A Bitter End

It's Time to Party

(Ponyville, Equestrian Pizzeria, 2:26)

Starlight looked through the cameras with the rest of the Elements (minus Fluttershy, who was cuddling Twily) as everyone who had aided Starlight into getting so close to conquering Equestria, again, be torn to pieces by the Animatronics. Starllight watched the screen as she nursed what was left of her arm, knowing just how strong and terrifying those monsters are. As Starlight watched, Twilight placed a hand on her shoulder causing Starlight to jump.

"Sorry." Twilight apologized before hardening her expression. "Starlight, you know what you had almost done is unforgivable, no matter the reason. You were going to torturing me and my friends to increase your own power!"

Starlight shied away from Twilight as she ranted until she came into contact with another body. She slowly turned her head to see Applejack cracking her knuckles. "Yah wanna know sometin', sugarcube, it was Twi here that stopped us from going after you and beating the snot out of ya for what ya did in 'Our Town'."

Applejack leaned closer to Starlight. "Now that she's on board, and yah got nowhere to run."

Starlight Glimmer gulped as Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow towered over her, prepping for a good, long smackdown.

(Meanwhile)

Jetstream was running down a hallway, he was bleeding heavily from his head wound but that only made him run faster, he was holding medical supplies from the medical room the building had installed incase of any major accident.

'Heh, some Grand Opening, man, if those things hadn't come along, I would be eating pizza and would be able to live a easy life afterward.' Jetstream thought as he ran into the Safe House that the was there incase of robbery or something along those lines. The only problem with now was the exit was blocked by some dark energy, as were all the others, and with twenty some Ponies inside, the Safe House isn't going to be safe any more.

'Urg, What do these things want with us anyway, if Starlight's dead, why not just leave it at that?' Jetstream looked down the hallway for the Animatronics.

"Phew. You have no idea how hard it was to get these things." Jetstream said as he walked into the Safe House, several Ponies flocked around him, asking him questions and taking the medical supplies to treat other injured.

"Quite!" Jetstream yelled over the noise, "if you want this place to be safe, then you need to be quite, and I can't answer everyponies question at once."

"Have the guards arrived yet." Brass Star said as he approached, Brass Star is a retired Royal Guard who came here with his daughter and grandson.

"No, not yet, nor do I think they can." Jetstream said as he adjusted his security outfit.

"What do you mean?" Lily, a flower shop owner who came here with her daughter and sisters.

"What I mean is that I heard gunshots and explosions outside of the building." As soon as Jetstream finished that sentence, the room went into a frantic state of murmuring and whimpering.

"You think the monsters are out there as well." Dinky Whooves said as she looked up from her mothers arms.

"Yes-" Jetstream started to say when a metallic thud was heard behind him.

"I don't know about you, but I think you should be more worried about the monsters on the inside." The distorted voice of the (Nightmare) Discord Animatronic said.

Ponies shrieked in horror as they were now trapped with one of the monsters in the cramped room. Jetstream hid in back of the crowd, knowing that the Animatronics didn't attack at random or just anypony, he opted to attempt to sneak out while it was busy.

Jetstream had just got into place when he heard. "Oh don't you worry, Jetstream, I will only be killing you." And that was he needed to bolt. But the moment he exited the door, he was bit in the shoulder and dragged to the ground by the monster.

"AAAAHHHH!!!!" Was all he got out before being torn chunks by Discord.

As the Pizzeria's staff and Starlight's supporters dwindled, the Royal Guard was trying everything that they could to surpass the wall of dark magic. The three other Alicorns were there with Shining Armor, having exhausted all other options, they waited for the wall to weaken enough for them to break through or be dispelled.

"This is a bunch of horseapples!" Shining Armor yelled as he banged his fist on the table. "We should be in there getting those Ponies out, not sitting here doing nothing as they are torn to pieces by those abominations!"

"Well if you have any ideas, Captain, then by all means please share them with the rest of us." Princess Luna said as she studied the blueprints of the establishment one more.

"Urgh." Shining sighed as he slumped back down into the chair.

"Don't worry Shining, I'm sure Twilight and her friends are fine." Princess Cadence comforted Shining as she laid a hand on his shoulder, only for it to be brushed of as he walks over to the black dome that stood between him and his sister.

"I'm supposed to the Captain of the Guard, Equestria's best line of defense, and I cannot even defend it without my sisters help!" Shining steadily got louder as he smashed his fist against the dome. "And now when she needs me most, I'm completely powerless!"

Cadence walked up to him and hugged as he broke down, utterly defeated, as the rest of the Princesses simply watched. Celestia turns to her sister and says. "We need to hurry and get into the establishment."

Luna nodded and followed her sister to the barrier.

Nightmare Twilight stood over Prince Blueblood, who was currently balling his eyes out and soiling his clothes, but she was interrupted by a the barrier she had casted earlier starting to wane under the new attackers assault. Nightmare Twilight turned to Blueblood and said.

"Looks like our 'fun' is going to have to end a bit sooner than I thought, Blueblood." She said as she hoisted him into the air, ignoring his pleads and begging. "Don't worry, it will only hurt a lot."

"AHHHHHH- *crunch*" Blueblood screamed as Nightmare Twilight bit off his head.

Nightmare Twilight spit out his mutilated head and walked towards the main entrance, sending word to the other animatronics to wrap up their 'activities' and get Fillylight out of the building and to the safe zone.

As Nightmare Twilight neared the doors, she heard the banging.

*Thud*
*Thud*
*Thud*

Nightmare Twilight chuckled as she shifted to the Animatronic form to greet the guard and the princesses.

*Thud*
*Thud*
*Thud-*
*Crash*

"Quickly, get as many survivors out before it closes again, and if you find any of the Elements, dead or alive, get them out of that Hell hole!" Animatronic Twilight heard Princess Celestia over the thundering hooves approaching the doors.

And what the Princess said was the only warning she got before the door blew open, nearly blinding her, once the smoke cleared Animatronic Twilight saw a full platoon of guards taking aim at her, causing her to chuckle.

"Monster!" Shining Armor shouted, "Stand down or you will be destroyed!"

"And if you do destroy me, then what?" Animatronic Twilight asked as she approached him. "Will you kill the rest of my companions?"

"Only those who ref-" Shining Armor was cut off be the possessed machine's laughter.

"Oh, don't patronize me, Shining, I know that your going to try and kill us all anyway, with or without cooperation." Animatronic Twilight shifted back into Nightmare form. "If any of you so much as fires a single shot at me or my companions, the Elements screams will broadcasted all over Ponyville while they are tortured and torn to pieces."

"That is only if you or your friends survive the attack." Princess Luna marched through the door with her weapon at the ready.

"Oh? And you think that what, the security in this building didn't have the same weapons those guards do, or how about the guards that were in here to begin with, did you think they came unarmed?" Nightmare Twilight retorted at the Princess Luna.

"How about a compromise then, I shoot you with Selene and you survive, we let you finish, with the exception of letting the Elements out of course, but if you die, your friends have to surrender to the same fate." Luna suggested as she made sure to keep her temper under control.

Nightmare Twilight placed a hoof on her chin as she contemplated the suggestion, once she came to conclusion she smiled evilly and replied with. "Sure, but if you lose, you have to allow us to walk free and allow us to live with the adorkable princess."

"WHAT, OH HELL NO! YOU AND YOUR BAND OF ABOMINATIONS AREN'T GOIN ANYWHERE NEAR-" Shining was cut off again by the purple abomination.

"And who said you had a choice in this Shining?" Nightmare Twilight cut in as she turned her head to stare at the aforementioned Pony.

"Agreed." Princess Luna said as she took aim. "I find your altercation acceptable, but Prince Shining Armor has the right to voice his opinion, especially if his sister can very well be in danger."

"As long as nopony attempts to harm Twily, nopony is going to get hurt." Nightmare Twilight sat down and started to play Tic Tac Toe with herself.

"Twily? How do you know that name! And what do you mean, are you planning on killing her!?!" Shining yelled at Nightmare Twilight and was just shoot when Luna pushed his rifle aside.

"Armor! Clam thyself now, for you had almost gave her an easy victory!" Luna shouted at him in the Royal Canterlot Voice, before composing herself and turning to Nightmare Twilight and saying. "I would appreciate if you wouldn't try and antagonize my guards, also would you kindly answer Shining Armor's question?"

"Oh alright, we gave the Twilight Sparkle we know the name Twily because it was humorous and fit her perfectly in the situation she was in." Nightmare Twilight giggled at Luna confused look. "If you're wondering what I mean by that, Twily was severely injured in a fire and had to be turned into a foal in order to minimize the damage to her body and increase the healing rate."

"Did it work?" Shining Armor inquired.

"Yes, it was working at an excelling rate..." Nightmare Twilight's eyes drifted to the floor as she sighed. "That is until her sister shoved her in that animatronic and had a huge chunk of her face torn off."

Everypony stared in shock at the monstrosity sitting not ten feet away, unable to process what she had said, nor willing to. But Nightmare Twilight continued non the less. "But I guess it worked out for the most part, I mean, we're all here stopping my mistake before it could be set in stone."

"What do you mean by that?" Luna inched closer to Nightmare Twilight, not sure of whether to destroy her or hug her.

"A story for another time, lets get this over with, take your shot and make sure you kiss my metal plot goodbye!" Nightmare Twilight cheerfully exclaimed as she waved her flank at the two, deliberately catching off guard.

"Ahem, you're right." Princess Luna composed herself and took aim. "Rest in peace, spirit."

*Bang*

Luna's shot rang true as it collided dead between Nightmare Twilight's eyes, causing her to scream at the pain coming from it.

Fluttershy was in the corner of the room, using Twily as a way to block the sounds coming from the monitors and from Starlight as she got the beatdown of a lifetime in the opposite corner, when all of a sudden Twily started screaming bloody murder as her body glowed an ominous red.

"Girls, something's happening to her!" Fluttershy yelled quite unlike her, but she was panicking, not able to help anymore than stop her from thrashing. Twilight Sparkle was at her side in less that a heartbeat, her horn aglow, trying to find out what was happening to the poor filly. But just as quickly as it had started, it had ended. But unlike when she started, the doors flew open, no longer containing them inside the security room.

Luna stared at the cloud of dust that had rose from Nightmare Twilight's thrashing, after staring for a minute not seeing any movement, she turned to her guards and said. "I want you to find what ever is left of the body, and round up the rest of the monsters, I want to give them a proper burial instead of these disgusting suits."

"Hey, I'll have you know that this suit was made from Twily's deepest fears and anger, and that it is not disgusting, just horrifying." Nightmare Twilight panted as she stepped out of the dust. "But thanks for offering an actually burial instead of just scrapping us down for metal."

"Wha... how?" Luna was doing a guppy impression as she stared at the slowly repairing Animatronic.

"I'll admit, that was painful and you almost got me, and Twily too, but you didn't know about that." Nightmare smiled before turning to see the rest of her companions coming forth, in their Animatronic forms instead of Nightmare. "Are you all finally done?"

After a round of nods, Nightmare Twilight shifted into Animatronic as well. It was then that Luna decided to speak up. "How did you survive, when Selene fires, she aims for the soul to swiftly put to rest, yet you survived."

"Because that form isn't 'real' I guess you could say." Animatronic Twilight turned to her head to Luna with a wry grin. "That form is attached to Twily's nightmares, hence why it is called Nightmare form."

"So if it was just a foals fear manifested, then when I fired I..." Luna's eyes widen at the implication.

"You shot a mare turned foal who had her friends violently torn away from her and was used against. You shot a mare who had been tortured both mentally and physically for over 30 years in ways that would make King Sombra retch. You shot a foal for having a Nightmare manifest and take form." Animatronic Twilight smiled evilly as Luna started to breakdown into tears over what she had done. "But you hadn't known that that form was attached to her subconscious nor did you have much choice, let monsters roam free, killing everything in sight, or put them down before they could any more harm. You did all that you could, even if it wasn't much."

Luna smiled gratefully at the Animatronic before saying a quite "Thanks".

"Okay what just happened?" Rainbow said as she looked back and forth at the foal in Fluttershy's arms and the now opened doors.

"Who cares what happened, let's get out of this place and think about what happened later!" Twilight said as she rushed of the door, or would have if she hadn't slipped on something slick. Everypony gasped as Twilight slipped on a oddly placed banana peel.

"Okay, how about we just walk briskly." Twilight shot a glare at the smirking Applejack, who had a bloody and bruised Starlight Glimmer slung over her shoulder.

"Urgh." Twilight groaned as she dusted herself off. "Come on everypony, let's just get out of here."

As the walked through the building, they all wondered about that banana peel, and why it was there.