Octi... Where are You?

Nightmare Moon watched as Octavia talked with her illusion. She wasn't truly paying attention, but merely thinking about how dumb these ponies are. She couldn't believe that she ever wanted these ponies respect and admiration. Now, the power that she craved could be gained from the singular friendship of this pony. How could Chrysalis have failed if these ponies were never ending fountains of power?

Luna had wanted such a foolish thing, Nightmare thought. The true power that could be gained in this world was not respect, but dark magic.

Octavia looked at her dream stallion and sighed. She was so happy. They kissed passionately, and talked about music some. She then saw a small flicker in the stallion's coat. She placed her hoof on it, and her hoof went through the stallion. Her cry echoed in the castle as the illusion faded away. Octavio was no longer sitting there before her, but the cold iron bars of a cage. The cloud that had blanketed her mind cleared and she could think again. As she surveyed her surroundings, she saw the Mare of Shadows.

"Hey! Let me free!" Octavia called to the lounging mare.

Nightmare Moon looked at her and had a shocked expression on her face. Her fangs glimmered.

"How did you break free of my illusion?"

"I'm not quite sure, but, why did you take me? Not Celestia, or Cadence?"

"They don't contain the capacity for friendship as you pitiful ponies do. Your friendship is power, you know. Why else would Celesita and Cadence protect the lot of you?"

"If you want my friendship, you will have to gain it another way, or bring my friends here!"

"I need not your friends, or your friendship, you imbecile. You will always have your friendship inside you."

With that, Nightmare Moon used the spell that she had before, and Octavia felt her happiness and joy leave her as the friendship was sucked out of her and into the evil mare. Octavia collapsed. Nightmare Moon cackled.

"You see, little pony? Your power is mine now, and will be until you are just a husk of what you were. Then, I will find your friends and do the same. I cannot be stopped!"

The maniacal laughter filled the hall, the mare creating a jail chamber for her future victims.

Vynil galloped out of Canterlot, pushed on by her love and passion for Octavia. The Everfree Forest only enhanced the endless darkness that was the nighttime. Her hooves met the hard ground in front of the castle that was in creation by the dark mare. She gulped and had second thoughts about fighting the embodiment of darkness. Vynil shook her head to clear the thoughts that held her back and ran through the half constructed gate.

She ran into the main hall to see Nightmare Moon casting a spell on a pony in a cage near the throne. The pony fell to the ground and the mare cackled as she lit her horn. Another wing of the dark castle was built in seconds. Vynil was shaking when she looked closer at the pony in the cage. It was Octavia! But why was she on her side, flank heaving? Vynil galloped into the hall and brandished the knife.

"Stop hurting Octavia!" Her voice sounded small in the huge room.

"Who, me? No. I will not stop until I am finished. You won't stop me."

"So, you won't stop? Then how 'bout I make you stop!"

Vynil cast a spell at the mare, a simple destruction ray. Even so, it caught the mare off guard and hit her in the eye. She howled in pain and rage as she glared at Vynil. She gulped, and started to shake.

"You... insolent... FOOL!" Nightmare Moon screamed and blasted at her. The blade of the knife deflected it by an inch, which only caused Nightmare Moon to seethe with rage. Vynil smirked at her, then ran to Octavia. Nightmare smiled and spoke softly, but sharply.

"So, you only wish for her safety, stupid pony?"

"Yes! That is all I want!"

"Then, you will have to exchange something. No, I changed my mind. I want to keep this pony. She is quite the power plant."

"You can't have her! I will kill you to free her! You will have to kill me to keep her!"

"Okay."

Nightmare Moon blased the cage, sending Vynil back against the wall. She heard a crack and saw blood dripping from her head. Her vision was edged in darkness and fuzzy. She brought her head up weakly, looking for Octavia. When she saw only the charred pony and the ash surrounding her, she began to weep. Nightmare only laughed and reared.

"Octavia!"

The charred pony didn't move. No breathing, no response. Vynil screamed. She couldn't loose her again!