Chapters The sun shone through the window onto Octavia's face. Her eyes fluttered open to see that the curtains had been opened.
"Did you open my curtains last night? You really need to remember that I dislike that very much."
Listening for a moment for a response, Octavia walked over the the window and closed the curtains. As she walked back towards the bed, she saw her cello on the stand. It seemed to glimmer in the darkness, like it was made of stars. Octavia glanced sideways at it and it stopped. She shrugged it off and opened the door to the hall.
As usual, Vynil's door was open wide to the hall. Inside, she could see the bed (more like a plain mattress) with the blankets askew and crumpled at the ends. The desk was covered in records and fan photos waiting to be signed. Even the floor was a mess, with left over cans of Fizzy Filly Energy Drink and half crushed boxes of donuts lying in various places. Octavia shook her head and smiled. Closing the door softly, as to conceal the mess, Octavia walked downstairs into the small kitchen they shared. Vynil was seated at the breakfast bar and munching on what seemed to be a breakfast burrito.
"Vynil, what on Equestria are you eating? That thing is not a breakfast food."
"Oh sure it is Octi." Vynil said, revealing the contents of she overstuffed mouth. Octavia grimiced in digust as pieces of daisy fell to the ground and crumpled sadly.
"It has all the vitamins and minerals to start the day off right!"
"And by that I assume you mean sugar and oil."
Vynil looked wounded at Octavia's snide comment. She set down the burrito and lowered her shades. Octavia couldn't tell why Vynil wore shades inside the house, the castle, and even when greeting the princesses. It was just awful and undignified.
"I suppose you want an egg white omelete, with spinach, tomatos, and rose petals. Like usual."
"Yes, of course. Thank you,Vynil. Oh, just one thing."
"Yeah?" Vynil was greasing the pan and pouring the Equestria's Best Egg White into the pan.
"Can you lay off the siracha today? I am not feeling the urge for a fire today."
"Oh come on! You know you love siracha!"
"Actually, no I don't."
"Fine. I only take special orders from one pony, and its you Octi."
Octavia smiled and took her usual place at the breakfast bar. It was a little scuffed up but she didn't mind. Though, she was annoyed that despite being an earth pony, she couldn't do the manual tasks like cooking without starting a small fire. Well, sometimes small fires. There was that one time, Octavia had tried to make daisy casserole for Vynil, and the house had been given a nice new paint job. Soot and Ash, number 500A, she called it. Just thinking about it made her blush.
"Wake up!" She heard Vynil's sharp voice call her out of the memory. The smell of eggs and spinach made her sigh in delight.
"Thank you Vynil. You truly are the best friend a pony could have." She said before digging into the eggs. An odd shine flickered by the corner of her eye, winding around the chair at the end of the table. It looked like the shine on her cello, only now, it had a purple tint. She blamed not enough sleep on the problem. Then, a crash echoed against the wood and stone.
Octavia jumped up and ran into the kitchen, where the serving plates lay in shards on the floor. Vynil was crouched in the corner under the open cabinet door. Her magic was causing the door to swing wildy, and the shards to perform impossible dances to unheard dubstep. The aura of Vynil's magic seemed to have a deeper shade of blue than it usually did, with white speckles flying off.
"I swear on Celestia that I am not doing this!"
"I know you're not doing anything wrong. You aren't sophisticated enough to tamper with magic."
"HEY!"
Vynil yelled and the plates fell again, covering the smooth wooden floor in white shards.
"Its okay! Just stop thinking about using magic!"
Octavia yelled past the slamming door and shattering plates. Vynil made a scrunched face, and after a moment more of the racket, the oddly colored aura faded and all was silent. Octavia picked up the porcelain shards in her hooves and began to cry softly. Vynil walked carefully over to her and looked at the mess.
"Octi, it isn't that bad. I can just sweep it up. I think my magic's okay. Don't worry about the plates. I can get us new ones. I have the mon--"
"Octi, you know that this wasn't me right."
"Yes, I am quite sure it wasn't you. You wouldn't do something like this."
"But why did my magic go AWOL??"
Octavia looked up. Her eyes were red and puffy.
"I honestly can say that I don't know."
Vynil nodded slowly and picked up a broom with her magic. The aura was a steady blue, normal. Just like how today was supposed to be.
"You do know that you have that solo of yours tonight right?"
Vynil said cautiously as she picked up the last of the shards. Knowing her, Octavia was bound to be even worse, but this concert was very important to her. She had never played solo before. Octavia, who had been sitting on the couch in shock shot up. Her worried look only made her puffed eyes look worse.
"That's right! Oh, how could I have possibly forgotten! That is going to be performed in the Center Street theatre for hundreds."
She began to hyperventilate as she collapsed back onto the couch. Vynil levitated the cello and sheet music down the stairs and set it carefully on the floor next to the couch.
"You know, it isn't until sunset. You can just chill and practice maybe."
Octavia jumped to her hooves and screamed, her hooves pulling at her face.
"You could say 'just chill' and improvise when you get where you're going! I, on the other hoof, have to show my talent at playing a piece that few ponies have ever completely mastered. In front of a crowd, by myself!"
"Well, you can practice still. It isn't hard."
As Vynil finished her sentence, the A string on the cello snapped. The string made a metallic clang, and fell limply. The D and G strings followed suit, as the strings snapped in two. A seam near to Octavia split, exposing the rough, raw insides of the cello. The familiar shimmer was there, weaving faintly through the cello. It looked as if it was playing a game, snapping each string and pulling the seams apart. Octavia took one look at the cello as the bridge fell over and hit the ground with a clatter. She began crying again. This had been her life savings. The cello was a Stradihoofius, over 50 years old. Now, it was ruined and would cost another life savings to pay for all of the repairs.
"I can't play tonight on this! It is completly ruined!" Octavia collapsed onto the couch again, the green cloth now damp with tears.
"Come on Octi... it surely can't be that bad."
"The BRIDGE is broken, Vynil! The BRIDGE! This means that I may as well get a new cello!"
"Don't worry about the cello," Vynil said as she levitated the cello with her magic.
"I've got this one."
"But..." Octavia protested, reaching sadly for her cello.
"No buts , Octi. I can fix this!"
"Okay," Octavia said, too exhausted ,even though she had woken up a mere half-hour ago, to fight.
"You really should go back to bed, because you look awful."
Vynil said, pushing Octavia up with her hoof. She complied, getting up and dragging her hooves as she walked up the stairs. Vynil sighed. She knew this one stallion that repaired instruments. He was pretty underground, which explains why Octavia didn't know about him. As she walked out the door, she wondered what had been going on that day. Everything was just a little off, in the dark kind of way.
Author's Note
I am so excited! This is my first story, so I hope that you like it! Also, this is my first fic so, there are probably many errors and I apologize for that. Also, if you know any good editors/proofreaders, I would love any recommendations. If you dislike it, leave the reason why so I can try to improve the story and/or make sure it doesn't happen in my later ones.
Octavia climbed into the bed, the sheets still warm from her sleep. She was feeling awful, her face puffed and red. To think that this day would have been good after all. She sighed, and closed her eyes, head on the pillow. She was surprised for a brief moment when she was falling fast asleep.
Her eyes opened and she saw a crowd of ponies sitting in velvet chairs. The golden molding at the top of the ceiling was unmistakable, as well as the well worn stage. She was standing in Carneighie Hall, in Manehattan. The most famous critics were sitting in the front row, their steely eyes watching her every move. When she looked at her music, the staffs were filled with a song she had never heard or seen before. There were high notes that made her shift around more than ever, and fast sections that she couldn't manage in a sightread. The audiences' eyes looked on as she bit her lower lip and put the bow to the string. A high pitched A resounded around the room. She looked to her cello, and let out a yelp of surprise. A violin was in her hooves! A violin! She didn't know how to play the violin! She began to awkwardly move the bow around the instrument. Squeals and shrieks were let out from the instrument as the crowd turned their faces away. She looked out and saw Vynil, walking out with another pony.
"No! I... I..." Octavia couldn't speak. She could just watch as her fans left the hall, and her best friend abandoned her.
"No! Don't leave me! NO!" Octavia's eyes snapped open. Her breathing was light and quick. She felt the pillow, she had been sweating into it. She felt her face, and for the third time that day, there were tears running down it. She looked around and called out in despair. Her cello was gone, and Vynil hadn't come for her! That nightmare was true! As she was about to break down and give up to the darkness and despair inside her, she looked at the clock. It read 10am. The concert wasn't until 6pm and not in Manehattan. She took a deep breath and smiled. Vynil was out with her cello. But how did the cello become broken? It had been in perfect condition beforehoof. Also, with Vynil's magic going nuts, she was very wary of what was going on.
Also, why was she having nightmares again? She hadn't had those since her beginning days, which were years ago. This couldn't have something to do with the odd happenings this morning? Octavia pondered the coincidences, and decided to shrug it off until the evening. She couldn't afford to lose her focus on the concert and living in the moment. She got up and went to the library. She went to pick out a music book to practice reading the notes, and to shake off some of the nerves. When she put her hoof on a book, it would give her a shock. Not an electric shock, but one where she was struck by fear and saw the nightmare flash before her eyes. She pulled her hoof, expecting pain. The only pain she had at the moment was the pain in her brain, and of course the fear.
Vynil opened the door to the store.
"Hello?" Vynil raised her shades. Looking into the darkness, there was a pony's shilloutte. It was taller and more slim than what she expected, but she assumed it was a new employee.
"I have a cello that needs repairs. Can you help me out?"
The mysterious pony didn't speak but lit a horn. Vynil thought she could hear a light cackle before she blacked out.
Vynil was standing at the deejay stand at a Grand Galloping Gala. All of the ponies were enjoying the mix she had picked out and was dancing to the beat. Then, Princess Celestia came up to her and held out some papers. They read ' Authorized Arrest of DJ-Pon3 for Stealing and Ignoring Copyright.' She gasped, and began to protest,
"Princess! I didn't steal anything! The music isn't mine, and I never said it was! Why?"
"This is your pony," Celestia told the guards, "Take her away."
The two guards took her by the front hooves and dragged her out of the ballroom. Everypony was staring at her and whispering. They glared at her, and women clutched their jewelry and purses. Stallions catcalled at her and booed. She protested against the guards, but they used their magic to chain the mare's hooves. She looked back to see Neon Lights waving a mocking hoof and mouthing 'Good-bye' as he spun new music. She began to cry, letting her signature shades fall to the marble floor and hearing the huge doors slam shut behind her.
"NOOOOOOO!"
Her eyes flicked open. She wasn't in the shop. She was out in the street, behind a table at the cafe nest door. The cello sat next to her, in worse condition than it was before. The neck had been snapped off and a burn mark on the back. She crumpled under the weight of the nightmare and the cello. She couldn't take it back to Octavia like this. It would only make her lose hope. She had to figure out something and get another cello. She forced herself to her hooves and levitated the cello. Her hooves resisted movement past the length of the chains from her nightmare. She hobbled down the street and pushed open the music store's door and set the cello on the floor. A mare with a light blue mane and fur smiled.
"Welcome to Hoofington Music! What can I help you with?"
"Can you help me find a replacement for this? My friend is playing tonight and she needs a cello."
"Sure, let me see." The clerk closed her eyes and thought. "Yes, we have a cello. Would you like it? Its new."
Vynil sighed in relief.
"Yes, i'll take it. How much?"
"The broken cello will be cost enough." The clerck smiled, her green eyes shining.
"Okay!" Vynil and the clerk traded cellos and she turned to the door and ran home.
Author's Note
I have been making this on the fly, and I hope that you like it!
Octavia was reading, "A Scarlet Hoofband" by Sir Arthur Clover Doyle when Vynil walked in the door. She jumped up and looked for her cello. The book hit the floor heavily, breaking the silence. Vynil smiled slightly as she presented the new cello. She was slightly dissapointed when she saw the shiny new cello. But, it was intact and playable. She was pretty sure it was tuned up too.
"Vynil, you didn't have to get me a new cello. Oh, and where is my cello?"
"Uhm... I had to trade it in for the new one, Octi. This was the only way."
"Thanks, Vynil. Do you think that I could take it upstairs and practice? Then, we can talk."
Octavia smiled, but she was secretly very sad that she couldn't have her special cello. She had already figured out that today was a bad day already, and just decided that she would roll with it. She went up and practiced uneventfully. The music soothed her a bit, knowing that she was prepared helped as well. The events of the day had unnerved her. Instead of going back down to talk to Vynil about the strange happenings that day, she decided to get some more of her reading done. She just sat and read until a knock sounded on her door.
"Come in."
The door creaked open and Vynil stepped in. She was carrying a tray of cookies in her magic and had a small smile on her face. She set the tray down on the bed and sat down next to Octavia.
"It is 4pm, and I thought you could use a pick-me-up before the concert. You have been down all day. Something on your mind?"
"Yeah. The bad things happening today. Don't they seem like they are related? And they all happen by shadows and with a purple-blue shimmer. Isn't that weird?"
"Yea, sure. I haven't noticed anything except for my horn going crazy. And I did feel a weird presence in the room before it happened."
"Do you think that it is the Mare of Shadows is messing with us?" Octavia shuddered. The Mare of Shadows, or Nightmare Moon, hadn't been around for many years and was waiting for her time to rise again, or so the legend said. Octavia had feared since the nightmare that the Mare on the Moon had returned. But why would she be messing with them? Was it because of their friendship? She wasn't sure.
"Maybe, but if she was back, why would she be affecting us? Why not Celestia or the Elements?"
"I'm not sure. I think it might be because of our friendship. You know, to make her more powerful by destroying our happiness."
"Now your talking crazy, Octi. Just go to your concert. There are only your fans there."
Octavia nodded and grabbed her cello. She took it out to the road and hailed a taxi. She climbed in and waited the short wait until the driver called out that it was her stop and to get out. She pushed the cello onto the street, and the concert hall was nowhere in view. It was foggy out, the mist being blue tinted. She walked towards the edge of the fog, when a laugh echoed through the street.
"I look forward to your concert, Octavia." A mysterious voice echoed, and the fog cleared a path to the doors. She looked around for the mare, or stallion, but the fog around the path was too thick. She just walked twoards the doors and pushed them open.
Fans awaited her entrance. They were all over her, asking for autographs and the opportunity to tell her how she had affected their lives with her playing. She smiled and waved, but mostly pushed her way to the backstage door, pushed it open, and locked out the clamoring fans. She took a deep breath. Taking out the cello, she looked all over for damages. There didn't seem to be any. She took out her music and bow and warmed up. After the intro music sounded, she walked onstage to the joy of many fans. They were seated on the velvet seats, anticipating the first melodic note. It was perfect. Octavia played with confidence, locking the day's many misfortunes away and focusing on the music. She looked intently at the music, as if to keep the music from falling off the page like in her dream. Not even glancing at the audience, she finished the piece with a flourish.
After the piece was done, she received a standing ovation and bowed. She went offstage, and exhaled. She could go home and sleep after just one hour of autographs. She packed up her cello, and prepared to go out, when the voice from before the concert said,
"Why didn't you smile for the audience? I thought you loved to play the cello?"
Surprises By Moonlight
A tall, shadowed mare stepped before Octavia. She had green, no tealish, eyes with thin black slits for eyes. They glimmered with malice and hate. Her purple mane flowed with the magic that only one species could have. The shimmer looked like stars fading in and out of sight. The blue armor reflected the backstage lights and a crescent moon shimmered. Her horn was elongated and sharpened at the tip. The teeth were monstrous fangs.
"Do you remember who I am, Octavia Melody?"
Octavia cringed at hearing her last name. No one ever used her last name, not even Vynil. But, she did recognize the frightful mare before her. She made a stolid expressison, and responded calmly.
"The Mare of Shadows. Yes, I remember you. You are just a foals' tale, my imagination."
"Oh, you lie, my dear. I am very real, and have come to seek my revenge on Equestria."
Then a thought hit Octavia like rain on a sunny day.
"Where is Princess Luna?! Did you force her into you?!?"
Octavia's calm expressison morphed into anger and fear. If she had forced Luna, then the Mare of Shadows was more powerful than she had been in the foals' tale. But if Luna had gone rouge again... this could spell disaster for Canterlot, and the rest of Equestria.
"No, my dear pony. Luna asked me back into her. She had been losing her power, or so she thought, and wanted a back-up reserve. So, here I am. She seemed to forget that the Nightmare Forces take your body for their own. And before you ask, no, I am not going to just bring eternal night. Oh no," Nightmare Moon cackled.
",I am going to do much worse."
Octavia braced herself for an attack, or just a villain's monologue like she had seen in the movies, but it never came. Nightmare Moon just vanished into thin air, taking the fog and evil air about her with her. Even though it had only been a mere few sentences with the dark mare, she felt as if the darkness had seeped into her every pore, then pulled itself out, clawing and protesting. This left her in shreds inside.
"Why? Why me?"
Octavia asked into the quiet air. She wondered if the Mare of Shadows thought that she could find a more permanent home in her body, or Vynil. But then she would be an earth pony. That made no sense, because she had no power. She, Octavia, had no power. Before anything else could happen, she pulled her cello out into the lobby to sign pictures and posters. It was truly boring.
"It is a fine night out tonight. Nice for a walk."
Octavia said to herself once she got out onto the side walk. She began the trek home, wheeling her cello behind her. She passed a cafe with a few ponies still inside, sipping coffee or just talking at the tables. She passed a shop owner flipping the 'Open' sign over to read, 'Closed'. She smiled, liking how normal it all was. No spontaneous cello explosions or nightmares. Just a beautiful night. As she rounded a bend, she heard a scream echo through an alley way.
Octavia dropped her cello and let it clatter to the ground. She looked behind her at it, to see if it was okay. It looked fine, so she ran towards the sound. Ducking beneath a metal pipe at the edge of the alley, she looked into the darkness. She saw nothing but fog.
"Hello? Is anyone back here?" She said quietly.
A gleaming black cello emerged into her vision. She gasped and forgot about the scream she had just heard. Dashing towards it, she rubbed her hooves on it. The varnish was so smooth and perfect. Plucking the A string, it was magically in tune. She almost cried in joy when she saw the Itstallion bow lying next to it. A stallion appeared from the darkness, his coat a shade of dark blue.
"You know, it's for you. The cello. Fine piece of craftsmanship."
"Yes, quite." She blushed. "And who might you be?"
"Octavio Harmony. A cellist like your self."
"How... I have never heard of you before. You..."
Octavia blushed. She was helplessly in love with the mysterious stallion. She strode up to her with a gleam in his eye. She couldn't tell if it was anger or love, but either way, she didn't care. She ran her hoof up his face and he pulled her closer.
"I what?" He asked in the bass smooth voice he had.
"You... are really handsome." She quietly said, brushing her mane away from her face.
"You, are much more beautiful." He said into her ear.
After these words, he began to walk into the fog that surrounded them. Then Octavia blinked twice. This was the same fog that surrounded The Mare of Shadows. Could this be an illusion, or a trick of hers? To lure her away from Vynil? This mare was truly evil if she was destroying friendships of regular ponies.
The stallion looked back at her. But she looked away, and said in a defiant tone.
"I don't love you, though."
His mouth dropped open. His eyes flickered green with rage.
"You do love me. And you know that you do!"
Before Octavia could react to his voice, she felt her mind become clouded. The fog that was surrounding her blocked her train of thought. She smiled and walked up to him.
"Yes, I do love you, my little nightmare."
He cackled and said softly,
"All is going according to plan."
They walked in the darkness, away from Octavia's house. The stallion told Octavia sweet nothings to keep her from straying. Then, as they reached the cities' limits, he morphed back into Nightmare Moon. Octavia still believed that she was the stallion of her dreams, Octavio Harmony. Nightmare had looked into her mind and figured that much out. This was such a lovely specimen though, Nightmare thought. Perfect for the experiments that she had planned.
"And, I won't just make the night last forever, I will do much worse," She repeated, musing the line. Octavia giggled and blushed. Nightmare forgot that she was still playing lovey-dovey with Octavia. They walked through the Everfree Forest and into the Old Castle of the Two Sisters. A pile of rubble had crushed Celestia's throne and the yellow banners of the Sun were torn down. A pile of gray ash was all that remained of them. Nightmare touched her horn to the ponies' head and let her magic seep into the mare. She absorbed a bit of the friendship that the mare had and used it to super charge her magic. She tried a rebuilding spell, and the main hall changed into sleek black marble, with all new blue Moon banners hanging. Instead of two thrones, there was only one, with two batpony guard statues on either side. She smiled maliciously and stroked the mare.
"I think that I will keep you for a while." Nightmare said as she locked the mare in a cage and set her next to the throne.
A illusion of Octavio Harmony entertained her and kept her feelings of friednship kindled and alive.
Octavia couldn't think straight. All that she knew was that she was with her one true love. She giggled when ever he said something, and when ever she felt his hoof touch her own, she blushed. Then, she felt an odd sensation, like some of her happiness had been drained away, and then she was very tired. After that, the decrepit scenery around her, once foggy, was now clear. She saw the black marble and blue banners. But, then Octavio came back, and nothing mattered, not even the lock click that she just heard.
Vynil was weeping on the couch as she waited for Octavia to come home. She hoped that nothing bad had happened to cause the delay. She could have been mugged, or hurt, or even killed. The thought just made her shiver. Then, another thought occurred to her. What if Octavia had her own house, or apartment somewhere else. She had been kinda quiet lately, like she was hiding something. Vynil thought if maybe she didn't want to be friends anymore, and that was what the sudden leaving was about. That would also explain why she wouldn't want anyone to know. They had been such good friends, but not anymore. Vynil's tears turned to rage. She was going to confess it soon too. Why would Octavia leave now?
When they were both in the Canterlot University Music Program, Vynil had thought the world of Octavia. She was always so calm and collected, and always got good grades in the hardest classes. She was also beautiful and modest. These made Vynil fall in love with her. She never wanted to leave her side, but thought that Octavia would push her away if she knew that Vynil loved her. So, she became very good friends with her. After many years of sharing a dorm, doing homework together, and hanging out during the weekends, she bought a house with her, phrasing it as a way to pay half the amount of rent. But her real intentions were to eventually admit her love.
Now, she knew that Tavi would never accept her.
"Tavi! I will never forgive you!"
Vynil collapsed into angry tears as she accepted her assumption. When a knock resounded, she choked out a moan. After a few more rushed knocks, she managed to mumble,
"Come in."
Neon Lights opened the door with his magic and was also levitated some boxes of records. He walked in and set the boxes down before he noticed Vynil on the couch. He rushed over and sat down next to her.
"Vynil! What's wrong? Why are you crying?"
"Tavi left me! And I loved her so much!" Vynil wailed.
"Shhhh. Its okay. Does Octavia know that you love her?"
"No! I never got the chance to, and now she may never know!"
Neon Lights just stared at Vynil now. He didn't know what to make of it. He had never felt this strongly about anypony as Vynil ever did. Also, why would Octavia have ever been cruel to her friends, especially Octavia? She was a kind pony, and would always give up her time, money, and effort for her friends. Vynil often compared her to Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness.
"Hey, Vynil. You heard that Nightmare Moon was sighted with another pony? It gave lots of people a fright."
"Why should I care? Tavi is gone, and others should suffer!"
"Somepony thought the pony looked like Octavia."
Vynil gasped and jumped to her hooves. Neon Lights looked strangely at her, as if silently asking, "What?". She just looked at him and smiled. Wiping her eyes, she grabbed a kitchen knife and ran out of the house, leaving Neon Lights to sort through the records he had brought alone.
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!
Vynil could barely see through the pain and darkness that was shrouding her vision. With a moan, she got to her hooves and looked to Octavia. She could see Nightmare Moon standing above the the pony, laughing. She wobbled in place and collapsed to the floor. Nightmare Moon lit her horn and levitated the corpse of Octavia. She sucked the magic of Friendship out of the body and let it fall to the floor with a thud. She laughed.
"This is much more effective than going after those Elements or the Princesses."
Vynil coughed and looked dimly to the evil mare. Vynil grimaced at her and choked on blood.
"You... won't... kill... me..."
"No, I will keep you for later. That other pony, though, she is already a corpse."
"That... is where... you are... wrong. Friendship... can be... eternal."
"You cannot have friends if you are dead, foolish pony."
Vynil tried to smirk confidently, but the pain caused her face to drop into a sad grimace. Yet, in her head, she pleaded for Octavia to wake up, despite the burn damage to her body. The beautiful, smart, kind pony that had been performing just hours ago couldn't be dead beside this evil pony. As if her thoughts could be heard, the corpse moved and the voice of Octavia rang softly through the halls as she spoke.
"Nightmare, you thought you could win this one, and against mere ponies. How cruel."
There was a flash of light and the castle began to crumble around Octavia as the Magic of Friendship returned to her. The black husk that had been her body was now covered in the smooth tan coat and her purple eyes shimmered with life. Grasping the air, a cello bow appeared in her hand, while the air hummed with magic. Vynil laughed, coughed, and then fell to the floor smiling.
I knew you weren't dead, Tavi.
Octavia grimaced at Nightmare Moon as she wielded the bow like a sword in her hoof. She stabbed at the mare and to both of their surprise, the stab found flesh. Inky black smoke poured out of the small hole, but it seemed to wound Nightmare greatly. She lit her horn and formed black chains around Octavia's hooves. The cello bow clattered to the stone floor as Octavia fumbled for it. The chains pressed into her forelegs and burned her skin. Octavia cried out and screamed into the darkness. Nightmare cackled and smiled, revealing her fangs.
"You thought you could defeat Nightmare Moon with a stab! You are truly foolish."
"Nightmare, you will fail. Love cannot be destroyed, nor friendship."
With that, the aura in the air dissipated and Vynil staggered to life. With the two's great power of friendship, they struck at Nightmare Moon. The magic chains lay where Octavia had stood, useless as a shadow. They used their hooves and Vynil's magic to fight the mare's attacks. Nightmare had the upper hand, keeping them at bay as Vynil shot beams of energy at her and Octavia tried to jump at her.
"TAVI! Get back!" Vynil screamed as Nightmare shot a beam at her.
"No, Vynil! Shoot your magic at her beam! Quickly!"
The two magic beams collided and ricocheted back at Nightmare. She screamed as the full force of two magic beams hit her. There was a large boom and the dark magic was burst from the castle. With no more magic to hold the castle together, the ceiling and walls began to crumble. Octavia ran towards a door, but rubble fell in front of her hooves. Vynil grabbed her with magic and ran for the entry hall that she had come through. Octavia protested being carried, but when she saw the rubble falling fast behind them, she silently agreed that this was the best option for both of their survival. When the door was in sight, Vynil ran hard just to avoid the large stone bricks and glass shards raining down.
They both fell in the long grass outside of the castle, panting and crying. Octavia was still weak from being revived, but was strong enough to cry out in shock at the experience. Vynil cried with relief at saving her love and being alive.
"Vynil, why... why did you come for me?"
"Aw, Tavi. It's what any friend would do. Well..." Vynil gulped and blushed.
"Well...' What?" Octavia asked Vynil, both now on their hooves.
"Well, I like you more than that. I love you, Tavi. I always have!"
Octavia stepped back in shock. Vynil looked down, thinking that the sudden move by Octavia had meant rejection. But, she felt a hoof around her neck. Vynil looked up and saw Octavia hugging her.
"The secret is, me too." She smiled softly and released her hug.
They smiled at each other and started to walk twoards home.
The End
Author's Note
I'm sorry if the battle seems forced or quick. I am still unsure of how a good defeat for Nightmare Moon would be. Still, I hope you enjoy it!