The Nightmare Before Hearth's Warming Eve

And suddenly, she was back in the present. The war room rattled. Someone was shouting something. Then she sensed a new presence: there was another guard in the room. He looked panicked. Everyghoul looked panicked, including her mentor, who usually seemed care-free.

Then, she finally realized what people were saying.

"Flying machines?! What?!"

"Yes!” the guard shouted, standing by the elevator. “Massive winged beasts with propellers. They're dropping canisters of some sort of chemical agent on the city. And there's elves parachuting out of some of em', too!"

"E-Elves?" Flutterfright squeaked.

"You heard me, miss,” the guard growled. “They've got infantry swarming the streets. I never thought I'd see cookie-cutters act so viciously!"

Nightmare Moon gave a gasp. She turned to Dr. Whoovenstein.

"Y-You weren't lying about technological superiority."

Dr. Whoovenstein shook his head, gulping. "I really hate when I'm right."

And then, to make matters worse, a hologram appeared on the table. There stood a ghoul who looked much like Horsey Link. However, he appeared much gruffer, much more sinister, and to be frank: much more badass. A black tunic replaced the green, and red, glowing eyes replaced his normal eyes.

General Dark Link.

"Princess Nightmare Moon. We have a problem," he growled.

"When it rains it friggin' pours," she sighed. "What's next to the crap pile, General?"

Link did not wait to let it sink in.

"We're being hit hard by the enemy in the west," he stated, his voice remaining strangely calm. "The mountainous terrain is slowing down their Striders, but they seem be able combat guerrilla tactics effectively none-the-less."

"Striders?" Rainbow Death said, raising an eyebrow.

Dark Link nodded. "Yes. Striders. It's what we're calling those damned tripods they're using. It's like something out of that novel, 'The War of the Worlds.' Probably where they got the inspiration. Frightful, really. I can't say I can't appreciate that. But unfortunately, they're resistant to most what we've hit them with: only magic seems to be effective. Cannons are useless. And that's not all they have. Fifteen minutes ago we spotted a number of strange flying machines heading your way."

"Yeah, they just hit us," Nightmare Moon grunted.

"Damn… what are your orders, then?"

Nightmare took a deep breath. She glanced away from him in thought. Twilight could practically see the gears turning in her head.

Finally, she turned back towards him.

"Alright...  here’s the plan: do what you can to stall them. But get out of there if things seem too rough. Head north and group with Shadowed Armor, and then push south in a counter-offensive if he deems that advisable."

General Link gave a slight smile. "Understood. We'll do as much damage as we can. General Dark Link: out."

A stern salute came to him, and a second later, the hologram flickered off.

Nightmare took a deep breath. Twilight could see little trickles of sweat forming on her brow.

"Alright... alright time to put the plan in motion. The enemy is advancing much quicker than we thought they would..."

She turned to Twilight.

"You need to head to Terrorsville, snag Frostmourne, and wake Spike. You'll need him to open portals to the other realms. Hopefully, he'll be able to protect you before you reach the Temple of the Doors." She swallowed hard once again. "I-I hope Darksong is alright."

She then shook her head, as if throwing off the thought.

"You got it princess! We'll get the job done, don't worry!'" Rainbow grinned confidently.

The rest of Twilight’s friends didn't seem to mimic her bravado.

The bunker shook again. Flutterfright gave a squeak.

Then Twilight noticed it. A look in the princesses' eye. She knew what she wanted others to do, but didn't know what she wanted to do herself.

The Princesses horn began to glow. Appearing before her was two of the light-sucking Elements of Fear. Said light-sucking abilities seemed to be dampened somewhat, however, as the light remained relatively normal in the room.

"Here's the two Elements I have," she said. "Grab em,' Twilight."

"Right!" Twilight nodded, before levitating them into her travelling bag.

She turned to Slendermare. "Slendermare, you know what to do. Get the other Element from Null Space any way you can. Hopefully Cthulhu will be cool. Hell, if you can, see if he's willing to send reinforcements." She then gave a wide smirk. "He owes me a favor for not telling all the Eldritch Abominations that he's secretly a huge sissy."

Slendermare simply gave a nod.

"And I'll see what new tech I can whip up," Dr. Whoovenstein nodded, before turning towards Twilight. "Speaking of which. I have the TERRODIS parked nearby. If you'll allow, it should make an easy trip to Terrorsville."

"Heh, I'm really glad you came, Dr. Whoovenstein," Twilight smiled.

"We really need to come up with more original names for stuff, though," Rainbow Death muttered to herself. Twilight shot her a smirk.

The bunker shook again. Nightmare Moon nodded towards the elevator. "It won't be able to support all of you. Everyone but Twilight, Bloodfang, and Moonwalker, get moving. The palace should be secure for now unless those elves really are tough, am I right?"

She looked towards the random guard, who nodded in confirmation. "The palace is holding steady, ma'm."

"And just to be clear. Once you have the Elements, we'll all meet up on the far side of Bald Mountain in one week. Or two weeks, if you don't make it back in time. Alright?"

"Gotcha," Rainbow Death said, nodding.

"Alright, let's get goin' then!" Applemoon called, leading the way to the elevator shaft. Everybody except those Nightmare mentioned followed.

"Twilight... I'll uh..." Rainbow Death started, before giving a reassuring smile. "I'll see you above, alright?"

"See you there," Twilight nodded, returning the smile.

She entered the elevator with the rest, and an instant later, they were gone.

Nightmare Moon paused. She opened her mouth. But she looked as if though she did not know what to say.

"Twilight... I uh... I know me telling you... about the Elements... must have brought back some memories…"

She paused. Twilight knew what was coming… it had been for a long time. She supposed Nightmare may have thought this was the last chance for it.

The moon princess' eyes actually began to water. Bloodfang and Moonwalker looked baffled. "And I... I really... I really need to know..."

Twilight gulped. She knew what she was going to say.

"It's alright, my teacher..."

"No it's not alright!" she cried, glancing away from her. Tears were now falling from her eyes. "By all rights, you should hate me! I knew what I was sending you up against... I played the damned chess master, acting like you were a pawn when you were much more to that than me! And it bit me in the ass!"

Twilight quickly shook her head. "Nightmare... I knew before you told me that it wasn't a coincidence the Elements and a book of information about them was there, waiting for me. I knew you sent me there for another reason besides playing leader."

"S-So you've always hated me then," she whimpered, wiping away a few tears. She then began to pace about. "I-I'm such a selfish bitch! A huge, bucking selfish bitch who-"

"You're anything but selfish!" Bloodfang growled.

"Yes I am! I am! On so many levels! I should have stayed how I was. Keeping people distant: viewing them as assets and liabilities! And you, Twilight... were my biggest asset!"

"But that's not how you viewed me as..." Twilight gulped.

"No, it's not! But it's how I should have! Right around the time you became my student, I started... feeling again. Feeling emotion. I couldn't hold it back anymore. So I played God and brought you back! I let my emotions take control of me! It was stupid! Bucking stupid! I should have stayed the cold, calculating bitch I was. I ruined you by becoming a mixed bag!"

And she practically quaked as she roared, "How do you not hate me?.!.?.!"

The bunker rocked again. A scream came above. Nightmare stood there, motionless. The pendulum froze in time.

And then...

Twilight stepped closer, smiling warmly, before nuzzling her mentor.

"Because, you..." she said softly. ”Despite what you think you need to be, are in the end, only flesh and blood."

She stopped nuzzling her. She took a step back. Nightmare Moon continued to weep.

"A-And I've never hated, you," Twilight said, tears now beginning to form around her own, white pools for eyes. "S-Sure, I've been angry with you at times, but I never hated you. Remember that conversation had a long time ago, that joke you made..."

Nightmare Moon nodded. Tears continued to fall.

"Someday Twilight... when you're gone... and passed beyond the great blue seas... well... I don't know what kind of postal system they have there... but could you do a favor and give a shout to… someone who will always be left behind?"

Twilight closed her eyes.

"Well, I suppose I should finally tell you. Heaven was... beautiful," she whispered. And Nightmare looked like she was about to bawl again. "-But it was also... fake," Twilight quickly continued.

Nightmare squinted her eyebrows.

Twilight gave a grim chuckle. "The Spike I could conjure there... he was 'real' enough, but he wasn't my Spike. I could make anyone I pleased, I could live any moment but... it wasn't real. I knew it in my heart."

She paused. She gave another gulp.

"And... I was able to see things while I was there. Explore the universes that came before. I saw things... nobody should ever be allowed to see... even in death. Yet that treasure-trove of knowledge was right there before me. I couldn't resist." She took a deep breath. "I was happy there, though, and when you brought me back... well, I thought I had lost that happiness for a time. But I've learned to live with the new me. And I've got help."

Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around her mentor in a tight hug.

"You... are a great leader. And you are more than you think you are," she said, smiling. "You're just as good as Princess Celestia, and you are nothing like what her sister turned into."

Nightmare's swallowed hard, shaking.

"D-Do you mean it?" she whispered.

"Of course..."

She raised an eyebrow.

"But do you believe me?"

Nightmare paused. Time froze once again.

And suddenly, her eyes widened, as if she had just realized something. A smile began forming on her face.

"Yes, and you know why?" she said confidently.

Twilight smiled once again. "Why's that?"

"Because I am going to prove it to myself!" Nightmare said proudly. "Princess Woona... I saw her captured before my very eyes... by god it was… something I never want to see again. I saw it in her face… true terror. And true terror… isn’t the purpose of us, Twilight.”

She paused, before continuing with,

“S-she was much like my Princess Luna must have been like when she was banished... tired, confused, and horrified. All because of what... happened to her. Because of what I did-"

"It wasn't you!" Twilight shouted. "It. Was not. You!"

"Yes it was!” Nightmare growled. “Like it or not, we are by nature exactly like our counterparts," she shivered. "I started out just like the real Nightmare Moon... but I... I-I changed. B-But I'm just not sure how much..." Her eyes then narrowed. "But I'm going to prove to myself, once and for all, we are more than nature's roll of the dice! I'm going to rescue Princess Woona myself!"

Twilight's eyes widened in horror. Her mentor was not thinking sensibly. And that was to say the least.

"Nightmare... are you sure about this?! Your people need you-"

"This is a military situation, Twilight,” she stated. “They'll be looking towards Shadowed Armor, not me."

"No! They'll be looking towards you!" Twilight gasped. "If you were to abandon them at a time like this- " She frantically shook her head. "My teacher... you're not thinking sensibly. You can't-"

"I can! And I will!" Nightmare growled. "I have to do this... I have to prove it to myself!" She turned towards Bloodfang and Moonwalker. "Come on you two, I want you at my side the whole way. Let's do this! Gather around me!"

Moonwalker and Bloodfang looked wary, but none-the-less they complied. They trotted to her side.

"NIGHTMARE! NO! You don't need to prove anything!" Twilight cried. "Please! Don't do this!"

"Once I rescue Princess Woona, then I'll come right back!" Nightmare said, an insane grin coming upon her. "I'll rally resistance! We'll hold 'Harmony' or whatever the hell it is at bay until you return! And while I'm in Princess Woona's realm, I'll try to grab the Element that's there!"

"You have to rally resistance now! Leaving might make it look like you fled! Like you're a coward!"

Nightmare looked taken aback. Betrayed, even.

"Are you calling me a coward?!" she snarled.

"No! I'm not!" Twilight said, frantically shaking her head again."But that's what it might look like! It'll shatter morale! Please, listen to me-"

It was too late, however. A second later, an angry, vicious looking Nightmare teleported away in a blink of blue light.

"NO!" Twilight screamed, galloping to the spot where she had vanished. She shuddered. She shook her head in disbelief.

And for a brief second, she wondered if that was what the real 'Nightmare' looked like when she battled her counterpart.

Then, she plopped to her flank in the empty war room. The war map was lit up with red dots now. The enemy, it seemed. They advanced from the west and the east, and were gradually gaining ground in the south. Only in the north were they held at bay.

"Shadowed..." she whispered, actually chuckling. "Ever the perfect soldier..."

She then took a deep breath. She gathered her thoughts. She had to put this instant in the back of her mind for now…

And so she nodded. And her nerve swelled in her chest. She clung to it as tight as she could.

"Nightmare will be alright..." she told herself. "She will be. She's an alicorn... She'll be back before I know it. And in the meantime, I have a job to do."

Her eyes narrowing in determination, she made her way to the elevator. The 'doom song' was playing again, fittingly so, as it rose to the surface.

And then... the door swung open.

Her eyes widened. From out the palace gates she saw a sight of chaos. Explosions were rocking the dead city. High in the air, she saw them: the dark silhouettes of the predators of the sky. The flying machines from the world beyond, looking like massive, black hawks. She saw beams of light ripping to and from them. Likely spells of some sort. Guards were scrambling about. Orders were being shouted.

"Come on! We need to block them at Fifth Street! Do not let the enemy into the palace!"

"The bombers are likely just a distraction! Don't waste any effort on them! We can't let their infantry gain a foothold!"

"You there! Set that gatling gun up on the second floor! Get a good crossfire on the courtyard! I want it ready in ten minutes. Understood?"

"Yes sir!"

"Twilight!" Rainbow's voice called, snapping her to. "Come on, our ride's just a block away! We gotta go!"

"Yes, we must maintain diligence," Dr. Whoovenstein nodded. "Come, follow me!"

And they made their way out of the gates. Now, Twilight had an even better view of everything going on. The sky was a terrible sight. The 'bombers' were flying high in deadly formations, along with other aircraft. She saw parachutes falling every which way supporting darkened figures with white, glowing eyes.

"W-What did Nightmare want to talk about with ya, Twi?" Applemoon asked. "P-Please tell me she has a good plan...  about how to-"

She didn't finish.

Twilight was drawn back to the moment. She glanced away from her.

All that escaped her lips was a simple, "Nothing."

"That don't sound like-"

"Just leave it be, please!" Twilight growled.

"Hey, no need to get uppidity!” she huffed, but to Twilight’s thankfulness, she left the topic alone.

They continued trotting. They passed through the courtyard of the palace and out the blackened gates belonging to the massive fence that surrounded it. They were in the streets now. A group of ghouls ran perpendicular by them, looking panicked, and Twilight soon saw what they were running from.

"We are Harmony. Cease all resistance and prepare to be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

A column of enemy soldiers approached them. Flutterfright gave a nervous gasp. Rainbow and Applemoon growled, entering a combat pose.

"Bring it on!" Rainbow Death called towards them. "There's still one ghoul in this city still kickin'!"

The group of soldiers continued to approach. And finally, Twilight managed to get a good look of them. They were unmistakably Elven, if twisted abominations of them. They no longer sported any sort of green tunics, with pointy little hats above two, elongated ears (long for a pony, at least). Instead, they had gray soldier’s outfits on them. Their eyes were glowing a hot white, much like her own. And their teeth seemed to have taken a sharpened quality to them now.

They all seemed to be glancing hungrily at Rainbow Death, as if she were the tastiest meal in the world.

"Rainbow Death. Lay down your scythe and prepare to be assimilated. We will add your distinct quality to your own. We will become the master of death. This is your only warning," they chimed in unison.

"Not happening!" Rainbow growled defiantly. "And either way, there's no such thing as the master of death! I am only an escort!"

"Irrelevant. You hold more strings than you let lip."

Suddenly, they raised a number of bows, and drew from quivers hanging off them a multitude of strange, almost shadow-like arrows. They then rose to their hind-legs, and as one, they fired.

"EEEEEP!" Flutterfright cried.

"Oh crap," Rainbow gulped.

"Hang on!" Twilight growled. A bubble shield formed around the group. However, it soon turned out the arrows were not aimed at them. They struck the ground before the shield, and almost immediately disintegrated. Rising from where they struck came a black smoke. Luckily, it didn't seem to be able to penetrate her shield.

"Good thinking, dear," Whoovenstein nodded, an impressed look upon him. "But whatever you bloody do, do not inhale any of that smoke! There's a link between that and how they infect people with... Harmony, from what it seems."

"Okie-dokie-lokie!" Pinkie bounced, as if oblivious to the carnage around her. Though perhaps she enjoyed it.

"You got it, Doc," Applemon nodded. "I just hope-"

Before she finished, however, a bomb fell from above. For a split-second Twilight saw it actually seemed to be a canister of some sort. A massive blast of light cascaded across the shield as it detonated. Twilight heard a scream. Her concentration was broken. Her defenses fell.

And the soldiers advanced.