"One must know the importance of wearing masks. They not only hide our true motives from others, but they also hide the monster we've become from ourselves." -Pride Ed
There are many things you know about the Mare in the Moon, but did you know that even in banishment, she could still walk in the realm of dreams? Indeed, she could, wandering through the shadowy dreamscapes to cure her boredom. But even here, the Elements of Harmony bound her, preventing her from influencing dreams or feeding on night terrors.
It was a twisted solace, seeing their dreams but being unable to alter them—a constant, mocking reminder of her powerlessness. Her sister's silent taunt echoed with every failed attempt to wield her power. Despite her ability to crush mountains, defeat any foe, and CREATE ETERNAL NIGHT, she was shackled in this ethereal prison. She could only watch as ponies slowly forgot her reign, relegating her to a mere fairy tale in the minds of foals.
Yet, amidst the despair, this exile was an opportunity to plan for every possible outcome of her return. She dreamt of it so often that it consumed her sleep, the only thread of happiness in her wretched state.
She sat in contemplation and hatred, her gaze fixed on Equis, her stare so intense it felt as though the planet itself would shudder in fear if it could. She kicked away a random rock with a growl of frustration. The silence of space was her only companion, amplifying her solitude and anger.
"Why do thou mock us so, sister?!" she spat, her voice trembling with a mixture of sorrow and rage.
"Is this what thou thought of us all those years? That banishment was the only way?!"
Her voice broke, and tears of anger and pain glistened in her eyes. "Did thou believe this was the only way to deal with our dissent?!"
"No, thou were just too arrogant, too blind to see the truth. We know thou saw it as the only way to banish us," she continued, her voice now a whisper, raw with emotion. "Using our rebellion as the perfect excuse."
Her words faded into the void, lost in the vast emptiness that surrounded her. Done with voicing her anger to the nothingness, she entered the dream realm—a dark, infinite expanse of newly created dreams and recorded old ones. She aimlessly browsed through dreams, seeking anything to capture her interest. Dream after dream, nightmare after nightmare, yet none held her gaze. Even the dreams of wicked ponies were dull, the satisfaction of their twisted dreams offering no joy.
But then, she stumbled upon something peculiar—a dream from a creature unlike any she had seen. Her excitement grew as she tried to pinpoint its source.
"What is this?" The Mare whispered, her heart racing. When she finally found it, she was stunned.
"What...what?"
Before her was a pony filly, seemingly a newborn with a beige coat and a black mane. But its blood-red eyes were the most striking feature.
This wasn't what intrigued her the most. In the dream realm, anypony could be found, but only the Mare in the Moon had the skill to locate them, especially without strong emotions or proximity. Yet, this filly's dream was almost impossible to pinpoint, and entering it was even more challenging. She could only glimpse the dreamer and sense the powerful emotions emanating from the dream—a beacon in the dream realm.
As she finally located the filly, still unable to enter its dream, she gasped for the first time in a thousand years. Her senses told her the filly was in space, far beyond the moon, near Pluto, and moving rapidly towards Equis.
"How...how is this possible?" she muttered, her voice shaky with disbelief.
"How is it coming from outside the solar system?"
Her eyes widened as she felt a presence in the dream, a force pushing back against her attempts to enter. It was as if the dream itself resisted her intrusion.
"HOW DARE THOU RESIST OUR COMMAND?!"
She yelled in her mind, pushing harder. Her horn sparked with the immense power she exerted, causing her head to ache. The struggle was intense, but slowly, she gained the upper hand and drifted into the dream.
What she saw was horrifying, even to her. Terror, unending terror, death everywhere, and a singular command echoing in the filly's mind: "TAKE THE WORLD." The Mare reveled in this nightmarish vision, craving more, intoxicated by the power. But as she delved deeper, calling upon the dream to open to her, the dream itself fought back.
"LEAVE!!!"
A sudden, powerful force struck her mind like a wall of swords, expelling her from the dream realm entirely and slamming her back into reality.
The Mare groaned in pain.
"So much power! How could something have enough power to not only refuse us entry but force us out of the dream realm entirely?" she muttered to herself, her voice tinged with a mix of awe and fear.
"That thing is coming this way, from what I saw." A wicked grin spread across her face as a plan formed in her mind.
"Oh, sister, how things have gotten so much more interesting!" she whispered, a malicious gleam in her eyes.
That night, everypony swore they could hear the cackling of—
"NIGHTMARE MOON!!!"
Author's Note
Hi, its me, KILLA-WATT or ZAPPO, eather name is fine.
But I just want to say I am making this while I am also working on other stories, so expect not a lot of updates unless I decide to work on this more often, and I would love it if in the comments you could give chapter name suggestions because I was finding it hard to come up with one for this chapter that wasent just prologue, so the one thats here is just a place holder, thank you. Additionally, if you would like to submit artwork for this story, we can discuss how to send it to me via my main page.
But with that said, thank you, and enjoy
Question of the chapter: Which evil Superman-esque character is your favorite?
Bright burn is mine, but I love My self some omni-man.
One apple falls off the tree the other from the heavens
Ponyville Hospital, Room A113:
"Please, Mrs. Pear Butter, just take a breath in and out, and push on three!" Nurse Red Heart urged, her voice steady and comforting, though tension creased her brow. The small room was filled with the bright light of the overhead lamps, reflecting off the pristine white tiles and casting long shadows.
"TRYING!" Pear Butter muttered through clenched teeth, her body writhing in agony. Sweat glistened on her forehead, and her breaths came in ragged gasps. The room felt both too hot and too cold all at once.
"Okay, on three, one, two, three!" Red Heart commanded, her tone firm yet encouraging. Pear Butter let out a guttural scream, channeling every ounce of strength into the push. The sound echoed through the room, mingling with the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor.
Red Heart could see the top of the foal's head crowning. "That's it, keep it coming, breathe," she guided, her hands steady and sure. Each push seemed to last a lifetime, every second stretching into an eternity.
After what felt like an eternity of pushing, Pear Butter finally managed to give birth. The room filled with the sweet, first cries of the newborn, a sound so pure and full of life that it brought tears to the eyes of everyone present.
"And with that, we are done. Congratulations, Pear Butter, on your beautiful baby filly's birth," Nurse Red Heart said, her face breaking into a warm smile as she carefully held the newborn. The tension in the room melted away, replaced by a palpable sense of relief and joy.
With utmost gentleness, Nurse Red Heart handed the tiny, wriggling bundle to Pear Butter, who cradled her baby in her hooves. Tears of joy and relief streamed down her face as she looked into her child's eyes for the first time. The world outside the hospital room faded away, leaving only the two of them in this perfect, fleeting moment.
"Do you have a name for her?" Nurse Red Heart asked, retrieving a diaper and a soft blanket for the newborn. Her voice was soft and soothing, a stark contrast to the urgency of moments before.
"If she were a boy, I would have named her Bramble Blossom, but I think I have the perfect name," Pear Butter replied, her voice soft and tender, filled with an overwhelming love. She paused, looking down at her daughter, who seemed to study her mother with wide, curious eyes.
"And?" Red Heart prompted gently, curious about the name that would be given to this new life. The anticipation hung in the air, a quiet, shared moment of discovery.
Pear Butter looked down at her baby, whose tiny mouth opened and closed as if trying to speak. "Apple Bloom. Her name is Apple Bloom," she announced, her voice firm with the certainty of a mother’s love. The name felt right, like it was always meant to be.
It had been a long year for the Apple family. First came the death of a beloved family member, Bright Mac, who was sadly mugged on his way into town and died in the hospital of a heart attack. The loss left a deep scar on the family's heart, but they remained strong, hoping that the addition of a new member would heal the wound left by his death. The news of Pear Butter's pregnancy was a welcome light among the family members, particularly for Granny Smith, Apple Jack, Big Mac, and Pear Butter herself, who were closest to him at heart.
But for Apple Jack, the screams from the hospital halls were still nightmare fuel. In the middle of the night, they had to make a hasty trip to the hospital after Pear Butter unexpectedly went into labor. The hurried journey under the moonlit sky and the distressing sounds she heard in the hospital gave her goosebumps as she sat in the waiting room chair, her small body tense with worry. Big Mac had stayed at home to keep the house safe, so it was just Granny Smith and Apple Jack in the waiting room, with the exception of the nurse at the counter, who was reading a book and not paying them any attention.
Apple Jack, unable to bear the anxiety any longer, eventually made her way over to Granny Smith, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Um, Granny, is Mama gonna be okay?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Granny Smith raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do ya mean, deary?"
"Well," Apple Jack paused, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm worried about the screamin'; Mama never screams like that. Even when Mama stepped on that nail once, she never cried out like that. I'm worried that havin' our sibling will hurt her, and she might not bounce back from this." Granny Smith looked down at the small orange-coated filly sympathetically.
"No," Granny said firmly. "No, don't say that. If all we do is imagine what could be, we'll just worry ourselves silly!" Granny Smith wrapped her hooves around Apple Jack, hugging her tightly and wiping her tears away.
"Now stop cryin', or your mama will be upset when you see her again. You don't want your new sister to see ya like this, do ya?" Granny asked gently.
"No," Apple Jack sniffed, her voice small and fragile.
"Good. I'll be here to support ya the whole time, so please stop cryin' and be patient," Granny Smith said, nuzzling Apple Jack ever so gently. The warmth of Granny's embrace and her calming words brought a slight sense of comfort to Apple Jack.
About five minutes later, Nurse Red Heart emerged from the hallway that led to room A113, where Apple Jack's mother was. Despite tears streaming down her cheeks, she maintained a professional demeanor and said, "I am sorry, but Mrs. Pear Butter has passed away; however, she did successfully give birth to her child."
Granny Smith held a hoof over her mouth, her eyes becoming pinpricks as she tried to comprehend what she was hearing. "What do ya mean? Are ya sure?" Granny Smith asked, her voice shaking with disbelief.
"Indeed, we are," Nurse Red Heart replied, her voice solemn. "We assumed she was asleep until we felt her pulse, which was silent. We attempted, but were unable, to revive her." Tears welled up in her eyes as she added, "Dear Celestia, what did we do to deserve this?"
Granny looked down at Apple Jack, who was now sobbing uncontrollably. Shaking her head, Granny turned back to the nurse with an angry and heartbroken expression, then quickly got up, pulling Apple Jack along. She immediately started speed-trotting down the hallway.
"Come on, deary, we are seein' your mama right now!" Granny's voice was filled with determination as they both sped down the hallway. Granny counted the rooms aloud—A108, A109, A110, A111, A112—until they reached A113.
She practically pushed the door open, givin' both her and Apple Jack a clear view of the scene in front of them.
The only sounds in the room were the cries of a baby on a little makeshift side table, the frightened shuffling of the doctors, and the light coming from the windows as the light of dawn filled the space with natural light. Granny followed the shape of the sun's beams until she saw that the beam had landed on the lifeless body of Pear Butter lying on the bed. As Granny examined her body from the doorway, she noticed that Pear Butter was still smiling, even in death. This sight made Granny's heart break even more, especially when she noticed the way Pear Butter's eyes looked into space, void of life.
Apple Jack gasped and rushed over to Pear Butter, hugging her as she sobbed into her dead mother's chest. She continued to hug her tightly, but she no longer felt her mother's warm embrace—rather, she felt cold. As Apple Jack sobbed, she could just barely make out the sound of Granny Smith yellin' and screamin' at the doctors, accusin' them of bein' responsible for Pear Butter's death. However, none of that really mattered at that moment; what did matter was sayin' goodbye to her mother and movin' on. But first, there was somethin' she had to say to her mother, a promise.
She shivered and said, "M-mama," strugglin' to speak, but she persevered. "I promise to always be there for my sister no matter what. I won't let her get into any danger ever. I promise." As Apple Jack got up from the bed her mother was on, Granny Smith stopped yellin' at the doctors, who were now in tears, and looked at Apple Jack.
Apple Jack left the bed and went over to the cryin' foal in the small bed, admirin' her beautiful red mane and reddish-orange eyes. Carefully, she grabbed her sister and tried to rock her in her arms, even though it was awkward because Apple Jack was still quite small.
"Deary?" Granny Smith asked, confused, then Apple Jack began to speak to her new sister. "Shhhh. It's okay, lil' sis. You ain't alone no more." Apple Jack smiled. "I won't ever leave ya." Granny Smith took this scene as a sign to stop yellin' at the doctors and start comfortin' Apple Jack. Granny Smith approached Apple Jack and her new family member, pullin' them into a group hug.
Nurse Red Heart entered the room as Granny asked one of the attending physicians if Pear Butter had given the foal a name prior to her passing.
"Yes, she did. Apple Bloom is her name," the physician replied.
Granny Smith nodded with a smile, her heart heavy but filled with love. "It's a beautiful name," she said softly.
About three weeks later: The funeral
Apple Jack and Granny took their new family member home after visiting the hospital, but they were still in mourning for Pear Butter. Big Mac, who had a complete panic attack, was informed.
Nevertheless, when all was said and done, it was time for the funeral; Big Mac, Granny, and even little Apple Bloom prepared to see Pear Butter in the casket; Apple Jack, however, was really reluctant to go, but Granny had forced her to too anyway.
It was now the day of the funeral. It was overcast, and the Apple family only held funerals on the apple farm where the deceased pony had grown up when an Apple died. People came up and gave speeches and other things you would expect at an event like this, and at some point, everyone began talking to one another. Apple Jack stood by a tree off to the side, listening to a conversation going on nearby. She listened because she was the subject of their conversation.
They would say things like, "Did you hear what happened? Apple Jack was there, and I feel so bad for her." and so on.
Apple Jack had had enough of this and walked back to the farm house, hoping to escape it all. Granny would yell at her from far away, "Where are you going, dearie?" You still need to say good bye." Apple Jack would simply continue walking, a tear falling down her cheek, and whisper, "I already did."
It had been an hour since everyone arrived to say their goodbyes, Apple. Jack had been crying in her bed the entire time, unable to sleep, and whenever she got close, she heard her door open, "Apple Jack?" Big Mac would say coming into the room, he would continue to talk when she did not answer.
"Um, I know your sad, but would you like company?"
Apple Jack would give a sniffle, and she would then lift her blanket slightly to allow someone else to join her in bed. With a gentle smile, Big Mac would climb into his sister's bed and give her a tight hug. He would soon feel himself starting to cry, so he would give her a stronger hug. She would then turn to face him in bed and give him a hug in return, and they would cry and eventually fall asleep in each other's arms.
Down stairs, Granny Smith, who had learned how to make family-made baby formula from her mother, would be in the living room feeding Apple Bloom. She would rock her chair back and forth while sitting in contemplation, gazing at Apple Bloom's adorable little face.
However, as she rocked and Apple Bloom gradually dozed off, there was an enormous boom sound outside, causing Apple Bloom to wake up and begin crying. Granny Smith would jump at the sound and yell, "What in the hay!?"
When Granny Smith got up, she would place Apple Bloom in the living room's makeshift bed. When Granny stepped outside onto the porch, her eyes widened and became pin-prick sharp as she gazed up into the sky above the orchard.
Granny Smith would notice the large streak of red in the sky as something fell from the sky into the edge of the everfree forest, which connects to her farm. Granny Smith would whisper, "Not today, godammit!" as she ran to where she saw the thing land with a huge explosion.
As she got closer, she noticed a line where the thing must have skidded on the ground, leaving a massive scar in the earth, After following it for a while, she saw the thing finally. It was a huge, shed-szed metal sphere that was colored black.
"What is this contraption?" Granny would ask, trotting closer to it. As she did, the side of the object would open, revealing a small foal with deep black hair, blood red eyes, and a bage coat.
The small foal would cry as Granny took him out. "What are you doing inside that thing?"
"Are you okay? You fell from the sky. How is that possible?" She sat in thought and finally decided on something: "I am going to take care of you because I do not think you are from here. I will take care of him, thank you whoever sent this; it is like you are a gift from the stars, a gift for us in this difficult time."
She would smile down at the foal and name him Berry Bramble.
End chapter one.
Author's Note
Hi again, its me, Time for a new chapter. That is all from me, but I will update and edit this over time just to let you know. good bye for now.
sorry if the ending got a little rushed.
(Don't worry the next couple chapters will be very very interesting.)
