Chapter 7- The Price of Ascension: (End of Pony Arc)

-The Night-Mare in her eyes-

Chapter 7- The Price of Ascension

Nightmare Moon looked down from her platform at the base of the castle’s old thrones. Watching as the six mares from the night of her rebellion entered the castle’s throne room. Her starry mane flowing in an unfelt breeze. “Then by all means, have them. They’re all yours.” She said as she slowly strutted towards the steps of the two sister’s thrones. “Or are you too afraid to take them from me?” She taunted descending the steps.

The six mares took a cautious set forward as Nightmare Moon slowly took her time closing the distance.

Watching their hesitation, Nightmare let out a hearty chuckle. “Don’t tell me you're scared?” Now reaching the base of the stairs she glanced from one mare to the other as the seven of them got closer and closer to the pillar that stood next to the elements. “Applejack, who reassured you Twilight, in your moments of doubt at the cliff. Fluttershy, who aided the manticore with her compassion. Pinkie Pie, who’s laughter broke through the magic of the Everfree. Rarity, who selflessly sacrificed her one tail for the river serpent. Rainbow Dash, who aided the Kirin on the battlefield.” Nightmare Moon now stood at the center of the room. “After everything you’ve six been through, you can’t seriously be that afraid of me.”

“And how do you know all about that?” Applejack asked as her and the mares circled the stone forms of the elements of harmony.

“Ohh ohh, I know! It's cause she’s psychic!” Pinkie Pie said standing up on her hind legs with one of her hoofs in the air.

“Ha ha ha. Oh it truly has been a thousand years.” Nightmare said with a laugh. “No, my dear little Pinkie Pie. It’s because it was you who led me here.”

Twilight Sparkle’s eyes widened as the past twenty four hours worth of events played through her mind. The attack of the timberwolves at the cliffside, the manticore and the leather sheath, the two mares who danced along to Pinkie’s song, the ponies that attacked Steve the sea serpent, even the battlefield at the bridge. It all clicked in her mind as she looked Nightmare Moon in the eyes, her irises were gold, her purple mane had faint traces of silver that glistened with the stars. “You’re the mare from the forest, the one the thestrals called General Moon. I don’t understand.”

“Neither did I at the time, that was until I saw you six in Ponyville’s town hall. Then it all made sense.” Nightmare teased with a wiggle from the tip of her mane. “I don’t think I need to tell you what that fog was, do I?”

“So what’s your endgame, huh?” Rainbow Dash popped up as she glared at the alicorn.

“Why don’t you try taking the elements and find out.” Nightmare taunted as she teleported to the elements, grasping them with her tail as she slammed them into Rainbow Dash with a high sweep. The sound of ribs cracking as the stone orbs collided with the pegasus’s side.

“Rainbow!” Twilight yelled as the blue mare hit the ground with a thud.

“Try to keep up Sparkle.” Nightmare commanded, jumping forward grabbing Applejack by the tail with her teeth, pulling her up the wall. Running up the wall, Nightmare kicked off the stone bricks, swung Applejack over her head as she opened her jaw, sending the orange mare flying back down.

Reaching out with her magic, Rarity caught the farm pony. Lowering her toward the ground as Nightmare Moon teleported to her side, delivering a swift kick to the fashionista's side. Rarity slid across the ground as her concentration was broken by the sudden kick, Applejack barely landing on her hooves as gravity pulled her back to the ground.

Looking back over her shoulder, Nightmare grinned at the party pony as the pink mare ran for her friends. “What’s wrong Pinkie Pie, why don’t you try laughing this Nightmare away?” Nightmare asked, turning her gaze to Fluttershy as she slowly walked up to the quivering yellow pegasus mare.

Standing in front of the yellow caretaker she looked down into her eyes. “Kindness only goes so far Fluttershy.” Nightmare stated in a neutral tone as she dropped the stone elements before her hooves.

Turning around she looked over to the lavender mare as she panicked in thought, attempting to think of what to do. Watching as the dark alicorn walked up to her, Twilight looked around at the state of her friends. “So much for the magic of friendship, right Twilight? Nightmare said, walking past her with a tickle of her ethereal tail.

“Face it, you all did well getting here, and it would be wrong not to thank you for your help. However you six are out of your depth.” Nightmare continued back to the center of the room as the six mares looked at her dejected. “You might embody the spirit of the elements, but you don’t have the courage to use them.”

Looking back at her friends, a twinkle glistened in Twilight’s eyes as a spark started to grow in the mare. The images of her friends during their travels enter her mind. “You’re right.” Twilight said with a smile, causing Nightmare Moon to look back at her. “My friends do embody the spirit of the elements, but it isn’t courage that we need to use them.” Looking at her friends as they pulled themselves to their hooves, a smile crossed their faces. “It wasn’t courage that got us here, it was the bonds we made with each other that pushed us closer together. A bond of friendship and like you yourself said Nightmare Moon. Friendship is Magic.”

Nightmare Moon watched as a flash of light appeared over the six ponies. The stone orb of the final element of harmony glowing as the other five were lifted into the air before transforming into six balls of light that circled around the mares forming five necklaces matching the five mares. The sixth element formed a crown embedded with a star that lowered onto Twilight Sparkle’s head.

Watching as the six element bearers floated into the air, a rainbow light glowing from them. A single memory rushing to the surface of Nightmare Moon’s mind.

‘Re… member… I’ll… always… be… your.. Wings.’ Shimmering Sun’s final words echoed through her mind as the six mares fired the elements of harmony .

Raising her horn towards the sky, Nightmare reached out with her magic. Casting one more spell, she pulled on the moon with her magic, her horn crackling under the strain of her forcing the celestial body of another. Bringing the moon back into the sky, she blacked out the sun. The day and night merging into one as the stars lit up the sky from above. The stars shimmering in rays of reds, golds and teals as her mane and tail flickered in color. Her starry mane of purples and blues shifted to a fire of yellow and red. Her horn shattered away into dust as her black coat cracked and broke away into shards of obsidian revealing her golden orange coat. Raising a hoof, she brought it into the ground, creating a barrier of flames that refracted the light of the elements around her, splitting them into six separate streaks that tore into the walls and ground of the castle. The twisted purple fog radiating in the prismic hues of the elements as Nightmare’s fog rippled through the Castle of the Two Sisters.

As the light of the elements returned back to their gems, the six element bearers floated back down in confusion. Before them two alicorns clashed in the air above the throne room, one as black as night, the other covered in flames like the sun.

“Well done my ponies.” The tall figure of Shimmering Sun said as she looked up through the large hole in the ceiling. “Now I can finally put an end to that tyrant.” Furrowing her brow, the Shimmering form of Nightmare Moon took off into the air, her eyes locked onto the solar alicorn of flames.

Looking at one another the six element bearers watched as the transformed Nightmare Moon flew out of the room after two other figures. “The elements… failed?” Twilight stuttered as she continued to stare up at the sky through the ceiling. “But if the elements.. Failed, then how do we beat her?”

“By relying on your friends young Twilight.” As a voice echoed around them as the familiar blue magic of Luna’s spell flowed out of them before reforming into Princess Luna herself.

“Princess Luna, but how? I thought that spell you casted on us was meant to conceal us from Nightmare?” Applejack asked as she stared at the Princess of the night.

“That it was, however I added another effect in the event that the elements failed. A summoning spell to be exact and looking at how things seem to be going here. It looks like it was the right call. Where’s my sister?” Princess Luna asked as she looked around up at the magic beams being fired overhead.

“I’m over here, Luna.” Princess Celestia spoked from her old throne. Her one good eye having watched the scene play out.

Flying over to her elder sister, Princess Luna landed softly as she stared at the white solar alicorn. “Wow. She really did a number on you.” Princess Luna stated with a blink as lowered the tip of her horn to Princess Celestia’s. Pouring some of her magic into her sister, sounds of bones crackling echoed through the room as Luna sped up Celestia’s natural healing until her body was almost completely as a hundred percent. “Now back on your hooves you, we have a corrupted alicorn to deal with.”

Raising up from her old throne Princess Celestia gave her body a quick shake before addressing the bearers of the elements.

“Twilight Sparkle.” Princess Celestia spoke as her and Luna met the mares in the center of the room. “For you this all seems new, but for Nightmare and I, these events have already happened. I’m gonna need you to trust me now more than ever.”

“Don’t worry Princess, we got your back.” Rainbow Dash said with a hoof pump.

“Whatever you need Princess.” Applejack said with refound confidence.

“Let’s go beat the baddies!” Pinkie Pie said with a bounce.

“Two Alicorn Princesses plus these fabulous Elements, That mare doesn’t stand a chance.” Rarity added, with a soft smile.

“If we can help.” Fluttershy said in a meek voice as she pushed her mane out of her eyes.

“Whatever you need Princess.” Twilight said, looking up to Princess Celestia with eyes of determination.

“Luna and I will aid the two Nightmare Moons in their fight against my past self. When the moment appears, we’ll need you to use the elements on her.” Princess Celestia said in a flat tone as the six mares and her sister looked at her in dead silence.

“I’m sorry dear sister, but it sounded like you just told these girls to use the elements on yourself.” Princess Luna questioned as she slowly turned her head to glare at the elder alicorn.

“I did, the version of myself from this day was corrupted with jealousy, anger and fear. When I got word that Princess Noche de Estrella Moon had been raising an army to rebel against me, I let myself be overtaken by the thing now posing as me in this time period.” Letting out a sigh, Princess Celestia looked Princess Luna dead in the eyes. “It calls itself Daybreaker, your daughter was sealed in the moon in order to destroy it.”

In a brief moment, Twilight Sparkle and the other five element bearers witnessed Princess Luna’s expression go from confusion to anger in less than a second as she punched her sister in the face knocking her into the stone brick wall of the throne room.

“Celestia! When this is all over we will have words!” Princess Luna shouted with rage lit eyes. Taking in a deep breather, Luna closed her eyes and turned to the six mares. “We’ll tell you about it after we're done here. For now just be ready.” Taking to the air, Princess Luna flew up into the sky, shortly followed by Princess Celestia.

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Shimmering Moon flew through the air as she quickly caught up with her past counterpart. “Nightmare, I’ll divert her fire, you focus on bringing her down.” Shimmering Moon yelled as she sped past her as she flew under Daybreaker delivering a burning headbutt to her underbody.

“Shimmering.” Nightmare Moon said to herself as she tilted her wings circling towards Daybreaker’s side as she released a golden blast of magic into her.

“EEH!!” Daybreaker groaned as she used her magic to teleport ahead as she quickly spun her wings to turn around. “Shimmering Sun! You’re supposed to be Dead!” Daybreaker shouted as she curved her wings to halt her forward motion as she released a stream of fire at the large fiery pegasus.

Spinning slightly to the side, Shimmering Moon dodged the magical fire as she slammed into Daybreaker. “Let’s be dead together!” Shimmering Moon exclaimed opening her mouth wide as she latched her teeth into Daybreaker’s neck.

“AUGH!!!” You little Shit!” Daybreaker screamed as she kicked at the large golden mare. Holding herself in the air, Daybreaker let out another scream of pain as Nightmare Moon flew behind her, ramming into her back as she grabbed the other side of her neck with her teeth. “GET OFF OF ME!!!” Igniting her horn, Daybreaker unleashed a burst of fire from within her body, forcing the two mares of Gold and Black to release their hold. “That’s it, everything BURNS!” Lifting up her horn two streaks of white and blue flew into Daybreaker as Princess Celestia and Princess Luna grabbed her by her wings forcing her down towards the castle.

“No you don’t parasite!” Celestia yelled as the three of them crashed through the ceiling of Luna’s old tower.

“Celestia! Luna!” Daybreaker shouted as she bucked the two sisters off of her before grabbing the younger sister’s leg with her teeth. Giving her body a spin, Daybreaker swung the lunar alicorn into Celestia before liting her horn and firing at the sister duo. Sounds of wood cracking came from below her as the maw of NIghtmare Moon shot through the floor from below.

“Surprise Bitch!” Nightmare growled as she latched onto Daybreaker’s hind leg, dragging her down through the floor.

Flying down from the giant hole in the roof, Shimmering Moon flew down grabbing onto Daybreaker’s right wing. Giving the mare’s wing a hard twist with her teeth, Daybreaker felt her wing snap as she was forcing down to the ground floor of the tower.

Feeling the ground beneath them start to give way, Celestia and Luna flew back into the sky as they watched the tower crumble to a pile of wood and stone. “Well, that explains what happened to my room when I was in Canterlot.” Princess Luna commented as the two of them flew down alongside the castle’s wall following the trail of destruction as the three mares destroyed everything in the midst of their battle.

“We need to get them back to the throne room.” Princess Celestia called as the two sisters split apart from each other. Celestia flew ahead of the mares’ current path as Luna flew in from the side.

Grabbing Shimmering Moon from behind, Celestia flew her down the adjacent hallway. At the same time Luna grabbed onto Daybreak alongside Nightmare as they slammed her into the wall. “We need to get her to the throne room daughter!” Princess Luna commanded as Nightmare Moon gave her a confirming glance.

Twilight Sparkle and her friends watched as Princess Celestia came barreling through the doorway with Shimmering Moon in her hooves, the hornless Nightmare bleeding from several deep wounds as she breathed hard. The injuries from Daybreaker finally caught up to her as Celestia had forced her out of the battle.

Sliding across the ground with a roll, the two sun ponies watched as Nightmare and Luna came crashing into the room with Daybreaker in their grip. “Ready yourselves ladies!” Luna shouted as Nightmare and her slammed Daybreaker into the ground as she struggled to break free.

“Let me go you fools!!!” Daybreaker demanded as she shot a burst of magic into the part of the remaining ceiling causing it to come falling down upon them.

Pushing Celestia off of herself, Shimmering Moon quickly spread her wings and flapped hard as she propelled herself into Princess Luna knocking her out of the way of the falling debris. Wood and stone rained down on the two Nightmares as they grabbed Daybreaker in her attempt to escape before bringing her back down into the ground.

Looking into Twilight’s eyes, Shimmering Moon shouted at the lavender unicorn. “You fool! DO IT NOW!”

Looking over to Luna then back to Celestia, Twilight saw regret held within their eyes and they nodded for the elements to be fired. “Alight, one more time.” Twilight said as the elements of harmony levitated the six mares off the ground, their bodies glowing in an ethereal rainbow before firing it up into the sky. The six beams of light circled the three mares as the rainbow spiraled around them like a funnel before shooting a beam into the moon.

Looking up at the sky, the six element bearers watched as the familiar silhouette of the mare in the moon appeared across the moon’s surface. Turning their attention back to the other two, they watched as a sobbing Princess Celestia was held in the hooves of a tall white and silver maned unicorn with the cutie mark of a moon surrounded by six stars.

“Noche de Estrella… I’m so sorry,,,” The younger Celestia said as she sobbed into Nightly’s coat as she held her petting her mane.

“It’s… Okay… Auntie… I… For…give… you…” Nightly said as her body started to blow away like petals in the wind.

As the once Nightmare Moon disappeared into nothing, the world around the six element bearers and the two princess sisters started to shift and fade as the world around them faded back to their present day as the fog faded away along with the last remains of Nightmare’s magic.

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*Elsewhere*

Luna screamed in pain as she took in multiple short breaths. “AHHH!”

“Come on Ms Moon, one more big push.” A nurse in teal scrubs commanded as Luna pushed as hard as she could. The room went quiet for a moment as Luna took a moment to catch her breath, as a spike of panic came over her as she held her breath.

“Waahh… wahhh.” Cried the lungs of a baby as the doctor and nurses carefully wrapped the small newborn in a blue blanket before turning to Luna.

“Congratulations Ms Moon, It’s a girl.” Nurse Mending congratulated as she handed over the newborn baby.

Holding her newborn, Luna smiled as she cradled the baby in her arms. “Hello little one.” She said as the baby calmed down in Luna’s embrace.

“So what’s her name going to be?” Nurse Mending asked as she watched the new mother hold her baby with a smile.

“ Noche de Estrella, It means Star Night.” Luna said as she rubbed her thumb along Noche's cheek.

“Noche de Estrella Moon, something tells me she’s going to grow up into a tough one.” The nurse commented.

Slowly opening her eyes, her vision was blinded by the intense light.

“Would you look at that, her eyes are like that of a dragon.” Noche heard a voice say as she blinked her eyes a few times.

“There isn’t anything wrong with her, is there?” The panicked voice of Luna asked the other as the two figures finally came into focus.

“Oh of course not, It’s rare, but she’s not the first to have pupils like that. Although normally those who have them have teal irises. My guess would be that she hit the genetic jackpot.”

As Noche focused on the faces of the two creatures, she screamed.

Author's Note

Episode 1 and 2 of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic is finally covered! WOOT!!! My back hurts so much from the sitting and typing.

In this chapter I used the name Shimmering Moon to refer to the Present Nightmare Moon in her Pegasus form, while I kept Nightmare Moon for the past version.

Yes present day Nightmare Moon was reincarnated into the world of equestria girls, no she will not be a baby when Sunset Shimmer is a Teen. That's all I'm giving away for now on where this story will go.

However if you have any questions about something that you might not have understood or just want to leave your own thoughts. Feel free to comment below. I do actually read these.