Chapter 1

“Principal Luna is Nightmare Moon!”

Rainbow Dash's frantic declaration was met only with silence. Five of the silences were of the polite, clueless variety, while Sunset Shimmer's was something else entirely, to judge by the way her mouth hung open. The girls had gathered in their usual band practice room, having long since staked it out as their favored after-school hangout.

“Technically,” Twilight looked up from whatever she'd been reading on her tablet. “Shouldn't it be 'Vice-Principal Luna is Nightmare Moon'?”

“Who cares?” Rainbow Dash said.

“What's a Nightmare Moon, anyway?” said Pinkie Pie.

“A mad, unspeakably powerful night goddess who wants to rule a world of eternal darkness.” Sunset Shimmer managed to keep her voice even, if barely.

“Sweet!” Rainbow Dash smiled, brimming with exuberant energy, “I knew I wasn't the only one who's ever heard of her!”

Sunset Shimmer blinked. “How'd you even hear about Nightmare Moon?” She pushed past the twisting fear in her belly and prepared herself for the worst.

“The internet, duh!” Rainbow said, typically guilless.

“What.”

“Seriously, look!” Rainbow Dash pulled her phone out of her pocket, and then, thinking the better of it, turned to Twilight. “Hey! Can I borrow your tablet?”

“Sure?” Twilight said, and pushed her glasses back up into place. “Just, um, don't look at the browser history--”

“Okay cool thanks!” Rainbow Dash plucked the device out of Twilight's fingers and immediately pulled up a video app. She bit her tongue between her teeth in concentration as she hunted and pecked out the right letters. “Somebody posted this video awhile back, and it's totally awesome. Check it out!”

Rainbow Dash set Twilight's tablet on a music stand, and then dialed the volume all the way up to maximum. “For the full effect, you really gotta watch it with headphones or something, but this'll have to do for now.”

An image faded into view on the screen, showing someplace dark and smoke-filled. A basement, or even a cave perhaps. The camera swept over the audience. Shrouded in shadow, no details could be made out on the figures besides long hair and a vague air of menace. Video lines danced across the screen, and there was a general haziness in the image- a copy of a copy.

A stage dominated one end of the chamber, flanked by towering stacks of speakers. Slowly, the camera panned upwards, revealing a banner. The banner was dominated by the image of a winged, horned, and battle-armored equine, with a coat of shimmering black.

Sunset held a hand up to her mouth as she read the lettering surrounding the logo.

A figure in a dark, hooded cloak slowly stepped onto the stage, and the audience roared their approval. A slim hand in a fingerless glove extended from the depths of that cloak and took hold of a microphone stand, tilting it towards the raised hood.

“It is time.”

Even over the meager speakers of Twilight's tablet, that clear, oddly familiar voice had enough power behind it to raise goosebumps. The crowd at the bottom of the screen shouted incoherently, fists raising in salute. A handful of rangy, long-haired men in hodgepodge denim and leather meandered onto stage behind the cloaked woman, carrying their instruments like battle-scarred weaponry.

“To me, my warriors!”

The cloaked woman threw her hood back and shook out her voluminous, shimmering blue hair. She'd streaked her blue cheeks with black warpaint, and the video quality left a great deal to be desired, but Sunset Shimmer still recognized the young face of Nightmare Moon.

“No. Way,” said Sunset Shimmer.

“Make your peace with your gods! For tonight, we BATTLE!”

Nightmare Moon flung off her cloak, revealing an outfit cobbled together of combat boots, fishnets, plate armor, and the occasional ragged scarf. A wickedly-sharp looking guitar materialized in her hands, and Nightmare Moon's fingers danced over the strings like coked up tarantulas.

Nightmare Moon sang like she played guitar: loud and fast. It was hard to make out exact lyrics, due to the already dodgy recording and the tiny tablet speakers. Still, bits and pieces came through: something about a mountain castle and a dead god. Pounding bass and guitars thundered behind her like distant artillery.

No sooner had the sensory assault started, it abruptly ended. Pyrotechnics flared at Nightmare Moon's feet, and the video faded out as she threw her head back in mad, triumphant laughter.

“What n' blazes was that?” Applejack said, scratching at her head.

“I couldn't tell you, Applejack.” Rarity huffed. “Doesn't that woman know chain mail is entirely unfashionable?”

“Not to mention anachronistic.” Twilight chimed in. “The riveting on her shoulder pauldron is all wrong.”

“That was terrifying.” Flutterhy said from where she hid behind Pinkie Pie.

“Oh, c'mon! That was awesome!” Rainbow Dash said. “Our principal--”

“Vice principal.” Twilight blurted by reflex.

“Fine, vice principal is like the most awesome heavy metal singer ever. Isn't that cool?”

“She was a heavy metal singer.” Rarity noted. “Couldn't you tell how old that music video is? Judging by the denim alone, that must have been recorded before any of us were even born!”

“Eeeyup.” Applejack nodded. “I reckon' if that was Vice Principal Luna, which I ain't sure it is, that ain't her anymore. She's too busy vice-principlin' ta get all gussied up n' scream at folk.”

“Rainbow,” Sunset Shimmer said, “Vice Principal Luna has an equivalent back where I'm from. And she used to be called Nightmare Moon, too. It didn't end well. But she's better now, thanks to Twilight.” Sunset Shimmer paused, and looked over at Twilight. “Er, Princess Twilight, that is. No offense.”

“None taken.”

“So it's true!” Rainbow Dash said, triumphant.

Sunset Shimmer frowned. “That's not what I meant.”

“Oh, c'mon! It makes sense! Pony-Twilight is a super-nerd, and this Twilight is a super-nerd.” Rainbow Dash paused, and smiled sheepishly at the purple-haired girl. “No offense.”

“None taken.” Twilight leaned over and collected her tablet.

“And, like, I'm awesome, so I'm just assuming Pony-Me is equally awesome. Almost equally awesome, 'cause I can play guitar and she can't because she's got hooves--”

“You'd be surprised.” Sunset Shimmer noted.

“But still! If Pony-Luna was Nightmare Moon, that means our Luna was totally Nightmare Moon! Oh man. Do you think she does autographs?”

“I wouldn't bring it up, if I were you.” Sunset Shimmer said.

“Why not?”

“Think of it this way.” Sunset Shimmer said, “can't you think of something you did a long time ago that you might be embarrassed about now?”

“Psh. No.” Rainbow Dash crossed her arms across her chest. “I'm awesome. I've always been awesome, and I always will be awesome.”

“What about that time in fourth grade when you ate too much ice cream before a soccer game and then you got all sick and went 'bleeeeeaargh' and barfed everywhere in the middle of the field and they had to delay the game so they could clean it up but you could still tell it was there because they had to dig up some of the grass so it was like there was a big sign that said 'Rainbow Dash lost her cookies here?' Even though it was ice cream, and not cookies, but I guess it kind of counts because there was some cookies and cream ice cream! Not that you'd need a sign, 'cause everyone saw it anyway.” Pinkie Pie smiled cheerily through the whole memory. “That was some goooood ice cream, though.”

Rainbow Dash's expression fell. “Okay. So maybe not everything I do is awesome. But, like, the majority is.” She squinted at Pinkie Pie. “Besides, you ate more ice cream than I did. How come you didn't puke?”

“'cause I was playing goalie and didn't have to run around like you.”

“Oh yeah.”

“Besides.” Fluttershy said. With the music video over, she'd finally managed to calm herself down. “I bet there's a lot of parents who would get really mad if they found out Vice Principal Luna used to sing about blood and fire and stuff. She might even lose her job. And then what would she do?”

“Fluttershy's right.” Twilight said without looking up from her tablet. “If Vice-Principal Luna doesn't want to tell us about what she's done before, then we should respect her privacy.”

“Besides,” Rarity added on, “even if Vice-Principal Luna's prior career were to come to light, it's not as if she's going to switch back to that flash-and-fishnets look.” Rarity considered the image, and shuddered. “At least, I certainly hope she won't.”

“Fine, fine. I won't tell anybody. Jeez.” Rainbow Dash grumbled. “I can't believe none of you guys like metal.”

“It's too scary,” said Fluttershy.

“It's too loud,” said Rarity.

“It's too much nonsense.” Applejack said, “hollerin' 'bout dragons n' hobbits n' whatever.”

“Oh come on!” Rainbow Dash said. “Sometimes we grow pony ears and do glowy magic stuff! How can you call that nonsense?”

“'cause we don't turn into dragons or hobbits, that's what.”

Rainbow Dash facepalmed. “Okay, so, I'm just gonna let that slide 'cause Applejack doesn't listen to anything but country.”

“Hey!” Applejack said, “I listen to country and western, thankyouverymuch.”

“Aw, don't feel bad, Rainbow!” Pinkie Pie said, “we can like different things and still be friends! Like, I guess Nightmare Moon is kind of fun in a GRRR ARG RAAAAR kind of way! I mean, it's not a polka, but I'm not gonna hold it against her.”

“Polka?” Rainbow Dash sputtered, “But … but … you can't mosh to polka!”

Pinkie Pie cracked a knowing grin. “You'd be surprised.”

“To be honest, Rainbow, I've never really listened to much heavy metal music before.” Twilight laid a hand on Rainbow's shoulder. “But, well, I can appreciate the technical aspects to it. Not to mention the inherent references to the fantasy literary canon.”

Rainbow Dash blinked. “Say what?”

“The stuff about dragons and hobbits.”

“Oh. Right.”

“Look.” Sunset Shimmer pushed herself out of her chair. “I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting kinda hungry. Anyone else wanna grab a salad or something?”

“Salad, nothing! I'm going for the chimichangas!” Pinkie Pie bounced up and down at the thought.

The other girls murmured their agreement (if perhaps less enthusiastically than Pinkie did), and made their way out of the practice room, through the hallway, and out into the parking lot. Eventually (and unfortunately, from Rainbow's point of view), the subject drifted away from that of heavy metal, to more insignificant things like who liked who at school (Lyra and Bon-Bon, for the record) and whatever movies that were supposed to come out that weekend (that sequel to that movie about that guy who did the thing).

Rainbow tuned out the chatter of her friends, which was easy enough. As she trailed behind them, she saw a glimpse of flowing blue hair from the corner of her eye. Sure enough, there she was. Vice-Principal Luna, walking out of Canterlot High. At a glance, everything about her looked normal. Boring, even. The clothes, the haircut, even the little hybrid hatchback that Vice Principal Luna got into, and drove out of the parking lot all painted an utterly mundane picture. It was hard to reconcile such a vision of normalcy with a heavy metal queen such as Nightmare Moon.

But Rainbow Dash knew better.

She smiled to herself as she watched Vice Principal Luna pull out of the parking lot.

Rainbow Dash began to plan.

Chapter 2

After classes let out the next day, Rainbow Dash put her plan into action.

It was a simple matter to excuse herself from the typical after-school hanging out with her friends, and then simpler still to get on her bike and tail Vice Principal Luna's sky blue hatchback the short distance to her house. It was a beige, one-story affair in a nice suburb, nearly identical to every other house in the neighborhood. Rainbow Dash rummaged some espionage gear out of her backpack, and set up surveillance in a small park across the street from Luna's house.

Exactly as planned.

Until Sunset Shimmer showed up.

“Rainbow.” Sunset Shimmer said. “Why are you here?”

“I followed Principal Luna home. Why are you here?”

“I followed you.” Sunset Shimmer crouched down beside Rainbow Dash. “Now why are you in a cardboard box?”

“Sneaking mission! I stayed up all night playing Metal Gear Solid to get ready for this!”

“All night? When did you sleep?”

“During class, duh.”

Sunset Shimmer lifted the cardboard box off a protesting Rainbow Dash. She'd found a bandanna somewhere to tie back her multicolored hair, but at least she didn't have a cigarette.

“Hey, what gives!” Rainbow Dash said.

“Shhh. Someone'll hear you.” Sunset grabbed Rainbow by the arm and dragged her behind a nearby bush.

“Wha--?” Rainbow Dash blurted, right before Sunset clapped a hand over her mouth, and leaned in to murmur into her ear. “Just. Watch.”

Moments later, Vice-Principal Luna walked out her front door, phone clapped to her ear. She juggled her keys and purse with her free hand, locked the door behind her, and then got back into her car. Sunset Shimmer waited until the little hatchback had rounded the corner before letting go of Rainbow Dash.

“Whoa. That's convenient.” Rainbow Dash said.

Sunset Shimmer stood up. “Well, if something were to happen unexpectedly at the school that requires a Vice Principal's attention … “

“Wait.” The gears ticked away in Rainbow's head. “You set this up?”

“I may have rigged the school computer system page Vice Principal Luna once she'd gotten home. False alarm, you know.”

“Does that mean you're helping me?”

“Yes. But not for why you think.”

“Aw, c'mon, is this one of those boring 'it's for your own good' lectures?”

“No.” Sunset Shimmer said, and walked across the street to Vice Principal Luna's house. Rainbow Dash hurried to keep up. “Back where I'm from, Nightmare Moon nearly conquered the world, if it weren't for Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends. But since this Twilight never met this Luna … “

“You think she could still be Nightmare Moon?”

“Maybe. Or she could turn back into Nightmare Moon. Or … who knows?” Sunset Shimmer knelt in front of Luna's front door. “Keep lookout,” she said, and fished a bobby pin out of her hair. With the sort of speed that any of her other friends might have found alarming (Rainbow Dash merely found it cool), Sunset jimmied the lock, and opened up Vice-Principal Luna's front door.

Inside, Vice-Principal Luna's house was just as mundane as the outside. The walls were painted a boring beige color, contrasting the dark gray granite of the floor. A sable-black cat streaked across the house as the door opened, disappearing into a side bedroom.

“Quick, close the door.” Sunset Shimmer said. “Last the we need to do right now is let Vice Principal Luna's cat out.”

“Right.” Rainbow Dash eased the door shut, and locked it. “Oh man, this is such a better plan than mine was. I was just gonna watch her house and see if she started playing guitar in the middle of the night or something.”

“Why would she do that?”

“'cause it's the full moon tonight, duh.”

“She's a Vice-Principal, not a werewolf.” Sunset rubbed at the bridge of her nose. “Now c'mon, we're wasting time. Don't disturb anything. We've got to leave everything exactly as it was when we got here, or else she'll know someone was here.”

“No trace. Got it.” Rainbow Dash said. “So, what're you looking for?”

“I'm … not sure. Magic, I guess. Glowing crystals, ancient tomes, scrolls, or something. I don't expect to find anything magical. I hope I won't find anything magical. But I've got to check, for my own piece of mind.”

“Got it.” Rainbow Dash nodded. “I'll let you know if I find any wizard junk. And if you find any cool metal swag, you tell me. Got it?”

“Sure.” Sunset Shimmer said, and started prowling through the house. “Now hurry, we don't know how much time we've got.”

The two set about poking through Luna's house as unobtrusively as they could. There were a few boring family pictures on the walls, a small collection of knick knacks on the mantle, and a few glossy-covered magazines tossed haphazardly upon a coffee table.

“Hey, sweet!” Rainbow Dash said, early on. “She's got some guitar magazines!”

“They're not magical guitar magazines, are they?”

“Uh.” Rainbow picked one up and gave it a little shake. Nothing happened. “Don't think so.”

“Then put it back.”

“Fiiiiine.” Rainbow Dash did so, and continued to poke around the house. Nothing magical and/or cool in the fridge. Nothing magical and/or cool in the pantry. Nothing magical and/or cool in the closet. She'd almost given up hope until she rounded the corner into a side hallway.

“Whoa! Sunset, check this out!”

“What is it?”

“Look!”

Smiling, Rainbow Dash pointed to the framed poster hanging on the wall. The words Die Walkure were emblazoned in gothic script across the top. The rest was a stylized portrait of a young, defiant warrior woman, decked out with gleaming bronze armor and a massive spear. Ominous thunderclouds loomed behind her.

The winged helmet hid the woman's face, but blue hair spilled out the back.

“This is so metal, I wish I had a van so I could paint this on the side.” Rainbow Dash said, gleefully.

“I think this is Wagner, actually.”

“Never heard of that band.”

“Wagner's not a band, it's a name.”

“Like Danzig?”

“Not … exactly. Wagner was a composer. He wrote a bunch of operas over a hundred years ago.”

“Wait. Opera?” Rainbow Dash eyed the poster suspiciously. “But she's not fat!”

“That's just the stereotyped image from the original production.”

“How do you know all this stuff?”

“Rarity wanted to see the costuming at the opera a couple weeks ago, but she didn't wanna go alone.”

“Go fig.”

“Now c'mon,” Sunset Shimmer said, “lets--”

The sound of keys jangling outside the door made Sunset and Rainbow freeze.

“Whatdowedowhatdowedowhatdowedo?!” Rainbow Dash said.

“Hide!” Sunset Shimmer grabbed hold of her friend and dove through a door, which led into the main bedroom (which was just as boring as the rest of the house). The front door opened and closed, followed by a tired sigh from Luna. The click clack of Luna's heels echoed through the house for a few steps, paused, and were replaced by the shuffle of stockinged feet. Shod or no, the footsteps grew louder and louder as they approached the bedroom.

Glancing around in a panic, Sunset Shimmer dove for Luna's closet, and dragged Rainbow Dash with her. Apparently, a Vice-Principal's salary wasn't large enough to warrant a full walk-in. Sunset and Rainbow elbowed and jostled at each other, torn between stealth and comfort. Blazers and turtlenecks and other administrator attire jostled around them like jungle foliage.

“Whoa. Jackpot!” Rainbow Dash said as she squeezed herself into the back corner of the closet. “Sunset, look!” Rainbow leaned to the side, revealing a battered, dusty guitar case, decorated with a who's who of band stickers.

“Quiet!” Sunset Shimmer whispered as forcefully as she could. She peered through the slats in the closet door. “We just need to hide in here until we have an opening, and then we can make a run for it.”

“Right. But … I'm touching Nightmare Moon's guitar!”

“That's just a guitar case.”

“I'm touching Nightmare Moon's guitar case!”

“Sssh! She's coming!” Sunset said, and clapped a hand over Rainbow Dash's mouth. Sunset bit her lower lip and peered through a gap in the closet door's shutters.

Vice-Principal Luna walked into her bedroom, running her fingers through her thick blue hair. She flopped down onto her bed. “What. A. Day.” Luna said, as she stared up at the ceiling.

Sunset Shimmer winced, regretting the false page she'd sent earlier. It was strange, sobering, even, to see a figure of authority (and possible heavy metal star) in such a tired, vulnerable state. And yet, it gave her hope; if Luna went to sleep early, then all they would have to do is crawl out of her closet, and …

“Mew.”

Sunset Shimmer furrowed her brow, and peered downwards. Sure enough, the sleek black cat she'd only seen a glimpse of before was now sitting in front of the closet door, staring intently at it.

Sunset Shimmer gritted her teeth, suddenly wishing they'd brought Fluttershy along with her.

“Mew.” The cat repeated, green eyes riveted on the door.

“I fed you, Diana.” Luna said, still staring at the ceiling. “You can't fool me.”

“Mew.”

“And you've got water, too.”

“Mew.”

“Fine.” Luna said, and sat up. “What is it this time?”

“Mew.”

“Hm?” Luna said, tilting her head to the side. “What's so interesting in my closet?” She rolled off her bed, and walked over to the closet. “Better not be another squirrel. I'm still trying to get the smell out of--”

Luna closed her fingers around the door handle, and things went to hell.

“CHEESE IT!” Rainbow Dash lowered her shoulder and bulled forward, shoving Sunset Shimmer through the opening doorway and into into Luna. Sunset and Rainbow burst out of the closet in an explosion of business-casual attire.

Luna spouted the kind of obscenity that would've gotten any of her students sent directly to her office. Still, after the initial, chaotic moment, she recovered, and grabbed hold of Sunset's arm in a steely grip. Sunset pulled against Luna by reflex, and then cried out and sank to her knees as Luna levered Sunset's arm in a way that arms are not supposed to go.

Rainbow Dash stumbled over the prone Sunset Shimmer, and crashed to the floor soon past her. “Whoa!” she said, rolling to her back, getting a good look at the angry administrator applying that arm-lock to Sunset Shimmer. “Principal Luna knows kung fu! Awesome!”

“Vice-Principal Luna.” Luna glared daggers at Rainbow Dash. “Also, it's aikido.” She stopped twisting Sunset's arm, but still kept her pinned neatly in place. “Now, tell me what you're doing in my house before I have the both of you suspended and arrested.”

“Uh.” Sunset Shimmer tried to turn her grimace into a smile. “Funny story, actually … “

“We wanted to see if you were really Nightmare Moon!” Rainbow Dash blurted.

It took a moment for Luna to process those words. She pulled in a steadying breath, and slowly released Sunset's arm. Sunset scooted away from Vice-Principal Luna and tried to make herself look as innocent as someone possibly can after bursting out of someone else's closet.

“Ugh.” Luna said, and rubbed at the bridge of her nose. “Fans.”

Luna tried to look as Vice-Principaly as she could without any shoes on. She sat Rainbow and Sunset around her glass-paned kitchen table, and then primly sat down on the opposite side of the table. She steepled her fingers, and pulled in a deep breath.

“Now then,” Luna said, “I know the both of you are good kids. The last thing I want to do is to ruin your lives by starting a criminal record for either of you. But, I cannot stress how utterly unacceptable this is.”

“We weren't gonna steal anything!” Rainbow Dash said. “We were just, uh, curious if you were really Nightmare Moon or not.”

“And you didn't think to ask?”

Sunset Shimmer shrugged. “Would you have told us?”

Luna paused, and thought about it. “I don't know. It's … not exactly the sort of thing I tell a lot of people. Heck, the only person in the whole district who knows is Principal Celestia, and that's just because she was my sister. And I'd like to keep it that way.” She narrowed her eyes, and Sunset and Rainbow cringed in their seats as surely as if they'd been in the principal's office at school. Vice-Principal Luna was very, very good at glaring.

“Nightmare Moon was … a different stage in my life. One that I don't like to dwell on. And while I am flattered by your enthusiasm, I would very much like to leave my musical career behind me. So, I think we can come to an … agreement. You two promise not to tell anyone about 'Nightmare Moon,' and I won't have to discipline either of you.”

Sunset Shimmer leaned forward a little, puzzled. “Are you … blackmailing us?”

“Hardly. It's a mutually beneficial agreement. You two don't get in trouble, and I don't have to explain myself to the school board. And, just to sweeten the deal for you … “ Luna stood, and walked back to her bedroom. She returned a few moments later with a battered cardboard box, which she laid on the table in front of Rainbow Dash. “I've been meaning to get rid of this for awhile. I didn't want to throw it away, but if you two can go to these lengths ... maybe you could appreciate it.”

“What is it?” Rainbow Dash asked, even as she opened the box and peered inside.

“Odds and ends, mostly. A few old posters, T-shirts, there might be a demo tape or two in there.” Luna smiled, somewhat wistfully. “It's all yours, as long as you agree not to spread rumors about any of this.”

“Deal!” Rainbow Dash said. She pulled a black T-shirt with the Nightmare Moon logo out fo the box, and held it up against her chest, only to find it much, much too large. “XXXL? Shoot. Maybe I'll have Rarity make it into a dress or something.”

“Not. Now.” Sunset Shimmer murmured, and then looked back to Luna. “Look, this whole thing is a huge misunderstanding, and we're really, really sorry about all of this. Isn't that right, Rainbow?”

“Oh, uh, right!” Rainbow Dash looked up. “Don't worry! We can totally keep your secret! That almost makes it kind of cooler, right?”

“I don't care how 'cool' it is,” Luna said, “I just want to keep this confidential. Now.” Luna turned towards the clock on her microwave. “It's getting late, and it's a school night. Both of you should be getting home.”

“That's it?” Pinkie Pie leaned forward. “She just let you go?” Once again, they'd gathered in the band practice room for the full story. Most of them, anyway: Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy were all busy that afternoon.

“And she gave us a bunch of cool free stuff!” Rainbow Dash said.

“So you're sure she's not, you know, magically evil and stuff?” Twilight said.

“As far as I can tell.” Sunset Shimmer said. “At least, I didn't feel any dark magic … which isn't saying much, honestly.”

“Maybe we should go back?” Twilight Sparkle said. “I could bring a magic scanner, just to be sure.”

“Something tells me Vice-Principal Luna won't be as forgiving if we start snooping around her house a second time.” Sunset said.

“Hey,” Rainbow Dash said, “that reminds me, does Breaking and Entering count as one crime, or two?”

“I'd prefer not to find out.” Sunset Shimmer deadpanned. “We're lucky she let off so easy.”

Rainbow Dash leaned back in her chair and laced her fingers behind her head. “We kinda did save the school and the world a couple of times. That counts for something, right?”

“I guess so,” said Sunset.

“Hey guys?” Twilight said, “you might want to take a look at this.” She turned her tablet around, showing a scan of an old newspaper with a bold-printed headline at top.

“Nobody was killed, thankfully,” Twilight Sparkle said. “But this is the last mention of Nightmare Moon I've been able to find. Any time someone brings that up, it probably reminds her of how awful the experience was … “ she trailed off.

“Whoa.” Rainbow Dash leaned forward. “Does that mean we get to do friendship stuff so she doesn't feel bad anymore and then she can be Nightmare Moon again and busts out a totally sweet guitar riff?”

“Probably not.” Sunset Shimmer said. “I mean, making friends is one thing, but … this is a little heavy, you know.” She held up a warning finger. “And do not make any heavy metal jokes.”

“Aw.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Anyway! Check this out.” Rainbow Dash reached into her backpack and pulled out an unlabeled white record sleeve. “I found this in the box of stuff Vice-Principal Luna gave me, but I don't have an old timey record player at home. Wanna give it a listen?”

“What is it?” Pinkie Pie said.

“I don't know!” Rainbow slid the record out of its sleeve and twirled the blank black disc between her fingers. “Maybe it's a super secret never released song or something!” She walked over to a corner of the band room, and dusted off an ancient-looking record player. “Good thing this school never throws anything away. Now, how's Vinyl do this?”

It took Rainbow Dash a few minutes (and some technical help from Twilight) to get the record player operational. The grin never left Rainbow Dash's face through the whole process. She finally lowered the needle onto the spinning record.

Instantly, the speakers blasted out a deep, angry, and incoherent roar. The very force of the sound was enough to blow the girls' hair back as sure as any hurricane gale. There were no drums, no guitars, no bass-- just a very, very angry man, with near limitless lung-power.

“Turn it off!” Pinkie Pie said, hands clapped over her ears.

Rainbow Dash nodded, and pulled the needle away from the disc.

The roar kept going.

In a panic, Rainbow Dash flipped switches, pushed buttons, and even went so far as to yank the power cord out of the wall, but nothing could stop the eardrum-punishing scream. Oily black smoke billowed up from the record, briefly coalescing into a semi-humanoid form with glowing green eyes. The smoke creature kept its form only long enough to stare contemptuously down at the four girls before it billowed upwards and smashed through one of the practice room's windows to streak screaming out into the sky.

“Whoa.” Rainbow Dash said over the ringing in her ears. “Metal.”

Author's Notes:

Chapter 3

“Okay. Plan.” Sunset Shimmer rubbed at her temples, hoping to get the echoes of the smoke-monster's terrible scream out of her head. “Pinkie Pie, find the others and tell them to meet us here. We're gonna need all hands on deck for this one.”

“On it!” Pinkie Pie snapped off a quick salute, and zipped off.

“Twilight,” Sunset said, “how long will it take to set up a magical scan?”

“Not long.” Twilight adjusted her glasses, which had been knocked askew in the chaos, and started pulling electronics out of her bag.

“Wait.” Rainbow Dash blinked. “You just carry mad science gizmos around with you?”

“After all we've been through?” Twilight flicked a switch, and her handheld scanner began to make theremin-like noises.

“Good point.” Rainbow Dash had to admit. “Oh hey, would it help if we played the record backwards? I heard that's how you can get the devil to talk to you and stuff on some albums.”

“No,” Sunset Shimmer's voice was firm.

“Okay, so … “ Twilight Sparkle hunched over the display unit she had in one hand, while the other waved a sensor wand over the still-sparking record player. “The etheric signature is on a far different wavelength than what I've seen before … it'd be fascinating, if I had the chance to study it under more optimal conditions.”

“Say what?” Rainbow Dash leaned over Twilight's shoulder and peered at the wiggly lines on her magic scanner's screen.

“It's a different kind of magic.” Twilight said.

“Then why didn't you say so?”

“Not now, Rainbow.” Sunset crowded around Twilight, attempting to get a better look at her scanner. “Anything else?”

“Well … “ Twilight said, “I think the record might have been some sort of receptacle, or storage device. Kind of like that compact I built, just … different. It stores magical energy, and a lot of it. Or, uh, it stored magical energy, until we let it out.”

“Until I let it out.” Rainbow Dash said with misplaced pride.

Twilight looked up from the scanner screen. “I'm not sure if that's something you should brag about.”

“Luna-- Vice-Principal Luna gave you that record.” Sunset Shimmer said. “Maybe … maybe it was some kind of trap?”

“Why would she do that?” said Rainbow Dash.

“I don't know-- she could have wanted you to release … whatever that was?” Sunset said.

“If she just wanted someone to play the record, why not do it herself?” Rainbow Dash walked over and poked at the still-sparking remains of the record player. “Maybe it was just an accident?”

“Or maybe she couldn't play it herself.” Sunset rubbed at her chin. “But giving the record to someone else would be one way around a binding geas … “

“Rainbow Dash. Sunset Shimmer. Report to Vice-Principal Luna's office.” The voice over the intercom was clear, stern, and more than a little foreboding. “Immediately.”

“Guess we're going to find out.” Sunset Shimmer pulled in a deep breath. “Okay, Twilight? Stay here, keep working, and fill the rest of the girls in. If we're not back in an hour … assume the worst.”

Twilight Sparkle's eyes went wide. “And then what?”

“You're smart. You'll think of something.” Sunset patted Twilight on the shoulder, and headed for the door. “C'mon Rainbow. Time to get some answers.”

“Right!” Rainbow Dash hurried to catch up. “Do you think she's turned back into Nightmare Moon already? Like, what if she's got bat wings and claws all of a sudden?” Rainbow Dash took a moment to marvel at the image. “That'd be pretty cool, y'know?”

“Let's hope not.” Sunset Shimmer said.

“Do you think she'll try to eat our souls, or just give us detention?”

It was Vice-Principal Luna who sat across the desk, not Nightmare Moon. In fact, it looked like she had dressed a little more conservatively than usual, as if to put any rumors of rock-stardom aside. Sunset and Rainbow fidgeted in their chairs as Luna glared at them.

“I've made a terrible mistake,” said the Vice-Principal.

“I'm sure it wasn't that bad … “ Sunset Shimmer said.

“It's my fault. I should have paid more attention. I accidentally left a record-- a large, round black disc--”

“We know what records are.” Rainbow Dash said. “Vinyl's kind of making a comeback, y'know?”

Luna grit her teeth and glared daggers through Rainbow Dash. Rainbow cringed a little, and murmured a near inaudible, “sorry.”

“There was a record in the box I gave you. It's very important to me. I was careless. I never should have left it in there to begin with. I'd forgotten about it until I accidentally gave you the box.”

“Uh, sure! No problem!” Rainbow Dash said. “We'll get it back to you right away!”

“Good. And whatever you do, make sure you don't play the record--”

“About that.” Rainbow Dash scratched at the back of her neck.

“You're kidding.”

Rainbow and Sunset silently shook their heads.

“You're not kidding.”

Rainbow and Sunset nodded.

Vice-Principal Luna pulled in a deep breath, and squeezed her eyes shut. Her hands balled into fists, and Sunset scooted back as memories of getting twisted into an aikido-pretzel resurfaced.

“You let him loose, didn't you?” Luna said. Where she'd been glaring daggers before, she'd now upgraded to full broadswords.

“Who?” Rainbow Dash tried to play innocent. Badly.

“Sombra.”

Sunset Shimmer gasped.

Rainbow Dash glanced between Luna and Sunset. “Um. Am I the only one here who doesn't know what a Sombra is?”

“Sombra is … was, an ancient, evil wizard.” Vice-Principal Luna sat back in her chair. “His mad hatred of all life has kept him tethered to this world, in his undying quest to burn all he sees to ash.”

“But … “ Sunset Shimmer leaned forward, placing her palms on the edge of Vice-Principal Luna's desk. “How do you know about Sombra in the first place?”

“Sunset.” Luna said, slowly. “Didn't you ever wonder why my sister and I are so … understanding of the fact that you and your friends occasionally start glowing with magic?”

“I just thought you weren't paying much attention?”

“In the middle of school-wide events?”

“Point.”

“The fact of the matter is, Sunset, you and your friends aren't the first young women to confront magical evils. You probably won't be the last, either.”

“Wait.” Rainbow Dash squinted at Princess Luna. “Are you saying--”

“I … Nightmare Moon fought Sombra. Bound his soul into a pressed record, so he could never menace this world again.”

“That. Is. So. Cool.” Rainbow Dash said, eyes glimmering with sudden, fangirlish glee.

“It's not as 'cool' as it sounds.” Luna said. She kept her voice carefully, unnaturally even, holding back whatever emotion she might have felt. “It was a battle hard fought, and one not without cost.”

“The fire.” Sunset Shimmer said as things clicked into place. “That was the last time anyone saw Nightmare Moon.”

“You've been doing your research.”

“I'm friends with Twilight Sparkle.”

“Ah.” Vice-Principal Luna breathed in deeply. “I've spent years trying to forget that night, trying to put it behind me. I would've given my life to stop Sombra. Happily. But … I was careless. Innocents got caught up in the battle.”

“It couldn't have been that bad. I mean, nobody died, right?” Rainbow Dash said.

“Rainbow Dash.” Luna stood, and planted her hands upon her desk. “Do you know what scorched flesh smells like?”

“Uh.” Rainbow Dash said. “No?”

“Do you know the sound human fat makes when it burns?”

“Why would I--”

“Do you know what it feels like, to have a friend's charred skin crumble into your fingers?”

Rainbow Dash's blue cheeks began to tint more towards a seafoam green, and she clapped her hands over her mouth.

“It. Was. That. Bad.” Luna spat. Her shoulders slumped, and the hateful terror drained from her, revealing a tired, worn woman. “I … I can't go through that again. I'll do what I can to help, but … I can't face Sombra again.” She sat down in her chair, hard enough to make its springs creak. “It's up to you.”

“But how? How did you defeat Sombra before?” Sunset Shimmer said.

“Courage.” Luna's voice was distant. “Blood. Steel.”

“Something tells me there's more to it than that.” Sunset Shimmer said.

“No.” Luna shook her head. “Sombra is not a subtle creature. You must meet him with as much power as you can muster, and maybe … maybe it will be enough. His spirit is incorpreal. Eternal. You can only face him when he manifests. And Sombra only manifests when he's at his most powerful. You at least have one advantage that I didn't-- I fought Sombra alone. You don't have to.”

“But how can we know when and where he manifests?” Sunset said.

“Sombra isn't subtle. Pay attention, and you'll know.”

“Is there anything else you can tell us?” Sunset Shimmer said. “You never can get enough information when it comes to magic like this.”

Luna shook her head. “To be honest with you, there's not much else to tell.”

“I see.” Sunset Shimmer stood up. “You can count on us, Vice-Principal Luna. Now that we know what we're dealing with, I know we can stop Sombra.”

Luna turned her chair away from the two teenagers, and looked out the window behind her desk, out onto the vibrant green soccer field outside.

“I hope you're right.”

“C'mon Rainbow. We'd better go tell the others.” Sunset Shimmer headed for the door, pulling Rainbow Dash along with her.

“One last thing.” Luna said without turning around.

“What's that?”

“Be more careful than I was.”

After Sunset and Rainbow had returned from Luna's office, they filled the rest of the band in. The next several hours had been devoted to brainstorming and research, to little avail. The janitorial staff eventually shooed them out of the school building, so they made do with an impromptu slumber party in Pinkie Pie's basement.

The topic drifted this way and that, until Twilight Sparkle looked up from her tablet.

“Guys?” She said, and pushed her hair out of her eyes. “I think I've found something.”

“More of your predictive calculations?” Sunset asked.

“Oooh! I know! I bet it's some kinda ancient prophecy!” Rainbow Dash said. She'd mostly recovered from Luna's earlier lecture. “Like, it's carved into a big chunk of rock in Norway or something, right?”

“Actually. Uh. I just found this.” Twilight turned her tablet around, revealing the headline on a pop-culture gossip website.

“That was quick.” Applejack mused, frowning.

“He's an incorporeal spirit with potential access to mind control magic, if he's anything like the Sombra from my dimension.” Sunset said. “He's not bound to the same time constraints we are.”

“The good news is, his first show is at the local amphitheater.” Twilight said as she scrolled through the article. “So we'll know where he'll be.”

“Why do I feel there's a 'but' coming?” Rarity said.

“He's playing tomorrow night.”

Chapter 4

The next morning, they had a plan.

The beginnings of one, at least.

“I can't believe we're cutting class for this.” Twilight said, wringing her fingers.

“Something tells me Vice-Principal Luna will cover for us.” Sunset Said.

“I hate these fellas.” Applejack grumbled.

“Yeah, me too!” Rainbow Dash said. “They totally ripped me off when I needed new strings for my guitar.”

“I hope they didn't rip off your G stri--”

“Not now, Pinkie.” Rainbow Dash grumbled.

“Aw.”

“Look,” Sunset said, “we need to be there when Sombra manifests, and this is the easiest way to do it. Unless any of you want to muscle your way through an audience of metalheads to get to the stage from the audience?”

Even Rainbow Dash took pause at that.

“Thought so.” Sunset said, and shook her head. “I don't like these guys either, but they're the only show in town. Now c'mon.”

The seven girls grumbled their agreement, and then entered the door beneath the FLIM AND FLAM TALENT AGENCY AND CONCERT BOOKING sign.

“So let me get this straight,” the mustached, boater-hat wearing man behind the desk said. “You little girls want to open up for SOMBRA (he's very specific about the all capitals, you know).”

“Yep.” Sunset Shimmer said.

“With your little girl band.”

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash said, “the Rainbooms are totally not a little girl band.”

“No?” Flim (or it might have been Flam, Rainbow forgot which one was which) tilted his hat up. “Then answer me a question. Are you, or are you not, a bunch of girls below the age of majority?”

“Okay, but--”

“And do you, or do you not sing songs about how good friends you are?”

“They're really rocking songs about friendship!”

“And do you, or do you not have a member of your band who does nothing but play tambourine?”

“He kind of has a point there.” Fluttershy murmured from the back of the group.

“I rest my case. Besides, it doesn't matter what I think.” Flam (or was it Flim?) leaned back in his chair and stroked the end of his mustache. “It's what the audience thinks. Personally, I can't stand any of the music you kids like today. Too much electricity. Not enough banjo. But I know my customers, and I know the last thing a SOMBRA crowd is gonna want to see is a sparkly little girl band. They'll tear you to pieces. Best case scenario, you get booed off the stage before you finish your first song, and only one of you needs to go to therapy.” The promoter peered at the group for a moment, and pointed at Fluttershy. “Probably Miss Tambourine over there.”

“That sounds about right.” Fluttershy said, and then cringed to hide behind Rarity.

“Sorry, kiddo. The Rainbooms just aren't the right band to open for SOMBRA. You need a metal act to open for a metal act, that's just the way things go.”

“Oh yeah?” Rainbow Dash said, by reflex. And then, it hit her. “Oh. Yeah!” she snapped her fingers, and pointed at Flim (or was it Flam?) “Then it's just your lucky day!”

“Is it, now?”

“Yep!” Rainbow Dash said, “because if you need a metal act, why not get the best metal band in the history of ever!”

“I've already got SOMBRA booked, kid.”

“Yeah, but what if you could get Nightmare Moon and the Children of Darkness?”

“Nightmare Moon? I thought she died or moved to Canada or something.”

Sunset Shimmer and the rest of the band tensed, but Rainbow Dash waved them off with a 'trust me' kind of smile. “Nope! She's still alive. And I happen to know her personally. And I know once she finds out Sombra--”

“SOMBRA.” The agent corrected.

“--once she finds out that he's making a comeback, she's gonna want to get on stage too!”

“You expect me to believe that you know Nightmare Moon personally?”

“I got connections.” Rainbow Dash bragged.

“I don't believe you.”

“Oh yeah? Check this out.” Rainbow Dash reached into her backpack and pulled out a black T-shirt, which she tossed at the man behind the desk. He fumbled with it a few moments, only for his eyes to go wide as he took a look at the logo. “Nightmare Moon gave that to me personally. Collector's item. Never been worn. Smell it.”

“Mighty big shirt for a skinny girl like you.”

“I'm gonna wear it like a dress. It's the new thing.”

“So, just based on a T-shirt which you may or may not have personally gotten from a possibly dead, possibly Canadian rock star, you expect me to let you perform tonight?”

“You got any other metal bands lined up for an opener?”

“Well, no … “

“Besides!” Rainbow Dash grinned. “Think of all the money you could make, booking not one, but two legendary bands in one night!”

“Money, you say?” One could practically hear the 'ka-ching!' in Flim's eyes.

“Oh yeah.” Rainbow Dash said. “Best part is? Nightmare Moon doesn't want to let this guy one-up her, so I bet she'll even play for free.”

“Free, you say?” He rubbed his hands together. “I suppose there's something to be said for that. Load-in starts at six. Be there. Don't expect anything fancy in the green room, either. You'll be lucky to get bottled water and half a bag of cheetos.”

“A twelve pack of soda and a full bag of cheetos. One of the big ones.”

“Deal!”

Rainbow Dash shook hands with the booking agent, and smiled victoriously. She led her shocked friends out of the office, and to the sunny street outside.

“Rainbow.” Sunset Shimmer said. “You talked to Luna, just like I did. There's no way she'll be Nightmare Moon again.”

“I know! Which is why I'm gonna be Nightmare Moon!”

“That's the craziest idea you've ever come up with.” Applejack said. “N' it's a doozy.”

“It's the crazy awesomest plan I've ever come up with!” Rainbow Dash said. “I've got it all planned out!”

“Vice-Principal Luna's taller than you.” Fluttershy said.

“Platform boots.” Rainbow Dash smiled smugly.

“And she's got blue hair.” Rarity said.

“Cool wig.”

“She's also like, waaaaaay older,” said Pinkie Pie.

“That's what the facepaint's for!” Rainbow Dash turned to her friends and walked backwards down the street, smiling. “It's perfect! I already know Nightmare Moon's songs. And I know Rarity can make up a cool costume. We go in, rock hard, and beat this Sombra guy. Easy!”

“That easy. Huh.” Applejack crossed her arms.

“Okay, maybe not that easy. Tricky part is gonna be making you guys into a metal band.”

“What.”

“Instead of the Rainbooms, how about, like … The Rainbloods? Nightmare Moon and the Raining-Bloods?”

“We ain't calling it that.”

“So it's a working title.”

“Rainbow,” Sunset Shimmer picked at her guitar. “You can't think this is a good idea.”

They'd relocated to the band practice room at school to regroup.

“Look, we don't have to be the greatest heavy metal band, we just have to be a heavy metal band, long enough for this Sombra dude to show up, and then bam! We punch him in the face with music and friendship and rainbow lasers! Unless you've got any better ideas?”

Sunset Shimmer rubbed her temples. “I'm just saying, we need to be careful. Remember what Vice-Principal Luna said.”

“I remember, all-right, but I'm not gonna let that kinda gross stuff stop me! Just to be safe, Fluttershy can hang out backstage with a fire extinguisher. I've got it all planned out.”

“I guess your plan is better than no plan at all.” Sunset Shimmer was forced to admit. “Barely.”

“Barely's right.” Applejack grumbled. “To be honest with y'all, turnin' the lot of us into a heavy metal band is 'bout as likely as a one legged man winnin' an ass-kickin' contest.”

“Hold up.” Rainbow Dash said. “Is that a thing? Ass kicking contests? Because I could seriously kick a lot of asses.”

“Focus, Rainbow.” Sunset Shimmer said.

“Oh! Right! Being metal!” Rainbow Dash grinned. “Honestly, it's not that hard! I mean, all we gotta do is build on what we already know! Like, Pinkie Pie's easy. All I had to do is feed her a couple espressos and tell her to play drums as fast as she can.”

“DOUBLE BASS! DOUBLE BASS! WOOOOOOOOOO!” Pinkie Pie pounded her feet, thrumming out a drumline almost as fast as her heartbeat.

“Y'all ain't getting' me jacked up on fancy coffee.”

“We don't have to!” Rainbow Dash said. “'cause metal and country are a lot alike!”

“Do what now.”

“No, I'm serious! Aren't you always talking about how all country songs are about heartbreak and murder?”

“All the good ones.” Applejack had to admit.

“That's totally the same mentality of heavy metal! Just, y'know, with vikings instead of rednecks. And they ride dragons instead of pickup trucks.”

“Well, dang.” Applejack rubbed her chin. “That kinda sorta makes sense. Maybe.”

“Cool! Just channel that country feel, and practice those bass licks, alright Applejack?” Rainbow Dash moved on before the cowpony could respond. “Rarity!” She said, and leaned over her friend's shoulder, peering at her sketchbook. “How are we doing on costumes?”

“Ah. Yes.” Rarity said, “it's short notice, but I think I've got a promising concept here, if I base the designs off of some late-medevial patterns I already have handy. If I use a darker color palate, it should be thematically appropriate, yes?”

“Sounds good. But--” Rainbow Dash plucked Rarity's pen out of her fingers. Rarity choked back a sound of horror as Rainbow Dash grabbed the sketchbook next, and made a few additions. “But remember, this is metal. So maybe you could add some spikes? Or skulls? Or spikes with skulls on them?” Rainbow scribbled a few crude additions to Rarity's design, and thrust it back into her hands.

“I'll … keep that in mind.” Rarity said, suppressing a shudder.

“Spikes?” Fluttershy murmured from where she'd curled up in a corner. “And skulls? That's pretty scary, Rainbow. You're not, um … turning evil or anything, are you?”

“What? Evil? No way! Evil is lame!”

“But … if we dress up in black and play really loud songs, doesn't that make us … uh, like Sombra? Just a little bit?”

“Kinda?” Rainbow Dash considered for a moment. “But only in a general sense. Nightmare Moon-- which is to say, us, is totally power metal. Sombra isn't.”

“He plays acoustic?” Pinkie Pie said. “I guess that makes sense, since he's a million years old or whatever.”

“No no, Sombra's like, really, really black metal.”

“But Nightmare Moon wears black.” Rarity noted.

“It's not about the color of your shirt,” Rainbow Dash said, “it's about the color of your soul.”

“Um. Kay?” Fluttershy said.

“I'm serious! Let me prove it to you.” Rainbow Dash pulled her phone out of her pocket and fiddled around with it. “If you search for Nightmare Moon songs, here's what you get. Songs like Valhalla, or Immortal Defiance, or By The Light of the Hunter's Moon. That one's my favorite.”

“So?” Applejack said.

“Well, lemme just search for Sombra, and we'll see what comes up.” Rainbow Dash's thumbs flicked over her phone's touchscreen, and soon the new results popped up. “See? The top Sombra tracks have names like Inevitable Entropy, or Life is a Plague, or Abandon all Hope.”

“Actually … I think I kind of get it.” Sunset Shimmer said. “Nightmare Moon's music is loud and violent … but at the same time, it's kind of inspiring? Where Sombra's titles are just dark and nihilistic.”

“Exactly! Sombra just wants you to roll over and die, where Nightmare Moon yells at you so you can get up and punch a dragon in the face.”

“Will, um, will we actually have to punch dragons?” Fluttershy murmured. Given her recent history with her friends, this was an entirely valid question.

“If we're lucky!”

A few too-short hours later …

“How do I look?” Rainbow Dash said, tucking a strand of red hair beneath the blue wig.

“Like there was an oil spill at a renaissance festival.” Rarity grumbled.

“Perfect!” Rainbow Dash fiddled with her guitar strap. “How's the crowd look?”

Applejack pushed the brim of her hat back and peered around the curtains blocking the sight lines from backstage to the audience of the amphitheater.

“Angry,” she said, “maybe a li'l drunk.”

“Standard metal crowd, got it.” Rainbow Dash grinned. “How're we doing on the tech stuff, Twilight?”

The purple-haired girl looked up from her clipboard, and tapped the radio headset she'd found somewhere or another. “The sound board's set up, but I wasn't able to get any of the pyrotechnics you wanted … “

“Don't worry about it.” Rainbow Dash smiled through her fearsome facepaint. “'Something tells me we'll be making our own fireworks.”

“That's what I'm afraid of.” Fluttershy murmured, and clutched a fire extinguisher like a lifeguard's buoy.

“C'mon guys!” Rainbow Dash said, “we can do this! We've got to do this! The whole world's depending on us.” She thrust her hand out. “C'mon, who's with me!”

Sunset Shimmer put her hand atop Rainbow's. “Someone's got to stop Sombra before he hurts anyone.”

Applejack was next. “Ain't anybody else that can do it, I reckon.”

“This'll be fun!” Pinkie Pie said.

“I'm really, really scared, but I'll help.” Fluttershy murmured.

“At least it's you out there in all that leather, and not me.” Rarity smiled when she said it.

“All for one, and one for all?” Twilight Sparkle said.

“Right!” Rainbow Dash said, “Let's hear it for Nightmare Moon and the Raining-Bloods!”

Applejack glared. “I told you we ain't callin' it that!”

“Uh, guys?” Twilight pressed a hand against her headset, “that's your cue. You're on.”

“Awesome. Go time!”

Though the sun had just set, the lights hanging above the stage easily heated it up to summer-afternoon levels. Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Sunset Shimmer went on stage as a group. Their entrances were met with a few scattered shouts, though it was hard to tell if they were out of genuine enthusiasm, or just rude catcalling. Fluttershy, Rarity, and Twilight stayed in the wings. Nightmare Moon's music was devoid of both tambourine and keytar, and Twilight was kept busy playing stage manager.

That left Rainbow Dash.

She strutted on stage and threw her arms out, allowing her cape and blue wig to billow dramatically. Several spotlights flicked on and centered on her. The audience shouted and applauded in appreciation, and Rainbow Dash basked in it all.

“Are you ready to rock?” Rainbow Dash yelled into her microphone.

Her voice cracked.

Muttering began to ripple through the audience, as those in the front row leaned in, trying to get a better look at 'Nightmare Moon.'

Realizing her error, Rainbow Dash took a step back from the microphone, and strummed a chord on her guitar. The clear sound echoed through the stacks of speakers, and the crowd relaxed, if slightly.

“Okay.” Rainbow Dash took another step back and leaned in to murmur to Sunset Shimmer. “.. maybe we should stick to instrumentals.”

“Just play, Rainbow.”

And they did.

To their credit, Rainbow and her friends were talented musicians. With just a few hours of preparation, they'd managed to get down the basics of several Nightmare Moon songs, and managed to improvise their way through the rest.

It was almost enough.

Almost.

A few dropped notes here and there could be ignored; Rainbow Dash simply used every little mistake as an excuse to play guitar faster and faster. Reveling in the speed and volume, Rainbow Dash whipped her head in a circle, windmilling that proud mass of blue hair she had pinned to her head. But, where Rarity's talents as a designer and makeup artist were certainly unparalleled, she hadn't taken into consideration the stresses Rainbow Dash would place on her Nightmare Moon wig.

Valiant bobby pins gave way, and that mass of blue hair sailed across the stage and into the audience.

Sunset, Applejack, and Pinkie pie could only watch in horror, hands falling away from their instruments. Rainbow Dash continued to shred, blissfully unaware of her own multi-hued tresses whipping about in the spotlight.

Eventually, even Rainbow Dash's quick fingers tired. She finished her solo, and threw her head back, smiling victoriously. A silence fell over the audience, just long enough for the reality to sink in.

“She's a fake!”

“Boo!”

“Get off the stage!”

Beer bottles and other bits of garbage sailed out of the crowd, shattering and skittering across the boards of the stage.

“We want SOMBRA!” someone howled.

“SOM-BRA!” Defiant fists were thrust into the air, and the chant arose.

“SOM-BRA!”

“SOM-BRA!”

The stage shook and rumbled hard enough to send the girls stumbling. Terrifyingly familiar black smoke billowed from somewhere and blanketed the whole stage in a knee-deep cloud. The tremors beneath the floor got louder and louder. Tower-sized spikes of black quartz erupted out of the smoke, smashing sound equipment to pieces. Rainbow Dash spun out of the way of a jagged spike of crystal and tightened her fingers around her guitar.

“Get ready!” she shouted at her friends. “This is--”

“I. SOMBRA.”

Sombra wasn't a man, so much as a presence. The omnipresent black smoke congealed into a pillar, and more details began to take shape. Rusted, ancient armor. A helmet with a single glowing spike at the forehead. And a pair of slitted, hateful green eyes.

Rainbow Dash took a step back, and gritted her teeth. “We're not scared of you!”

“THEN YOU ARE FOOLS.”

“I can be both!” Rainbow Dash braced her feet. “Now c'mon guys! Let's … “ Rainbow Dash trailed off, and looked over her shoulder. “Guys? Where'd you--”

“LOOKING FOR THEM?” Sombra waved a clawed hand, and six pillars of crystal rose out of the smoke. Each one held one of Rainbow Dash's friends, frozen solid in cringing poses of terror. “FRIENDSHIP. HOPE. LOVE. SUCH NAIVE CONCEPTS.”

Another wave of Sombra's hand, and black stone crystallized around Rainbow's platform-booted feet, locking her in place.

“YOUR CHILDREN'S TRICKS MIGHT HAVE WORKED ON A LESSER CREATURE, BUT NOT I. SOMBRA. AGES AGO, MY HEART WAS TRANSFORMED TO A GLORIOUS MACHINE OF HATE. IT IS BEYOND RECONCILIATION. BEYOND REDEMPTION. THERE IS NO FOOTHOLD FOR YOUR FEEBLE MAGICS IN MY SOUL, SO I AM IMMUNE.”

“Wanna bet?” Rainbow Dash said, and strummed another chord on her guitar. Without an amp, the sound was tinny and hollow. More crystal spread upwards, encasing Rainbow's legs to the knee.

“YOUR FUTILE STRUGGLE AMUSES ME.” Somba laughed like a saw drawn over gravel. “IT HAS EARNED YOU A FINAL BOON. CHOOSE WHICH OF YOUR FRIENDS SHALL DIE FIRST.”

“But--” Rainbow Dash paled, and began to tremble as the hopelessness of her situation dawned upon her. She looked to her trapped friends, “I-- I can't.”

“THEN I, SOMBRA, SHALL CHOOSE FOR YOU.”

“Hold!”

Chapter 5

“How the mighty have fallen, that Sombra is reduced to terrifying little girls!”

From neck to toe, Nightmare Moon wore armor of moonlight silver. The hilt of a broadsword jutted from behind her left shoulder, and the neck of a guitar from her right. By the steely look in her eyes, she knew how to use them both.

The crowd parted around her as she walked towards the stage. Impossibly nimble for someone in full plate, Nightmare Moon planted one hand on the edge of the stage and vaulted upwards, landing upon the boards hard enough to splinter them beneath her steel boots.

“OR THAT NIGHTMARE MOON WOULD SEND THEM TO FIGHT IN HER PLACE.”

“They made their choice.”

“A FOOLISH ONE.”

“They yet live.”

“EASILY REMEDIED.”

“Oh?” Nightmare Moon unslung her guitar and struck a casual chord. The sonic energy shimmered through the air, and cracks spiderwebbed their way through the crystals holding Sunset Shimmer and her friends. The quartz prisons shattered a moment later, and the girls were free. Nightmare Moon didn't take her eyes off of Sombra. “Flee, children. I shall finish this fight.”

“No way!” Rainbow Dash said, kicking the last shards of crystal from her boots. “We're not going to let you have all the fun!”

“Hate to say it, but she's right.” Sunset Shimmer fell in beside Rainbow. “This is our fault-- which is why we're going to fix it.”

“I expected as much. Take up your weapons!”

Sunset Shimmer and Rainbow Dash exchanged a silent nod, and then picked up their guitars. Pinkie Pie and Applejack retrieved their instruments as well, while the other three stood by

“SUCH SENTIMENT SICKENS ME. YOU HAVE GROWN SOFT, NIGHTMARE MOON.”

“And you're just as arrogant as I remember.” Nightmare Moon strummed her guitar again, and the stage shook.

“I HAVE LEARNED SINCE WE FOUGHT LAST.” Smoke coalesced between the evil spirit's hands, and a jagged guitar took shape. “DEFEATING YOU SHALL BE TRIVIAL.”

“Prove it.”

Sombra attacked first. His clawed fingertips struck strings of fire and thrummed out a tone so deep it bordered on the subterranean. Steady and inevitable, the notes came like the footsteps of an enormous, inevitable predator.

Nightmare Moon braced her feet and turned her lips up in a tight grin. Her eyes blazed as she looked over her shoulder at the Rainbooms. “Follow my lead.”

She started with a single, high-pitched note-- one that slid downward in pitch, like a plummeting bombshell. Nightmare Moon took her finger off the string, and let the bare tone hang in the air for a long moment before she belted out a flurry of short, quick notes. She danced her fingers up and down the neck of her onyx guitar in a reckless, winding melody-- a stark contrast to Sombra's droning violence.

Sombra played on. Phantasms of smoke and stone formed behind him, bearing their own instruments. And yet, their movements perfectly matched Sombra's as they fell into musical lockstep with their master.

“That's our cue!” Rainbow Dash said, and launched into her own guitar playing, adding her will to Nightmare Moon's. It pained the girl to be thrust into a secondary role, but Rainbow at least took solace in playing second guitar to Nightmare Moon.

Applejack, Sunset, and Pinkie began to play as well, supporting Nightmare Moon's sound with their own. Sombra countered by playing and chanting louder, each of his purposeful notes reverberating through the Rainbooms' very souls with echoes of hate and despair.

The battle played on.

Minutes passed, or hours, or perhaps even days; it was hard to keep track with the haze thrown up by clashing magics. Sparks showered down from stage lights as they exploded, and a circle of blue flame surrounded Nightmare Moon and her allies. The glow of the eldritch fire held Sombra's smoke at bay, through the incessant pounding of his metal dirge. Fingers of blue fire licked and lapped towards important-looking electrical junctures, only to be hastily extinguished by Fluttershy.

Nightmare Moon played, and played, and played. Never stopping, she danced between the beats of Sombra's funeral march. But even as Nightmare Moon kept playing, the hateful chant of the lich-wraith grew louder, faster.

Flecks of scarlet began to mar Nightmare Moon's armor. Thin red lines dripped down from her left hand, seeping from the joints in her gauntlet.

“She's bleeding!” Rainbow Dash said.

“Just keep playing!” said Sunset Shimmer.

“MORTAL FRAILITY.” Invigorated by the sight, by the scent of blood, Sombra loomed larger, and the smoke coating the stage rose to waist level. “YOU CANNOT KEEP THIS UP FOREVER, NIGHTMARE MOON. EVENTUALLY, EVEN YOUR WILL SHALL BREAK, AND THE INEVITABILITY OF MY POWER SHALL GRIND YOUR SOUL TO DUST. ALL SHALL BOW BEFORE ME, AND PERISH.”

Another wave of hate-magic flowed out of Sombra. The shockwave hit Rainbow and her friends hard, scattering them in all directions. Nightmare Moon buckled under the onslaught, and fell to one knee. Her guitar strap broke, and her instrument fell from her bloody fingers. It made an inelegant twanging sound as it struck the floor.

Sombra held up a hand, and his terrible music stopped, as if someone had flicked a switch. Silence hung over the amphitheater.

“YOU HAVE FAILED, AS I KNEW YOU WOULD.” Sombra reached down and cupped Nightmare Moon's blue chin, tilting it upwards so he could gloat to her face. “NOW, FEEL THE STING OF DEFEAT, AND KNOW THIS WORLD IS DOOMED.”

“I have a question.” Nightmare Moon said.

“I SHALL INDULGE YOU A FINAL BOON BEFORE OBLIVION.”

“There's no room for friendship in your heart, Sombra." Nightmare Moon bared her teeth in a savage grin. "But is there room for steel?”

Nightmare Moon's sword shone silver in the night as she yanked it from its scabbard. Lightning-quick, she struck, and thrust the blade clear through Sombra's chest.

Sombra let out a wordless, choking cry, and fell to his back, clutching at the weapon. Nightmare Moon pushed herself back to her feet and followed. She planted one boot on Sombra's chest, and held her bleeding fist over his face. Sombra's armor sizzled where the red drops fell.

“By this blood, shed in righteous battle, I banish you to the far ends of the cosmos!”

Sombra reached up with one skeletal claw in a futile gesture of defiance. His body cracked as it crystallized, only to crumble to dust a moment later. A cool evening breeze wafted through the amphitheater, scattering what was once Sombra to the winds. Every last trace of the evil spirt and his magic simply blew away.

Rainbow Dash poked her head out from behind a toppled pile of speakers. “That. Was. Awesome.”

The audience agreed.

“NIGHT-MARE MOON!”

“NIGHT-MARE MOON!”

“NIGHT-MARE MOON!”

The blue-haired amazon stared out at the chanting crowd, and smiled.

“My work here is done.”

She left.

There was no encore.

By Monday, everything was back to normal. Or, at least as normal as things got at Canterlot High. A few bandages around Vice-Principal Luna's fingertips were the only sign that any such battle for the fate of the world had been waged.

“How're you feeling?” Sunset Shimmer poked her head into the darkened office.

Luna looked up from her paperwork. “Just fine. There's no reason I wouldn't otherwise.”

“Uh-huh.” Sunset said, disbelieving.

“Miss Shimmer, if we let things come to a halt every time someone diverted a magical apocalypse, we'd never get anything done.”

“That's … depressingly practical.”

Vice Principal Luna shrugged. “That doesn't make it any less true. Is there anything else I can do for you, or did you just want to check in on my well being?”

“I also wanted to thank you-- we all wanted to thank you for, you know, rescuing us and beating Sombra and everything.” Sunset Shimmer smiled a bit. “Uh, little warning, though. Pinkie Pie wants to throw you a surprise party.”

“Thank you.”

“I'm … still a little curious, though.”

“About?”

“Not that I'm complaining, but it was pretty convenient that you showed up when you did. Especially since you said you'd never be Nightmare Moon again.”

“I … had a change of heart.”

Sunset Shimmer sat down in the chair opposite Luna, and leaned forward. “Now, I don't know how much you know about magic. And honestly, I don't even know if magic here works exactly the same as where I'm from, but--”

“But?” Luna arched a brow.

“I've studied magic. A lot. And I know a full banishment is a lot harder to manage than a simple binding.”

“Your point?”

“I imagine that's why you didn't banish Sombra the first time you faced him.”

“Logical.”

“So, here's my question.” Sunset Shimmer steepled her fingers. “What changed between then and now?”

“I grew. I learned. That's another one of those depressingly practical parts of life.”

“Maybe.” Sunset Shimmer mused. “Or, maybe something was different this time around.”

“Such as?”

“You mentioned Sombra was most vulnerable when he was most powerful … something about how much of his power was devoted to manifestation?”

“You know more about magic theory than I do.”

“Something tells me that might not be entirely true.” Sunset Shimmer pulled in a breath. “Because it's pretty … convenient that Sombra manifested himself thoroughly enough so he could be physically attacked, much less banished. If he's as ancient a wizard as you say he is … well, he'd know not to commit himself too much. Unless, of course, something drew him out. Gave him a false sense of confidence.”

“An interesting theory.”

“You used us as bait.”

“You would have fought Sombra, no matter what I did.”

“You didn't warn us.”

“Sombra knows … knew, mind control. If he had the chance to reap the secrets from your minds … “ Vice-Principal Luna fiddled with her papers, and then tucked them away in a plain manilla folder. “I had confidence in you, Sunset Shimmer, or else I wouldn't have taken the risk.”

“But it was still a risk.”

“Nightmare Moon is not evil.” Vice-Principal Luna mused. “But that doesn't mean she's not a little bit bad.”

Sunset Shimmer stared at Luna for a long few seconds, and then broke out into giddy, half-mad laughter. “I guess if anyone could understand that, it'd be me.”

“Why do you think I told you?”

“Do you miss it?” Sunset Shimmer asked. “You know, being Nightmare Moon? The performing? The fans? The … inhibition?”

Luna paused. “I've … I've moved past that. I've grown.”

“Fair enough.” Sunset Shimmer reached inside her jacket, and pulled out a folded piece of paper, and set it flat on Vice-Principal Luna's desk. “But, if you change your mind, I heard the local Repertory Opera Company is having auditions next week.”

“Nightmare Moon doesn't sing opera.”

“I know.” Sunset Shimmer stood, and headed for the door. “I just wonder if Luna Faust does.”