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Rainbow Unicorn: Friendship is Magic

by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof

Chapter 11: Not a Dream

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The party had been a lot of fun. Lots of food, plenty of drinks, for some reason there was even a bottle of hot sauce (which Pinkie seemed to think was good with the cupcakes). There was some music in the background, and some interesting conversation.

As the night progressed, moving toward morning and the time of the celebration, ponies slowly began to leave little by little. Applejack was among the first to do so, still needing to oversee the final set up for the tables and food. Flowershy left later in the evening, needing to get the birds ready for their performance.

It did not seem to be long before it was time to head to The Town Hall to see Princess Celestia and watch her raise the sun.

"Coming, Spike?" Rainbow asked as she headed for the door.

"Hold on," Spike called out. "What about your saddlebag?"

"We're not going to need anything in it," Rainbow answered. "I mean what's in it? The list that we're finished with and that book?"

"Book?" Twilight asked. "What book?"

"Princess Celestia gave us a book to read on the way and drop off here," Spike explained.

"It was just an old book about something called The Elements of Harmony," Rainbow added. "Just remember it when we get back and we can put it on the shelf."

With that, Rainbow Burst, Spike, and the last few ponies that had stayed the entire time made their way toward the center of town. They joined the other ponies as they made their way inside. The place was getting kind of packed with so many around, and it was difficult to move around.

Rainbow and Spike managed to find a place relatively close to the stage, but still a decent distance from the buffet tables (which -- for some reason -- had food "mysteriously" float away from it in a rainbow colored aura of magic). Spike stood on Rainbow's back, one claw gripping the top of her head to help keep balance as he watched the stage and enjoyed one of the turnovers.

"Fillies and gentlecolts," a grey maned mare called out from behind a podium, "as your mayor, it is my pleasure to announce the beginning of The Summer Sun Celebration!"

This was immediately met with cheering and the stamping of hooves. The mayor smiled, waiting patiently until the excitement calmed down.

"I'm so excited," Pinkie Pie said after appearing beside Rainbow Burst. "Aren't you excited? I know I'm excited. I've never been this excited. Well... maybe once when I just a filly. Oh, or when I met you and was all" -- she let out gasp.

Rainbow was excited. It had been quite a while since she had watched Princess Celestia raise the sun. Maybe it was because she could see it any time. The princess did raise it literally every morning. So if Rainbow wanted to see it, all she had to do was get up early enough and go to the balcony. Then she could watch the whole thing with ease. Instead, she either slept in as late as she could (which was her favorite choice), or get up at an early time to try out a spell she was really excited about... or something she thought would be hilarious and just could not wait to try.

"In just a few moments," the mayor continued once the crowd had calmed down, "our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate..."

Rainbow stopped listening as something caught her attention. She thought she had caught the movement of something, but had no idea what. She managed to catch a glimpse of something black, but not enough to figure out what. Was a pony possibly plotting to prank the princess publicly?

The thoughts shifted as Rainbow looked out at the moon. It was so beautiful tonight, with its smooth, glowing, white surface.

Wait...

Rainbow Burst took a step closer to the window, looking out through it. The moon looked different. What was it? It was like something was... missing?

The birds that Flowershy had trained began to sing, marking the cue.

"Princess Celestia!" the mayor announced proudly. The curtains pulled back as a spotlight came on to reveal the stage.

It was empty.

"Celestia?" Spike mumbled in confusion from his spot on Rainbow's back.

"Where is she?" the mayor asked, looking around.

"Maybe she's hiding," Pinkie suggested, looking around.

A deep laughter began echoing through the building. Shimmering dark blue clouds crawled across the floor before collecting. It shifted and roiled before bursting apart to reveal a figure in armor.

It was a mare that looked as tall as Princess Celestia. She had a black coat and an ethereal blue mane and tail. Her head held high, a long horn protruded from a hole in the helmet she wore. She stared at the crowd with draconic eyes, large bat wings spreading out behind her.

"Mares and stallions," the black mare announced, "the sunrise has been cancelled."

"Where's the princess?" Rainbow shouted, starting to run for the stage. Applejack and Twilight moved to grab her and hold her back before she actually made a full charge.

"Wow," Pinkie said as she stared at the alicorn. "She looks just like the Nightmare Moon statue... except she can move more.. and is less... stone-ish."

"Oh, so it seems I am remembered after all." Nightmare Moon's eyes narrowed as she studied the audience. "Tell me, how long has it been?"

There was a silence as the ponies in the crowd. Some of them looked between each other, uncertain how to respond. Others simply cowered, crouching down and trying to move away from the legendary creature now standing right before them.

There was a flash of lightning and boom of thunder.

"Do not keep me waiting!" Nightmare Moon shouted, stomping a hoof. "Surely there is one pony among you that can tell me how long it has been since I was banished. Better speak up before I get --" she narrowed her eyes, "-- irritable."

Her horn flared once more. Almost all of the ponies shivered as the temperature in the room seemed to drop.

"A thousand years," Twilight blurted out. "I don't know the exact number, but it's been nearly a thousand years."

Nightmare Moon's eyes went wide as she stared at Twilight.

"A thousand years," she mumbled to herself, rubbing her chin. "I have been gone for a millenia.... interesting..."

"Enough!" Mayor Mare shouted. "Guards! Grab her. She must know where the princess is."

Four of the pegasus guards took off, flying directly toward Nightmare Moon.

With a laugh, Nightmare Moon ignited her horn once again. She gave a flick of her bat-like wings, sending a a gust of wind to knock them back.

"I hope you have enjoyed this night," she proclaimed as she turned into a cloud once more. "For now, it shall last forever!"

With that, she vanished in a puff of blue cloud and flash of lightning.

Many of the ponies still stood there, staring at the stage where the legendary Nightmare Moon had been. One of those ponies was Rainbow Burst. Her ears drooped as she stared, eyes wide and jaw hanging open.

"...buck.."

Next Chapter: The Most Dreaded Activity Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 14 Minutes
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