Waking Nightmares

by Jonathan "KnightMysterio" Spires

Chapter 33: Five Card Stud

All characters who aren't original are copyrighted to their original owners, used without permission for non-profit reasons. All original characters are copyrighted to me, so do not use without permission, please. Takes place one day after the previous chapter.

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Everfree Forest...

Zecora's Hut...

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Zecora calmly hummed to herself as she stirred a potion in one of her smaller cauldrons. She still had flashes to her nightmare just from touching them, but so long as she didn't use any of her pony-sized cauldrons for anything other than bathing (she had destroyed all of the cauldrons in that size save her bath), she could still run her little business without incident. She looked through her spices, and noticed that she was out of garlic powder and red pepper flakes.

Shrugging, she decided to head into town, placing some saddlebags on her back. She wanted to visit Spy anyway. She nodded to the guards along the now fortified path to her home (she made a mental note to make something nice for Twilight for thinking of her in such a way), chatting politely with them as she walked. She gave advice to one who was looking for ways to impress his coltfriend, including sharing a recipe for a stew that her mother made that helped win her father over.

She walked into Ponyville, greeting politely anyone who said hello to her. She headed for the BLU base...

...only to run into something decidedly bizarre.

Gummy, dancing around happily in the middle of town, sporting a pair of huge, puffy red lips. The zebra, who had seen, experienced, and suffered much in the past few weeks... just stared in mute shock as the normally passive young alligator danced around. A small part of her mind noted, with mild amusement, that Twilight Sparkle was no longer the worst dancer in Ponyville, as Gummy's arrhythmic spasms made the clumsy purple alicorn look as graceful as Scootaloo when she thought nopony was watching.

"Candy lips," said a voice from behind Zecora, startling her. She turned, and saw a slightly embarrassed Bon Bon standing behind her, near a candy-filled table marked 'Today's Specials.' . Bon Bon smiled weakly. "Candy lips. I made them as a gag, and they aren't very good. Only a few ponies actually buy them. Gummy adores them for some reason..."

Killer robots, blood-sucking trees, coltfriends from another world, the Smooze, faceless abominations, and still I find myself taken aback by something as mundane as a dancing alligator. I love this town, the zebra thought idly. Zecora chuckled. "Well, whatever makes him happy I guess. So long as his dancing does not cause a mess," she said.

Bon Bon smiled. "I'll move him out of the street in a minute. Pinkie Pie's got something planned today, and asked me to take care of him. He apparently only needs to eat every other day, so I don't have to worry about feeding him meat or anything like that."

Zecora grinned. "A good friend you are, to take care of a pet. Such trust is a kind that one rarely can get," she said.

Bon Bon chuckled. "Pinkie's always been a good sport. Plus, serving my candy at her parties is excellent advertising. I don't mind taking care of the little chomper once in a while," she said.

Zecora nodded. A thought occurred to her, and she pulled some bits out of her sack. "Actually since I am near your candy shop, I suppose I could buy a couple hay pops," she said, handing Bon Bon the money.

"No problem," Bon Bon said, putting the money in a jar and giving Zecora the two lollipops. Zecora thanked Bon Bon, placing one of the caramel-covered treats into her bag and sucking on the other one. She glanced briefly at the merrily dancing alligator, who still had yet to find anything resembling a rhythm.

A big-lipped alligator, Zecora thought, mildly amused. There's something you don't see every day.

Zecora walked on, nodding to Lyra as the serious-faced unicorn strode towards Bon Bon. The zebra calmly strode through the town, passing a fisherpony selling red herring to a griffon tourist, eventually coming to the grocery shop, where she found Spy and Engineer chatting casually.

"...It is better zat we told zem about Sunset Shimmer's world, anyway," Spy said, yawning sleepily. "Zey deserve to know of our efforts to find our world."

Engineer nodded. "Ah know, ah know... Ah just don't like seein' them get their hopes up for nothin.' It's why we didn't tell them about visiting her world to begin with way back when all this started. Doesn't help that we took so dang long to... Oh. Howdy Zecora."

Zecora nodded, frowning. Hearing them talking about going home made her uncomfortable for reasons she couldn't fully explain. "Greetings to you, my true BLU friends, and to your as yet not here clan. Forgive my eavesdropping, but I couldn't help hear... you perhaps have homeward bound plans?"

Spy smiled, gently lifting her foreleg and kissing her hoof in a gentlemanly manner, the zebra blushing. "Do not fear, ma chere. We will not leave before our contract is completed and Slendermane is no more zan a bad memory. And as for afterward... Well... Let's just say zat some of us are considering permanent residence..."

Zecora forced herself not to take on a giddy smile. "Oh?"

Engineer squirmed uncomfortably, looking away. Spy nodded, yawning again. "Forgive me, I did not get much sleep last night... And indeed. Soldier, I have noticed, is deeply in love with Derpy. And I..." He smiled warmly at Zecora, blushing. "Well... Let's just say I am understanding his thought process on the matter. It is a rare thing to find myself zis happy, ma chere..." Zecora grinned widely. Spy nodded, and continued. "But for now, zis must remain between us until we can work the details out. I feel I can trust you with zis, so I must ask you not to spread it around until Soldier is ready to tell it himself..."

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," Zecora said, going through the motions of the fabled Pinkie Promise. "Such is a vow one keeps 'til they die, this inviolable promise made by dear Pinkie Pie."

Spy chuckled. "Ah, so a 'Pinkie Promise,' zen? I've heard zem bandied about town before."

Zecora giggled, nodding. "Indeed. A vow made by one most clever, as a way of prevention of losing friends..."

"...FOREVER!" On perfect cue, Pinkie Pie popped out from behind a shelf.

Spy and Engineer both yelped, startled by the sudden appearance. Zecora just smiled. "Perfect timing, oh pinkish one. Have you come for shopping, or just for fun?"

"Actually, I was looking for Engie and Heavy! I wanna talk to you guys in private, okay?" Pinkie Pie said, smiling warmly.

Engineer nodded. "Ah need to talk to Zecora right quick, actually," he said, "but ah can meet y'later. Ah'll let Heavy know as well. After lunch okay?"

Pinkie Pie nodded. "Sure thing! That'll give me more time to get ready!" she said, skipping off and singing a little nonsense song.

The other three watched her go. "That girl gives me a headache," Engineer muttered.

Zecora chuckled. "She is who she is, and has a firm sense of self. Now what can I do to offer you help?" she said.

Engineer and Spy traded looks, and Engineer sighed, removing his hardhat and pulling up his goggles over his horn. "Ma'am... Ah apologize if this sounds stereotypical in any way, but... Twilight and ah are workin' to make a viewing window into other worlds, hopefully to find ways to kill Slendermane that succeeded by viewing and hopefully communicating with the residents of other worlds. It's a work in progress, and we're researchin' everything we can... Ah was wondering if you had some kinda zebra voodoo that could help with that. Anything involving lookin' into other worlds."

Zecora chuckled. "Do not worry my friend, I do not take offense. I do practice voodoo, so in your defense your assumption was correct, and totally true. I do not at all think less of you," she said, Engineer smiling gratefully. "However I confess my true path is hoodoo. As a mambo I would not be of much use to you."

Engineer nodded. "Well, anything that you could offer us would help," he said.

Zecora nodded, Engineer bidding her farewell and leaving. Spy, meanwhile, stayed with her and smiled. "So what are you up to today, my finely striped beauty?" he asked.

Zecora shook her saddlebags. "Merely running errands, getting supplies to serve my ends."

Spy nodded. "Zen I shall accompany you. I can think of no better way to spend ze day zan with a fine young mare," he said, Zecora grinning and blushing.

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Later...

Sugarcube Corner...

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Heavy, still munching from a pile of sandwiches, sat with Engineer at one of the outside tables. Heavy seemed perfectly content with his meal, while Engineer just watched him with amusement, yawning a little. The mercenaries hadn't gotten much sleep last night due to strategy planning.

"Enjoyin' them thar veggiewiches, big guy?" he asked.

"Heavy is worried he may be ruined for lunchmeat," the big Russian Earth pony said cheerfully. "Heavy is liking flowers and hay too much now."

Engineer chuckled. "Goin' vegetarian is healthier for ya anyway," he said.

Heavy chuckled, and pushed a couple sandwiches over to Engineer. "Much obliged," the technician said, calmly eating his meal.

Mrs. Cake came up to the two of them, smiling. "Anything we can get you, dears?" she said.

"A refresher of this here delicious lemonade would be mighty fine," Engineer said, pulling a couple more bits out of his saddlebag.

Mrs. Cake smiled, pushing them back. "Refills are free, Dell," she said, going to get the pitcher of lemonade.

Engineer smiled. "Mighty fine. Wish Bee Cave had a place like this," he said, referring to his former home town.

Heavy nodded, polishing off a sandwich and yawning. "Da. Is good cakes and pastries here," he said. "Speaking of, do you know what tiny insane pink pony wanted?"

Engineer shook his head. "Nope. Just that she wanted to meet us here," he said. "Things are at a bit of a standstill with the alternate world viewing device Twilight and ah are making, so ah guess ah have time for a break."

Heavy rumbled. "All things considered, everypony is taking things well," he said.

Engineer nodded. "Ah guess the weirdness has become too commonplace," he said. "Thankfully, casualties have been few the past few weeks..."

Heavy growled. "It would be better if casualties were nil," he said softly.

Engineer sighed. "Can't always get what we want, pardner," he said bitterly. "Story of mah whole goddamn life... The point is, we're keeping casualties to a minimum and we got doctors coming here every day to help everypony deal with the mental traumas. That Doc Rorschach for instance. Nice feller."

"Hnh," Heavy grunted noncommittally.

Engineer just shook his head. "We just gotta keep movin' on towards the future, and make sure that as many ponies get out alive as possible,"

"Hnh. Yes," Heavy muttered. The two brooded in silence for a moment, and Heavy said, "Where is silly pink pony? Is suddenly depressing."

Engineer chuckled. "Yeah. Kinda hard to keep morale up when your morale officer is miss..."

"Hi guys!" chirped Pinkie Pie, appearing behind the two of them.

"GAH!" both mercenaries yelped, falling out of their chairs.

Pinkie giggled happily. "Sorry I'm late," she said, "but I had to get the first basic details of a WEDDING party planned!"

Heavy blinked. "Wedding? Really?"

Engineer grinned. "With who?"

"Lyra and Bon Bon!" she said. "I went to check on Gummy a little after I left you guys at the market, and I saw something so cool!"

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Earlier...

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As Zecora walked off, Lyra walked up to Bon Bon, holding a small bag in her magic. Gummy had decided to stop playing with the candy lips and was actually eating them, Lyra barely noticing as she looked at her longtime lover and marefriend with an uncharacteristically serious look.

Bon Bon frowned. Seeing Lyra so somber like this was unusual. "Lyra? Doll? You okay?" she asked.

"All depends on your answer," Lyra said softly. "Can... can I talk to you alone for a minute? You can bring Gummy"

Bon Bon looked worried, but nodded. "C'mon, let's go inside." The two entered Bon Bon's candy store, Gummy clamping onto the candymare's tail. Lyra went over to the nearest bench and sat down. But she didn't do it in her usual way, sitting on her rump like a human. She instead perched on it four-hooved, like a normal pony.

Bon Bon's eyes widened, alarmed. For her to change her behavior this drastically. "Um... Lyra? Are you okay?"

The mint-green unicorn shook her head, shivering. "No, Sweetie Drops, I'm not," she said, using Bon Bon's real name instead of her nickname.

Hokay, Bon Bon thought. Lyra being serious. Something is definitely wrong. She sat down on the bench next to her, nuzzling her marefriend. "Whatever it is, Lyra, you know you can talk to me about it."

Lyra smiled and sighed, taking a deep breath. "...I'm giving up on my human studies," she said.

Bon Bon blinked. Inwardly, she was delighted, as she was worried about her friend's constant obsession with them. For several years, she had been insistent that humans were once a dominant species on the planet. She had seen how several tools ponies use would be better suited for use with hands, developing an obsession with them to the point where she once tried to make a pair of prosthetic hands. And since the mercenaries had come, admitted humans turned ponies, Lyra had spent almost every waking moment trying to talk to them, before Spy came to Bon Bon discreetly, asking her to try and keep Lyra away from them.

It had worked so far, but Lyra had remained determined to study humans. For her to just give up like this...

Lyra shook her head, stopping Bon Bon before she could open her mouth. "I've been so obsessed with humans... and then I get to BE a human, only under the worst possible circumstances. If the Doctor and the mercenaries hadn't saved us..." She began to tear up. "Bonnie, I almost lost you... We all almost DIED, and... and I was almost ready to believe that stupid illusion."

"Lyra..." Bon Bon said softly. "It's okay. We..."

"No, it's not," Lyra said firmly. "I've been obsessing over human culture for so long that I nearly lost you... the first thing I felt when we woke up as human? Fascination." She began to cry. "I was so amazed, so fascinated by my human body that I didn't even think about what you were going through until I saw your face... I..." She shook her head. "I'm done. I'm giving up my human studies."

That's twice now she's said it. She must mean it. Geez... For Lyra to give up her studies of humans... she thought worriedly.

"And what's more..." Lyra continued, removing a small black box from the bag, "...I've decided to focus on what's really important. You, and my relationship with you."

Bon Bon gasped softly. "You..."

Lyra chuckled softly. "Everypony already thinks we're married... might as well make it official, right?" she said, opening the box to reveal a golden hoofring.

Bon Bon laughed happily, tears in her eyes as she hugged Lyra tightly. "Yes! Yes you magnificent goofball you, yes! I will marry you!"

Lyra, tearing up as well, hugged Bon Bon back, smiling. "Thank you... thank you so much..." She then turned to the side. "And thank you, Pinkie Pie, for not ruining the moment."

Bon Bon turned to the side, eeping when she saw Pinkie Pie standing there, a wide smile on her face, her mouth firmly shut. To Bon Bon's surprise and growing dismay, Pinkie Pie was steadily inflating like a balloon.

Lyra snickered. "Let it out before you hurt yourself, Pinkie," she said.

"OHMYGOSHCONGRATULATIONSIAMSOEXCITEDFORYOUPLEASEOHPLEASELETMEPLANTHERECEPTION!" Pinkie let out in a single breath, deflating back to normal and panting. "Thank you. That was starting to hurt."

Bon Bon and Lyra straightened out their manes, let the ringing in their ears stop after the barrage of sound Pinkie unleashed, and traded amused looks.

"Well?" Lyra asked.

"Eh, sure. Why not?" Bon Bon said. "You're in, pink one."

"YAY!" Pinkie cheered.

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Now...

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"Hnh. Well, that's right dandy it is," Engineer said.

"I know, right?" Pinkie Pie said, grinning widely. "Bon Bon and Lyra have been together for so long, everypony thought they were married already! Turns out though they were just living in sin, or at least that's what this one priest donkey said. Westley T. Burro his name was. Celestia hated him, because he tried to kill Twilight and Luna and Cadence one time, and..."

"Pinkie?" Engineer interrupted.

"Yes Engie?" Pinkie asked, unperturbed.

"You were goin' off on a tangent there, darlin,'" Engineer said, smiling.

Pinkie blinked. "WHOOPS! Yeah, that happens a lot. Sorry!" she said. "Anywho, that's what I was doing beforehoof, along checking to see if the Bumblebear was still behaving itself and with planning out the fun we're gonna have today!"

Heavy and Engineer traded looks. "Bumblebear?" Heavy asked.

"Nasty critter," Pinkie said, scowling briefly. "Attacked on the day of Cranky and Matilda's wedding. What a fiasco THAT was. I'll tell you about it later. C'mon!"

Engineer and Heavy just looked at each other again and shrugged. 'Just roll with it' had long since become their mantra since first meeting Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie Pie hopped through town, humming to herself as she led Engineer and Heavy on. As she did, however, she suddenly paused, her eyes opening wide. She shivered a moment, and smiled. "Actually, there's something I want to show you first," she said without changing her tone. "Can you follow me please?"

Engineer and Heavy, not suspecting anything, shrugged and agreed. Pinkie Pie giggled, and kept bouncing along, singing a song about making cupcakes. Eventually, Heavy began singing along, modifying the lyrics to be about sandwiches. Engineer snickered.

To the surprise of the two mercenaries, they came to an empty cave with nothing inside it. Pinkie Pie bounced to a halt in the center of the cave, turning and staring at them with a wide-eyed expression.

Heavy and Engineer looked around. "Pinkie, darlin'?" Engineer asked. "Is something supposed to happen now?"

Pinkie smiled. "Now? Now you go to sleep," she said, rushing forward and producing a hammer out of nowhere. She swung it hard, knocking Engineer out with a single smashing blow. Before Heavy could react, Pinkie slammed him with the hammer as well.

Heavy staggered, but didn't fall. Pinkie Pie gulped. "Whu oh..."

Heavy snorted, glaring at her with a stony expression. "Heavy is going to assume that you are possessed, crazy pink pony. Heavy is only going to lightly squash you," he rumbled.

Pinkie Pie grinned nervously, and tried to flee, but Heavy stomped on her tail before she could escape. Heavy grabbed that tail and slammed her back and forth a few times. He then threw her up against the side of the cave, growling. Pinkie Pie, whimpering, staggered to her hooves, grinning weakly.

"I assure you there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for this," she said..

"Heavy hopes so, tiny pink pony," he said, glancing over to Engineer, who was unconscious, but alive. "Because if you are not..." Heavy winced as he felt something prick him in the back. He whirled, seeing Zecora there, a blowgun held in her hooves. She grinned nervously as Heavy glared at him.

"I am going to squash you both," he rumbled. He could feel whatever toxin was in that dart starting to affect him, but he forced himself to ignore it. "Gently. Then we shall discuss this betrayal in detai-" Another blowgun dart hit him in the chest. He staggered, more of the sleep dart's poison starting to affect him. "I... will not..." he snarled, stomping towards the zebra. Zecora hastily reloaded and fired a third dart, the sleep poison finally taking full hold and knocking Heavy out.

The last thing Heavy saw before falling asleep was Pinkie and Zecora grinning at him wickedly, their faces starting to change.

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Dreamscape...

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Heavy awoke in the dream world with a start, shaking his head. He tried to move, only to find himself bound to a cross by heavy metal chains. He looked around, spotting Scout, Sniper, Engineer, Spy, and Medic in similar straights. "What is happening?!" he demanded.

"She's gotten stronger..." Engineer said softly, gesturing with his head.

Heavy turned, only to find Fluttershy in his face, the pegasus gently stroking his stubbled face. A disturbing look was on her face. Her coat was paler, and she had become chubbier, gaining a matronly look.

"Oh poor Heavy," she cooed, stroking the massive Earth pony. "Don't you worry, though. Mama will take good care of you." Heavy struggled to turn his head away, noticing that her Cutie Mark had changed, becoming a baby bottle. He glanced around, seeing that the other Element bearers had changed as well.

Rarity's coat had become black, her mane and tail become a purple, flowing wave of energy, her Cutie Mark looking more like stars instead of diamonds, a bloody heart carved around them. She was teasing Engineer, gently tracing a hoof along his chest. She looked like she was just barely restraining herself from tearing into him, her cybernetic arm twitching, Engineer well aware of the weapons installed into it.

Zecora was now mostly black with white tiger stripes, her Cutie Mark more Equestrian than Zebrican in appearance, a bubbling cauldron. She wielded a pair of twin knives, taunting Spy in her own language. Spy was trying to keep his cool, speaking in Zebrican as well, but he was clearly nervous.

Twilight Sparkle's coat had darkened, her eyes glowing bright green, her cutie mark a black dahlia rose. Heavy didn't get the reference at first until he remembered that the black dahlia, in certain circumstances, could be considered a symbol of betrayal. She simply stared at Medic, the physician ignoring her and trying to squirm out of his bonds.

Rainbow Dash's coat and mane were darker in tone, like the others, her Cutie Mark now a colorfully bloodstained meat grinder. She kept circling around Sniper like a predator vulture, Sniper muttering "I hate magic."

And Pinkie Pie, her main and tail straight and dripping a dark liquid, was giggling madly, her Cutie Mark changed to a cupcake in front of two crossed knives. Scout was pleading with her to regain control of herself.

And overseeing this twisted menagerie was Nightmare Moon herself. The dark alicorn smirked at the mercenaries, watching their discomfort as the twisted versions of their friends flirted with them.

"What, precisely, do you think you are doing?" she asked.

The captured mercenaries all stared at her. "Trying to save the damn world," Scout said, pointedly not looking at the murderous thing Pinkie Pie had become. "What do you think, lady?"

Nightmare Moon sneered. "And do you really think you can do it the way you've been bumbling about, lately?"

"We've made progress," Sniper insisted. "Celestia killed Masky Pegasus the other day."

"So she did!" Nightmare Moon laughed. "And yet Slendermane doesn't seem to care. So sad. Poor minion."

"And you do care?" Spy said, glaring at her.

"About that freak?" Nightmare Moon said, gesturing and making the six corrupted mares back off. "Certainly not. I'm more irritated about the waste of it all. Good help is hard to find, and from what I've been able to tell, Masky Pegasus was a decently effective minion."

"Vhat do you VANT?!" Medic snarled.

"Direct, aren't you?" Nightmare Moon said, unperturbed. "I like that." Her ethereal mane reached out and teasingly traced a line down Medic's chest, stopping just short of his crotch. Heavy growled, struggling against the chains that held him, as Medic squirmed in uncomfortable revulsion.

"I'm feeling generous today," Nightmare Moon said. "I'm here to make you an offer. Join me, and help me fight the REAL threat to Equestria. And I will send sweet dreams to unlock the three final gates."

"Real threat?" Engineer said, confused.

"You think that Slendermane is the greatest danger Equestria faces right now? Oh no," Nightmare Moon said. "He's unwittingly created something far more dangerous. Something that needs your attention more than hunting that fool."

"Why should we believe you!?" Sniper snapped. "You've been sending these horrible nightmares to our friends, and..."

"Friends you'll never see again once you return to your world," Nightmare Moon snarled. "Why do you care about them?"

Only Medic flinched. The others just glared at her. "Friendship is stronger than you know," Heavy rumbled. "Crazy darkness pony should remember that from first time Twilight and others beat them."

Nightmare Moon sneered. "Everything can be overcome," she said. "But I need you to stop resisting me. It's taken me this long to overcome the defenses Sparkle put up, and even then I could only manage you offworlders."

"Wait. You just have us?" Spy said, startled. The others looked at each other, confused.

"How long have we been asleep?" Engineer asked suddenly, the others understanding.

Nightmare Moon blinked, and cursed. She gestured, and the phantom versions of the others she had conjured. "Clever," she said softly. "Only a few minutes. Your friends noticed your fatigue and decided to just let you rest were you were." She turned first to Heavy and Engineer. "Pinkie had just taken you off to show you the party games she had made, only to notice that you were still tired and take you to a quiet place to nap. As for Spy, you are asleep on Zecora's couch. Sniper is pulling a Rainbow Dash and relaxing in a tree at Sweet Apple Acres. Medic fell asleep at his desk, and Scout decided not to get up this morning." She smirked. "More than enough time to bring you to me."

"And tell us some nonsense about a threat greater than ze Slendermane," Spy said. "You are deluded, Nightmare Moon. Dangerously so."

Nightmare Moon glared at him. "And you're fools for thinking you can oppose me," she said. "I was willing to offer you a chance to serve me willingly, but now I think I'll just make you mine."

"Crazy darkness pony will not hurt us," Heavy taunted. "Crazy darkness pony will just bring attention of Celestia down on herself."

Sniper smirked. "And I'm guessing that's something you don't want, aye?"

Nightmare Moon narrowed her eyes.

"Let us go, Fraulein," Medic sneered. "And maybe we will forgive this."

"You presume to talk down to me?" Nightmare Moon said in a quiet voice, her cat-like eyes glowing white.

"Isn't zat vhat vun does to something so obviously inferior to them?" Medic asked.

Engineer grimaced. "Medic, ah don't think that's the best way to go about this..."

Medic cackled. "Can you not see how petty a creature she is?" he asked. "Like a schoolyard bully. 'Oh, do zis or ve vill dump your head in der toilette.' Bah! How pathetic!"

Heavy noticed the corona of energy growing around Nightmare Moon's horn. "Medic, wait..."

Medic, unheeding, opened his mouth to taunt Nightmare Moon again. But before he could, Nightmare Moon's astral mane lashed out, piercing Medic in the chest.

"I will force you lot to serve me," the dark alicorn intoned. "And I will force your remaining three friends to suffer the greatest horrors I can think of! The last three gates will be unlocked, and..."

"I know what you really are, Nightmare Moon!" Engineer suddenly shouted.

Nightmare Moon, to everypony's surprise, stopped, turning slowly to stare at him in fright. "What..." she said softly.

Engineer, not wavering in his gaze, nodded. "I've figured you out. Luna and I have been talking..." he said, "I know what you really are now, 'Nightmare.'"

"You can't," Nightmare Moon said, getting in Engineer's face. "You're LYING."

Engineer smirked. "You really wanna take that chance?" he said.

"No..." Nightmare Moon said, visibly terrified. "You can't know... I've hidden it so well..."

"And yet ah figured it out anyway. And ah guarantee that if ah've figured it out, then Luna has as well," Engineer claimed. "You're done, Nightmare Moon."

"No..." Nightmare Moon stammered, backing away. "I won't... You can't..." She snarled. "I GAVE YOU A CHANCE! NOW YOUR FRIENDS WILL SUFFER FOR YOUR ARROGANCE! THE GATES WILL OPEN, AND I WILL BE TRIUMPHANT!"

The dark void they were all trapped in vanished, and Engineer and Heavy both woke up in a small grove of trees. Memories came back to them, of Pinkie Pie leading them here so they could take a nap someplace pleasant, promising to show them what she had planned to show them later.

The two mercenaries looked around, startled, but recovered quickly. "Silly pink pony must have left us alone here," Heavy rumbled.

Engineer shivered. "We need to get everyone together. NOW," he said.

Heavy nodded. "Da. We must discuss 'gates' she kept mentioning. Plus, Engineer has something on her, yes? We must be ready to use that against her."

Engineer shook his head, looking thoughtful. "Ah don't got nothing on Nightmare Moon, Heavy..."

The giant Earth pony froze, staring at his teammate. "What?"

"Ah BLUFFED," Engineer said. "She had a king high straight, ah had junk. Ah bluffed, and she FOLDED." He sat down, stroking his chin. "Which means..."

Heavy went wide-eyed, realizing. "...which means that she is hiding something about herself. There is a secret to find."

Engineer nodded. "We need to get to the others. Finally, with everything that's happening to us, we may have a means of stopping one of the threats set against us."

TO BE CONTINUED...