Chapters Author's Note
I don't know how often I will be updating this, but I will try my best to do so weekly, and for those who are wondering about if I have an editor or not. Will I did, a nice man/woman (never got confirmation) had offered to aid me in editing, I have yet to hear back from him/her on my first story and when I had imported it to Gdoc's, my entire story was deleted. so if you know what happened and/or want to help me edit this story, I open and have not turned away anyone (yet)
Prologue
Prologue
(Ponyville, 11:59 PM, Ponyville Hospital)
As the foal laid in the hospital bed, most of her face wrapped in bandages, sound asleep; until the clock next to her struck tweleve. In a instant the foal sprung up, fully awake, listening to every sound nearby, as she knew her eyes were unable to see through bandages. She took In every noise that she could hear: her frantic breathing, the heart monitor, an animatronics' heavy hoofsteps, the owls hooting out- ANIMATRONIC! The foal started breathing even heavy as she turned her head to the general location of the noise, and just as she was about to scream when a cold, metal hoof pressed against her lips, affectively silencing her.
"Calm down Twilight, I'm not here to kill you." Came the voice of the Twilight Animatronic (Fredbear).
"And why should I listen to you, you monster!" Twilight screamed at the machine. "You killed my friends, forced their souls into those machines to further their pain, and then used them to try to kill me!"
Twibot waited patiently for the filly to end her rant before responding. "I know, and that is why I am here; I have a proposition for you."
"Well you can shove your proposition up your plot-" Twilight started to retort before being interrupted.
"If you accept, you get your friends, a chance to save your friends from their demise, and you can live happily ever after or whatever." Twibot said calmly. "Without having to give your life and/or body as the price."
"Starlight, what are you saying?" Twilight questioned, this was unusual for the murder, even when she had most of her sanity.
"I made a mistake, one that I had not realized until you shoved me into this suit." Starlight Glimmer explained the rest of the Animatronic walked up next to her. "That mistake was ruining any chance of having a actual friend; when you had defeated me for the first time, instead of hunting me down, you let me go in hopes that I would realize my mistakes."
The bandages that covered her eyes grew wet with more tears, as she listened to her most hated nemesis. "Even though you had left me alone, I came back and did those atrocities; and only after five years later you finally found out that I was behind it all."
Starlight's eyes leaked a black substance as she started to sob. "When you found out, you didn't even attack me right away, no you attempted to reason with me, even after all that I had done." Starlight turned her head back the animatronics: Fluttershy (Chica), Pinkie (Golden Freddy), Rarity (Bonnie) were crying as well, while Applejack's (Freddy) and Rainbow's (Foxy) heads hung low, Sunset (Springtrap) and Trixie (Puppet) looked back at Starlight urging her to continue, Discord's (Mangle) broken body wrapped around Twilight as he tried to bore a hole through Starlight's head with his gaze alone, Spike (BB) stared out the window as he sat at the edge of the bed, not able to look at his mother or his murder.
Starlight sighed before continuing. "It was only after I told you that I was using your friends and others suffering to increase my own power that you attacked, you attacked me relentlessly and in the end even with all the power that I had I was no match for the Element of Magic."
"There are things more powerful than hate and suffering." Twilight mumbled as she snuggled against the strangely warm Discord animatronic.
"I know, and I also know that you cried for my immediate 'death' too." Starlight walked to Twilight and laid a wing over what she could over without touching Discord.
"Well, even though you were horrible and had done the same thing to my friends, but being forced to live a life of constant pain and misery while forced to entertain foals or be left to rot in storage, is a punishment I wouldn't wish on anyone." Twilight 'looked' at her hooves as she told Starlight her reason.
"And that right there is why I am done with misery, and will be atoning for my actions." Starlight scoffed as her horn started to glow. "Even though I tortured you and your friends for my own personal gain and amusement, hell I even made them attack you because I knew how torn up you'd be about it."
"And yet you can only bring yourself to hate me temporarily, the most pain you had ever caused me was striking me down with that axe, hiding my dying corpse in the suit I had prepared just for you." Starlight ignored the growling coming from all sides as she nuzzled the filly. "Then you cried for your deceased friends and the recently deceased me."
"And so I decided, after all the pain I have caused and those close to you, offer you a chance to stop it from happening in a alternate reality." Starlight started counting to see how long it would take.
"HUH!?!" Twilight swerved her head up to 'stare' at Starlight Glimmer.
Starlight chuckled before explaining. "As you had said before, 'there are things more powerful than hate and suffering.' Even though I am powerful, there is no way that I could stop it from happening in the first place, at least in this reality." Starlight looked down at Twilight. "However in an alternate reality, we can split one into two different ones with our arrival."
"But what about this one?" Twilight tried to see some way to argue but was drawing blanks.
"This one will go on as it has been and will continue to do so, just without us." Starlight said before frowning. "But if you don't want to, I understand, but still I'd want leave this one and go to another."
"I... well... uhhh... fine, I just can't seem to think of any reason to not go other than simple distrust, and I won't disgrace Applejack's memory with that reason." Twilight sighed as she tried to make out the location of the aforementioned friend.
Applejack nuzzled her before Starlight continued. "So is that a yes?"
"*sigh* I don't like it, but I have nothing else to lose and you promised to not try and make me eat my words on that, so yes." Twilight said with a small smile. "Let's go and save the world, one last time."
Starlight's horn grew bright as she cast her spell. "Oh! I almost forgot to mention."
"What?" Twilight asked as she covered her eyes to get away from the light peaking through the bandages.
"I hope you’re not afraid of heights." Starlight smiled deviously before everything turned to light.
(Ponyville, 9:30 AM, The Dash Mansion)
Rainbow Dash was cooking herself some breakfast when she heard a strange noise; it had seemed to a mix of Twilight's teleportation spell and a Sonic Rainboom. Rainbow flew through the window to see what had made the noise, only to be surprised when she saw nothing, for miles was just open air space, the only thing that moved within Dash's eyesight was a small cluster of balloons.
'Did Pinkie lose her ballons again, ugh .' Rainbow thought as she watch the balloons drift over to Ponyville. 'I need to go see Twilight about that noise... *sigh* I hope it's not some evil monster trying to take over the world, IT'S MY DAY OFF DAMMIT'
And with that Rainbow Dash lived up to her title and bulleted to the Castle of Friendship, however if Rainbow had paid more attention to the balloons, she would have notice that the balloons were carrying something. Looks like Ponyville is going to be in for a dark surprise, whether they like it or not.
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. We Don't Bite
(Ponyville, 2:22 PM, Equestrian Pizzeria)
*Chomp* "AAGGRRHH!!"
The screams of agony and terror resonated throughout the Equestrian Pizzeria, and restaurant made in honor of Equestria's greatest heroes, the Elements of Harmony, was now a blood stained massacre for those still within. Security was either dead or going to be, supporters of Starlight were cornered and about to be turned in mince meat, civilians could only watch and scream as the Nightmare animatronics torn through any who stood in their way, even Captain Flash Sentry and the squad of royal guard who were at the ceremony were dead. There was no hope for those still inside, the guard had yet to even get inside the building.
Starlight Glimmer could only watch as this happened, watch as all who aided her in her plan be torn to pieces by those ABOMONATIONS . And all she could do was to wonder, how did everything go so wrong.
(Ponyville, 12:35 PM, Equestrian Pizzeria)
Twilight and her friends were sitting at a large table, discussing what to do about those things they had saw earilier.
"I say that I just fly around until I spot them, then we blast them with that Rainbow Power thing we used to beat Tirek, then we come back here and eat a few pizzas." Rainbow Dash said between bites of pizza.
"Well, I think we should try and reason with them, I mean if you want to that is" Fluttershy said as shhe stared into her soda.
"Shy, did yah not see what those things had done to Starlight, I mean sure she was evil and all, but that monster nearly tore her leg completely off!" Applejack grimaced at the memory.
"Well, if you don't mind me saying, I think that Fluttershy's plan would be better than simply attacking." Rarity huffed as she tossed her mane back.
"Okay, how about this: Dash, me, and Flutters will go and search for them from the sky again, everypony else will be searching on foot, and if any of us find them we should use our Element to project our position so that way if one of us finds them, the rest know." Twilight concluded with a confident smile until she saw the dumbfounded looks on her friends faces. "What?"
"We can do that?" Applejack asked still surprised by the news.
"Well, yah, we just broadcast our link to the Elements so that those who can sense the Elements see the location of your whereabouts, and there is so much possibilities to what we can do with it, imagine the possibilities if I were to research it and find out more about it." Twilight started to get giddy at the possible spells she could create, but it all came to a screeching halt when Sunset started to speak.
"*Ahem* While that is all fine and dandy, Twi, but I'm afraid you won't be getting that chance." Sunset Shimmer said as her eyes started to glow with a cyan color.
"What do you me-" Twilight started to ask before she and her friends passed out as Sunset started to giggle.
"Almost done, let's get them to the room." Flash said as his guards lifted up the Elements and carried them to their murder.
(Ponyville, 1:17 PM, Equestrian Pizzeria)
"Ugh, my head, what happened" Twilight groggily said as she woke up, as soon as she was cohernt enough she noticed that this was not her bedroom and that she was restrained. "Hey! What is goin on here!?"
"Now now, Twilight." A familiar vioce chastised her from the dark, "You should save your screams for when we get started."
Twilight gaped at Starlight, who had her leg in a heavily bandaged cast. "Starlight, w-what are you doing?"
"Revenge, my little princess, revenge." Starlight said as she picked up a meat cleaver of off her tray of assorted knives and torture equipment. "And who elese to start with than you?"
"Revenge, revenge for what?!" Twilight yelled at the mare, eyes wide as she disperatly tried to get out of her restraints.
The cleaver embedded itself inches from Twilights mane, as Starlight smiled manically as she stared into her eyes, she knew that there was no reasoning with Starlight at this moment. "You took my town away from me, so I think taking your friends from you will be a decent form of payack."
"No, I won't let you!" Twilight thrashed with all her might as she tried break or knock loose her restraints, in the end it was all for naught.
"Hahahahahahahaha..." Starlight laughed as she saw Twilight thrash and squirm in vain. "Now Twilight, don't you see, nothing will get in the way of my plan."
"Even your mentor is stumped as to where you and your friends are, your friends are going make me the most powerful pony on the planet, and only after I take control will Ponies know true friendship." Starlight threw her arms in the air as she laughed insanely. "And you can do nothing but sit and watch as it all happens!"
*Bang* The metal door to the power room indented forward as if something had tried to kick it down. *Bang* *Crash* The door flew across the room as Nightmare Applejack with several plushies on her walked out. "Howdy partner, looks like your in a bit of a pickle." Applejack shrugged her shoulders and the plushies zipped off at speeds that would put Rainbow Dash to shame.
"What?!? How did you get down there with anypony noticing?!?!" Starlight exclaimed and was about to make a break for it when she heard growling coming from all sides.
As Starlight looked around she could see each animatronic, the only one she didn't recognized was the in the mask with purple streaks coming from the eyes like tears. Starlight heard another growl, this one coming from above her, as she slowly looked up she noticed Discord, the God of Chaos, staring right back; as they stared each other down, Discord prepared to lunge and Starlight to dodge, however it proved to be futile as she had to dodge Nightmare Rainbow Dash from biting her leg once more, only to have a sharp pain to happen on her forehead. Starlight reached up and felt the stump of her as blood oozed out.
As Starlight stared at her blood covered hand, she could only the think of one rational thing to do, scream. And scream she did, she went ballistic with the cleaver, swinging it around, trying to make contact, then all of a sudden it was gone. The knife was simply no longer in her hand, she looked around for her salvation, or at least as replacement, and found in Twilight's son Spike's hand, as she stared in disbelief she heard something. "Hah hah ha, hah hah ha, hah hah ha." Spike had the audacity to laugh at Starlight, and she wasn't having any of it. She reached to her tools and grabbed a hatchet, and was about to swing at the machine when three layers of razor sharp teeth clamped down on her arm. Starlight looked to see Nightmare Fluttershy with Starlight's arm in her mouth, and just before Starlight could scream, Fluttershy tore it off. The hatchet falling harmlessly to the floor as Starlight screamed in agony as she clutched what was left of her arm.
"Do you surrender now, Starlight?" Nightmare Twilight asked as she approached the recently crippled mare.
"Fuck you!" Starlight spat.
"Oh? Well, I guess I'll just leave you to them then." Nightmare Twilight pointed over to the animatronics who were all smiling evilly, somehow.
"No!" Starlight screamed as she tried to backpedal away from the monsters.
*Snap* Starlight looked over to were the noise came from, and found that the Elements of Harmony were not only awake, but free. "Wha... buh... HOW?!?!" Starlight had placed enchantments on the straps to make near indestructible, there should be no way that they could be free without the key, which was currently around her neck.
"Heheheh." Giggled the Nightmare Applejack plushies climbed up Nightmare Applejack. "Nice work."
Starlight gaped at the monsters in front of her, the smallest out o them came to shoulder height with her, each had at least two rows of 8 inch razor sharp teeth, and she had her arm torn off, her horn bitten off, her leg in a cast from being bitten, her plan was in cinders and she was trapped in a soundproof room with these things who wouldn't bat an eye at killing her.
"Starlight?" Nightmare Twilight waved one of her hooves in front of her. "If you don't answer me, I can't guarantee you'd live to see trial."
"Huh?" Starlight looked at the monster in complete confusion.
"Why do you think we haven't killed you yet, the only one here who doesn't want you dead is currently being cuddled by Fluttershy." Twilight raised an eyebrow incredulously at the mare.
"Which one?" Starlight asked as she started to pass out from blood loss.
"Both, now do you surrender?" Twilight turned her head to watch the odd yet similar pair swoon over the heavily bandaged filly.
"Heh, fine I surrender." Starlight gave a sad smile as she excepted defeat.
"Good, now as punishment for your actions, you'll have to watch as we slaughter all who supported your actions. "Twilight said as her horn glowed cyan, a very familiar cyan.
"Wha-AGGGRRRHHH!!!!" Was all Starlight got out before her wounds were healed painfully, while she would live without a handicap, it still hurt far worse than the injuries themselves.
"No arguments? No? Good, now let's get started." Twilight smiled evilly as her horn glowed again.
The next thing Starlight knew was that she was in the security room, the cameras were still fully active, but the doors were not.
"What are they planning now?" Starlight asked no one as she looked through all of the cameras, until she came across one, Camera 1C, Wonderbolt Academy, one of the Nightmares had wrote 'TIME TO GET STARTED' on the sign in her chief security officers blood. Luckily no one had noticed yet but it was only a matter of time. What are they planning, Twilight couldn't actually be serious about what she said, could she? Starlight heard a sniffle from underneath the desk, when she looked she saw the 'foal' from before, the one who had brought those monsters here. Even though she was at fault for all this, Starlight couldn't help but pick her up and cuddle her, she couldn't even be angry at the filly for a second. The moment had come to a screeching halt when someone had cleared her throat from behind her
(Ponyville, 1:48 PM, Equestrian Pizzeri)
Animatronic (not Nightmare) Twilight stood next to the rest of the animatronics in their much more friendly forms, Starlight couldn't help but smile, she will finally redeem herself and maybe, she could finally pass on. All she needed to do now was stop what she started, and with the help of friends, nothing could stand in her way now.
As the curtains parted and everypony either cheered or looked confused at the animatronics, Twilight stepped forward towards the crowd.
"Hello everypony, I'm so glad that you aren't to terribly confused as to why we look like this instead of how we were supposed to, but we are not here to have fun or party." Twilight spoke clearly as her horn lit up and several Ponies lit up in a cyan glow. "No, we are here to kill all of Starlight's supporters and those who had knowingly aided her plan."
Mummering started going through the crowd as the started to back up from the stage and the glowing Ponies. "For those who aren't glowing, please stay out of the way, and for those who are..." Twilight and the others started to morph and become Nightmare Animatronics. "Lets get started."
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*
Nightmare Twilight chuckled as she shifted to the Animatronic form to greet the guard and the princesses.
*Thud*
"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.
Rest Now Quite Now
(Ponyville, Equestrian Pizzeria, 2:38 pm)
Twilight Sparkle and her friends have been wandering around the Pizzeria, even though it didn't look like a Pizzeria meant for kids. As Twilight looked around, she felt that it looked more like a Horror House for Nightmare Night, she half expected some in a Werepony costume to pop out and spook them. Seeing blood stained walls, mutilated carcasses, and having blood dominate every other smell, Twilight couldn't tell if they were on the right trail or not, all she could was decide were to turn at the end of the hallway.
"Man this place is lot bigger than it looks on the outside, huh?" Rainbow Dash said as she looked down each corridor, wondering which way to go.
"Indeed, darling, while it is amazing that this building was so well built, I'm afraid the 'scenery' around kinda ruins it." Rarity said as she inched away from a severed limb near her.
"I wonder which way we should go, anypony have any ideas?" Twilight asked as she looked back at her friends.
"Um... I do." A tiny voice came from Fluttershy's arms, and in an instant all eyes snapped onto the now awake small pony being carried by Fluttershy.
"Oh, um... Alright, which way we should go?" Twilight said as she approached the filly.
"On your right, there is a door, that is the room your friend Sunset is currently unconscious in, after you get her just go straight until your in the main area again." Twily said as she pointed left.
"Now why would we go and get her, she was helping Starlight!" Applejack exclaimed.
"Not of her own free will." Twily said as she hopped out of Fluttershy's arms and started walking towards the door. "She was under a hypnosis spell after she was ambushed by Starlight, before you found her Twilight."
"How would you know, you just got here, so there is no way you could know that." Rainbow attempted to argue, but was silenced, as were the others, when Twily responded.
"Because the same had happened to her in my dimension, she came here in hopes of getting all of your expertise on a problem happening over in the human world, by the way the ones at fault for that is their version of the CMC." Twily said as she tried prying the door open, but was clearly having trouble.
"I knew it!" Twilight exclaimed then smiled sheepishly once she realized everyone was staring at her. "Well Sunset said somepony was telling everypony's secrets over on her side, and that they were framing her as the culprit."
"Oh my, that sounds horrible!" Fluttershy said as she took her off the adorable sight that was Twily trying to open the heavy door.
"E~eyup, I guess that mare really needs some cheering up after all the stuff she's been through." Applejack said as she open the door for the little filly, ignoring the disappointed sigh coming from Pinkie and Fluttershy.
Twily ran in, only to trip and fall on her face, causing everyone behind her to coo at the adorable scene.
"Where are the Elements?" Princess Luna asked the Animatronic Twilight as she walked back over to her, even though they are a lot smaller than they were in their Nightmare forms, they still almost reached 6 feet tall and towered over most ponies.
"I don't know, they left the security room and were supposed to be on their way here, they might've gotten lost." Twibot responded.
"Or maybe you are preparing to kill them, you monster." Shining Armor spat a her, he didn't like these things, they just murdered almost a hundred ponies, traumatized even more than that, most of them foals, and they were going to get off scot free, and live with his SISTER!
"Nah, if anyone was anywhere near Twily with any kind of malicious intent, all of us would know, and if it were coming from any of us, the rest would tear apart that one, actually that depends on their reason as to why." Twibot pondered
"Horseapples, your all monsters, all you do is sow misery and sorrow into everything and everyone around you." he spat at her.
"Now that is where I will have ta interfere, partner." Animatronic Applejack said as she approached, with the others following after her.
"Yeppers, this meanie mean pants may have kidnapped and tortured us for hours, and used our pain to make herself more powerful, but she's trying really hard to make it up to us and Twily, and once Twily finds out that her BBBFF is a meanie pants as well, she is not going to be happy and going to use a lot of those big words nopony understands to show just how unhappy she is with you!" Animatronic Pinkie said, shocking most of the animatronics since this was the first time she spoke since her 'death'.
"So, doesn't change the fact that you all murdered almost a hundred innocent civilians and the squad of guards for no reason!" Shining shouted at the animatronics.
Just as Shining was about to continue, someone interrupted him by saying. "That's enough Shining."
Shining Armor whirled around to see Cadance and Celestia approaching, he grinned.
"Cadance, you have to agree that they shouldn't get away with this, and that they should be punished for all the damage they've done." Shining Armor was barely holding back a smug smile, fully expecting her to agree.
"Actually, I think what they did was the only way to save all of Equestria." Cadance said, the Animatronics snickered as Shining's jaw broke through the ground.
"Wha... huh... buh..." Shining couldn't find the words for a moment, making the Animatronics start laughing. "But they are murders, the bodies being brought out are increasingly more horrifying than the last!"
"While I do agree that the way they went about it is horrific and could of been done with more... professionalism." Princess Cadance began, Shining staring at her in shock from her previous statement. "But their reason as to why they were here to begin with, if my intuition is correct, trumps event the most horrific and mutilated corpse found in this place."
"What reason is that?" Shining was trying to figure out what his wife was saying.
"The reason is that the one Twilight's defeated foes has come back for revenge, and that revenge is to torture and murder all of her friends and any one she loves to increase her own power, the exact same way Sombra did in fact." Animatronic Twilight said as she put a hoof on his shoulder.
"What are you talking about?" Shining whispered as he looked down at his feet, trying to piece everything together.
"While you were hammering away at the barrier, me, Luna, and Cadance had decided it would be best to know what we were going up against, so we asked a couple of our intelligence guards to hack into the cameras and find out what was going on in there." Princess Celestia stated. " And after we saw what was happening, we thought just as you thought, and Luna, but she won't do anything because she holds her word over her physical well being, we held that last meeting with you before we got involved, Cadance would find out how the..."
Princess Celestia looked over at the Animatronics expectantly, to which Animatronic Rarity said "Animatronics, dear."
"Animatronics got into the restaurant, unnoticed." Princess Celestia finished.
"And what pray tell did young Cadance find that was enough to sway you in their favor?" Princess Luna asked, while she could understand Cadance wanting to spare them, bless her heart of gold, but Celestia, she was absolutely livid at the sight of her subjects being hunted down and torn apart.
"Twilight and her friends along with my former student were at a VIP table, so no pony saw as they passed out and were dragged off to some secret room within the establishment by the guards that you, Captain Shining Armor, had picked yourself to protect Twilight from any agitators who wished to send a 'message' to Equestria through the Elements." Princess Celestia's mane cast a shadow over her eyes as she spoke. Both Shining Armor and Princess Luna were shocked at the new information.
"After they were in there for about an hour, the Applejack animatronic over there showed up, out of no where, there were no cameras showing her approaching from any directions, not even the vents, and just kicked down the door and walked in." Princess Cadance concluded as she walked over to the aforementioned animatronic and patted her on the head.
Shining whirled around to face Twibot and said. "You said something about an old foe of Twilight, who was it, Discord, Chrysalis, that Trixie mare I heard about, who?!"
"Starlight Glimmer." Twibot earned herself a look of confusion from all of those present (except the other animatronics, who were looking confusedly at them). "Wait, you mean to tell me, that your Twilight didn't even notify you of me?"
"Wait, your the same pony who killed the Elements?!" Shining shouted at her.
"Yes, I mentioned that didn't I?" After a shake of heads, Twibot groaned and grounded her hoof in her face. "Alright, yes, my real name is Starlight Glimmer, and I have a spell that can rid anyone of their cutie mark, as a consequence of this is that their original personalities can be altered whichever way you so desire, at least until their cutie marks are returned, then all of the new altered personality flies out the window."
"And so, one day, Twilight and her friends came to town, something about a friendship problem and whatnot, I didn't really listen." Starlight continued, unabated by the horrified stares. "So when my opportunity came, I struck, I was able to overpower Twilight and her friends through the sneak attack, but not enough to... completely defeat them, as they were able not only expose me for being a hypocrite, as I had not removed my own cutie mark, but also release all the cutie marks I had... 'collected', including their own."
"After the fact, I had ran off, and instead of chasing after me and stopping me from ever doing something like that every again, she decided to let me go and hope I would see through the blanket of ignorance I had drawn over my eyes and see that what I had done had no excuses." Twibot said as she hung her head. "What she got instead was her dead friends, dead friends trying to kill her, nopony believing her, her being labeled insane, having to kill me, and finally live with fact that she had to kill her friends again so they could finally rest in piece."
"Oh, Starlight, just cause I called you a monster doesn't mean that I think that your unredeemable." Twily said as she and the others approach, Applejack carrying Starlight and rainbow and Pinkie were dragging Sunset behind them.
"So, you're their Twilight, it's nice to finally meet you." Princess Celestia with a kind smile as she approached them, only to be stopped by Animatronic Trixie appearing in front of her.
'I mean no offense to you, your Highness, but I pretty sure she doesn't to talk with the one who had sent a hunt for the 'delusional, distraught, and highly dangerous Twilight Sparkle'." Trixbot said as she trotted over and picked up the slightly sniffling filly.
"You mean that I had turned on Twilight, again, and she was actually telling the truth, again, and so she had take on a grueling task that if she failed it would mean the end of the world as we know it, again." Princess Celestia let her mane cast a shadow over her eyes again as she held back tears at what almost happened.
"Yes, now if you excuse me, I'm going to take Twily here back to the Castle of Harmony." Trixbot said as she about to teleport, only to be delayed by the Animatronic Fluttershy saying,
"Wait! you forgot to take her extra bandages, pain medication." Trixbot made an 'O' with her mouth before nodding and took the materials from Flutterbot.
Princess Cadance looked away from the two and focused on the Elements, and the two they were carrying, one of them she recognized right away from the many in depth talks about her with her aunt, the other was missing most of her arm, and looked like she had been beaten by one of the animatronics, and judging from the blood flowing her forehead, Cadance assumed she was a unicorn as well.
"Aunty, look, it's Sunset Shimmer, I don't know the other one, but I've got a few guesses as to who she is." Princess Cadance whispered to her aunt, as to not drag the attention of those around them.
"Indeed it is, and I'm assuming the one slung over Applejack's shoulder is Starlight Glimmer." Princess Celestia spoke with a dark ominous tone, not any louder than if was in day court, speaking to some pompous prick of a noble, and yet it had silenced everything around them, even the sounds of distraught families outside the establishment had gone hush, as they knew that somepony had earned the wrath of the Sun.
"Sister, I think you should accompany the Elements back to their respective homes, I shall deal with those two." Luna spoke calmly, pointing over to the unconscious mares.
"No Lulu, you've been through a lot today, I think I should be the one to deal with them, I'll make sure neither of them ever even thinks about harming my filia." Celestia said, slowly approaching the two unconscious mares, her appearance morphing into a more demonic form, thoughts of untold horrors and tortures was flying through her mind, and it showed in her eyes.
Celestia's approach was stopped as three Nightmares stood in her way, as Celestia studied them more closely she recognized Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie were in their Nightmare forms, Celestia looked over to where the filly Twilight was last seen, only to see Sunset being dragged over the filly's sleeping body, and then the Twilight Nightmare laid on top of her. Celestia was about to order them to move when she heard a sound, it sounded like a broken radio when she turned she saw the Trixie Nightmare following her every move, no matter were she looked, she was there, waiting for her to make a move.
"Um... your Highness." Celestia looked down to see the Applejack Animatronic looking up at her with a smug grin, "While admittedly some of us want to see Starlight pay for what she had done, but I think you should take breather before you do anything, that way you won't regret it."
"Oh~, I assure you Miss Applejack, I'm not going to regret any of it." The air around Celestia seemed to be increasing as seconds ticked by.
"Maybe, maybe not, but what our BIG concern is the fact you seem to be gunning for Sunset as well, and that is something we all will fight to stop." Applejack said as she morphed into her Nightmare form and stood next to Pinkie.
"Tia, you should heed their advice, escort the Elements to the Castle of Friendship and let me decide on what their punishments should be, and of course I will be running them by you, but remember that I will take away your opinion on the matter if you try and go overboard." Luna said as placed a hand on her sister's shoulder, ignoring the sizzling that came shortly after her hand came into contact with her shoulder.
"Okay Lulu, I will make sure the Element's arrive safe and sound." Celestia's eyes looked dead as she morphed back into her normal form.
"Thank you, Tia, and look on the bright side, this might be your chance to make up to this Twilight and prove to her that you aren't like her Celestia, and that you will make it up to her, right~." Luna waved Twily in front of her sister's face as if she was a puppy.
Celestia took Twily out of Luna's hand just seconds before a dog pile of animatronics piled on top of her.
"Alright!" Princess Celestia exclaimed, gaining all of their attention. "Luna you will bring those two to the Ponyville Guard Barracks and find out everything you can as to why they decided to do this to begin with, Animatronics and Elements, you will all accompany me and a full guard escort to the Castle of Friendship where we will discuss the living arrangements of the Animatronics!"
"Kay~" Everypony said, but the Animatronics didn't cease attempting to get the foal out of Celestia's grip.
To be continued.
Interlude: Stop by for a Bite
(Ponyville, 7:32AM, Ponyville Hospital)
Royal Guard were investigating a rather unusual crime. It was the hospital room of a young fill who had part of her face bitten off by the stationary animatronics at The Equestrian Diner a month ago, Star Burst, and when the nurse had came to check on her at around 5 AM, she found the door broken down, the bed in shreds, blood, that was confirmed with a DNA test that it was indeed Star Burst's, stained the floors and walls, and a shattered window. And yet, despite all that mayhem and destruction, not a single pony saw anything; camerapony fell asleep at around 11 PM, no nurses were making rounds in that wing, no security guards had been anywhere here at the suspected time of the incident.
It was all to convenient, anypony who had taken one look at a case like this would that this had to have been personal and with a lot of forethought. And that begs the question; just who wanted a already traumatized foal like Star Burst to die in such a horrific way this badly.
"Captain." Princess Celestia voice shook Cpt. Peace Keeper out of his internal monologue.
"Uhm, yes Princess." Peace Keeper immediately snapped to attention.
"At ease Captain, I just wanted to know how this case was going, and if you had found any leads yet." Princess Celestia said.
"I'm afraid not, your highness, there has been neither a body found nor a ransom call yet, and the only evidence that we got is the blood." Cpt. Peace Keeper shook his head, not used to being this dumbfounded on a case.
"It's alright Captain, I may have a lead for you, but it's shaky and has a low possibility for it to be even possible." Princess Celestia said as she laid her wing over the back of the guard, hoping to calm him enough to hear her out.
"Any lead is better than no lead, ma'am." Cpt. Peace Keeper said, a glimmer of hope had sprouted in his chest, thinking that this may give them the break they needed on this case.
"The filly, Starburst, is not what she seems." Princess Celestia looked down at her hooves as she spoke. "Her real name is Twilight Sparkle, former princess of Equestria."
Peace Keeper was stunned, he thought he was looking for a foal, instead he is searching for a Princess of Equestria. Peace Keeper looked up at Princess Celestia and said. "You don't suppose that she did all this herself, right?"
"No." That single word carried more weight than it sounded, the reason why Twilight considered delusional and insane was because she believed somepony was using her friends to try and kill her, it was absurd and crazy. But now, in the room that the mare turned filly was put into until she was recovered enough to go home, torn up and stained with blood and looked like a wild animal had rampaged through, Captain Peace Keeper and Princess Celestia both started to contemplate whether or not Twilight was telling the truth and wasn't insane.
"Captain!" A yell jolted both the Captain and Princess out of their inner turmoil.
"Yes Corporal?" Cpt. Peace Keeper asks the out breath guard.
"We found something, you're going to want to see it." The guard managed to get out.
"Well then, lead the way." Peace Keeper nodded to the guard, before turning back to Princess Celestia.
"I shall be accompanying you as well, I wish to she what has transpired." Princess Celestia answered the unasked question.
The trek through the hospital wasn't a very long one, but when they arrived, what they saw had frightened even Princess Celestia. It was a broom closet, but it seemed that it had been used for something much darker, as the broken down door, stained in blood, blood streaks on the floor and walls, but had been the most frightening was inside the closet. It was purple, a tad larger than the average pony, it had navy blue mane with a violet streak and a pink streak through it, violet eyes: it was a Twilight Sparkle animatronic, with a smile on its face that would have been innocent and disarming if blood had not been leaking out from her mouth, eyes, and joints.
"No." Princess Celestia said, shaking her head, she refused to believe it, but it seemed clear to all present; who ever was in the suit, was dead and probably died pretty horribly.
"Get the suit off her." Princess Celestia said as a shadow covered her eyes, her entire body was trembling. "Send whatever you find to castle."
Peace Keeper wanted to stop the princess, but had thought better of it, it was better to let the Princess deal with this in her own way. He looked back to the Animatronic and thought just what kind of horrible, monstrous, demon would do something as grotesque as this.
_______
(Ponyville, 7:40 A.M., The Friendship Castle)
"AHH!" A scream tore throughout the castle, the princesses and the elements along with a contingent of guards were rushing towards the source. They burst through the door leading to the room the Animatronics and Twily were staying at. They came through expecting a gruesome horrifying scene that would haunt them for years to come, what they got instead was...
"No Starlight, it's not fair to use magic." Twily laughed as she tried to escape the animatronic magic field.
"All is fair in a TICKLE FIGHT!" Starlight Glimmer launched herself at the filly and started to profusely tickle her.
"Just what kind of monsters have I let into my home?" Twilight asked herself.
