Before I start, I guess I should tell you all that if you haven’t done it already, to go re-read the rewrites for chapters 1-4. Okay, so you don’t have to, but by reading them, some of the references in this chapter will help out some. Alright then, let the show begin!

Fiery and Luna had long since returned to the palace, and back to Luna’s room, not even bothering to go eat dinner. Fiery laid on his back on the bed while Luna had gone out onto the balcony, barely catching the last bit of Celestia’s light in time to bring up the stars and the moon into the night sky. After everything was said and done, Luna returned inside and looked at Fiery with a smile. “I need to get going soon. Will you be alright?”

Fiery rolled his eyes. “Yes, I think I’ll be alright Luna. Really, why are you so worried? You’ve been acting weird ever since we’ve come back from our date.”

Luna looked away and began to rub her leg uncomfortably. “I-I just care about you, that’s all.” She lied. “Can’t I do that much?”

Again, Fiery rolled his eyes and smiled at Luna. “Yeah, I suppose you can…. Luna?”

Luna turned towards Fiery and cocked her head. “Yes Fiery?”

“Be safe out there, okay?” He said as he continued to smile, while Luna smiled back and nodded.

“Alright Fiery, I will.” She turned around and walked over to the balcony, then had spread her wings and began to fly off, back in the direction of where she felt the earlier source of power. ‘Please, let him stay safe.’ She thought to herself as a tear dropped from her eye as she flew into the night sky.

Meanwhile, Fiery had fallen asleep on the bed, not knowing of the threat that had been creeping closer and closer, already on the palace grounds.
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After flying for about an hour, Luna had finally touched down at the edge of the Everfree Forest. ‘Tia.’ She thought, calling out to her sister as she wondered into the forest to investigate. ‘Tia, are you there?’

‘What is it Luna?’ Celestia’s voice replied in Luna’s head.

‘Sister, have you felt anything strange this evening?’

Celestia was confused. ‘What are you talking about Luna? Where are you?’

‘Please sister, have you or have you not felt anything odd today?’ Luna asked again, and could feel Celestia shake her head back at the palace.

‘No, nothing out of the ordinary. Why? What’s the matter?’

Luna shook her head. ‘Perhaps it’s just my imagination, but earlier today, before Fiery and I arrived back at the palace, I felt as though I sensed something familiar appear at the edge of the Everfree Forest. I’m here right now investigating.’

‘What did you feel?’

Again, Luna shook her head. ‘I thought I sensed the Nightmare.’

‘The Nightmare?! Are you sure Luna?’

‘I don’t know, but I think it wasn’t just that.’

‘What do you mean Luna?’ Celestia asked, becoming worried now.

‘I mean I think I sensed a second presence, one I thought I had long since gotten rid of.’

‘What do you mean Luna? What pre-‘ But Celestia’s voice was suddenly cut off by a mysterious force. Luna looked back towards Canterlot, her eyes becoming wide with fear, and began to panic. What she most feared was indeed real. With a quick push against the ground, Luna was off in the direction of Canterlot, only caring for Fiery.
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‘Luna? Luna?! Luna, can you hear me?!’ Celestia tried calling out to her sister, but got no response.

“Is there something the matter Celly?” Starry asked Celestia as she drank her tea quietly.

Celestia turned towards Starry with a worried face. “Somethings wrong. Come, we must quickly put the palace on high alert.”

“What? What’s the matter?” Starry asked again as she watched Celestia quickly walk towards the doors of the study.

Celestia looked back while opening the doors. “Luna said she thought she felt the Nightmare had returned, but it wasn’t just that. Before Luna got cut off, she had felt another presence which she thought she got rid of. I do not know of what Luna speaks of, but something is definitely wrong.” Celestia told Starry as she walked out of the room, towards the throne room. ‘How did I not sense that magic being cast?! Has the Nightmare really returned?’
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On the other side of the palace at the same time, Octavia was outside of Fiery’s and Luna’s room, and began to knock once the guards had let her through. She pressed her ear up against the door, expecting to hear hoofsteps, but instead heard snoring. She sighed and opened the doors to see Fiery’s figure on the bed sleeping. As she walked inside, the doors behind her slammed shut, scaring her for a moment before she realized where the loud noise had come from.

Letting out a sigh of relief, she walked over to Fiery and began to prod him awake. “Fiery-“ She softly called out his name. “Fiery, wake up.”

Fiery began to grumble in his sleep as he woke up from his slumber. “Mm, what?” He looked to his side to see that Octavia was the one prodding him. “’Tavi? W-What are you doing?” He asked sleepily.

“What am I doing? You were the one who sent a guard and said I needed to come here.” She replied with a slightly annoyed tone. “What’s so important that you had me come here this late?”

Fiery was confused. “I didn’t send for you.”

“Please Fiery, I’d like it if you didn’t play these games with me.”

Fiery shook his head. “I didn’t know though, really!” Fiery said as he got out of bed and looked at Octavia.

Octavia groaned in annoyance and rolled her eyes. “Fine Fiery, I believe you. If you don’t need me then, I guess I’ll go back to bed.” She told him, and began to walk back to the doors. As she put her hoof on the handle, she began to tug at it, but the door wouldn’t budge at all. “Oh come you-“ She began to curse under her breath, still pulling at the door.

Fiery walked up next to her. “What’s the matter?”

Octavia turned and looked at him. “The door won’t budge at all!”

Fiery rolled his eyes. “Please ‘Tavi, the door isn’t stuck.” He said, before he began to pull at the door handle as well, only to have the same problem. He looked over at Octavia and smiled, trying to play innocent, as she glared back at him.

“See? Told you.” She told him in the annoyed tone as before while continuing to glare at him.

Just then, the two ponies heard the balcony doors also slam shut, startling both of them and causing them to turn around. ‘What the hell?’ Fiery thought to himself as he tried to approach the balcony, only to be held back by Octavia. “What’s the matter ‘Tavi?” He asked as he turned back and looked at her.

“Don’t, please Fiery.” She looked at him with pleading eyes. She didn’t know why, but for some odd reason, everything that was happening at that moment seemed to be too coincidental.

“Oh ‘Tavi, you have nothing to worry about.” He tried reassuring her. “It’s not like I’m going to go somewhere that you can’t see me, I’ll-“ But he was cut off as Octavia screamed in fear and pointed behind him, her hoof shaking. Fiery quickly turned around to see what she had screamed about, to see what it was right away. Right there, in front of the balcony doors, it seemed as though the shadows of the room were collecting themselves. No, not shadows, as whatever being collected had begun to block the moonlight coming from the windows and balcony doors. Fiery stood on his back two legs and put his hoof in front of Octavia. “Get behind me.” He told her softly, as he began to glare at the shadow. He didn’t know what to expect, but whatever it was, he wasn’t going to allow it to harm anypony he loved.

Soon afterwards though, as he kept his focus on the swirling blackness that, from what Fiery could tell, was creating some kind of pony, he felt a tug on his leg. He looked down just in time to see the same blackness grab hold of his leg, only to feel himself be flung across the room, right into a nightstand with a lamp on it, breaking in Fiery’s back. “Fiery!” Octavia cried out as she saw him being thrown across the room. Mere seconds after Fiery had been thrown, Octavia could feel herself be grabbed by the darkness. She got worried that she was about to suffer the same fate, only to be surprised that it was not the case.

Instead of being thrown, Octavia had been picked up, grabbed around her chest area, with her arms held tight as well, and was pulled across the room, stopping in front of the pony that had finally fully manifested itself in front of the balcony doors. Soon, two piercing red eyes had revealed themselves, with a smile of bright jagged teeth forming as well. A jet-black unicorn with a dark purple mane and tail with the night sky as a Cutie Mark, owner of said eyes and teeth. “Well, well-“ A deep voice erupted from the mouth of the new pony. “What do we have here? Why, if it isn’t little Octavia Pie, coming here to celebrate me coming back home.”

“I-I have no idea what you’re talking about, you monster!” Octavia yelled at the pony as she tried looking away from him. “I’ve never met you in my life!”

The pony began to laugh at Octavia’s statement. “Never met me? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten me already Octavia.” He said while he smiled wickedly at her. “After all, I was the one who got you and your friend out of the streets and into a home once more, didn’t I? The most extravagant home in Ponyville as well.” He stated as he began to laugh again.

Octavia’s eyes went wide and looked back at the pony. “S-Shady? W-When? How?”

The pony began to laugh once more before answering. “It seems you haven’t forgotten at all Octavia! This calls for a celebration!”

“W-What ha-“ But before she could ask anything, Octavia was no longer hovering in front of Shady, but now her face was mere millimeters away from his own face, as the darkness that was grabbing a hold of her brought her down in front of him. As soon as that happened, she felt something warm touch her lips, and she realized that Shady had begun to kiss her. She squirmed, closing her eyes, not wanting to believe what was happening to her, and trying to move her head away, but whatever magic that was holding her body, was also holding her head in place so that she wouldn’t be able to move away.

Seconds after he had forced the kiss on Octavia, the unicorn had begun to force his tongue into Octavia’s mouth, only to feel it get bit hard by her teeth. He pushed Octavia away, who was no longer looking at him with fright, but with rage. “Well, not the type of welcome back I was hoping for.” The unicorn stated as he began to rub his tongue with his hoof, wondering if it had been punctured by her bite.

“How dare you, you son of a bitch! When I get free, you’ll regret ever being born!” Octavia exclaimed as she tried to wriggle free of her bindings once more, but to no avail. Then, she felt herself be thrown onto the bed, and have her legs spread wide open by the same magic from before. “W-What are you doing?!”

“Why, making you my prize of course. I always did find you to be… exhilarating.” The unicorn said with an evil grin as he walked over to the bed, looking between Octavia’s legs. “Of course, that’ll have to wait though, as I still have other business to attend to.” He began to walk over to the spot where Fiery had landed, hidden by the bed, only for him to not see Fiery anywhere. “What the-“
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In the meantime, Frostbite had been comfortably listening to music on Fiery’s laptop, that Fiery had loaned out, along with the headphones that went with it, sitting in a plush sofa while reading the latest updates of his favorite fanfictions on the Internet. Twilight was in the corner of their room reading a help-guide that she had found in the Canterlot Royal Library about relationships.

As Twilight read the book, she couldn’t help but think of the progress she had made with Frostbite since he had come to live with her. ‘He hasn’t even bought me dinner, or make it for that matter, yet I still let him do that to me.... Why? I’m not that type of mare! Is... Is it because of the fact that everypony I know except Fluttershy has done it?’

Twilight shook her head, trying to forget even thinking about such things, and decided to speak to Frostbite. “So I had a pretty good time with my parents today….” Silence. “I also got to see my brother and sister-in-law. They’re doing well… Cadence is even expecting a foal soon….” Again, silence. Twilight huffed in frustration, and then spoke a little louder. “You know Frostbite, I think I may be pregnant.”

Frostbite looked up from the laptop and took off the headphones. “You say something Twilight?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “No, nothing really, just thought I’d talk to myself a little bit.”

Frostbite looked confused. “You okay Twilight?”

“Of course I’m not alright!” Twilight shouted, looking at Frostbite, only to blush afterwards when she realized she had raised her voice. She sighed and looked back down at the book. “We never get to talk Frostbite.”

“What do you mean?” Frostbite asked. “We talk all the time.”

Twilight rolled her eyes again and began to become infuriated. “We only talk about your lessons on how to be a unicorn, but we never talk talk.” She tried explaining. “I mean, are we even in a relationship?”

“Where did this come from?” Frostbite asked her, only to get a glare in return. “What?”

“Where this came from is that I feel as though you used me! We never spend time together like a couple! you never come with me to anything! All you ever do is either hang out with your friend or wandering around town doing Celestia knows what!”

“…. Do you really feel that way Twilight?”

“Of course I do! I wouldn’t be complaining about it if I didn’t!” She exclaimed as she began to breathe heavily.

“…. If that’s the way you feel Twilight, then I guess I can-“

Suddenly, the door burst open to reveal Celestia. “Princess!” Twilight yelled out, bowing shortly after. “What are you doing here?”

“Twilight, we may have a problem on our hooves.” Celestia began to explain. “A short while ago, I got news from my sister that she had felt a presence we both thought had been vanquished once and for all. I have placed the palace under high alert, but I need your help Twilight.”

“P-Princess?”

“Right now, I fear as though we might have been too late. I need your help finding this threat and help me extinguish it once and for all. I have already sent for the other Elements of Harmony to be retrieved, and are on their way here as we speak.”

“W-Wait! Princess, what threat?! What-“

“Please Twilight!” Celestia said frantically. “We don’t have time to discuss this. I need your help with this problem immediately!”

Twilight had never seen Celestia this frightened or frantic before. Without asking anymore questions, Twilight nodded in confidence. “No matter what the threat Princess, I’ll help.”

“As will I!” Frostbite announced as he got up from his seat. Twilight turned around, looking back at him with shock.

“Frostbite!”

“Please Twilight, as a way to make it up to you.” He answered her with a smile.

While Twilight huffed, Celestia sighed in relief and smiled at the two. “Thank you, both of you, I appreciate this very much… Now, I-“

Just then, a guard from the hallway, wearing golden armor, interrupted Celestia. “Sorry to interrupt you your highness, but we just received word from Princess Luna’s wing that something is amiss at her room. Apparently the guards standing outside of her room are unresponsive, and nopony is unable to get the doors to her room open.”

“If that’s true, then why would…. Oh no.” Celestia finally connected the dots and realized who the real target was. Running to the door of the room, she called to the two ponies behind her. “Twilight, Patrick, we must leave, now!” The two nodded and began to run after Celestia, with guards running behind them. ‘Why… Why is it going after Fiery?’
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“What the- Augh!” The unicorn yelled out as he felt a sharp puncture in his back. He turned around to see Fiery holding a piece of wood that had been broken off from the nightstand, covered in blood. The unicorn smiled and looked at Fiery as though he was a joke. “Well, it seems the brat has learned a few tricks. Too bad they won’t help you live for long.”

“Why… Why are you doing this…?” Fiery asked as he breathed heavily, his own back punctured from shards of glass and pieces of wood from the nightstand and lamp, and blood dripping from his head.

“Why? You mean you don’t remember me?” The unicorn said with the same evil smile. “And all this time I was contemplating my revenge for what you did to me over a thousand years ago, brat.”

“W-What do you mean, I never-”

“Oh come now-” The unicorn interrupted Fiery. “Surely you haven’t forgotten about the stallion that’s life was ended by the mare he used to love, all because of what you did.”

“I-I still-”

The unicorn sighed and was becoming infuriated. “I knew I should have finished you off when I had the chance, rather than allowing you to live until she came and rescued you.”

Fiery’s eyes went wide in realization. “W-What?! H-How?!”

The unicorn smiled and began to laugh once more. “It seems you’ve remembered finally. Yes, Lunar Twister has returned! And while that bitch may have killed me when I was a pegasus, my gracious mistress gave me a second chance at life… As well as a second chance to not only kill you as a unicorn, but to kill the mare who betrayed my feelings as well!” The unicorn exclaimed as he slammed his hoof into the side of Fiery’s face, knocking him backwards.

“No!” Octavia yelled out. “Don’t you dare harm him!” But her cries fell on deaf ears.

As Lunar continued to laugh manically, he stomped on Fiery’s side, harming him further. “Ah, isn’t this exciting brat? For almost a thousand years, I’ve been going back and forth between worlds, WAITING for a chance to get my revenge, only for those chances to be taken away from me! Yes, I may have screwed up my first and second time here, but that does not matter! Before I ever came back here, I created as much chaos as possible, feeding my mistress while she sat on that puny rock of a moon! All the wars in the 20th century, the genocides, the destruction! I had a hoof in all of them! Gavrilo Princip, Joseph Stalin, Heinrich Himmler, and many more! I was the one who gave them their ideas! I was the one who helped them achieve their goals! All thanks to the powers that my mistress gave me!” He exclaimed as he kicked Fiery in the stomach again and again, while laughing manically once more afterwards.

Without Lunar’s knowledge though, Fiery had been able to use his magic to raise the dagger that he had received from his mother. Seconds later, Fiery was able to drive the blade into Lunar’s back, in a place that he couldn’t reach with his hooves, and deep enough that it couldn’t be pulled out with magic, all the way to the hilt. “Ugh! You little bastard!” Lunar yelled out as he turned his focus from Fiery to the blade. He began to pull on it with the magic of the Nightmare, only to cry out in more pain. “You’ll pay for this you fucking brat!”

While Lunar’s focus was on the blade, Fiery had used some of his remaining strength to get up and walk next to Lunar’s face, saving the rest for what he was about to do, and smiling as he did it. After multiple pulls, Lunar was finally successful in pulling the blade out, and thinking that he had finally won, he turned back towards Fiery, only to have Fiery’s horn be put into his mouth. “Hey Lunar….” Fiery said with a raspy voice. “Say hi to Satan for me.” With all the remaining strength in his body, Fiery focused it on his horn, summoning the best fire spell he could. Not even a second later, Fiery shot the fireball down Lunar’s throat, incinerating his innards, and exiting from his backside.

After the fireball exited Lunar, the remainder of his body collapsed onto the ground, only to quickly rot away, and the darkness with it. His flesh and muscle began to burn away, revealing the remaining bones of his body. His entire midsection was gone, destroyed by Fiery, leaving only the skull, and legs of the body. Not even the spine had been spared.

As Lunar’s body collapsed onto the ground, so did Fiery. Completely exhausted, Fiery could feel his life slowly fading away. He had lost too much blood and had taken too much damage. He could barely see, but he ended up looking over to the bed, where he saw that the magic holding Octavia had disappeared. She rushed over to him calling out his name. “Fiery! Fiery! No, don’t leave me! Fiery!”

As he felt Octavia’s tears fall on his face, Fiery couldn’t help but smile. ‘I’m glad I was able to protect her until the bitter end.’ Fiery thought, before losing consciousness.

“Fiery! No! Don’t fall asleep! Stay with me Fiery!” Octavia cried out as she tried holding him in her arms, her tears clouding her vision. As she cried out though, the door to the room burst open, to reveal Celestia and the others.

Celestia quickly rushed over towards the two, not even regarding the bones on the ground. “What happened?!” She demanded, but Octavia only shook her head, unable to respond while she continued to weep. Celestia turned her head to Twilight and the others behind her. “Quickly Twilight! You must help me keep him stabilized while the doctors get here!” Twilight nodded her head and rushed over next to Celestia, casting her most powerful healing spell, while Frostbite and the guards were unsure of what to do.

Shortly after Celestia and Twilight had begun to cast the spell, Luna had flown in from the balcony, only to gasp in horror as she opened its doors, with screaming shortly afterwards. “E-Enough!” Celestia strained to yell out, continuing to focus her energy on Fiery. “W-We have to get h-him to the medical wing! H-He’s fading fast!”

Luna wiped the tears that had begun to form in her eyes and nodded, understanding what needed to be done. With a glow of her horn, and a quick flash afterwards, all five ponies, including Octavia, had been teleported to the medical wing, not being able to wait on the medics any longer.
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Chapter 35 Done. Unable to think of anything to say right now other than I’ve started my job, so yay me.