Project ART

Rainbow loved sleep. Ask anypony in Ponyville or Cloudsdale, you'd get that answer. She loved just about anything about sleep. Except nightmares. Not one of those stupid dreams that last about 7 seconds, something that seems so real you have to fact and spell-check it when you wake up. And this one was wacky.

She was locked in a metal cage. Beside her was Applejack. They were in a entirely metallic room, flashing lights everywhere, and what looked like really bright windows. She looked around, not knowing where she was or what was going on.

Something approached the cage from a shadowy corner of the room. It seemed to be a large, hairless monkey in a suit. Rainbow would have laughed if not for the terror. It stared her right in the eyes, and smiled so sickeningly, she hated it.

"Well now, this is interesting...." It said.

"What's interesting? Just let us go!" They yelled. It smiled wider.

"Scientific data, blabityblahblah, whatever. I  won't bore you with the details. But I won't hurt you. You will play a big part in my conquest of this world."

"What in tarnation are you ramblin' on about?" Applejack asked.

"You'll see." It said, laughing. Almost as if on cue, a door Rainbow hadn't noticed exploded, revealing a jaw-dropping image. It was Sonic and Jawsome.

They looked the same, but Sonic's runners were dirtier, his gloves were tattered, and he had two bracelets on. Jawsome had on a strange headgear, his shoes and gloves the same in terms of wear as Sonic's, and he had some glowing thing on his shoes, with his sword having a few more inches to it's length, and the blade was now blue instead of black.

"EGGMAN!" They yelled at the same time. "WHERE'S MY SISTER?!" The 'Eggman' character nonchalantly pointed towards her and Applejack, saying:

"They're right there. Go on take them, I've learned everything anyway." They cautiously walked over, Sonic watching Eggman as Jawsome prepared to bring his sword down. Rainbow shut her eyes, but when she heard the "HEY!" she opened them. They were stuck in his trap. Sonic struggled against them, while Jawsome attempted to burn through them. As Eggman walked up to them, the dream dissolved, leaving nothing but his laughter.

"SONIC!" Rainbow awoke in a cold sweat. She looked around, only to see her room. It was just a dream. She sighed as she got out of bed. She trotted downstairs towards the kitchen. As she reached for the bread, she noticed a hastily written note, in Sonic's handwriting, on the counter. She read aloud:

Dear Rainbow Dash,

Sorry for leaving without telling you. I overslept and had to run and get my job done fast. You might be able to clear the skies quickly, but I've got a lot of deliveries to do before the Summer Sun Celebration tomorrow. Stop by Sweet Apple Acres later, Applejack and Jawsome promised they'd share a barrel of cider with us, and we know how much you love cider. Anyway, I made you a dandelion sandwich, which, provided nopony ate it, should be on the dining room table.

Your brother,

Sonic

Rainbow walked into the dining room, picked up her sandwich, and started eating. "Man, he sure makes good sandwiches. Though as much as I want this to last, I gotta go! I have a job to do." She thought, dashing out the door.

4 hours later...

Sonic raced towards Ponyville, deliveries finished, report ready for Mayor Mare.

"Maybe I'll get something at Sugarcube Corner before I head out to Sweet Apple Acres. Cider goes good with sweets!" As he thought about it, he paid little attention to where he was going, not noticing somepony dive out of the way, or the purple balloon landing near him with a purple pony and her dragon assistant exiting. It bit him hard as he crashed right into her.

"Owwww.... Note to self, never daydream and run at the same time." Sonic said, then ran over to help up the pony he'd run into. "Sorry about that, Violet!" He said, using the pony's coat color as their name.

"Thanks, and the name's Twilight Sparkle, but at least you helped me up, not like that 'Rainbow Dash'."

Sonic laughed. "You met Rainbow, huh?" He stretched his hand out. "Anyway, Sonic's the name, speed's my game. Rainbow's my sister. Nice ta meetcha, Twilight Sparkle."

As Twilight looked up to shake what she thought was a hoof, she was taken aback by the hedgehog's unique body structure. After a few seconds, her skeptical look became an exited one as she admired the different creature.

"Sweet Celestia!" She said to herself. "You aren't like anything I've ever seen; in books or otherwise! It's like you're a hybrid between a rodent and a bipedal creature!"

"Aside from the weird description, I get that all the time. A friend of mine does too, and we look practically alike. So, thanks?" He said, rubbing the back of his head. "Anyway, gotta run!" He said, saluting. "See ya' round!" With that, he blasted off, leaving Twilight in the dust.

Twilight watched as the mysterious creature raced off, then started coughing as the cloud of dust floated into her airway. Spike who had been tossed away during the collision, managed to get back to her, still a little disoriented, but he shook it off. "What in the name of Celestia was that thing?" He asked, pointing in the direction Sonic had run off in.

Twilight scratched her head. "I'm not sure." Whatever it was, the Royal Library didn't have a book on anything about or like it, and it has a book about everything in Equestria!"

"Well, that's one more job checked off the list." Spike said, marking a square on a piece of parchment.

Twilight asked him: "What?"

"The meet a never-before-seen creature job. No, the guy said his name was Sonic right? Well, he's the one in charge of deliveries of supplies to other ponies in charge of preparing for the Celebration tomorrow."

Twilight said "Oh." then stopped dead.

Calculating it in her head fast, she belted out: "If he runs that fast normally, then it should take about an hour or somewhere thereabouts to get the deliveries from Manehattan to here. He should theoretically be done at this point."

"Well, next up is music. Job's being handled by the local animal caretaker, wanted to be left anonymous. Should be practicing by Ponyville Fields." Twilight levitated him onto her back and took off.

"Let's get this done. I want to get to the library ASAP."

The time had finally arrived. The Summer Sun Celebration was beginning. Everypony in Ponyville was attending, including tourists from Canterlot, Manehattan, Trottingham, Cloudsdale, and even as far away as Saddle Arabia. Sonic was leaning against Rainbow, talking to Jawsome, while Rainbow was chatting with Applejack. All four of them had a mug of apple cider in their appendages, specially brewed by a perfected technique Jawsome had accidentally done one day that had put Apple family cider on the map. They were admiring the awesome work everypony had put into their parts. While Sonic had gone to other cities to watch the Celebration, the crowdedness of urban Equestria was too uncomfortable to properly enjoy, and everything there was cheap, including the food and decorations. Everywhere except Ponyville did this, even Canterlot, the capital city. In Ponyville, everything was the polar opposite. Not too crowded, but lively. Decorations made by hoof were everywhere and plentiful. The food was made with the finest and richest of spices, and drinks were either Jawsome's specialty brew for those who liked a hard-hitter, or a milder cider he could whip up in seconds, or for the more younger ones, apple juice. Sonic had personally delivered the ingredients for the food and had also delivered the decorations from specialty shops in Manehattan. Not only that, but in Manehattan or Canterlot, nopony bothered socializing. All he ever got out of Manehattan was the occasional sultry look from some random mare (why, he couldn't tell), and everypony in or from Canterlot were snobs, Twilight excepted, that gave him disgusted looks that made Sonic want to take out a few of their perfect teeth the hard way. In Ponyville, everypony was talking to everypony else. Twilight and Spike were attempting to get through to Pinkie, a one-sided conversation to be sure, The Cutie Mark Crusaders were trying to recruit more members, and Roseluck was talking with Rarity before the reveal. Above all, Sonic loved knowing that he had a hand in this. It made the whole experience complete. As Mayor Mare walked up to the podium, everyponies attention turned to her.

"Fillies and Gentlecolts," she announced, "As mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure and honor to announce the beginning of the one thousandth Summer Sun Celebration!" Everypony in the crowd yelled their approval. "In just a few moments, our town will experience the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate the longest day of the year! And now, it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the pony who gives us the sun and moon each day, the good, wise, harmony-bringer..."

Sonic saw Rarity prepare the curtain and Fluttershy prepare the birds out of the corner of his eye.

As the curtain opened, Mare announced "PRINCESS CELESTIA!"

Noticing the lack of cheers, Mare looked to the stage, finding it empty of life, minus Rarity, who had just pulled the curtain open. Ponies started chattering randomly.

After a backstage search, Rarity ran back saying "She's gone!" After some more minutes of quiet, all eyes were on Pinkie when she yelped, pointing towards the upper stage.

Clouds were swirling to the stage in a vortex, slowly becoming translucent. Sonic, Jawsome, and Applejack looked at Rainbow, who defensively said, "What? I didn't do this!"

After a few seconds,the clouds dispersed into a mist, bubbling like a potion from Zecora. The mist then flew away in a burst, revealing an Alicorn. Her mane shimmered like the night sky, flowing in an ominous fashion. Her piercing blue cat eyes looked at the gathered ponies before her. On her flanks was the image of a crescent moon, surrounded by black fog. On her head she wore a sky blue helm, with matching armor on her chest.

"Oh, my beloved subjects." She said in an echoing voice that dripped poison, "It's been so long since I've seen your precious sun-loving faces."

"What did you do with our princess?!" Rainbow demanded. She charged, but stopped when Applejack bit her tail.

The Alicorn laughed. "Why?" She asked. "Am I not Royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?" She moved to Fluttershy, who cowered behind her mane. "Does my crown no longer count since my thousand-year banishment?" She moved over to Rarity, who backed away from the threat. "Did you not recall the legends? Did you not see the signs?"

Twilight and Jawsome had looks of understanding on their faces now, and in unison they said, "I did. And I know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon - Nightmare Moon!"

Everypony gasped while Nightmare chuckled. "Well, somepony who remembers me. Tell me, why am I here?"

Twilight stuttered, "You're here to.. to..." Jawsome picked up the slack, "To enforce eternal night!"

Nightmare chuckled again. "Remember this day, ponies, for it is your last." She said. "From now on, the night will reign eternal!"

She started laughing maniacally, as her mane and tail formed a vortex above her head, lightning crashing down. From the smoke that blocked out the sun. Suddenly, the Mayor remembered her authority. "Seize her! Only she knows where the Princess is!" She ordered the Royal Guard.

They charged towards Nightmare, who noticed. "STAY BACK, YOU FOALS!" the dark princess commanded, her eyes glowing with magic. Lightning struck around them, tossing them back. She laughed at the failure.

Fed up, Sonic jumped at Nightmare, tucking his legs in and smashing into the Alicorn. "Whoever you are, 'Moony', you're about to catch a beating!" He proclaimed as he landed on the ground. His eyes widened as he saw the cyan aura surround his body. He became weightless as the dark pony levitated him in front of her.

"Oh, no ya don't!" A voice rang out. A fire blazed under Nightmare's feet, causing her to drop Sonic.

"What is this?! This should not be happening!"

"Think again, buddy." Jawsome said, concentrating on maintaining the inferno around Nightmare. He charged and leaped at her prepared to unleash a good apple-bucking kick on her face. His foot stopped in midair as the dark princess grabbed him and Sonic in her magic again.

"My, my... Things have changed since I was exiled. I remember when we had to deal with Diamond Dogs and Quarray Eels.  Now we have walking, smart mouthed RATS!" She threw them into the air, where they fell to the stage with a loud SMACK.

Seeing her brother hurt was the last straw for Rainbow. She blasted towards Nightmare like a bullet. Applejack didn't try to restrain her as she was also running towards the dark pony. Nightmare disappeared into mist, and flew out the open door, cackling as she went. "COME BACK HERE!" Rainbow yelled, giving chase.

Sonic and Jawsome then jumped up and ran after the mist, straight into the Everfree Forest. They didn't notice as they chased Nightmare's glowing eyes. Racing past a manticore, a river serpent, and a bridge which collapsed behind them, they finally stopped in front of the ancient Castle of the Royal Sisters. Preparing themselves, they opened the door and walked in.

Hovering directly under the ceiling in mist form, Nightmare watched the rats enter the castle. After a few seconds of looking around, she saw them relax a little, and break into a light stroll. She saw them stop in awe as they beheld the Pedestal of Harmony, where the Elements of Harmony were resting. If she had a mouth in this form, she would be scowling. Remembering her hate towards the room, she moved to her old bedroom, which had been marked by the years' passage.

Her old room was mostly intact, give or take the cracked and mossy walls and giant hole in the ceiling. Wait, hole in the ceiling? She followed her moon's light shining through the hole, she saw a sizable green gemstone and a equally large red gemstone with a flame flickering inside sitting right smack in the center of her floor. She attempted to levitate them, but an invisible force repelled her magic and caused the gems to glow.

"Intriguing." She said to herself. She closed her eyes as she attempted to scan the strange rocks, hoping the magic-proof barriers would not prevent this. "This energy signature, it is unlike anything I have ever encountered. It is... familiar, yet foreign. But not pony magic, no..." Her eyes widened as did an evil smirk as she said, "Something red and blue."

Sonic had visited the Everfree Forest before, and Jawsome had ventured within it a few times. Neither liked it, per se, but both tended to use it as an obstacle course, for practice. They had read the legend of the Mare in the Moon, how she and her sister lived in a magnificent palace in the Everfree Forest. Sonic had thought of it as just a legend, and Jawsome had believed it a little, but still took it with a grain of salt. Sonic had refused to believe the legends point-blank, yet here he was, standing in front of objects inside a place he had rejected ever existing in the first place.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" A voice echoed through the hall.

Recognizing Nightmare's voice, the hedgehogs turned around, trying to pinpoint the sound's origin. "Show yourself!" They yelled.

"This castle once belonged to my sister and I, but time has taken it's toll on it." Nightmare continued unfazed.

"Where are you?" "What do we have to do with this?"

A dark wind blew through the hall, cloudy mist swirling around the pedestal. When the mist disappeared, Nightmare was hovering above the pedestal, saddlebags on her back, expression deadpan. "All the damage was natural." She said calmly. "All but some..." She reached into the saddlebags and pulled two abnormally large gems out of them. "Catch." She tossed them to the hedgehogs, who sidestepped them. They fell harmlessly to the floor.

"Nice catch." Nightmare sarcastically said.

"I'm not trusting anything you throw at me." Jawsome said. "How do we know it won't just blast us into oblivion when we touch em?"

"If I'd wanted you dead, you would already be decomposing. I found these gemstones in my quarters, and it repelled my magic. It's energy signature matches yours, so I want to know if I could use it."

"And why should we help you?" Sonic asked.

"Because I see no point in going to such lengths to kill two rats. Again, you would be dead already. I just want to know what that emerald is."

"Fine." They said. They reached for the emeralds, Sonic green, and Jawsome red. "Strange. It's like I've seen this before, but I never have..." They said in unison, then pain shot through their heads, images and visions flooding their minds. They shut their eyes and yelled in agony. As they opened their eyes, all there was was their sclera glowing molten white before they shut again and the two fell to the ground. "Hmmm..." Nightmare thought, "I think that I could use that powder I had just in case on these fools. Though I didn't know their reaction to those gems would be that extreme. Ah, well, opportunity calls! But I won't just for plot purposes later down the road."