Perils of the Past
Chapter 10
Previous ChapterPerils of the Past: Storms, Ch 10
By Somber
(Thanks for reading so far. Sorry for the delay. Got sidetracked writing Fallout Equestria fics…)
A storm raged over Canterlot, and her name was Nightmare Screamer. Blood red and midnight blue, she raced amid the marble towers of Canterlot trailing lightning and thunder in her wake. Where she past glass shattered like razor edged snow and wind tore at anything it could pluck into the air. The gales stirred up by her flapping wings shrieked like a thousand tortured ponies in the black sky. Under her direction the storm became a living extension of her malice, and swirling cones crept down to tear at the streets.
"What does she think she's doing?" Shouted Rainbow Dash, eyes narrowed against the howling winds and stinging rain.
"I reckon being a Nightmare!" Applejack replied, yelling in her ear.
"No, I mean what's her point?" Rainbow Dash said as she pointed a hoof up at her. "Nasty as this storm is, it's not doing much to Canterlot!"
"Yer criticizing her effectiveness?" Applejack yelled in incredulity. Twilight Sparkle, through the rain and spitting wind, could see the cyan Pegasus's point though. For all the lightning, thunder, and wind, Canterlot was made of stone. Maybe Fury's fire could have melted it or blasted it apart, but the snapping bolts; while terribly dangerous to the inhabitants, did little but flash off the many flagpoles in the city and fill the air with sparks and the reek of ozone.
"Are you feeling anything?" Princess Luna shouted over the storm.
Twilight shook her head. This bordered on madness. She couldn't even begin to feel a spark of empathy that would allow her to summon the elements of harmony.
"Well I'm not waiting here!" Rainbow Dash shouted, crouched, and launched into the air. Screamer's path was drawn with crackling lightning and contrails. Beating her wings like she'd never had before, she closed the gap on Nightmare Screamer.
"Rainbow Dash! No!" Twilight Sparkle shouted after her friend.
Nightmare Screamer banked in a lazy, almost bored turn when a hoof tapped her shoulder. "Excuse me." Her flashing blue eyes turned just in time to receive a faceful of Raindow Dash's hooves. The blow flipped the Nightmare over in the air, but she recovered almost immediately. The two of them hovered inside a rain filled pillar of swirling wind.
Screamer rubbed the kick, her lips curling in an expression of delighted malice. "I remember you. Best flyer in Equestria, right?" Nightmare Screamer grated as she grinned, eyes narrowed.
"You better believe it," Dash replied, refusing to be intimidated. This might be the nastiest storm she'd ever seen, but she was flying. This was her element.
"Good. Then when the best flyer in history rips your wings off every flyer in Equestria will know just who they need to fear," Her wings gave a mighty snap and the calm pillar blasted away in all directions. The wind immediately switched around and blasted around Nightmare Screamer. "Now fly!" Screamer screamed as forked lightning blasted from the clouds and straight at the sole cyan pony
Okay. Maybe just a little intimidated! But regardless Rainbow Dash turned to fly like her life depended on it. Because it did.
The royal palace was nearly abandoned as every pony that could hide did so. With nearly every guard still in Ponyville there was no pony that asked Trixie what she was doing here. Every pony simply assumed she was another servant or maid trying to find protection as the wind howled through broken windows.
Trixie's instincts for showmanship fell beside the terror that had befallen her in the last two hours. Finding herself drafted with promises of incredible power made the blue Unicorn's mind spin. All she had to do was complete these two final tricks and she could put her showmanship aside and attain true magical power to rival every pony… even her.
Or at least that was what the whispering voice had promised. And Trixie hated to admit it, but it sounded like a great deal. Power without effort. Right up her alley. It was everything she wanted… right?
The kitchens were empty as windblown rain sloshed across the floor and hissed around the stoves and fireplaces. The pantries were right around the corner; she knew because she'd often snuck in them after hours when she was just a filly. It was far easier to help herself that wait for a servant to bring her a meal, particularly when it would inevitable get to the wrong ears.
Inside the pantry she could almost ignore the lightning and thunder through the thick stone walls. Her horn glowed softly, illuminating the many shelves. They'd been reorganized since she'd left, but the tea cupboard hadn't been changed. The pointed her horn at the lock and used one of her less flashy spells, grunting as she twisted her horn left and right. Finally there was a lick and the lock opened. Within were dozens; perhaps even hundreds of different tea blends from all over Equestria kept in neat alphabetical order. She scanned the rows till she found Hoofington's Finest and carefully unscrewed the lid to the jar. Thick musty smells rose from the dried tea leaves within.
Trixie raised the vial and carefully tipped the crushed purple leaves into the jar. She didn't know what she expected: a skull shaped cloud to indicate it was poison? Some kind of magical effect? It was almost anticlimactic. Carefully she mixed it back up and put the container on the shelf. She glanced around the pantry and swallowed, tilting the jar of tea so it was out of alignment. She even dribbled some of the purple residue on the edge. She thought of leaving a note saying 'tampered, do not drink' would be a bit much. She closed the cupboard and peeked around the pantry.
While she was here… it really couldn't hurt, could it?
When she trotted out of the pantry she had two bulging bags draped over her flank. No more grazing for Trixie. At least not for a while. Then she smile faded. "What am I doing?" She asked as she looked at the bags of purloined snacks. "I'm going to become an all powerful nightmare. I don't need to worry about all that anymore." She thought, but doubt nagged at her terribly. She wanted power, didn't she? This was the easiest way to get it, right?
"I should have known you'd be here," the voice, dripping with contempt and disappointment, came from the door to the kitchen. Dignity stepped into the chamber. The chamberlain of Equestria, Mistress of the Equestria's college of magic, pure bred aristocrat descending from Unicorn royalty; Dignity was all of these things. "Given you're stealing from the palace, I can see you still haven't come to your senses," the stately blue unicorn said in blatant disapproval.
Trixie grit her teeth. "It's just food, Mother," she said the word like an insult. "I'm sure the princess can afford more. Or why don't you just pay her back? Do whatever you have to do. Because you always do." The little jar of Hoofington's Finest faded away as the old arguments and angers boiled up inside her.
Why can't you try harder? Why can't you be better? Why did you do that? What were you thinking? Oh Trixie… How could you? How dare you? Why do you do this to me? Why can't you be serious in school? Don't you think about what this says about you (me)? The list went on and on as their eyes locked in their familiar glaring matches.
"I don't have time for the Great and Powerful Trixie's melodrama," her mother said in a hard, low voice. "In case you hadn't noticed, we're being attacked." Dignity turned to continue on her way towards the palace proper.
Yes, and I know what she wants me to do because she's going to kill me if I don't. "Mother…"
"What do you need now, Trixie?" She said as she looked back in disdain. The look was clear of what her mother thought she should do: go back to school, learn useful boring spells, and become a productive member of society. Of course she couldn't understand… she never did.
I need to tell you that I'm about to become a Nightmare. I need to tell you that I might have poisoned someone! I need to tell you that there's a monster whispering in my ear and I'm scared of what she's going to do to me if I don't! I need you to stop being the Princess's hoof of steel and be my mother for once! They rested just on the tip of her tongue.
"I see," her mother replied, and for one moment she thought that somehow her mom had read her mind so she didn't have to bring herself to admit it. "You want money to replace that wagon I suppose. I heard about what occurred in Ponyville," she said coolly, her voice heavy with the unspoken comment that it had been an embarrassment as well. All the words that should have been spoken were bitterly swallowed instead.
Her mother horn sparkled as she summoned a pair of saddle bags. "There. Those carry alls should have enough for your immediate needs. Is there anything else you require, Trixie?" The unspoken came through as clear as day, 'because I have a hundred critical duties to perform that do not include you, Trixie.'
"No. This should be fine," Trixie said as she tossed the sack into the saddlebags. The magic carry alls could hold anything so long as you could put a corner inside the bag. "Well, you're busy, mother. I'll show myself out." Trixie looked up at her mother, her voice low and her anger unhidden, "I'll make sure no pony actually sees me leave."
And now the final twist, "I hope your next show goes better, Trixie." Her mother said as she turned and went on her duties. "I'm sure it will be spectacular," she said in her matter of fact tones.
"How would you know, Mother? You've never seen one," she said softly as her mother walked away. And she never would, no matter how awe inspiring, great and powerful Trixie became her mother had no time for Trixie.
As Rainbow Dash flew for her life in the skies of Canterlot, a far quieter battle was being waged in a dark, wet doorway. Pinkamena Diane Pie curled up on the hard stone, pressing her forehead against the wet clammy rock as if she could somehow squeeze out all the thoughts that refused to fade inside her. She'd looked into the mirror to protect her friends… and she'd looked into it in the vain hope that the silly pink pony would get some respect… and she'd looked because she'd been an idiot and had no idea just what a Nightmare really could do.
"I thought it'd be funny," She whispered to the water sloshing under her face. "I thought… if she took me over… there'd be nothing she could do. I can't do magic. I can't do anything." She hissed as she shook. It didn't matter that Strife had left, the damage was done.
A hoof gently reached over to stroke her straight pink gray hair. She didn't want to look. She knew. The doormat- No! Fluttershy! Fluttershy wasn't a doormat or a punching bag. Why had she thought that? "Shh… it's okay Pinkie Pie."
Slowly Pinkie Pie raised her face enough to look at Fluttershy and Rarity. "No… it's not. It's not okay at all."
"Darling, I know you're upset, but it's not as if you really meant what you said," Rarity said softly, giving Pinkie Pie an out. All she had to do was say it was a joke. Laugh. Smile. Pretend to be okay so her friends could focus on Rainbow Dash, Twilight and Applejack. She tried to grin, but it felt more like a grimace as she started to cry.
"I meant it, Rarity. I meant every single horrible word. I just never ever meant to say them. Ever. I never meant to ever think them," She said softly as buried her face in her hooves. "And I can't stop thinking them now. I'm trying to be a good friend, but I can't stop myself." She looked up at Fluttershy. "I look at you and… and… I wonder the next time some one's going to say something to make you bawl. I want to do it myself!" She confessed, shaking. "But that's wrong! I know it is. So why can't I stop thinking it?"
"Oh Pinkie Pie," Rarity said softly as the pair of them sat on either side of her. "Did you know at times I find you almost as annoying as my sister and her friends making capes of my finest silk? Sometimes you can be absolutely infuriating. And there've been times I've almost hated Fluttershy. I so envied her that it nearly made me sick."
"And… um… I think you're… um… too loud… sometimes," Fluttershy offered with a little smile.
"We're not perfect Pinkie Pie. We're not. Not one of us. Some days Applejack simply makes me want to scream. Sometimes I simply want to muzzle Rainbow Dash the next time she crows about how awesome she is. And it's petty of me, I know, but I still think it." Rarity replied with her compassionate eyes, "I guess… with you being so happy and all… well the things you said were just more surprising for it. Had Rainbow acted like that I doubt we'd have noticed."
"What was it like?" Fluttershy asked softly.
Pinkie Pie stared across the doorway at the stone. She wished they hadn't asked. "Have you ever looked into a mirror and hated how you looked? Like you had bed mane or a zit? It was like that… only you see everything wrong. Everything wrong with yourself. Everything wrong with every pony else. And… you can't help it… you hate it." She leaned back, tapping the back of her head against the hard stone wall. "I saw a little rock farmer pretending to be smart and funny and liked. A suspicious little filly that's not as good as any of her friends."
"I'm sorry, Pinkie Pie," Rarity commiserated. "I want you to know that no matter how annoying I might find you from time to time, I'll never regret being your friend." The white unicorn said softly as she embraced her.
"Me too," Fluttershy replied, hugging her from the other side. "And… um… now that I know, I'll stop being a doormat. Is that okay?"
Pinkie Pie couldn't help but laugh a little at Fluttershy's question. For a long, terrible time she thought that she might never laugh again. "I'll tell you what. If we do free Morning Mist… I'm gonna give her a hug… a boot to the snoot… and a welcome back party. I think she deserves all three." She smiled, feeling a little of the old Pinkie Pie returning. She struggled to her hooves and walked to the doorway, "So where's the mad dasher?"
… ran through Rainbow Dash's head as she fought to stay ahead of the Nightmare that dogged her heels. Lightning flashed as it tried to blast her from the sky as the cold rain poured all around her. Simultaneously, as that thought burned through her mind, came the simple overwhelming fact that she could not shake: this is SO awesome! If she WAS going to die, well it couldn't get cooler than this, now could it?
It didn't help that the storm fought her every inch of the way. Part of being a flyer was making the wind work for you. She'd been in nasty storms before, but that hadn't slowed her down no matter how strong the gusts. This storm, however, cheated like she'd never experienced before. Gusts would sheer from the left and right to fling her into buildings. Holes would open in the air and she'd struggle just to make her wings keep her aloft. The rain always seemed to orient itself so it'd pour right into her eyes. Then there was the lightning, which was snapping around her to try and slow her down.
"Dash! Over here!" Yelled Twilight, barely heard over the storm. Rainbow Dash wasted no time as she dove down and buzzed the street. As she passed over a heavy wood cart, a bright glow surrounded it and lifted it right into Nightmare Screamer's path. Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder, eager to see the nightmare plastered over the solid wood cart.
Before her eyes through Screamer turned herself horizontal and crouched against the side of the levitating cart with all four hooves. The solid wood exploded, flinging shrapnel at Dash which she barely avoided. Worse though was the sight of Nightmare Screamer launching herself back the way she'd come right at Twilight Sparkle! "No!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she chased after the nightmare.
An orange hide flashed as Applejack leapt in front of Twilight Sparkle. Once again, Screamer was nearly sideways as all four hooves connected with Applejack's side. The orange workhorse didn't scream through her grit teeth as Screamer crouched against her and launched off Applejack as she had the levitated cart. The two went sprawling as Screamer resumed her course straight for Dash.
"Oh no…" was all she managed to say as four crackling hooves smacked into Rainbow Dash with a thunderous detonation that sent Rainbow Dash flying through the rain and slamming into the wall of a tower, leaving an indentation. "Oh so not fair," Rainbow Dash muttered as little Wonderbolts orbited her head. Another flash and Nightmare Screamer rammed into her with another blow that put her completely through the stone wall.
Ow… ow… ow… Rainbow Dash had been through her fair share of walls, windows, doors, and roofs, but even highly resilient pegasus usually didn't make it through solid stone. She opened one rose colored eye as she looked at the Nightmare standing in the gap she'd made with Dash's body. "Fair. What a word. I didn't think you'd be stupid enough to use it." The Nightmare growled. "Nothing's fair. Everything is always to somepony's advantage."
"Oh please tell me you're not going to go all warrior-philosopher on me," Rainbow Dash panted as she stood in what apparently had been a bakery of some sort. Piles of flour from split open bags filled the room with dust that made her eyes sting. "Is all this excessive talking a side effect of becoming a nightmare?" Dash asked as she rose to her hooves, trying to ignore the pain rolling inside her chest.
"Why? Interested in becoming one?" Screamer asked with a grin. Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. "Nightmare Dash. Sounds good, doesn't it?" Screamer slowly advanced. "You get power. You get fear. You get anything you want."
"I all ready have what I want," Rainbow Dash retorted.
"Oh really? Everything?" Screamer said with a teasing grin. "No nagging little self doubts you'd like to rid yourself of? No niggling little moments where you realize it's all an act?" She asked as she stirred up the flour with flaps of her wings. "Well, you might want to consider it. It's the only way you're going to be able to beat me."
"I don't need to be a nightmare to beat you," Rainbow Dash said, coughing faintly at all the stirred up flour. "I've got my friends. I'm faster than you. Better than you."
"A pity you're not smarter than me," she said from the hole blasted in the wall. "If you were you'd know how dangerous a powder suspended in the air can be." As she leapt out into the storm her tail flicked a spark into the dust filled air. The trailing edge of airborne flour ignited in a puff of red flame that expanded into a roaring inferno.
Fortunately flying out through a window was easier than crashing in through the wall as the bakery exploded behind Rainbow Dash. Still trailing smoke she crashed into a cart of sodden hay which helped put her wings and mane out. "So… not… fair…" she groaned before passing out.
In the tunnels of the Eyrie of the Thunder King, Trixie's horn light played over the grotesque carvings in the wall. Ahead she could make out the iron doors and the magical field that played across the opening. The attack had been so sudden and severe that the Princess had not sealed them again, just as Whispers said she wouldn't. She could feel the presence right behind her, like the nightmare was breathing softly into her ear.
"Why do you want to destroy the mirror anyway? Isn't she a nightmare too?" Trixie asked, licking her dry lips and trying to swallow. "Aren't you supposed to be on the same side?"
"Oh, Great and Powerful Trixie, don't worry yourself about the ways of nightmares."
"Considering you want me to be one, I'd say that bothers me even more," Trixie replied.
"Why? Nightmare Strife exhausted her usefulness centuries ago. She's from an era of distrust that simply doesn't exist any longer. If she were free, she'd simply be a liability." Whispers purred softly, "What I need is a Nightmare like you. One that won't let anything stop her. One with the power to put Nightmare Screamer in her place… I cannot tell you just how annoying that one's been for so long."
It's a lie. Trixie had told enough of those to know evasion when she heard it. Whatever her reasons were they were substantial, not simply petty. "Well, I'm glad some pony finally realizes the value and potential of the Great and Powerful Trixie. I expect I shall be first and foremost among your new Nightmares?"
"Oh yes. Absolutely," Whispers purred in Trixie's blue ear. "Once you leave that chamber, I'm sure you will become a spectacular nightmare with power to rival the Princesses, or even Queen Arcana."
"Who?" Trixie asked as she looked at the shimmering field.
"No one studies anymore," the whisper said in a faint tone of frustration. "She was the last ruler of all unicorns in Equestria. Glorious and cold and cruel, she ruled from her enchanted palace with spells and glamour too horrible to recount. I like to think of her as the second nightmare."
"Then who was the first? You?"
"No," Whispers said so softly that Trixie wondered if she'd imagined it. Just like she hoped she imagined some pony touching her mane, "I was the third."
And at that moment Trixie knew she wasn't going to become a nightmare; or if she did it wouldn't be long until Whispers found a way to kill her the same way she was using Trixie to murder Nightmare Strife. Those two little comments had been slips, and Trixie had made enough of them to know that there was no way that Whispers would let her live having heard them. "Pffft, whatever," Trixie said with a dismissive snort. "When I'm a nightmare I want to be strong enough to rival anypony. Even Celestia. You can do that, right?" She asked as she stood at the shimmering barrier.
The silence stretched on, and when Whispers replied it was in a voice oozing with sincerity, "Of course, Great and Powerful Trixie. All you have to do is look inside and smash it. And do be careful not to look into the mirror." Then you'll get everything you desire.
In a pig's eye, Trixie thought as she stepped through the field and into the chamber beyond.
"Well, she got Dash," Applejack muttered as the waterlogged mare looked in the cart at the sprawled out, blasted Pegasus. "And the might have busted my other set of ribs," Applejack said with a wince as she looked at four hoof shaped welts rising on her side from Screamer using her as a launch pad. She looked back at the soggy purple unicorn, "What have you got, Twilight?"
"Nothing," Twilight admitted. "I don't know Screamer at all. Who is she? What makes her tick? I mean, she hides all over the world for a thousand years causing trouble but comes out right now that Fury's been stopped to attack another city. I'd guess she was trying to free Strife, except that she's not going after the vault. It doesn't make any sense."
"Well… there's your secret weapon," Applejack said with a laugh and then winced.
"My secret weapon?" Twilight Sparkle frowned in confusion. "What, you mean some spell I haven't used yet?"
"Shoot no. "
"Then… research? I suppose I could but I doubt I could find the right book in time…"
"Twilight, wave a white flag or something and get her talkin! Cause if she's talkin she ain't blastin and she might just let something slip." Applejack said, ducking her head as another thunderous boom shook the skies over the capitol. "You remember Fury? That girl wouldn't shut up long as she wasn't mad."
Twilight blinked in surprise. That was true; all the Nightmare's they'd encountered had proven rather chatty. Maybe it was the thousand years isolation or just wanting to reconnect with other ponies. Twilight looked at her friend and said "Fine, but I want you and Dash to find the Princess and get a healing spell." Twilight said as she looked into her friend's eyes. "No argument."
Applejack didn't look happy about it as she glanced back into the cart. "All right. I'll get this turkey outta the rain and see if the Princesses can help." She glanced up at the burning bakery above them. "Just be careful, Twilight. This canary seems ta have a lot more tricks than Fury." She said as she drug Dash from the cart and draped her over her back.
"But mom… I don't wanna get up…" Dash moaned still dazed.
"You hold tight. Gonna get your auntie Celestia to fix you up proper."
"Auntie Celesty? She's got poofy hair…" Dash said as they trotted towards the palace.
Now there was just the question of how to get her attention without simply getting blasted off her hooves. Right now Twilight didn't even know where she was. Twilight sighed, looking at the rain sheeting down the towers all around her as the shy flashed and flickered. "Well. Here goes nothing." She clenched her eyes shut and her horn flared as she appeared atop the tower. From this vantage she could see Screamer tearing through the night sky.
Twilight Sparkle smiled and shot magical sparklers and fireworks into the air above her. The glowing motes of light spelled out 'Over here' with an arrow pointing at the tower. Twilight braced herself, reading to teleport away if it seemed like Screamer was about to blast first and talk second. The swirling storm around the blood red Pegasus dissipated and to Twilight's relief seemed to casually wing closer.
With a crackle Nightmare Screamer landed before Twilight. Electric lightning rippled along her mane. "Can I help you?" The wind began to swirl around the tower, but within the cyclone was perfect calm.
"I… I want to talk. Don't you want to talk?" Twilight Sparkle said, swallowing. Nightmare Screamer was an unknown. She didn't know anything about Evening Star.
"Sure. I love to talk," Screamer said with a sly smile. "What should we talk about? You up here with me? Celestia being occupied with patching up your two friends? Dignity playing princess? Luna biting her hooves as she watches us from the palace? Honesty hiding under her bed?" She asked as she walked around Twilight. "Oh... wait… you want to talk about me, don't you? Help you find that special spark?"
Twilight was completely taken aback by the direct thrust of Screamers questions and at that last she frowned. "No. You seem pretty open and closed."
Screamer hadn't expected that. "Oh really?"
"Yeah. Bit of an attention hog, aren't you? Always second best. Not as strong as Fury, or charismatic as Moon. Pretty pathetic actually," Twilight tried to put as much indifference into her voice as she could. "I am more curious about Luna though. You know she wants to save you, right? She wants her friends back."
"No. She wants her childhood back," Nightmare Screamer said as she looked towards the palace. "If she can just fix her little mistakes then we'll be together again. Better, her sister won't be a complete hag to her! And she even has you to do all the hard work for her, because you're just so darn 'goodie goodie'." Nightmare's gaze hid not of her contempt.
"Goodie goodie? Is that a Nightmare term?" It sounded like something from a playground.
"You know what I mean. Altruistic. Helpful. Useful. Whichever term you prefer. Good. All the Princesses have to do is ask you and you'll do it." She grinned as her eyes narrowed, "Have you ever told Princess Celestia to buck off? Told your friends to solve their own problems when they come running to you? 'Sorry, I am too busy to resolve your interpersonal conflicts for you.'? Anything?" Screamer laughed softly at Twilight's expression. "Yeah. Didn't think so."
"I help my friends because they're my friends," Twilight retorted. "Did you ever do that when you were friends with Luna?"
Screamer's smile turned even sharper, "Oh, so we are talking about me. Well then let me tackle your first big assumption." She stalked closer to Twilight Sparkle, "What makes you think that I was ever Luna's friend?"
"What?"
"Luna was a Princess of Equestria. Of course I cozied up to her. It got me what I wanted. Access to the palace. Comfort. Ease. Let me spell it out for you: I used Luna. Friendship was cheap compared to what I got for it." Screamer said as she looked towards the palace. "That's all Friendship is. This for that. She wanted friends because her sister had them." She snickered softly, "For that matter, how do your friends use you, Twilight Sparkle?"
"No. My friends are my friends!" Twilight retorted, not letting that insidious thought take root. "And I think you were Luna's friend. Why else would you become a nightmare?"
"Awesome powers aren't good enough?" Screamer asked with her grin as she gestured at the wild storm raging around them. Twilight just glared at her and the nightmare's smile melted. "What was there to gain by remaining normal? Luna had become Nightmare Moon for that insipid, idiotic, irresistible, irresponsible, Firedamp. If we hadn't we'd have been ruined either way. Guilt by association. So why not take the choice that gave us the power to do what we want?"
And again, Twilight Sparkle remembered Dignity coolly asking if Rainbow Dash would betray everything she was just for quick power. "Stop lying!" Twilight Sparkle shouted at her, and Screamer's eyes widened in surprise. Clearly she hadn't expected Twilight to reject her simple, easily believed excuses. "I don't know why all of you became what you did, but I know it wasn't for something as meaningless as 'power.' No pony just mutilates themselves because they think it'll give them what they want. So just tell me the truth."
"The truth," Screamer said softly, "The truth is it's been so long for me that I can't even remember anymore." Slowly she approached step by step. "You know, I envy the others. They were all locked up, sealed away, got to go crazy all alone. I got away. Can you imagine how many lives I've ruined? I got to live year after year knowing that inevitably everything would fall to pieces." In the eye of the storm everything was calm as Screamer stepped right up to Twilight, "And while it might be nice to imagine that there is some way you could make a thousand pointless years somehow matter, there is one thing you have to remember, Twilight Sparkle." She said as her voice dropped even lower.
"What?" Twilight Sparkle asked in a near whisper herself.
She stretched forward and whispered softly into her ear, "I'm the treacherous one." And with that word a bolt of lightning blasted from the black clouds like a vengeful finger. Lightning sparking over her body, Twilight Sparkle flew off the edge of the tower and plunged towards the hard stone road below. Looking down the Nightmare said solemnly, "I betray every pony, eventually."
Trixie's breath curled before her as she slowly approached the shrouded mirror. The rime frost coated every surface; it didn't look as if any pony had set hoof within the space in a thousand years. "So… ready?" Trixie asked the whispering voice. Nothing. "Are you there?" Still nothing. Trixie licked her lips as she looked back at the magical field. Perhaps, somehow, it blocked Whisper's voice? Slowly, step by step, she approached the cloth wrapped mirror.
"Nightmare Strife? I… I need to talk. I need help. Your help," she said as she glanced behind her. "That whispery one… she wants me to break your mirror and kill you. And then… then I'm pretty sure she'll kill me to. I need your help to get out of this." She frowned at the mirror. "Can you hear me? Strife?" Oh Goddesses, she really didn't want to pull the cloth away.
Her magic reached out and gently pulled the sheet off the mirror. To her shock it disintegrated into frozen fragments as it fell away; scattering under hoof. She clenched her eyes shut, "I don't want to die. I don't want to kill you. I just want to get out of this. So… help me out here?"
Slowly Trixie cracked an eye and looked at the mirror. At once her face slowly widened in shock, and then… then she sat as she stared at her reflection. "Trixie. The small and powerless," she felt herself say as she looked at her pathetic image. No hat, cloak, wagon, or adoring fans would change that. Twilight Sparkle had power; power to help her friends and save Ponyville. Her mother had power to affect the entire land of Equestria though executing the Princess's wishes. And the Princesses… how could she ever call herself great and powerful?
"Stop it. I know I'm useless and weak!" She shouted at her reflection. "I know I don't have real power. I just want to stay alive."
Her expression then became appraising, even intrigued. "Then why not take the plunge? Violate yourself. Rend your cutie mark and become your own nightmare. You know how… deep down every pony does. Kill. Break. Hurt. Defile. All you have to do is do it."
"Because that's not me. I might not be anything but a performer and bragger, but I'm still Trixie. I'm not going to change that just…"
"Just to survive?" Her reflection asked, and Trixie was horrified to see frost slowly starting to form on her legs, crawling up past her knees. "Are you saying you'd rather die than become that?"
"Yes!" Trixie shouted, wishing she could clench her eyes shut and stop looking as she felt her tears start to freeze. She was going to die, just to the wrong nightmare. Any second that cold would reach her heart and she'd shatter into frost just as the sheet had.
It seemed like forever the blue unicorn stared into that terrible mirror. Then to her horror her hoof stretched out to stroke the cheek of the reflection. She could feel the cold sensation on her cheek. "It is a rare pony who knows that final inch. Very well. My terms are simple. Take me from this place and I will tell you how to evade Nightmare Whispers."
"Y…y…" her teeth chattered horribly.
"I will take that for assent," she said, her jaws stopping their clattering as she spoke to herself, "Nightmare Whispers can view any place at any time, but she does not inherently know where a pony is at any time. That is, unless you are a Nightmare or speak her name aloud. She knows the secrets of ever pony's heart, and if she cannot corrupt you or push you to kill yourself then she will influence others." Then the freezing sensation passed and though she shivered terribly she forced herself to look away.
Trixie knew she could just leave right now. She knew she should leave! She knew what she needed to know and didn't need to honor her word. That final inch… what was that? Trixie clenched her eyes shut as she asked softly, "Why does she want you dead?" No answer. Slowly she peeked once more.
And received a wink in return. "Because I know what she is," her reflection assured her, "Perhaps I may even tell you once we're free from here."
Ponies are inherently magical creatures. The magic that makes up their being renders them more resilient than most creatures throughout Equestria. Ponies could fall with some pain and discomfort but still remain whole and healthy. So perhaps Twilight Sparkle could survive getting blasted by lightning. Perhaps she could even have survived the plunge to the street below.
No way was Luna going to let that happen.
Swooping in on her dark wings, the small Alicorn caught Twilight Sparkle in a field of magic and set her down near her friends before winging upwards towards the tower. Wind that cut at her wings found itself deflected by her magic as she moved with a strength and solidarity only an earth pony could know. She landed atop the tower opposite Nightmare Screamer, her teal eyes narrowed. "How could you, Evening Star?"
The blood red Pegasus looked grim as she stared across the rooftop at her former friend. "Hmmm…" She rubbed her chin with a wing. The bolt of lightning split the night and silhouetted Luna in blazing, crackling electricity. "Like that?"
Luna cried out in pain, but her horn captured the lightning, held it, and scattered the charge. "That's not what I meant! Why are you fighting me? Why are all of you doing this? Whispers was wrong. I was wrong! Let us help you." She asked as her hide smoked.
"Didn't Fury say it best? It's not all about you, Luna," Nightmare Screamer said as her eyes narrowed and grin widened. "So thanks for the offer, but I'll pass."
"Evening…" she began softly.
"Screamer, Luna!" The nightmare roared. Once more the lightning crashed into Luna, but she was ready. Her horn seized the crackling bolt in her magical grip. She was not, however, prepared for the nightmare's crackling kick across her face. Concentration broken, the lightning surged once more in a continuous crackling stream that washed over Luna.
A bubble of pale moonlight deflected the energy enough for her to rise as she struggled against the energy pouring around and over her. Ponies are inherently magical creatures. Alicorns, the unicorn princesses that possessed a bit of all three of the pony races, were even more so. But for all her power Luna had never been well versed in combat. Thus when she caught sight of nightmare Screamer hovering above her, her hesitation might be understandable. The blood red pegasus seemed to glow as she rode the conduit of crackling lightning down and struck Luna's moonlight shield with such force that the tower top crumbled and collapsed in on the top floor.
"You never knew me, Luna," Nightmare Screamer said softly as she hovered over Luna's twitching body.
"But I do," and the voice was accompanied by a golden beam of light that sliced across Screamer's body, drawing a smoking line in her hide. Landing besides Luna, battered from Fury's assault, Princess Celestia still looked magnificent. Her glare of disdain shone through despite the pouring rain drenching her blue, green, and pink mane to her bruised hide. "What are you doing here, Nightmare?"
"Isn't it obvious? You were clearly paying attention to the wrong Nightmare. It hurt my feelings. So I simply had to stop by and remind you who the true threat is," Screamer said as she kept her eyes on Celestia while Luna rose to her hooves; smoking but still intact.
"And that threat is you?" Celestia replied calmly.
"Naturally. Couldn't let you waste your time on the wrong nightmare. You should focus on the most brilliant and dangerous one," Nightmare Screamer said with a grin, gesturing to herself.
"Congratulations," Celestia replied in soft earnest, "You have my focus."
Luna looked at her friend sadly, "I'm sorry. This is my fault… but we have to stop you."
Nightmare Screamer just grinned as the lightning struck her as she disappeared. "Where'd…" Luna began when another bolt tore down towards the both of them. Streaking along the crackling energy was Screamer. The golden dome summoned by Celestia proved more resilient that the moonlight one of Luna's, though the force of the impact did rock the tower to its core.
Up and down Nightmare Screamer rode the lightning, and each impact drove Celestia's hooves into the stone. "Drop it," Luna shouted as Screamer flashed back up into the storm clouds and began to drop. Silver rays of light shot from Lunas horn, running up the crackling flow of electricity and flashed over the nightmare. White burns that hissed with cold appeared on her crimson hide and she peeled away, breaking the conduit of lightning. Together, the sisters took to the air as Nightmare Screamer recovered.
Gold and silver flashed and flared as Screamer tore around the towers of Canterlot, trailing lightning. Two vortex beneath her wings propelled the nightmare with a noise like a single continuous wail as she came around to attack with her own arcing blasts of lightning. Walls of gold cut in her path, but the nightmare was a superb flyer and evaded each attempt to block her. Luna sent a rain of sparkling stars streaking down atop her, but the gusts scattered the cold white light.
Suddenly Nightmare Screamer once more rode the lightning, but this time as she fell her hooves didn't crash against white and golden magical shields. They slammed into a tower with such force that the entire structure began to collapse. "No!" Celestia shouted as she removed her shield to wrap the tower in her golden energy, buying time for the ponies within to run for safely.
Nightmare Screamer rode the lightning again, but this time she landed atop Celestia, "Lost your focus?" She screamed as she exploded with lightning, sending arcing blue bolts racing over Celestia's body. Celestia screamed, but kept control till she allowed the tower to safely crumble into a heap. Those precious seconds were paid for dearly as Equestria's ruler received black burns to her pummeled body.
Suddenly a giant pair of glowing pincers reached out and plucked Screamer from Celestia's back. The luminous scorpion, its body filled with stars, clung to the top of another roof as it raised its stinger. A starry dragon roared above her while a lion perched atop a neighboring tower ready to pounce. "That's new," Screamer muttered as she looked at the giant luminous arachnid.
"Give up, Evening Star." Luna demanded, her horn glowing as she maintained the shimmering constellations.
"Sure. I give up," she said as she put her front hooves into the air.
"Really?" Luna couldn't help but smile.
Nightmare Screamer just sighed in disappointment as she once more exploded into lightning. The entrapping claws disintegrated into stars. The lion sprung and the dragon dove, but there was another flash of lightning and she flickered out of sight. Luna raised her shield as she moved over Celestia, waiting for her to come back down again.
When she reappeared on a far tower the mare wasn't attacking. As both Princesses turned to face her she seemed to be arguing with herself. Her eyes were wide as she shouted, "I don't care what she did! I am fighting BOTH Princesses here! Kill her yourself!"
"Problems?" Celestia said as she hovered besides Luna.
"Oh the usual. Fighting two of the most powerful ponies in the world, and she wants me to just drop everything because one of her plots didn't turn out just so," Screamer replied and then hissed, "Don't tell me to shut up! I am fighting Princesses here!"
"I think this fight is over," Celestia declared. "You can't beat both of us, Nightmare."
"Yeah. Guess you're right…" Then lightning blasted once again, but instead of racing towards the clouds, the electrified Nightmare rode the lightning directly into Celestia's shield. Luna barely raised her own in time as Screamer immediately deflected straight at the younger Alicorn. Back and forth Screamer passed from one to the other, striking faster and faster. Gold and silver rays futilely flashed along the crackling arc as the impacts shook both sisters. "Who breaks first?" Screamer shouted over the electric sizzle as the charge built up more and more. Luna felt her shield faltering under the continuous assault.
Then her eyes met Celestia's and she knew any second Celestia would drop her shield and take the hit. Even after she'd been hurt so many times recently by Fury and now Screamer, her sister would make the hoofbrained choice. "Don't do it Celestia!" Luna shouted across the arc at her sister, then gasps as she felt sparks starting to sneak through her barrier spell. Back and forth, back and forth, faster than the eye could follow.
"Celestia! Move away!" Luna shouted as she took to wing and moved away. Celestia looked confused for one moment, her eyes widening in comprehension as she flew in the opposite direction. The lightning arc stretched between them, and even though she still ripped through the air almost too fast to see, she could still be seen. Silver and gold flashed, striking Screamer from both sides and she fell in a heap atop the tower.
"Good one, Luna…" Nightmare Screamer gasped, smoke and icy mist rising from her as she coughed. She laughed, coughed, and laughed again as she rose to her hooves. For a moment, Luna heard her clever friend. "Didn't think of that," she muttered as she staggered to her feet. "Guess I just have one last trick to play."
"Give up, Evening Star. You're done," Celestia said in an oddly soft voice. Nightmare Screamer's eyes widened and she laughed softly. It was such a familiar laugh that it made Luna's heart ache.
"Nah," she said as she looked at Celestia, "Thought I was. Pretty sure. But there's one last big trick to work out," Evening Star said as she pulled herself to her hooves. "Watch this."
"Stop her!" Luna yelled as she tried to form a barrier around Screamer. The bolt of lightning flashed up into the clouds, with Screamer riding it into the swirling clouds. "She got away…" Luna said in frustration. Then a gust rolled across the city.
"No, Luna, she didn't," Celestia said as she looked to the storm above Canterlot.
The roiling clouds suddenly took on a more uniform direction as the winds reoriented in one continuous direction. As Luna watched they spun faster and faster, lightning blasting out completely at random as the funnel slowly descended towards the city. The wind caught the stars in her constellations and despite her grip they scattered and winked out. Soon the lightning wrapped vortex began to pull debris into its funnel as it scoured the stone. A pony shaped lightning bolt fueled the funnel as she circled around faster and faster.
"Sister!" Luna wailed, not knowing what spell could possibly counter act that terrible force.
"This is done!" Celestia roared at the storm. Golden light enveloped her, and the swirling clouds over the city became awash in terrible red light. The swirling wind abrupty shifted in the direction of away as the clouds began to stream away. Suddenly the storm broke and the raging setting sun broke through in a baking wash of heat. Red like an ember, it still sent the clouds and tornado scattering in all directions, leaving a lone Screamer staring up at the immense fiery orb plucked prematurely from its bed in the west.
"Awesome," Nightmare Screamer said as her mane and wings started to smoke. Then with a laugh she turned and raced away to the west with a dull roll of thunder.
Slowly Celestia rose the tired sun into the sky and with her horn directed it back down below the horizon. For years to come ponies would talk of the day with two sunsets. Finally she crumpled next to Luna. "Ugh... I'm feeling my age today." Celestia muttered as she looked at the electrical burns Screamer had left in her hide. "How is it I can go centuries without even a blemish, but in one week look half dead?"
"I dunno. Maybe a thousand years of being pampered are catching up with you," Luna teased gently, knowing now that running a Kingdom wasn't easy. It'd take Luna a thousand years to be able to run Equestria with the skills and finesse that Celestia possessed.
"I think I'm going to have to send Cloudsdale a thank you basket. They'll be taming the weather Nightmare Screamer and I stirred up for months." Celestia rose to her hooves, "Let's go check on Twilight Sparkle and her friends."
Luna looked at Celestia for a long moment as they drifted down to the street below. "Celestia. Did you know Evening Star?" Celestia paused, looking back at her. Luna hung her head as she said, "She said she wasn't my friend. That she'd used me. I heard everything she told Twilight…"
Celestia's gentle lips curled softly, "I'm sure when this is done, you'll have that one back."
"You do? But…"
"There are friends, Luna. Then there are friends," She said as she checked up on the six friends. Ponies were starting to flock out on the streets to survey the damage. Many were injured and many of the ponies seemed in shock that something terrible would happen to them here in the capital. "I'll need to help." Celestia said simply.
"We'll all help, if you don't mind, Princess," Twilight Sparkle said as she stood, a bit shaky with her friends around her.
Trixie clung to the back of the carriage as it rattled away from Canterlot. The whispering had finally broken along with the storm, and Trixie knew she was a dead mare if she couldn't figure something out. She glanced at the carry-alls tied to the chests and trunks of the wealthy pony folk. First thing to do when she arrived was finding someplace safe for the enchanted mirror. Then… well… then she'd work on it.
Unseen by her in the growing night, a dark shape pursued the carriage with dogged perseverance.