Eternal Night

"Rejoice, my little ponies, for thy Night Princess has returned!!" A dark figure stood proudly on a balcony overlooking a crowd of terrified ponies. Her teal eyes were narrow, cat-like pupils pulsing gently in the middle of the iris.

Among the crowd, a cyan blue pegasus stood defiantly with a ragged rainbow mane that caused her to stand out. Trembling next to her was a white unicorn with a curled purple mane, her light blue eyes focused on the imposing dark alicorn. Beside the pair was a blonde-maned earth pony; her bright green eyes studied the dark alicorn with intrigue.

A pink maned pegasus trembled on the ground, teal eyes wide. A dull pink earth pony with a straight mane stood over her, staring up at the alicorn with an unusually blank stare. Her mouth was set into a hard line, and her hooves were cracked with use.

"Well? Does anypony know who I am, or has everypony forgotten me so quickly?!" Anger spread across the dark alicorn’s face as she stomped her hoof.

"You're the Nightmare from a long time ago," The dull pink mare spoke, her voice flat. "You used to be named Luna, but now you are just a jealous husk of your former self- Nightmare Moon."

The alicorn roared in anger and grabbed the mare with her smoky mane. "Do *EVER** speak that name in my presence!"*

With a snarl, Nightmare flung the mare to the ground and a snap could be heard.

The mare got up, her leg held at an awkward angle. For a moment, fear flashed in her eyes before returning to their blank, emotionless stare.

"Now, does anypony else dare defy me? No? Good!" The alicorn took a deep breath and smiled, casting her mane upwards in a spiraling fashion.

Ponies watched in horror as the fine blue mist covered the ground, sinking slowly through the tiles.

"That's it then." The pink mare whispered. "The night will last forever…”

A rainbow blur streaked out of the building, while two figures galloped after it.

The cyan pegasus raced to the edge of a forest, staring as wines erupted from the ground, and had formed a barrier high above the treetops within a matter of minutes.

“No, no, no!” She pushed herself against the wall of vines in a fury.

“Let, me, in!” She yelled through clenched teeth. She flapped her wings hard, propelling herself off of the wall, before speeding towards it.

There was a tug on her tail, stopping her a mere inch away from the wall.

She flapped her wings angrily and lowered herself to the ground. “AJ! What was that for?”

The farm-mare tilted her stetson hat up, and looked at Rainbow Dash with a fierce glint in her eyes. “Ain’t no pegasus magic gonna work on that there wall, Rainbow. Ya’ll need to learn that before you get yerself killed.”

She planted her front hooves in the ground and gritted her teeth.

Rainbow watched as a faint light traveled from Applejack’s hooves into the ground. “I didn’t know earth ponies had magic,” Rainbow remarked, watching the wall slowly lower into the ground. As the tendrils of light faded away from Applejack’s hooves, the farm pony wiped sweat away from her forehead.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about us.” A dull voice sounded behind them. Rainbow Dash whipped her head around and locked eyes with a dull pink earth pony. “I’m Pinkamena.” Pinkamena looked at Applejack, a faint trace of awe in her eyes. “How’d you do that without sunlight?”

Applejack shrugged. “I dunno.”

The white unicorn cleared her throat. “Ehem. Aren’t we supposed to, you know, stop Nightmare Moon? I’d prefer to get something done instead of standing around chatting about earth pony magic.”

Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement, “Rarity is right… For once.” Rarity exclaimed in protest but Rainbow Dash ignored her. “We gotta get going. Who knows how long it’ll take us to get through the forest.”

There were mutters of agreement.

Rainbow Dash squinted, her wings flared. “It’s… dark. Rarity, can you light up your horn or something?”

There was a faint sigh and a few sparks emitted from Rainbow Dash’s left.

“Oh, just peachy…”

“What?”

“The forest is completely empty of magic as of this moment. This area is a dry spot.”

“A dry whatsit?”

Another sigh. “A dry spot is an area completely empty of the natural magic that ponies require to use their special abilities. If this is a dry spot, you won’t be able to fly, I can’t cast spells, and Pinkamena and Applejack can’t do whatever it is that they do.”

“Egghead.”

There was a gasp. “Excuse me?”

“I said, Egghead.”

There was a scoff. “Egghead? Just because I payed attention to Miss Noteworthy in school doesn’t make me a nerd…” Rarity trailed off, and shrieked. “Ew! I just stepped in something!!”

Rainbow groaned, “Rarity, we don’t have time for this.”

There wasn’t an answer.

“Rarity? Rarity!” Rainbow Dash shouted, her eyes wide with panic. “Applejack? Pinkamena? A-A-Anyone?” She shuddered, feeling something wet drip on her back.

She ran forward, her hoof stepping in something cool and moist. Rainbow shrieked and backed up fast, her rear end bumping into something not quite solid.

A scream shook the forest before it was quickly silenced.

Nightmare reclined on her throne, her eyes half closed. Her mane swirled gently around her, providing a slight warmth and contrasting with the bitter cold that entered through the various holes in the ceiling and walls. “This place sure is a fixer-upper,” she muttered glancing around. “I don’t remember it getting so… so…” She trailed off. Her ears pricking up, hearing a scream. “It looks like the Smooze caught something,” She murmured as she sat up, watching the doors across the hall ease open, something green just on the other side.

Four ponies were encased in the gelatin-like substance that made up the Smooze. Their heads poked out in various places strands of the gelatin gluing their mouths shut. Their eyes were wide with panic showing in even the dull pink one’s eyes.

“Ah, hello. I remember you.” She pointed at the pink one with a slight smile. “You were the one that defied me back in the Town Hall.” Her mane cupped the pink one’s chin and raised her head so their eyes locked. “It won’t happen again.” Her teal eyes began to swirl, the pupils created  thick black lines in the teal iris. The pink mare struggled but couldn't tear her eyes away from Nightmare’s. “Tell me your name.”

“Pinkamena,” Pinkamena blurted the name out, unable to stop it.

“Ah yes, Pinkamena. Pinkamena, you are tired.”

Pinkamena’s eyelids began to droop as she fought to stay awake.

“Listen closely. You are no longer loyal to Celestia. You will respect me.”

“I... I am no longer… Loy- Loyal to Celestia, and I will respect you.” Pinkamena gazed up at Nightmare with a slight twinge of fear that faded away after she said the last words.

“Good,” Nightmare crooned. “You may sleep now, and you will wake up when I stomp my hoof three times.”

PInkamena’s eyes closed, and she began to snore gently. She slid out of the gelatin softly, and was caught in Nightmare’s mane. Nightmare placed the pony on the ground gently, and turned to the white unicorn who glanced away with her head low.

Nightmare stared into her eyes, Rarity unable to look away. Her light blue eyes were wide, fear flickering inside them.

“What is your name?”

Rarity tried to keep her mouth closed. “Rarity, Rarity Belle.”

“What is your special talent?”

“I am a gemfinder as well as a dressmaker and designer. May I ask a question?”

“Certainly, Rarity.”

“Why are you asking me but not Pinkamena?”

“See for yourself.” Nightmare gestured at the still form of Pinkamena. Rarity gasped, seeing no cutie mark.

“I have put her in a deep sleep, and I will not wake her up unless I have need for her… unnatural talents. No more questions.”

Rarity nodded slightly, as the effects of the hypnosis began to affect her.

“Now, Rarity, you are tired. Very tired, but I won’t let you sleep.”

Rarity’s head began to fall, but she jerked her head up, eyes half open.

“You will respect me. This castle is absolutely in need of repair. It is your job now.”

Rarity nodded, her eyes unfocused.

“Good, now, wake up!”

Rarity opened her eyes all the way, and stepped out of the Smooze. She glanced around, a faint grimace on her face, taking in the tattered banners. “Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear,” Rarity mumbled, taking in the crumbling castle. “This will not do!” Rarity exclaimed, taking down the banners depicting the sun.

Nightmare smiled and turned to the orange mare.

The mare revealed herself as Applejack, and also revealed that she had marvelous cooking skills. The mare was a bit more difficult to put under the spell, but the spell had worked nonetheless. Now Nightmare directed her attention to the rainbow maned mare who had struggled the whole entire time.

“Look at me.”

“No.”

‘No.’ That simple word held so much meaning, often inflicting anger, rage, and emotions that a lesser pony would succumb to. However, Nightmare kept her wits about her and stepped forward.

“Look at me.”

“No.”

“Now!”

“No.”

Nightmare growled in anger. She grabbed the mare with her magic and held her still, forcing her eyes to look at Nightmare.

Rainbow lay limp on the floor, sides heaving as she stared at Nightmare with defiance. It hurt so much yet Nightmare was barely doing anything.

“Say it!”

“N-no.” Rainbow spat, her wings flared with anger. She struggled to stand up, but failed miserably.

“Say it!!”

“No!” Rainbow screamed, launching into the air. “I will never say it! You may have control over my friends, but you won’t get to me! I am loyal to Celestia- I always have, and I always will!”

“We’ll see about that.” Nightmare stepped forward, her horn glowing.

All went dark.