they ran, "Were sittin' ducks here! We need ta' find a safe place ta' hide before we get overrun by these damn guards around us!"

"You're right, Applejack!" Twilight said in agreement before continuing, "And there's just the place for us to find safety!" She yelled back, pointing a hoof a magical shield in off distance, similar to the one Shining Armor had used to protect Canterlot years ago.

Pinkie Pie suddenly gasped while they retreated, "That's Sugar Cube Corner being protected!" She yelled excitedly.

Twilight hummed to her in thought before saying, "Looks like Pumpkin Cake has really brushed up on her training in the time I've been away..." She remarked in astonishment.

"Hurry up!" Rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn shouted in near perfect unison as they brushed past the front of the pack while the guards gained more ground. Fluttershy, still running with the group, was crying out for anypony who was still trustworthy.

Unfortunately, that cry remained unanswered as they were within walking distance of Sugarcube Corner with no sign of survivors willing to group up. Suddenly, Nightmare Armor's guards had managed to surround them in a large circle. One of the guards stepped forward with a smirk on his face.

"So..." The guard said slyly before cackling for a moment, "Why don't you just surrender, hand over Loyalty and her son, and we'll stop all the destruction...just like that..." He held up a hoof and swished it around for emphasis.

Blazing Dawn's horn started to glow fiercely as he took on a battle-ready stance. His mother stood beside him, growling and stamping her hooves on the cobblestone beneath them. Papyrus clenched his teeth and drew his sword, taking to the air, "That's not really fair, you know." He swung it through the air and held it in front of his muzzle, smirking, "Seeing as you'll have to go through me!"

The Nightmare guard that spoke up cackled as the guards surrounding the group of heroes drew their weapons, "Fair enough..."

In an instant, the corrupt guards were upon the group, sinister looking weapons being brandished all the while. Rainbow Dash took to the air and slammed headlong into a guard, sending him flying. She then turned mid-flight and bucked another guard square in the chin. Blazing Dawn was scowling, his horn glowing intensely, as he and Twilight fired blast after blast of magic into the crowd of enemies. Twilight felt a hoof on her tail and mane behind her head. Pinkie Pie had begun spinning her tail, and, to everypony's surprise, and the corrupt guards' horror, Twilight began blasting magic out of her horn at an alarmingly similar rate to that of gatling gun on Earth.

Applejack and papyrus were back to back, Applejack knocking guards out with her strong, dependable hooves, and Papyrus dealing non-fatal blows to the guards' legs and torsos with his sword, careful not not kill any of his brothers in arms. Fluttershy, all the while, was fleeing from any guards that came her way, narrowly avoiding their attacks and somehow causing the guards to run into each other and knock themselves unconscious.

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, surprisingly, were in the fight as well. Sweetie Belle used what offensive magic she knew to halt the progress of guards toward her, and Applebloom was melee, using her strong hooves just as her sister and brother had shown her, to bust enough guard skulls to get by. However, this winning streak did not last. A group of guards cornered her, the leader of whom used a low sweeping kick to knock her down.

"AHHHH! HELP!" Applebloom cried out, covering her head with her forehooves as the guard leader rose his sword to impale the small filly.

"AAAARGH!" Blazing Dawn shouted as he flew forward as fast as his still developing wings could carry him, ramming away the few guards behind the one about to impale Applebloom. Right as the guard began to thrust his sword down at Applebloom, he froze.

Literally.

Blazing Dawn had blasted the corrupt guard with a spell that froze him in a cement-like state.

Nearby, Rainbow Dash had just trampled a guard into submission after landing on him from the air. Hopping off the downed guard, the purple gas dissipated as it did for all the others when they were defeated, she smiled and took to the air again, "Nice job, Blaze! That was awesome!"

Blazing Dawn nodded in his mother's direction before touching down, and helping Applebloom up with his forehooves.

Applebloom smiled, "Thank ya', Bl-"

Before Applebloom could finish, Blazing Dawn was off into the air again, roaring a battle-cry that reminded Rainbow and Applebloom of Ace.

Rainbow looked over at Applebloom to see if she was okay. Upon nodding, both mares jumped back into the fight.

On the other side of the square, Papyrus had just finished off a guard by cutting both of his forehooves. As the gas dissipated from that guard, Papyrus yelled, "I DON'T WANT TO KILL YOU! GAH!"

A corrupt guard surprised Papyrus by jumping on him from behind, wrapping his armored forehooves around Papyrus' throat. Choking, Papyrus rolled off to the side, scraping the guard clinging to his neck off of him. Expertly, Papyrus recovered while the corrupt guard was still stunned and slammed the pommel of his sword right onto the noggin of the corrupt guard, knocking him out and expelling the Nightmare gas.

As the guard returned to normal, the sound of more wings beating behind him prompted Papyrus to turn around and rush at another guard, who expected to have made the flapping noise. However, upon seeing who had touched down on the battlefield, the Red Hoof corporal stopped short, "B-Blue Arrow?"

Blazing Dawn, Rainbow Dash, and everypony else in the fight turned to look in Papyrus' direction, confused as to what was happening. The Red Hoof commander, Blue Arrow stood in the street, his bangs making a shadow over his normally red eyes.

"Commander! Thank Celestia!" Papyrus started to run forward towards his commander. "C'mon! We have to fight off these gua-"

A sound from Blue Arrow made papyrus stop and freeze in terror. That sound was a whisper from Blue Arrow as he slowly looked up, his red eyes glinting in the night air.

A tear streaked down Blue Arrow's aged face as he uttered two words...

"Run, lad..."

With that, Blue Arrow cried out in pain, arching his head backwards. The war vet grew in stature, sprouted a sinister looking horn, and his wings became bat wings. Finally, his eyes snapped open, his red eyes now serpentine. Blue Arrow had become Nightmare Arrow.

"NOOOOOO!" Papyrus roared, tears in his eyes. Lunging forward, he had his sword poised to slice the Nightmare out of his commander.

"BWAHAHA!" Nightmare Arrow laughed before drawing his own sword and lunging at Payprus. Papyrus was trying valiantly to match his former CO blow for blow, but it proved useless. Nightmare Arrow drew upon Blue Arrow's memories of training Papyrus and found gaps in Papyrus' defenses, making deep cuts all over Papyrus' already beaten and winded body. Papyrus didn't falter for a second throughout the futile duel, the intense emotion of losing his CO to the Nightmare fueling his rage, tears streaming from his eyes.

Applejack looked over at Papyrus after she had finished off a guard with a well placed apple-buck kick. She gasped at the wounds Papyrus was sustaining, "Papyrus! Back off! T'ain't worth it, sugarcube!"

Papyrus could not hear her. He was in a blind rage at losing his commander to the corruption . The brave Hoof corporal fought with all his might, despite several critical wounds to his legs and body.

"You bore me, Hoof!" Nightmare Arrow said finally after a few more moments of intense fighting, "I think our little game is over! Hahaha!" To everypony's horror, Nightmare Arrow blasted Papyrus' sword out of his forehoof. Before Papyrus could do anything more, Nightmare Arrow took up his sword and jabbed it straight under Papyrus' left wing. Papyrus cried out in pain as blood gushed out of the wound. Nightmare Arrow cackled, withdrew the sword, and back-hoofed Papyrus a good distance away.

Applejack cried out in terror as Papyrus slammed hard on the hard cement ground. Applejack sprinted over to Nightmare Arrow, who had risen his partner's blood-stained sword up and was about to finish off the poor Hoof corporal. Applejack landed right in front of Nightmare Arrow as he was about to jab the sword down, whirled around, and gave her all into the most powerful buck she had done all day. There was a cracking noise, followed by Nightmare Arrow flying through the air, doing about three flips in-flight, and slamming through a merchant street cart that somepony had left behind.

Applejack ran back to Papyrus and lifted his head up her forehooves. He coughed out some blood and looked up at her, tears still streaming down his face. "A-Applejack...?"

"Look at me, Papyrus!" Applejack stroked his mane, "Yer gonna make it, don't worry!"

The group facing the guards were gaining the upper hoof, as many of the corrupt guards that ambushed them at this point had either run away or were unconscious and free of the Nightmare's spell.

"Hey! Whoever is in Sugar Cube Corner!" Twilight shouted at the building after blasting some magic at some retreating guards to make sure they didn't come back, "Pumpkin Cake? Is that you! Lower the shield please! The guards are gone!"

A small, timid female voice resounded from the Ponyville eatery that surprised everypony. "Is...is that Twilight Sparkle?"

"Yes, Pumpkin Cake!" Twilight answered, looking around as everypony gathered around the shield barrier.

"Twilight!" Pumpkin Cake's orange mane suddenly appeared in the doorway with a small smile, "I'm so glad you're okay! But..." She looked down. "I...I just can't lower the shield!"

"Oh, yes you can!" Blazing Dawn shouted from his spot next to him mother, who nodded desperately.

"Twilight!"

Everypony turned and was alarmed to see Applejack and Papyrus still on the street, Papyrus laying in a pool of his own blood, but still alive. Applejack was in tears, "He's dying!"

"Pumpkin Cake! Please, you must understand!" Twilight urged, "We have a wounded stallion!"

Pumpkin Cake hesitated, turned around and spoke to somepony behind her, then turned back and nodded, "Okay, but hurry inside, quick! They could come back at any time!"

The shield was lowered, and Rainbow Dash and Pound Cake, the tan Pegasus who Pumpkin Cake was talking to, began ushering everypony inside. Out on the street, Applejack was trying to get the mortally wounded Papyrus on her back to carry him to safety. As she tried to make her way to the safety of the restaurant, the distorted cried of more guards on the way could be heard coming from all directions, and to everypony's horror, the wreckage of the cart Nightmare Arrow had been flung into started to move.

He was still conscious and under the Nightmare's spell.

Twilight and Rainbow had just ushered Sweetie Belle inside past Pound Cake when Blazing Dawn, who was walking Applebloom inside, turned and saw the wreckage move, "CUD!" He swore loudly, pointing a hoof at the wreckage as more started to fly off, "We gotta get them inside, NOW!" Without thinking, Blazing Dawn, Applebloom, and Pound Cake rushed out to Applejack and supported Papyrus' limbs so that Applejack could walk faster.

Applejack grit her teeth tightly together, "NO! Grrr, ya'll go on! Ah...ah can do this!"

"We'll get you out of here!" Pound Cake barked, steadily walking along next to Applejack, looking behind him in alarm at the oncoming group of guards and Nightmare Arrows' recovery.

"Hang on, Papyrus!" Blazing Dawn barked at the injured Hoof, who was slipping, "We're almost there!"

"C'mon!" Rainbow Dash yelled at the front door, waving a hoof. Twilight, next to her, gasped in horror, tears filling her eyes, "Here they come!"

Sure enough, an even larger group of corrupt guards were galloping and flying down the road, weapons drawn, being led by Nightmare Armor himself, smirking evilly. To Blazing Dawn's, Applebloom's, and Pound Cake's alarm, the wreckage around Nightmare Arrow exploded and the corrupt Hoof commander rose up, cracking his neck and drawing his sword, glaring at the group as they tried to rush Papyrus inside.

"CUD!" Blazing Dawn swore again, fluttering his wings to get some momentum forward.

"Guys..." Papyrus whispered faintly, surprising everypony who was helping him, "G-go...leave me...I...I can m-manage..."

"NO!" Applejack growled, tears staining her face as the armies of the Nightmare entered the square, "Ah won't leave ya'll behind to be corrupted or killed!"

The legions of guards were bearing down on them. Any minute now, they would be upon them, and it would be too late to put the shield back up.

Twilight and Pinkie Pie leaped down from the steps and repeated the Twilight minigun move from earlier, Pinkie spinning Twilight's tail faster than ever before, and Twilight taking down as much guards as she could as they made their approach. This caught the corrupt guards, Nightmare Arrow, and Nightmare Armor off guard and caused them to take cover behind various wreckage. This gave Rainbow Dash ample time to zip through the air, land next to the group trying to get Papyrus inside, and lend a hoof. They were almost there.

It wasn't long before Nightmare Armor roared, leaped out from behind his cover behind some wreckage of a park bench, and swung his sword at Pinkie and Twilight. Fortunately, the two mares were able to escape inside.

The guards, now free from the magical onslaught of Twilight and Pinkie Pie, now started charging towards the group that was almost inside.

Pound Cake and Rainbow Dash realized they couldn't do any more and fly back inside. Rainbow stopped short, and turned, yelling, "BLAZE! IT'S NO USE! C'MON!"

Blazing Dawn sighed and blinked away a few tears as he struggled to get the wounded Hoof and his heavy armor inside. He knew his mother was right. He looked at Applejack, who nodded, a smile on her face, tears welling in her eyes.

"C'mon, Applebloom!" Blazing Dawn grabbed Applebloom by a forehoof and tugging at her as he took to the air, glancing at the advancing group of guards. "We have to go! Now!"

"NO!" Applebloom tried to break free of Blaze's grip as he pulled her towards Sugar Cube Corner. "NO! Mah sister! AH CAN'T LEAVE HER!"

Applejack stopped, looked up at her sister, and smiled, tears streaming down her face, "Stay safe, ya' hear?"

Those were her last words to her little sister as Pumpkin Cake rose the shield again and Papyrus and Applejack were instantly surrounded by corrupt guards. Everything seemed to go by in slow motion as Blazing Dawn struggled to drag Applebloom inside, and as Rainbow Dash grabbed onto the filly as well and helped her son pull her inside. The last thing Applebloom saw before Pound Cake shut the door was Applejack's trademark cowpony hat getting flung out of the group of corrupt guards.

"NOOOO! No no no!" Applebloom, now realizing she couldn't save her sister, turned and buried her face into Blazing Dawn's chest, who, in turn, fell down from exhaustion from the fight and from helping Applejack. Lyra, the town harpist who had survived, and Mr. Cake immediately rushed up with water for the tired colt, who was flushed a dark red.

Applebloom was still crying, shaking her head as her tears stained Blazing Dawn's dark blue fur.

Twilight walked up beside Rainbow Dash and sighed, shaking her head at the sight and broke down and started crying herself at the loss of her brother. Fluttershy broke down and started crying at Shadow Breeze's sacrifice, and Pinkie offered her comfort. Sweetie Belle stood in a corner, shivering from everything that had transpired. Rainbow, in turn, walked to the window and looked outside.

Nightmare Armor stood outside the shield, a smirk on his face, staring at Rainbow Dash. He put a hoof up on the shield as he was flanked by the newly corrupted ponies who had fallen. Tears came to Rainbow's eyes herself when she saw Nightmare Jack, Nightmare Rarity, and Nightmare Spike arrive, their eyes serpentine and wings and horns on their bodies. She was even more alarmed to see Nightmare Arrow arrive brandishing a sword along with Nightmare Papyrus, grinning evilly. Nightmare Breeze showed up, too, grinning evilly like the rest of them. Rainbow turned to make sure Fluttershy wasn't looking.

Suddenly, Nightmare Armor spoke up, "YOU CANNOT RUN FOREVER, LOYALTY! ONE BY ONE, YOUR FRIENDS SHALL FALL, AND THERE WILL BE NO PONY LEFT TO HIDE YOU! BWAHAHA!"

All the corrupt ponies in the square started laughing with Nightmare Armor. Rainbow couldn't take it anymore. She growled, slammed the window shutters shut, and trotted over to her son, who was chugging the glass of water Lyra had given him.

She kneeled down next to him and heaved a heavy sigh, holding back the tears. She nuzzled her son lovingly before looking up at the clock the Cakes had in their restaurant.

It read three in the morning.

Unknown to the Element of Loyalty, the nightmare had just begun.

OCs:

Blue Arrow, Papyrus, and the Red Hooves (c) QTXAdsy

Shadow Breeze (c) AnonJ17

The Odds Grow Slim

Chapter 6: The Odds Grow Slim

Night still engulfed the peaceful nation of Equestria. Unlike the other small towns that dotted the countryside, the town of Ponyville lit up the night, the luminance emerging from the various fires that burned in the town. Death and destruction were abound in the town under lockdown as corrupt ponies, shells of their former selves, roamed the streets and flew in the sky. The guards at the blockades leading out of town were ever vigilant, not letting anypony in or out. Fear was common amongst their ranks, as contact with their commanding officer had been lost for a few hours.

The large purple shield around Sugar Cube Corner still stood strong in the town square. The crowd of corrupt ponies around the Corner had thinned out greatly over the past hour, but the ones that remained were on careful watch, Nightmare Armor still grinning toothily, staring at the doorway, where Blazing Dawn and Pound Cake kept an eye on the ponies outside.

The clock on Town Hall now read four in the morning and the group of heroes had been holed up inside Sugar Cube Corner since their arrival an hour ago.

Blazing Dawn’s group had managed to escape the disaster at Twilight’s library, but not without tremendous loss. Blazing Dawn led his mother, Rainbow Dash, and most of their friends to safety at Sugar Cube Corner. They joined the Cakes and another group of survivors inside. These survivors included the Cakes and their twins, Lyra, the town harpist, Derpy Hooves and her Unicorn daughter Dinky, Doctor Whooves, the town time-keeper, and, to Rainbow Dash’s delight and relief, her friend from the weather team and the Wonderbolts, Lightning Flash, still in his Wonderbolts garb from work.

“It was...horrifying...” Lyra, the aquamarine mare with a lyre for a cutie mark, said, holding her muzzle in her forehooves. “Bon Bon and I were just...just watching a movie when our neighbor Colgate broke in and...and leaped on top of Bon Bon.” Tears started welling in her eyes. “Before I could do anything else, evil ponies that looked like royal guards came in after her and...” She sniffed sadly. “I escaped, but...I saw Bon Bon getting...taken over....” Lyra finally bursts into tears. “My b-best friend!”

Blazing Dawn exchanged sorrowful looks with Pound Cake at the door before the young alicorn strode forward, folding his wings, and put a forehoof on Lyra’s shoulder, who looked up hopefully.

“Lyra, it’s okay...” He gave a small smile at the harpist. “We’ll all get out of this.” Upon seeing Lyra start to feel better and smile back, Blazing Dawn winked. “Bon Bon’s not dead, just not in her right mind. She’ll be fine once we defeat Nightmare.”

“T-Thank you, Blaze...” Lyra sniffed before exhaling, calming down, and sitting upright. “You are becoming a good colt, just like your father.”

Ignoring that last part, Blazing Dawn turned to the rest of the ponies in the room and, with a face of nothing but bravery and determination, he began to address them all. Rainbow Dash looked on from the stairway with pride in her magenta eyes, proud that her son was showing such courage in this bad situation.

“We can all get through this, everypony...” Blazing Dawn’s golden eyes met those of Derpy’s yellow eyes as she and her daughter huddled in a corner. The alicorn flapped his wings and turned around, looking at everypony in the room. “Dawn is in a few short hours at six. Then, we can send for help past the barricades when the lockdown is lifted.”

Doctor Whooves nodded, “I agree.” He looked around at everypony. “As long as Pumpkin Cake can keep that bloody shield up, we should be fine.”

There was a whimper, and Pinkie Pie bounced over to the source, Fluttershy, who was cowering in a corner, still rocked by the loss of Shadow Breeze. As Pinkie started comforting the yellow mare with a smile on her face, Blazing Dawn was happy to know that Pinkie was still there to make everypony happy.

Lightning Flash growled and stomped the floor, startling everypony, “This is ridiculous, man! We should just go out and run the nearest barricade!” He smiled evilly. “I AM a Wonderbolt, after all!”

“No!” Twilight suddenly perked up from the chair she was slumped in. “It’s too risky!” She jumped off the chair and trotted briskly up to the confident Wonderbolt. “All guards’ orders under lockdown are to kill anypony they see on sight! You’ll never make it!”

“Says you!” Lightning Flash protested, frowning. “Rainbow and I could make a run to Canterlot and be back before you know it!” He gestured over to the flying cyan mare, who smiled and shook her head. “We’re the fastest around!” Lightning concluded confidently.

Rainbow couldn’t help but chuckle at her old friend’s inflated ego. “Ordinarily, I’d totally agree with you, Flash.” She flew forward. “But I’m gonna side with the egghead this time. I mean, it’s just for two more hours, right?” She said, looking around, asking nopony in particular.

The various ponies around the room nodded in agreement, slow smiles of confidence growing on their faces as the thought of the shield protecting them sunk in. They were confident that no corrupt ponies could get in.

Everypony casually spread out again as the conversation ended and the tenseness of the situation calmed down. Derpy and Doctor Whooves were comforting Dinky and Sweetie Belle behind the counter, encouraging them to go to sleep. Pinkie still comforted Fluttershy, while Lightning Flash stood by, watching with sadness in his eyes. Rainbow and Twilight discussed extra protection and ponies keeping watch, while Blazing Dawn approached Applebloom.

Blazing Dawn’s throat clogged up with emotion as he saw Applebloom, the mare he had loved since childhood, holding her hat in front of her face, tears dripping off her muzzle as she stared at it.

“The hat reminds you of Applejack...?” Blazing Dawn finally spoke up, causing Applebloom to sniff suddenly and look up, her orange eyes wide with sadness. Blazing Dawn took another step forward. “Why?”

“Ya’ll remember Winter Wrap-Up three years ago?” Applebloom chuckled slightly as she recalled the disastrous event, as Blazing Dawn had finally been allowed to participate. “Well, since ah was in charge of...of snow removal.” She looked at Blazing Dawn. “The only job that didn’t go wrong because of a certain somepony...”

Blazing Dawn rolled his eyes with a small smile. As much as he hated to recall that horrific Winter Wrap-Up, he let Applebloom have that one, as it seemed to be making her feel better.

“Mah sister gave me this here hat ‘cause ah did such a good job and saved the rest of the jobs...” She slowly sat down on her haunches, still staring at the hat. She started crying again without so muvch as another word.

Blazing Dawn, without really thinking, slowly settled down next to the yellow mare he loved. He tenderly wrapped a loving hoof around the mare he kissed on the spur of the moment.

“It’ll be okay, ‘Bloom...”

Applebloom was shocked to hear Blazing Dawn call her by a pet name. She blushed, nuzzling his hoof, closing her eyes and taking comfort in his company. She gasped suddenly, her blushed disappeared, and she was reminded of who was comforting her. She quickly pushed thoughts of her and the alicorn together as Blazing Dawn looked out of a nearby window at the night sky.

“Besides...” He smiled. “Lunar Eclipse is probably out there, watching out for us...”

Applebloom nodded, putting the hat back on top of her red mane, smiling. “Yer probably right, Blaze...”

The capital city of Canterlot was dark, the aristocrat ponies sound asleep and blissfully unaware of the nightmare occurring just down the mountain from them. At the Canterlot Royal Castle, Celestia’s tower was dark, the Princess of the Day resting from the hard and stressful day of dealing with the Nightmare’s return. The second highest tower, however, was lit on the top. On the balcony of this tower stood Luna, the Princess of the Night. She stood on her balcony, worriedly looking through a telescope at the flames rising from Ponyville down below.

She stepped back from the telescope after seeing another house burst into flames, gritted her teeth, and started pacing, her thoughts overborne with the safety of the ponies down in Ponyville. “What in Equestria could be going on down there?” She muttered to herself as she paced, occasionally glancing down at the rural town. “Why haven’t we heard anything from Captain Shining Armor? Oh dear...” She sighed and looked through her telescope again. “I certainly hope Lunar can handle the situation and protect Blazing Dawn...”

Suddenly, Luna screamed and reeled back in shock from her telescope, as a large, black, flying figure with big wings crashed down onto the balcony, crushing the telescope and demolishing a portion of the stone railing.

Luna growled and lowered her horn, charging it with magic for a counter attack. It was then she realized the figure wasn’t even trying to attack her.

The figure was the Prince of Death, Lunar Eclipse. He lay on the balcony on his side, panting heavily and bleeding from many wounds that were all over his body.

“Lunar!!!” Luna leaned down and nudged him with her muzzle. “What happened!? What’s going on!?”

“Lockdown...” Lunar mumbled through his pants, his eyes still closed from exhaustion. “Shining Armor...and...guard...corrupt...town...being destroyed...” He shakily rose a hoof and pointed behind him. “Nightmare!” He then collapsed.

The Princess of the Night was about to cry out for help when three more figures came crashing down onto the balcony. Two corrupt Nightmare guards and what looked like one of Nightmare Moon’s Shadowbolts. It was...

“SPITFIRE!?” Luna exclaimed in shock.

The corrupt Wonderbolt Captain rushed forward and slammed her hind legs into the Princess of the Night. Luna skid to a halt, wiped a slight drizzle of blood from her muzzle, and slammed her hooves on the ground, growling. “What in Equestria are you doing!?”

“Nightmare Fire” gave a toothy grin as the two corrupt guards flanked her and drew their weapons. “Princess Luna...” The corrupt Spitfire spoke in a distorted voice. “Truly, I am honored by your presence...”

“Nightmare!” Luna gasped, powering up her horn with magic. “You can’t control more than one pony a time!! Have you amassed followers?!”

The three corrupt ponies looked at each other before bursting into a fit of synchronized laughter. They all turned back to look at Luna before Nightmare Fire simply said, “Shining Armor...”

Luna didn’t need to hear anymore. Luna barked out a fierce battle cry, taking all the corrupt ponies aback, blasting a strange magical spell that impacted one of the two corrupt guards that expelled the corruption instantly, causing him to fly back and fall unconscious. Nightmare Fire and the remaining guard charged Luna. Luna growled and slammed a hoof into the other guard as he leaped forward, blasting him with the same cleansing spell that saved the other guard.

Nightmare Fire, however, rammed into the Princess of the Night, slamming her up against the wall of the castle by the throat.

As they clashed, Nightmare Fire got up in the Princess’ face and growled, “You WILL rejoin with me, Princess!”

“I DO NOT THINK SO!” Luna recoiled, charging up her horn and struggling to aim it down at the corrupt Wonderbolt. The corrupt flight team captain could only scream briefly before the same spell impacted her, sending her flying against the railing and knocking her out, expelling the corruption.

The brief fight over, Luna panted heavily, looking down at the rural town of Ponyville in horror, her eyes wide, She whirled around and ran over to the body of Lunar Eclipse, the Prince of Death coughing out large amounts of blood and barely hanging onto his immortal life.

Blood began to pool around the pitch black alicorn as he lay on Luna’s balcony, struggling to get up. Tears came to Luna’s eyes as Lunar’s eyes flickered open weakly. “Luna...” He coughed up more blood. It was clear he was choking on it.

Luna whimpered. “Lunar! Please, look at me! Stay with me!” She desperately tried to keep his attention rapt.

The dying alicorn smiled toothily up at her, panting heavily. “It’s...it’s okay...”

“How can you being okay when you are bleeding all over!?” The Princess of the Night barked in disbelief.

It was at this point that her guards who were stationed outside of her tower rushed in, shocked at the scene before them. Luna narrowed her watering eyes. “Don’t just stand there! Go get a medic! NOW!”

“Yes, Your Highness!” They both said simultaneously before running back into the castle.

“Luna...” Lunar coughed weakly as Luna leaned down to him. “Luna...you have to...to save Blazing Dawn...” His eyes flickered shut momentarily, then snapped open again after he inhaled deeply. “Don’t worry about me...”

“I am worried about you! You are bleeding all over! I’m not leaving yo-UMPH!”

Lunar suddenly mustered all the strength he had left, leaned up and pressed his lips onto Luna’s. She widened her eyes in shock at first, but then turned red and closed her eyes, kissing the injured Prince of Death back.

Lunar finally lost his strength and fell back down onto the floor.

“I...I love you, Luna...”

Luna gasped and smiled slightly, her face a bright red. “I love you, too...”

“Go...” Lunar coughed. “Save...Blazing...Dawn...and the...town...ugh...”

Lunar’s head rolled off to the side. The Prince of Death had fainted from loss of blood.

Luna stared teary-eyes at the Prince’s limp body before she stood up, turned around, and stared down at Ponyville. Another building burst into flames, she spread her wings, and took off into the air, instantly disappearing into the night sky as the medic ponies emerged onto her balcony, taking all the unconscious ponies inside.

Sugar Cube Corner was still surrounded by Pumpkin Cake’s protective shield, with various corrupt ponies still outside, skulking around. Watching these corrupt ponies from the doorway was Blazing Dawn and Pound Cake, shuddering when Nightmare Arrow brandished his sword and grinned evilly at the two colts.

The two colts were silent as they kept watch. Suddenly, Pound Cake broke the silence.

“So, Blaze...” The tan colt said nonchalantly, brandishing his wings. “How’ve you been?”

Blazing Dawn sighed and chuckled, shaking his head. “Oh, Pound Cake, I’ve been just dandy!” He said sarcastically.

Pound Cake, he eyes still locked on the road, nodded understandingly. “Well, this devastation is just dandy...” He looked over at a confused Blazing Dawn and smiled. “To quote you.”

The two colts shared a laugh for a moment, before they fell silent again, watching the road. Pound Cake cleared his throat before passing the floor and asking, “So, uh...you still like Applebloom?”

Blazing Dawn’s mane almost stood on end when Pound Cake said that. Going to school with Blazing Dawn his whole life, Pound Cake knew of his liking for Applebloom. Blazing Dawn was hoping that Pound Cake had forgotten.

“We...um...” Blazing Dawn gulped, blushing a little. “Well, I’m happy she’s okay if that’s what you’re asking...”

Pound Cake chuckled and rolled his eyes, “No, no. I meant-”

The son of the Cakes was cut off by a shrill scream coming from the storage area near the back of the store.

The scream awoke everypony who was asleep. Blazing Dawn and Pound Cake turned around to see Fluttershy, still screaming, fly out of the storage room and slam into Rainbow Dash, who had just flown down the stairs to see what was going on. Fluttershy was shaking uncontrollably.

“What’s going on, Fluttershy!?” Lightning Flash asked, leaping to his hooves from the corner he was sleeping in.

The yellow mare, who Rainbow Dash was trying to hold to stop her from stuttering, shakily pointed a hoof towards the back room where she had flown from. “I-I-I h-heard something...”

Blazing Dawn narrowed his eyes, quickly scanned the room, and accounted everypony. “Everypony is here!” Blazing Dawn’s horn glowed intensely and he spread his wings. “It’s somepony else!” He growled, and took off, flying into the storage room, ready to attack.

He reeled back in shock and almost crashed into some stacked boxes when he saw who made the noise. “SCOOTALOO!”

It was true. The orange filly was cowering in a corner. Upon hearing Blazing Dawn’s voice, she leaped up and flew forward, slamming into her alicorn friend.

Upon hearing Blazing Dawn yell Scooaloo’s name, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle gave each other big smiles, then galloped into storage and dog-piled on top of Blazing Dawn and Scootaloo out of joy.

“Ah can't believe it!” Applebloom yelled out of joy. “Ah thought you were a goner!”

“Yeah, Scoots!” Sweetie Belle said, her eyes full of tears of joy. “We thought you were corrupt!”

Scootaloo smiled weakly, still trying to take in her friends all tackling her at once. “C’mon guys! You know me!”

Blazing Dawn eventually pulled himself out from their joyful reunion and and galloped back into the main room, where everypony was alarmed at the sounds coming from the storage. Upon seeing the young alicorn’s smile, Rainbow Dash cocked her head. “What in Equestria happened, Bazling Dawn? Why are you smiling?”

“We found Scootaloo!” Blazing Dawn was beside himself with joy. “She’s okay!” Behind him, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom brought the orange filly out of the back room.

Twilight lowered her horn defensively, “Is she infected!?”

Everypony’s expression instantly turned from that of joy to that of alarm. Everypony took on a defensive stance. Even Applebloom and Scootaloo started to inch away from Scootaloo. Blazing Dawn was the only one who didn’t move. He frowned. “Hey...c’mon, guys! I’m sure there’s an explanation!” He turned. “Right, Scoots?”

The orange filly nodded furiously. “Yeah! I took shelter in the food storage room when the Nightmare attacked!” She looked around at everypony. “I swear! I’m clean!”

“It’s true, silly fillies!” Pinkie said, bouncing down the stairs. “If she were evil, she would’ve attacked us by now!”

Twilight was still skeptical as she advanced towards Scooaloo, her eyes narrowed and her horn glowing.

Doctor Whooves spoke up. “Hey now, Twilight! I’m sure the lass isn’t corrupt! Let’s not do anything hasty!”

“Yeah!” Blazing Dawn stood in Twilight’s way. “Aunty Twi, she’s clean!”

Twilight stopped directly in front of the young alicorn, whose eyes were narrowed and glowed brightly, ready to defend his friend. Twilight’s eyes were darting from Blazing Dawn to Scootaloo. After a tense moment, Twilight’s horn stopped glowing and she smiled. She walked past Blazing Dawn and ruffled Scootaloo’s mane. “I’m sorry, Scootaloo...”

Scootaloo smiled and hugged hugged Twilight. “Thanks. I’m glad that Sugar Cube Corner is protected...” She released the purple Unicorn. “And that all my friends are here...” She looked at all her friends, who instantly surrounded her and hugged her again.

As everypony settled down and returned to where they were before Scootaloo was found. Rainboiw Dash appraoched the group of friends, acknowledged Scootaloo and gave her a quick hug, and then pulled Blazing Dawn aside.

“Go rest in the kitchen, Blaze.” Rainbow Dash pulled her son into a hug. “I’m worried about you.”

“Mooom...” Blazing Dawn pulled away and smiled. “I’m fine, I can stay up.”

“No, if the Nightmare manages to break through, I want you to be rested.” She smiled and ruffled her son’s mane. “It’s only two more hours before dawn.”

Blazing Dawn shook his head, getting her spiky mane back where he wanted it. “I...I just wish I could do more to stop this madness...” Blazing Dawn sighed.

Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes and gave her trademark evil smile. “I wanna go out there and whoop their plots just as much as you do, son. But right now, we wouldn’t stand a chance. AND they are our friends, some of them.” She took to the air, turned her son around, and pushed him into the kitchen. “Rest.”

As the young alicorn walked into the kitchen, Scootaloo, still being prodded by her friends, watched him walk through the double doors. The orange filly smiled and narrowed her eyes, then turned back to her friends.

Fifteen minutes later, the clock in the restaurant reading quarter to five, now found the various ponies inside Sugar Cube Corner resting, Pumpkin Cake still awake and keeping her shield up with her brother at her side on the second floor, while Rainbow Dash and Twilight kept watch upstairs. Blazing Dawn was apart from everypony else, asleep and curled up on the rough tile floor of the kitchen.

The young alicorn was murmuring in his sleep, tossing and turning on the floor. There was a clopping sound on the tile floor near the door which caused the young alicorn to gasp and wake up surprisedly.

Blazing Dawn roared, jumped to his hooves, and feigned a fighting stance facing the door, his horn glowing fiercely with magical energy.

“AGH! Blaze, it’s just me!” The one who had entered was Applebloom, reeling back in shock that Blazing Dawn was that quick to react. “Jeez-a-lou, Blaze! Calm down! It’s just me!”

Blazing Dawn sighed, the magic in his horn disappeared, and he sat down on the floor on his haunches. “I’m...I’m sorry, Applebloom. I’m just really on edge, is all.”

After an awkward moment of Applebloom pawing the floor and Blazing Dawn blushing at her presence, Applebloom finally spoke up. “Can I join you?”

Blazing Dawn’s blush exploded across his face before he looked up and slowly nodded, “Um...um sure, Applebloom...”

Applebloom’s mood suddenly changed. She narrowed her eyes, smiled, and removed her red cowpony hat, resting it on the table. Blazing Dawn’s pupils shrank in surprise and insecurity as Applebloom started walking towards the young alicorn, swaying her flank and tail seductively. Blazing Dawn was starting to become very uncomfortable.

Blazing Dawn could not move, his face bright red, unable to really speak up. “Can it be? Is she finally...no...no, she can’t be...” A flood of conflicted thoughts raced through as Applebloom advanced.

“W-w-w-what are y-you doing, A-Applebloom?!” Blazing Dawn asked, stuttering, finally managing to speak up.

Applebloom tenderly wrapped her forehooves around Blazing Dawn, using one hoof to trace a seductive line on Blazing Dawn’s face. “Ah finally thought about us, Blazing Dawn, an’...an’, well...” She kissed his cheek, causing his face to grow hot. “Ah wanna be with you.”

Blazing Dawn wanted to speak up, but couldn’t, as Applebloom positioned herself on top of Blazing Dawn. Gazing into his golden eyes, which were still small with shock, she leaned forward, closed her eyes, and locked lips with the young alicorn.

Impulsively, despite the disbelief and thoughts of indecency flowing rapidly through his head, wrapped his forehooves around her, closed his eyes as well, and started kissing her back.

The heat between the two ponies on the floor of the kitchen was intense and they continued to make out, their eyes closed, their faces red with lust. As they made out, one of Applebloom’s forehooves slid out from under the young alicorn and rose up towards the kitchen counter nearby and grabbed a steak knife.

As she positioned the knife in her forehoof, her eyes snapped open.

They were serpentine.

Slowly, as she still continued to make out with Blazing Dawn, she rose her hoof high into the air above Blazing Dawn, the young alicorn blissfully taken by Nightmare Bloom’s seductive spell.

A yelp of surprise sounded from the doorway to the kitchen as Doctor Whooves entered, being sent to check up on Blazing Dawn by Rainbow Dash.

Blazing Dawn didn’t care. He was about to score with the love of his life. His eyes remained closed, rubbing his forehooves down her back as Nightmare Bloom was about to stab the knife down onto the unsuspecting alicorn.

“Oh NO, you don’t!” The brown Earth pony roared before galloping forward and ramming Nightmare Bloom off of the surprised alicorn, whose eyes snapped open and, upon seeing the Doctor, snarling, standing above him instead of Applebloom, turned bright red and narrowed his eyes embarrassingly.

“Why’d you have to do that, Doctor!?” Blazing Dawn growled angrily up at the Doctor. “Why’d you knock my marefriend off of me?”

“That’s not your bloody marefriend anymore, mate!” The Earth pony lifted Blaze up and gesturing at the downed Applebloom as she started to mutate, wings sprouting from her body.

Tears came to Blazing Dawn’s eyes, shocked at the event unfolding before him as a horn erupted out of her head. “No...” He fell to his haunches. “NOOO!” He snarled. “How!? How could this happen!?” The tears started flowing like a river as he closed his eyes and slammed his hooves on the floor. “WHY APPLEBLOOM!? I actually thought that...that she liked me for real...”

"Apparently the Nightmare was using that against you!" Doctor Whooves pushed the alicorn back and pawed the ground, getting ready to charge as the corrupt Applebloom stood up, cracked her neck, and brandished the steak knife. “Go warn everypony else! Somepony in here is infected and we need to get out!” He snarled. “I’ll hold her off, mate!”

“But-”

“GO, Blazing Dawn!”

Without looking back, Blazing Dawn took to the air and rocketed out of the kitchen without looking back, but was greeted by a horrible sight in the restaurant.

Scootaloo, it turns out was infected with the Nightmare the whole time. She was mutated, on top of a cowering Lyra, shooting the Nightmare gas into her muzzle. Derpy and Dinky have been infected, were mutated, and had cornered the Cake couple in a corner. An infected Pound Cake was seen slamming a hoof into his sister’s muzzle, knocking her out. The shield dropped and a spine-tingling battle cry was heard from outside the Ponyville eatery as corrupt ponies stormed the restaurant.

Blazing Dawn was struck dumb, hovering in the air, tears flowing from his eyes. Mr. Cake, standing in front of his wife, saw the alicorn hovering there and widened his eyes. “Blazing Dawn! Grab everypony and get out of here! Save yourself! GO!”

Upon Mr. Cake yelling, all the infected turned and charged at Blazing Dawn. Dodging around Lyra as she leaped toward him, he did a small aerial flip and he flew in between a corrupt Derpy and Pound Cake and they swiped at him, flying up the stairs, tears in his eyes the whole way.

On his way down the hall, he heard Rainbow Dash cry out in shock and yell, “Sweetie Belle! NO!”

“Cud!!!” Blazing Dawn swore, bursting into what he assumed was the Cakes’ bedroom. He gasped when he saw an infected Sweetie Belle tackle a crying Fluttershy and laugh horrifically while sending the Nightmare gas up Fluttershy’s muzzle, Fluttershy’s feathery wings crackling and turning into hideous bat wings.

“FLUTTERSHY!!! NOOOOO!!!” Rainbow Dash roared, grabbing Twilight by the forehooves while in the air, and rocketing towards the window, crashing out of it in a shower of glass. “Grab Pinkie and come on, son!” She yelled as she flew out.

Now corrupt, Fluttershy roared, leaping at the crying, young alicorn. Blazing Dawn teleported behind Nightmare Shy just as she was about to get to him, grabbed a cowering Pinkie in a similar fashion. He moved to fly out of the window, but Nightmare Belle extended her Nightmare wings and blocked the window. Blazing Dawn growled, blasted a hole in the wall with his horn, and flew out out of it into the night sky.

“Thanks for the save, Blaze! Oh, look up at the sky! That’s so pretty! Contrasts with the flames down there quite nicely, huh? Huh, Blazing Dawn?” Pinkie droned on from down below as Blazing Dawn tried to gain altitude.

“Shut up, Pinkie!” Blazing Dawn strained to talk as he flew. “I don’t want any guards seeing us-AAARGH!”

A crossbow bolt fired from the crossbow of a corrupt guard from the broken window of Sugar Cube Corner impacted Blazing Dawn’s right wing, sending the young alicorn plummeting towards the ground. He crashed down onto the ground near where his mother had landed, dropping Pinkie too early as he landed. A crack was heard, and Pinkie screamed.

Blazing Dawn groaned shook his head, grunting in pain and looking over at the arrow embedded in his wing.

“BLAZE!” R.D. and Twilight yelled at the same time, galloping over and helping Blaze up. Twilight grabbed the arrow with magic and yanked it out. “ARGH!” Blaze cried out in pain and tried to flutter his wing, but he couldn’t. “I...I can’t move it!”

“The arrow punctured the bone, Blaze. You won’t be able to fly.” Twilight said, looking it over.

“Pinkie’s hurt, too!” Rainbow called from nearby, standing over a downed Pinkie Pie, her mane flat from being in pain. “I think her leg’s broken from the fall!”

As Twilight ran over to help her downed friend, Blazing Dawn turned to see if anypony was following them and gasped. Sugar Cube Corner was overrun, corrupt guards and ponies alike pouring out of the windows and doors of the Ponyville eatery, charging towards them.

“Guys...?” Blazing Dawn growled in pain again as he tried to flap his wing as he turned and started to run. “Mom, Aunty Twi? We have to go!”

“We can’t leave Pinkie, son!” Rainbow yelled, about to bend down and pick up Pinkie when the party mare held up a hoof to stop her rainbow-maned friend, crying from the pain.

“Run...” Pinkie said. “Get Blazing Dawn to safety and run...please...”

The three ponies turned tail and ran, tears in their eyes as Pinkie Pie was overrun by their pursuers behind them, her screams piercing the night.

Rainbow Dash took to the air as Twilight helped the injured Blazing Dawn along the way on the ground. She was desperately looking for a new place for the now dwindling group of survivors to hide for another hour and ten minutes. “I can’t believe we didn’t screen Scootaloo better! Dammit!” Rainbow swore as she noticed a troupe of corrupt flying guards with crossbows bearing down on her son and Twilight down below.

“That’s IT!” Rainbow shouted. “AAAARGH!” She turned to face the guards and roared, a fierce glow surrounding her and causing the guards to stop blindly in their tracks. When the glow dissipated, her Element necklace was around her neck, the only gem present was the gem of Loyalty.

Flying faster than a bullet, she flew down underneath the stunned group of corrupt guards and flanked them, using her necklace to fire blasts of magic at them and expelling the Nightmare, causing them to fall one by one.

“LOYALTY! I WILL DESTROY YOU!” The remaining guards roared before whirling around and chasing after her.

“Twi! Keep my son safe! I’ll keep the skies clear!” Rainbow roared before blasting down a few more and coaxing them away. “C’mon, motherbuckers! Come at me!” Rainbow slammed her hind legs into the chins of two more corrupt guards, felling them.

As Rainbow lured their aerial pursuers away into the night, Twilight and Blazing Dawn galloped around wreckage and through alleyways in an attempt to lose their ground-based pursuers, his wing still giving him pain. As they ran, Blazing Dawn saw visions of the events of the past day, seeing all the ponies, his friends, getting infected or killed or injured, all to protect him, the first alicorn born in hundreds of years.

“STOP!!!!” Blazing Dawn’s train of thought was interrupted by Twilight yelling at him. He obeyed his Aunty Twi’s order and skidded to a halt, wincing in pain as his wing lurched forward.

Blazing Dawn found himself and Twilight in the Town Square, surrounded by corrupt ponies abound. Tears came to Twilight’s and Blaze’s eyes as they saw familiar faces alike in the crowd; Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Papyrus...

It was too much for Blazing Dawn to handle. He slumped down on his haunches and burst into tears again. Nightmare Armor stepped out of the crowd and drew his sword. He smirked, “You lose, alicorn....”

Nightmare Armor whirled his forehoof around in the air, and instantly, the corrupt ponies charged forward.

Blazing Dawn looked down at the ground, tears dripping down onto the ground. “So this is how it ends...” He thought. “It’s over. I’m sorry, Aunty Twi. I’m sorry Ponyville. I’m sorry Mom.” He blinked sadly. “I’m sorry, Applebloom...”

Suddenly, a flash of purple caught the corner of his eye. Looking up, he saw Twilight Sparkle feigning a battle stance in front of him, her Magic headdress on her head, her eyes glowing. Blazing Dawn, to his surprise, felt himself being lifted up into the air by Twilight’s magic.

“Aunty Twi, NO!” Blazing Dawn struggled against her magic. “Not you, too!”

“Stay safe, Blaze...just...” Twilight looked over at the clock tower. It read five in the morning. A single tear falls from her glowing eyes. “Just one more hour.”

“TWIIIIII!!!!” Blazing Dawn yelled before the purple Unicorn’s glowing intensified and he found himself in secluded alleyway.

Twilight had teleported him away.

Scared stiff, he listened intently to the battle Twilight had teleported him away from nearby. He heard Nightmare Armor scream in annoyance, magical laser beams sounded off, he saw Nightmare gas flowing up into the sky after it had been expelled from corrupt ponies.

He gasped when he heard shrill scream.

Twilight’s scream.

And then everything fell silent, the cackling of Nightmare Armor echoing through the silence.

Unable to think about what had just happened properly, he slumped down to the ground, tears streaming from his face, unable to take any more. “WHY?” He managed to gulp between sobs of pain. “Why won’t this NIGHTMARE END!?” He was shaking with instability and uncontrolled sadness.

He heard the flapping of wings near him as a pony touched down next to him. At this point, he didn’t care if it was a corrupt pony anymore. He looked up and gasped.

It was his mother, looking down at him with her teeth clenched, one eye closed, badly beaten and covered in bruises and blood. She was shuddering as well and panting heavily.

Blazing Dawn jumped up and hugged his mother. “MOM!” Tears were still streamed down his face as he hugged her. “Aunty Twi’s gone! Everypony is GONE! Oh mom...”

Rainbow Dash slumped down onto the ground with her son, still hugging him. “We should stay in this alleyway, Blazing Dawn. To stay safe. Argh...” She closed an eye and again and appeared to flinch in pain.

“I can’t take much more, mom...” Blazing Dawn whimpered sadly, burying his face in his mother’s fur. “I just can’t...”

Rainbow Dash reached down and stroked her son’s mane, smiling despite her apparent pain. “It’ll all be over soon...”

As Blazing Dawn snuggled his mother, Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and nuzzled him. “I hope so, mom...”

Rainbow’s eyes snapped open suddenly. Her beautiful magenta eyes were now...

Serpentine.

“Indeed...”

OCs:

Papyrus, Blue Arrow, and the Red Hooves (c) QTXAdsy

Lightning Flash (c) Lightning Flash

Hope

Chapter 7: Hope

(I highly suggest you follow the Youtube link within this chapter when you get to it. Just a heads up.)

Blazing Dawn’s eyes snapped open upon hearing his mother talk, his pupils dilated with fear. Slowly, he turned his tear-stained face upward to look at his mother’s face, praying he wouldn’t see evil lizard eyes where his mother’s normal eyes were.

“No...”

Slowly, Rainbow’s wings rippled and mutated into horrific bat wings, and with a sickening crunch, a horn erupted from Rainbow’s cyan head.

“We meet again, alicorn...” Her normally tomboyish voice now evilly distorted, the Nightmare’s deep, musky bass voice echoing around the alleyway.

“NO!” Blazing Dawn screamed, more tears streaming down his face at the loss of his mother. The alicorn suddenly tried to pry himself from his mother’s previously loving hooves, but Rainbow now had a surprisingly iron grip around her son, not letting him go, and squeezing quite hard.

Roaring, Nightmare Dash picked up the young alicorn, spun him around in the air, and slammed him hard onto the ground, pinning him to the ground. He cried out in pain as his crippled wing received the brunt of the slam.

Blazing Dawn was too shocked to speak. His mother was taken over by the Nightmare. He watched through tear-stained as Rainbow Dash finished her transformation into Nightmare Dash, her element necklace falling to the ground next to him.

The corrupt Rainbow Dash cackled evilly, “Aw...the alicorn is speechless...how quaint...” The Nightmare lowered Rainbow’s head so it was face-to-face with Blazing Dawn, “You are probably wondering why I decided to...take over...Loyalty when my goal was to eliminate her and you...” Her horn started to glow with dark energy, “It still is...” The Nightmare let out a low cackle, “I think dying by the hooves of your own mother will be fitting after all the trouble you caused me, wouldn’t you think? Then, I can devour her soul...slowly...”

Blazing Dawn gasped in horror as he struggled to get away again, but he screamed in pain as Nightmare Dash slammed a hoof down on his forehoof, the dark energy crackling even more.

Slowly, the Nightmare lowered Rainbow’s horn down to Blazing Dawn’s head.

“NOW, ALICORN, YOU WILL DIE! BWAHAHA!!!”

"Ugh..."

Rainbow Dash's eyes fluttered open. She was in a pitch dark room, it looked like, with what appeared to be a circular screen on the far side of the room, around which a spacious cloud of purple gas was swirling.. On the screen, a blue pony was laying on the ground, tears streaming down his face. It was...

"Blazing Dawn?" Dash tried to move, but couldn't. She looked down and found herself floating in the air in an upright position in the middle of a white circle on the ground. Black chains were wrapped tightly around her as she floated there.

"What the hay!?" Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth and tried to break free of the mysterious chains, but to no avail. She grunted in pain as she felt the chains tightened, "What's going on? Twilight? Son! ANYPONY!"

A musky laugh filled the air as the purple cloud flying around in front of the screen with Blazing Dawn on it swirled around in the air and moved over to where Rainbow Dash was suspended in the air. To Rainbow's horror, Nightmare Dash formed from the gas and stared her down, chuckling evilly.

Rainbow gasped. She now understood where she was.

“Get out of my head, Nightmare!” Rainbow barked, struggling some more to get out, but once again, she cried out in pain as the chains tightened around her torso once again.

The evil version of her chuckled and smiled toothily at her, “It’s too late, Loyalty. Your son will be killed...by you.” Nightmare Dash turned around and trotted back towards the screen, “Fitting, no?”

“I thought you wanted to kill me...” Rainbow growled, panting from the intense pain of the squeezing chains, “Not control me...”

“Loyalty, I will slowly devour your soul until you are no more...” Nightmare Dash whirled around and scowled at Rainbow, getting in her face, “AFTER I kill your spawn!”

“NOO!” Rainbow Dash screamed, continuing to struggle against the chains despite the fact the chains were again squeezing harder, “No no no no!” Tears began streaming out of her eyes as she watched her son, on the screen, cowering on the ground as Nightmare Dash’s mutated horn slowly lowered towards his head, “SON! SON! LISTEN TO ME! PLEASE!”

Nightmare Dash chuckled, “It is futile, Loyalty. He cannot hear you."

“Mom?”

The Nightmare whirled around in shock and Rainbow smiled. Blazing Dawn was not cowering any more. He was looking up at the screen in a mixture of confusion and hope.

“WHAT!?” The Nightmare screamed, “IMPOSSIBLE!”

Rainbow smiled and smirked, tears still streaming down her face. She leaned forward in the chains and yelled out at her son.

“Blaze! Listen to me! Please!”

Blazing Dawn was no longer cowering on the ground. He was looking up in surprise at his corrupt mother, whose normal voice had just broken through.

Nightmare Dash grunted as if in pain, shut her eyes, and opened them again.

They were normal.

“Mom!?” Blazing Dawn leaned up slightly, shocked that anypony at all was able to break through the Nightmare’s control.

“S-son...” Rainbow struggled to say. She was gritting her teeth in pain, clearly trying to break through the Nightmare’s iron shackles. “It’s...not...me...” She said, blinking again, her eyes returning to serpentine and again back to normal. “I’m safe...” She smiled at her son. “Just...just fight back...”

“I can’t fight you!” Blazing Dawn cried out at his fading mother.

“You...can do it...AAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!” Her eyes returned to the serpentine corruption of Nightmare’s control. “STOP IT AT ONCE, LOYALTY!”

The Nightmare grunted in pain once more, closing it’s eyes and opening them again, Dash’s eyes now being her normal magenta hue. Tears flowed from her eyes as she looked down at her son, “Fight for all of us! AAAAAAAAARGH....hahahahah...” The Nightmare took control once more of Dash’s body.

Blazing Dawn’s expression of fear slowly turned into a slow smirk after hearing his mother’s words. He grabbed his mother’s element necklace and sat up, his horn glowing with a familiar white energy.

“Futile, Loyalty! Hahaha...now, to finish you o-WHAT!?”

Blazing Dawn was no longer on the ground in front of Nightmare Dash. He was gone.

“WHAT!? DAAAAMNIIIIT!” The Nightmare’s demonic voice reverberated through the alleyway as it cursed at the disappearance of it’s prey, “WHERE’D THAT ALICORN GO!? HE CAN’T TELEPORT!!!”

“I can NOW!”

“WHA-!?”

Before the Nightmare could give a full response, Blazing Dawn came falling down from the rooftop of one of the buildings nearby and landed neatly on the back of Nightmare Dash,

“Surprised, motherbucker!?" Blazing Dawn barked with a smirk, slamming a forehoof hard onto Nightmare Dash’s face.

“ARGH!” The Nightmare gasped in pain as it stumbled out of the alleyway. Blazing Dawn, all the while, was slamming a hoof into Nightmare Dash’s face whenever he could.

“This isn’t my mother...” Blazing Dawn kept telling himself as he pummeled the monstrosity that used to be his mother, “She’s safe...this isn’t my mother...this ISN’T my mother...”

“WHOA!”

Nightmare Dash took to the air. The demon tried it’s best to knock the young alicorn off, doing flips and turns and loops, but Blazing dawn held on, roaring as his injured wing gave him trouble as he held on.

“STILL HANGING ON, ALICORN!?” A now extremely irritated Nightmare Dash barked vehemently,“WELL, HOW ABOUT SOME OF THIS!?”

Diving downward as fast as it’s demonic wings could take it, the Nightmare entered the streets below. As it approached the first corner, the Nightmare angled itself so that Blazing Dawn was aimed at the wall. As the Nightmare took the turn, he cut it pretty close to the wall, slamming the already injured alicorn into it.

“GAH!” Blazing Dawn still managed to hold on, despite the fact that he heard a crunch in his back when he hit the wall, “CUD!”

“WANT SOME MORE!?” The Nightmare cackled, slamming the young alicorn into other walls as the demon rounded more corners.

As Nightmare Dash rounded a corner into the Town Square, Blazing Dawn still holding on. Blazing Dawn, writhing in pain, needed to end this.

“GET OUT OF MY MOTHER’S HEAD!!!” The young alicorn roared, aiming his horn down at the back of the Nightmare’s head, and zapping it with a blast of magical energy.

“AAAARGH!” Nightmare Dash screamed in pain as she barreled downwards towards the Town Square.

The inside of Rainbow Dash’s head felt like an earthquake disaster zone each time Blazing Dawn dealt damage to Nightmare Dash physically. Nightmare Dash was standing in front of the screen on the far wall, growling in frustration, while Rainbow Dash, still chained up and floating in the air, was still struggling to break free.

The whole area vibrated violently whenever the young alicorn slammed his hoof into Nightmare Dash’s skull.

The Nightmare was growling horrifically, “THAT IS IT!” It whirled around and teleported instantly up to the chained up Rainbow Dash, “How can your spawn be this resistant to my power!?”

Rainbow Dash smirked, “My son will end you...”

The Nightmare shot a forehoof forward and grasped Rainbow Dash’s throat, causing her to choke. The chains wrapping up Rainbow Dash dissipated, and the Nightmare lifted the cyan colored mare into the air.

“Not before I end YOU, Loyalty!”

Rainbow’s field of vision slowly began to darken as she began to lose consciousness again. She knew what was going on.

The Nightmare was trying to destroy her soul.

Rainbow struggled to stay awake as the Nightmare’s grip tightened around her throat, “Hurry...ugh...son...”

"AAAAAAARGH!"

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

Both Blazing Dawn and Nightmare Dash crashed hard right in the middle of town square, Blazing Dawn falling off of Nightmare Dash's back, rolling a few times before skidding to a halt several feet away from the corrupt Pegasus. This drew the attention of several Nightmare ponies who were walking around close-by.

"Ugh..." Blazing Dawn shakily got to his hooves, shaking off the dust and blood from wounds he had received from the crash, "AAAARGH!" His injured wing cracked as he straightened himself, crying out in pain. He opened his eyes after the pain receded and gasped, his pupils small with shock. The various corrupt ponies around town had heard the noise and were gathering in the Town Square, grinning evilly and slowly approaching the young alicorn.

"Ha...hahaha...haha...ha..." The alicorn whirled around to see Nightmare Dash getting up and smiling evilly as she was flanked by Nightmare Arrow and Nightmare Papyrus, "It's over, alicorn..."

Blazing Dawn narrowed his eyes in anger, spreading his one good wing, and charging up his horn with a fire attack, "It's not over yet, Nightmare!" He panted heavily, looking at all the corrupt ponies gathering around him. He saw some familiar faces, such as Nightmare Jack and Nightmare Rarity, emerge and feign an attack stance. He gulped, remembered his mother's word that she was safe somehow, then growled, "It's not over until I give up, and I'm done running!"

Nightmare Dash smirked and powered up her horn as well, "Noble, but pointless...there's nopony to help you now..."

"AAAARGH!" Blazing Dawn reared up, swung his hooves, and charged at his corrupt mother, horn crackling with energy.

"GGGRAAAH!" Nightmare Dash reared up and charged at the young alicorn as well.

Blazing Dawn closed his eyes and shouted as Nightmare Dash got closer and closer, bracing himself for impact. Right as they were about to clash, however, a flash of dark blue energy from the sky caused Blazing Dawn to skid to a halt and open his eyes.

"L-Luna?"

The regal Princess Luna stood between Blazing Dawn and Nightmare Dash, clashing her horn with that of Nightmare Dash, both of their horns crackling with energy as they clashed.

Nightmare Dash's serpentine eyes were wide with shock, "Princess Luna? What the-!"

Luna's eyes locked onto Nightmare Dash's eyes and she leaned forward, the magical sparks multiplying in abundance, "Hang on, Rainbow! I'll save you!"

Before Nightmare Dash could say anything else, Luna lurched herself forward and, with a furious battle-cry in the Royal Canterlot voice, zapped Nightmare Dash with a mysterious blue blast of magical energy, causing all the other corrupt ponies to stop their advance and back-up in terror.

Nightmare Dash cried out, fell to the ground, instantly returned to normal, and fell unconscious. Luna smirked, "Get thee hense, demon..."

"MOM!"

Blazing Dawn bolted past Luna towards his downed mother, "Mom?" He nuzzled Rainbow Dash's body, reaching a forehoof down and feeling for her pulse, "Oh, good...she's alive..."

"Of course she is..." Luna approached Blazing Dawn from behind, "Blazing Dawn, thank Equestria you are well."

Blazing Dawn turned around and hugged the alicorn princess tightly, thanking Celestia that somepony finally came to the rescue, "How did you know what was going on? Ponyville is in lockdown!"

"Lunar broke through Shining Armor's barricade..." She responded, "He came to me in Canterlot gravely wounded after escaping this disaster." Upon seeing Blaze's worried expression, Luna grinned, "Do not worry yourself, he should be okay." Luna took a quick look around at the destruction and the corrupt ponies recovering from the scare Luna gave them, "Looks like the Nightmare did a number here..."

Blazing Dawn again extended his one good wing and feigned an attack stance with Luna, "What are we gonna do, your Highness?"

Luna smiled, "I brought some friends..."

With a thunderous flapping of wings and trotting of hooves, the elite guards from the barricades in and out of town flew down from out of the sky and galloped out of alleyways. Weapons drawn, the landed and formed a defensive ring around the two alicorns. The corrupt ponies looked taken aback by this new turn of events as they tried to reposition themselves accordingly.

Blazing Dawn could only smile. He couldn't believe it. The lockdown was lifted and finally somepony in authority knew what was going on.

"Alright, troops!" Luna braked, narrowing her eyes, "We are to protect the alicorn Blazing Dawn at all costs! Do NOT kill anypony! Only knock them out!"

"YES, YOUR HIGHNESS!" The guards responded in a chorus of cheers.

Luna looked down at the young alicorn and smirked, "Did Lunar ever teach you the knockout spell?"

"The what?" Blazing Dawn was confused, "Heh...he only ever taught me spells that were illusions...he never really taught me offensive spells..." He shrugged, "I had to learn those myself."

"The knockout spell is what I used to harmlessly get the Nightmare out of your mother's head." Luna explained, "It acts as a reset button, which is why it expelled the Nightmare from out of her."

"Oh..." Blazing Dawn said, looking around at the advancing corrupt ponies.

Luna feigned a fighting stance as well, charging up her horn with the light-blue energy of the knockout spell, "I will teach it to you later..." She smiled again, "For now, leave it to me..."

Luna then rose a hoof and yelled in her Royal Canterlot voice, "CHAAARGE!"

The guards roared in response and galloped and flew at the advancing corrupt ponies, using the hilts of their weapons to knock out the corrupt ponies and harmlessly expel the Nightmare's influence. The Nightmare was clearly done playing. Instead of aiming to corrupt the guards that were now assisting Blazing Dawn, it was having all the ponies under his control go for the kill.

Luna was on a win-streak. She had used her spell to expel the Nightmare out of several ponies already, including Derpy and her daughter, who had charged at Luna from the get go. Sensing something behind her, Luna whirled around and slammed a hoof forward, impacting the face of a leaping corrupt Papyrus. The Nightmare was expelled out of him instantly.

Blazing Dawn had just bucked the corrupt Shadow Breeze and Lightning Flash at the same time when he heard a scream nearby that wasn’t corrupt. He turned in alarm to see a guard get cut down by Nightmare Arrow’s sword.

“NO!” Blazing Dawn leaped over the fallen guard and did a flying kick in the corrupt Red Hoof’s face, knocking him out.

Blazing Dawn then quickly turned and felt the pulse of the fallen Pegasus guard. He felt nothing, “Cud...” He stood up and turned around, ready to get back into the fight, “Ok, what no-ARGH!”

Right as he turned around, he was hit by yet another blast of magic, this one more powerful than the last. Groaning in pain, he sat up and gasped.

A corrupt Twilight Sparkle stood before him, grinning evilly, her horn crackling with magic energy, “It’s time to die...”

“Aunty Twi! STOP!” Blazing Dawn cried out, narrowly dodging another dark magic attack from Nightmare Sparkle’s dark horn by rolling aside, grunting as his injured wing crunched beneath him.

“I have you now, alicorn!” The corrupt Twilight Sparkle barked, advancing slowly towards the scared alicorn.

Blazing Dawn growled and thought quickly, trying to remember the spell Luna was doing to cleanse the ponies she was fighting.

He gritted his teeth as the corrupt Twilight edged closer and closer. Slowly, but surely, the young alicorn’s horn started sparkling with light blue energy.

“AAAAAAARGH!” He closed his eyes and roared. Then, there was a flash of light that shown through Blazing Dawn’s closed eyes.

His eyes snapped open, half-expecting the corrupt Twilight to be upon him. He gasped when he saw a normal Twilight Sparkle falling to the ground, unconscious, her horn still crackling with dark energy as it died away.

Blazing Dawn gulped and smiled awkwardly, “Guess I do know that spell...”

“Blazing Dawn! Look out!”

The Princess of the Night was in front of Blazing Dawn in an instant, clashing horns with a corrupt Fluttershy as she flew down from the sky at Blazing Dawn, “Back, demon!” Luna arched her neck so that their clash ended, then headbutted her away, followed up with a blast of the blue spell.

“Thanks, Luna...” Blazing Dawn sighed and stood up, walking up to the downed Fluttershy and Twilight, checking their pulses to see if they were okay. Sighing when he found out they were, he stood up straight and looked around.

The guards had prevailed. All the townsponies who had been corrupted by the Nightmare were down for the count, with a few stragglers here and there being knocked out by the elite guards that were still standing. Sadly enough, a few guards had fallen in the fight and were being lifted up and lined up nearby by unicorn guard magic. Looking over at the clock, Blazing Dawn breathed a sigh of relief.

It read half past five in the morning; thirty minutes to dawn.

“It would appear that we are victorious, Blazing Dawn...” Luna sighed, looking up at the slowly-setting moon, “I am impressed. Lunar has trained you well...” She gave a warm smile.

“Yeah...” Blazing Dawn nodded, panting and looking around, “But...wait...”

“What?” Luna asked, concerned.

Blazing Dawn’s eyes darted from side to side worriedly, “What about-?”

“AAAAAARGHH!”

There was a scream of pain from a guard as he was flung high through the air at a breakneck speed from behind the alicorns. He slammed through a house wall, which exploded in a shower of dust and bricks, killing him instantly.

“Corporal!” Luna cried out, whirling around. She gasped.

“Captain Shining Armor?!”

All the remaining guards and Blazing Dawn whirled around as well to see a very angry-looking Nightmare Armor. The demon was panting heavily with frustration, his horn was crackling dangerously with evil energy.

“I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR GAMES, ALICORN! I’VE HAD IT!” He seemed to grow in stature as his horn grew in power, “I AM KILLING YOU ALL HERE AND NOW!!!” He smirked evilly and pointed a hoof at Luna, who rose a hoof slightly in defense. “Except...you...” He chuckled. “YOU, Your Highness, will reunite with me...”

All the guards and Blazing Dawn looked over in alarm at Luna, who was scowling. She lowered her horn towards Nightmare Armor and narrowed her eyes, “You may try...”

“RRRAHHHH!” Nightmare Armor reared up and slammed his hooves down on the ground, the ground cracking beneath him. He then lowered his head and blasted a beam of dark energy at Luna.

Luna barked in surprise, lowered her head, pawed the ground, and blasted her knockout spell at Nightmare Armor.

The two blasts of magic colliding in the middle of the two battling ponies, causing a blinding shock wave of magical energy to explode around where the two beams were colliding. The various guards got knocked down by the impact and were stunned by the blast. Blazing Dawn stood strong, feigning a stance at Luna’s side, ready to attack should the worst happen.

Luna could feel herself slowly being overpowered, and could tell that Nightmare Armor’s beam of dark energy was getting closer and closer to her, bit by bit. Luna closed one eye in distressed and grit her teeth as she tried to increase her power, “Shining Armor! Please, fight it!” Luna cried out, hoping to appeal to Shining Armor’s better nature, “Remember your job!” Luna growled, “Your wife! Your sister!”

Nightmare Armor laughed maniacally, “IT IS FUTILE, LUNA! SHINING ARMOR IS MINE FOREVER! HIS POWER IS LIMITLESS! HIS RESOLVE, CONTROLLABLE! HE! IS! MINE! BWAHAHA! AND YOU WILL SOON FOLLOW!!!”

“Ugh...”

When I was just a filly, I found it rather silly...

To see how many other ponies I could meet.

I had my books to read, didn't know that I would ever need,

Other ponies to make my life complete.

“Argh...wha...what?”

But there was one colt that I cared for...

I knew he would be there for me.

“T...Twily?”

My big brother, best friend forever!

Like two peas in a pod, we did everything together.

Shining Armor’s eyes fluttered open. His head was hanging down, his blue mane hanging in his face. He stood upright, chained to dark, infinite ground by black linked chains. The captain hovered in the middle of a white circle.

“What? Where—?” Shining Armor struggled a little in the chains, grunting in pain when they tightened further around him, “How did I get here? Where did these...chains come from?” He looked around, taking the screen on the far wall, on which he saw Blazing Dawn, feigning a fighting stance, and Luna, blasting a blue beam of energy at the screen, “What’s going on? Twily? TWILY!? Where are you!?”

“Well, well, well...look who’s up and about...” A purple cloud of gas that was hovering around the screen flew over and formed a solid Nightmare Armor in front of Shining Armor, “Well, I wouldn’t say ‘about’...hmhmhm...”

“Nightmare!” Shining Armor struggled to escape, but the chains tightened even more than they did before, “Where am I? What are you doing looking like me?”

“Hahaha...haven’t you figured it out yet?” The Nightmare responded. “This...” He extended his forehooves. “Is the inner machinations of your mind!” He turned around and trotted up to Shining Armor, “I have imprisoned you here. And here you shall remain. Forever.”

“Why!?” Shining Armor stopped struggling when the chains got too tight and growled, “Why forever? Let me go!”

“You are different, Shining Armor.” Nightmare Armor turned around and looked at the screen. Luna appeared to be struggling to keep up her attack, “You are such an abundant fountain of magical energy. With you under my control, nopony will be able to resist my control! I am able to control countless ponies at once with your magic at my command!”

“You bastard!” Shining Armor grunted yet again as he tried to break free of his chains, “Why not fight me one on one; nobly!? Why keep me chained up like the coward you are?!”

“Noble is far from what I am, Shining Armor. Here you shall remain. Under my control.” The Nightmare turned and trotted towards the screen, “Do go back to sleep, Captain. It’s going to be a long eternity for you...hmhmhmh....”

“NO!” Shining Armor struggled again to break free, but the chains tightened again. Shining Armor barked in pain, and stopped struggling; the chains loosening their grip. His head fell again, his eyes overshadowed by his bangs.

“No...”

Tears fell from under his bangs as he shuddered, his throat getting clogged up with emotion at never escaping, having to float in this nightmare for eternity. He’d never see his sister or his loving wife ever again.

“No...I...I...no...”

Remembering all the wonderful things waiting for him in the real world, Shining Armor sniffed sadly, and, to the Nightmare’s utter shock from where he was standing, he began to sing in a sweet tenor voice: (I highly suggest you all listen to this while you read this next part. Just a suggestion.)

Lost in the darkness,

Silence surrounds me.

Once there was morning,

Now endless night.

Shining Armor slowly looked up, tears staining his face, and his teeth barred. The Nightmare could feel the guard Captain’s eyes burning a hole in the back of his head as he continued to sing:

I will find the answer.

I will escape you.

I promise you this—

Till the day that I...

At this point, the Nightmare whirled around and started trotting slowly back towards Shining Armor, interrupting him. To Shining Armor’s horror, the Nightmare began to sing back in Shining Armor’s voice, but with a demonic distortion that chilled the Unicorn to the bone.

Do you really think...

That I would ever let you go?

Do you think I’d ever set you free?

The Nightmare rose a hoof up to Shining Armor and grasped his shoulder with an iron grip, causing Shining Armor to grit his teeth in pain.

If you do, I’m sad to say,

It simply isn’t so,

You will never get away from me!

Shining Armor roared suddenly and, with surprising force, angled his head to the side and blasted the demon away with a quick zap of offensive magic. The Nightmare was utterly shocked.

Shining Armor had taken on a confident aura as he stared directly at the Nightmare, singing at the top of his lungs at the demon, hoping he would find the strength to break free:

All that you are,

Is a demon in my head!

I close my eyes and you’ll disappear!

The Nightmare whipped his head around and turned his back to Shining Armor, looking at the screen, smirking.

I’m what you face,

When you look in the mirror!

Long as you live, I will still be here!

Shining Armor narrowed his eyes and barked back a quick rebuttal to the Nightmare’s statement.

All that you are,

Is the worst of a Nightmare!

All that you are is a dying scream!

After tonight,

Luna shall end this demon dream!

The Nightmare cringed as Shining Armor sang that last set of lines. Something the guard Captain had said had clearly and royally pissed the demon off. The Nightmare whirled around and shot a forehoof forward. The chains on Shining Armor tightened far worse than they ever had before. Shining Armor started grunting in pain, trying to resist the urge to give up as the Nightmare belted more song at the white Unicorn.

This is not a dream, my friend!

And it will NEVER end!

I am Nightmare! The Nightmare that never ends!

I AM HERE TO STAY,

NO MATTER WHAT YOU MAY PRETEND!

And I’ll flourish, long after you are gone!

Shining Armor, whose eyes were closed in pain, stuck his head up straight, opened one eye with clenched teeth, and sang right back at the Nightmare with surprising fortitude.

Soon you will die!

And my memory will expel you!

You cannot choose but to lose control!

The Nightmare was now very angry and it was clear his focus was slipping from keeping Shining Armor incapacitated. With wide eyes and clenched teeth, he got up in Shining Armor’s face and sang right back.

You can’t expel me!

I’m deep in your mind!

Each day you’ll feel me devour your soul!

Shining Armor headbutted the demon away before belting out his rebuttal.

I don’t need you to survive,

Like you need me!

I’ll return to normal,

As you dance with death!

And I’ll rejoice,

As you breathe your final breeeeeeeeeath!

After hearing Shining Armor sing about his untimely demise and expulsion from his own mind, the Nightmare cackled maniacally. His horn glowed and in an instant, several copies of himself surrounded the floating Shining Armor. The real Nightmare Armor walked forward, wrapped a hoof around Shining Armor’s throat, and lifted him up, the chains still wrapped around his body. One by one, all the Nightmare Armors started singing, belting horrifying words at the incapacitated guard Captain.

I WILL CONTROL YOU FOREVER!

A wide-eyed Shining Armor struggled to get free before belting back at the demon. “NO!!!”

Nightmare Armor could only grin as he continued to sing.

WITH NIGHTMARE MOON HERSELF BY OUR SIDE!

Shining Armor managed to wriggle his forehooves up to his throat, trying to pry himself free of the demon’s iron grip. “Ugh! DAMNIT! NO!”

The numerous copies of Nightmare Armor slowly started surrounding the guard Captain, who was struggling to break free.

I know that, now and forever,

Nopony will be able to separate...

SHINING FROM NIGHTMAAAAARE!

The struggling guard Captain suddenly stopped struggling and hung in the air for a second. Then, his eyes snapped open, a powerful magical shockwave knocked back the real Nightmare and destroyed all of the copies he created. Shining’s chains disappeared and he landed on his hooves, pointing his horn at the flabbergasted demon.

CAN’T YOU SEE?!

IT’S OVER NOW!!

IT’S TIME TO DIE!

The Nightmare, serpentine eyes widened, stood up and growled worriedly, barking back at the Unicorn.

NO! NOT I!

Only YOU!

Shining Armor slowly started advancing on the retreating demon, his horn still crackling with golden energy.

If I die,

YOU DIE, TOO!

Frantic, Nightmare Armor, still backing away, growled and sang back at Shining Armor.

You’ll die in ME!

I’LL BE YOU!

Shining Armor had had enough of the Nightmare’s games. He blasted a golden shot of energy at the retreating demon, the shot impacting the breastplate of Nightmare Armor’s chest piece.

DAMN YOU, DEMON!

Get out of my head!

The Nightmare shakily stood up, the place the magic hit him still smoking, the chestpiece charred from the blast.

Can’t you see?

You ARE me!

Shining Armor shook his head and closed his eyes, arching his head back and crying out at the outside of his mind.

NOOOO!

Deep inside...

The Nightmare gave one final stand, standing upright and barking back at the prevailing Unicorn guard, hoping to break him.

I AM DEATH!

I CONTROL YOU!

“NO! NEVER!” Shining Armor opened his eyes and stared down the evil demon.

“YES! FOREVER!” The Nightmare retorted, looking very worried he would lose control of the powerful Unicorn at any moment.

Shining Armor grinned as a strong wind started pulling Nightmare Armor into the darkness and away from the white stallion. He narrowed his eyes and yelled out at the demon, “CELESTIA DAMN YOU, NIGHTMARE! ROT ON THE MOON!!!!”

“I’LL SEE YOU THERE, SHINING ARMOR!” The Nightmare barked back as the wind slowly started pulling him backwards. He began pawing the floor desperately, trying to hang on while glaring at Shining Armor.

Shining Armor clenched his teeth, closed his eyes, and sang one final word, his horn glowing intensely with golden energy.

NEVEEEEEEEEERRRR!!!!

“NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!” Nightmare Armor cried out as one last golden shockwave from Shining Armor made him lose his grip and go flying towards the screen. The screen rippled as the Nightmare got sent through it.

Shining Armor opened his eyes and smiled, “I’m coming, Twily...”

Outside of Shining Armor’s head, Luna was trying her best to beat back the steady beam of dark magic slowly gaining ground on her knockout spell. Suddenly, she felt Nightmare Armor’s strength take a sharp dive downward. She took this advantage and roared, increasing her strength one final time. The result was a powerful, light-blue beam of energy overpowering the dark beam of energy from Nightmare Armor. It broke through the dark magic and slammed into the possessed Captain, and Luna could’ve sworn she heard the Nightmare crying out, though it sounded distorted.

The blue magic enveloped Shining Armor, and the Nightmare screamed as he was all, but expelled from the guard Captain’s mind.

Blazing Dawn, Luna, and the rest of the Royal Guards had to shield their faces with their forehooves until the light the magic had produced faded away. When they looked to see if the demon was down for the count, there was a chorus gasps and hushed whispered of disbelief.

A normal Shining Armor stood where Nightmare Armor had been. He blinked, swayed a little, almost falling over, and shook his head, rubbing it with a forehoof. He looked up at the two alicorns and smiled weakly, “I...I did it...”

Blazing Dawn and Luna exchanged shocked glances at each other before Luna broke the silence, “How...how are you conscious?!

The guard Captain smiled and stepped forward. “Your motivational speech woke me up, Your Highness.” He bowed, “It gave me the strength to break free of the Nightmare’s dark shackles...”

“Then you’d be the first...” Blazing Dawn smiled and nodded, “All the other ponies...well...” He gestured around, “You know...”

“I do.” Shining Armor nodded, turned and trotting over to his unconscious sister. he frowned and sighed, looking down at her, “I know too well...”

The remaining ponies spread out, Shining Armor helping the guards levitate dead guards over to the place where they were being lined up, weapons in hooves in memoriam. A few dead townsponies were found as well, them being lined up separately. Shining Armor sighed and he gently laid a dead mare next to her mate, “War never changes...” He said aloud, “Even here...”

Blazing Dawn, in the meantime, had trotted over to his knocked-out mother. He fell down on his haunches in front of Rainbow Dash and looked down at her beaten body. He leaned down and nuzzled her face gently, a tear falling out of his eye as he did so, “I’m so sorry, mom...” He blinked sadly, the tear falling onto her body, “Sorry that...that I had to hurt you like I did...”

Watching the young alicorn nearby was Shining Armor. He sighed and turned to Luna, who was watching as well, “I feel so bad that all this happened just because the Nightmare wanted him...” Shining Armor pointed a forehoof at Blaze.

“I mean, we’ve had incidents with him before, but...this...this is the most destructive...and costly incident yet...” He looked down.

“My own wife and sister couldn’t stop the demon...” Shining Armor shuddered, “I wouldn’t even have the moxie to take down his mother and friends like he did...”

Luna smiled, “Fear not, Captain...” She put a hoof on the Unicorn’s shoulder and looked over at Blazing Dawn again, “At least we can take some comfort in the fact that the Nightmare is gone...”

Blazing Dawn was still nuzzling his mother’s body. He looked up suddenly, sighing, “This just isn’t fair for anypony...” He gulped, “I mean, why did the Nightmare have to—”

His ears perked up, “Wait...why is everypony still unconscious if—”

His eyes widened.

“LUNA!” Shining Armor whirled around. “LOOK OUT!!!”

Before Luna or anypony standing around her could act, a large cloud of purple gas came plummeting out of the night sky towards her, evil laughter echoing through the sky. Shining Armor, being trained to be agile in the Guard, managed to leap out of the way of the cascading cloud of gas, and so did a few of his guards. But some weren’t so lucky as they were still next to the Princess of the Night when the cloud of purple gas crashed down onto the regal alicorn.

“NOOOOO!!!” Shining Armor shouted is despair, drawing his sword. “FORM UP, GUARDS!” He barked, ordering all his guards to get in formation around Blazing Dawn.

“CUD!” Blazing Dawn swore, spreading his good wing and powering up his horn with a fire attack.

After a while, the cloud of gas cleared up. The guards trapped inside the cloud when it crashed down were down; dead or unconscious, the remaining heroes couldn’t tell, but down and out for sure. Luna, however, was up; standing, with her eyes closed.

There was a few moments of grim silence that seemed to go on forever. Blazing Dawn and Shining Armor stood there, just waiting for something, anything, to happen.

Luna’s eyes snapped open.

Serpentine.

“NOOOOOOOO!!!!!” Shining Armor and Blazing Dawn screamed, their eyes wide with unbelief and horror.

Suddenly, thunder sounded through the air and a dark shockwave exploded around Luna, knocking down Shining Armor, Blazing Dawn, and all the guards.

Blazing Dawn and Shining Armor managed to stumble to their hooves, Shining Armor picking up his sword with magic in the process. Blazing Dawn noticed that all the guards had been knocked unconscious.

When they both managed to look over at Luna again, they gasped. Luna was surrounded by a evil purple aura, little bursts of electricity shooting of around her as she began to grow in stature, as did her horn and wings.

“Nightmare Moon...” Blazing Dawn and Shining Armor muttered in horror as a familiar evil laughter filled the town square and chilled the two to the bone.

The clock on the Town Hall now read a quarter to six in the morning; a mere fifteen minutes until dawn.

OCs:

Blue Arrow, Papyrus, and the Red Hooves (c) QTXAdsy

Shadow Breeze (c) AnonJ17

Lightning Flash (c) Lightning Flash

How did everypony enjoy the song? Please let me know. If it gets popular enough, I may provide a download link for you all. Thanks for your awesome patience.

Picture: Robsa990

Reckoning

Chapter 8: Reckoning

“This is bad!” Shining Armor gulped as a bead of sweat dripped down his head, “This is very, very bad!”

“You don’t have to tell me twice!” Blazing Dawn cried out as the duo slowly backed away from the former Princess of the Night, whose familiar dark chestpiece had just materialized onto her chest as she grew in stature.

“Bwahahahaha!!!” Nightmare Moon’s evil laugh echoed through the night as clouds rolled in above Ponyville, lightning crackling in the sky as Luna transformed, “I am the bringer of night! I am NIGHTMARE MOON!”

“Blaze...” Shining Armor growled kept his sword at the ready using his magic, “We have to do something! If we allow her to fully transform, neither of us will stand a chance!”

“And neither will Equestria...” Blazing Dawn’s eyes were wide with horror as Nightmare Moon’s helmet appeared on Luna’s head, “I have to do something! ARGH!” Thinking quickly, he charged up the knock-out spell Luna had taught him, his horn glowing with light blue energy, and fired it at the transforming princess.

“Pathetic!” Nightmare Moon smirked and cackled as the spell dissipated in the cloud of evil gas that surrounded her, “You are WEAK, alicorn! To think you could disrupt my power as you did! Now that I am reunited with Luna, Equestria shall forever be shadowed in endless night!”

“We’ll see about that!” Shining Armor reared up on his hind legs and charged the transforming Princess. Blazing Dawn roared and followed suit, lowering his horn as he charged with the guard captain.

“FOOLS!” Nightmare Moon barked before she simply stomped her hoof on the ground, causing another dark shockwave to spill out around her in all directions. The two colts were knocked off their hooves instantly, Shining Armor slamming into a cart; shattering it, and Blazing Dawn slamming into a piece of a wall in the road, his broken wing again taking the brunt of the force.

“GAH!” The alicorn groaned as he slid to the ground and tried to fold up his wing, but only grimaced in more pain as the bones in his wing cracked even more.

“Blaze...” Shining Armor pulled himself out of the rubble from nearby and coughed out some blood, using his magic to pick up the sword again and face the Nightmare as it continued to reunite with Luna, “If he fully reunites with Luna before dawn in ten minutes...” He looked over at Blazing Dawn with a bloodied expression of worry, “It’s over...”

Blazing Dawn slowly picked himself up and shook himself off before growling and facing the Nightmare as well, who was cackling maniacally as more clouds of darkness surrounded Luna and lightning shook the ground, “What...what should we do?”

“Your...your knock-out spell...” Shining Armor managed to say through grunts of pain and drops of blood, “Charge it up to be more powerful...” He looked back at the Nightmare, “I’ll...I’ll distract it...

“How!?” Blaze asked in disdain, “The Nightmare will interrupt the charging once it finds out what we’re up to! And...” He blinked back a tear, “I don’t think I can do it...I’m too weak as it is...”

“Listen to me, kid!”

Blazing Dawn suddenly felt his head being jerked upward to look into the bloodied face of Shining Armor, who has grabbed Blaze’s shoulders with his forehooves.

“You CAN do it!” He narrowed his eyes, “I have seen you do things, Blaze. Powerful things! Things Celestia and Luna could never dream of accomplishing magically! Don’t think I haven’t seen you training with Lunar!” He added quickly, as Blazing Dawn looked like he was about to ask, “You are one hell of an alicorn, kid! And if anyone can save Equestria...” He gulped, “It would be the son of the Seventh Element!”

Blaze’s eyes grew wide with shock when Shining Armor mentioned his dad. With tears in his eyes, the Unicorn smiled and ruffled the young alicorn’s mane, “You can do it, Blaze...I know you can...”

Blaze was speechless as the guard captain limped in front of him and held up his royal guard sword at the ready with magic, ready to the defend the alicorn to his last breath.

“Do it.” Shining Armor said with looking at him.

After a brief moment, Blaze nodded furiously, “Right!” Blaze spread his legs into a more stable stance, lowered his head, closed his eyes, and growled.

Out of the corner of Shining Armor’s eye, he could see the spark of light blue magic appearing on the alicorn’s horn as he began to charge it. More cackling from the transforming Nightmare Moon and more claps of thunder turned Shining Armor’s attention back to the Princess of the Night as she gazed over at the duo.

“Ahahahaha! Well, well, isn’t this amusing? The little alicorn is going to try his little ticklish knock-out spell again...bwahahaha...” The transforming Nightmare Moon slowly turned to face Shining Armor and Blazing Dawn, “Go on...fire it off...see what happens...” She grinned toothily and lowered her head, anticipating an attack.

The only sounds heard in the town for a few moments were the glistening magical auras of Blazing Dawn as he charged his spell and Shining Armor as he held his sword and the furious booming of the thunder as lightning crashed down above Nightmare Moon.

She raised her up and cocked it to the side, confused, “What are you doing, alicorn? Drawing it out will not hel-” Suddenly, the transforming Mare in the Moon spread her wings and roared, clenching her teeth, “OH NO YOU DON’T! I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO CHARGE IT!”

The mutating Princess of the Night charged forward in a frenzy, her horn lowered and aimed at Blazing Dawn, whose eyes were still closed. The light blue magic coming from his horn was getting bigger and bigger steadily.

Before Nightmare Moon could reach Blazing Dawn, however, the demon of the Night found herself stuck. “What!?” Clashed with her horn when she was a few feet away from Blazing Dawn was a sword, surrounded with a blue magical aura.

“You want him, you go through me, first...” Shining Armor said as he grunted to hold back Nightmare Moon.

Nightmare Moon was clearly amused, “Hahaha! How quaint!” She yanked her horn free from the clash with Shining Armor’s sword, whirled around and lunged this time at Shining Armor, who again blocked her horn with his sword. Swatting her head away, he leaped forward with a yell and swung sword sword down and struck a blow on her helmet. Crying out in pain from the blunt force of the hit, the demon staggered back in surprise at the wounded guard Captains sudden and powerful assault. “Is that all you got, Nightmare!?” Shining Armor smirked as he continued his attack.

Blazing Dawn, meanwhile, was still charging his spell, “It feels about halfway done...” He cracked open his eyes to see Shining Armor keeping the Nightmare on the run, “Maybe we can do this! There’s hope!”

After a powerful slice from Shining Armor that sent the Princess of the Night flying back a good few meters, she whipped her head up and growled, the evil gas and lightning intensifying around her, “First, you escape me! Now you think to defeat me!?” She stood up tall, her evil serpentine eyes glowing red with crackling magical energy, “You will not LIVE to see me fall, Unicorn!”

“As long as you fall...” Shining Armor swung his sword expertly through the air before stopping it in front of his face, “Then I will be content, you monster!”

“DIE!!!” Nightmare Moon suddenly lurched forward towards the guard captain, who yelped in surprise and quickly jumped backward, parrying a series of three intense blows from Nightmare Moon, each one making him cringe in pain and clench his teeth tighter.

“Pony feathers...” Blazing Dawn muttered as he watched Nightmare Moon power up and make a comeback, “Come on, magic! Don’t fail me now!” He closed his eyes again and doubled his charging speed, making him sweat. “Come on, come one, come on!”

“GARGH!” Shining Armor grunted in pain as Nightmare Moon’s horn scraped his shoulder as he narrowly dodged another attack from her. He wiped off the blood, then leaped up into the air for a counter-attack.

“Oh no you DON’T!” Nightmare Moon shouted as she whirled around to buck the guard captain in the chin, but when her hooves should’ve made contact with the Unicorn’s chin, her hooves met only air.

“Wha-ARGH!” Nightmare Moon fell down hard on the ground as Shining Armor had teleported behind her mid air and slammed his sword down on her armored back.

Blazing Dawn smiled through his concentration in charging his spell, “Yes!” He looked up at the clock on Town Hall, “Ten more minutes...” He returned his attention to charging the spell and watching Shining Armor, “All I need is five...”

“Done yet...demon?” Shining Armor managed to say through his pants. He was tired out, blood dripping from small wounds Nightmare Moon had given him in their duel. The magic encasing his sword faltered for a moment as he brought it up in front of his face again.

Suddenly, another dark shockwave exploded around Nightmare Moon, sending Shining Armor and his sword flying backwards. After landing hard on the ground, he hurriedly picked himself and his sword up just in time to see Nightmare Moon, with glowing angry eyes, lower her horn and start firing lethal beams of magic at the guard captain.

Crying out in surprise, Shining Armor executed a serpentine maneuver, running back and forth away from Blazing Dawn so no stray blast of magic were sent his way. The magic blasts that missed exploded on impact with debris and buildings in the background and Shining Armor ducked and weaved around the wreckage of the street.

“Stop running, coward!” Nightmare Moon barked, sending more death spells at the Unicorn as he disappeared behind some cart wreckage, “There is NOWHERE you can hide, fool!”

“FOR EQUESTRIAAAAAA!!!”

The next few moments went by as if in slow motion. Blazing Dawn watched in awe as Shining Armor leaped out from behind the cart wreckage, higher than any Earth-bound pony Blazing Dawn had seen jump, his sword raised in the air above him with his forehooves, not his magic, in an effort to slam down his weapon over Nightmare Moon. In response, the demon of the Night took flight, spreading her dark wings and flying up to meet the guard Captain, her horn aimed right at his chest.

There was a clanging noise as his sword met her horn, followed by an explosion of bright light that caused Blazing Dawn to avert his eyes for a moment.

When the light cleared, Blazing Dawn gasped. A heavily panting Shining Armor stood above a downed Nightmare Moon. He laughed uneasily for a moment, then sighed, “I...I did it...”

“Way to go, Shining Armor!” Blazing Dawn yelled at the Unicorn. He was about to drop the charging of his spell when Blazing Dawn realized something. “Why isn’t she back to norm-?”

“SHINING ARMOR!!! LOOK OUT!”

“Wha-?” Shining Armor whirled around just in time to block another horn attack from Nightmare Moon. Another explosion of dark magic caused Shining Armor to be knocked backwards again, this time his sword flying out of his forehooves. He grunted as Nightmare Moon fired a blast of that magic from earlier straight at him, the magic hitting him square in the chest.

“NOOOO!!!!” Blazing Dawn cried out as the guard Captain flew backwards and slammed through a wall of a house.

When the dust cleared, Shining Armor, burned badly from the blast on his chest, leaped out of the hole in the wall, tears streaming from his face. No sword in hoof, he clashed horns with Nightmare Moon instead.

Nightmare Moon, taking advantage of his weakened state, angled her head downward so that Shining Armor fell down onto the ground. She reared up and slammed her forehooves down onto the guard captain, whose eyes dilated as he screamed in pain, blood spilling out of his mouth.

“No! No! NOOO!” Blazing Dawn stomped on the ground in frustration, tears flowing from the alicorn’s eyes.

Shining Armor rolled to the side before Nightmare Moon could slam down her hooves again, quickly stood up, and tackled the demon of the Moon down to the ground, getting her in a headlock. Cackling, Nightmare Moon flung him off with ease, sending the guard sprawling.

Shakily standing up, blood drizzling from his nose and mouth and the burn wound, he feigned a fighting stance, roared, and charged the Princess of the Night one last time with all the energy he could muster, closing his eyes.

There was a sickening slicing noise.

Shining Armor could faintly hear Blazing Dawn scream his name, though his hearing was completely shot at the moment.

He looked down, shaking. Nightmare Moon’s horn was impaled in his chest cavity. An explosive feeling of pain erupted around his chest area as Nightmare Moon smirked and withdrew her horn.

“NOOOOOOOO!!!” Blazing Dawn cried out in agony as Shining Armor stood there, his breaths coming in small gasps from the shock of being lethally stabbed.

Slowly, he looked over at Blazing Dawn, whose horn was glowing fiercely with the knock-out spell. He smiled faintly.

“Save everypony...for me...” The guard Captain managed to mouth before closing his eyes.

Blazing Dawn’s wet eyes shrank in shock as the Unicorn guard Captain fell down to the ground with a heavy thud. As a pool of his own blood began to form around him Shining Armor opened one blurry eye. Across the square he saw the unconscious bodies of his little sister and his wife, Cadence

“I’m sorry Cadence...I hope...I hope our foal will be okay...” He closed his eyes. “And Twily...remember your bro as the guy who helped save Equestria...” He opened his eyes one last time and looked at his sister. “I hope you’re proud of me, sis...I...I...”He closed his eyes.

“I...love...you...”

His breathing stopped and his head rolled to the side.

Shining Armor lay still, unmoving.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!” Blazing Dawn cried out to the sky and sat down on his haunches, slamming his forehooves into the ground, “No no no no!!!!”

The mutating Nightmare Moon grinned toothily down at her handiwork, then look up at the clock. It read three minutes to six in the morning, “Poor Shining Armor...” The Nightmare cackled, “How unfortunate he decided to take such a course of action to save you, alicorn...” Nightmare Moon turned to face the shuddering alicorn, who had his face buried in his forehooves. She powered up her horn, “Pathetic alicorn...you couldn't have even HOPED to come close to the power of a simple Unicorn like that worthless piece of garbage...” She gestured her head to the side at the corpse of Shining Armor, “And you only have less than five minutes...hmhmhm...what can you possibly—”

“Shut up...”

“Wha—?”

“I said, shut UP!!!!!!” Blazing Dawn’s head snapped up suddenly and he roared at the demon, his scream rumbling through the air towards the the mutating alicorn, staggering the demon.

“Was that-?” Nightmare Moon sputtered in disbelief as Blazing Dawn stood up slowly, his eyes beginning to glow a fierce golden color, “The Royal Canterlot Voice?! How!?” Nightmare Moon began slowly backing away from the young alicorn, who had extended his wings and, despite the fact one was wounded and unusable, and floating in the air as a bright golden aura started to surround him.

Blazing Dawn pointed a forehoof at the confused demon, “You have threatened my mother...” The alicorn clenched his teeth, seeing his mother’s body out of the corner of his eye.. “You’ve taken over the town with your hideous spells...” He narrowed his glowing eyes angrily, “YOU’VE KILLED MY FRIENDS!” Nightmare Moon looked back at Shining Armor’s corpse before quickly looking back at the floating alicorn, whose horn, which was previously glowing light blue, was now glowing gold. “NOW, I WILL DESTROY YOU, NIGHTMARE!”

Nightmare Moon stood her ground, lowering an armored horn and powering it up with a dark, crackling magical spell, “WE SHALL SEE, ALICORN!!!”

Blazing Dawn lowered his horn towards the Princess of the Night and roared, his horn crackling with golden energy. Nightmare Moon roared right back at the alicorn before letting off her blast of magic. It crackled and hissed as it sailed through the air towards the floating alicorn.

Time seemed to go by in slow motion as the blast of magic from Nightmare Moon hurtled towards Blazing Dawn. Something else caught the young alicorn’s attention before he could fire back, though.

On the horizon, the sun had started to rise. It was dawn. The sun had come, despite the fact Nightmare Moon had returned.

“What the hay?” Blazing Dawn thought, “How is that possible!?”

“Son...”

Blazing Dawn’s eyes snapped open at the sound of a strange voice of a stallion he’d never heard before. All he saw was Nightmare Moon’s serpentine eyes fixated on him as the the beam of magic she fired off was hurtling towards him. Time was standing still, with the sun peeking over the horizon in the background.

He turned around in the direction where the voice had come from. He gasped.

Standing behind him, in his full 7th Element Armor, was the legendary Blue “Ace” Bass.

His father.

“F-Father?!” Blazing Dawn thought, but his thought echoed around the space of frozen time he was standing in.

Smiling, the stallion walked forward and placed a forehoof on his shoulder, “Son, I’m so proud of you...” He looked at his son, his golden eyes glowing brightly, “I know I’m not here physically to be proud of you, but know this...” He nodded and smirked, “Though I’m not with you now, it may seem like I’ll have forgotten all about you, but that is most definitely NOT the case...” He put a forehoof up to his son’s mane and moved to ruffle it, if his hooves were physically there, “I’ll always love you, even if it doesn’t seem that way...” He looked up then nodded at the mutating Princess, “Looks like you’ve got a world to save...”

“Dad...” Blazing Dawn reached out a forehoof to his dad, who nodded.

“Don’t worry, son. I’m here to help.” Ace nodded and positioned himself behind his son, drawing one of his sheathed Element Scimitars, and and extended it towards Nightmare Moon. It glowed brightly with the same golden glow that was enveloping Blazing Dawn.

Ace looked at his son, then nodded with a smile, “Let’s finish this.”

Instantly, time flowed as it once did.

Blazing Dawn turned towards the incoming blast of dark magic, roaring more intensely than ever before, and was enveloped in a blinding golden light.

“ARGH!” Nightmare Moon put up a forehoof to shield her serpentine eyes from the shockwave of light, “What in the-!? The Seventh Element!? How!?”

Blazing Dawn was floating bi-pedal style in the middle of the brightly glowing light, his eyes closed and his horn aimed down at Nightmare Moon. Behind him, Nightmare Moon could swear she could see Ace in his armor, pointing one of his scimitars at her. Simultaneously yelling out battle cries, the two colts let loose a monumental blast of golden magical energy. This energy was retrieved from the sun as its head peaked over the horizon, and because the energy from the spell was from the sun, a ring of fire surrounded the beam of energy as it cascaded towards the mutating Princess of the Night.

“NO!” Nightmare Moon made a move to try and run away as her spell dissipated harmlessly away as Blazing Dawn’s charged headlong into it, “NOO!” She spread her demonic wings in a move to take flight, “NOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

The bright light surrounded Blazing Dawn enveloped the area as the sun rose higher and higher into the air, Nightmare Moon’s screams echoing through the air moments afterwards.

Blazing Dawn felt his hooves touch back down to the ground. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around.

It was daytime in Ponyville. Most of the fires throughout town were extinguished and only smoke remained. Luna was down on the ground, breathing steadily. She was knocked unconscious. The Nightmare was gone for good.

He smiled when, one by one, he saw ponies who were previously corrupt moan and stand up on their hooves, groggily asking one another what had happened.

He smiled even more when he saw Rarity and Pinkie Pie hug each other in glee, Fluttershy and Shadow Breeze kiss warmly, Papyrus and Applejack embrace in a tight hug, and Lightning Flash fly up into the air a do a aerial flip. Blue Arrow wiped sweat off of his brow and sheathed his weapons, sitting down on a nearby bench.

“Blaze! Ya’ll did it, Blaze!”

He grinned excitedly as the voice approached him from behind. He knew that sweet accent anywhere.

Before he could turn around to greet them, he was instantly tackled by the Cutie Mark Crusaders, playfully poking at him and tickling him, “Guys, seriously! Hahaha! Ouch, hey the wing’s still tender! Hahaha! OW!”

When Blazing Dawn finally managed to stand up, he felt something warm on his right cheek. There was a slight popping noise as Applebloom peeled her lips away and stood in front of him, smiling, “I knew ya’ll could do it, Blaze! Ya’ saved Ponyville! Nah...” She hugged him. “Ya. saved Equestria!”

Blazing Dawn blushed, “You would’ve done the same thing, ‘Bloom...

She blushed when he called her that pet name again, “Ah shoot. I t’aint an alicorn! And—”

“OH MY GOSH!”

“B-B-Blazing Dawn!?”

He turned around to face the two other Cutie Mark Crusaders, whose eyes were dilated with shock and whose forehooves were pointing at his flank, “What?” Blazing Dawn asked with a cocked eye.

“Y-Y-Your flank...” Scootaloo spoke up.

Sweetie Belle smiled, “JUST LOOK!”

His eyes followed their gaping stares and even he was left breathless. On his flank, was a large golden circle. Emblazoned within the circle was the elemental symbol of fire.

He gasped, then whirled around and checked his other flank.

The same symbol was there.

It was his Cutie Mark.

“YES!!!! Hahahah!” He leaped into the air in joy and again dogpile hugged the Cutie Mark Crusaders, “My Cutie Mark! It’s...it’s so awesome!”

“Congrats, Blaze...” They stopped tackling each other for a moment and looked up at whoever spoke. A beaten Rainbow Dash was limping towards them, smiling brightly at her son, “I’m sure your Dad would be very—UMPH!”

Blazing Dawn leaped up and wrapped his forehooves around his mother’s neck. “Mom! I did it! I got my Cutie Mark!”

“You forgetting something, champ?” She grunted in pain slightly, but kept up her smile, a few tears forming in her eyes, “You saved the bucking world, kid!” She took to the air and grabbed her son with her forehooves and gazed into his eyes as he smiled up at her, “My boy saved the world...” She nuzzled him, “I’m so proud of you, Blazing Dawn.”

“I love you mom...” Blazing Dawn embraced his mother tightly as she hovered in the air, and she hugged him right back.

“I love you, too...with all my heart...”

They touched down after several moments and Blazing Dawn released his mother. There was so many things he wanted to tell her, but she made it easier for him.

“So?” She feigned a fighting stance, crouching down to his level, “How did you do it, huh?”

“Well...”: He frowned, “It was odd. You’ll never believe it, but I saw—”

He was cut off by the piercing scream of a familiar mare reverberated through the air around them. Blazing Dawn, Rainbow Dash, the three fillies, and everypony else in the area turned to see Twilight Sparkle’s Magic headdress fall to the ground as the purple Unicorn fell to her haunches and buried her tear-stained face in the corpse of...

“Shining Armor...” Rainbow Dash’s face turned instantly to that of sadness, tears welling in her eyes, “No...”

Blazing Dawn looked down at the ground, tears welling in his eyes as well. He wished he could’ve forgotten about that.

There was another scream as Cadence, who had just gotten up, galloped over and kneeled down next to Twilight, “Shining! NO!” She sprawled her hooves over his corpse and put her horn down to his broken and bleeding chest, “Please live, Shining!” Her horn glowed as she tried to bring the dead captain back, “Shining! PLEASE! PLEASE!” She begged him to come back, but nothing could reach him.

Blazing Dawn gritted his teeth and slowly trotted through the crowd that was forming around his body. Staring at him with looks of surprise or contempt, the ponies parted and let him by. He trotted up behind Cadence, who was still trying to bring him back.

“Cadence...” Blazing Dawn started. “I...”

Cadence whirled around and embraced Blazing Dawn, the tears staining his coat as he tenderly wrapped his hooves around the pink alicorn. “P-Please tell me...he-he died nobly...” Cadence leaned back and looked at Blazing Dawn in the eyes. “PLEASE!”

Blazing Dawn smiled faintly and looked over at his corpse, “Yes, Cadence...” Blazing Dawn nodded, “If he hadn't sacrificed himself, I...” He sniffed, “I wouldn’t have been able to save Equestria...”

She smiled and looked back at his corpse, letting go of Blazing Dawn, “I wouldn’t expect any more from the colt I married...”

Trumpets sounded through the air suddenly as several figures descended from the sky. A whole troop of Royal Guard Pegasi had landed nearby, and Princess Celestia herself followed suit, landed gracefully a good distance away.

Rainbow Dash pulled her son close, muttering, “Princess Celestia...”

The townsponies bowed and made way for their ruler as she approached Luna, who was just regaining consciousness.

“Sister...” Celestia said as Luna got up, shaking her head, “Are you well?”

Luna nodded, hugging her sister, “Yes...the Nightmare almost had me for a moment.” Upon hearing Twilight crying, she looked around her sister and gasped, holding a forehoof up to her muzzle, “Oh no...”

Celestia turned and walked towards Shining Armor’s corpse. The Princess of the Sun lowered her head and let a single tear fall from her face onto his body, “I felt him leave this world...” The sound of Celestia’s mature voice made the weeping Twilight Sparkle look up, her face red with tear-stains, “He was a powerful Unicorn, and a being with that powerful a connection magic can be felt leaving this world when they die...that is why I awoke and came here as fast as I could, but...” She sighed and motioned for a nearby guard, who was holding an Equestrian flag, to trot forward, “It looks like I was too late...” Everypony bowed their heads in respect as another guard joined the first guard in spreading the flag over Shining Armor’s corpse, “He shall not be forgotten...”

More and more soldiers arrived in the town of Ponyville that day as word of the brutal attack spread throughout Equetria. The soldiers assisted in clean-up and screening to make sure everypony was truly rid of the Nightmare.

All the ponies who were in comas due to corruption by the Nightmare were transferred to the specialty hospital in Canterlot, as Ponyville General could not hold them all.

Blazing Dawn and his mother assisted in moving the injured and dead around town and helped various ponies cope with their losses. Twilight, however, refused to speak to Blazing Dawn the entirety of the time, her tear-stained face filled with contempt as she tried to work, but only broke down in tears at the loss of her brother.

Celestia announced to everypony there saying shortly thereafter they would have a graveside service in the military graveyard in Canterlot for Captain Shining Armor, who would have a monument erected of him on his grave instead of a gravestone, “Although no sculptured marble should rise to his memory, nor engraved stone bear record of his deeds, his remembrance shall be as lasting as the land and the ponies he honored. And protected.” Celestia concluded, bowing her head.

Blazing Dawn and Applebloom watched on Celestia’s announcement in sadness, Applebloom leaning her head on the alicorn. He would never forget the brave unicorn, nor his noble sacrifice. As he watched the soldiers carry Shining’s covered-up body away and into a chariot for transportation to Canterlot, he sighed.

“Ya’ll okay, Blaze?” Applebloom said suddenly.

“I’m...I’m fine...” Blaze said sternly.

“Is Shining Arrmor still on yer mind?”

Blaze sighed again and gulped, blinking and looking down at Applebloom, “‘Bloom, death leaves a heartache no one can heal, but love leaves a memory no one can steal.” He sighed, “I’ll always remember him...and so will everypony else...” He smiled, “On my honor as an alicorn Prince...I so swear...”

-FIN-

OCs:

Blue Arrow, Papyrus, and the Red Hooves © QTXADsy

Shadow Breeze © AnonJ17

Lightning Flash © Lightning Flash

A/N: Heya, everypony! That’s another story complete!

I know, I know. So sad that Shining is gone. HOWEVER! He may not be gone for good. Depending on how the majority of you react to his death...well, you will see in the three short epilogues we have planned that lead up to “The Return of the7th Element”.

ANYWAY!

I had a really good time brainstorming with Henry in this epic collaboration of minds that foretells the events five years prior to the REAL sequel to “The 7th Element”. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it with him.

Now, the short epilogues we have planned will do a few things.

-Add onto the romances that were developed in this story to prepare you for what you will see in “The Return of the 7th Element”.

-Resolve the Shining Armor sub-plot.

-Overall prepare you all for what is to come.

-Give more in depth closure to certain aspects of ANDotH

Thanks again for reading, everypony! I wanna thank a few people.

Henry Anthony Courtler, you are a great editor and it was a pleasure to collaborate with you on this story! You rock, man!

TheRockingDoubleK, thank you so much for taking over as editor for a while. Your help was greatly appreciated.

And Robsa990, your epic cover art has made my stories that much more exciting to read. I owe you man! You are awesome.

That’s it! Read on to the epilogues when they are ready! The first one, dealing with luna and Lunar Eclipse, should be ready soon.

Your faithful authors,

Thunderhawk7865 and Henry Anthony Courtler

Epilogue 2: Unforgotten Sacrifice

Epilogue 2: Unforgotten Sacrifice

Lightning cracked through the sky the next day in Equestria’s capital city of Canterlot as rain fell from the sky. The drops of liquid pelted the ponies gathered in the military graveyard outside the royal palace relentlessly, but it did not stop them from their purpose in being there.

The majority of them were dressed in black and were holding umbrellas above their heads as they stood idly by an square hole in the ground that had been freshly dug. Among the ones in black standing next to the grave were Twilight Sparkle, who wore a black dress and whose tear-stained face was huddled up against her mother’s pure white mane. She had a forehoof wrapped tenderly around her daughter as she watched the proceedings, a white hankie floating in front of her face occasionally clearing away tears as she did so. Twilight’s father, also dressed in black, was standing by his wife, looking down steadily, as if unable to believe his eldest child was gone. Princess Cadence stood by as well, wearing the traditional veil of the widowed mare and black dress. Surprisingly, she was was one of the only ponies who were not in tears.

Also standing next to the grave were the remaining Elements of Harmony. Pinkie Pie’s usually puffy mane was down with depression as she held a crying Rarity, who was dressed in one of her elaborate black gowns. Fluttershy crying into the shoulder of Shadow Breeze, who was staring up at the sky, unwavering. Applejack, who was dressed up as well, was leaning on the Red Hoof Sergeant, Papyrus, who was dressed in his traditional Red Hoof plate armor. Blue Arrow stood by as well in his armor, his aging face staring up at the Equestrian flag flapping in the blowing wind. Slowly, he closed his eyes and wiped away a tear, glad it was raining and that no pony could tell he was crying. The alicorns, Lunar Eclipse and Luna stood by as well, both dressed in the royal regalia, Luna leaning on Lunar as they both stared ahead, silent.

Along the back of the gravestone stood Rainbow Dash in her Wonderbolt’s flight shirt along with Lightning Flash, who was similarly clad, her shirt newly mended after the close encounter she had with the Nightmare. Tears welling in her eyes as well, she turned her head to look down at her son. Blazing Dawn was dressed in a black suit his mother managed to force onto him for the event with a golden collar, cuffs, and matching tie. He stared steadily at the hole in the ground; the stallion who saved his life would be buried there forever.

He felt a head on his shoulder. Turning and sniffing sadly, he found himself being brushed by a familiar red Stetson hat. Applebloom looked up at the young alicorn and frowned.

“It’s not yer fault, Blaze...”

Blazing Dawn just turned his head back to the grave, silent, letting the steady drops of rain cascade over his head, flattening his spiky mane.

Applebloom sighed and nuzzled his neck, “It ain’t yer fault...please believe me...he wouldn't want you to think it was fer nothin’...”

“That’s hard to believe, ‘Bloom...” He sniffed, closing his eyes. “That’s hard to believe...”

Blue Arrow, the Red Hoof commander, stepped forward from the crowd and stood by the graveside. He sighed, blinked away a final tear, then turned away from the grave, facing the large crowd of ponies that had gathered and the two lines of Royal Guards and Red Hooves that were lined up in front of the grave.

“AttenTION!” Blue Arrow barked with surprising strength in his voice. The two lines of guards and Hooves stood up, a crisp marching sound resounding around the cemetery. “Will everypony please rise for the Sovereign Ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia!”

The ponies in the crowd moved as one, everypony instantly standing to their hooves as Princess Celestia made her way through the middle of the crowd, in between the two lines of military ponies.

“SaLUTE!” Blue Arrow barked, moving a forehoof up to his forehead and giving a prompt salute. The Guards and Red Hooves on either side of Celestia made a similar motion as she strode by, the rain having no effect on her flowing mane as she made her way towards the graveside. Rainbow Dash and Lightning Flash made similar salutes, as the Wonderbolts were a branch of the Equestrian military.

“Princess...” Blue Arrow bowed as Celestia turned and stood by the Red Hoof commander.

“Commander...” Celestia nodded, still staring ahead, not flinching when another crack of thunder sounded through the air, the rain pelting her saddened face.

A trumpet sounded from the sky above and everypony’s eyes were directed upward. Flying down from over the castle, four Pegasi Royal Guard ponies descended, carrying between them a casket. Carefully, they landed on all sides of the grave, lowering the casket so that it rested above the grave.

Upon seeing that the casket had a see-through glass cover, Blazing Dawn choked up and jerked his head downward, tears dripping from his face. Applebloom quivered as well and pulled herself closer to Blazing Dawn, burying her head in his neck.

Shining Armor lay in the casket, his eyes closed as if he was sleeping peacefully. His wounds were cleaned and it looked as if no harm befell him at all. He was dressed in his favorite uncle’s ceremonial guard armor. Resting in between his two forehooves was his sword, unsheathed.

The guards who had carried him down to the grave stood at an upright position, as if awaiting orders.

“Fillies...gentlecolts...” Celestia cleared her throat, “Friends...family...” She looked behind her at the Element of Harmony and Twilight and her parents before turning back to the rest of them, “We are gathered here today to mourn the loss of our Guard Captain...our husband...our friend...our brother...Shining Armor.” She sniffed sadly, looked down at Shining’s corpse, and gave a small smile, “But we should be celebrating as well.” She looked up, “He lived a full life and served honorably as Captain of my Royal Guard and diligent protector of Canterlot.” A tear fell from her regal face, “Were it not for his noble sacrifice, Equestria would surely be in utter turmoil.”

Blazing Dawn, still looking down, shuddered at Celestia’s words. Applebloom wrapped a tender forehoof around him and patted the nape of his neck, kissing it gently to calm him.

“I have asked a few ponies to say a few words before we send this brave soul off to the next world...” Celestia said, blinking sadly, “To give condolences to those whom he knew and loved, the Prince of Death, Lunar Eclipse, shall address you...” She turned and blinked the raindrops out of her eyes as she gestured at Lunar, “Lunar...”

Lunar Eclipse nodded politely and walked to where she stood, “Good afternoon, everypony. For those who may not know not know me too well, I am Lunar Eclipse and am known as ‘The Prince of Death’. I admit that when I was able to return to my home country, to my fellow ponies, and to my princess...” He glanced at Princess Celestia and Princess Luna who offered him small smiles of support, “I was afraid. Afraid I’d be considered an enemy, afraid I’d be distrusted by everypony, but that was further from the truth as the first pony who had welcomed me back to Equestria with open hooves was Shining Armor himself. He had welcomed me like a child would welcome their father home, like a brother would welcome their older brother after being apart for years. I grew to trust not only the citizens of Equestria, but myself. He and Luna were the reason I found the courage to truly try and do something with myself.”

The Prince of Death stared out at those in attendance before glancing over at Shining Armor, “To me Shining Armor and Blazing Dawn are like the younger siblings I never had. Shining Armor inspired confidence, self-will, and strength in oneself with every step he took. He may have come off a as a serious pony, but he was a total goofball.” He chuckled deeply, tears still pouring down his face, “A lovable goofball who knew how to have a darn good laugh and not a day will go by that I won’t miss him, but I know he’d be happier if I learned to live on with my life, as should everypony here. All his good deeds, devotion to his loving wife, to his kingdom, friends, and family should be something everypony should honor and live to be a good citizen by example...” He allowed the rain to further flatten his mane for several moments before he sighed deeply.

“I know many of you who know of my abilities, would want me to bring him back, and I truly wish I could, but the time I spent in a coma let the window of opportun-nity s-slip by...” Lunar Eclipse could no longer hold his composure as he quietly sobbed in front of everypony. Princess Luna felt her heart cry for him as she approached him and wrapped her hooves lovingly around his neck.

“It’ll be okay, my love.” She whispered into his ear before kissing it softly.

He chuckled somewhat bitterly, “You always manage to cheer me up...” A small smile tugged at his lips. His horn glowed a soft red before a black rose appeared in his mouth.

Lunar Eclipse walked over to the open casket and place it down near his heart. He leant down and whispered to Shining Armor’s corpse, “I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you, Shining, but I know you’d haunt my flank if I didn’t move on...I’ll do my best to keep everypony’s spirits up, and I swear I’ll be there for Cadence every step of the way.” Lunar tapped horns with his brother and followed Luna back to the side, allowing the next speaker to go up.

Cadence, incidentally, was next to speak. She stepped forward, her black widow gown flowing out behind her. Using her magic, she lifted up her veil and looked down at her husband. “Shining...” She closed her eyes. “I...I have always loved you. Even when we were teenagers looking after Twilight...” She looked over at Twilight, who still had her head buried into her mother’s shoulder. “I don’t hate you for leaving me and our unborn foal behind...” She looked down at her stomach. “Not at all...” Finally, tears started steadily pouring out of her eyes. “I will remember you forever...and our foal will know what a hero her daddy was...” She did the same spell Lunar did and a pink and yellow rose appeared in her mouth as well. “Goodbye, Shining....” She heaved in a sad breath before dropping the rose next to Lunar’s black one. She leaned down and kissed her husband on the cheek before standing upright, using her magic to lower her veil, and stepping back to where she was standing before.

“Go on, honey...” Twilight’s mother said solemnly to her daughter from behind Blazing Dawn. Blazing Dawn kept his head lowered as Twilight Sparkle was heard walking behind him. Her hoofsteps stopped next to Blazing Dawn. Blazing Dawn hesitated in his sobs, feeling Twilight’s violet eyes on him.

“Twilight...I...I...” Blazing Dawn sobbed. “I-I’m s-so sorry...I...I c-c-couldn’t...”

He felt a hoof on his shoulder. He looked up and his eyes met the tear-stained eyes of his Aunty Twi. She had a small smile.

“It’s okay, Blaze...”

Blazing Dawn nuzzled Twilight’s hoof and muttered, “T-Thank you...”

Twilight lowered her hoof and walked up to her dead brother, still levitating her umbrella overhead. She smiled down at her brother and did the same thing, a purple rose appearing in her mouth after a brief flash of light. She dropped it with the other two roses and turned to the crowd. “Shining Armor was my B.B.B.F.F...Big Brother Best Friend Forever...” The crowd chuckled lightheartedly through their overall tone of sadness, as did Twilight. She sniffed, wiped her eyes, and continued. “He was my role model...my inspiration...” She looked down and let the rain splash on her mane for a moment before looking back up. “I’ll never forget him...” She looked down at her brother once more. “Love you, bro...” She did as Lunar did and lowered her horn to his before standing back up and walking back towards her parents, again bursting into tears..

Rainbow Dash embraced her friend and rubbed her back comfortingly. “It’s okay, Twi...it’ll be okay...”

There was a moment of silence for a moment before Blazing Dawn felt several pairs of eyes burning a hole in his head. He looked up and shook his head at Celestia, who trotted up to him. “Y-Your Highness...I-I can’t...”

“It would be his wish...” Celestia said, sniffing sadly. “That the pony he died defending speak, Blazing Dawn...”

Blazing Dawn gave a sidewise glance to Applebloom and his mom, who both nodded with a small smile.

He shuddered, sighed, then nodded. “Alright...”

Celestia stood aside and allowed Blazing Dawn to walk up to Shining’s corpse. He felt all eyes on him as he stood above the casket, looking down at the stallion who had died defending him. He inhaled sadly, then stood up.

“Shining Armor...” Blazing Dawn laughed a little. “I...didn’t know him that well...” He looked out at the crowd of ponies. “I only knew him as the captain of the guard that would get on my tail for accidental damage I caused the castle...or the nobles...” This was met by several light chuckles from the various ponies around, including his mother, who was now standing with Twilight and her family. “But now...” He looked up at the rainy sky. “I know...he...he was much more...” He looked down. “The short time we fought together....side-by-side...he...he...” Blazing Dawn began to choke up. He shuddered, regained his composure, then looked up, tears streaming out of his eyes. “He showed he was...is a true hero of Equestria...worthy of the title ‘Captain of the Guard.’” He smiled slightly when he saw several small smiles appear on the faces of the various ponies in the crowd. “I will miss him...” Blazing Dawn continued. “And I will never forget him...”

He closed his eyes and concentrated, as Lunar had taught his shortly beforehand. There was a bright flash of light, and a brilliantly glowing golden rose appeared in his mouth. He slowly turned and dropped the rose on top of the others.

“Guard...” Celestia said after smiling at the young alicorn’s words. “Prepare to lower the casket...”

He fell to his haunches and stared at the casket as the four Pegasi who had carried him down slowly lowered the lid of the casket onto Shining. One could still see through the lid, as it was made of glass.

“I’m...so...sorry...Shining...” Blazing Dawn thought as he sobbed in the silence, save the drops of rain that splashed around him.

Blazing Dawn looked up slowly at the casket as Blue Arrow called out for the military present give a salute or draw their weapons in honor.

As the guards left to retrieve the flag he would be covered in, a small tenor voice started ringing through the rain.

A beautiful, lilt-like tenor voice that was strangely familiar to some of the older ponies there.

Amazing grace...

How sweet the sound...

That saved a wretch like meeee...

“Who—?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking around confusedly.

“It can’t be...” Twilight said in shock, looking towards Blaze.

Sure enough, Blazing Dawn held his head high in the air, still sitting on his haunches.

He was singing.

I once was lost...

But now I’m found...

Was blind, but now I seeee...

“He sounds jus’ like...” Applejack started in shock.

“Ace...” Rainbow Dash managed to say through the tears that were coming to her eyes at the sound of her son’s beautiful voice he had inherited from his father.

Applebloom only smiled, happy he finally managed to start singing in front of other ponies

Blazing Dawn opened his eyes and stood up, staring at the casket as the guards spread out the flag over Shining’s casket.

‘Twas grace that taught...

My heart to fear...

And grace my fears relieveeeed...

How precious did that grace appear...

The hour I then belieeeved...

Tears started forming in the young alicorn’s eyes yet again as the Equestrian flag came to a rest and he continued his beautiful singing.

His chains are goooone...

He’s been set freeee...

Shining Armor my savior...

Has ransomed meeee!

And like a floood...

His goodness reigns...

Unending love...

He lowered his head again, his wet mane overshadowing his eyes.

Amazing grace...

Blaze gasped, turned his head at the sound of another voice besides his.

His father, Ace, stood next to him, also crying and staring at Shining Armor’s casket. Upon seeing his son looking at him, the apparition turned his head and nodded at his son, smiling.

Shining promised good to me...

His act my hope secures...

He was my shield and my protection...

As long my life endures...

Everypony who attended the funeral for Shining Armor that day couldn’t ever recall exactly what happened when the young alicorn sang with the beauty of not one, but two voices. Where the second voice came from, no pony could ever explain. However, what Blazing Dawn did next was so beautiful and meaningful that even the powerful Celestia herself broke down in sobs as the four guards started lowering Shining’s body into the grave.

As Blazing Dawn continued to sing with the second voice that came from nowhere, his horn and cutie mark began to glow a bright gold. The clouds cleared away just over the graveyard where Shining was being buried and Celestia’s sun blasted down a beautiful beam of light onto Shining’s grave as they lowered the casket. As light emanated from the young alicorn, he continued to sing with his father, whose apparition was standing next to him with his eyes closed.

His chains are goooone...

He’s been set freeeee...

Shining Armor my savior, ransomed meeee....

And like a flooood....

His goodness reigns....

Unending love....

Amazing grace...

As the sun shone down brightly on the service as the guards covered up the casket with magic. Rainbow Dash, Lightning Flash, and the rest of the Wonderbolts made a thunderous booming sound as they by overhead in honor of the deceased capatin.

Blazing Dawn and the other unknown voice kept singing the chorus as Celestia, tears streaming out of her eyes at the beautiful music, trotted up and used every ounce of magic she could muster to produce a stature of Shining Armor and Blazing Dawn over the grave. Shining Armor had his sword drawn and was standing back to back with Blazing Dawn.

The plaque on the base of the statue read:

Shining Armor
Brother, Husband, Son, Friend, Captain, and Hero of Ponyville
“Heroism is endurance for one moment more...”

Rain still pattered the windows of Canterlot Castle after the funeral for Shining Armor ended. No pony stood outside the great doors to Celestia’s Throne Room except Blazing Dawn, still donned in his suit, though his tie and collar were loosened. His mother Rainbow Dash, still in her flight shirt, and Applebloom stood behind him, staring at the young alicorn.

Blazing Dawn was steadily looking down at the floor, still saddened by the events of the day. As another crack of thunder sounded outside and lightning flashed through the sky, Blazing Dawn lifted his head up, closed his eyes, and sighed.

“I...I don’t know about this...” He managed to say quietly.

Rainbow Dash exchanged a look of pity with Applebloom before walking up behind her son, turning him around, and wrapping her forehooves around him into a tight hug. “Whatever the Princesses want, I’m sure it’s nothing bad...”

“I...” Blazing Dawn started. “I...hope not...”

A lone tear of happiness fell from Dash’s right eye as she continued to hug her son. “I’m so proud of you...” She pulled back and smiled at her son. “Always remember that...”

Blazing Dawn sniffed and nodded, his golden eyes shining at his mother’s magenta eyes. “I...I will...”

Rainbow Dash then flapped her wings and took to the air and headed towards the doors that led outside. “I’ll be waiting for you outside in the hallway.”

Blazing Dawn only nodded as his mother pulled open the doors and left.

Blazing Dawn sighed and turned towards the Throne Room doors to go inside. He was stopped, however, when two yellow forehooves wrapped around his neck and he felt somepony hugging him from behind.

“Good luck, Blaze...” Applebloom whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek and getting off of his back, releasing him, and then she, too, began to make her way towards the exit.

“‘Bloom, wait.”

The young filly stopped short with a forehoof raised. She sighed and turned around. She had a feeling she knew what this was about.

“Yeah, Blaze?” She cocked her head.

Blazing Dawn blushed and looked down at the floor before looking back up at Applebloom. “Do you...do you remember what...what happened...in Sugar Cube...OH boy...” Blazing Dawn stopped himself and looked down, blushing even more.

Applebloom smiled and trotted towards him. “Ah...ah do, kinda...”

Blazing Dawn slowly looked up at his childhood crush with a look of surprise. “You could?”

Applebloom nodded, her smile growing slightly bigger. “Ah do. Ah was tied up in mah mind, and ah saw some parts of...what it tried to do to ya’....” Applebloom switched to a frown. “It made me sick...”

“So...you...” Blazing Dawn paused and pondered how to ask his question. “You have...no...feelings for me then?” Blazing Dawn jerked his head downwards and stared at the ground. “I’m...so sorry...”

“Blaze...look at me...”

Blazing Dawn sighed and shook his head, “No, ‘Bloom. I screwed up. I shouldn't have asked you-umph!”

Blazing Dawn felt a hoof under his chin suddenly. The hoof forced his head upward towards the yellow filly. She smiled, then leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. Blazing Dawn’s widened in shock before they closed with relaxation. It was a simple kiss; just lip and nothing else.

The two young ponies stood there, lips locked, for a good ten seconds before Applebloom finally peeled her lips anyway. Both ponies opened their eyes and stared at each other, fierce blushes exploding across both their faces.

“Ah do have feelings for ya’, Blaze...” Applebloom said, smiling. “But...we should still be friends right now...”

“O-oh...” Blaze said, looking down.

“No no no...look at me...” Applebloom lifted his head up again. “Ah’m not saying no.” She nuzzled him. “Ah’m just saying...not now...” Applebloom’s orange eyes gleamed as she stared into Blaze’s golden eyes. “Let’s actually go out on dates ‘n stuff...like Applejack and Papyrus did before they started goin’ steady...okay? Ah jus' wanna be sure...this is what ah want...”

Blaze smiled and nodded. “Sounds good, ‘Bloom....”

Applebloom turned, brushing her tail across his muzzle as she did so, and trotted towards the exit. “Good luck, Blaze...”

“Thanks, ‘Bloom...” Blazing Dawn waved with a smile.

As soon as he heard the sound of doors closing, he turned towards the throne room door, jumped into the air and did a little hoof-kick in the air with his hind legs. He used he wings to land squarely before he quietly pumped a forehoof with a smile. “Yessss....”

He then remembered why he was in the castle when lightning again cracked through the sky outside.

“Right...” He gulped and walked towards the large throne room doors and used his magic to open them.

As they swung open, Blazing Dawn was greeted by several pairs of eyes staring at him.

“Blazing Dawn...” Filthy Rich, who had a bandage over his head from an injury he suffered in Ponyville, narrowed his eyes and gestured the young alicorn forward. “Late, as always...”

Blazing Dawn was in no mood to take crap from Filthy today. After he used his magic to close the doors, he scowled and simply said, “Buck you, Filthy...I’m in no mood...”

There were several gasps around the room as Filthy Rich reeled back in shock at Blazing Dawn’s extreme assertiveness. Twilight face-hooved, worried the Princesses would get mad at Blaze. Celestia and Luna did not gasp or do anything to punish Blaze. Rather, they retained straight faces. As Blazing Dawn walked up, his eyes fell on the stained-glass window with his Dad on it. He shook his head and sighed before bowing before the princesses. “You summoned me?”

Celestia was the first to speak up. “Indeed.” She nodded. “Blaze, as an alicorn, you should know by now that alicorn’s possess ability to alter the world in a deity-like fashion. I control the sun, and Luna controls the moon...” Celestia gestured over at Luna, who simply nodded. “And Lunar is life and death...” Celestia pointed at Blaze. “You, Blaze, have just discovered your alicorn powers in full-force...”

“I...I did?” Blaze was taken aback.

Lightning Bolt, the female Pegasus hierarchy member, nodded. “We read the reports. It appears you used energy from the sun to produce an extremely powerful fire attack...” She leaned forward, extending her wings. “Is that true?”\

Blazing Dawn shrugged. “To be honest, I don’t remember much of how I defeated the Nightmare...” Blazing Dawn looked down and sighed. “All I really remember is getting angry at seeing Shining Armor die, then...” He looked up. “I yelled really loud, and I don’t remember anything after that...” He didn’t feel like explaining seeing his dad to the princesses, so he kept that a secret.

This was greeted by more gasps from the hierarchy members. Celestia and Luna exchanged glances with each other before Luna spoke up. “‘Tis the Royal Canterlot Voice!”

“Sister!” Celestia barked as everypony in the room covered their ears in pain at Luna’s yelling.

Luna frowned. “Sorry...still lose it sometimes...”

“It’s okay...” Celestia smiled at her sister, then turned towards Blaze. “If you demonstrated the Royal Canterlot Voice in this battle, we must step up your training with Lunar.”

“Indeed.” Fancy Pants spoke up from his desk. “It very well may be that Blazing Dawn is destined to become a Prince.”

“WHAT!?” Blazing Dawn, Filthy Rich, and Twilight Sparkle all yelled in unison.

Blazing Dawn galloped forward. “But...c’mon, your Highness! I’m not Prince material!”

Celestia nodded. “Whether you think so or not, Fancy Pants is right.” She pointed a hoof forward. “Someday in the future, when your training is complete, you will be dubbed Blazing Dawn...” She smiled. “Prince of Fire.”

OCs:

Blue Arrow, Papyrus, and the Red Hooves (c) QTXAdsy

Lightning Flash (c) Lightning Flash

Shadow Breeze (c) AnonJ17

Song: Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone-Chris Tomlin

A/N: One more epilogue to go.

Trust me. It will answer a lot of questions for you all.

Epilogue 3: The Call

Epilogue 3: The Call

"I'm...I'm not who you think I am, Dash..."

“Ugh...”

“I'm really what is known as a human, from a planet called Earth...in a different plane of existence entirely...Celestia gave me this form when she brought me here..."

“D-Dan...”

“My real name is...is Dan...”

Dash whimpered as she continued to hear Dan in her sleep, tossing and turning in her bed as she did so.

When you dream...

What do you dream about?

When you dream...

What do you dream about?

A tear rolled down the sleeping Pegasus’ cheek as she remember the lullaby Dan sang to Blazing Dawn. “Dan...please...don’t go...”

"Goodbye Dash...I love you..."

“Dan! No!”

Rainbow Dash sat up in bed suddenly, panting heavily, tears staining her cheeks. She breathed in and out heavily for a moment, then sighed, wiping her face with a forehoof, “Not again...”

Silently, she slipped out of her bed and trotted quietly out of her room. As she walked through the living room, she paused and gazed inside Blazing Dawn’s room. She smiled and chuckled when she saw her son fast asleep in an awkward, crouched over position without any covers on. “He’s so tired...” Dash whispered to herself. “No wonder he can sleep like that...”

She continued trotting through the living room and quietly opened the door, slipped through, and closed it behind her again.

Finding herself outside, she turned and took in a fresh breath of night air. She slowly trotted forward to the edge of her cloud then slumped down with a groan, letting one forehoof hang over the edge. She angled her head upwards and looked up at the night sky.

“Dan...” She muttered as she gazed at the twinkling stars and Luna’s moon moving slowly across the sky. “I miss you so much...” Rainbow sighed, “Why haven’t you come back yet?” She looked down at her cloud and shuddered as another tear came from her eye, “You promised...”

“It’s a beautiful night for star-gazing...”

Rainbow Dash jumped in surprise when she heard the regal voice of Princess Celestia from behind her. Panting heavily, Rainbow put a forehoof to her chest, “Don’t sneak up on me like that, Princess!”

Celestia giggled slightly at Rainbow’s shock, “Oh, come now, Rainbow Dash. I didn’t mean to scare you...” The princess walked forward and stood next to the shocked Pegasus and looked up at the sky as well, “I just came to talk to you...”

Rainbow turned her head towards Celestia and cocked an eye, “To...talk...?”

“Yes.”

“About...?”

Celestia’s smile disappeared as she continued looking up at the sky, “I think you know what about...”

“Oh...” Dash turned her head back towards the sky as well, her eyes half-closed, “Dan...”

“Indeed...” Celestia quietly cleared her throat. “The fact of the matter is that Dan has been gone a decade now...” Celestia sighed, “Almost everypony that knew him has either forgotten or could not care less because he is not here...Gods willing, he would’ve been very helpful in this whole Nightmare problem...”

Dash wiped away another tear, “So why not just bring him back like you did before?”

“Were it so simple...” Celestia shook her head. “The time-space distortion he caused is still present...and I fear it doesn’t look like it will be gone for a very long time...”

Dash couldn’t help but sob a little, but she restrained herself in front of her princess, “I...I see...” She sighed, “I just wish there was some way he could come back...”

“I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash. Truly, I am.” Celestia said, turning her head to look at the saddened Rainbow-maned Pegasus. When Rainbow looked back at celestia, the alicorn smiled, “Would you like to....see him...?”

Rainbow Dash couldn’t contain herself. She flapped her wings and she took off into the air, doing a flip before flying down to Celestia’s level with a smile on her face, “I’d...I’d love to!” She sniffed and wiped away a tear, “But...how?”

“I know you’ve been having...dreams....about Dan, Dash...that’s part of why I came to see you...to ask if you wanted to see him...” Celestia smiled, “I discovered a rather interesting spell while in the Star Swirl the Bearded Wing of the Archives the other day that allows my conscience and the conscience of one other pony to be transported briefly to another world...or to another being in another world...”

“Well, Princess, don’t just stand there!” Rainbow fluttered her wings excitedly, “Get on with it!”

Celestia chuckled, “Hold your horses, Rainbow! Haha, goodness...” Celestia chuckled at Rainbow’s excitement before closing her eyes and concentrating, “Close your eyes as well, Rainbow Dash...”

“Oh...sorry...” Rainbow Dash touched back down onto the ground and did as instructed. She received...a weird sensation on her hooves, as if she had left the ground for a few seconds. She wobbled slightly and fell over when she again felt her hooves on the ground.

Except, it wasn’t the cloud she expected. It was...

“Carpet?”

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes and looked down. Sure enough, she was looking down at some unfamiliar tan carpet. Rainbow jumped to her hooves and looked around. They were in a weird-looking bedroom with windows on all sides. Upon looking out the window, Rainbow could see a huge city, one that made Manehatten look small.

“Where are we?” Rainbow Dash turned to Celestia, who was also in the room.

Celestia strode over the window and looked around, “The human city of Los Angeles.”

“Whoa...” Rainbow trotted up next to Celestia and looked out the window, “It’s huge...”

“The humans are in ingenious species indeed.” Celestia said, looking down at Rainbow.

“So...” Rainbow looked around, “This must be where—”

“Dan lives?” Celestia chuckled, “I certainly hope so, considering that’s who I channeled the spell to...”

The sound of a door opening caused the two ponies to turn suddenly. In walked in an older Dan. His hair was still long and shaggy, and he had a very apparent soul-patch under his lip.

“Would you like some Mountain Dew, sir?” A robotic voice echoed from above.

“No thanks, Wheatley, I just wanna be alone right now...” Dan responded after closing the door and hanging up his jacket he was wearing.

Rainbow Dash was beside herself with joy. So much so, that tears began forming in her eyes as she looked at Dan, “DAN!” She extended her wings and took off towards him.

“Rainbow Dash, no!” Celestia reached a forehoof forward to stop the speeding Pegasus, but it was too late. Rainbow dash found herself flying right through Dan, as she were a ghost, and then through the wall behind him halfway before she stopped herself.

She turned and flew out of the wall, staring at Dan as he walked towards the closet and removed his shirt and hang it up, “W-what...?” Was all Rainbow could stammer.

Celestia sighed and walked toward the flying Pegasus through the bed, “We’re as spirits here, Rainbow Dash, We are not manifested physically; only spiritually.”

“O-oh...” Rainbow looked down, “Dang it...I was hoping that...that...” She sniffed, “I could...”

Celestia walked up and tenderly wrapped her wings around the saddened Pegasus, “I know, Rainbow Dash. I just thought you might want to see him...”

“Thank you, your Highness...” Rainbow Dash pulled herself away from the hug and looked over at Dan, who had put on a new short and was walking towards them, an indifferent expression on his face, “That means a lot...just to know he is okay...”

Rainbow Dash shivered as Dan walked right through the both of them and went to his bed and kneeled down in front of it. He then clasped his hands together and rest his elbows on his bed and leaned his head forward with his eyes closed.

“What...what is he doing?” Rainbow Dash asked with a cocked eyebrow.

“Star Swirl the Bearded’s book on humans suggests this is the act of ‘praying’ to their God...” Celestia responded with an intrigued look.

“My Father in Heaven...” Dan’s baritone voice echoed throughout the room, “I come before thee tonight to again thank thee for the bounty of blessings which thou hast given me...and to bless my family, wherever they may be, that they may be safe and sound...”

“Awe...” Rainbow Dash sighed. “He’s still as sweet as always....”

Celestia was unmoved, clearly worried about something.

“Also, again, father, I’d again like to thank those beings...whoever they were...and their role in my success and making me feel better those ten years ago...” Dan continued. “I can’t remember them, but you probably know them better than I do...”

The sound of shattering glass rang through Rainbow’s mind when she heard Dan say that.

“He...” She started to say. “He...”

“He has forgotten...” Celestia muttered. “Just as I feared...”

Rainbow Dash slumped to the floor. “He...he forgot...” She began to sob. “I can’t believe it...”

“Rainbow...” Celestia said, her eyes narrowing with sadness as well. “Rainbow, I’m so sorry...” She looked at Dan, who was now praying quietly. “His human mind has most likely repressed all the memories he has of Equestria...” She looked down at her. “And of you.”

Rainbow was silent for a long time before Celestia leaned down and, with a surprising show of emotion, nuzzle Rainbow Dash on the neck. “I’m so sorry, dear...”

Rainbow Dash just stared ahead as she lay on the floor, silent, unable to believe it.

He had forgotten. Dan had repressed his memories.

“Wait...” Rainbow said aloud.

“He’s repressed his memories...”

“They could still be there...” Rainbow said quietly. She angled her head up at Dan who was still quietly praying. “Dan...”

Rainbow Dash stood up and trotted slowly over to the bed and stood beside Dan as he prayed. Rainbow Dash sighed, looked down, and, to Celestia’s surprise, she began to sing in her adorable tomboy voice.

It started out as a feeling...

Which then grew into a hope...

Which then turned into a quiet thought...

Which then turned into a quiet word.

Rainbow Dash slowly laid down on the floor next to Dan, resting her head on the bed next to his right elbow. Her tail swished through his body as she continued to sing passionately.

And then that word grew louder and louder...

‘Til it was a battle cry!

You’ll come back!

When I call you...

No need to say goodbye.

Rainbow Dash, at this point, was finding it difficult to express her emotions through song, as tears were streaming out of her eyes and she did so. Celestia, too, was touched by the scene as Dash appealed to Dan’s memory. Dash turned her head to look at Dan, whose eyes were now open and staring ahead. Dash sniffed and continued to sing.

Just because everything's changing...

Doesn't mean it's never...

Been this way before.

All you can do is try to ‘member...

Who your friends are...

As you head off to your world.

Dan shifted slightly in his kneeling position, as if he were hearing something in his head. Dash smiled sadly and stood up, positioning her face right hext his as he continued to stare ahead.

Pick a star on the dark horizon...

And follow the light.

You'll come back...

When it's over.

No need to say good bye.

Finally, Dan turned in Dash’s direction and stared at her, even though she wasn’t there. For a brief moment, it appeared as though Dan’s human mind recovered enough repressed memory for him to hear his former lover from Equestria. Tears came to his confused eyes as the sweet female voice he was hearing continued to sing.

Now you're back to the Earth...

It's just a feeling and nopony knows anymore

But just because they can't feel it too...

Doesn't mean that you have to forget.

Dash leaned in so that she was face to face with Dan.

Let your memories grow stronger and stronger...

Til they're before your eyes!

At this point Dash was right in front of Dan’s face, hoping he would see her. All Dan did, however, was simply reach up a hand and feel around in the empty space, his hand phasing right through her.

You'll come back...

When it's over.

No need to say good bye...

Dash slowly leaned forward and kissed the air where Dan’s cheek was. She got up and trotted back towards the Princess, who was in tears herself at the scene before her. She nodded at the Princess, who in turn began powering up a spell to bring them back to Equestria. Dash looked at Dan and sang one last line.

No need to say good bye...

In a flash, the two ponies were gone.

Dan, now alone, even though he didn’t know there were two ghostly ponies in the room, slowly reached a hand up to the cheek Dash and kissed and felt it, “Huh...” He rubbed it a few times, “That was weird...”

Song: The Call, Regina Spektor

A/N: That's wraps up this intermediary sequel. Thanks again for reading everypony, and stay tuned for updates for TRot7E soon!

Ciao!

-Dan

A New Nightmare

A New Dawn on The Horizon

Written by Henry Anthony Courtler and Thunderhawk

Chapter 1: A New Nightmare

Many years have past since "Ace" Blue Bass had left his mark on the world of Equestria. Although many had been suspicious of his sudden arrival in the town of Ponyville, he had proven to be not only a great friend, but a great warrior. With the help of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony and hundreds of brave volunteers, both male and female, they had defended the city of Canterlot and the surrounding area from total annihilation against the Equestrian Deity of Chaos, Discord, and his massive army of monsters. Many lives were lost on both sides; though the losses were smaller for the Equestrians, the hurt was just as strong. Throughout all this, the Elements of Harmony and Ace had been futilely trying to find the rumored "7th Element" of Harmony that had been lost to time. It was toward the climax of the initial attack that the 7th Element revealed itself at last.

This Element was known as the Element of Love, and proved to be the key to winning the battle. This was caused by a near fatal injury that Ace sustained from killing a dragon and saving Rainbow Dash, bearer of the Element of Loyalty. Prior to the battle, Rainbow Dash and Ace had shown romantic feelings towards each other, but never acted on it. It was their feelings and the bonding song they shared that would come to unlock the hidden 7th Element; saving Ace's life in the process.

Once armed with the Element of Love, Ace had stood up against all odds and fought Discord in a one on one battle, which he won, ending the Deity's life, but not without sustaining further injuries. This was one of the many tribulations Ace, Rainbow Dash, and the Elements of Harmony had to overcome. None of these trials, however, could stack up in comparison to the biggest single-hoofed threat that could have caused inner turmoil for the land of Equestria. An ex-ambassador of a distant land known vaguely as "The Land of the Zebras" came back during the annual Grand Galloping Gala to exact his revenge against Princess Celestia, using Rainbow Dash, who was attending with Ace and the other Elements, as leverage to have his demands met. Anansi, as everypony would come to know him as, demanded that Ace and the Elements of Harmony bring forth the physical embodiments of the Elements in exchange for Rainbow Dash.

Desperately, the Elements set out into the desert lands, in search of the ex-ambassador's whereabouts. Throughout their journey, many of them began to doubt their ability to save their fellow friend and were ready to give up the Elements without a fight when they were approached by possibly the last male alicorn in all of Equestria. The Prince of Death, Lunar Eclipse, told them how foolish they were, believing that the Elements were truly held by their petty accessories. It was then that they realized they had always been capable of using their power to fight and protect those they love. With that in mind, the group, along with Lunar Eclipse, infiltrated Anansi's base of operations, freeing Rainbow Dash and other captives who she knew from her youth. Lunar Eclipse and Ace went ahead and took Anansi head on in a epic fight in order to give the Elements the time they needed to break Rainbow Dash out of her prison.

All seemed lost when Rainbow Dash foolishly ran out to see Ace; Anansi then took her captive, holding a knife to her throat. Through the power of Ace's 7th Element armor and weapons, and the use of Lunar Eclipse's trickery and illusions, Anansi was defeated. However, his knife cut deep into Rainbow Dash's throat as Anansi fell. Lunar Eclipse stopped time briefly before Rainbow Dash bled out, claiming there was a way to bring her back, but the trigger was not present.

What he did not know is that it was indeed present.

Rainbow Dash's intended last words to Ace were that she was pregnant. Upon telling the Prince of Death what Rainbow Dash had said, he lit up with joy. He could draw energy from the growing life inside of her, amplifying it and giving Rainbow Dash some of that energy, bringing her back from the verge of death.

Combining Lunar Eclipse's power over life and death and Ace's Element of Love, they managed to breathe life back into the dying Rainbow Dash.

Upon returning to Ponyville, they discovered that their child was going to be a colt.

But that wasn't the most defining part of their experience.

Because Lunar Eclipse had drawn life from Rainbow's child, the magic that resides inside everypony had bubbled to the surface, causing the conception of another alicorn. After nine months of dealing with the horrors of pony morning sickness, and other assorted oddities, Rainbow gave birth to a healthy baby alicorn colt, which she instantly named Blazing Dawn because he had become an alicorn right as the sun started to rise over the battlefield those nine months ago.

Ace, overjoyed at having a son, spent the next week enjoying himself; playing with his new son and racing in Ghastly Gorge against his rival, Lightning Flash.

However, this joy was short-lived.

The Princesses, who were attending the race, pulled Ace aside afterwards, and that was the last time anypony saw Ace. Some say he moved back to Cloudsdale. Rumors floated around that he was sent to "The Land of The Zebras" to ensure the zebras that Anansi's death was no cause for war. Others claimed that he had gone off into reclusion to meditate on all the experiences he had gone through and purify his soul. The only ponies who know for sure what happened to the Hero of Equestria are the Elements of Harmony and the alicorn royalty.

It is at this point in the story that we must inform you, the reader, that Ace was no pony. He was, in fact, a human, from the planet known as Earth in an entirely different plane of existence. His real name was Dan, and his music, friendship, and heroism will never be forgotten by the select few who knew the truth.

The rest of Equestria, however, did not follow suit.

It has since been ten years since Dan's disappearance and, similar to that of the Red Hooves of Celestia, the legend Dan left behind became nothing but an old pony's tale. The story of how Blue "Ace" Bass had defeated Discord forever and saved Equestria from war with the zebras had descended close to that of a myth.

Changes began to take place in the Equestrian society. The start of an industrial revolution had begun when the engineer pony known as Gear Grinder achieved his dream and finally began construction of an airstrip in Ponyville, from which his zeppelins could land and take off. Crude muskets and pistols, similar to the weapons of the American Revolution on Earth, began to be produced through factories that started dotting the map around Equestria.

Chief among these changes, however, was the change in the government.

Princesses Celestia and Luna still resided as the High Rulers of Equestria; however, due to the demands of the public for having equal representation among the three kinds of ponies, a hierarchy was formed in which two representatives, a stallion and a mare of each race of pony, would reside in the Royal Court and vote on issues and advise the Princesses. This change didn't sit well with everypony, but the system still stood.

We now return to the basis of this story. The alicorn Blazing Dawn is now ten years old; alicorn wise. This will explained later, but for now, we turn the attention of this story to Blazing Dawn himself. He has recently started his training with the Prince of Death, Lunar Eclipse, and is well on his way to becoming a powerful alicorn.

However, a new nightmare looms on the horizon that the young alicorn must face, regardless of whether or not he is ready. This monstrosity will stop at nothing to eliminate Blazing Dawn, and his training, however advanced it may be, may not be enough to save him from the clutches of this beast that bears no physical form.

This is the story of Blazing Dawn and his realization that his role as one of the last alicorns is more important than he, or anypony else, ever thought.

The sun shone brightly over the suburban town of Ponyville; colts and fillies were playing, stallions and mares were working, and the great weather just made it an even better day. The cloud dwelling of Rainbow Dash floated lazily over the same hill with same tree, though the tree had grown a lot bigger. The rainbows that always spilled out of her cloud were making a tranquil sound similar to that of a small stream. A lone cyan-colored mare was flying around in the cloud dwelling, her rainbow mane flowing out behind her whenever she moved, using her long tail to sweep dust off of furniture and walls.

It was Rainbow Dash. She had changed quite a lot over the past ten years. She was a few inches taller, her mane was longer and so was her tail. As her wings were bigger and longer as well, the feathers more defined.

"Whew..." She wiped a hoof across her forehead and plopped down onto a nearby cloud chair. "All done..." She looked around at her now clean house. "I never thought I would be worried about my cloud looking clean..." She took to the air again, chuckling. "I really must be bored, huh?"

She steadily flew over to the entryway to her cloud and landed on the edge, angling her head to look down below. "BLAZE!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "Blazing Dawn! Come up here!"

Down below, a dark blue alicorn with a short, spiky blonde mane and long tail zipped through the air and landed down below the tree. He was tall for his age. He looked almost full-grown. He was laughing and holding a red cowpony hat in his mouth.

"Gosh dern it, Blaze!" A sweet southern accent resounded over the hill as three more ponies came galloping into view. "Give me back mah hat!"

"Gotta catch me first, Applebloom! Haha!" The young alicorn yelled through his clenched teeth.

Blazing Dawn launched himself up into the tree, laughing all the while. At this point the Cutie Mark Crusaders galloped into view beneath the tree. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were older now, looking a few inches away from being full-grown mares. Scootaloo reached the tree first. Her short purple mane was a little longer, but still retained its style from when she was younger. Her wings were bigger and she could fly now, and she had even obtained her Cutie Mark. It was a cloud and a lightning bolt just like Rainbow Dash's, only the cloud was a darker orange than her coat and her lightning bolt was purple.

"Get down here, Blaze! You're gonna give Applebloom a heart attack!" Scootaloo leaned against the tree, still laughing, and turned her head to look as Sweetie Belle was next to skid to a halt underneath the tree.

Sweetie Belle had also grown taller, her horn longer, and her mane and tail were the same style, only longer. Her Cutie Mark was a bell with a musical eighth note behind it. A bow was tied to the bell. She panted heavily a looked up at the branch where Blazing Dawn sat, removing the hat from his mouth and grinning down at Sweetie Belle.

"All tuckered out, Sweetie Belle?" The young alicorn chuckled.

"Blaze, come on now!" Sweetie's tender voice rang up to him. "Give Applebloom her hat back!"

"Thanks, Sweetie Belle..." Applebloom ran up behind her and walked to the base of the tree. "But ah can fend fer myself..."

Applebloom had grown taller as well. Her mane and tail had, like the others, retained its form from ten years ago, except they were longer. Her Cutie Mark was a red apple, unsurprisingly. However, there were two wrenches that crossed behind the apples, signifying her special talent with repairs and renovation. Her last new defining feature was dangling from a smirking Blazing Dawn's hooves; the red cowpony hat.

"Blazing Dawn..." The cowpony smiled as she looked up at him. "It's clear ya'll are mad about earlier when I called ya' a shrimp..."

"You got that right!" Blazing Dawn leaned back casually, still dangling the hat in his hoof. "I most certainly am NOT seafood...that's just insulting..."

"Um, Blaze..." Scootaloo looked up. "I think that you've got it all-"

"SH!" Sweetie Belle shoved a hoof onto Scootaloo's mouth. "Don't tell him what she really meant! Then he'll never give it back!" Sweetie hissed into Scootaloo's ear.

"Look, Blaze..." Applebloom smiled up at the young alicorn. "Just c'mon down, will ya'? Ah promise I won't never call ya' anything seafood related again..."

When Applebloom smiled up at him, Blazing Dawn's smile disappeared and he sighed. "Okay..." He jumped off his branch and flew slowly down through the air towards the Cutie Mark Crusaders. He floated above Applebloom and dropped the red, white-laced hat onto her head before dropping down to the ground in front of her.

Applebloom chuckled before adjusting her hat and smiling down at Blazing Dawn, who was pawing the ground. "I'm sorry, Applebloom. I just got carried away."

"Aw..." She raised a hoof and ruffled Blazing Dawn's mane. "Ah can't stay mad at ya'! It's okay!"

Blazing Dawn's tail wagged and he smiled as he looked up at Applebloom. "Thanks Applebloom!"

"Well, now that that's over with..." Scootalooo walked up and looked at Blazing Dawn's haunches. She sighed. "No cutie mark, little guy..."

"Aw..." Blazing Dawn turned to look at his haunches as well, spinning around in the process. "Dang it... So all the thousands of things we did today was for nothing?" He threw his hooves up for emphasis on "thousands."

"Nope..." Sweetie Belle smiled. "Because now you know thousands of ways to not get your cutie mark!"

"Trial and error, Blaze..." Applebloom smiled. "That's how we finally got ours!"

"I guess..." Blazing Dawn looked at the ground sadly. "Maybe we could try some—"

"BLAZE! Don't think I don't see you down there!"

Blazing Dawn and the CMC all looked up at the cloud. There they saw Rainbow Dash leaning down and shouting at Blazing Dawn. "Come on up! Lunar will be here for lessons soon!"

"Okay, mom!" The young alicorn waved before turning back to the three fillies. "Bye, guys. Lunar Eclipse is coming..."

"Cool, BD!" Scootaloo leaned forward, "What's he gonna teach you today?"

"I don't know!" Blazing Dawn smiled and shook his head. "That's the fun of it! There's so much about being an alicorn that I don't know yet!"

"Well, see you guys tomorrow!" Blazing Dawn turned to go, but stopped short. He pawed the ground nervously, as if contemplating something in his mind.

"Blaze? Are ya'll oka-OOF!" Applebloom started to inquire what the alicorn was doing, but no sooner had she started to ask, Blazing Dawn had turned around and zipped towards her, embracing the cowpony in a hug.

"Bye Applebloom..." Blazing Dawn said quietly in her ear before letting go of her and flying up towards Rainbow Dash's cloud.

"Bye, little guy..." Applebloom sighed and shook her head as she watched him go.

She turned towards Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, who was gazing at Applebloom with awe in their expressions.

Applebloom made a confused face. "What're you all gawkin' at?"

Scootaloo was the first to speak up. "Don't get me wrong; Blazing Dawn's a cute colt just..."

"He has a ginormous crush on you, Applebloom..." Sweetie Belle offered dryly. "It's completely obvious..."

Applebloom sighed again, looked at the ground, then back up at the cloud, were Rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn were now talking.

"Ah know, girls..." She turned back to them. "Ordinarily, it wouldn't bother me... Being an alicorn, he looks our age, but he's really not... He's just...young." She chuckled. "And it's weird." She paused before smiling and saying, "Ah'll get over it. And so will he, ah'm sure."

"Great!" Scootaloo smiled and took to the air. "So, wanna go hang out at Sweetie Belle's place before Rarity gets back?"

"Sounds like a plan!" Applebloom smiled before running off with her friends.

Almost instantly, Blazing Dawn set foot on what could be the equivalent to a front yard of their cloud home and Rainbow Dash waited patiently at the front patio.

"Hey there, mom." He greeted with a small smile.

"Hey there to you too, Blaze. Lunar is on his way here from Canterlot as usual to take you out training." She turned her gaze past her son out to the horizon, as if half-expecting the alicorn Prince of Death to be flying towards them.

"Is he gonna finally teach me how to teleport?" Blaze asked with an excited grin.

She grinned back at him with the same mischievous grin she's always been known for. "Yep!"

"AWWWWW YEEEEAH!" Blazing Dawn leaped up into the air and did a hoof-pump in the air, flying around in a circle and landing right in front of his mother. "Oh man! This is so exciting! I've been waiting forever for him to teach me that!"

Rainbow Dash almost fell over laughing at her son's spectacle. She grabbed his shoulders with her front hooves and smiled down at her son, still chuckling. "You have so much of your father in you, you know that?"

Blazing Dawn shook his head, "No, I don't..." His mood instantly turned from excited to calm, turning towards the horizon and looking out at the clouds as they rolled by. "You've never really told me a lot about my dad..." He turned back to his mother. "He did things like that?"

Rainbow Dash chuckled and walked up to her son, wrapping a front hoof around his shoulder. "All the time. Your father was a born performer. He was..." She sighed. "Always putting on a show."

"Really?" Blazing Dawn looked up at his mother.

"Oh yeah." She nodded. "He sang, played the guitar, and acted..." She winked. "I think you got his singing voice."

"I..." Blazing Dawn pawed the cloud. "I...don't sing, mom..."

Dash chuckled, released her son, and started walking back towards the house. "Oh, don't think I don't hear you down there with the CMC..."

Blazing Dawn's face turned a beet red as he growled. "Ah, mom!"

She laughed, "Hey, I'm surprised your Cutie Mark isn't something music related!"

"Moooom!" Blaze groaned.

"She's quite right, kid..." A relaxed, moderately toned baritone voice sounded from behind the mother and son. "You do have your father's voice..."

They both turned and saw the massive wings of Lunar Eclipse beating in the air as he landed gracefully on the cloud. The Alicorn Prince of Death had not changed in the slightest, save that his red short, clean-cut mane and tail were a little longer. His cutie mark, a judgement hammer, reflected the sun's rays as he landed.

"Lunar!" Blazing Dawn jumped for joy and flew up to the larger alicorn, hugging him. Lunar laughed and wrapped a front hoof around the smaller alicorn as they embraced.

"Good to see you too, kid." He patted the colt's back before he dropped down onto the cloud again. "Ready to learn how to...teleport?" Lunar paused for emphasis, as this was something he knew his young protege wanted to learn for a while now.

Blaze pretended to punch an invisible enemy in front of him. "Born ready!"

"Just make sure to keep the teleportation on the down-low around me..." Rainbow Dash trotted up, sighing. "If he uses it willy-nilly, he'll be really hard to keep track of..."

"Rainbow..." Lunar and Rainbow Dash embraced in a hug as well.

"How are the princesses dealing with the new political eggheads they have in the Royal Court?" Rainbow Dash said, backing up and cocking an eye with a smirk.

Lunar chuckled, "So cynical, as always. You forget, dear Rainbow, that your best friend Twilight Sparkle is the Unicorn mare representative."

"So?" Rainbow Dash said. "Egghead is a term of endearment for her... The rest of 'um, like Filthy Rich...they can go to the moon for all I care..."

Lunar chuckled, remembering a joke the royal sisters had come up with as a gag to scare annoying petitioners before Luna's banishment. "So true..." He stood up straight. "But, in all seriousness, they haven't been causing any trouble lately."

"Good..." Rainbow said. "Hopefully Twilight will be able to keep some of them in line..."

"Hey!" Blazing Dawn zipped through the air, stopping in between the two. "Bored alicorn waiting to learn to teleport here!"

Both Rainbow Dash and Lunar Eclipse chuckled before Lunar nodded and said, "Yes, of course. Meet me at the train station. We're going to the castle courtyards today."

Blazing Dawn stood at attention and saluted like a Royal Guard Pegasus would. "Yessir, Lunar Eclipse, sir!" He took to the air. "Bye mom! Love you!"

"Love you, too, son! Be careful!" She waved at her son before he bolted off towards town, sailing through the air.

"He has your speed and agility in the air as well, Dash..." Lunar spread his wings and was about to take off. "As usual, I'll have him back before dinner..."

"Lunar..."

Lunar stopped short. "Yeah, Dashie...?" He responded in a soft spoken voice.

"It's been ten years..." She paused. "Ten years today since...you know..." Rainbow Dash looked down and off to the side, frowning and closing her eyes.

"Don't give up hope just yet, Dashie." He turned and tried his best to smile and look reassuring. "I have a feeling he'll be back..." He nodded. "Someday..."

Rainbow inhaled deeply, as if regaining her composure, and she sighed and nodded. "Y-yeah..." She shook her head. "It's just...hard, you know? It's been so long..."

"I..." Lunar stopped himself before spreading his wings. "I understand..." He took to the air. "See you later, Dash."

"Bye..." Rainbow Dash waved solemnly as the alicorn Prince of Death took to the skies and darted after Blazing Dawn into town down below.

Rainbow Dash watched them both fly off, then she took to the air herself, flying back into the cloud dwelling. She flew through the living room, past the kitchen, and straight to her bedroom. Dash landed on the floor, sighed, and looked over at her cloud bedside table. There on the table was a picture. A picture of her, glowing with the knowledge that she was now a mom, a baby Blazing Dawn swaddled up in her front hooves, and...

"Dan..." She picked up the picture with one of her front hooves. Tears started to water up in her eyes as she gazed down at the light blue, brown-maned Pegasus.

"Oh Dan!" She flung herself onto the bed, the picture still in her hooves, and began to cry. Burying her face in the covers, she sobbed uncontrollably. "Dan...why haven't you come home! It's...it's been ten years, f-for Celestia's s-sake! DAAAN! Bwahahaha..."

She buried her head in her cloud bed again and continued to sob, still clutching the picture. And so was her yearly routine on the anniversary of Dan's departure.

Lunar Eclipse and Blazing Dawn began their usual practice sessions in one of the many towers of Canterlot Castle; more specifically, the observatory tower. It was the third tallest tower following the Princess' respective towers. Blazing Dawn was trying his hardest at mastering the teleportation spell with little success and the frustration was beginning to get to him.

"Darn it! Why can't I get this spell to work?" Blazing Dawn growled out between his teeth.

Lunar Eclipse approached him and placed a hoof on his shoulder. "Blaze, you gotta calm down. Learning this spell will not be easy if you can't keep a calm state of mind. Although Unicorns and Alicorns can learn a spell after the first successful try, we still have to take the time to get down all the parts that make up an individual spell. Concentration and keeping a cool head is needed to learn any spell. Take a deep breath and empty your mind, then take another stab at it." He sagely advised his student.

The younger alicorn nodded to himself as he gently trotted over to the entrance of the room. "Just empty your mind B.D...just empty your mind." He chanted mentally to himself.

He clicked at the ground and drew in a slow breath before taking off at a full gallop. Once he saw the white tape line his mentor had set as a marker for when he should teleport, he began to charge the spell, his blue horn being encased in a golden aura. It began to brighten more and more, until he disappeared momentarily from view.

His mentor smiled proudly to himself at giving him advice that worked, until a loud, girlish scream interrupted his train of thought. He turned around and was surprised to see that the astronomers along with the telescope were gone. Quickly, he trotted over to the empty gap in the wall where the telescope had stood and looked down at the courtyard from above. Almost instantly, he began to laugh loudly at the sight.

A proud Blazing Dawn stood on top of the telescope with a forehoof held to his forehead in a military salute while the earth pony astronomers laid on the ground shaking nervously. Blaze looked up at his teacher and smirked, his horn glowing again. Lunar Eclipse took a step back just as the telescope and astronomers reappeared where they had been mere moments ago. The two scientists still laid on the ground having a nervous breakdown while Blazing Dawn trotted happily over to his teacher, laughing all the way.

"Did I do a good job or what, Lunar!?" The younger alicorn stated in a voice that oozed confidence.

"Indeed! You did do a good job, despite your...small mess up." He said with a grin, trying his hardest not to burst into laughter and spare the scientists the humiliation.

A knock came at the door.

"Come in!" Bellowed Blazing Dawn.

It was his turn to look surprised as he saw the revered Twilight Sparkle walk into the room dressed in a formal robe that beared the Equestrian flag in an elaborate design across the chest. Although it was long enough to cover all her legs, the robe had a cut out in the back to allow her cutie marks to be seen.

"Hey, you two." She greeted with a soft smile.

"Aunty Twi!" Blazing Dawn shouted in joy before nuzzling her in a tight hug, causing her to laugh the entire time.

"It's nice to see you too. Blaze! How's Dashie doing?" The purple mare asked with curiosity.

"She's doing as great as she always has. Weather duties done in ten seconds flat, owning the competition with the Wonderbolts, and being the awesome mom she's always been!" He recounted with an ecstatic grin.

"It's safe to assume his training in regards to the teleportation spell went well then, huh Lunar?" Twilight questioned with a grin.

Lunar Eclipse grinned widely before chuckling quietly. "Why don't you check it out yourself?" He said, gesturing a hoof towards the astronomers who shakily stood to their hooves.

She gasped as she took sight of their disheveled appearance and shaky demeanor. "What happened to them?" Twilight wondered in concern.

Blazing Dawn took a bold step forward. "When I finally learned the spell...I might have overshot my trajectory and kinda dragged them with me into the courtyard; telescope and all." He grinned embarrassingly as he rubbed the back of his head with a forehoof.

Twilight sighed deeply. "I can't keep bailing you two out like this. The hierarchy is on already on edge with Blazing Dawn as it is, and there really isn't a need to make things harder for you two because that leaves me with even more work." She complained with an annoyed look on her face.

The younger alicorn looked at the ground guiltily. "I'm sorry, Aunty Twi...I guess I got carried away with having fun."

She immediately nuzzled the young colt and made him look her in the eye. "Don't feel bad Blaze...it's just that if things were different...it'd be okay if you goofed off and had fun. Everypony needs a good laugh. I just...don't want you to get in trouble with the hierarchy."

"That hierarchy was the worst thing to happen to this place since the Battle of Canterlot, Twilight." Lunar snarled, walking up behind Blazing Dawn. "They are all idiots, save you, Twilight and your stallion rep, Fancy Pants. Remember that ridiculous sugar tax they tried to pass?"

"That was...unfortunate..." Twilight sighed. "Fancy Pants and I stopped it from happening, but the bill itself is still circulating in the court."

"I'll tear it to shreds!" Blazing Dawn snarled and pawed the floor, causing the now recovered astronomer ponies to flinch and glanced worriedly at him while they continued their work on the telescope.

Twilight smiled awkwardly, "Now, now, Blaze..." She ruffled his mane. "Let's not cause any more...damage...for today at least."

"Agreed." Lunar said. "Anyway, Twilight..." Lunar cocked an eye. "I take it you didn't just come to visit."

Twilight nodded. "I was just getting to that." She turned towards the young alicorn once again. "Blazing Dawn, the Princesses and the hierarchy wish to see you..."

Blazing Dawn looked confused, "Why? What did I do this time? I put the telescope back, see?" He pointed behind him. "And no pony got hurt!"

Twilight sighed. "No, no..." She ushered Blazing Dawn out of the room with her with Lunar Eclipse in tow. "It's...well, all I can say right now is that it's very important..."

"Okay, Aunty Twi." Blazing Dawn said as they walked out of the door. "Is...is everything okay?"

"Y-yes...Blaze..." Twilight paused before responding.

Lunar Eclipse closed the door behind him and strode down the stairs behind them. He felt uneasy. "This can't be good..."

The Royal Throne Room was just as elegant as ever, and not much had changed within the past ten years. Ever since the Battle of Canterlot, and the castle was repaired, the architect ponies had combined the stained-glass hallway with the Throne Room. The stained glass windows depicting the Elements of Harmony defeating Nightmare Moon and Discord had been repaired from when Ace and Discord had broken through them while fighting.

The Throne Room had been expanded width-wise as well. Still having the thrones that seated the Princesses at the head of the room, the sides now had three large chairs with desks in front of them, with nameplates on the front. These desks were where the hierarchy were seated when they were present in the Throne Room. On the right were seated the male members, and on the left the female members.

The most discernible new trait the room had, however, was the large stained glass window of a Pegasus pony flying through the air, holding scimitars in each hoof, wearing black and blue full-body armor. His golden eyes were glowing fiercely as he flew at the unknown enemy he was charging at out of the window frame.

As Twilight Sparkle, Lunar Eclipse, and Blazing Dawn entered through the large doors, their hoof-steps were the only sounds that echoed through the hall as they trotted forward towards the waiting Celestia and Luna, who were sitting proudly on their thrones. Twilight Sparkle headed to the left, taking her seat while Lunar and Blaze stood in the middle of room; Lunar's eyes were locked straight ahead on the princesses while Blazing Dawn's eyes wandered in awe around the room, taking in everything. It had been awhile since he had been in the Throne Room. He didn't like to recall his past visits, as they usually had something to do with him causing trouble or collateral damage to Canterlot. His eyes fell on the stained-glass window of the legendary Ace, and he sighed. He still couldn't believe that the legend everypony knew was his father. Sometimes he thought his mom only made that up because his real dad was an "egghead," or something.

"Blazing Dawn..." A male voice resounded through the hall, causing Blazing Dawn to snap back to reality. He turned to the right and noticed the male Earth pony representative, Filthy Rich, was glaring at him snidely, "Haven't you caused enough damage to the castle up to this point? I saw the telescope incident, and frankly, I'm starting to question your reliability as alicorn material."

"And I'm starting to question your competence as a representative of the Earth ponies, but at least I know when to hold my tongue." He remarked politely with a smile, narrowing his eyes.

"You're out of line, boy!" Filthy Rich pointed a hoof at the young alicorn and snarled. "You have no right to speak to a member of this hierarchy as such!" He sighed, "If Diamond Tiara didn't have..." He shuddered, "A thing...for you, I would hold you in contempt right now!"

Blazing Dawn shuddered. "Like I'm any happier about it that than you are."

"Why you-!" Filthy Rich retorted while Lunar Eclipse quietly snickered behind Blazing Dawn, "Your father would be ashamed of you, boy! Acting like this to a superior!"

"Don't you dare bring my father into this, cud-head! You didn't even know him!" Blazing Dawn pawed the ground, his wings dangerously outstretched; ready to attack.

Lunar Eclipse's demeanor immediately changed to that of contemptuous anger. Just as he opened his mouth to put the insolent fool into his place, he was interrupted by a yell.

"ENOUGH!" Celestia's regal voice echoed throughout the Throne Room, causing the argument to stop. Celestia's face was a mix of restrained anger and sadness, "There will be no violence in this court. Are we understood?"

"Yes, Princess." Both Blazing Dawn and Filthy Rich said at the same time, shooting dirty looks at each other before they turned towards the Princesses.

"Twilight Sparkle..." Celestia looked over at the Unicorn mare. "Thank you for fetching Blazing Dawn for us..."

"My pleasure, your Highness." Twilight gave a short bow from her desk.

"Lunar Eclipse..." Luna nodded. "Thank you for joining us as well. I take it you were in the middle of teaching Blaze?"

Lunar smiled at Luna. "Indeed Princess." He scowled at the members of the hierarchy. "I am...angered by getting dragged here in the middle of his training for a pointless meeting..."

"Hold there, alicorn!" A female voice shouted at him from the left. The Earth pony mare representative, Carrot Top, pointed a hoof. "This meeting is far from pointless!"

"I'm gonna need more than that, ginger..." Lunar rolled his eyes.

"Lunar Eclipse, you are on thin ice!" The female Pegasus representative, Lightning Bolt, interjected. She was a white mare with a sky blue tail and mane. "If you would just listen, Fancy Pants could tell you why we summoned you here..."

"Indeed, Lunar ol' boy..." The male Unicorn rep said to their right, clearing his throat before starting to talk, "It has come to the attention of the Princesses, and this court, that Blazing Dawn is in grave danger..."

"Really?" Blazing Dawn and Lunar Eclipse said at the same time, staring intently at the Unicorn.

"I'm afraid so, chap." Fancy said solemnly.

Lunar and Blaze exchanged worried look with each other before bursting out laughing. Lunar put a hoof to his head while Blazing Dawn started rolling around on the floor. Twilight Sparkle face-hooved and sighed.

"Hey!" The male Pegasus rep, Hoops, roared as the two rolled around laughing, "This ain't nothing to laugh about, guys!"

"Representative Hoops is right, Lunar..." Celestia remained stone-faced. "Young Blazing Dawn is in terrible danger..."

Blazing Dawn wiped a tear away from his face before he inhaled and regained his composure, standing up, "How will this be any different from the other grave dangers that came at me?"

"I agree with the kid, Princess." Lunar nodded, who has recovered as well, "We've managed to beat back that band of dragons seeking revenge, that crazy zebra, the diamond dogs, and Trixie of all ponies. How will this be any different?" He glanced around at all the ponies in the room, "What are we even dealing with here?"

"I have...felt something..." Celestia sighed and shook her head, "Something I haven't felt since..." She glanced over at Luna, who, in turn, looked down at the floor, "Since Nightmare Moon..."

The room was silent. Blazing Dawn looked up worriedly at Lunar Eclipse, who looked confused, "What...what do you mean?"

Blazing Dawn jumped forward, "Yeah! How is that possible?" He nodded at Luna, "Look! She's good now!"

Luna's face turned red as she gazed steadily at the ground, "That part of me was...destroyed, that day. It became it's own state-of-being."

"Blaze, please..." Lunar grabbed the eager alicorn's tail and pulled him back, "Do we know anything else? Do we even know what it is or what it's called?"

Hooves on the marble were heard from their left as Twilight Sparkle stepped out from behind her desk, notes floating in front of her in the air with her magic, "I've decided to call it 'The Nightmare'." She offered the notes to Lunar Eclipse, who took them with his magic and began to cycle through them.

"How..." Lunar's eyes widened in horror as he cycled through the notes, "How can this be?"

"What?" Blazing Dawn took to the air and eagerly tried to look at the notes, "What is it?"

Twilight sighed, "I'm not sure how it looks, or even how it works, really." She started pacing in front of Lunar Eclipse and his young charge, "It has the potential to corrupt others as it did with Luna, and cause illusions or hallucinations." She stopped and took the notes back for Lunar Eclipse, "One thing is certain; you must now double your efforts at keeping Blazing Dawn safe and secure...because The Nightmare will be looking for Blazing Dawn...indefinitely."

"Bring it on, then!" Blazing Dawn reared up and snorted angrily. "I'll beat it down!"

Bursts of laughter erupted through the previously quiet Throne Room from members of the hierarchy, namely Filthy Rich, Hoops, Carrot Top, and Lightning Bolt. Twilight and Fancy Pants shook their heads in disappointment at their fellow representatives. Blazing Dawn touched back down, snorted, and stepped back; a slight blush of embarrassment on his cheeks. Lunar Eclipse just face-hooved.

"You have a big head, boy!" Filthy Rich snidely remarked when the laughter was done. "I hope your horn grows with it!" Then the laughter continued.

Blazing Dawn growled at Filthy again, but, upon looking over at Celestia and seeing her frown in his direction, he stood back and calmed down.

"Order, please!" Celestia's voice again echoed throughout the hall, "That's enough name-calling in this court. Representative Rich, I'll ask you to refrain from any more derogatory remarks for the rest of the meeting."

"As you wish, Princess..." He bowed slightly before shooting a look over at Blazing Dawn, who stuck out his tongue at him.

"This is a clearly a threat too dangerous to ignore." Celestia continued. "Therefore, I am decreeing that two of my Red Hooves, my elite guard, shall be stationed at Rainbow Dash's cloud at all times and will follow Blazing Dawn whenever he goes out."

"Aw man!" Blazing Dawn kicked the floor in annoyance.

"It's for your own good, B.D..." Twilight Sparkle said, walking up to him and nuzzling him.

"I don't believe this!" Lunar Eclipse stepped forward, "Princess, I'm more than capable of defending Blazing Dawn from an evil spirit! That's...well..." He paused for a moment, "Well, my kinda thing, really!"

celestia was about to respond when her younger sister interjected, "Lunar Eclipse..." She leaned forward, "I insist that two Red Hooves help you out with the young one..."

"I...I..." Lunar stuttered.

"Please?" Luna remained stone-faced as she looked at him.

Lunar sighed heavily, then nodded, "Fine..."

"They shall meet you upon your return to Ponyville." Celestia nodded, "I have already sent word to the Hoof compound there. Two...trusted...Hooves that Rainbow Dash knows personally will be Blazing Dawn's guards; just in case The Nightmare corrupts one of them. She will be able to tell."

"Who are they, Princess?" Blazing Dawn asked anxiously.

Celestia smiled. "Oh, I believe you know them quite well..."

Blazing Dawn and Lunar Eclipse flew through the late afternoon skies of Ponyville; the ponies in the city down below were on their way home from their various jobs and activities of the day as the town was slowly bathed in the dim redness of the sunset.

"Who do you think Celestia meant when she said that I 'know' them?" Blazing Dawn said to Lunar as Rainbow's came into view.

Lunar shrugged, "I'm about as clueless as you are...unless..." His face held a thoughtful look as he thought it over. A small, almost imperceptible grin spread on his face as the two continued flying to Blazing Dawn's home.

As the duo landed in the entryway to the cloud and folded up their wings, Blazing Dawn instantly lit up when he saw who was inside.

"Blue Arrow! Papyrus!" Blazing Dawn shot through the air towards a red armored blue Pegasus that stepped out of the cloud. His mane and tail were long and red with white streaks. His cutie mark was a red hoof. A stray wrinkle shown here and there as well.

"Blazing Dawn, lad!" The Pegasus known as Blue Arrow grunted as the speeding alicorn slammed into him, embracing him in a tight hug. "It's...nice ta' see ya' too! Now, let go, lad. I'm getting too old for this, haha!"

Blazing Dawn obliged the veteran's wishes and smiled, hovering in the air in front of the Red Hoof commander. "I haven't seen you in forever, Blue Arrow!"

"That's because he got himself injured in our last mission to the border of the Zebrahara..." A younger, baritone voice snickered behind Blue Arrow.

A similarly clad red Pegasus exited the cloud. He had a long, shaggy brown mane and tail and bore the same cutie mark; a red hoof.

"Papyrus!" Blazing Dawn hugged the younger hoof as well.

"Hey, buddy!" Papyrus ruffled Blaze's mane.

"Eh, stow it, corporal..." Blue Arrow grunted.

"I take it you like your new guards, son?" Rainbow Dash exited the cloud behind Papyrus, leaning against the doorway and folding her forehooves.

"I was worried at first!" Blazing Dawn released Papyrus and stepped back, looking at the two Red Hooves. "That this would be boring!"

Blue Arrow smiled. "Ah, lad..." He patted the young alicorn on the shoulder. "With us, it's never boring..."

Lunar's grin that he had started to exhibit earlier had spread across his face at this point, as his suspicions as to who the two "trusted" guards were indeed correct.

"Blue Arrow and Papyrus..." Lunar stepped forward and grasped hooves with Blue Arrow. "I should've known..."

"Ye' barely figured it out, did ya'?" Blue Arrow smiled.

"Please, old timer..." Lunar smiled. "I figured it out halfway here..."

"It's an honor, Lunar..." Papyrus gave a slight bow. "To be working alongside you in defending Blazing Dawn..."

"That was..." Rainbow walked forward. "Awfully polite..." She squinted at him. "You've been hanging out with Applejack too much..."

Papyrus blushed. "Heh...well, yeah..."

"Papyrus and A.J., sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-" Blazing Dawn started before Papyrus walked forward and shoved him playfully.

"Knock it off, you little punk!" Papyrus and Blazing Dawn both laughed.

"Alright, ya' crazy loons..." Blue Arrow stepped forward, "Down to business..." He looked at Lunar Eclipse, "Rainbow knows the details...do you?"

Lunar shook his head and narrowed his eyes, "As much as I appreciate the help, Blue Arrow, I would have much preferred to meet this Nightmare thing in battle by myself..."

"Let me guess..." Rainbow smiled evilly, "Luna?"

Lunar's cheeks turned red and the two Red Hooves smiled, Papyrus stifling a chuckle.

"I...I don't know what you're talking about..." Lunar exhaled in embarrassment.

"Don't give me that!" Rainbow walked up and poked him, "Luna buttered you up, didn't she?"

Lunar growled and narrowed his eyes. "Watch yourself, Dash..."

"Hey, relax, man!" Papyrus smiled. "There ain't nothing wrong with having a mare to love..."

"Ain't nothing?" Rainbow laughed. "Yep, you sure have been hanging around A.J. way too much!"

"If the Ponyville Love Club is done discussin' their wee little crushes, we have more important things to talk about!" Blue Arrow barked before turning back to Lunar Eclipse and Blazing Dawn. "Papyrus and I are to guard the cloud at night and accompany Blazing Dawn wherever he goes throughout the day." He looked down at Blazing Dawn. "Do ya' go to school, lad?"

Blazing Dawn smiled. "Yeah. To Ponyville's schoolhouse."

"Good colt..." Blue Arrow turned his attention back to Lunar Eclipse. "We'll be guardin' the schoolhouse when he's there, then."

"That's fair..." Lunar nodded, "That's my downtime, when he's at school..."

"This works out for the best then..." Papyrus nodded and smiled.

"Indeed..." Blue Arrow looked out at the sun as it began its descent down out of the horizon. "'tis gettin' late, lad. Ye' should rest up for school tomorrow..."

"He's right, Blaze..." Rainbow flew over to her son and put a hoof on his shoulder, guiding him inside the house.

"Aw, mom! Can't I stay up and talk to the Hooves?" Blazing Dawn. protested.

"Nope. Hey, how about you show me what you learned today?" Rainbow stopped short of her entryway and smiled at her son.

"Oh!" Blazing Dawn lit up. "Oh yeah!"

The Hooves and Lunar Eclipse looked on anxiously as Blazing Dawn closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. His horn began to glow, and, in an instant, he disappeared in a flash of golden light.

Rainbow gasped, as did the Hooves. Lunar simply smiled.

"Blaze?" Rainbow looked around erratically. "Blazing Dawn!?"

"In here, mom!" Blaze's muffled voice echoed from inside the cloud. "I'm in my room!"

The Hooves started laughing as Rainbow Dash looked back with a dry expression. "Did you really have to teach him that?"

"Sadly, but hilariously...yes." Lunar smirked, causing the Hooves to laugh even more.

Rainbow smiled and shook her head, "Just be glad I've gotten used to to you trolling me, Lunar..." She then took to the air and flew inside her cloud and into Blazing Dawn's room to tuck him in.

Lunar yawned and stretched out his wings, "I'm bushed, too." He turned towards the Hooves and nodded. "Good luck tonight, gentlecolts...I'm off to bed..."

The two Hooves saluted and took up positions out on different parts of the cloud; Blue Arrow taking the 'patio' and Papyrus took to the roof.

"Pff..." Lunar stepped inside and turned right, leading to his room that Rainbow had created with extra clouds. "I still think this is unnecessary..."

In the next room over, Rainbow Dash was hovering over Blazing Dawn's bed, grabbing the covers and pulling them up gently underneath his chin. He shuffled around underneath the covers and his forehooves popped out from underneath them.

"I'm really proud of you, ya know?" Rainbow started with a warm smile, "You're certainly becoming quite the alicorn if I do say so myself, Blaze."

"Thanks, mom..." Blazing Dawn closed his eyes and smiled, blushing lightly, "I promise I won't annoy you too much with my teleporting..."

Rainbow giggled, "You really are like your father..." She bent down and gently kissed her son on the forehead, "Goodnight, hun. I love you."

"I love you, too." Blazing Dawn nestled down into the covers and closed his eyes.

She lazily took to the air and flew out of the room, using her tail to turn out the lights on the way out.

She paused and turned around, looking at her son. Rainbow smiled warmly. "And he loves you, too." She took to the air and flew towards her room. "I'm sure of it..."

Luna's moon shone brightly over the town of Ponyville that night. Everything seemed peaceful and quiet, and no pony roamed the streets, save one pony.

One pony in a wizard hat and elegant cape.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie will get Blazing Dawn this time..." The enchantress gazed up at Rainbow's cloud from the streets down below, "Blazing Dawn is such a cute, but powerful, colt. Trixie's power could be doubled with him in tow..." She turned around and used her magic to levitate a spell book from her cart to the front of her face, "Now, which spell did Twilight Sparkle use to give that fashion snob her wings...?

As Trixie flipped through the pages of the book, a small cloud of purple gas separated itself from a cloud in the sky and slowly descended towards Trixie.

"Hmhmhmhmhm..."

"Huh?" Trixie stopped flipping through the pages of her book and looked around, "Who's there? Trixie is not a pony to be messed with!"

Not seeing or hearing anypony, Trixie frowned, "Trixie must have heard the wind..."

Before she could return to reading, however, the cloud of purple gas flew down as quickly as it had appeared and flew up inside Trixie's muzzle. Trixie started to suffocate. The book fell to the ground with a heavy thud as he forehooves went up to her throat to try and stop the suffocation.

She stopped suddenly, her hooves dropping down to her sides. He eyes closed suddenly and snapped open again. She had serpentine eyes eerily similar to Nightmare Moon. Wings forcefully ripped out of her back and she seemed to grow in length and height, until anypony could mistake her for a royal alicorn.

"Hahaha..." Trixie's voice reverberated with a sinister, deeper, yet husky harmony. "This body will suffice...her magic is certainly nothing compared to that of Princess Luna or The Element of Magic..." Trixie paused and chuckled. "But, I suppose this will do...for now..."

"Trixie" looked up at Rainbow's cloud. "Ah, the Element of Loyalty's cloud...therein lies the answer to my problems...that alicorn's presence here has caused me nothing but trouble...time to end it...hahahaha..."

"Trixie" spread her wings and prepared to take flight up to the cloud, but stopped when "she" saw Blue Arrow take flight up to the roof of the cloud to talk to Papyrus.

"What? How can this be? The Red Hooves? Here?" "Trixie" growled, baring "her" teeth. "The Princesses must be onto me..."

"Trixie" closed "her" eyes, started twitching in anger, and finally roared to the sky. "RAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

"She" then turned around and, using surprising physical strength that normally "Trixie" wouldn't have, picked up Trixie's cart and tossed it through the front window of Sugar Cube Corner. Lights turned on in houses all around the street, including Sugar Cube Corner itself. As ponies started walking out into the street to see what the commotion was, "Trixie" roared one last thing, "I'll get you Blazing Dawn! YOU WILL COME BACK TO ME, LUNA!"

Then the small cloud of purple gas leaked out of Trixie's nose and flew away. Trixie's wings disintegrated instantly, her body shrunk back to its regular size, and her eyes returned to normal. She stood for an instant, before she fell over, unconscious.

"What's going on here?" Mr. Cake exited Sugar Cube Corner with a rolling pin in his teeth and a nightcap on his head. He turned and widened his eyes in shock, "Trixie?"

As everypony started to gather around, and the police ponies arrived on the scene, surrounding the unconscious enchantress, the purple cloud of gas flew subtly back up to the cloud from which it came from, an evil laugh reverberating through the air.

The Red Hooves of Celestia, Blue Arrow, and Papyrus (c) QTXAdsy

Lightning Flash (c) Lightning Flash

Gear Grinder (c) Mr. Sev

Epilogue 1: Lunar Eclipse and Luna

Epilogue 1: Lunar Eclipse and Luna

The medical wing at Canterlot Castle was mostly lit with natural sunlight, which helped alleviate the artificial and sterile feeling of most hospitals. There were enough beds for at least fifty ponies, but only one was being occupied. Lunar Eclipse lay on one of the beds closest to the large window, the cool breeze occasionally caressing his short blood red mane. In the time since the attack on Ponyville, Lunar Eclipse had been left in a coma due to the extent of his injuries and heavy blood loss he had suffered. His condition had been easy to stabilize, but what had proved to be difficult was the healing process. For hours on end, nurses would come in at random intervals and cleanse his wounds or use their magic to help with speeding up the recovery.

Lunar Eclipse started to shift about in his bed while a nurse tried to remove his bandages to switch them out with fresh ones. Suddenly, Lunar gasped deeply as he pushed himself to a sitting position on the bed.

He looked around frantically, trying to make sense of the situation, “What is going on? Why am I in the medical wing?” Lunar asked out loud to no pony in particular.

The nurse sighed, giving up on trying to remove the gauze, “Well after you were incapacitated, Blazing Dawn and the last few survivors fought until it only Nightmare Mo—”

“Hello nurse. You don’t need to worry yourself about explaining things to him. I have everything under control, but I appreciate your willingness. Please go and help the medical staff in the other medical wing if you may.” Princess Luna asked politely as she walked towards Lunar Eclipse’s bed.

The nurse gathered her equipment and bowed, “As you wish, your Highness.” and promptly left.

Luna sat down by his bedside and rubbed his shoulder, “Oh Lunar, what am I going to do with you?” She said teasingly, chuckling to herself, “You throw yourself head first into the hardest of frays, but take your time to think when it comes to easy battles. What makes you do that, huh?"

Lunar Eclipse blushed lightly at her jeer and settled for looking out the window, “I don’t know, Luna...sometimes I just...act out and try to follow my heart in the conquest for justice.” He explained in a distant, yet calm tone.

She stared down at him and bopped him gently on the shoulder, “You still manage to surprise me, even after your return all those years ago, you know.”

He chuckled deeply, “Gotta keep things fresh somehow.” Lunar looked at Princess Luna with a serious expression, “Can you inform me of what else happened in Ponyville?”

“Well...as the nurse tried to explain, the Nightmare kept taking over everypony in town using Shining Armor as his vessel...” She immediately shuddered at the thought, “It was all going in his favor until Twilight Sparkle was able to reach out to him and that, in turn, helped him free himself. From then onwards, it became a battle against time until I came in to help with less than twenty minutes before sunrise.” Luna bandaged up the last of his wounds and stood up, walking over to the window.

“Unfortunately, that might have been a bad idea in hindsight as it took over me...again. This time, Nightmare was serious in his attempt to kill Blazing Dawn, but Shining Armor didn’t allow it at any cost, giving him enough time to charge a very, very powerful spell that called on the power of the sun to extricate Nightmare from me.” A lone tear welled up in her eye at the mere thought of the loss of Shining Armor.

Lunar Eclipse stared at the unmoving princess, feeling as though something was off. Kicking his hooves over the bed, he slowly walked up to her side and placed a hoof on her shoulder, “Where is Shining Armor, Luna? I’d like to congratulate him on a job well done.”

She looked at him and choked back a sob, “H-hes...” Luna took a deep breath to compose herself, “You won’t be able to Lunar...he’s dead.”

He gazed at her with an empty expression before sighing to himself, “I really wish I could have been there to protect them...I feel as though I’ve let them down.”

“That’s not true! If you hadn’t tried to come get me, who knows how much worse things could have gotten in Ponyville.” She said passionately.

Lunar smiled softly at the Princess, “You always seem to know what to say to cheer up.”

The princess of the night merely blushed at his praise, “It’s nothing.” She shook her head as if to clear any distractions from her mind, “The funeral service is going to be held tomorrow and Twilight Sparkle wishes for you to attend, should you cho—”

“Of course I’ll go, Luna. Shining Armor was like a younger brother to me. I wouldn’t just leave him out to dry and act like nothing happened. I care for all my friends, even if it hurts!” Lunar said with a determined fire burning in his eyes.

Luna’s teal eyes softened hearing how much he cared for all those he knew, “Do you also care about the mare who snapped you out of the haze that clouded your mind?” She asked sincerely.

A hot blush exploded across his cheeks the moment he caught on to who she was referring to, “Yes, I still care for The Mare in the Moon and how she guided me back with her stars to the ponies who’d always care for me.”

She nuzzled him affectionately and heard him chuckle. Luna took a good look at him before nervously glancing away.

“What’s wrong Luna?”

“I...I—There’s something I’ve wanted to ask you about since last night.” She said hesitantly.

“You can ask me anything, Luna. Don’t be shy.”

“Alright.” She cleared her throat, “Do you remember when you first came into the observatory last night with all the guards chasing you?”

“Yeah, still got the wounds to prove it.” He said with a chuckle.

“What else do you remember before you passed out?”

He thought over the events before responding, “I remember telling you about Nightmare being back, Blazing Dawn being in danger, coughing up blood an—” Lunar stood there in shock as a specific memory came to mind.

“Luna...” Lunar coughed weakly as Luna leaned down to him. “Luna...you have to...to save Blazing Dawn...” His eyes flickered shut momentarily, then snapped open again after he inhaled deeply. “Don’t worry about me...”

“I am worried about you! You are bleeding all over! I’m not leaving yo-UMPH!”

Lunar suddenly mustered all the strength he had left, leaned up and pressed his lips onto Luna’s. She widened her eyes in shock at first, but slowly closed her eyes, kissing the injured Prince of Death back.

Lunar finally lost his strength and fell back down onto the floor.

“I...I love you, Luna...”

Luna gasped and smiled slightly, her face a bright red, “I love you, too...”

Lunar Eclipse looked at Luna with a loving gaze as he wrapped a hoof around her neck in a light hug, “Those feelings have only grown, Luna.’

She stared at him in shock, “Really!?”

“Really.” He said with the same smile.

Luna blushed lightly as she leaned her forehead against his, their horns tapping softly together, “I love you, Lunar Eclipse; with all my heart.”

He chuckled, “Taking initiative first, huh?”

She laughed, “Don’t ruin the mood.”

“I would never dream of that, my loving princess.” He whispered into her.

Luna blushed brightly.

Lunar Eclipse gazed into her teal eyes as he professed what he had kept beneath the surface for so long, “I love you beyond comprehensible meaning, Luna.”

Gently, he pressed his lips up against Luna’s, feeling her melt into hooves. The way her lips felt against his was simply divine as Luna tilted her head, allowing him to deepen the kiss as he pushed his tongue into her mouth and wrestled for control. Luna grinned into the passionate kiss as she guided them over to the bed he had slept on. Without interrupting his fierce tongue wrestling, she levitated them onto the bed, Lunar’s back softly resting on the bed with Luna on top of him.

Their wings spread apart as their passion began to rise like the afternoon sun. She gave him a devilish wink which he stared at her confusedly while still kissing her. Suddenly, his hooves were groping her tight flanks, eliciting a deep moan from Luna. He grinned right back at her as he caught onto what she wanted. It was then that the two reunited friends had become the closest of lovers, consummating their feelings like any other couple.

A/N: Awwww...ain't it cute?

Stay tuned. The next epilogue will feature Blazing Dawn and Applebloom.

Stay frosty.