My Kind of Town

It seemed hopeless, his jacket didn't have holes for his wings so he couldn't just fly out of the cavern. Lucky for him, he was running fast enough to reach the other side of the canyon. Meeting the rock Blackout pressed his hooves against the wall to slow down. Pulling out his knife, Blackout jabbed it into the wall. The sudden halt almost jerked his hoof off the knife handle. He hung there recovering from the massive adrenaline rush. His heart beat slowed and he tried to find something to grab hold of. Using one hoof to climb the rock and the other using the knife as a pickaxe, Blackout clambered up the wall. Reaching the top Blackout saw the castle, it was crumbly and most of it was missing. The first chamber held a statue with spheres made of rock on it. He procceded up the steps to the next chamber. There sat the dark alicorn.

"Ah, the guest of honor has finally arrived." She sat at the far end on a throne. "And I thought Tia was wrong but here you are. Its a pleasure to finally meet you Colonel."

"How do you-"

"Know who you are? My dear sister would be to blame. She boasted about you, said you'll lead to my downfall." How could she? The last thing she should have done was tell this thing who he was. "Let's see how well you live up to your name." Taking the hint, Blackout ran at the evil creature, only to meet bolts of lightning. The force sent him back to the other end of the room. "What's the matter? Can you not fight? I've been told you were the best." This was not a fight he could win on the ground. Taking a deep breath, Blackout forced his wings to expand under his jacket causing them to practicly burst from his back. Trying again, Blackout spread his wings and launched himself at his enemy. The Nightmare continued to form bolts of lightning but the pegasis was too fast and was already a few feet away from her, his arm drawn back. Blackout threw his hoof at her but before it made contact, she faded into the dark mist. Blackout's punch met the wall behind the Nightmare, cracking it. His hoof bled and a sharp pain was felt throughout his arm, but he ignored it. His attention was set on the moving mist, which formed into the alicorn at the center of the chamber.

Wasting no time, Blackout charged her again, this time drawing his sword. He swung at the dark form only for it to disintegrate again. She formed again behind him. He tried to stab the Nightmare, but it dispersed agian. The battle was an energetic dance between the two dark forms. The purple cloud swirling around the warrior as he swung and stabed. It was hopeless, he couldn't land a hit on her. Blackout flew out of the living fog and re-thought his strategy. The Nightmare reformed in front of him, an evil grin on her face. Blackout took to the skies and used his wing's strength to send him into one direction and then to another at high speeds. Blackout was moving too fast and the Nightmare couldn't keep track of him. Taking the opportunity, he quickly dropped down to the alicorn and brought down his sword on the still tangible Nightmare. His sword stopped, but it didn't meet flesh, instead the blade rested on top of a dark purple bubble that enveloped the Nightmare.

"Fool! Do you think I would fight you without protection?" Before Blackout could react, the Nightmare expanded the magic shield, smashing him into the wall. The Nightmare slowly crept towards him, her mane forming dark spikes. Blackout reached for his waist, grabbing a round metal object, pulling something out of it, and pitched it at the approaching alicorn. The grenade exploded on impact and the force shatterd her shield and pushed her to the ground. "Impossible! What was that?"

"Don't be so surprised. It doesn't take one thousand years for ponies to find something other than sticks for weapons." He drew his rifle, aiming it at the Nightmare. It was over, or so he thought. She disapeared into the shadows, splitting into multiple different spots on the ground. Looking behind him, Blackout saw the shadows conjoin into an enormous jet black form of an alicorn.

"I've had enough of this!" she shouted, "Your dead." She fadded into a cloud and rushed at the pegasis who could do nothing but stare. The dark mass hit him and smashed him into another wall. This was his chance. Drawing his rifle, Blackout aimed at the evil shadow. He pulled the trigger and multiple rounds hit his target. A loud, un-earthly screech echoed through the entire castle. It attacked again, but Blackout was ready now. The Nightmare tried again and agian to hit him but the pegasis was too fast. He would dodge the entity and use the time to shoot the passing body. The dance between the two continued but now it was much more sporatic. Enraged, the Nightmare expanded and formed a dome around Blackout. The dome compressed, crushing the pony inside. The Nightmare grabbed the injured pegasis and foced him into a wall. Helpless, Blackout could do nothing to stop the Nightmare from beating him into the wall. He struggled and managd to reach his belt. He grabbed a pipe and pulled the pin. He tossed at the Nightmare and the object was consumed by the darkness. The Nightmare pulled its arm back again but something was wrong. A bright flash and loud bang made the dark entity begin to deform. It screeched as the intense light expanded and expeled the darkness. The Nightmare fadded away from the light, letting Blackout fall to the floor.

Probably should have thought of that sooner. He picked himself up, he was battered and beaten, but it was over.

"You don't get it do you?" a booming voice said, "Darkness cannot be defeated. Light only casts a shadow." This can't be happening. The Nightmare formed in front of Blackout. She was pissed, really pissed. "I was planning on letting you live to serve me, but now I see that you don't deserve something so merciful." she formed a spike out of the shards of her shattered shield "You will die a failure." She forced the spike into Blackout's abdomen, impaling him and pinning him to the wall. The pain was incredible. It burned and stung, but Blackout looked at her with a smile on his face. "What reason do you have to smile?"

"I didn't fail."

"How? You are almost dead. You didn't kill me."

"You were never supposed to die."

"What?"

"I didn't understand at first but the Princess wanted me to stop you."

"But you didn't!"

"I did, I stopped you from harming the elements. And by the way, they should be making their way here as we speak."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about the six mares in the forest, they are the elements. I just had to stall you and weaken you so they could finish the job. You lost." The Nightmare was furrious, tricked by her sister and now the Elements of Harmony are going to finish her off.

"Fine, but if I go, you will too." Moving the spike, the Nightmare threw Blackout out of a window, it ovelooked a gorge, the fall would be fatal. It didn't matter though, his job was done.

The Nightmare raced to the river, they should be approaching it now. She just needed to stall them, build her energy again.

"That should keep them busy." the Nightmare retreated to the chamber after cutting off that serpent's mustache. As she meditated, she used her magic to keep track of the six mares at the river. Minutes passed as the six elements made their way to the bridge. The rainbow maned one is fixing the bridge. It didn't matter, she could just get her to leave them. Despite her temptation, Rainbow Dash fixed the bridge, forcing the Nightmare to hide again. She'll catch one of the ponies by themselves and destroy her. Messy but necessary. It just so happened that the Princess' favorite student was left by herself. Moving towards the Elements, the Nightmare began to envelop them, bringing the purple unicorn with. She brought them to the throne room, there she would destroy the unicorn and the Elements. It was to her surprise when the small mare charged her, but the Nightmare decided to charge back. If she wants to die, why not oblige her? It came as an even bigger surprise when the unicorn teleported to the Elements, she was going to ignite them. The unicorn was close to igniting the Elements, but the Nightmare wouldn't let it happen. She fadded into a cloud and formed a tornado, scaring the unicorn away before she could form a spark. The Nightmare stomped on the ground, shattering the fragile rocks. She won, she is now the ruler of Equestria, or so she thought. The unicorn was united with her group, and the Elements were still functional. How could this be happening? This didn't happen when Celestia harnesed them. It was over, the Elements have been ignited, and the magic generated expeled the Nightmare. Luna was free, and Blackout's sacrifice did not go in vain.

"Hey you know what this calls for?" the pink pony blurted out, "A par-"

"Wait!" another voice cried out from the window. "I could use a hand here." Blackout was found hanging on a branch. The two pegasis helped him inside, the sight of Blackout's blood almost made the yellow one faint. "Thanks."

"Colonel, are you o.k.?" Celestia asked

"Colonel?" the six elements asked simultainiously.

"Yes, this is Lieutenant Colonel Blackout, I'm sure you've met him before."

"What's up?" the black stallion addresed them, "Say do you got anything for...this?" he pointed to the hole in his stomach.

"Here, let me help." the purple unicorn asked. Her horn glowed and a bright flash apeared where Blackout was standing. The light faded, showing that Blackout had been reduced to a pile of black goo with eyes. "Opps, sorry." she said sheepishly, "I guess I havn't got the healing spells quite figured out yet." The eyes could only glare at her.

"I think I should take this one." Celestia told Twilight. Her horn glowed and another flash of light restored Blackout to his original form.

"Thanks." the rest of the day was filled with appologies from Twilight and Luna. The next day a HUGE celebration was thrown. The entire town had banners hanging from the buildings. Celestia had allowed Twilight to live in the city and offered Blackout to stay at the castle.

"No! I mean I could stay here." he didn't want to be in Canterlot or the Canterlot Palace. It was too uptight and the guards would never stop talking to him on their down time.

"I could arrange for you to be put in a house while your here then." the princess said, probably understanding Blackout's protest. "And maybe you could make some friends here yourself."

"Yeah." he said nervously, looking at the six mares behind him. If they don't get me killed first.