I don’t own MLP: FiM or it's characters. They belong to Lauren Faust and Hasbro.
House of Nightmares
Twilight walked happily back to her library, wearing a light-purple vest and under it light blue shirt. And purple pants. It had been quite a day. Mayor Mare had wanted her to make preparations for Princess Celestia's and Luna's visit; she couldn't wait to meet with the princesses...particularly the lunar diarch.
She had been quite busy these few weeks and barely had time with her marefriend. But now in a few days... Twilight giggled. Her hands and wings shook from excitement. She already had quite good plans for her and Luna, once both of them could carve out a little free time from their busy schedules.
But this is Ponyville. A nice, quiet farming community. I've made sure of that. Twilight smiled. No pony is going to get in the way of my private time with Luna.
The library soon came into her sight. Twilight immediately noticed that none of the lights were off. Well, that's a bit strange. Twilight thought with a raised eyebrow. Has Spike decided to take an unexpected day off... again?
She opened the door and stepped inside the poorly-lit library. “Spike?” she called, just wanting to make sure that her assistant was around.
No one answered. “Guess he really has gone somewhere else,” Twilight said to herself, moving to shut the door behind her.The door literally slammed itself shut before Twilight even reached the handle. The startled young alicorn jumped away from the door.
Ominous laughter filled the darkened library, which Twilight sourced to her upstairs bedroom. “OK, I get it.” Twilight facepalmed from annoyance. “This is one of your tricks, isn't it Rainbow Dash?”
No answer. “Pinkie Pie?”
Still nothing. The lack of response was beginning to sow the smallest seed of fear in Twilight.
The haunting laughter continued. Twilight listened further, finally placing the voice. “Luna?” she asked. “You’re already here?”
The mocking hysterics continued unabated. Twilight tried to get the lights on, but the darkness stubbornly remained. “Sorry Luna, but this isn’t Nightmare Night... even if it is really creepy.”
Feeling both creeped out and simply amused, Twilight remembered the first time Luna had decided to creep her out like this: About a year ago, with a little help from Pinkie and Rainbow Dash of course.
That had involved bunch of balloons, smoke, creepy giggling and the icing on the cake: Pinkie Pie dressed as creepy “Nightmare Clown”. After that, Luna had become the third member in the “Terrible Tricking Trio” and their continued pranks against the citizens of Ponyville.
Especially against Twilight, which was both amusing and frustrating. She had to give the three of them a stern talking-to too many times to count..
She had now reached the top of the stairs and Twilight noticed it had somehow become darker. “Come in, Twilight...” she heard Luna's voice softly called from her bedroom.
Shivers raced down Twilight’s spine. It was completely dark in her room; something obscured the light that would naturally flow in through her window. Now, she could hear other voices - quite a few - coming from somewhere in the room, but she couldn't place them with any exactitude. You certainly have improved with your pranks now, Luna. Maybe a bit too much...
With a slightly shaking hand, she opened the door and stepped inside. The door slammed shut immediately, startling her even further. Twilight’s panic level spiking, she rushed back to the door, but it didn’t budge.
“Welcome, my dear Twilight.” she heard Luna giggle behind her, which sent another wave of trepidation down her spine.
A bright light flashed before her, blinding her momentarily. The voices she had heard were now clearer, like distressed mumbles. Slowly her eyes adjusted to the illumination and she saw Luna had seated herself on the edge of the upper floors edge.
She was dressed in her royal dress. Which was a dark blue long jacket with same colored pants. And of course wearing her Hoof-shoes, simple wrist-guards and her dark tiara and chest plate.
Around her were her friends, including Spike, gagged and bound.
“Luna, what is going here?” she asked, her terror mounting. “Why are my friends like this? Who did this to them?” she demanded in a frightful tone.
Luna laughed, making Twilight shiver. This was going a bit too far now. First, she thought this probably was Luna's newest prank, but this already had gone bit too far. And this whole set reminded her of something she had seen… some time ago.
Luna chuckled, her finger raised, almost touching her lips. “Oh Twilight, I know you well enough.” She then spread her arms in a gesture of inviting. “Or can you just not believe what is in front of you?”
Twilight couldn't say anything as the situation still felt quite unreal for her. This... this can't be real. Why would Luna do this? Why? Tears slowly formed around her eyes.
Luna's tone changed to a caring one, but for a short moment before twisting into something far darker.“The time we've had has been something, I admit that. But now it is time to move on and look forward to a new future.” she smirked evilly.
That smirk was unmistakable. Twilight hadn't seen it in two years, but wouldn’t have forgotten it if it had been two hundred. “Why?” she whispered. “Why now, why now, when everything has been so perfect with us!” Twilight's whispers slowly grew into a loud cry. “I thought you wanted to change! I thought you loved your subjects! Your sister! Me!”
Twilight screamed loudly, her horn glowing brightly as she prepared a devastating spell to strike at the object of her nightmares. The magic poured around her horn and hands. Her wings spread wide and her hooves slowly ascended from the floor.
While all of her friends looked completely terrified, Luna just snorted and rolled her eyes.
She then raised her left arm and pointed it at Twilight. “I'm very sorry Twilight.” Luna said with an ominous monotone. “But I have a need for your magic.”
Tendrils, dark as a void, burst forth from Luna’s hands and secured themselves around Twilight before she could react. She fired a spell at them, but they absorbed her spell and return all that precious energy towards Luna's palm and into her.
Twilight's body began to feel numb as the tendrils started absorbing everything from her. She felt her entire being grow weaker and weaker as her life forces were stolen. Luna was grinning madly, a familiar and terrifying glee sparking in her eye.
“Don't worry, I won't kill you, my pretty,” she said with a dark, soft tone. “Not yet.”
Twilight felt as last bits of her magic was taken away and she fell onto her knees, her wings slumping to the floor. Her arm just barely kept her up. Her cheeks, completely stained by her tears, flushed in shame. Her sore throat ached from her cries and now-weakened state.
What happened next she had seen in her nightmares and never wanted to see ever again. Behind Luna, the back wall of Twilight's bedroom cracked and exploded wide open. The bright sun shined through with celestial radiance. Luna reared back in a vile hiss, then raised her arms even higher, spreading her wings wide.
The moon, ominous in its darkness, rose higher and higher until it blocked the sun. Inky blackness spread everywhere, making Twilight shiver with the ominous cold light it brought.
Luna rose above the floor, the dark auras around her pulsed and covered her entire body. “I think we might need a little improvement here...” Luna's voice grew darker as she shrieked over the chaos that surrounded her.
The mad grin threatened to cover Luna’s entire face; Twilight saw the glint of fangs. Her heart took a terrifying leap, her breathing becoming even more erratic as the realization of what Luna was becoming washed over her like a cold blanket. She watched as the dark magic suddenly reached out towards her friends.
“NO!” she screamed, her voice hoarse. She tried to move towards them, but in her weakened state, couldn't. Her strength gave out and she fell flat on her face, her right arm reaching out for them. She watched as their horrified faces were quickly blocked by the dark magics swirling around them.
Six small orbs were now formed and the seventh, the largest popped open. Revealing a familiar form to Twilight she never had wanted to see ever again. The form of Nightmare Moon. Gone were the Royal Garnets, and in place was dark and twisted armor of the Nightmare.
Nightmare Moon let out a howling laughter, her arms fully spread as dark magic sprouted from them and her horn. She then cast her glance on the six orbs on the floor. “Why don't we look inside my dear Twilight?” she asked. Jumping down from the upper floor while her horn glowed as she waved her hand.
The six orbs cracked, and slowly were falling apart. Just like Twilight's heart was at the moment, everything just seemed to have fallen apart like these dark orbs that held her friends, and have no doubt done something quite horrifying to them!
By Star Swirls beard! Twilight gasped as the dark shards became lesser and lesser.
Before her stood all of her friends and Spike. But they didn't look like them either. All of their colors were turned to completely straight to black, or very dark color. Their manes looked more “wild” and their eyes resembled that of Nightmare Moon.
All of them wore armor resembling Nightmare Moon’s full body armor. Right on their armored chests, Twilight saw their Cutie Marks. But they only looked like from a twisted dream.
Applejack’s Cutie Mark now resembled that of a rotten apple which was surrounded by small dots, that possibly were seeds.
Pinkie’s Cutie Mark looked almost the same, but the balloons were all colored in blue and looked more flatter.
Rainbow’s Cutie Mark first might have looked the same, but each lighting was now separated from each other and the cloud was dark blue.
Fluttershy’s butterflies looked almost the same, only they were much dimmer pink and their wings were much more sharper.
Rarity’s seemed to have stayed the same. Only it now had more small gems, which looked more like small stars, around it.
Applejack took in her hands, almost as if seeing them for the first time. But there was no genuine interest in her eyes. Only the deadened husk of what once was life. Rainbow and Fluttershy looked at each other with wicked grins as they spread their dark colored and now even larger wings. The cruelty and harshness oozed out of them.
Rarity looked almost the same, if one missed the malice in her eyes, changed skin color to void black and simply everything that made Rarity, Rarity. There was a twisted enjoyment in those slitted eyes of hers.
Pinkie Pie. Twilight shuttered - almost whimpered - from pure terror. Everything in her psyche screamed at her to run from the terrifying sight before her, but that same terror paralyzed her as surely as Nightmare Moon’s energy-draining tentacles did. Those eyes that looked at her in such dark hunger and the bared fangs mocked her. She licked her lips when looking at Twilight.
Everything seemed so same with her. That puffy mane and tail, but she now had also black colored skin.
And finally Spike. Her always faithful number one assistant. Twilight felt like just crying and howling, but just couldn't find her voice. There wasn't anything resembling or anything that reminded her of her once kind baby dragon.
This looked more like a predator that was ready to leap on its victim and tear it from limb from limb. And just like the creature that looked like Pinkie, there was a hunger and lust that made her entire body shiver from fear and just wishing to run far away as she could.
But she couldn't. She had to face all of this. “Everything seems to be quite right.” Nightmare Moon said thoughtfully, stroking her chin. “But something seems amiss...” she added.
Glancing between Twilight and her now turned friends, she snapped her fingers, wearing a reflecting, evil grin on her face. “Now I know what’s missing!” she exclaimed.
She brought her arms together, leaving a little bit of space between between them as she started to channel her magic. Slowly, a small orb was forming between her hands before she let it drop to the floor. The orb then started to shake extend on some parts, as it something was trying to break through. “To think I would leave out the most important piece.”
Twilight’s heart couldn't beat any faster. She was sure if she tried to breath any faster, she would die from heart attack.
The orb then suddenly stopped its shaking; cracks started to form around it. “Now...” Nightmare Moon purred. “Why won't you step out...” the orb exploded from the sheer force and Twilight gasped at the sight before her. “My beloved.”
Before Twilight stood a creature that looked exactly like her doppelganger. Everything that mattered - from the evil glint in her eyes, to the aggressive, sure stance - couldn’t have been different. Like her friends and Spike, this was a twisted shadow of her born from Nightmare Moon’s hate.
“And now, everything’s perfect,” Nightmare Moon purred at Twilights duplicate. “I have my beloved here, as I want her to be.“The ghoulish mare was mocking Twilight and she knew it, but the prisoner was simply was too tired to say or do anything. Just letting Nightmare Moon to have her way.
“Fully loyal to me. And only me.”Nightmare licked her lips as the dark Twilight walked next to her, wrapping her arm around her mistress’s shoulder. “However, she is not fully perfect just yet...”
Twilight gasped. Fear shone in her large lavender eyes..
“I think you have had enough fun Princess Twilight Sparkle. And my beloved needs every essence of you, so I can enjoy her even more...” Dark Twilight then extended her free arm, right at the original’s direction. Familiar dark magic slithered from it. The dark version of Twilight grinned like a madmare. “I will be far more better than you ever be. Your pathetic existence will end now.”
“NO!” A clawed arm seized Dark Twilight’s arm, twisting it. The fake Twilight gasped.
“WHAT DID YOU SAY!“ Nightmare Moon howled at Spike who had seized her creation’s arm. “Unhand her in this instant! I COMMAND YOU!”
A multicolored blur struck Nightmare Moon’s face. She shrieked in pain, holding her cheek from shock. “You won't do any of that!” Rainbow Dash growled as her dark colors washed away.
“Because we won't let you touch even a single hair on Twilight’s head!” Spike growled. Putting more pressure on his claws, he forced Dark Twilight to howl from pain. The remainder of Twilight’s friends ran to Nightmare, tackling her and wrestling her to the floor.
Nightmare Moon huffed at the pathetic resistance. Her horn started to glow, but with a far lighter aura. An aura far more familiar to Twilight. The sight filled her with hope.
“No!” Nightmare gasped. “This cannot be! I won't allow-!” She didn't even finish her sentence as her essences were torn from the body. The light contorted and formed into the familiar and beautiful form of Princess Luna.
“NO!” Nightmare growled loudly.
“Luna?” Twilight whispered.
Quickly, the other ponies withdrew from Luna as she stared stared at the formless form of Nightmare Moon and then to the dark clone of Twilight. “Begone, both of you,” she demanded in the Royal Canterlot Voice. “Begone! Back to the abyss! Never bother our kind ever again!”
Both Nightmare Moon and Dark Twilight vanished with twin howls as their bodies vanished into nothingness.
“Luna?” Twilight gasped, finally able to find her voice. “I... I, how? What?” she couldn't find the words as her eyes filled with tears of happiness and relief.
“It is quite all right, Twilight.” Luna said with a soothing tone. She approached her fallen marefriend, knelt down, and tilted Twilight’s chin up towards her. “I think this has been quite exhausting experience for you. Why don't we discuss when we both are awake.”
“Wha- what you mean?” Twilight blinked, before her vision was filled with bright light.
Twilight jolted up from her bed with heavy breathing. Her skin, covered in sweat, made her pyjamas feel filthy. Twilight let out a long sigh while she covered her eyes with her hands. Her eyes felt quite dry and she could almost feel where her tears had fallen.
They’ve gotten worse... she thought sadly, rubbing her face. Why? She almost felt like crying again.
“Twilight?” She heard Luna's voice calling her.
Her hands immediately dropped as she looked at Luna, who stood there, looking quite concerned. “Are you feeling all right?” she asked, taking a spot on the edge of Twilight’s bed.
Twilight's gaze fell from Luna to her bedsheets. She wasn't sure what to feel right now. She simply felt tired, unsure of what to say. “Your nightmare certainly was one of the worst I’ve seen in a while,” Luna commented. “I had quite a spot of trouble of infiltrating it. It almost felt like I had to break through a double wall. Without any magic.”
Twilight's gaze returned to Luna. “Have you been having these nightmares often?” Luna asked. Twilight thought for a moment before nodding.
“Since when?” Luna asked concerned.
Twilight answered with mumble. “Sorry?” Luna prompted.
Twilight sighed. She really didn't want to talk about this, but she knew Luna would not let a thing like this to be dropped just like that. “Since we saved Equestria from those plants...” she reluctantly admitted.
She had her head lowered again, not daring to face Luna's expression. “How many times have you had them?” Luna asked, nuzzling Twilight’s cheek.
Twilight was quiet again. “Not, not that often...but, more so recently...”
“They've all been this bad?”
Twilight felt her eyes watering a bit. “No. It never has been this...” Twilight tried to find the right words. Her lower lip quivered. “Intense. I guess. They've never been like that.”
Luna placed a comforting hand on Twilight's shoulder, placing her forehead against Twilight’s. “Why haven't you told me about this?” she asked quietly.
“I- I just didn't want to bother you...after what I saw from that potion, I-” Twilight took one quick and sharp breath, trying not to cry.
“It... it was something I never thought be able to witness...” she wept. “I've always wanted to witness so many historical events, but never I would have thought I will be facing the events of your...” Twilight swallowed, not wishing to make Luna feel as horrible as she no doubt already felt.
Luna placed her other hand on Twilight's back, comfortingly circling it around her back. Twilight, feeling the support. “Just seeing you being turned into Nightmare Moon was just... oh Luna, it felt so horrible! I've been so afraid that, one day, that might happen again!”
She cried harder, turning into Luna’s shoulder. Luna then moved her hand to pet Twilight’s hair. “I’m so sorry that you had to see me like that.” Luna then said, still petting Twilight’s head.
“You have no idea what it was like when everypony was afraid of you or ignored you,” Luna said. Twilight felt the sadness in them. “Feeling like you were just there so you could live in your sister’s shadow. And after so many centuries of feeling like that, every dark thought you might had, may suddenly feel like a good idea.” Luna took a deep breath, stroking Twilights hair. “It can easily cloud your judgement.”
“I'm sorry Luna.” Twilight apologized. “I'm so sorry to say such things. Please, please don't be mad at me! I don't want to lose you!” she sobbed, burying her head deeper into Luna's shoulder. She felt Luna's hands on her shoulder, pushing her away.
Twilight panicked horribly. No! This can't be happening now!
“Twilight, there is no reason for me to be upset with you,” Luna said calmly. “I'm actually thankful that you are talking me with this, because it seems it has bothered you a great deal.”
“I'm not upset that you've had nightmares about...that. We all have nightmares.” Luna stopped herself, looking if she still commanded Twilight’s full attention. “And I won't lie, I've had same kinds of nightmares and fears after my return.”
“But after spending time with you and rest of Ponyville during Nightmare Night...and after we confessed our love for each other...” Luna was now smiling. Tears formed in her eyes. “I've found so many more reasons to be happy than I did back in one thousand years ago.”
She moved closer to Twilight so their noses brushed against each other. “And you are the main reason for my happiness.” She kissed Twilight softly. Twilight let opened herself to her marefriend, feeling a profound sense of relief wash over her.
Luna broke the kiss, but remained quite close to her lover. “Why don't you try and sleep bit more, and maybe I could stay with you until you have fallen asleep?”
“I... I... yes,” Twilight finally said while she slowly let got of Luna.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. “Do come in,, Spike” Luna called, to Twilight's surprise.
“I guess everything's good now?” he asked worriedly.
“Yes it is Spike.” Luna replied, smiling. “And thank you again letting me know.”
Spike blushed at the Night Princess's comment, while also embarrassingly trying to avoid Twilight’s gaze.
“Well, of course I had to...” Spike said, clearly flustered. “I was getting worried just as you.” Spike's talk then turned into a embarassed rambling neither of them could understand.
“Thank you, Spike.” Luna said with calming tone.
“Oh, sure. I'll uuuh... I guess I'll be leaving you two then,” he said, slowly closing the door. “I'll... I'll just say Twilight is feeling little bit tired and -WHOA!” Spike exclaimed, surprised as he was yanked from the door and flew right at Twilight, caught in her magic.
Who gave him quite big and tight hug. “Twi-Twilight?”
“Thanks a lot Spike.” Twilight whispered. “You do know you are always my Number One Assistant.”
“Thanks, Twilight.” Spike replied.
“And also part of my and Luna's little family,” she added. Luna joined in the hug, but with far more reservation.
Spike vainly tried to dry his tears. “Don't worry, Spike.” Twilight chuckled lightly. “It is only liquid pride.”
Author's Note
Well, I hope you guys enjoyed/liked this little one-shot of mine. t is rather funny how I came up with this. Pretty much after re-watching "Princess Twilight Sparkle" episodes, I thought about this: "If Twilight and Luna "were together" around the premiere, how it might have effect our poor Twily when she first hand witnessed the birth of Nightmare Moon? Would it cast some doubts in her mind? Would it make her doubt the one that loves her?"
So, this is a small experiment of mine. And it was rather interesting to write this, even if there were LOOOTS of mistakes (and I have feeling there still were) as I haven't really wrote that many dark themed stories. Or do you count this really dark? Since I'm not that big of very dark themed stories.
But anyway, I again hope you guys liked this and if not, sorry that it sucked. And of course don't forget to comment and hopefully like! And if there is someone out there who might know a pic that could fit this let me know. Or if someone is interested to make one for me message me.
Till next time: THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT!