“Reigns” - Prologue & Story Origins
Story Author & Concept by Ernest “Ultra” Zamora, Jr
Original MLP:FiM Comic: “Nightmare Rarity” Story Arc by Heather Nuhfer
Where we lay our scene: Twilight, Luna, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Spike have all confronted the Nightmare Forces on the Nightmare Dreamscape, not far from the Dreamscape Castle in hopes to rescue their friend Rarity. Shadowfright had been trying to convince Luna to return as Nightmare Moon, and they will spare her friends.
Shadowfright creeped behind Luna as he asked once more.
“This is your last chance Luna, before they find out what you let happen...”
Luna stood silently, but inside her eyes you could see her pain, letting the events unfold as Twilight and the rest watched.
“Well my pony friends.” Shadowfright continued as he moved in front of them. ”I can see that we will not be able to make an ... arrangement” he snickered “Luckily, we came prepared and we will get the kingdom we were promised!”
With that, the Nightmare forces gathered all around, swirling together in formation in front of them all. Luna, Twilight and the others couldn’t see what was forming. Suddenly a spark and a sudden blast of air rushed past them clearing the Nightmare forces away.
There stood, a beautiful dark violet mare with luscious purple mane with a white stripe following the full length of her mane.
“Now the elements of harmony are destroyed forever, not just Ponyville will be defenseless, but the entire Equestrian world!” Shadowfright spoke-out as he emerged from the behind the mare.
“Meet your new queen, Nightmare... RARITY!” he exclaimed.
Meanwhile, back at Ponyville.
“Are the preparations almost complete?” Asked Celestia to her assistant. “Whenever the Nightmare forces come, we must be ready!” Her assistant acknowledged and quickly read through her checklist.
Tia could only look back at the moon and reminisce in her thoughts. “...or so I hope we are.”
Suddenly a voice called out to her snapping Celestia out of her thoughts.
“Princess Celestia!”
Tia looked down beside her to see three little fillies Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.
“Cutie Mark Crusaders reporting for duty!” AppleBloom called out.
Sweetie Belle walked closer to Tia.
“Is there anyway we can help? What about my sister? Will she be okay?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Tia could only force a smile down to them as she covered them with her wing.
“I’m sure your sister’s friends will get her back safely Sweetie Belle. For now, even the smallest ponies can make the biggest difference in a time like this. We must hurry with preparations before-”
Tia stopped mid-sentence as sudden screams and gasps could be heard across Ponyville. She looked up to see a wake of darkness begin to shadow across Ponyville.
“Look! Nightmare Moon is back!” called out a civilian pony.
Tia only had her thoughts “No! My poor sister, has she been forced to be Nightmare Moon once more?” She looked to the moon, but the silhouette of the moon looked different this time.
“It.. that doesn’t look like Luna!” she quietly said to herself.
Back at the Moon.
“That’s very true Shadowfright” Nightmare Rarity said.
“What will you ponies do now that I’m no longer one of you?” she shimmered in delight.
“Without all the elements of harmony, you are all powerless to stop me.” she giggled and smiled at them. “Bit of a pickle, isn’t it?”
All seven of them looked at each other in disbelief.
“Rarity...” Twilight walking forward.
“You have to fight it, please, we know you're still there!” Twilight continued.
“Hmph!” NMR scoffing holding her nose up high
“Do I have to spell it out to all of you? I am Rarity, but the Rarity you all used to know is now gone!” NMR exclaimed.
“Thats not true! We don’t believe you, the real Rarity is still inside. I’m sure of it!” Apple Jack responded.
Nightmare Rarity could only roll her eyes keeping her nose up high.
“Rarity, its Spike.” he said moving closer “You know... your little Spikey-Wikey?” His green eyes slowly filling with tears as he held the red crystal heart to his chest.
“Please, this isn't you, please come back!” Spike could no longer hold back his tears as they flowed past his cheeks.
Nightmare Rarity keeping her nose up she looked down on the crying dragon. Suddenly she felt sadness run through her body.
“Spike...” a thought echoing in her mind.
Soon though, her sadness turned into anger. Closing her eyes tightly.
“ENOUGH!” she yelled as she stood on her hind legs and slamming her front hooves to the lunar surface causing a wake of wind to rush past them.
The Nightmare forces began to once again emerge from the dark shadows of the lunar surface.
“It doesn't matter what you all say! The Equestrian world is mine, and you all will be powerless against it!” she said as the Nightmare forces surrounded her.
“Take‘em down!” she smiled with a glimmer in her eye.
With their command the Nightmare forces surrounded and began attacking, the ponies defending each attack.
Spike could only watch as the rest of ponies struggled to keep their ground. He looked back to Nightmare Rarity, only to see her put her hoof to her mouth and yawn as she rested on-top of a large lunar rock overseeing the fight. He needed to do something. He felt so helpless. He turned back to the fight in front of him, but upon turning back he saw a Nightmare force sneaking up behind Twilight.
“Oh, no you don’t!” He lunged at the force grabbing on to its tail end.
“Let go!” yelled out the Nightmare force.
“No!” Spike cried out holding on to the creatures tail.
The Nightmare force growled “Fine. Have it your way.”
The creature began to spin and with a large flick of its tail whipped Spike off him.
“AAAAHHHHHHH!” Spike yelled as he flew across the landscape toward the Dreamscape Castle.
“Spike!!” Twilight said as she only had time to look back before a Nightmare force enveloped her and held her down.
“This is boring me.” NMR said as she stood up and kicked a small lunar rock to the side.
“It’s time.” She said with a smirk.
“Please Rarity... Fight back! This isn't you!” Cried out Twilight
“Please darling, this is all me.” NMR smiled at Twilight as her horn began to glow.
“And believe me...” she continued.
“All of your Nightmares.... have only just begun!” her horn glowed like a vigorous torch, blinding all the ponies from what was about to happen.
Near the Dreamscape Castle grounds.
“Ugh..” said the young dragon as he slowly awoke
“Where am I?” he said as he stood up rubbing his forehead.
“SPIKE!” a voice echoing in his mind
“Twilight!” he looked at his immediate surroundings only to see himself alone.
“Oh man, I hope they are okay. I gotta find them.”
Getting up, he looked once more at his surroundings, at a distance he could see the Dreamscape Castle. He continued to look around trying to find any high ground to look for the others.
“I guess that’s the only place. I don't see anywhere else where I can get a good look to where Twi and the other could be.”
He quickly started making his way to the Dreamscape Castle humming his little tune, but it wasn't too long before the little dragon started to lose steam as he approached the castle grounds.
“Poor Spike..” he huffed
“He ran all day... he ran so long...” his legs dragging as he slowed to a crawl
“He lost his... way...” exhausted, he fell to the ground.
Taking his rest, he heard something strange surround him. Oddly enough, he looked at his arms and saw what looked like one eye slugs making squeaky sounds. He looked around him and saw several more coming towards him. Looking at the ones in his arms, they seemed to be peaceful as they weren't attacking him.
“Huh, aren't you guys cute?” he smiled at them. The slugs with no mouth could make a happy gesture with their eyes.
“You guys wouldn't know where I’m at would ya?” he asked.
The slugs looked at each other questionably, but in unison with their tails pointed behind Spike.
Spike raised an eyebrow as he turned around, and saw the large castle and its main balcony several feet away.
“Well that figures.” he said while scratching his head.
“Right! There is no way that dark mare could have been Rarity. The real Rarity has to be trapped inside that castle! ”
He looked down as a slug made its way to his hands.
“With you guys, I’m sure I can hide and not be seen.” he said to the slug in the palm of his hands. The slug nodding in agreement as the rest of the slugs began to crawl up and around Spike.
“Alright! Time for an epic quest to save a damsel in distress!” he said as the rest of the slugs covered his body.
He ran up to the castle walls and quickly grabbed on to the vines covering it, and slowly began to make his way to the edge of the balcony.
It wasn't before long he made it to the edge of the balcony, before the soft clap of hoofs caught his ear and he stood still.
“shhh..” he said to the squeaky slugs.
“But, my Queen, wouldn't the ponies still be a threat!?” said Shadowfright
“Ponies?!” Spike thought to himself. “He must be talking about Twi and the others!”
“My dear, with Twilight and Luna’s magic stripped and the others scattered across the world, I doubt they’d be any trouble. Besides, with the elements now neutralized, there will be no more mistakes! We must strike as soon as possible!” she explained.
“Oh no, their magic have been...” Spike thought, “There has to be someway to warn Celestia and the others back home.” Spike slowly and discreetly began to make his way closer to the entrance of the balcony.
“My supreme one, may I ask what will actually become of Rarity?” asked Shadowfright
“Rarity!?!” Spike yelling his mind, stopping in his tracks.
Nightmare Rarity could only smile.
“Well, she was so generous, but lets say...” tapping her hoof under her chin. “She did have self-esteem issues? Besides, she’s actually quite enjoying her new surroundings.”
It took Spike to process what she said. “Does this means she’s still alive?” He thought, as he made a quicker exit from the side of the balcony. Grabbing the edge of the balcony rail he quickly hopped over, and made his way down the stairs behind both Nightmare Rarity and Shadowfright. “If she’s still alive, I have to rescue her! I always knew that other is just a fake!” he thought as he made his way down the stairs.
Looking at the Equestrian world in the sky, “Shadowfright!” NMR commanded
“Yes, my queen?”
“It’s time to take what is rightfully ours. Command all Nightmare Forces together! We will make the Equestrian world suffer and bow to me.”
“Right away your majesty!” Said Shadowfright as he quickly glided down the stairs.
Shadowfright continued to glide down the stairs, until he saw the back of the purple dragon just a few flights down.
“What..? He’s still alive?” Shadowfright said quietly.
Spike suddenly stopped hearing something behind him.
“What was that?!” Spike said as he quickly turned around.
Shadowfright quickly glided back and away from Spike’s eyes.
“I better hurry. I’m sorry little guys.” he told the slugs, who helped him. “You guys are slowing me down, it’s time for you guys to go, thank you for your help though.” the slugs slowly began to get off Spike. One slug, however stood on the palm of Spike’s hand and gave a salute with its tail just before sliding off his hand and joining the rest of his companions on the ground. Spike could see them slither their way through the cracks of the castle walls. Now with the weight of the slugs off him he quickly made his way down the stairs.
Shadowfright slowly crept out of hiding, seeing the dragon make his way down.
“Hmmm...” Shadowfright’s thoughts running through his mind.
Spike began to pant as he looked through each room of the long castle halls.
“Jeez, this place is big!” he said. “There’s gotta be some kind of clue to Rarity’s whereabouts.” Ironically, just at that moment, Spike looked down another hall seeing a bright light at the end of it.
“What's that?” he told himself.
He could see what looked like ominous black smoke downrange in the hall, but the bright light seem to show what looked like a pony’s shadow inside.
“Rarity?!” he quickly made his way down the dark hall.
The light from the room seemed to get brighter and brighter as he approached closer till he reached the edge of the hall.
“Woah...” looking inside brightly lit room, he could see two thrones, each with its own insignia, “R” on one side and “S” on the opposite. He looked around to see no one around, he moved closer to the throne. There was a sash with a name inscribed on it.
Reading what it said, “King... S-Spike?” he gaped.
“Why, of course, My little Spikey-Wikey.” a voice spoke out from behind one of the thrones.
Spike quickly turned in the voice’s direction, seeing a gorgeous white mare he readily knew making her way from behind one of the thrones.
“Rarity!” He quickly ran to her and held her close “You're okay, My goodness you're okay!” closing his eyes as he held her tightly.
“And why wouldn't I be? I’m a Queen now, Isn’t it glorious?” She smiled down at the dragon holding him just as tightly.
“I was so afraid I’d lost you.” He softly said as a small tear made its way down his cheek.
Unbeknownst to Spike however, a dark force began to slowly slither and attach to him from behind, feeding off his emotions.
“Oh, Hush.” she reassured him “I know how you feel about me Spike, I could never leave.” She said as she slowly broke off the hug, and gave him a cute poke on his nose with her hoof.
Spike opened his eyes and his gaze looking directly into her eyes. Spike had become blinded by the affection that Rarity has been giving him, unknowing to him that the dark element behind him had not only been feeding off of his emotions but increasing them as well.
“Rarity...” Spike softly muttered.
“Come now, Spike.” She said slowly leading him closer to the throne.
“There is some thing I must ask of you.”
“Anything!” he replied eagerly.
Rarity’s horn began to glow as a scepter behind spike lifted, and was placed in his hand. The heart crystal that had been around Spikes neck also began to lift over his head and was placed at the top of the scepter.
“With this...” She moved closer to him, nose to nose.
“Will you, forget the past.... and be my mighty King Spike?” She gently nudged his nose with hers.
Spike’s heart began to race, closing his eyes, his mouth open to answer but somehow he was stuck with the answer. The nightmare force slowly began to creep into his mouth and nose, Spike unknowingly inhaling its power.
“But, What about...” he could only vaguely think of the rest of his friend back home.
“Shhh...” said her voice echoing in his mind.
“I did this for us, only for us Spike...”
“Rarity...?”
“Will you serve me, and only me, Spike?” The voice in mind ever so sweet.
“Yes, I will.”
Only a trail of the remaining Nightmare force can be seen entering through Spike’s nose, as the light purple dragons lips and the white mares lips were locked together.
Back at Ponyville
A loud clap of thunder roared through the moonlight sky catching Celestia’s attention.
“My goodness, what just happened?” She said to herself as she looked up into the sky as panicked civilian ponies rummage through the streets.
“Whats going on?” Asked Scootaloo as the other two fillies huddled behind Celestia.
Five individually colored streaks made their fall upon the land. A light blue and pink streak seemed to be headed far north, while a yellow streak headed west along with a amber streak heading southwest, one more light purple streak headed far southeast. Lastly a dark blue streak seemed aimed directly at ponyville.
The dark blue streak roared by, smashing through ponyville’s main hall and into the ground, leaving a pile of dirt and debris in its impact.
Celestia galloped to the site of the crash, there lay Luna unconscious inside the crater of the impact, as her guards, assistant, and the young fillies followed right behind.
“Luna!” she cried out as she made her way inside the crater. “Luna!” She cried out again gently nudging her with her hoof.
“Quickly, take her to the nearest clinic.” she told her guards.
“Yes Princess!” two of the three royal guards hopped down the crater be began to lift Luna on to their backs.
“I fear things did not go well.” Tia told herself
“What were the other streaks that flew by?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“I can only assume it was the rest of the girls. I can not imagine where they be going or where they will be when they land.” she answered.
In the nearest clinic, the two guards gently laid Luna on the bed, Luna was motionless but still breathing. Tia moved closer as a soft ora began to emerge from her horn. Closing her eyes she began to examine Luna.
“She’s fine.” as the ora disappeared while opened her eyes. “but she has something thats preventing her from waking up.”
“Do you think the rest will end up this way?” Asked Applebloom
Just before Tia could answer.
“Princess!” yelled a guard outside the door.
“Come here! Look!” as the guard pointed toward the moon. she quickly joined the guard at the door. She gasped as she saw charcoal dark clouds begin to envelope the moon.
“All royal guards to arms!” she commanded.
At the Dreamscape Castle throne room
“Your highness?” said a Nightmare force as he glided into the throne room.
“Yes, Shadowfright?” NMR quietly answered as she made her way past the curtain to her bed chambers walked to base of her throne.
“All the Nightmare forces are ready and waiting for your command.”
“Very well done!” she said smiling sitting on her throne “Your King shall be accompanying you in your conquest soon after you land.”
“King? Spike, your majesty?” he looked up questionably
“Yes. Lets just say, he’s quite exhausted at the moment.” she shimmered.
“With all due respect, he’s nothing more but a baby dragon.”
“Oh, my dear Shadowfright, I would no longer call him a ‘baby’ dragon.” She grinned “My poor Spike had so much pent up inside him, I could hardly keep up.” She stopped placed her hoof on her lips and giggled. “I do believe I said a bit too much.”
Shadowfright could only nod in agreement.
“Either way!” she continued “Tell the Nightmare forces to being their descent!”
“At once your majesty.” Shadowfright bowed and glided out the throne room.
“...Rarity?” asked a voice from behind the curtain of her bedchambers.
Only a tall dark silhouette figure could be seen through the curtain as Nightmare Rarity looked over.
“Hmmmhh.” The only sound that escaped her mouth as her eyes lustfully followed the contours of the silhouette.
“Oh Spike...” she said nearly out of breath holding her hoof to her chest.
Back at Ponyville
“Has everyone reported in?” Celestia asked her assistant while caring over Luna.
“No your highness, we are still missing the unicorn guards.” she replied back
A slight rumble began to quiver the walls and grounds of the clinic.
“Wait, that must be them!” said her assistant.
Celestia looked out through the nearest window but to her dismay and fear, the dark clouds that surrounded the moon began to descend.
“My goodness, tell the available guards to defend at all costs!”
The assistant nodded as she made her way out to of the clinic relay the message to the rest of the guards outside of the panicked streets of Ponyville.
It seemed slow at first but soon as the clouds entered the atmosphere they quickly gained speed. Just as colored streaks before it, several units of clouds began to spread across the sky in different directions, one of which aimed directly at Canterlot and another towards Ponyville
The dark clouds impacted the ground and multiplied like wildfire. Any living plant the elements passed through, it left withered in its wake, they consumed and continued to grow in strength.
As the clouds reached an infantry of guards outside of town they began to morph into the Nightmare forces.
“To arms!” cried out the commanding officer.
“To arms!” the rest of infernally responded. The unicorn stallions using their magic to hold shield and spear in hoof, while the pegasus and earth stallions using their hoofs to hold on to their spear and much more heavily armored.
The Nightmare forces seemed to growl as they continued to multiply. Some guards you could see in their eyes the fear of what is to come.
“CHARGE!” yelled out the commanding officer.
A loud roar of stallions began to echo across the land as they charged against the Nightmare Forces. The stallions began to thrust and stab at the enemy, but attacking was not easy as they hoped; the Nightmare Forces morph and contorting to all the guards defenses, several of the forces began to snicker and mock at each defensive move the royal guard had shown.
It wasn't until one force has had enough and quickly made it’s way inside a defending stallion through its nostrils and mouth. The stallion’s eyes rolled back as he collapsed to the ground.
Royal guards stopping in their defensive attack in shock as they witness the dark element bleeding back out of the once brave guard laying motionless on the ground
Tia from a long distance back, could only gasp, she never thought she’d see such a strong and brave royal guard just drop to the ground so effortlessly.
Just as quick as it happened, the other elements turned against the rest of the guards, all of them dropping to the ground. The elements laughing and snickering as they left the guards and continued their wake of death into town.
Tia was fixated at the grave situation before her very eyes.
“Princess! We must take you and Luna to a safe place! “ said the guard next to her as the other two more carried Luna out the door.
“What about us?” cried Sweetie Belle
“You will come too, don’t worry.” said Celestia as she quickly escorted the fillies out the clinic
All they could hear were screams of chaos echoing across the town as the guards escorted her away from harm. Echoes of the past of a one time a chimera has once done the same.
Tia couldn’t stand it much longer and look back, in horror, the elements were taking the life of each defending guards inside the town, the civilian ponies scattering about trying to get to their homes and loved ones to hide, some of which succumbed to ruthless of the forces before they even reached home.
Tia can only think in her mind. “My subjects... I’m sorry, so sorry.” as the guards whisked them away.
End of Prologue
