Chaos + Night Sounds Just Right

A few days had gone by since Fluttershy had been hospitalized.

Luna was back in the hospital, pacing nervously. The news had spread quick and she had overheard her guards talking about it. She had been denied entry to the room where the young filly lay and she was furious about it, but held her tongue. She had left Discord in charge of the palace as Shining Armor and Princess Cadance were away because the younger Princess was pregnant.

Luna had no idea who the filly was. She knew that there had been a terrible accident and she had followed the shapes of Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie. The form was hidden in a bundle of sheets, but a limp hoof tipped red was hanging out. Luna had entered the hospital just as the form was whisked inside a room.

Now she paced, watching the door as Doctors and Nurses burst in and out, some splattered with red and others with wide and horrified eyes. Luna tried peeking in the window but all she could see was a limp form splattered with blood and a heart monitor. Luna growled and faced Doctor Stable. "Let me in!" She snapped.

Stable shook his head. "No. She's very injured and weak and we're going into an operation." He said. He backed up when Luna thrust her face into his. "Well I'll sit watching because if it's one of my friends and they die in there without me, you will wish you'd let me in." She snarled. Stable hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, but don't speak to the Operators and keep quiet. One mistake and this pony will lose her life." He ordered.

Luna followed him inside the dark room. Her hooves clopped on the ground and she sat down. The pony was hidden underneath her hospital gown, which looked like it was much too big for her. Luna looked closer, looking for any signs of a rainbow mane or blue wings. Rainbow Dash wasn't with them, I hope it isn't her in that gown. But no, this filly had no wings, no blue and no rainbow. She could make out a red-tipped pearly white hoof.

A cry came from the table. "Shhh. It's ok little one." Nurse Redheart whispered, petting the young filly with a hoof. Luna leaned forwards but was pushed back by Doctor Stable. "Leave her." He whispered, then turned his back and resumed what he was doing. Luna sat down and looked at the table.

She stayed there for hours while they worked, occasionally pacing. Then, after several hours, she sank to the floor, exhausted. She felt a reassuring hoof on her head and a soft voice came into her ear,

"Sleep Luna. Nopony here will blame you."

With that, Luna slipped into an easy sleep, the tempting blackness enfolding her like Raven wings.

~~~

Luna opened her eyes when a loud wail echoed around the room. She scrambled to her hooves. "What happened?" She demanded, eyes wide and hair raising along her spine. Nurse Redheart had turned away, her eyes filled with tears. "It's too late." Doctor Stabled bowed his head, legs shaking. Nurse Tenderheart wailed again.

Luna crept over and shoved passed Doctor Stable who tried to block her. "Let me see." She snapped. She looked at the young filly, and nearly burst into tears right there. "No... Not her, please not her." She begged, looking at the doctor and nurses. "Please tell me she isn't dead, oh her poor sister!" She burst into tears that time and looked back at the pearly white filly.

Before her eyes was a hideously scarred young filly. Most of the deep gashes were stitched up, some were scabbed over but one gash on her head still dripped with thick red blood.

"She was helping Scootaloo get her cutie mark and she fell off the scooter and down a rocky hill." He explained, looking at the white filly with tears in his eyes.

Her cutie mark, 2 music notes stood out black against her pearl white hair, her pale purple and pink mane was torn and grit dotted it, her green eyes were wide open and empty.

Sweetie Belle was dead.

For the past hour, loud thumping on the door had echoed around the room. Finally, an orange pegasus and a yellow earth pony burst in when the earth pony had bucked the door clear off the hinges.

Apple Bloom looked at Sweetie Belle's body in horror. Her hammer cutie mark was emblazoned on her flank and she wailed. "She can't be dead! She just got 'er cutie mark, she's too young!" She cried, eyes full of tears.

Scootaloo was right behind her friend, a wheel surrounded by purple fire glowed on her flank and she leaned over her friend's body, tears soaking her face. "Sweetie, please don't be dead, please!" She wailed, violet eyes wide with fear and misery. He violet mane drooped and Apple Bloom sank to the floor sobbing.

Luna limped out of the room, ditraught weighed her steps and she let the tears come. She looked up and felt her shoulders droop harder.

Rarity met her. "Sweetie Belle, is she safe?" She shouted. When Luna remained silent, her eyes blazed. "TELL ME!" Luna shook her head. "She didn't make it." Rarity let out a scream and ran in, followed by wails and sobs. Rarity's parents rushed in the door and into the room. Luna couldn't take it anymore. Her horn blazed and she teleported back to the palace and collapsed on her bed crying.

Discord burst into the room. "Luna!" He cried. He flung himself over and hugged her. "Don't tell me..." Luna looked up and nodded. "Sweetie Belle. She got into an accident and now she's dead." She sniffled. Discord hugged her again. "Try and get some sleep, I'll take care of the moon tonight my love." He said, stroking her mane and then walking out.

Luna was exhausted. She crawled into bed and was asleep immediately, tears still dripping from her eyes.

~~~

Luna woke up. It was dark out, the moon high in the sky.

Luna smiled to herself, then cried out in horror when she looked in the mirror. Her teeth were razor sharp and her legs were longer. Her hair was slightly darker and her eyes were narrowed, like Nightmare Moon.

Luna backed away in horror and fell over, shaking. "No... Please don't take me..." She begged. A cloud of purple surrounded her and she crawled under her covers, whimpering and sobbing. She looked back up and saw that her fur was black.

Nightmare Moon watched from the ceiling, a cloud of purple smoke. "Dearest Luna, I will have you. Those ponies couldn't hold me for long." She purred, loud enough for the Princess to hear her. Luna looked up and screamed desperately, fear and sorrow echoed around her room after her painful yell,

"NO!"