Chapter II

‘I think this is the most tired and exhausted I have ever felt in my life.’ I think to myself for probably the hundred thousandth time since I got sent on a vacation to the moon.

I can see Nightmare Moon struggling to stay standing a little away from me. She looks even more spent than I feel, but she’s still giving me that same old death glare that she’s shot my way ever since I first clawed her cheek so long ago.

I feel a twinge in my chest, alerting me to her next imminent attack, and I strafe to the left when she launches a powerful magical beam past where I was. I leap backwards over the next beam that comes my way while I gather and compact fear energy into my palm, before firing off a small but bullet-fast energy projectile.

Nightmare learned long ago how to predict the flight path of these blasts, and is already out of the way of the magic equivalent of a tank shell compacted into a sniper round, which detonates far behind her, spraying moon dust up. She growls and creates five magic spheres around her that fly away from her and then immediately home in on me. I quickly shoot down three, avoid the fourth, and then block the last one with a hardened ice shield. The sphere continues to push and spin against the ice on my arm, but I sidestep and let it take my newly made protection with it, where it promptly explodes into small slivers of frost.

The twinge in my chest happens again and I spin while dipping down low as Nightmare Moon swoops over me with wings charged with lightning. A stray bolt hits my back but I channel it through my neck and then roll forward and blast it back at her from my mouth while I’m rolling.

Moon flips around to catch the bolt with her wingtips and then flips over again to flap them in my direction, sending dozens of arching electrical currents my way, I raise a glowing ice wall to block the ones that would have hit me.

I know better than to stay there and I shoot straight up and create a liquid-like energy current and latch onto Nightmare by her horn, stopping her spell temporarily. I fling her up, then around and throw her into a nearby crater.

She recovers from the momentum of my throw, but isn’t able to dodge a fireball that I’d tossed at her.

“Ahhhh!!!” She roars in pain and anger. She recovers immediately and fires off a large beam of magic in my direction.

I manage to dodge its initial blast but get pushed back farther into the air when she continues to follow me with it.

I spasm in pain as energy washes over me, burning more holes in my wings and also doing a number on my chest and underbelly. When the beam ceases, I fall a little, but I manage to keep myself up with a little channeling through my wings, or at least what’s left of them.

I push myself out of the path of another beam and unleash a torrent of fire from my palm in Nightmare Moon’s direction. She erects a barrier right before it hits her.

I slowly drift to the ground while still keeping the torrent going.

‘We’re getting close to our limits. Time to set the orb.’ I stand upright to raise my foreleg that’s not blasting fire, and pool as much energy as I can into a red orb of fear energy, and then slam it deep into the ground.

With the orb hidden and my strength spent with using two different elements at once, I cut the flow to the fire stream and fall back to all four legs, gasping from the exertion.

The fire clears to show that Nightmare’s barrier still stands strong, but when she drops it, I can see her gasping just like I am.

Still, despite my tiredness and pain of my new injuries, I can’t help but snark to the Nightmare. “Heh, *huff* You’re getting *huff* tired… aren’t you Moon *huff*.” I say between breaths. “A few hundred *huff* years ago an attack like *huff* that would’ve blasted a hole through me.” I say with what I think was a smirk, I’m not sure if my jaw has any tissue still on it or not to enable me to smirk.

She narrows her eyes at me from her place in the air above me. “And you would have *huff* been able to dodge *huff* that attack a few centuries prior *huff* as well.” She counters.

‘She’s not wrong about that.’ I think to myself.

“I think it’s pretty obvious that we’re both reaching *huff* our limits again. What do you say we call it a night and just rest for a bit?” I ask hopefully.

She stares at me for a moment, actually considering my offer, before her eyes widen in surprise. She grins at me unsettlingly with her sharp teeth. “I believe you will find that I have more energy left than you give me credit for.” She says standing up straight.

‘Something’s not right’ I think to myself.

“It has been a long wait, but one thousand years have finally passed. And now the stars shall grant me the power to leave this wretched prison our sister sealed us in… as well as the power to destroy you, once and for all.” She declares with a malevolent grin.

I feel a pressure tighten in my chest in response to her statement. I strafe out of the path of a massive magic blast.

“I commend thee for lasting as long as you have, Baelor, but your time is up. I assure you though, that you will forever be remembered as my greatest victory, just above that of defeating my sister. Goodbye.” Nightmare says. A massive rush of magic power collects around her. I feel a sense of imminent danger.

‘Crap! It’s now or never… I really hope this doesn’t kill us both.’

I reach out to similar energy points to the one I just hid that are scattered all across the moon, take a deep breath, and bring my palms together with an audible clap.

“Fillies and gentlecolts. It is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration.” The mayor of Ponyville announces.

The ponies gathered in the room all cheer.

‘This really isn’t the time to be cheering. Nightmare Moon could arrive at any second.’ Twilight thinks worriedly.

“In just a few minutes, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate this. The longest day of the year!”

Twilight looks up at the moon and sees four stars get sucked into the moon, before the image of the Mare in the moon disappears. ‘Oh no.’

“And now, it is my great pleasure to introduce the ruler of our land, the very pony that gives us the sun and the moon each and every day. The good, the wise, and the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria…” The mayor pauses dramatically. “Princess Cel-.”

The room flashes red suddenly, before a roaring boom shakes the air all around Twilight and the other ponies gathered in the Town Hall.

Twilight shakes off her disorientation and looks around her to check that everypony is all right. From what she can see, everypony looks surprised and frightened, but otherwise unharmed. ‘What the Tartarus was that?!’ She asks herself, looking around for the source of the thundering noise.

“Uh… Twilight?” Spike says fearfully, getting her attention.

“What Spike?” She asks him.

“The moon…” He almost whispers.

Twilight’s eyes widen. ‘Oh no. Did Nightmare Moon do… some…thing… to…’ Twilight’s thought process trails off as she stares up.

The night sky is speckled with hundreds of shooting stars, glowing brightly in a brilliant shower of sparkles. But what holds Twilight’s attention is the moon itself. And it’s not holding her attention because of its brilliance.

It’s holding her gaze because it’s no longer in one piece.

Author's Notes:

Chapter two complete.

"Yay!"

It's only the first two chapters Pinkie. It's not that far in yet.

"It's farther in than you got in my story."

Didn't you pop in here last chapter?

"Trust me, this will be the last you see of me for a while. Later."

Why do I feel like she's going to be appearing at the end of every chapter?

"Because she probably will be. Or at the very least, she'll be adding in input whenever she feels like. You have to admit that she's not nearly as bad as Pinkie or Ictus though."

Yeah, that's probably true. Speaking of Ictus, he hasn't appeared yet. I wonder where he is.

"He's just grabbing some juice from the fridge."

We have a fridge?!

"Yep. It's fully stocked with respawning cans of every soda, fizzy drink, regular drink, and just regular water or juice."

Okay! Just going to say see you all next chapter guys. I've apparently got some cream soda waiting in the awesome fridge of awesomeness with my name on it! Later!