Twilight

The night had come, with the cool gentle breeze and the beautiful dark colors of the sky. With the hour setting towards midnight, it was imperative that it be at near the darkest hours of night that she be ready.

The mare shifted uneasily in her dress, feeling the weight of the material feel a bit heavier on top but lighter on the bottom for her hooves to move freely.

The crown that rested on her head was decorated with magical sparkles that mirrored the night sky while the jewels in the center carried a pure sapphire that shined even in the dark.

Around her neck was a necklace that carried a small amethyst the size of a bit with a tear shape. It belonged to her mother, her mother and the many mares before her. It carried purpose, it carried weight and… it meant more to her family than anything.

‘So heavy lies the crown,’ Was the saying, but this one felt heavy to the point where her legs shook with the weight. Not heavy physically… the meaning that came with it.

Generations of past have worn this for the night when one was about to wed into somepony grand, somepony that would carry you and cherish you forever and ever. A proposition that would make everything else in your life meaningless if the one beside them were to be bound to you forever.

In her case… however long her betrothed was to live. It was also the case if her future partner accepted her proposal.

Something she wasn’t looking forward to…

“Twilight?” Her mother's gentle voice rang from the door.

“Yes?” The mare answered, feeling the dread coming.

“It’s time.” The words echoed loud, heavy and with a sense of warmth. From her mother, it meant assurance that she would be okay, that she would be taken care of.

She wanted to deny it, she wanted to ignore her mother. She wanted to jump out the window and run away… but she loved her family and never wanted to disappoint them. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she answered with sweat. “I-I-I’m ready, mother.”

The door opened and Twilight Velvet greeted her with a smile that should have warmed her but… it didn’t. Her mother gushed with how beautiful her daughter looked.

“Oh! My beautiful daughter! You look so wonderful! I can’t believe the day has finally arrived!”

Twilight gave a small, unconvincing smile to her mother.

“Yeah… me either.”

Velvet sighed, instantly losing her cheer but keeping the supportive love for her daughter.

“I know it's not something you wanted but… this is for the best.” She tried to sound so sure and what made it worse was that her mother was actually thinking about her future. Well not just her future, but the future of many.

Twilight sighed. “I know. You 've told me everyday that ‘it was for the best’ since I can remember.”

Velvet pulled close, looking towards her daughter.

“You know that… whatever happens, you will always be loved by us. Your father, your brother, me… and everypony who is part of this.”

Twilight tried to look at her mother but struggled to meet her eyes correctly.

“I just… wish I had a choice in this.”

velvet nodded, wrapping her daughter in a hug. “I know, I know, but for the betterment of ‘our kind’ we have to make sacrifices.”

‘Sacrifice’. That word was strong within her family. To give something up for the better, for somepony else. With a final check over her features, she gave one last long sigh and nodded. “Let’s go.”

The duo mares walked from her room and deep into the catacombs of the ancient castle, where once Celestia and Luna had ruled. However, the castle had been rechristened as Midnight Castle upon the occupants accepting it as their home.

At the center of the castle home was an altar, where hundreds of ponies sat in small stages around it. Ponies that were proud, loyal and hopeful in the return of their ruler. A few assortment of other species were there as well like changelings, hippogryphs, diamond dogs, Absynnians and a few dragons.

They all came for their ‘mother.’ And… the betrothed of Twilight Sparkle.

As Twilight and her mother made their way towards the center, an altar with blue and purple flames sat in the formation of a star. Between the stars, was a shallow pool of liquid magic that would allow the ceremony to begin.

Five figure heads were near the altar, wearing hoods in assorted fashions and dark blue colors. One of them pulled forward at the approaching mares, lifting their hood and revealing their face to Twilight.

“You look as beautiful as your mother, Twilight.” NightLight, Twilight’s father gave her a warm hearted smile, pulling her in close for a hug.

Twilight tried her best to smile back, only the small ends of her mouth pointing up.

“T-Thanks dad. I just… wish there was another way.”

Her father nodded with a sad smile.

“I know, but for the greater good of the many, we have to do this. I just… want you to know that no matter what, we will love you and hope that you never forget that.”

Twilight would never forget, nor would she ever hate them. ‘For the greater good,’ She mentally answered. Giving a final nod, she pressed her lips and held her head higher. “Okay.”

Her father gave her a quick kiss on her forehead below her horn before turning around and bringing her forward. Up the small steps up to the altar, Nightlight brought his daughter close, with her mother pulling to the side. The other four hooded figures revealed themselves to prepare the ceremony.

“Is everything ready?” asked Nightlight.

To his right, a pony known as Arcane Blueblood gave a sharp nod. “The hour sets soon.”

From the left, a white pony pulled her hood to reveal herself as Fleur De Lis. “The enchantactions have been aligned and are ready to activate.”

A unicorn with long red hair and pale yellow coat, spoke next. “Everyone that we have gathered is ready to comply.”

And finally across from them, was a grey unicorn, with a red tipped horn and green eyes, former King of the Crystal Empire, Sombra. “Once the portal opens, we can finally bring mother from the moon and free her from her prison.”

All parties nodded, the exception of Twilight, who just wanted to go back home. Yet she remained rooted and stoic, despite the events passing around her.

And with no other delays, all five unicorns lit their horns, powering it up and firing it towards the center of the star. Twilight Velvet moved around her daughter and began chanting loudly.

“Blessed mother! Hear our voices! Your children seek your heart!”

The liquid magic at the center began to stir, swirling and shifting, as if itself was living entity.

“Midnight Flare, Once beware!”

"Midnight Flare, Once beware!" The echoing chants of the other occupants boomed around. Twilight fidgeted, feeling some sense of dread. The magic began to shape itself from a pool of liquid to a near perfect orb at the center of the star, glowing deep blue with powerful rippling magic that spread cool mist around them.

“Come full moon’s white, brighten the sky with light!”

"Come full moon’s white, brighten the sky with light!"

“Bring forth shadow and night, eternal with might!”

"Bring forth shadow and night, eternal with might!"

“Let the sun be shadowed by the Moon!”

"Let the sun be shadowed by the Moon!"

Twilight swallowed and shivered as the magic began to grow stronger and stronger, with waves of magic ripping the air in front of them as the unicorns poured all their magic to the center.

“Fill our enemies with terror of night and dread!”

"Fill our enemies with terror of night and dread!"

“Quench the fires of sun and day!”

"Quench the fires of sun and day!"

“Reclaim your throne and show her wrath!”

"Reclaim your throne and show her wrath!"

“And let the false idol meet her doom!”

"And let the false idol meet her doom!"

“We are your children,” All at once they roared..."NIGHTMARE MOON!”

The orb exploded with a blue icy wave of magic, with the spell finally releasing. From the orb of pulsing magic and power, a black hoof pushed from the center.

Every head dropped in bow, including Twilight, as a tall, black alicorn emerged from the center mass. Blue horseshoes matched the armor that adorned her chest. Swaying mists of stars in night skies made her tail and mane. Sharp teeth that matched a dragon flashed her subjects. Slitted eyes of dark blue met her surroundings as she took it all in and released a bellowing laugh of triumph.

“I HAVE RETURNED!” That was enough to force everyone back up and chant in glory and praise.

“HAIL NIGHTMARE MOON! HAIL NIGHTMARE MOON!”

The chant brought her power and strength like never before, seeing the faces of her ‘children’ chanting her name. And not just ponies, but other creatures that cared for her.

Truly the night does bring the best out of the many.

She allowed the chant to go on for a bit more before raising her hoof to silence. Once it stopped, her eyes turned to her disciples, who went back to bowing.

With a smile to match a demon, she moved out of the portal, making a final shiver of magic of ripple, causing it to disappear and she walked down off the altar.

“You have done well my children. This is… the best gift a mother could ever have!”

Velvet, Twilight and Nightlight gave small bows of their heads. In a joyous smile, Velvet rose and spoke with mirth and pride to the alicorn. “Your arrival was a gift to us mother, for we were all so lost without you.” She waved her hoof to the creatures around them. “We were shackled and enslaved in the ‘tortures’ of the Sun's rays.” A small snarl left her mouth, quickly turning the mood. “And the false idol ruled like a tyrant to many of us, forcing us to go into hiding.”

Nightmare calmly nodded, understanding her children’s blight. However, her eyes caught the mare dressed in a beautiful dress adorned with jewelry that sparkled even in the dark.

“And who is this?” She asked, clearly interested in the mare before her. Velvet quickly and excitedly pulled her daughter close.

“This is my daughter, Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight gave a bow, having just recovered from the whole ordeal before slowly rising back up. “We have groomed her for this moment. The night that you would return and to be here.” She then pointed at the necklace at the center. “With all that we have learned and gained, we wanted not only for you to return home and take your rightful place as Queen, but we wanted you to have somepony by your side. Somepony who will never leave, to always listen to your every word, to take your heart into consideration… to be the ultimate gift of unifying Equestria under your rule forever more.”

Twilight stiffened as her draconic eyes caught hers, still hearing her mother speak but nothing else. “My daughter is the true gift of your glorious return. A mare for your betrothed to, with beauty that can only hopefully come close to yours. We, your children ask, if you take her and rule over us, with the power and might of Eternal Night.”

Nightmare was really impressed by all this and more. Not only was she released but also given a present of a mare, that yes she would dare say was quite beautiful. Her fear was there no doubt but there was also hidden curiosity, lust and something akin to hope. Hope that she will be there by her side. Oh the things she could do to this mare…

With a grin as warm as ice, she offered her hoof to Twilight.

“So then, Twilight… was it? You are to be my wife? To be by my side, rule alongside me, eternally, faithfully... and without remorse? As Equestria falls under my rule, will you be there?"

Twilight Sparkle has spent her whole life reading, studying, practicing and waiting for this day. The day she would give herself to the Nightmare. Where she would see the sun be blocked from the sky permanently. The skies would be eternal in the moon and star light. Where the warmth and joy of the sun would be replaced with the cold and dark of the night.

Ponies and many creatures alike would suffer, some species may not survive but there would be contingencies like herself and many others that would fix the problems that come. She would also see an age where creatures of many kinds would come forth because there would be nothing to hide.

The biggest one would be that she would possibly see the fall and… loss of her former teacher, Princess Celestia at the hooves of her sister. Whether in death or exile... she would be forced to watch it happen.

With a swallow, she raised her hoof and touched Nightmare’s. “I do.”

Author's Notes:

So this was to be released as a whole with every chapter complete but do to a certain celabration on a certain day 666 followers... today! on Halloween!!!
I decided to release this series! An anthology of dark stories regarding certain characters. While not horrific in story, the end results are, the implications and the feeling of dredd of what might a beloved character may do or may become which can only be filled by the imagination!
Now, some are one offs, others are pseudo connected but the end results are the same.
Again, thanks for 666 followers, happy a SPOOKY BUT SAFE!!! Halloween and I will update soon!

Or maybe not!! MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!