I'm a Nightmare!by Silver Streak1ChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8PrologueChapter 1The last thing I remember from my first life was a flash of light and noise. The world seemed to rip apart around me, and then reform in a strange new way. Then, darkness, all around me. I lay there on the ground, waiting for sight and sound to return to my senses. Once that happened I slowly lifted my head from the ground and looked around me. I was in some sort of castle ruin, It looked familiar, but I couldn't place where I had seen it before. I moved on to trying to stand up after that, and promptly fell flat on my face. I heard a giggle and then saw a golden shod white hoof come into view. “Here, let me help you.” came a voice, as a golden light surrounded me and lifted me to my hooves. It gentle folded my wings to my side and put my purple hair into something resembling sanity. So there's three things that I knew I didn't have: wings, hooves, and purple hair. That was not the end of the shocks I would receive on that day. I slowly looked up to whoever had helped me, and discovered something I never thought I would ever see in reality, Princess Celestia. My brain stopped for a few seconds as it tried to process this new development, and to reassess my sanity. In the end it came up with a wonderful solution. thump I awoke in a small dark room in a very warm bed. It was comfortable, but I wouldn't realize that until later that night as I shot from the bed in fear as all that had occurred invaded my memory. I let out a shout as I sat up, and the door to my room was immediately opened, two guards rushed in. “Are you alright?” the one of them asked, while the other lit the candles that lined the walls. “Yes!” I said, rather quickly. “I just had a nightmare, I think. Please, tell me I'm hallucinating and you are not magical ponies.” They just stared at me. “Okay, new question. Where's the nearest restroom?” The unicorn who had been lighting the candles earlier used his magic to open a door across the room. “We will leave to give you privacy, let us know if you need assistance.” said the one who had spoken to me first. Then, they left, closing the door behind them. I sat in the bed for a minute longer, and then got out. Stumbling over my hooves I made my way into the restroom, and took in my reflection for the first time. Two seconds later I was doubled over in deranged laughter, every time I tried to get up I would catch my reflection again and go into another bout of laughter. That was what the four pony princesses found, Nightmare Moon lying on a bathroom floor laughing at her own misery. Celestia, Twilight, and Cadence just stared at me with looks ranging from amusement to horror. Luna exploded in fury. “YOU LAUGH AS THOUGH THIS IS A JOKE! YOU MISERABLE CREATURE OF HATE AND DARKNESS!” She shouted, as I slowly rose from my position on the floor. One wing raised to block my reflection, while stray giggles still escaped my throat. “Yes.” I managed to get out. “I laugh. I laugh at my own wretched future and the fact that I will never again have friends, anypony who sees me from here on out will fear me. I laugh now, because it will probably be the last time I ever will.” Silence descended upon the group. Luna huffed with rage while I calmly stared back at her, a small smile on my face. “I think now would be a good time to invite you to come down to dinner with us, Nightmare.” said Celestia, stepping between Luna and me. “Of course, but on one condition.” I said, facing her. “WE WILL NOT RELINQUISH THE MOON TO YOU OVER A PLACE AT OUR DINNER TABLE, DEMON!” Came the shout of Luna. “I wish that you do not call me Nightmare. That is not my name and I will never respond to it. I ask instead that you simple call me Shadow.” I said, as I stared purposefully at Luna, who seemed to growl at me. “I think we can do that.” said Celestia, as she glanced back at Twilight and Cadence, both of whom were still staring at me as though I was about to rip their throats out. They nodded on reflex, and Celestia smiled while gentle leading them out. Luna followed her. I gave my reflection one last glance, this time seeing my eyes fill with tears as I imagined my now empty future. I gentle wiped them away and followed after the four princesses. I had no idea what was in store for my new life. Chapter 2We walked through the halls in silence. Twilight and Cadence occasionally glancing back at me, Luna walking ahead, and Celestia walking next to me having fallen back to comfort me. “Now, what do your memories consist of?” asked Celestia as we walked into the dining hall. “My life on Earth.” I answered, a little surprised at the sudden question, as most of the walk from my room to the dining hall was spent in silence. She gave me a reassuring smile, then asked, “So you know nothing about this world?” Here came the awkward part. “Well, not exactly. In my world we have a box that tells us stories. One of those stories is about this world, and follows the bearers of the Elements of Harmony beginning from the defeat of Nightmare Moon.” I explained, realizing how insane it sounded as I said it. “So they let you keep up with the world.” came the voice of Twilight, with more then a little awe. I looked at her as I sat down, my eyebrow cocked in confusion. “First, who is they? Second what do mean by 'keep up with the world?” I asked her, as we sat down at the table. Servants came out almost immediately, and, after they got over the shock of Nightmare Moon sitting at the table, gave us our food and left. “You mean the Prin-er Celestia didn't tell you yet?” asked Twilight, staring up at me, then to her teacher. “I didn't exactly have time to do that Twilight Sparkle. She fainted after seeing me.” said Celestia, with an amused smile. “Could somepony answer my question please? I would really like to know why I'm in Equestria, and why I look like a foals worst nightmare. No pun intended.” I said, the last part coming when Cadence began to giggle. She and Twilight seemed to have gotten over their fear of me rather quickly, as after that statement it took all their concentration to stay in their seats. Luna stared at me as though I had just said I was going to make a bunny bonfire. Celestia wrapped a wing around me and graciously answered my question. “The they we speak of is non other then the Elements themselves. They imprisoned you in a world of their making for two years, in an attempt to reform you. It seems that they have succeeded, by wiping out the memory of your past and giving you an outsiders view of our world.” she explained, and if I hadn't been covered in black fur I would have turned as white as a ghost. “So, a few necklaces and a crown trapped me in a fake world, warped my sense of time, gave me a family, and then ripped it all away from me? Just to bring me back to a world where I am one of the most feared villains, and yet the only memory I have of my past sins is from a six year old's television show!” I jerked a way from Celestia, and glared at all of them. For the first time I noticed how much taller than all the other ponies I was. Only Celestia reached my height, and I was scared. I could feel tears begin to build up in my eyes, but I fought them down. Instead I walked across the hall to one of the guards. “Please take me to my room. I cannot remember the way there, and I am in desperate need of a shower.” If he was surprised by my request he didn't show it. He simply nodded and led me back to my room. As we left the dining hall I could feel four pairs of eyes just staring at me. When I got back to my room, I ungraciously slammed my door in the unfortunate guards face before he could ask if I needed anything else. Then I went into my restroom, started the shower, turned one all the loud noise making things, and collapsed under the stream of water balling my eyes out. Chapter 3“Please come out Shadow.” begged Cadence as she stood outside my bathroom door. I simply sat in the tub and stared into the puddle at my hooves, occupying myself in trying to figure out whether it consisted mostly of my tears or bath water. “Shadow, at least come out and eat something. You don’t even have to leave the room, or speak to me. Just, come out of the bathroom and eat.” I sighed, and knowing she was right got out of the bath tub. The water had dried off of me long ago so there was no need for a towel. I walked up to the door, got ready to open it, then stopped. I realized then that I had no idea how to use magic, or hooves, so I couldn’t open the door. “Um, Cadence.” I said, a little hesitantly. “Yes?” she replied, not trying to hide the note of happiness in her voice. “I can’t open the door.” I told her, a little embarrassed. “Why?” she asked me. My ears fell back as I got ready to tell her. “I, um, don’t know how to do magic.” I winced a little at that statement, then lost most of my hearing was lost when another voice joined in. “WHAT!” the door was wrenched open by a purple aura of magic and the youngest of the princesses stood in front of me, stunned. “Y-you don’t know how to use magic!” she said, almost shaking. “No. Is that a bad thing?” I asked Twilight. “Of course it’s a bad thing!” she said. “You’re an alicorn, if you don’t know how to use magic, it could... tear apart the universe!” She had begun shaking Cadence in her terror. “Twilight, calm down. An alicorn not knowing magic will not tear apart the universe.” Cadence said, while grabbing hold of Twilight and holding her down. As she was calming Twilight down I edged around them to my bedside table, where Cadence had left my salad from earlier. I sat in front of the table and got ready to eat with just my mouth, bending over to bury my muzzle into the leaves. A purple shield popped into existence between me and my current source of happiness. “Okay, time for your first magic lesson.” said Twilight, whose eyes had returned to something resembling normal. She was carrying a fork in her magic. “Excuse me, what?” I asked, as I wearily watched her walk up to me. She simply smiled up at me and placed the fork on the table next to us. “I told her she could teach you magic to calm her down.” said Cadence, covering a grin with her hoof. “Should I be scared?” I asked, edging away from the small purple pony with questionable sanity. “No, I’ve been to a psychiatrist on request of my friends and family. He deemed my stable enough to live amongst others.” Twilight said with a small smile on her face, and a small twitch in her eye. Cadence gave me a pleading look, as though begging me to go along with it. Seeing as I didn’t feel like dying that day I heeded her unspoken advice. “Right then.” I said, grinning down at Twilight. “Let’s get started.” my fake enthusiasm seemed to calm her down, or I think it did because the twitch in her eye disappeared. “Remember, reach out with your will, and control the amount.” said Twilight, as I stared at my fortieth fork of the night. The mangled remains of the other thirty-nine were scattered about the room. The new one was being held in my quivering telekinesis. I slowly lowered it too my woefully wilted salad, and pushed it into a leaf. Lifting it I directed it toward my mouth, I bit down. Twilight and Cadene seemed to think that I was about to split my head in two because I was smiling so much. I had done it, after forty tries I had succeeded in levitation. I didn’t care about how pathetic that might have been, all I knew was that forty was my new favorite number. “Well, you seem happy.” said Cadence, as she smiled the same motherly smile as Celestia. “Well, didn't you feel awesome the first time you levitated something?” I asked her, almost hopping in place as I did. “You look like an overgrown filly.” said Twilight, as she gathered up the other forks from the floor teleporting them somewhere, probably the trash. “You weren't nearly this excited when we started.” “If I’m gonna be stuck like this for the rest of my life I might as well find something to be happy about.” I said, giving a small shrug and then yawning. “Wow, learning magic is tiring.” I looked at the others as they yawned as well. “It is pretty late. I should really get going, Shining might get worried.” said Cadence. She stood and bid Twilight and I farewell, flying out my balcony and into the night. “Cadence is right. Spike will start writing letters to the Princess if I’m late. Bye Shadow, I’ll see you in the morning.” Twilight waved to me as she walked out of my room and closed the door behind her. I stared from the window to the door and back again. “Well, that was sudden.” I commented to the empty air. I sighed and looked around my room, and spied the bed which seemed to be beckoning to me from it’s warm blankets and soft fluffiness. Who was I to say no to such an offer. I put out the candles and crawled under the blankets, pulling them all the way up to my eyes. It wasn't long before I was fast asleep. A sound from my balcony woke me up that night. I sat up in my bed and glanced around, a huge yawn erupting from my mouth. I spotted a small piece of paper on my balcony, which was odd. I reluctantly got out of the bed and made my way over to the paper. There was some writing on it, so I picked it up with my rather weak magic to read it. It said this. Do not worry your Highness. We will free you from the Tyrants so you may reclaim your rightful place as Queen! Your Humble Servant, Night Wing. “This isn't good.” I said in despair. Chapter 4I couldn’t go back to sleep after that. The icy feeling of dread that seemed to trickle through my veins wouldn’t let me. I was just too focused on thinking of how to break the news to the others without Luna breaking my neck. I was sure she would find a way to twist the situation around in her head to make herself believe that I was threatening them instead of warning them. These thoughts then gave rise to even more slightly disturbing ones. Could I actually be killed? As far as I knew alicorns were immortal, but I didn’t know if they were indestructible. Somehow that scared me. Also, if I was able to be killed, then they could be killed. If news of my death reached this secret cult, then what’s to stop them from killing the others? My mind went through this and other completely insane scenarios as I stood out there on the balcony. The offending piece of paper held in place by my hoof as I stared off into the distance. So, it was with a frazzled mind and half closed eyes that I entered the dining hall that morning. Luna and Celestia were already at the table when I walked in. I got a small smile from Celestia as she sipped her tea, and Luna pointedly ignored me. I sat as far away from either of them as possible. Almost immediately a servant rushed out with a pot of coffee. She poured me a cup and left just as quickly as she came. I grabbed the mug with my hooves and chugged the whole thing, not caring that it was still scalding hot as it slid down my throat. Though, I did grab the pitcher of water from the other end of the table and chugged that as well. I sucked some of the water down my windpipe and began to cough violently This action served to get Celestia looking at me with worry in her eyes, Luna just became even more obvious in her attempt to ignore me as she started humming something that sounded like a battle march. “Shadow, are you alright?” asked Celestia. Setting down her teacup, she made to get up and come to my aid. I lifted my wing as a sign to keep her away, my mind was still racing with how I should tell them about the note. None of my ideas seemed appropriate. Celestia kept glancing at me worriedly throughout the meal. I finally finished the omelet that had been brought to me, and had also figured out exactly what I needed to say, to Celestia. Unfortunately Shining Armour walked the moment I began to open my mouth. “Princess Celestia,” he said. “I have those recruits you were asking for.” “Thank you, Shining Armour.” she said to him. Looking at me and Luna she said, “If you two will excuse me, I have some future guards to welcome.” She stood up from the table and left the dining hall with Shining Armour, leaving Luna and I in the room, alone. For the next five minutes all I heard was the frantic beating of my heart. Surprisingly it was Luna who broke the awkward silence. “You seem very different.” She said, still looking at her rather small meal. I almost choked on my tea. After swallowing it past the sudden lump of fear in my throat I looked at her and asked, “W-what do you mean?” Yes, I was truly a master of fear. “You do not have that confidence you had last night.” She replied, looking straight into my eyes. “I was still in shock then. Right now, well, I am quickly realizing what this means for me. I feel so alone right now. I know the other princesses are trying to help, but I’m not sure that they truly understand what I’m going through.” I looked up from the table, and found myself looking into the stunned face of Princess Luna. “You are-” I didn’t get to hear the end of that sentence, because at that moment an enormous explosion was heard from the front gates. Right where Celestia was with the new recruits. Luna’s eyes grew wide for just a moment, and then she teleported, leaving me alone in the dining hall. I bolted out of there soon after. I moved as fast as I could through the halls in a desperate attempt to get to the entrance, the only problem was that I had no idea where it was. Luckily I found a group of guards going there as well and followed after them. I might not have known how to fight with magic, but I could definitely kick and bite. That did no good though, for by the time I reached the entrance the fight was already over. Nopony was dead, but there were plenty who were terrible wounded. Luna rushed around frantically shifting through the debris looking for something, while Cadence helped Shining Armour tend to the wounded. I simply stood there for a few moments, trying to take in what I was seeing.Luna finally noticed I was there and rushed towards me. “Please, tell me that you’ve seen them!” She said, looking frantic and desperate at the same time. “Seen who?” I asked, as I slowly pushed her back from me. “My sister, and Twilight!” She almost shouted, as she went back to looking through the rubble. “No, I haven’t-” I started to reply, when a raspy voice at my hooves cut me off. “M-my Queen.” came the voice. “I’m sorry, but we failed.” said a small colt, by the looks of him he was barely an adult. Luna simply stared, hatred burning in her eyes. “Um, w-what do you mean?” I asked, staring down at him and the amount of blood that covered him. “We c-could only capture two of them. T-the other two, are too strong. P-please, defeat them.” The look of wonder and hope in his eyes was absolutely staggering, but so was my fear. He continued to speak, talking about how unworthy he was for failing me, and how I should kill him on the spot. All I could do was stare, and be stared at. The whole world had been put on pause for those eternal minutes, then a guard came to pry the colt off of me and take him to the infirmary. The room was silent for a few more seconds. “WHAT!” Funny thing about the Royal voice, it is very good a breaking silence Chapter 5“YOU DEMON! YOU BROUGHT THESE EVIL DOERS UPON US! YOU SUPPORT THEM! I TOLD CELESTIA NOT TO LET YOU LIVE, BUT SHE DID NOT LISTEN, AND NOW YOU HAVE BROUGHT RUIN TO OUR NATION! NO, TO OUR WORLD! AND NOW MY SISTER AND FRIEND ARE GONE! WHERE ARE THEY? TELL ME NOW!” With each word Luna stepped closer towards me, backing me into a wall. Even though I was taller than her, I still felt as though she was grinding me beneath her hoof. I wanted nothing more than to melt into the wall against my back. To disappear from the world completely, and hopefully find myself in my old world. I wanted to find that this was all a terrible dream, and that I can continue to live my life as a normal human girl. My torture didn’t end like that though. “Auntie!” came a quiet, yet commanding voice. Cadence walked up next to me and sat down, glaring into Luna’s eyes. Luna glared back. “I think you should attend to the wounded. I will speak with Shadow.” Luna stared at her with shock and anger warring upon her face, until she said, “What gives you that authority, Niece?” “The fact that you will rip her to shreds if left alone. I need more evidence before I begin to accuse her of something she may not have had any idea about.” replied Cadence, keeping her face calm but her eyes hard. Luna stood her ground for a moment longer before snorting and walking away. “Shadow,” Cadence didn’t even turn to look at me, “Please come with me.” She stood and walked away, I went along right behind her not wanting to risk another bout of the Royal Canterlot Voice. “What do you know, Shadow?” she asked, turning around to glare at me. Somehow that was worse than getting yelled at by Luna. I quickly looked down at my hooves and took a quivering breath. “Not much.” I replied. “They contacted me last night though. Left a note on my balcony. I was going to tell Princess Celestia, but she left before I could.” I sniffed as I tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to slide down my face. “It’s all my fault really, I should have tried harder. I-I was just afraid. A-afraid of what would h-happen t-to all of y-you.” I couldn’t help it, I broke down right there. The recent events had caught up to me and weighed themselves down on my chest, squeezing out air and tears alike. I don’t know how long I sat there like that, but at some point Cadence wrapped her hooves around me and began to comfort me. She whispered that everything was going to be all right, that it wasn’t my fault, and such things as that. I finally slowed down, though I had developed a small case of the hiccups. “Shadow, I have one more question for you.” Cadence said softly, sitting by me while I sat there in the hall. “Yes?” I asked her, waiting to hear the question. “Where is the note they left you?” she asked, giving me a soft look. “On my bedside table, next to the plate from last night.” I replied. “Thank you. While I go to look for it, why don’t you go to the infirmary and try to relax a little.” She called up one of the guards and asked him to escort me to the infirmary. The infirmary was actually quite large, more like a medical wing in a hospital than a nurses office. I stared at the white wall of my room, simply trying to keep myself from thinking. I had been like that for nearly two hours, when a guard came into the room and requested my assistance with something. We walked down the hall in silence, until my curiosity overcame it. “So, where are you taking me again?” I asked, looking down at the guard. “We are having some problems interrogating the cult members. We thought that since they seem to worship you that it would be easier to gain information from them if you interrogated them.” He replied. I paused for a moment due to the shock, then shook myself out of it and resumed walking. “You honestly think this is a good idea?” I asked, trying to remove images of my self terrorising the ponies who had brought the chaos that seemed to inhabit the castle (besides the chaos that was already there due to Discord). “Yes.” was his simple answer, and we went on in silence. The area where they were keeping the cult was literally crawling with guards, there was at least three by every door. The room where I was to do the interrogating had, by my count, nearly twenty stallions with spears standing by it. One half faced the door and the other faced the hall, both groups seemed ready to fight at a moments notice. Right behind that door was the supposed leader of the attack, and I was about to go in there and basically scare information out of him. As I walked passed the guards I was once again aware of how much smaller they were compared to me. I took a deep breath, opened the door, and stepped through. The room was small and bright, with a small table in the middle and a mare sitting at it. She was breathing deeply with her visible eye closed, the other was covered by a bandage. She sat like that a moment longer, and then she spoke. “You and your sun scum can torture me all you want, I will not reveal our plans to you.” Her voice was drenched in venom, but her face remained calm and her eye remained closed. I wasn’t surprised by what she said, though if she had seen who was in the room with her she would probably have been more respectful. So I decided to have some fun with her. “For a pony who seems to worship my every move, you are not very nice.” I said, smirking a little. She opened her eye quizzically, then seemed to jolt as though she had been shocked. Falling from her chair she assumed a deep bow. “M-my Queen! I apologize, I did not know whom I was speaking to. She stammered, visibly shaking. I winced a little inside at the sight, but I need information and the way she was acting would let me access it very easily. “Stop your shaking and stand, foal.” I said, trying to sound like the Nightmare Moon from the show. She immediately sprang up from the floor, but kept her head down in respect and fear. “Now tell me, servant. What is the name of your group? The one that was able to remove Celestia and bring me one step closer to my rightful throne.” I felt bad to be speaking like this about the Princess, but I had to keep up appearances. “We call ourselves Night Wing your highness, we hope to spread your shroud of night over all the land.” She replied. That explained the note from last night at least. “Good.” I allowed myself a small smile. “And what is your name?” I asked her. She gasped a little, as though she didn’t expect that I would ask her name. "N-Night Song, your Majesty.” and true to pony nature, her cutie mark matched her name. A black crescent moon made up of small musical notes that sat against her white coat, and matching in color to her black mane and tail. “Remind me to thank you later, Night Song.I have one more question for you.” I said, coming to the end of the questions I was told to ask her. “Ask anything of me, your Majesty.” “Where are the two that you kidnapped?” She visibly deflated when I asked the question sinking to the floor and shaking. “T-they didn’t tell me that. I-I was j-just supposed to lead the a-attack, n-nothing more.” Silence reigned for a few seconds. “Thank you.” I said, then I walked out the door. Chapter 6I suddenly found myself in a dark version of Celestia’s throne room, with only a fire to light my surroundings. Night Song was in it, along with the colt from earlier and other ponies I didn’t recognize. None of them had the injuries from the fight. I was sitting on a black, spike covered throne and they were all bowing to me. Suddenly, Night Song stood. “My Queen! To prove my devotion to you, I will give you a piece of myself!” she proclaimed. Then, taking a knife, she plunged it into her eye and gouged it out. The action was accompanied by her screams of pain, and she didn’t stop with just one eye. She repeated the action with her other eye, and then stood before me with an eager smile on her face as tears of blood ran down it. “Remember, I have done this for you.” she said kneeling to me. “No.” I muttered, my own eyes wide. “My Queen!” Came another voice, it was the young colt. “We have all decided to give you a piece of ourselves.” Then he, and all the ponies behind him did as Night Song had done. “No!” I said louder. They all stood, and as one said. “For you, our Queen!” smiles and blood, all glinting in the light. “NO!” I screamed, falling from my bed in a tangle of legs, wings, and blankets. I was still in the infirmary room, after relating all that Night Song had told me to Shining Armour I had gone back to that room and fallen asleep. The bed in there was a lot smaller than the one in my room, so the fall was more jarring but shorter. I just lay there on the floor and stared at the ceiling. A guard entered to check on me, and when he was sure that everything was fine he left. I stood and walked to the window, and just stared. I wasn’t looking at the scenery, just nothing. My attention was on nothing and nopony, until I noticed Luna in the courtyard. She was shooting bolts of magic at several targets, and nopony would get near her. I felt a wave of anger wash over me as I remembered the way she attacked me. She didn’t even ask me if I knew anything, she just accused me. She just stomped up to me and forced all of her anger and hatred on me. She also looked so scared though, so very scared. That shocked me, the fact that I thought that, but it made me feel better to. It was just more proof, to me, that I was no longer nor would I ever again be Nightmare Moon. A very important decision was made at that moment, and I knew that if I didn’t act on it then I would never get another chance. Immediately I turned around and walked out of the infirmary, in the direction of the courtyard. As I went along I began to go faster. Other ponies, who somehow sensed that something important was about to happen, followed after me. Soon a huge crowd was in my wake as I raced down the corridors and into the courtyard. I didn’t stop until I was standing in front of the targets Luna was using, and then, I just stood there. The shocked expression on Luna’s face was immediately replaced by one of intense hatred. “What do you think you are doing?” she asked, almost rhetorically. “Getting your attention, Princess. That’s what.” I answered, with no less venom than her. “For what? To proclaim your dominance over all of Equestria? To fight me for control?” She gave me a smirk. “As if you could do anything with your pathetic magic. All of the power you used to have, you got from me, and trust me when I say that you will never have it again.” That had, hurt somehow, but I shook it off and pushed onward. “No, you pathetic excuse for a princess, I am not. I am instead trying to tell you something of great importance, so I suggest you listen to me.” I replied. “I would rather spend another thousand years on the moon.” She told me, as she walked away. “Well then, I was going to ask if you wanted to help me find your sister and Princess Twilight, but I guess I’m on my own.” I smiled as she stopped. “What?” She asked. Slowly she turned to face me again. “You wanted me gone, right? Well, I guess you're wish is being granted. I will be leaving, soon, and I will hunt down the ponies who did this and return the two missing Princesses. Then I will fade away and hide myself amongst the mortal ponies. You will never have to see me again, and I'll even change my appearance from time to time so as to keep you from recognizing me.” Well, I wasn’t sure about anypony else, but I could swear you could hear a pin drop. I didn’t wait for a response, I just walked away. The sea of ponies that had formed around us parted to let me through. I stalked through the halls and into the room I had first woke up in when I got to this impossibly infuriating yet wonderfully amazing place. “Please let me in, Shadow.” begged Cadence as she stood outside my bedroom door, simultaneously making me feel bad and giving me an odd sense of deja vu. I sighed as I looked up from my attempts at planning the rescue. “You’re not gonna talk me out of this Princess. I will go on this mission, I will save the others, and then I will leave.” I said through the door. “I know that, but you’re not gonna do it alone.” she replied. “What?” I asked, as I opened the door and then stopped in my tracks. Standing right outside my room was the Princess Cadence remaining bearers of the elements, and Discord. “HI!!!” came a high pitched voice of ultimate happiness. “My name’s Pinkie Pie! What’s your’s? Oh wait, it’s Shadow! Haha, I can’t believe I forgot that, I mean how could I forget that? You’re all that Equestria has been talking about, and I haven’t thrown a party for you yet!” she seemed ready to keep chattering on, but Rarity was kind enough to pull her off my back. “Dear, you must be better with your manners, especially around royalty.” she said, as she gestured to Cadence. “I don’t mind Rarity. Right now is not the time to speak of this though, we need to plan the rescue.” she walked past me into the room. The others followed her in. “Wait, wait, wait.” I said as I got back in front of them. “I don’t remember agreeing to that.” Cadence opened her mouth to respond, but Rainbow Dash beat her to it. “You didn’t have to. I would go after Twilight and the Princess in a heartbeat if given the chance, heck I’ll even do it on my own. For now though, there’s no getting rid of me.” she sat on my bed and crossed her front legs in front of her chest, just to prove her point. “Ah’m with Rainbow on this one.” said Applejack as she walked past me. “Well, I’m with them, and knowing Fluttershy she’s gonna want to go to.” said Discord as he slithered past me with Fluttershy in his claws. I sighed knowing that I wouldn’t be able to stop them at all. I picked the map of Equestria I had been looking at before and set it on the floor. “Alright, since that’s decided, does anypony know where the Princesses might be?” And so the adventure began, sort of. Chapter 7Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Chapter 8Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.PrologueI have lived two lives. One in a world created by the Elements, and one in the world of ponies. Well, actually I have lived three, but I can't remember the first and I have no desire to. I remember living sixteen years in world of ape like creatures called humans. I was honestly pretty average, I never really cared what others thought of me, and I never thought much about those around me. Oh, I cared for them, but the drama they would create for themselves would drive me nuts. My second life has gone on for thousands of years, guided by my older sisters and the Elements. It is my second life that this story tells, and it is my second life that will soon end. I lie here on my death bed, the last of the ponies around me. I feel sad, because I know that after my death they will not last much longer. After my sisters deaths I did what I could to keep the world turning, but this is the end. I am also happy though, I am happy to have seen our little ponies survive for this long, all the way to the end of time itself. They seem so strong here, surrounding me with their concern. I wish I could stay, I wish I could keep this world going for eternity, but everything must end. All must one day crumble into the sands of time, the old must die to make way for the new. Though what comes after this even I do not know. I write this now, for whoever may come next. Hear my story, and don't make our mistakes. Whoever comes after us, if you find remains of our civilizations, know this. It was not as perfect as it may seem. Yes, we had some wonderful eras of plenty, but there were others where we could do nothing more than live day to day without even knowing where our next meal would come from. I created one of those times, along with the help on one of my sisters. From what she told me it was a terrible time, a time of utter darkness. Neither of us are proud of it, and rarely ever talked of it. My name is Princess Nocte, and this is the story of how I escaped the Nightmare.
Chapter 1The last thing I remember from my first life was a flash of light and noise. The world seemed to rip apart around me, and then reform in a strange new way. Then, darkness, all around me. I lay there on the ground, waiting for sight and sound to return to my senses. Once that happened I slowly lifted my head from the ground and looked around me. I was in some sort of castle ruin, It looked familiar, but I couldn't place where I had seen it before. I moved on to trying to stand up after that, and promptly fell flat on my face. I heard a giggle and then saw a golden shod white hoof come into view. “Here, let me help you.” came a voice, as a golden light surrounded me and lifted me to my hooves. It gentle folded my wings to my side and put my purple hair into something resembling sanity. So there's three things that I knew I didn't have: wings, hooves, and purple hair. That was not the end of the shocks I would receive on that day. I slowly looked up to whoever had helped me, and discovered something I never thought I would ever see in reality, Princess Celestia. My brain stopped for a few seconds as it tried to process this new development, and to reassess my sanity. In the end it came up with a wonderful solution. thump I awoke in a small dark room in a very warm bed. It was comfortable, but I wouldn't realize that until later that night as I shot from the bed in fear as all that had occurred invaded my memory. I let out a shout as I sat up, and the door to my room was immediately opened, two guards rushed in. “Are you alright?” the one of them asked, while the other lit the candles that lined the walls. “Yes!” I said, rather quickly. “I just had a nightmare, I think. Please, tell me I'm hallucinating and you are not magical ponies.” They just stared at me. “Okay, new question. Where's the nearest restroom?” The unicorn who had been lighting the candles earlier used his magic to open a door across the room. “We will leave to give you privacy, let us know if you need assistance.” said the one who had spoken to me first. Then, they left, closing the door behind them. I sat in the bed for a minute longer, and then got out. Stumbling over my hooves I made my way into the restroom, and took in my reflection for the first time. Two seconds later I was doubled over in deranged laughter, every time I tried to get up I would catch my reflection again and go into another bout of laughter. That was what the four pony princesses found, Nightmare Moon lying on a bathroom floor laughing at her own misery. Celestia, Twilight, and Cadence just stared at me with looks ranging from amusement to horror. Luna exploded in fury. “YOU LAUGH AS THOUGH THIS IS A JOKE! YOU MISERABLE CREATURE OF HATE AND DARKNESS!” She shouted, as I slowly rose from my position on the floor. One wing raised to block my reflection, while stray giggles still escaped my throat. “Yes.” I managed to get out. “I laugh. I laugh at my own wretched future and the fact that I will never again have friends, anypony who sees me from here on out will fear me. I laugh now, because it will probably be the last time I ever will.” Silence descended upon the group. Luna huffed with rage while I calmly stared back at her, a small smile on my face. “I think now would be a good time to invite you to come down to dinner with us, Nightmare.” said Celestia, stepping between Luna and me. “Of course, but on one condition.” I said, facing her. “WE WILL NOT RELINQUISH THE MOON TO YOU OVER A PLACE AT OUR DINNER TABLE, DEMON!” Came the shout of Luna. “I wish that you do not call me Nightmare. That is not my name and I will never respond to it. I ask instead that you simple call me Shadow.” I said, as I stared purposefully at Luna, who seemed to growl at me. “I think we can do that.” said Celestia, as she glanced back at Twilight and Cadence, both of whom were still staring at me as though I was about to rip their throats out. They nodded on reflex, and Celestia smiled while gentle leading them out. Luna followed her. I gave my reflection one last glance, this time seeing my eyes fill with tears as I imagined my now empty future. I gentle wiped them away and followed after the four princesses. I had no idea what was in store for my new life.
Chapter 2We walked through the halls in silence. Twilight and Cadence occasionally glancing back at me, Luna walking ahead, and Celestia walking next to me having fallen back to comfort me. “Now, what do your memories consist of?” asked Celestia as we walked into the dining hall. “My life on Earth.” I answered, a little surprised at the sudden question, as most of the walk from my room to the dining hall was spent in silence. She gave me a reassuring smile, then asked, “So you know nothing about this world?” Here came the awkward part. “Well, not exactly. In my world we have a box that tells us stories. One of those stories is about this world, and follows the bearers of the Elements of Harmony beginning from the defeat of Nightmare Moon.” I explained, realizing how insane it sounded as I said it. “So they let you keep up with the world.” came the voice of Twilight, with more then a little awe. I looked at her as I sat down, my eyebrow cocked in confusion. “First, who is they? Second what do mean by 'keep up with the world?” I asked her, as we sat down at the table. Servants came out almost immediately, and, after they got over the shock of Nightmare Moon sitting at the table, gave us our food and left. “You mean the Prin-er Celestia didn't tell you yet?” asked Twilight, staring up at me, then to her teacher. “I didn't exactly have time to do that Twilight Sparkle. She fainted after seeing me.” said Celestia, with an amused smile. “Could somepony answer my question please? I would really like to know why I'm in Equestria, and why I look like a foals worst nightmare. No pun intended.” I said, the last part coming when Cadence began to giggle. She and Twilight seemed to have gotten over their fear of me rather quickly, as after that statement it took all their concentration to stay in their seats. Luna stared at me as though I had just said I was going to make a bunny bonfire. Celestia wrapped a wing around me and graciously answered my question. “The they we speak of is non other then the Elements themselves. They imprisoned you in a world of their making for two years, in an attempt to reform you. It seems that they have succeeded, by wiping out the memory of your past and giving you an outsiders view of our world.” she explained, and if I hadn't been covered in black fur I would have turned as white as a ghost. “So, a few necklaces and a crown trapped me in a fake world, warped my sense of time, gave me a family, and then ripped it all away from me? Just to bring me back to a world where I am one of the most feared villains, and yet the only memory I have of my past sins is from a six year old's television show!” I jerked a way from Celestia, and glared at all of them. For the first time I noticed how much taller than all the other ponies I was. Only Celestia reached my height, and I was scared. I could feel tears begin to build up in my eyes, but I fought them down. Instead I walked across the hall to one of the guards. “Please take me to my room. I cannot remember the way there, and I am in desperate need of a shower.” If he was surprised by my request he didn't show it. He simply nodded and led me back to my room. As we left the dining hall I could feel four pairs of eyes just staring at me. When I got back to my room, I ungraciously slammed my door in the unfortunate guards face before he could ask if I needed anything else. Then I went into my restroom, started the shower, turned one all the loud noise making things, and collapsed under the stream of water balling my eyes out.
Chapter 3“Please come out Shadow.” begged Cadence as she stood outside my bathroom door. I simply sat in the tub and stared into the puddle at my hooves, occupying myself in trying to figure out whether it consisted mostly of my tears or bath water. “Shadow, at least come out and eat something. You don’t even have to leave the room, or speak to me. Just, come out of the bathroom and eat.” I sighed, and knowing she was right got out of the bath tub. The water had dried off of me long ago so there was no need for a towel. I walked up to the door, got ready to open it, then stopped. I realized then that I had no idea how to use magic, or hooves, so I couldn’t open the door. “Um, Cadence.” I said, a little hesitantly. “Yes?” she replied, not trying to hide the note of happiness in her voice. “I can’t open the door.” I told her, a little embarrassed. “Why?” she asked me. My ears fell back as I got ready to tell her. “I, um, don’t know how to do magic.” I winced a little at that statement, then lost most of my hearing was lost when another voice joined in. “WHAT!” the door was wrenched open by a purple aura of magic and the youngest of the princesses stood in front of me, stunned. “Y-you don’t know how to use magic!” she said, almost shaking. “No. Is that a bad thing?” I asked Twilight. “Of course it’s a bad thing!” she said. “You’re an alicorn, if you don’t know how to use magic, it could... tear apart the universe!” She had begun shaking Cadence in her terror. “Twilight, calm down. An alicorn not knowing magic will not tear apart the universe.” Cadence said, while grabbing hold of Twilight and holding her down. As she was calming Twilight down I edged around them to my bedside table, where Cadence had left my salad from earlier. I sat in front of the table and got ready to eat with just my mouth, bending over to bury my muzzle into the leaves. A purple shield popped into existence between me and my current source of happiness. “Okay, time for your first magic lesson.” said Twilight, whose eyes had returned to something resembling normal. She was carrying a fork in her magic. “Excuse me, what?” I asked, as I wearily watched her walk up to me. She simply smiled up at me and placed the fork on the table next to us. “I told her she could teach you magic to calm her down.” said Cadence, covering a grin with her hoof. “Should I be scared?” I asked, edging away from the small purple pony with questionable sanity. “No, I’ve been to a psychiatrist on request of my friends and family. He deemed my stable enough to live amongst others.” Twilight said with a small smile on her face, and a small twitch in her eye. Cadence gave me a pleading look, as though begging me to go along with it. Seeing as I didn’t feel like dying that day I heeded her unspoken advice. “Right then.” I said, grinning down at Twilight. “Let’s get started.” my fake enthusiasm seemed to calm her down, or I think it did because the twitch in her eye disappeared. “Remember, reach out with your will, and control the amount.” said Twilight, as I stared at my fortieth fork of the night. The mangled remains of the other thirty-nine were scattered about the room. The new one was being held in my quivering telekinesis. I slowly lowered it too my woefully wilted salad, and pushed it into a leaf. Lifting it I directed it toward my mouth, I bit down. Twilight and Cadene seemed to think that I was about to split my head in two because I was smiling so much. I had done it, after forty tries I had succeeded in levitation. I didn’t care about how pathetic that might have been, all I knew was that forty was my new favorite number. “Well, you seem happy.” said Cadence, as she smiled the same motherly smile as Celestia. “Well, didn't you feel awesome the first time you levitated something?” I asked her, almost hopping in place as I did. “You look like an overgrown filly.” said Twilight, as she gathered up the other forks from the floor teleporting them somewhere, probably the trash. “You weren't nearly this excited when we started.” “If I’m gonna be stuck like this for the rest of my life I might as well find something to be happy about.” I said, giving a small shrug and then yawning. “Wow, learning magic is tiring.” I looked at the others as they yawned as well. “It is pretty late. I should really get going, Shining might get worried.” said Cadence. She stood and bid Twilight and I farewell, flying out my balcony and into the night. “Cadence is right. Spike will start writing letters to the Princess if I’m late. Bye Shadow, I’ll see you in the morning.” Twilight waved to me as she walked out of my room and closed the door behind her. I stared from the window to the door and back again. “Well, that was sudden.” I commented to the empty air. I sighed and looked around my room, and spied the bed which seemed to be beckoning to me from it’s warm blankets and soft fluffiness. Who was I to say no to such an offer. I put out the candles and crawled under the blankets, pulling them all the way up to my eyes. It wasn't long before I was fast asleep. A sound from my balcony woke me up that night. I sat up in my bed and glanced around, a huge yawn erupting from my mouth. I spotted a small piece of paper on my balcony, which was odd. I reluctantly got out of the bed and made my way over to the paper. There was some writing on it, so I picked it up with my rather weak magic to read it. It said this. Do not worry your Highness. We will free you from the Tyrants so you may reclaim your rightful place as Queen! Your Humble Servant, Night Wing. “This isn't good.” I said in despair.
Chapter 4I couldn’t go back to sleep after that. The icy feeling of dread that seemed to trickle through my veins wouldn’t let me. I was just too focused on thinking of how to break the news to the others without Luna breaking my neck. I was sure she would find a way to twist the situation around in her head to make herself believe that I was threatening them instead of warning them. These thoughts then gave rise to even more slightly disturbing ones. Could I actually be killed? As far as I knew alicorns were immortal, but I didn’t know if they were indestructible. Somehow that scared me. Also, if I was able to be killed, then they could be killed. If news of my death reached this secret cult, then what’s to stop them from killing the others? My mind went through this and other completely insane scenarios as I stood out there on the balcony. The offending piece of paper held in place by my hoof as I stared off into the distance. So, it was with a frazzled mind and half closed eyes that I entered the dining hall that morning. Luna and Celestia were already at the table when I walked in. I got a small smile from Celestia as she sipped her tea, and Luna pointedly ignored me. I sat as far away from either of them as possible. Almost immediately a servant rushed out with a pot of coffee. She poured me a cup and left just as quickly as she came. I grabbed the mug with my hooves and chugged the whole thing, not caring that it was still scalding hot as it slid down my throat. Though, I did grab the pitcher of water from the other end of the table and chugged that as well. I sucked some of the water down my windpipe and began to cough violently This action served to get Celestia looking at me with worry in her eyes, Luna just became even more obvious in her attempt to ignore me as she started humming something that sounded like a battle march. “Shadow, are you alright?” asked Celestia. Setting down her teacup, she made to get up and come to my aid. I lifted my wing as a sign to keep her away, my mind was still racing with how I should tell them about the note. None of my ideas seemed appropriate. Celestia kept glancing at me worriedly throughout the meal. I finally finished the omelet that had been brought to me, and had also figured out exactly what I needed to say, to Celestia. Unfortunately Shining Armour walked the moment I began to open my mouth. “Princess Celestia,” he said. “I have those recruits you were asking for.” “Thank you, Shining Armour.” she said to him. Looking at me and Luna she said, “If you two will excuse me, I have some future guards to welcome.” She stood up from the table and left the dining hall with Shining Armour, leaving Luna and I in the room, alone. For the next five minutes all I heard was the frantic beating of my heart. Surprisingly it was Luna who broke the awkward silence. “You seem very different.” She said, still looking at her rather small meal. I almost choked on my tea. After swallowing it past the sudden lump of fear in my throat I looked at her and asked, “W-what do you mean?” Yes, I was truly a master of fear. “You do not have that confidence you had last night.” She replied, looking straight into my eyes. “I was still in shock then. Right now, well, I am quickly realizing what this means for me. I feel so alone right now. I know the other princesses are trying to help, but I’m not sure that they truly understand what I’m going through.” I looked up from the table, and found myself looking into the stunned face of Princess Luna. “You are-” I didn’t get to hear the end of that sentence, because at that moment an enormous explosion was heard from the front gates. Right where Celestia was with the new recruits. Luna’s eyes grew wide for just a moment, and then she teleported, leaving me alone in the dining hall. I bolted out of there soon after. I moved as fast as I could through the halls in a desperate attempt to get to the entrance, the only problem was that I had no idea where it was. Luckily I found a group of guards going there as well and followed after them. I might not have known how to fight with magic, but I could definitely kick and bite. That did no good though, for by the time I reached the entrance the fight was already over. Nopony was dead, but there were plenty who were terrible wounded. Luna rushed around frantically shifting through the debris looking for something, while Cadence helped Shining Armour tend to the wounded. I simply stood there for a few moments, trying to take in what I was seeing.Luna finally noticed I was there and rushed towards me. “Please, tell me that you’ve seen them!” She said, looking frantic and desperate at the same time. “Seen who?” I asked, as I slowly pushed her back from me. “My sister, and Twilight!” She almost shouted, as she went back to looking through the rubble. “No, I haven’t-” I started to reply, when a raspy voice at my hooves cut me off. “M-my Queen.” came the voice. “I’m sorry, but we failed.” said a small colt, by the looks of him he was barely an adult. Luna simply stared, hatred burning in her eyes. “Um, w-what do you mean?” I asked, staring down at him and the amount of blood that covered him. “We c-could only capture two of them. T-the other two, are too strong. P-please, defeat them.” The look of wonder and hope in his eyes was absolutely staggering, but so was my fear. He continued to speak, talking about how unworthy he was for failing me, and how I should kill him on the spot. All I could do was stare, and be stared at. The whole world had been put on pause for those eternal minutes, then a guard came to pry the colt off of me and take him to the infirmary. The room was silent for a few more seconds. “WHAT!” Funny thing about the Royal voice, it is very good a breaking silence
Chapter 5“YOU DEMON! YOU BROUGHT THESE EVIL DOERS UPON US! YOU SUPPORT THEM! I TOLD CELESTIA NOT TO LET YOU LIVE, BUT SHE DID NOT LISTEN, AND NOW YOU HAVE BROUGHT RUIN TO OUR NATION! NO, TO OUR WORLD! AND NOW MY SISTER AND FRIEND ARE GONE! WHERE ARE THEY? TELL ME NOW!” With each word Luna stepped closer towards me, backing me into a wall. Even though I was taller than her, I still felt as though she was grinding me beneath her hoof. I wanted nothing more than to melt into the wall against my back. To disappear from the world completely, and hopefully find myself in my old world. I wanted to find that this was all a terrible dream, and that I can continue to live my life as a normal human girl. My torture didn’t end like that though. “Auntie!” came a quiet, yet commanding voice. Cadence walked up next to me and sat down, glaring into Luna’s eyes. Luna glared back. “I think you should attend to the wounded. I will speak with Shadow.” Luna stared at her with shock and anger warring upon her face, until she said, “What gives you that authority, Niece?” “The fact that you will rip her to shreds if left alone. I need more evidence before I begin to accuse her of something she may not have had any idea about.” replied Cadence, keeping her face calm but her eyes hard. Luna stood her ground for a moment longer before snorting and walking away. “Shadow,” Cadence didn’t even turn to look at me, “Please come with me.” She stood and walked away, I went along right behind her not wanting to risk another bout of the Royal Canterlot Voice. “What do you know, Shadow?” she asked, turning around to glare at me. Somehow that was worse than getting yelled at by Luna. I quickly looked down at my hooves and took a quivering breath. “Not much.” I replied. “They contacted me last night though. Left a note on my balcony. I was going to tell Princess Celestia, but she left before I could.” I sniffed as I tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to slide down my face. “It’s all my fault really, I should have tried harder. I-I was just afraid. A-afraid of what would h-happen t-to all of y-you.” I couldn’t help it, I broke down right there. The recent events had caught up to me and weighed themselves down on my chest, squeezing out air and tears alike. I don’t know how long I sat there like that, but at some point Cadence wrapped her hooves around me and began to comfort me. She whispered that everything was going to be all right, that it wasn’t my fault, and such things as that. I finally slowed down, though I had developed a small case of the hiccups. “Shadow, I have one more question for you.” Cadence said softly, sitting by me while I sat there in the hall. “Yes?” I asked her, waiting to hear the question. “Where is the note they left you?” she asked, giving me a soft look. “On my bedside table, next to the plate from last night.” I replied. “Thank you. While I go to look for it, why don’t you go to the infirmary and try to relax a little.” She called up one of the guards and asked him to escort me to the infirmary. The infirmary was actually quite large, more like a medical wing in a hospital than a nurses office. I stared at the white wall of my room, simply trying to keep myself from thinking. I had been like that for nearly two hours, when a guard came into the room and requested my assistance with something. We walked down the hall in silence, until my curiosity overcame it. “So, where are you taking me again?” I asked, looking down at the guard. “We are having some problems interrogating the cult members. We thought that since they seem to worship you that it would be easier to gain information from them if you interrogated them.” He replied. I paused for a moment due to the shock, then shook myself out of it and resumed walking. “You honestly think this is a good idea?” I asked, trying to remove images of my self terrorising the ponies who had brought the chaos that seemed to inhabit the castle (besides the chaos that was already there due to Discord). “Yes.” was his simple answer, and we went on in silence. The area where they were keeping the cult was literally crawling with guards, there was at least three by every door. The room where I was to do the interrogating had, by my count, nearly twenty stallions with spears standing by it. One half faced the door and the other faced the hall, both groups seemed ready to fight at a moments notice. Right behind that door was the supposed leader of the attack, and I was about to go in there and basically scare information out of him. As I walked passed the guards I was once again aware of how much smaller they were compared to me. I took a deep breath, opened the door, and stepped through. The room was small and bright, with a small table in the middle and a mare sitting at it. She was breathing deeply with her visible eye closed, the other was covered by a bandage. She sat like that a moment longer, and then she spoke. “You and your sun scum can torture me all you want, I will not reveal our plans to you.” Her voice was drenched in venom, but her face remained calm and her eye remained closed. I wasn’t surprised by what she said, though if she had seen who was in the room with her she would probably have been more respectful. So I decided to have some fun with her. “For a pony who seems to worship my every move, you are not very nice.” I said, smirking a little. She opened her eye quizzically, then seemed to jolt as though she had been shocked. Falling from her chair she assumed a deep bow. “M-my Queen! I apologize, I did not know whom I was speaking to. She stammered, visibly shaking. I winced a little inside at the sight, but I need information and the way she was acting would let me access it very easily. “Stop your shaking and stand, foal.” I said, trying to sound like the Nightmare Moon from the show. She immediately sprang up from the floor, but kept her head down in respect and fear. “Now tell me, servant. What is the name of your group? The one that was able to remove Celestia and bring me one step closer to my rightful throne.” I felt bad to be speaking like this about the Princess, but I had to keep up appearances. “We call ourselves Night Wing your highness, we hope to spread your shroud of night over all the land.” She replied. That explained the note from last night at least. “Good.” I allowed myself a small smile. “And what is your name?” I asked her. She gasped a little, as though she didn’t expect that I would ask her name. "N-Night Song, your Majesty.” and true to pony nature, her cutie mark matched her name. A black crescent moon made up of small musical notes that sat against her white coat, and matching in color to her black mane and tail. “Remind me to thank you later, Night Song.I have one more question for you.” I said, coming to the end of the questions I was told to ask her. “Ask anything of me, your Majesty.” “Where are the two that you kidnapped?” She visibly deflated when I asked the question sinking to the floor and shaking. “T-they didn’t tell me that. I-I was j-just supposed to lead the a-attack, n-nothing more.” Silence reigned for a few seconds. “Thank you.” I said, then I walked out the door.
Chapter 6I suddenly found myself in a dark version of Celestia’s throne room, with only a fire to light my surroundings. Night Song was in it, along with the colt from earlier and other ponies I didn’t recognize. None of them had the injuries from the fight. I was sitting on a black, spike covered throne and they were all bowing to me. Suddenly, Night Song stood. “My Queen! To prove my devotion to you, I will give you a piece of myself!” she proclaimed. Then, taking a knife, she plunged it into her eye and gouged it out. The action was accompanied by her screams of pain, and she didn’t stop with just one eye. She repeated the action with her other eye, and then stood before me with an eager smile on her face as tears of blood ran down it. “Remember, I have done this for you.” she said kneeling to me. “No.” I muttered, my own eyes wide. “My Queen!” Came another voice, it was the young colt. “We have all decided to give you a piece of ourselves.” Then he, and all the ponies behind him did as Night Song had done. “No!” I said louder. They all stood, and as one said. “For you, our Queen!” smiles and blood, all glinting in the light. “NO!” I screamed, falling from my bed in a tangle of legs, wings, and blankets. I was still in the infirmary room, after relating all that Night Song had told me to Shining Armour I had gone back to that room and fallen asleep. The bed in there was a lot smaller than the one in my room, so the fall was more jarring but shorter. I just lay there on the floor and stared at the ceiling. A guard entered to check on me, and when he was sure that everything was fine he left. I stood and walked to the window, and just stared. I wasn’t looking at the scenery, just nothing. My attention was on nothing and nopony, until I noticed Luna in the courtyard. She was shooting bolts of magic at several targets, and nopony would get near her. I felt a wave of anger wash over me as I remembered the way she attacked me. She didn’t even ask me if I knew anything, she just accused me. She just stomped up to me and forced all of her anger and hatred on me. She also looked so scared though, so very scared. That shocked me, the fact that I thought that, but it made me feel better to. It was just more proof, to me, that I was no longer nor would I ever again be Nightmare Moon. A very important decision was made at that moment, and I knew that if I didn’t act on it then I would never get another chance. Immediately I turned around and walked out of the infirmary, in the direction of the courtyard. As I went along I began to go faster. Other ponies, who somehow sensed that something important was about to happen, followed after me. Soon a huge crowd was in my wake as I raced down the corridors and into the courtyard. I didn’t stop until I was standing in front of the targets Luna was using, and then, I just stood there. The shocked expression on Luna’s face was immediately replaced by one of intense hatred. “What do you think you are doing?” she asked, almost rhetorically. “Getting your attention, Princess. That’s what.” I answered, with no less venom than her. “For what? To proclaim your dominance over all of Equestria? To fight me for control?” She gave me a smirk. “As if you could do anything with your pathetic magic. All of the power you used to have, you got from me, and trust me when I say that you will never have it again.” That had, hurt somehow, but I shook it off and pushed onward. “No, you pathetic excuse for a princess, I am not. I am instead trying to tell you something of great importance, so I suggest you listen to me.” I replied. “I would rather spend another thousand years on the moon.” She told me, as she walked away. “Well then, I was going to ask if you wanted to help me find your sister and Princess Twilight, but I guess I’m on my own.” I smiled as she stopped. “What?” She asked. Slowly she turned to face me again. “You wanted me gone, right? Well, I guess you're wish is being granted. I will be leaving, soon, and I will hunt down the ponies who did this and return the two missing Princesses. Then I will fade away and hide myself amongst the mortal ponies. You will never have to see me again, and I'll even change my appearance from time to time so as to keep you from recognizing me.” Well, I wasn’t sure about anypony else, but I could swear you could hear a pin drop. I didn’t wait for a response, I just walked away. The sea of ponies that had formed around us parted to let me through. I stalked through the halls and into the room I had first woke up in when I got to this impossibly infuriating yet wonderfully amazing place. “Please let me in, Shadow.” begged Cadence as she stood outside my bedroom door, simultaneously making me feel bad and giving me an odd sense of deja vu. I sighed as I looked up from my attempts at planning the rescue. “You’re not gonna talk me out of this Princess. I will go on this mission, I will save the others, and then I will leave.” I said through the door. “I know that, but you’re not gonna do it alone.” she replied. “What?” I asked, as I opened the door and then stopped in my tracks. Standing right outside my room was the Princess Cadence remaining bearers of the elements, and Discord. “HI!!!” came a high pitched voice of ultimate happiness. “My name’s Pinkie Pie! What’s your’s? Oh wait, it’s Shadow! Haha, I can’t believe I forgot that, I mean how could I forget that? You’re all that Equestria has been talking about, and I haven’t thrown a party for you yet!” she seemed ready to keep chattering on, but Rarity was kind enough to pull her off my back. “Dear, you must be better with your manners, especially around royalty.” she said, as she gestured to Cadence. “I don’t mind Rarity. Right now is not the time to speak of this though, we need to plan the rescue.” she walked past me into the room. The others followed her in. “Wait, wait, wait.” I said as I got back in front of them. “I don’t remember agreeing to that.” Cadence opened her mouth to respond, but Rainbow Dash beat her to it. “You didn’t have to. I would go after Twilight and the Princess in a heartbeat if given the chance, heck I’ll even do it on my own. For now though, there’s no getting rid of me.” she sat on my bed and crossed her front legs in front of her chest, just to prove her point. “Ah’m with Rainbow on this one.” said Applejack as she walked past me. “Well, I’m with them, and knowing Fluttershy she’s gonna want to go to.” said Discord as he slithered past me with Fluttershy in his claws. I sighed knowing that I wouldn’t be able to stop them at all. I picked the map of Equestria I had been looking at before and set it on the floor. “Alright, since that’s decided, does anypony know where the Princesses might be?” And so the adventure began, sort of.
PrologueI have lived two lives. One in a world created by the Elements, and one in the world of ponies. Well, actually I have lived three, but I can't remember the first and I have no desire to. I remember living sixteen years in world of ape like creatures called humans. I was honestly pretty average, I never really cared what others thought of me, and I never thought much about those around me. Oh, I cared for them, but the drama they would create for themselves would drive me nuts. My second life has gone on for thousands of years, guided by my older sisters and the Elements. It is my second life that this story tells, and it is my second life that will soon end. I lie here on my death bed, the last of the ponies around me. I feel sad, because I know that after my death they will not last much longer. After my sisters deaths I did what I could to keep the world turning, but this is the end. I am also happy though, I am happy to have seen our little ponies survive for this long, all the way to the end of time itself. They seem so strong here, surrounding me with their concern. I wish I could stay, I wish I could keep this world going for eternity, but everything must end. All must one day crumble into the sands of time, the old must die to make way for the new. Though what comes after this even I do not know. I write this now, for whoever may come next. Hear my story, and don't make our mistakes. Whoever comes after us, if you find remains of our civilizations, know this. It was not as perfect as it may seem. Yes, we had some wonderful eras of plenty, but there were others where we could do nothing more than live day to day without even knowing where our next meal would come from. I created one of those times, along with the help on one of my sisters. From what she told me it was a terrible time, a time of utter darkness. Neither of us are proud of it, and rarely ever talked of it. My name is Princess Nocte, and this is the story of how I escaped the Nightmare.
