Scootaloo yawned as she woke up and got out of bed, she walked downstairs where Rainbow Dash was making breakfast, she sat down at the table.
“Morning, here’s breakfast.” Rainbow Dash said, she walked over to the table carrying a sandwich.
Scootaloo shrieked in horror when she saw Rainbow’s face.
“What’s wrong squirt?” the cyan pegasus said, now having seven beady eyes and two mandibles. “You should just eat your breakfast.” She placed the sandwich in front of Scootaloo.
“No t-thanks…I’ll just go to school now.”
“Come on, eat it!” Rainbow said as she started to shove the sandwich in Scootaloo’s mouth.
The orange filly started to gag. When suddenly Dinky ran into the room and punched her in the face.
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Scootaloo woke up with a scream, she was sitting at her desk. sitting at the desk in front of her was Dinky. “Man you’re not gonna believe the dream I had-“
“Rainbow Dash had a monster face and was about to force feed you until I punched you in the face?” Dinky interrupted her.
Scootaloo’s jaw dropped. “How did you know?”
“I was there, dreamwalking, it took me all of my magic to wake us up before we ended up like them.”
Scootaloo noticed that everypony else in the classroom was sleeping.
“Why? They’re just asleep, all of them, at the same time.” Cheerilee fell out of her seat. “Oh.” She tapped Rumble on the head, only for him to be unresponsive.
“Somepony has put them in an endless nightmare and not just them, all of Equestria is in one.” The two fillies left the classroom.
“How is that even possible? All of Equestria in an endless nightmare?
“I don’t know.” They walked through Ponyville, which was quiet except for the sounds of ponies twisting and turning in their sleep.
“Surely Rainbow Dash has escaped, right?”
“I’m afraid not.” Dinky said sadly
“We’re here.” the two fillies entered Twilight’s castle where Scootaloo noticed Twilight, Rainbow, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie all lying in a circle, asleep.
“None of them can wake up.” Starswirl said walking in the room. “I’m impressed you’re both conscious.”
He had come to Ponyville to warn Twilight, but was too late.
Dinky nodded. “I found Scootaloo before she fell victim to the nightmare.”
“You’re Starswirl, right? The greatest wizard?” Scootaloo asked. “What number am I thinking about?”
“You’re not thinking of a number, you’re thinking of chicken.” Starswirl said.
Scootaloo’s jaw dropped. “How did-“
She got annoyed “Hey! Stop calling me a chicken! I’m getting sick of it! It wasn’t funny then and it isn’t funny now!”
“Now come, follow me.” Starswirl said as they entered the throne room, smoke rose up from the Cutie Map forming an image of Nightmare Moon.
“Nightmare Moon has been trying to escape from the dream realm since my return, and has finally found a way through. She has put all of Equestria into an endless sleep, everypony is suffering in their worst nightmare, feeding her for an eternity.”
“What chance do I have? I’m just a Pegasus who can’t even fly.” Scootaloo said, not confident in herself.
“Destiny has chosen you for a reason, if you hope to fulfill your purpose and save all of Equestria, save Rainbow Dash, you will have to do the impossible.”
Starswirl lit up his horn. “Prepare yourself, we’re going to enter the realm of dreams and stop Nightmare Moon or else Equestria falls.” a portal opened and enveloped all three ponies. They were now in a surreal landscape, giant eyeballs floating everywhere, pathways that led to nowhere.
“Be careful, we’re in her world now, stay on the path.”
Scootaloo noticed a door “The door’s on the path, right?” She opened it and looked inside.
Rainbow Dash was falling through a seemingly endless void, screaming in terror,
“Rainbow it’s just a dream! Wake up!” the orange filly yelled at her mentor.
“That is her dream self, while under Nightmare Moon’s control she cannot hear you.” Starswirl explained “nor can any of the others.”
An aged Twilight stood on the castle balcony, overlooking the ruins of Canterlot. Derpy ran in circles screaming “Who could do such a horrible thing, eating all of the muffins?!”
Dinky facehooved in embarrassment “Mom…”
“Where’s Nightmare Moon, anyway?” Scootaloo asked blue mist swirled around her before stopping in front of her, revealing a dark alicorn.
“Right here, little pegasus.” Nightmare Moon laughed.
“You’re too late, the night shall last forever!”
“This ends now Nightmare!” Starswirl summoned a bunch of chains which wrapped themselves around the dark alicorn, who merely ripped it off and laughed.
Several shadow monsters appeared and attacked the trio, Scootaloo and Dinky did their best to fight them off.
“Still trying the same old tricks? How desperate you must be allying yourself with children.” a giant spider emerged from the ground and charged at the three ponies. “This is my world now, and I make the rules!”
Starswirl put a shield around himself and the two fillies, the spider began pounding at the shield.
“How about you just blast that thing?” Scootaloo asked.
“She’s too powerful, force alone will not win the day.”
“Then how will we defeat her?”
“We must find a way to weaken her, Nightmare will do her best to separate us and attack through our fears. You must keep your wits about you or we are done.”
“What about your fears?”
“I cannot allow myself the luxury of fear.”
Scootaloo saw a door and noticed Dinky was missing. “Dinky? Where’d you go?”
Starswirl built up enough power to blast the spider into pieces. “My power is waning, we must stay together.” he noticed Scootaloo and Dinky were both missing. “Well that’s just great.”
Dinky sat in her desk, watching her friends play outside
“Why weren’t you studying?!” Cheerilee asked angrily.
“I didn’t study at all!!” Dinky said, reading her report card, all her grades were F’s.
“Hey Dinky, we were told not to wander off, remember this is just a dream!!” Scootaloo said while poking Dinky, who ignored her. “You’re a great student! The smartest one in the class!” She started shaking Dinky. “Who cares if you get a few bad grades, nopony’s perfect!”
Scootaloo fell through the floor and landed in front of Starswirl. “Uh hi..”
Nightmare Moon appeared and made several copies of herself. “How long have I been waiting for this!”
Starswirl blasted the copies, causing all of them to dissolve. “You caught me unaware but I am no child, I am Starswirl the Bearded, greatest sorcerer who ever lived!”
“Yeah, bring it!” Scootaloo cheered.
“Indeed, bring it.” Nightmare Moon laughed. Starswirl lit up his horn but nothing happened.
“Is this part of the plan?” Scootaloo asked.
Nightmare Moon laughed “There is no plan, because there is no magic!” She attempted to blast Starswirl but Scootaloo pushed him out of the way, barely evading the blast,
“Come on, finish this jerk and let’s go!”
Starswirl tried to use his magic but nothing happened. “She’s too strong..I’m powerless.”
Scootaloo began punching Nightmare Moon. “She’s playing on your fears, just like she did to Dinky, it’s not real.” Nightmare Moon grabbed her.
“Destiny chose you to be here for a reason, of us all, you must believe!” Starswirl said weakly.
“This nightmare isn’t for you!” Nightmare Moon blasted Scootaloo sending her flying backwards, she struggled to get up only for Nightmare Moon to appear in front of her.
“I must admit, you impress me. The Elements of Harmony, Starlight, Sunset, Celestia, Luna, and now Starswirl have fallen and yet here you are,the last one standing.”
“I stopped believing the in boogeymare years ago, Nightmare. Take your best shot!” Scootaloo said defiantly.
Nightmare Moon laughed “Shot, perfect choice of words, reminds me of somepony you once knew.”
Scootaloo looked over to see a house.
“Somepony who believed in you and was punished for that very faith, your greatest fear!” A pegasus opened the front door and walked outside. “Welcome to your nightmare!”
“No, not her!” Scootaloo said in disbelief,
“Your greatest fear! Your greatest failure! Back to haunt you, FOREVER!!” Nightmare Moon cackled. The pegasus walked up to the orange filly.
“Sis?” Scootaloo sked.
“How’s it going Scoots?” Firefly said with a smile.
The two walked up to each other and hugged each other. “Still daydreaming, aren’t ya?”
“You got that half right, sis. Man, it's great to see you.”
“GREAT TO SEE YOU?!” Nightmare Moon yelled,
”THIS IS YOUR ULTIMATE FAILURE! YOUR GREATEST FEAR!”
“Yeah, you said that, who’s the Gloomy Gus?” Firefly asked.
“Nightmare Moon, she’s just pathetic.” Scootaloo looked at the dark alicorn “Nightmare Moon you don’t know my sister, and you sure as heck don’t know me.” Nightmare Moon was taken aback. “You think this is some kind of buried secret? Even though I couldn’t save her, I lived with what happened to her everyday…but not in the way you think.”
“Huh?” Nightmare Moon said in confusion.
“I took responsibility for this tragedy, and turned it into something special, helping ponies every day, guess who taught me that trick?”
Nightmare Moon backed away, Scootaloo punched her, knocking her back. She looked at Firefly “Thanks sis, I miss you.”
“Go get her, Scoots!” Firefly said as she faded from sight.
Scootaloo entered the house. “This is my dream room, right let’s see what I really dream about.”
Scootaloo woke up with a scream, Firefly held her gently. “I had a nightmare, you were-”
Firefly patted her on the back “it’s okay it’s okay, we all have nightmares, they’re not real, what’s real is the dreams we make, how we live our lives everyday.” the two ponies hugged each other.
“So that’s your greatest fear, Nightmares aren’t real, they can only hurt you if you let them.” Scootaloo realized.
Nightmare Moon screamed in agony.
Starswirl heard this and smiled “She’s actually doing it.” with his magic returned he teleported next to Scootaloo.
“Welcome back.” Scootaloo said.
Starswirl made a microphone appear “if you’ll do the honors.” Scootaloo grabbed it.
“It’s open mic here at the nightmare lounge, and I’d like to kick things off with a little number I call ‘there’s nothing to be afraid of! It’s just a nightmare!’” The microphone caused her words to echo. All around Equestria, ponies began to wake up.
Dinky realized she was in a nightmare, “You know what, who cares if I get a few bad grades, I’m still a great student!” Tearing up her report card, she got up from her desk and ran out the school door, bursting out of her nightmare, and punched Nightmare Moon in the face. She landed next to Scootaloo and Starswirl.
Nightmare Moon was laying on the ground “No. No. No!”
Scootaloo looked at Dinky “Nice entrance.”
“I try, thank you for believing in me, and waking me up to the truth.” Dinky said.
“No, I had them, I had them all!” Nightmare Moon said in anguish.
“Pleasant Dreams” Starswirl said, blasting her, causing her to disappear in a white flash, All three ponies returned to the real world.
“Wow, you don’t play around." Scootaloo said. “Is Nightmare Moon gone for good?”
“No, there will always be nightmares, it’s part of who we are, but when we face them, we can overcome, and be stronger for it. You reminded us of that, Scootaloo, thank you.” He grinned “Speaking of nightmares, ever have the one where you have to get back to school before anypony knew you were missing?”
“Oh boy.”
_________________
“Will she still be a threat?” Celestia asked, looking at Nightmare Moon, who was laying on the floor, unresponsive. Luna kept poking her, in an attempt to she if she would wake up.
“I don’t think she will anytime soon.” Starswirl said with a chuckle “she has her own problems to deal with.”
________________
Nightmare Moon stood over Celestia, she had finally won! Suddenly the sun rose up, Nightmare Moon shrugged and lowered it. A few seconds later it rose again. So she lowered it again, still it rose up. Nightmare Moon screamed in frustration. No matter how many times she lowered the sun, it would rise back up again. Little did she know she would be stuck doing this…
FOREVER.
