Better grab your popcorn bronies, because you're in for a long one! Fan/fic/ Theater 3000 tackles the rough draft of Past Sins, and guess who's along for the riffing ride? The author of the story himself offers his own comments on the story.
Similar to The Conversion Bureau I've never read Past Sins. From my glances at it (the rough draft anyway) it seems quite typical, with a Mary Sue protagonist and a wonderful game of "Pass the Idiot Ball" going on in each chapter.
Ah well, I bet the finished version is much better. Right?

---

Past Sins

Ezn: The tense I wish this story stayed in!
intangiblepony: Whatever the hell happened to Present and Future Sins?
Anon13: Aren’t those porn films?
lightsideluc: This story brought to you by - Hammer and Wig's Pardon services: Don't let the sins of your past haunt your future! Call today for your FREE consultation. If you aren't pardoned, you don't pay!

What else can you be
when the world can only see
a monster?

Crazy56U: Oh, wait, that was on Final Jeopardy last night...
Nuke.Equestria: I thought monster prejudice had been stamped out.
Isphone: Well, I can be a phone.
Anon13: Ooh, ooh, I know! A klee-shay! No, wait, a reject from Sesame Street!
GelidEnmity: Something with significance?
Pemberton: A haunted house decoration?
DiStort: A popsicle?
RingmasterJ5: I was thinking a pop star. (Insert Bieber joke here)
intangiblepony: Or you could just say screw it and move to Alaska.

By Pen Stroke
Assisted by Batty Gloom

=============================================================

Dedicated to my loving aunt.
Among the first to encourage me to write.
She passed away while this story was being written.
She was a 3rd grade teacher, a mother, a wife, and a dear aunt,
And I will miss her greatly.

=============================================================

Prelude
Resurrection

Saint: Generally you wait until the sequel to use the overworked subtitles.

===============

Amidst dim candlelight, a single unicorn

Ezn: He likes long walks on the beach, ladies.

sat with his head bent down, eyes shut. He sat alone at the edge of the still pond, reflection dancing in the water.

ecyor0: A waltz, to be precise.
Intangiblepony: Clear sign of someone getting dumped.
Vimbert: Who says disco is dead?
Casca: Aaaand this is where most regular ponies would freak out and run away. But not "him", oh no.

The pond was nestled deep within Everfree Forest, the darkened trees and gnarled branches surrounding all sides like silent sentinels.

While most of Equestria had just shifted into spring, Everfree still had lingering bits of winter.

Casca: There goes Rainbow Dash's pay rise...

Snow covered the ground and there was a lingering chill in the air, the unicorn’s hot breath leaving puffs of steam to curl up for a few seconds before disappearing into the night.

Anon13: Damn it, why can’t we ever have demonic rituals someplace warm?
Intangiblepony: Because the travel budget doesn’t cover Florida.

For an hour the unicorn had sat in the utter silence on the edge of the pond,

Ezn: Long walks on the beach, and long sits at the edges of ponds in the Everfree. Quite the catch!
Vimbert: I think he needs a hobby.

only a few nearby candles for company.

Isphone: They don’t talk much.

The light from the tiny, flickering flames fell upon his black coat, though it wasn’t his natural color. No, his whole body, mane included, had been dyed the deepest black possible... even his true cutie mark

Ezn: All the false cutie marks he’d had tattooed on his body were still visible though.
Nuke.Equestria: Especially that one on his rear.
Lightsideluc: That isn’t a Cutie Mark, that’s a tramp stamp.

had been covered by the dyes, his flank appearing utterly blank.

Hellioning: CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS EMO KIDS YAY!
Anon13: Rage against the dye-ing of the blight!
Ezn: We will not go garishly out of sight.

Only the small sounds of the forest were audible,

Ezn: Not the big sounds, of course. Those were obviously inaudible.

the creaking of the trees and shifting of the pond water. It was a scene of utter peace,

Ezn: The peace was not unlike our unicorn friend’s blank flank, or the scene’s own silence.

what the unicorn needed as he prepared for the task of the evening.

disco: Arson?
Vimbert: Nothing like a moment of quiet reflection before everything goes to hell.

Yet, as he took in another deep breath and released it,

Casca: I thought he was going to make sculptures with it. Can't please everypony, I guess.
Ezn: “Your blood oath is fulfilled, deep breath. Go forth a free man.”
Midnight: “A free pony?”
Ezn: Silly Midnight, breaths aren’t ponies!

the sound of hoof steps began to echo across the trees.

“Nexus, we’re ready when you are.”

The black unicorn, Spell Nexus,

ecyor0: N-E-X-U-S

took in another breath,

Ezn: When will you air currents learn to stop crossing this guy?!

turquoise eyes opening

Alcoremortis: Do... pony-eyes even come in turquoise?

as he turned to look at the pony who had approached him from behind. “I will be along shortly.”

Anon13: “I’m not really here, you understand.” (Oh how I wish we weren’t.)

The pony who had interrupted nodded, disappearing back into the forest. After waiting for the sound of hoof steps to once again fade, Nexus lit his horn,

Ezn: For a smoke break.
Nuke.Equestria: Despite the no smoking sign.
Vimbert: Spell Nexus doesn’t play by your rules.
Lightsideluc: “Screw the rules, I have bits!”

magic flowing. He reached to his side, levitating a number of items into the air.

Hellioning: Fourteen, to be exact.
RingmasterJ5: Sleeping bag, tent, issue of Playcolt; it looks like he’s ready to start one of the most hated fics in MLP history! ...Or a camping trip.
disco: But can he lift an X-Wing out of a bog? What about stacking stones while standing on his head?
GelidEnmity: If he tried standing on his head, his horn would snap off.

“Our queen, guide me this night... for it is beneath this full moon that our efforts come to fruition.”

Lightsideluc: And then delicious apples were had by all. But they weren't just any apples, they were MOON apples.

Nexus spoke the words slowly, his voice carrying the tone of a pony well practiced in preaching,

Disco: Or villainous monologuing.

whose words could inspire the loyalty

Disco: or stupidity

of his brothers and sister.

Ezn: Good to know.
Midnight: only the one sister. We don’t like to talk about... the accident
Nuke.Equestria: Didn’t that sister use to be a brother?
Lightsideluc: You would have to ask Midnight about that.
Midnight: ...don’t judge me!
intangiblepony: Well, damn, I feel awkward now...

A voice that had drawn great minds

svensvenderson: Free hand, no less.

and strong bodies to the cause,

Casca: Winter Wrap Up Slack Appreciation Society?

though at the moment he was speaking only to himself.

DiStort: “Did I leave the stove on..?”

“Let me be merely a vessel for your will and strength until the deed is done.”

Anon13: Most bitchin’ D&D session EVER, dude!
ecyor0: But after that, I expect a pay rise, buddy.

The levitating items drew close to him, a cape that was a midnight blue with white stars all across its surface.

icreid1125: Trixie, you let yourself go after your humiliation, didn't you?
anon1: Well, sex change operations are expensive...

A chest plate comprised of grayish purple metal, with a turquoise crescent moon

Alcoremortis: The author sure does like the word “turquoise.” Can’t we have some love for the pale blue-greens of the world?!

set in its center. Horseshoes to match the chest piece.

CTOONfan1: Gotta accessorize.
Disco: Hasbro should get on that.

An armored plate for the back of his neck. All these bits of metal

Hellioning: Metal capes seem rather uncomfortable.

secured themselves to the unicorn as he spoke.

Midnight: I put on my robe and wizard hat.
RingmasterJ5: IT’S MORPHIN’ TIME!

“Let me bear your mane, both powerful and beautiful,

RingmasterJ5: For some reason, I am imagining this pony holding up Nightmare Moon’s hair as he says this, as if he ripped it off of her.
Nuke.Equestria: No, he’s just holding it while she vomits in the toilet.

a depiction of the endless sky. Let me stand in uniform, bearing the armor in the image of your greatness.

Vimbert: So, technically he’s cross-dressing if he’s done up as Nightmare Moon. I guess Spell Nexus does have a hobby after all.

Let me be your agent this night, for it is you I serve above all others.”

Saint: "May you again remind me why I have to do this stupid chant every time I wear the armor."
Pemberton: Then Nightmare Moon said, “lol no.”
Lightsideluc: “OK, being the awesome agent I am, I’ve managed to get you booked at that local bar and, if their backup-backup band doesn’t show, you might even get a chance to play at the hotel during Jazz Fridays!”

The final piece levitated towards Nexus, a helmet made of the same metal as the chest piece. The unicorn guided the helmet carefully, bring it down across his horn as it fit snuggling onto his head.

Anon13: And whispered sweet nothings into his ear.
Nuke.Equestria: “The helmet tenderly cradled his head. ‘You are the only cranium for me’ it whispered sweetly into his ear.”
ecyor0: If your helmet is snuggling, this is a sign that you have won its trust, and it will now view you as its mother figure.

“May your power be with me, for tonight you shall not only breathe again of the cool night air,

Isphone: By your powers combined, I am CAPTAIN PLANET!
Lightsideluc: Take the form of a bucket of water!

but you shall look upon the world with eyes of your own, no longer sharing a body with a weak foal. Tonight, you shall be your own mare,

Saint: "Cuz you don't need no stallion"

and never again to be threatened.”

Lightsideluc: Oh great, a feminist deity.
DiStort: You forget, Equestria is a female dominated society.

Nexus stood, looking at his reflection in the pond.

Ezn: “Hellooooooo handsome!”

He now appeared the ultimate doppelganger of his mistress,

Pemberton: And readied himself for kinky roleplaying.
DiStort: So, what? He wants to be a mare? I think there are some closed doors here that need to be opened.
Midnight: Don’t judge m- ...I’ll, uh, be over here...
Intangiblepony: Anything you need to talk about Midnight?

an eager acolyte to her power and knowledge. Through his efforts and those of the rest of the group, they would see their queen rise again. Yet it was only he that was allowed to look so much like the queen,

Anon13: being quite a queen himself...
Hellioning: Somebody's possessive. He needs therapy.
Midnight: (sings, badly) Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only seventeeeeeeeenn...
ecyor0: In Equestria, only the cool kids can be cross-dressers.

to lead the spell that was about to be cast. It was his place of honor, one no pony would steal from him.

Lightsideluc: And then Gilda the griffon swooped in and swiped it right out from underneath his muzzle.
Midnight: Griffin! Griffin!
Ezn: No, I don’t think we need Peter Griffin in this story.

“Tonight, Nightmare Moon, your followers shall grant you a life of your own, and the tyrants of sun and moon shall fall.”

Anon13: “Uh, wasn’t she the tyrant of the moon?”
“Shh, let the crazy pony talk.”

Mentally prepared,

GelidEnmity: And challenged,
Hellioning: but physically unfit.
Disco: Wonder how long that took.

Nexus turned and began to walk into the forest, following the trail that connected the pond to another part of the Everfree. Another clearing, which came into view quickly and was populated by several unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies moving about the space as they double and triple checked their work.

Nuke.Equestria: And then they double triple checked it.
Anon13: Which is a lot tougher without a baby dragon.
Vimbert: Hope they remembered their checklists.
svensvenderson: Measure twice, cast once.

The ground in the clearing had been cleared of snow, a few piles left dotted about the space.

Vimbert: So, it’s clear of snow, but there are still a few piles? I guess I have a slightly different idea of what “cleared” means.

On both the exposed ground and on top of the piles of snow wooden bowls

ecyor0: Similar to rain wooden bowls, only meant for frozen deserts.

had been placed, the bowls themselves filled with oil soaked powders. Paint had been used upon the ground to draw arcane lines of power,

Isphone: Damn power lines.
Nuke.Equestria: Don’t they know power lines cause cancer?
Lightsideluc: And the occasional rift into the realm of hell. Can't forget that.

and in the air above cloaked pegasi gathered clouds, pushing them together to hide the clearing from prying, sky bound eyes.

Anon13: Evil wrap-up, evil wrap-up.... Let’s finish our summoning here...
Nuke.Equestria: Evil wrap-up, evil wrap-up... Cause tomorrow tyranny is here.
ecyor0: Never mind the fact that a bunch of pegasi in cloaks pushing clouds around over the Everfree forest would probably draw more attention than just leaving it be.

All the ponies Nexus saw wore the simple, black cloak of the order

Pemberton: Oh, great. One of THESE stories.

except for three, who stood giving orders. A pair of pegasi and an earth pony, who like Nexus wore the honored armor. Still, they lacked the flowing, star field cloak and the helmet...

Vimbert: And the makeup, of course. Nexus would have executed anypony who dared to look as fabulous as him.
Midnight: Black nail polish? Check. Eyeliner? Check
Vimbert: Hoof polish?

those were vestments that were worn by Nexus alone.

disco: Nexus always dresses in style.
Nuke.Equestria: “Nexuuusss! I want to wear the star field cloak! You wore it lassst tiiime!”

“How close are we Night Wind?”

Lightsideluc: "We are uncomfortably close together, sir."
Nuke.Equestria: NIGHT WIND! HE BLOWS IN THE DARK!
Anon13: Biggest gasbag in the whole damn cult.

Nexus asked as he approached the two pegasi and the one earth pony.

“Cloud cover is almost complete and then the pegasi need a few minutes to get their bowls of powder.”

Vimbert: “And then, they’ll do lines of it off of the earth ponies.”

The dark purple pegasus answered, staring back at Nexus with her turquoise eyes,

Ezn: But watching the sky with her yellow eyes.
Anon13: Derpy, how’d you get mixed up in this?
Nuke.Equestria: There was mail to deliver.
Alcoremortis: Again with the turquoise. Not that I have something against the color, it’s just a bit overused now.

a sign of the order. Through the work of a spell Nexus blessed each of the Children of Nightmare, a blessing that carried enlightenment

disco: Is that what the kids are calling it these days?

along with with eyes to match their queen.

Ezn: He travelled back in time before doing this, in order to ensure the previous sentence made sense.
Nuke.Equestria: He brought an extra “with” with him from the future. Damn time paradoxes.

Eyes that could be shifted to the regal turquoise

Alcoremortis: AGH! The turquoise! It haunts MY DREAMS!

color when the order assembled but changed back to normal when in public.

Saint: or red to warn the herd of danger.
Ezn: Regular coloured contacts don’t really scream “demonic cult”.
Vimbert: Shh, they’re trying.
intangiblepony: Not very well. The last cult I was kidnapped by didn't even have eyes.

“Good. Stonewall,

disco: Jackson?
Crazy56U: Huh, I didn't know the Confederacy were in on this ritual.

do you have the items?”

WhileItsStillFunny: “Bombs? You want it? It's yours my friend, as long as you have enough rupees.”

“They have not left my sight since our departure from Canterlot, Nexus.” The earth pony replied,

Anon13: Stonewall doesn’t say much, especially to the press--but he’s a riot!
Midnight: Badum-tsh!

motioning to the bowl that was currently resting on his back.

Lightsideluc: The bowl was quite tired from the trip, after all.
Nuke.Equestria: Stonewall was relieved that Nexus forgot ‘items’ was plural.
Anon13: Actually, if the bowl on his back never left his sight he was probably running into trees.

“And Gray Gale,

Anon13: “Call me Smog, everyone else does.”

is our special guest awake?”

“Oh yea, she just woke up.” The gray pegasus of the trio offered, talking far more casually. “And boy is she scared!”

“That’s because you told her Stonewall would snap off her horn if she tired to escape.”

Lightsideluc: Don’t worry; it’s only a clip-on horn.
Ezn: And snap her legs if she didn’t get tired of escaping.
Isphone: “We’ve got a check list full of this stuff, so just sit down and keep quiet!”
Nuke.Equestria: Jeez, nameless grey pegasus. Way to frighten our victim.
Alcoremortis: This...doesn’t seem scarier than whatever they plan to do to that poor pony...

Night Wind snipped.

Pemberton: … the hedges.
Crazy56U: I guess he's half-scissor on his mother's side.

“Hey, it kept her from trying anything.” Gray Gale defended.

“You have all done well.”

Ezn: Gold pentagrams all around!
Lightsideluc: “Except for you, Ralph. You forgot the lemonade and virgin blood again.”
“Awww...”

Nexus spoke, stopping the argument before it could begin.

Isphone: Conveniently right after it ended.

“But now we must all take our places.

ecyor0: for the line dance.
Nuke.Equestria: Places everyone! Let’s take this from the top! A one, and a two...

Stonewall, take the sacred items to their place in the center of the ritual. Gray Gale, Night Wind, prepare your torches and head to the sky.”

The three nodded, going to their assigned tasks while Nexus turned his attention to one side of the clearing. There, lying on the ground was a pony, hogtied with rope and a cloth bag over her head.

Lightsideluc: Ooh, kinky.
Vimbert: Somepony forgot the safe word.
disco: And somewhere in the dark recesses of Equestria Daily, Phoe squeed.
DiStort: This is either going to get really weird or really awesome. Or really awesomely weird.
Intangiblepony: Is it odd that I'm really hoping it's the last option?

Walking slowly, being careful not to brush against any of the wooden bowls set around, Nexus approached the hogtied pony and, when he was a few steps away, used his magic to loosen and remove the bag. The unicorn was now fully visible,

Lightsideluc: Peekaboo!
Alcoremortis: This really begs the question of how she was to “escape” earlier. Do they really need threats when she can’t move?

her violet coat dirty in a few places from the fact she was lying on the ground.

Hellioning: The fact she had been ponynapped was of course, completely irrelevant.
Lightsideluc: The Fact was the only thing they let her keep, and she always kept it close.

Her darker purple mane was a mess

Ezn: But her lighter purple mane was just fine!

and she looked up at Nexus in fear, undoubtedly noticing the resemblance the unicorn had with a certain fallen princess.

Vimbert: “His fabulousness... it’s too powerful!”

“Twilight Sparkle...” Nexus half whispered,

Vimbert: Half announced

smiling down at the unicorn. “I’m so happy you were able to join us this evening.”

Disco: Welcome to the herd!
Isphone: "Now that you're into modern art, we thought you might like snorting this powder stuff we found behind the Canterlot library."

“Who... who are you? What are you going to do to me?”

Anon13: Why haven’t I nuked your sorry flank yet?
Saint: "and exactly what is that powder all over the place?"

Twilight asked, just barely managing to find her voice

Lightsideluc: Her voice was a slippery fellow, always trying to run off by itself.

as she struggled at the ropes around her legs.

RingmasterJ5: There is almost no way this could not end in rape.
DiStort: Maybe it could end in a trapeze act?
Alcoremortis: I was thinking something more along the lines of an escape artist act, but now I see that that would just be silly.

“Inquisitive, though I should expect no less from Celestia’s star pupil.”

Hellioning: So being able to ask questions is what Celestia's star pupils are most known for? Seems it's much easier then believed.
Pemberton: I don’t think asking why you’ve been kidnapped and hogtied is
necessarily “inquisitive”.
Nuke.Equestria: Celestia’s standards have been slipping.
Alcoremortis: Yeah...generally, they just give up halfway through and accept their fate unquestioningly.

Nexus replied, his horn glowing as he picked Twilight off the ground. With the unicorn floating in his magic, Nexus turned and began walking back towards the center of the clearing, where the earth pony Stonewall had set up a metal pedestal, upon which he had set the wooden bowl from his back.

Lightsideluc: Stonewall was at a disadvantage, though, since rock types are weak to both grass and steel types.

“What we have planned for you, Twilight Sparkle, is very simple, but something I’d rather keep as a surprise.

Ezn: “Surprise sex, that is. Rape is such a negative word.”

As to who we are... well, consider us simply the loyal servants of Equestria’s true queen, her regal majesty

Disco: Lauren Faust.

Nightmare Moon.”

Isphone: No, he’ll never say the name of his organization. He can only outline their overall simple plan in more than sufficient detail.
Anon13: Mysterious Bad Guy Syndrome. Tragic, really.
Lightsideluc: I’ve heard it’s terminal.
Vimbert: The poor thing.

“Are you crazy!?” Twilight asked, twisting a bit as she was carried upside down by Nexus’s magic. “Nightmare Moon is gone. How can you serve somepony who is gone?”

Anon13: Let’s ask this group of Elvis fans.
Pemberton: Just look at Arrested Development’s following.
Alcoremortis: For a supposedly inquisitive and excellent student...Twilight doesn’t really seem to be all that great at connecting the dots. Or adding one and one together.

“Ah... but that’s why we’re here tonight Miss Sparkle.” Nexus replied, reaching the metal pedestal. He floated Twilight closer, letting the hogtied unicorn see the contents of the wooden bowl

Nuke.Equestria: NO! NOT THE WOODEN BOWL!
Lightsideluc: OH GOD, THERE'S BEES INSIDE OF IT! NOT THE BEES NOT THE BEES ARGHHHRARRAGRHHARGAHG

set upon the tall but narrow metal table. Inside the bowl were curled shreds of what looked like paper, but it was a purple color and one of the pieces had a big, turquoise crescent moon its surface.

Vimbert: Evil origami, oh my!
Hellioning: Unless Nexus is Yomiko Readman, I can't see where this is scary.

“Do you recognize these, Miss Sparkle?

DiStort: A horribly mistreated arts and crafts project?

They are the shreds left behind when you and your friends struck down our beloved queen, all to free your precious Celestia and her feeble sister. The only remains of that regal beauty.”

Ezn: “I like to sniff them when nopony is looking.”
Nuke.Equestria: If you love them so much why don’t you marry them?
Pemberton: “Now let’s blaze; this isn’t going to smoke itself.”

“Yes, I do.”

Hellioning: So you only recognize them AFTER he explains what they are to you? The role of "Celestia's Star Pupil" seems to be dropping in prestige quickly...

The unicorn half snapped,

Vimbert: Half moaned,

finding her courage.

Hellioning: "Oh, THERE it is. Left it under the doormat again."
RingmasterJ5: Really? I thought it was under the couch cushions.
Lightsideluc: No, that’s where I found Religion last week, remember?

“But that’s all they are: shreds. Nightmare Moon is gone! And even if she wasn’t, why would you want her to be Equestria’s queen? She wanted to plunge the kingdom into eternal night!”

Ezn: “Well, y’know, ponies change.”
Alcoremortis: “Because we look more badass in the dark.”

“Her wisdom is greater than yours or mine;

Disco: Not like it takes much.

her plans are not for us to understand.”

CTOONfan1: So you’re following someone without knowing what they're doing and why? Smart.
Vimbert: “I’m just doing this to get back at my parents, really.”
Pemberton: “I just thank God every day that my followers haven’t realized that I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Nexus replied, his turquoise eyes flashing

Hellioning: The eyes were later arrested for indecent exposure.
Alcoremortis: This word is starting to annoy me. Get back, foul turquoise! Back, fiend, to the chasm from whence you came! But seriously, I don’t really need to be reminded of the colors every five minutes. My attention span is at least six minutes long.

as he turned his gaze upon Twilight. “And it is through her greatness Equestria will be able to achieve its full potential.

Anon13: As a frozen wasteland no one can see!
Pemberton: “I mean, I think it will achieve its full potential. Like I said, I’m not totally clear on what might happen.”

“And tonight, Twilight Sparkle, you shall not only bear witness to her greatness once again but shall contribute to her return.”

Lightsideluc: For only a bit a day--less than a cup of coffee--you, too, can save a world-ending goddess from a life of saturday morning cartoon reruns!
intangiblepony: God damn it, where’s the TV remote?
Pen Stroke: *facehoof* Oh yes, let’s have the villain explain exactly what’s going on.
Anon13: Page 13 of Evil for Dummies.
Midnight: Amateur, he forgot the evil laugh! ...And he forgot to twirl his moustache. ...Tell me he has a moustache. He didn’t forget the moustache too, did he?
Nuke.Equestria: It was one of the items Stonewall forgot to bring.
DiStort: Better pay a visit to Steven Magnet later.

At this moment Nexus’s magic shifted, part of his levitation spell keeping Twilight held in the air while another part of his magic drew a dagger from beneath the metal podium. Twilight began to twist and flail,

Vimbert: TWIST AND SHOUT! Twist and shout. C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, baby now...
Alcoremortis: Please. If we’re going to start quoting songs... “Let me in, get me out. Can’t do more than twist and shout...”

trying to escape the blade that drew closer and closer. She then shut her eyes tight, undoubtedly fearing where Nexus was going to plunge the blade.

Midnight: (lifts hoof) “I... no, too easy.”

The black dyed unicorn, while enjoying Twilight’s fear, did not really injure the hogtied unicorn.

ecyor0: Psych!

Nexus drew the blade across part of Twilight's leg, leaving a very shallow cut that was no worse then a paper cut.

Alcoremortis: Really? That’s...one really sharp knife and a very steady hand. I doubt I could do as well.

The wound began to bleed gently,

Ezn: And continued to do so, until it stopped.

a few drops of blood forming.

Ezn: As it does, when something begins to bleed.
Nuke.Equestria: Does a wound ever end to bleed?
Alcoremortis: It doesn’t if you have hemophilia. Wait...if Twilight has hemophilia, she must be related to Anastasia, the missing princess! I solved the mystery!

Nexus used the blade to gather several of these drops before placing both the blood and blade into wooden bowl

Nuke.Equestria: The blood and the blade in the bowl. Say that five times fast!
Alcoremortis: Is it just me, or is this really starting to resemble Voldemort’s resurrection?

with Nightmare Moon’s remains.

Isphone: Hero blood + broken bits of evil armor = profit.
Lightsideluc: You forgot the “???” step.
Anon13: Wait, where does the underwear stealing come in?
Midnight: find underwear! steal underwear! ??? Profit!

“Yes, the spark of life from one who bears the Element of Magic. May it grant our queen invulnerability against those cursed Elements of Harmony.” Nexus whispered, levitating Twilight back to the edge of the clearing while he remained at the center.

Ezn: “I prefer colts.”
Hellioning: So, um, you're not gonna kill the person who defeated your queen before when she's helpless before you? Ok...

Slowly, Nexus drew in another breath, releasing it

Hellioning: What is it with this guy and kidnapping and releasing breaths?

and watching the puff of steam escape into the night air. Then, on final deep breath before the unicorn leader look out across the rest of the Children of Nightmare,

svensvenderson: Distantly related to the Children of the Corn.

his voice echoing across the trees

DiStort: Man, those trees must be tired of being echoed across.

as he preached to his fellows.

“Brothers and Sisters,

Lightsideluc: It would appear as if Suzy finally found her way there.

for months we have toiled in secrecy. We worked behind the back of the guards, of the tyrant princesses, putting our own safety at risk. Personal fortunes have been spent

Ezn: “By me, because that’s how these cult things tend to work.”
Nuke.Equestria: Order “101 Ways to Finance Your Evil Cult” and we’ll send you “Elder God Investing” FREE! Operators are standing by.
RingmasterJ5: Act now, and we’ll DOUBLE your order for just the price of the original order!
ecyor0: How expensive IS black coat polish in Equestria?

along with many hours to bring us to this point. But now we are ready, the spell is prepared.

Alcoremortis: “Get on wiv it!” <-arbitrary English-accented pony at the back.

“Tonight we, The Children of Nightmare, shall see our queen given life, blood, and form of her own.

Midnight: I have many forms! Chief amongst them, form 14b, the requisition order for an evil moustache!
Lightsideluc: Bah! Everyone knows that form 12A, the requisition form for an evil goatee, is far superior!

“Once, she and Luna were one and the same, but the Elements of Harmony could not destroy what our queen was.

Disco: A cliched, ineffectual villain?

No, that power could only peel her away from the weak foal Luna,

Lightsideluc: Like a heavily bruised banana being stripped by a lusty orangataung.
Isphone: CLEARLY YOU KNOW NOTHING OF THE TRADITIONAL CANTERLOT VOICE!

trap her essence in these precious shreds. It was a horrible fate, but it is because the Elements of Harmony inability to destroy our queen that we can stand here tonight.

Ezn: If any of you guys get frostbite, that’s Nightmare Moon’s fault, y’hear?

“For tonight this spell will give the essence of our queen life of its own. She will no longer be shackled to the meek Princess Luna.

Disco: and her abacus.

She shall breathe the cool night air

Ezn: I’m beginning to think this guy has some kind of breathing fetish.
Lightsideluc: Bondage, colts and breathing, oh my!
intangiblepony: Perfect ingredients for a good time!
Anon1: erotic asphyxiation with cross-dressing? By the goddesses, this cult is awesome!!!

with lungs of her own, see the world with eyes of her own,

Anon13: Pull a justification for all this out of a colon of her own...

and with our aid will come to rule over all Equestria within a year of her tragic defeat.

Hellioning: or your money back!
Midnight: Remember kids, evil is punctual!
Pemberton: After all, it would be rude to be late for the usurping.

“Now, lend your magic to the spell...

lightsideluc: "And you, Romans! I shall also require your ears."
Nuke.Equestria: “Don’t worry, I’ll give them back.”

for the time of our victory is at hoof! Let Nightmare Moon be born anew!”

Pemberton: See, everyone here is kind of skeptical, because the last time Nexus did this, he resurrected Voldemort by mistake.
Alcoremortis: So I’m not the only one who thinks this! Huzzah! Cupcakes for everyone! Don’t worry, they’re very nutritious and full of protein.
Anon13: Ack! Wrong fic!
Alcoremortis: I swear I haven’t the faintest clue what you’re talking about. The...uh...almonds in them...have...protein content. Or something. *grins*

All the cult members quickly went about their work. The unicorns formed a circle around the clearing, horns starting to glow as the lines of paint they had drawn on the forest floor came to life with a blue glow. Stonewall, one of the few earth ponies, walked around the circle,

Ezn: offering refreshments to his betters, as was befitting of his race.
Alcoremortis: At least he isn’t dancing around the circle to lift a solitary rock or anything. No...wait. He’d need, like, four other earth ponies to do that.

using a torch to light the bowls filled with oil soaked powders. The powders burned with an eerie blue flame, the air in the clearing becoming so thick with magic it almost became tangible.

The cloaked pegasi cult members also held bowls of burning powder, the armored Gray Gale and Night Shade flying around to light the bowls kept aloft above the clearing.

Hellioning: "We're trying to keep this secret. Quickly, go mark our location to any passing pegasi!

When all the bowls were lit, Nexus used his magic to take the fire from one,

CTOONfan1: Nexus: Hot! Hot! Hot!

gently holding it in the air and keeping the flickering flame alive. He brought the fire over the bowl containing the shreds of Nightmare Moon and the bloodied dagger, and then dropped the flame inside.

Isphone: More data! Let's see... so hero blood + dagger + broken bits of evil armor + fire = evil demon summoning divided by underwear stealing squared. Seems legit.
DiStort: I'd say "It's magic, he doesn't have to explain it," but I don't think he's earned that liberty.
Alcoremortis: Wait...now this is starting to sound like freeing Calypso in the Pirates movies. Make up your mind! Is this Voldemort or Calypso? You can’t have both!
Anon13: There are rules to ripoffs?
Alcoremortis: There should be. There should be.

The contents burst into fire almost instantly,

ecyor0: As fabric tends to do when you drop a flaming torch on it.

Nexus quickly retreating to the edge of the spell to join his fellow unicorns. There, they all began to twist

Vimbert: AND SHOUT!
RingmasterJ5: Miles away, a certain filly was having nightmares about people overusing her name.

and work at the magic in the air, working like potters with clay. They shaped the free magic,

Vimbert: Communist magic.
Nuke.Equestria: Stalin was an evil wizard!
Lightsideluc: Well, Lawful Evil, at least.

formed it, and began to force the magic down into the bowl that was currently burning the shreds of Nightmare Moon.

Saint: Even the ambient magic wanted out of this.

After a few anxious moments Nexus saw what he had hoped for, the blood soaked dagger starting to float above the fire.

Ezn: “Yes! I’ve invented a way to levitate things with magic! Oh wait...”

The blood was drawn up from the dagger, formed into a single crimson sphere before the dagger itself was launched clear of the spell, its polished metal surface digging into a nearby tree.

Pemberton: After tearing through four consecutive cult members.
Lightsideluc: Tree: "Ow."
Dagger: "Terribly sorry."
Saint: Fluttershy was admitted to Ponyville hospital for severe blood loss soon after.

The central bowl then began to billow with black smoke,

Anon13: Is Sweetie Belle trying to cook again?
lightsideluc: Spell Nexus: Finally, my breakfast is complete!
Stonewall: I suppose it's porridge?
Nexus: No, you fool! It's cinnamon toast crunch! Can't you see the swirls of cinnamon in every bite?

the shreds of Nightmare Moon starting to truly burn.

Neligahn: Rather than only sort of burning.

The black smooth

Anon13: Oh, yeah, smoooooooth.
Midnight: NOPONY CAN STOP THE SMOOTH!

began to form and swirl around the large drop of blood. The fires from the wooden bowls began getting drawn in, the flames swirling and orbiting the spell’s focal point like water in a whirlpool.

disco: No fire hazard or potential pony-made disaster here. Not at all.

The drop of blood became encased in a black sphere, and that black sphere began to slowly grow. It drew in the fire and smoke, everything,

Vimbert: Including Spell Nexus, who cried tears of joy that he would finally be a pretty filly.

and grew larger with each passing moment.

Isphone: Stonewall looked at the bowl AND A SKELETON POPPED OUT!
Lightsideluc: ~Hello my Dalin', hello my baby, hello my rag-time gal~

“Yes... it is working my brothers and sisters. She is beginning to take shape. Our queen shall soon be-”

KRAC-CROOO-OOOM!

Ezn: Nah, I think Nightmare Moon is a better name for a queen of darkness than that.
Midnight: no, no, “Krac-crooo-ooom” has a certain... something.
Intangiblepony: Eh, I'll give it a 3.5 on the name scale.
Anon13: Out of a hundred.
Pemberton: Fun fact: Krac-Crooo-ooom is actually the name of Cthulhu’s city dwelling, more benevolent cousin.
Alcoremortis: I dunno, Kra-Crooo-ooom sounds a bit like Krakow... which is a pretty big city in Poland. Maybe they resurrected the Polish version of Nightmare Moon?

Every pony jumped probably a foot in the air

Ezn: Probably. No-one had a ruler on hoof to check, you see.
Isphone: Damn it, Stonewall, what didn’t you forget to bring?

when a single bolt of lighting

Vimbert: From a convenient lamp,
Midnight: Wow, the everfree has everything! Manticores, cockatrices, power outlets...

raced down from the sky and struck the very center of the spell, hitting the metal podium while causing it, the shreds of Nightmare Moon, and the wooden bowl all to become wrapped in crimson flames.

Blaze: It's a good thing there's nothing flammable nearby... Oh wait. It's a forest.
Hellioning: What were they burning with before, burnt umber flames?
Nuke.Equestria: It was more of a burnt sienna.
Alcoremortis: Ah, crimson, another one of my old enemies. Overused in fanfictions everywhere. Protip: Just say “red.” Nobody will think you’re a Communist if you do. These are more enlightened times.

Eyes turned upward to the source of the lighting, the cloud cover the cult’s pegasi had carefully placed blown back as a full battalion of royal guards flew down through the new hole in the cloud.

DiStort: Wow. Great job, pegasi. Somepony's getting a pay dock.
Intangiblepony: Wait! I got four kids!
ecyor0: Police work is a lot easier when you have the ability to fry anyone standing out in the open.

“FREEZE!! YOU ARE ALL UNDER ARREST!!!”

Ezn: “Stop criminal scum! You have violated the law!”
Anon13: “You have the right to remain stupid!”
Ezn: “And you, Nexus, have the right to remain FABULOUS!”
esoomynopa: ALL YOUR CULT ARE BELONG TO US
Crazy56U: Well, tonight's episode of "COPS: Equestria" should be interesting...

Several of the guards shouted as dozens of other gold armored pegasi landing in the center of the clearing.

disco: Cheese it! The cops!

Still, not a single pony froze,

CTOONfan1: They WERE near a fire.

the cultists charging and attacking the armored guards.

Pemberton: >Resist Arrest. “THEN PAY WITH YOUR BLOOD”
Ezn: I’d recommend just paying the fine, but I guess resisting arrest could work too.
Vimbert: “Am I supposed to be impressed?”

Nexus stood only flabbergasted,

ecyor0: Not, we must point out, confused, perplexed or uncertain. Only flabbergasted.

watching as the center of the spell and the precious shreds of Nightmare Moon were destroyed. All their plans, decimated by a single surge of magical lightning...

Isphone: Well, it's not so bad. Decimated means reduced by one tenth, so you can probably hit it with lightning about nine more times.

lightning that could only have come from one source.

disco: Zeus? Thor? Raiden? Pikachu? Storm? Magneto? The Emperor? Blanka? Nikola Tesla?
ecyor0:The sky.

Turning his eyes skyward, Nexus glared at the next figure to float down through the hole in the clouds, her horn flashing once before all of the cloud cover was brushed away like froth from a cup of hot cocoa.

Pemberton: A humorous analogy given the context of the story thus far.
Ezn: Celestia later banished the cultists to the moon, for daring to serve her cocoa with froth, as she much prefers it plain.
Alcoremortis: Mmm...chocolate... Wait. What were we talking about again?

“Celestia...” Nexus forced out through gritted teeth,

Neligahn: We would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for you meddling ponies!

his turquoise eyes locked on the sun princess as she floated down amidst the fighting, casting back anypony that dared attack her with barely a flick of her horn.

Ezn: “May this be our final battle!”

“You... you shall regret stepping into my sight, Celestia.

Lightsideluc: Except she kept flying, much to his chagrin.

I will strike you down and please my queen.”

Hellioning: Wow, Nightmare Moon's into some kinky stuff.
Vimbert: I don’t think deicide is quite as easy as Nexus thinks it is.

Nexus hissed, his own horn starting to glow. He, however, did not get to act as a firm hoof to the back of his head knocked the unicorn out.

Midnight: Nexus, evil mastermind, potent unicorn, really bad with armour.
Lightsideluc: He’s a mage, so he can only equip light-armour.
Midnight: still, one-shot by a trash mob?
Hellioning: They were in heroic mode.
Alcoremortis: And it also makes sense why he didn’t cast his spell since even light armor carries with it a 10% arcane spell failure chance, I think.

“Sorry Nexus, but we can’t let you get arrested.”

Neligahn: We need your incompetence to fail another day!

Gray Gale offered,

Vimbert: Oh, this story and its love affair with the word “offered”.

the pegasus being the one to knock out the unicorn. With the help of Night Wind, the unconscious Nexus

Disco: His real name is Epic Failure.

was loaded onto Stonewall’s back, the earthy pony making sure the cult’s leader wasn’t going to fall off before he and the two armored pegasi charged off into the forest,

Vimbert: If he fell off after they took off, not that big of a deal. But before? There would have been hell to pay.
Lightsideluc: Well, at least Stonewall didn't forget Nexus as well.

fleeing from the royal guards.

Isphone: Right, because knocking you out and putting you on the back of the earth pony is so much easier than tapping you on the shoulder or something.

“Have you apprehended all involved?”

Celestia currently sat in the Ponyville library.

Ezn: She’s sitting there right now, but that’s unrelated to our story, which happened in the past.

After rescuing Twilight, the princess had taken her student home and sent her straight to bed.

Ezn: with no dinner, for being a naughty girl and getting kidnapped.
Anon13: I thought she liked that kind of thing?
Ezn: “I am the only one allowed to hold you against your will, my faithful student.”
Vimbert: Can’t molest the willing.

Twilight resisted a bit, but after going through such a stressful situation it didn’t take much to get the unicorn to fall asleep.

Midnight: (raises a hoof) I... no, too easy.
disco: Just a little dab of chloroform.
Ezn: Or just a half dose of rohypnol.

Celestia had turned the library in to a base of operations,

Neligahn: To ensure the tired unicorn could sleep, they made sure to make AS MUCH NOISE AS POSSIBLE.

keeping guard of her student personally

Lightsideluc: Very, very personally...

while having her own guards bring their reports to her.

ecyor0: In times of crisis, learning lessons about friendship is left to the military.

“We have captured a great number of those involved, but there are signs some escaped into the forest.

Nuke.Equestria: One even read “Neener, neener.”

We are currently searching the forest with the aid of the zebra that reported your student’s ponynapping.”

Alcoremortis: For some reason, this just makes me think of a short afternoon rest.

“Yes, Zecora. Please make sure that she is properly thanked for all she has done this evening. Also, please extend her an invitation to the palace so that she may join Luna and I for dinner on an evening of her choosing.”

Anon13: As long as she uses the rear entrance.

“Of course Princess. Though, if I may ask, what were these ponies trying to do?”

“I do not know. All we were able to get from the information we gathered prior to this night was that something was going to happen.

Anon13: Unlike, say, every other night.
Ezn: Oh man you guys, something was going to happen!
Nuke.Equestria: Didn’t Nexus tell Twilight what they were doing?

And the spell is not something I recognize. If it is from a book or ancient scroll, then I have not read of it,

Midnight: Meet Celestia, godlike entity, supposed creator of all Equestria, not a great reader, it seems.

but it could just as easily be a new spell. A ritual crafted for a specific purpose...

Anon13: Unlike all those other rituals, which are purely for giggles.
DiStort: I've heard Cthulhu is a riot at parties.
Alcoremortis: Actually, he causes the riots at parties.

though that purpose still remains to be unearthed.

Ezn: “I’ve taken quite an interest in archeology lately, so let’s start digging around the site of the ritual.”
ecyor0: Really? The Nightmare Moon cosplay didn't clue you in?
Neligahn: If only we had a witness who was there when the villains attacked her with plot exposition!

Make sure that the details of the spell itself remained preserved; it will need to be studied.”

“Of course Princess. We will gather any evidence at the scene and have it taken to the castle until such time it can be examined.”

ecyor0: and used to create an easily-avoidable crisis.
Hellioning: "I explain this to you, our immortal ruler, because I'm sure you don't understand our procedures."

“Good. I have no doubt the spell’s purpose was dark, and I will not stand for my student being threatened either. I want the truth of this revealed, Captain, with all haste.”

Anon13: YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE … naah, too easy.

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

===========

And the area was searched, unicorn guards sweeping over it with their magic to try and detect anything left behind.

Disco: Like a poorly-conceived plot coupon.

What remained of the wooden bowls were gathered, the unburnt powder collected together into a single bag. Everything and anything that was not natural to the Everfree forest was taken up from the clearing, loaded into a sky chariot before it was carried back to Canterlot by pegasi.

Anon13: Unfortunately its luggage went to Cleveland.

“All right stallions,

Anon13: “TAKE ME, TAKE ME NOW! Er, uh, I mean...”

let’s go join the groups searching the forest for any of the cult members that might have escaped. The gray coated unicorn lieutenant offered, his soldiers snapping to attention and quickly marching out of the clearing. The lieutenant moved to follow them, glancing back over the clearing once. Upon seeing nothing being left behind,

Disco: Due to his obvious blindness

he disappeared amongst the trees.

Still, the magic that lingered in the air like a heavy mist began to shift, sparkling a bit in the cool night air as it was drawn to one side of the clearing. There, hidden away by a bush, a black sphere lay amongst the dirt.

Ezn: So that’s where I left my best marble!

A sphere which was cast away from the center of the spell by Celestia’s bolt of arcane lighting. A sphere that, at its heart,

scriber: DEAR GOD, RUN! THE SPHERES HAVE HEARTS!

contained the blood of a certain purple unicorn.

Midnight: Pay attention kids, this is what you get when you hire your security teams from the lowest bidders. That, or they really need to grind their “detect magic” spell.

The magic that lingered in the clearing flowed into the sphere, drawn to it like metal to a magnet. As the arcane energy was absorbed the sphere continued to grow,

disco: Rita Repulsa ought to take notes.

continuing the process begun by the spell Celestia had been interrupted.

Anon13: ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY PLOT POINT!

Past Sins
By Pen Stroke
Assisted by Batty Gloom

Lightsideluc: Assist spree!

Chapter 1
Everfree Discovery
===============

“Oh Twilight, I just heard the news!

DiStort: "I had no idea you were into such things!"

Did those ruffians hurt you? Are you okay? Oh, I just can’t imagine what it must have been like!

Disco: Suuuure you don't.

I mean, it was probably similar to when I was ponynapped by the diamond dogs.

ecyor0: “Y'know, if the diamond dogs had wanted to sacrifice me in a pagan ritual to their dark god.”

Still, that’s not the same as getting taken by other ponies and I for one-”

“Rarity!” Twilight half shouted.

Ezn: and half-whispered, creating an interesting vocal effect.
intangiblepony: What’s with all the half talking?
Nuke.Equestria: They’re half-decided on what to say.
Anon13: It’s a half-assed fic. Er, half-flanked.

The white unicorn had barreled into the library in a huff,

CTOONfan1: Did she happen to roll as well?
Disco: Depends if she used her bombs wisely.

catching Twilight in the middle of reading a book while Spike had been getting some things off the shelves. The baby dragon now had a slightly bewildered look on his face, smiling stupidly as he waved a claw.

Vimbert: Spike desperately tried to conceal the “toys” Twilight had asked him to fetch. With Rarity here, if he was very lucky, this could be the greatest day of his life.
Nuke.Equstria: He’ll never be that lucky.

“Hi Rarity.”

“Good day Spike.” The unicorn offered before turning her attention back to Twilight. “Now, what is it you wanted to say Dear?”

Ezn: “My name’s not Dear!”

“I wanted to tell you to relax. I’m fine.”

“But how can you be fine? After such a harrowing ordeal you must be positively petrified,

Lightideluc: Twilight is quite familiar with that.

and I heard they had you tied up. Oh, you must have such horrible rope burns.”

DiStort: You should've seen her in gym class back in Canterlot. It's hard enough to climb a rope with fingers.
Hellioning: "That's nothing! You should see me after Celestia-I mean...."
scriber: Kinky.

“I’ll admit, it does hurt a little where they had me tied up, but Nurse Redheart already took a look and said it just a minor irritation

Anon13: Then she looked at my rope marks. Hey, wait a minute!

and that it will go away by tomorrow. So, Rarity, believe me when I say I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

Isphone: “No, I’m Twilight.”
Midnight: “I thought you said you were fine... impostor!” (I’ll be here all week, try the fish!)
RingmasterJ5: “No...I’m still Twilight.”
disco: Seriously, have you read some of the fanfics? Self-loathing practically has its own tag.

“Yes, I’m sure.” Twilight replied with a smile, though her voice betrayed her minor annoyance.

Hellioning: Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!

“I appreciate your concern but everypony has already been here to check on me and I’ve all told them the same thing.”

CTOONfan1: "Please leave me alone!"

“Everypony? Even Fluttershy?”

“She was actually the first.”

Alcoremortis: Wrong images here. I should really stop reading into these things.

“Oh, and what a horrible friend I must be!” Rarity voiced dramatically, putting a hoof to her head with a pained, practically theatrical expression.

disco: She finally admits the truth.
Ezn: “That’s one of my lines for the play I’m going to be in. How did you like my delivery?”
Anon13: “Can I mark it ‘Return to Sender’?” (rimshot)
Nuke.Equestria: I love practical theatrics!

“Being the last to arrive to check on you. I would have come earlier, but I was working in my shop all day. I only just stepped out to get a late lunch when Rainbow Dash found me and told me everything, and I rushed right over.”

“Rarity it’s okay.”

Ezn: “You’re kind of irritating anyway.”

“No, no it’s completely unacceptable. I officially owe you, Twilight Sparkle, a favor.”

Ezn: Wink wink, nudge nudge.
Vimbert: Spike leaned in, intense interest on his face.

“A what now?”

“A favor.

Vimbert: A slow grin spread over Spike’s face...
Midnight: (raises hoof) I... *sigh*

Pinkie Pie has her promises, I have my favors. You just come to me if you need anything

Anon13: Like, say, if you need some pony whacked...
DiStort: Oh god, now I have an image in my head of Rarity talking like Marlon Brando.

and if I can help I will do my very best to assist...

Vimbert: Spike began to drool.

as long as it doesn’t involve excessive amounts of dirt.”

Hellioning: She is, however, fine with medium amounts of dirt.

Twilight giggled a little at Rarity’s usual discomfort with dirt.

Isphone: Twilight has obviously never had dirt in the places Rarity has had dirt.

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind. Still, you don’t have to worry about me Rarity. I’m fine, really. Yeah, it was pretty scary,

Vimbert: As you can tell by how hysterical and broken-up about it she is.
DiStort: She's gonna repress the HELL outta this one.

but everything turned out all right. If anything, I’m just a little annoyed.

ecyor0: “I'm lying of course, I'm in denial.”
Nuke.equestria: Repression is a healthy thing.
Anon13: "I'll probably have a breakdown later. Screaming and everything."

I’ve been trying to get some reading in all day but because of everypony coming to check on me I haven’t even gotten past the first page.”

Pemberton: Hasn’t gotten past the first page? Sounds like she’s reading the Conversion Bureau.

“Then I shan't take another moment of your time. You just read, relax, and recover from your harrowing ordeal.” Rarity said, heading for the door only to turn back one final time. “And remember, if you need anything, I owe you one favor.”

Ezn: Rarity’s word of the day: “harrowing”.
Nuke.Equestria: Can everyone spell “Harrowing”? H... A... R... R... O... W... I... N... G!
Anon13: She couldn’t wait to just harrow all over the place.
Ezn: Later on that day, she offended an Asian tourist with what she thought was a clever greeting pun.

“I got it.” Twilight replied, watching her friend leave before finally being able to get to her book.

Hellioning: Nopony must ever find her secret stash of Appledash stories!
Anon13: Especially not Applejack.

Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and now Rarity... that was all her closest friends which meant that, maybe, she could get into the book she was trying to read.

Saint: Because Celestia forbid you actually allow yourself to be comforted by close friends.

==========

“Spike?” Twilight called a few hours later, finally a good distance into her book. “Can you bring me that book I had yesterday? Mountain Valley’s Geographic Guide to Equestria?”

“Didn’t you have it with you yesterday?”

Ezn: “Yes, that’s what I just said.”

Twilight looked up from her book, deciding to stare at the ceiling as she tried to think back.

Ezn: Twilight isn’t afraid to make tough decisions.
Nuke.Equestria: Easy ones...
Alcoremortis: Psh. There was probably a crack that looked like a bunny up there.

“Well... I didn’t think... but maybe... No, wait... I did have it.

DiStort: As previously stated.

I put it in my saddle bag so that I could have it when I read this book at the park, but then I realize I had left this book here.

“So I came back... but then Pinkie Pie grabbed me

Ezn: Mystery solved! Pinkie Pie is Spell Nexus!
Vimbert: I’m pretty sure that I would have loved this fic forever were that true.

to help decorate for her party, and that took all afternoon. So, the book was still in my saddlebags when I went to the party... and then I left the party to come back here, and then I got ponynapp-”

Twilight quickly twisted her head around as her eyes darted about the library in a panic.

Anon13: Fortunately, with Spike’s help, she got them back in her head fairly quickly.

The unicorn the practically

Ezn: The unicorn, the practically, the LEGEND.

jumped to her hooves and began galloping around the room, rummaging through drawers and checking strange corners of the library.

Anon13: Hoping not to run into Hounds of Tindalos.
Hellioning: Why not the normal corners? Is Twilight prejudiced against strange corners?
Pemberton: How many corners does this library have, anyway?

Spike watched the unicorn run about in the panic

Vimbert: Not just any panic. The panic.
RingmasterJ5: Wasn’t that a movie?

for a few minutes before deciding he had seen enough,

DiStort: It's only funny for so long, then it just gets sad.

putting himself in front of Twilight just to get her to come to a stop.

Anon13: Roadkill.

“Whoa, easy Twilight. What’s wrong?”

Nuke.Equestria: “The library has too many corners!”

“My saddlebags, where are they?”

“Well, didn’t you have them with you when Celestia brought you back last night?”

“Oh no! No no no no no no no no no!

disco: Getting kidnapped and stabbed? No problem. Losing a book? Blasphemy.

I had my saddlebags with me when I was ponynapped, and that means that either those cult ponies took them or I lost them somewhere along the way! No no no no no! I can replace the copy of Geographic Guide to Equestria but I had books in that bag Celestia loaned me from the royal library! I can’t lose those books, I-”

Pemberton: “Celestia would murder me if I lost her collection of modern art books and Appledash clopfics!”
ecyor0: “I'll get LATE FEES! Quick, Spike, find Smarty Pants, we need to create another ill-thought-out plan to solve the problem!”

Spike grabbed the sides of the panicking unicorn’s head, bring her eyes to his.

Ezn: And then nothing sexual happened.
Lightsideluc: Midnight was very disappointed.
Alcoremortis: This sounds kind of painful, actually.

“Twilight, breathe...

Vimbert: And then Spike also had a breathing fetish.
intangiblepony: So much breathing!

and think. Can’t you just use your locator spell?”

Hellioning: "You know, the one that was just made up for this story?"

A smile of relief burst onto the unicorn as she closed her eyes and focused.

Ezn: “I can breathe and think at the same time!”
Nuke.Equestria: Twilight is a very advanced student.

Twilight’s horn shimmered and glowed for a moment before staring

Ezn: She’d never told her horn how rude it was to stare.

to blink. The locator spell was a charm Twilight put on her saddlebags after leaving them in the library one too many times. It would allow her to find her bags.

Alcoremortis: I don’t know. A locator charm shows the location of an item? Psh. Frankly, I don’t believe any of this.

It was based on some of the same magical principles that Rarity used to find gems, though the spell had a wider range since it was focused on finding a single item that had been magically marked.

Anon13: Thank you, Exposition Man!

Twilight waved her head around, watching her horn as it flashed at different rates.

Anon13: You ever just, like, really look at your horn, man?

Finally she found the direction where the flashing was the fastest, walking in the direction of a window before looking outside.

Ezn: When directions start walking, you know you’re in for a trip.
Isphone: We can't stop here. This is bat crap insane country.
Midnight: Then she walked in the direction of a door, before decided to stick to normal, Euclidean directions

In the distance was the Everfree Forest.

DiStort: DUN DUN DUN
Pemberton: ORIGINALITY STRIKES AGAIN
Nuke.Equestria: That’s not original, everyone uses the Everfree Forest.
Anon13: Nuke, are you familiar with 'irony'?
Nuke.Equestria: That’s when something has a lot of iron, right?

“Great... just great. My bags are in the forest.’”

Ezn: To make matters worse, there’s a poor, frightened, lost... apostrophe at the end of that sentence.
Anon13: For a mere 8 bits a month, you can adopt a punctuation mark of your own.
Vimbert: Think of the semicolons!

Twilight grumbled, turning as she began to trot towards the door, only for Spike to quickly cut her

Ezn: Nah, too easy.
Midnight: Hey, that’s MY line!

off.

“Nuh-uh, no way Twi. Celestia would have my scales

Ezn: “How would I weigh things?!”

if she found out I let you go back into the Everfree Forest the day after you were ponynapped.”

“Well then, Celestia just won’t find out.”

Anon13: The sun deity who considers me her prize student and lov... uh, best friend, won’t suspect a thing!

Twilight replied, moving Spike out of the way with some levitation, only for him to run back into her path.

“But what if those crazy ponies are still in the forest? Do you want to get ponynapped again?”

Ezn: “Of course I do! I’m not going to die a virgin!”

“Celestia’s guards scoured the forest last night with Zecora’s help. I doubt any of those ponies are still there.”

Ezn: “Her keen zebra-senses must have rooted them all out.”
Anon13: Except of course for the plot point.

“I still don’t think you should go on your own.”

“Spike, I need to get those books back. They’re irreplaceable,

Ezn: “And I hid all my secret fanfiction underneath their dust jackets!”
Vimbert: “And that copy of Hot Hum... Er, never mind.”

and I need you to stay here in case somepony comes and needs to checkout a book.

CTOONfan1: Whoa whoa whoa. Ponies who aren't you read those books?
Crazy56U: Oh, so THAT'S why Ponyville has a library!
Ezn: That is one fiiiiiiiiine book! Binding that goes on for miles...

This is a library after all and we can’t just close it up whenever we want.

Ezn: “We might get our first member! It’ll happen any day now, I’m telling you.”
Midnight: “I don’t get paid to leave my shop and have adventures in the Everfree Forest! What sort of non-bookish nerd do you take me for?”

And like I told my friends, I’m fine.”

Pen Stroke: Flimsy Excuses! Get your Flimsy Excuses here!

Spike crossed his arms. “I still don’t like it Twilight. Can’t you find somepony to go with you?”

“Everypony is busy, especially after they each came by to see me already.

Anon13: Obviously, if they took time out of their schedules to see me they couldn’t possibly have time to come and make sure I don’t get ponynapped or killed.
Alcoremortis: What about Rarity? She did offer. Sounds like someone has a secret desire to end up captured again.

I don’t want worry them anymore. Besides, I’ve been to Everfree before Spike. I know how to keep myself out of trouble.”

Disco: Yet it happens in nearly every episode.
intangiblepony: Saying a phrase like that is the same as saying "What could possibly go wrong".
Pemberton: Which is proven by how she was kidnapped less than 24 hours ago.
Alcoremortis: Personally, I’m a fan of “There’s no turning back now” and talking about the wife and kids in a war movie.

“Says the pony that got turned to stone by a Cockatrice.”

Ezn: “That was... consensual.”
Anon13: Insert obligatory ‘Getting Stoned’ joke here.

“Okay, I’ll admit, that wasn’t one of my better moments.

Vimbert: “It was one of my best. I hope I can meet that scaled, feathery, magnificent beast again...”
Midnight: “A secluded glade, private, alone... our eyes met, it was magical...”
Lightsideluc: Twilight would be the most literal trophy wife of all time.

Still, how about this? If I’m not back in three hours you can tell Celestia that I left and that I put you to sleep with a spell so you couldn’t stop me.” The unicorn replied, walking around Spike and finally reaching the door

Vimbert: Hey, it takes a long time to walk from one end of a small town’s library to the other.

“Twilight, I don’t want you to go because I think it’s dangerous, not because I don’t want to get in trouble.”

Anon13: “You know I can’t carry the show by myself!”

“Spike, I promise, everything will be fine. Now, just keep doing your chores and I’ll be back before you know it. It’s just after three, so if I’m not back by a little after six in the afternoon then you can tell Celestia,

Vimbert: Because Spike obviously can’t count or anything.

but I promise I’ll be back before then.”

==========

Twilight swallowed nervously, stepping slowly as she kept her head down. Her eyes darted back and forth

Ezn: She didn’t have Spike to help her gather them up this time, so she stopped them from roaming too far afield.

as she looked to the threatening trees of Everfree Forest,

Ezn: “I’ll slit yo mother’s throat if you say one more thing about my bark, y’hear?”
Pemberton: “Oi! We gotsa Ponyville filly here, mates! ‘Ey Miss Sparkle, when’s the next Twixie fic comin’ out, ya poof?”
DiStort: They're still disgruntled about being repeatedly echoed across by Spell Nexus.

the unicorn slowly following the blinking light of her horn.

“Okay... maybe it won’t be fine.”

disco: Ya think?

Twilight muttered to herself, finally admitting that maybe she wasn’t ready to brave the forest alone. Though the unicorn was 95% sure her mind was just playing tricks on her,

Vimbert: The 5% had held control for far too long. #OccupyTwilight #WeAreThe95Percent

she couldn’t keep herself from believing every pony shaped shadow she saw was one of the cult ponies coming to ponynap her again.

Ezn: Not even the distraction of calculating her certainty percentage helped ease her mind!
Anon13: Never tell yourself the odds.

She even barreled off the forest path a few times, trying to get a jump on her would be assailant only to discover it was a bush or tree branch.

Ezn: “They never take us seriously, Leafy old pal.”
Anon13: Within weeks the Plant Gang would be the terror of Ponyville.
Isphone: "Meah, Applejack sleeps with the potatoes."

That and some bad weather had rolled in over the forest. Dark, gray, and threatening clouds of a nasty storm... Everfree’s first spring thunderstorm. Twilight could only imagine how horrible it would be to be caught in one of the infamous wild storms. With winds strong enough to pick a pony off her feet and throw her half way across Equestria and lighting that-

Vimbert: Was less than optimal. Twilight had read a great deal about how inadequate lighting could affect eyesight.

Twilight shook her head, trying to clear away her panicked thoughts. She was getting really close to her saddlebags now, the rate at which her horn was flashing was a sure indicator of that.

Crazy56U: Either that, or her horn's batteries needed changing.

She’s just needed to get those bags and then

Ezn: she will have outlived her usefulness.

she could just teleport herself back to the library.

“Okay... just hold it together a little longer.”

Saint: "Home, home is where you can treat yourself and go nuts again"
Ezn: Nerve by nerve, holding it together!

The unicorn muttered to herself, walking around a bend in the path before coming to a dead stop.

Ezn: Oh Stop, we hardly knew ye.

Her eyes glanced about and became small dots

intangiblepony: They're always a little loose after you take them out.
Anon13: Damn it, they’re getting away again!

as her breathing became more rushed.

Ezn: She needs to take breathing lessons from Spell Nexus.
Vimbert: Haven’t you been paying attention? Nexus’ “lessons” on breathing are only for the colts.

Her locator spell had led her back to where she had been the night before. The clearing in the forest where the spell had been cast, where she had been held captive by the cult ponies.

Hellioning: Yeah, your stuff is where you were taken when you were ponynapped with your stuff. Unbelievable, I know.
Pemberton: Because God forbid she should be jumped by the cult of cross dressing, trying too hard to be mysterious ponies.
Nuke.Equestria: I had to read a paragraph of exposition on a spell Twilight didn’t need. I want my time back!

For a moment, Twilight had to fight the insanely strong urge to teleport back to the library at that very moment and forget her saddle bags.

ecyor0: That urge isn't insane, that's your sense of self-preservation saying you're being an idiot.

Still, that urge was ended

Anon13: With EXTREME PREJUDICE.

when Twilight saw a small corner of purple in a bush on the far side of the clearing.

Ezn: SOMEPONY CALL THE FASHION POLICE! Purple’s not your colour, bush darling.

It was her saddlebag,

Vimbert: The location of the other saddlebag remained a mystery.

probably tossed aside by the cult ponies when they had finished carrying Twilight to the clearing.

The unicorn trotted out into the open air,

Ezn: Stood there for a moment, and then fell to her death as gravity kicked in.

horn glowing as she lifted the bag from the bush magically. The purple bags

Vimbert: The bags are now doubled!
Ezn: How many books do I receive?
Midnight: huzzah!
Lightsideluc: I search the bags for loot.

floated over to the unicorn as their flaps open,

Anon13: Tenses, people! Get ’em straight!
Midnight: (raises hoof, checks about, lowers hoof)

Twilight smiling when she saw none of the rare books were missing. With a satisfied nod, she levitated the bags over her head and set them down on her back.

“Perfect; now just to teleport myself back to the library and-”

RUSTLE

Ezn: Rustle’s in this story? Oh man, I love that guy!
GelidEnmity: Ever notice that everyone named Rustle is fat?

Twilight froze, eyes narrow as her ears stood erect.

GelidEnmity: She heard a sound that excited her.

RUSTLE RUSTLE

Saint: CROWE CROWE
Anon13: Dang rustlers! Get Applejack!

She turned her head, focusing on the source of the noise. It was a single bush just off to the side of the clearing, the leaves rustling

Nuke.Equestria: The rustling leaves rustled. Pure poetry!

as something moved around inside the foliage. Almost instantly Twilight’s mind began to jump to the worse case scenario, much like it had done when Fluttershy had taken Celestia’s pet, Philomena.

Ezn: Did you guys know this was an MLP:FiM fanfic? I wasn’t sure, but this line cleared it up.
intangiblepony: I thought... Nah too easy.
Nuke.Equestria: My Little Pony? GAAAYYY!!!

It could be a cultist, lingering there in the darkness. Ready to jump Twilight, hogtie her

ecyor0: Again with the hogties. What ever happend to plain old 'tying her up'?
GelidEnmity: Pen Stroke is subtly calling Twilight a hog.

again, and this time when they tried to bring Nightmare Moon back they’d use more than just a drop of blood.

Vimbert: Twilight hoped they’d take more fluids than just her blood this time.

No, they’d get much more brutal with a dagger... heck, they’d probably use an actual sword and just-

Ezn: Twilight pushed the giddy, lustful thoughts out of her mind.

Twilight shook her head hard. No, she couldn’t think like that. That... that bush was too small to hide a full grown pony. It’s probably just an animal.

Nuke.Equestria: Or a midget cultist.

Yes, it’s just a rabbit or something.

Ezn: And right now, it is. But again, that’s unrelated to the story, which happened in the past.

She’d just get a little closer, and the little furry creature would pop out and go

Ezn: yiff in hell.
GelidEnmity: f*ck itself.

scampering off and she could finally take a breath.

Pemberton: Remember, breathing is ESSENTIAL to good storytelling, you ingrates.

Unless it was a snake... oh, if it was a snake she was going to scream.

Inching closer to the bush, Twilight made each hoof step as silently as possible, straining her eyes to try and see inside the darkness of the bush. The branches rustled again, but still whatever animal was inside had yet to jump free.

Hellioning: As opposed to, what, teleporting away?
Ezn: I want to jump free~ee! I want to jump free!

FLASH...

disco: Savior of the Universe?!
KCANRadio: Gordon's alive?!
ecyor0: AAAAAAAHHHH!!
yobxof2000: He saved every one of us!
GelidEnmity: ~He's for everyone of us
Stand for everyone of us
He'll save with a mighty hand
Every man every woman
Every child - with a mighty flash~

KRAC-CROOO-OOOM!

intangiblepony: There’s that name again.
Alcoremortis: The Polish Nightmare Moon! Run for your lives!

Twilight leapt a foot in the air,

Ezn: This time, somepony was on hoof with a ruler.
Vimbert: Nexus, noting Rustle’s efficiency, promptly fired Stonewall.

quickly galloping

Ezn: Sky-galloping!

in the exact opposite direction of the bush

Ezn: The ruler was on the side of a protractor.
Nuke.Equestria: Precise measurements are essential to good storytelling.

before diving behind a tree on the far side of the clearing. Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it could burst out of her chest, the unicorn putting a hoof over top of it to try and calm the thumping vital organ

Ezn: Damnit Twilight, this isn’t the time for that!

while she breathed deep.

Nuke.Equestria: Breath in. *Inhales deeply* Breath out.
Lightsideluc: Nexus, hiding in a bush: “Ohhhh yessss, more, more! You breath so deeply, don’t you, Twilight?

“It was just the storm...”, Twilight told herself, looking up at the threatening sky above the forest.

Ezn: I should reeally just ree~lax!

“It was just thunder... it was just thunder... thunder that scared me half to death... but it was just thunder.”

Isphone: B-b- but... WHO WAS BUSH?
Lightsideluc: Dick Cheney is the one she should be worried about.

And apparently she wasn’t the only one startled.

Ezn: I’m... so... STARTLED...

As Twilight calmed herself, something began to reach her ears... crying. Somepony nearby was crying,

Disco: Yeah, the readers.

and from the sounds of the voice it was a very young filly.

“Hello?” Twilight called out, her ears swiveling as she tried to pinpoint the sound. “Is somepony there?” The crying quickly fell quiet, like the voice’s owner was trying to hide.

Ezn: “Start crying again! I need your tears to fuel my magic!”
Isphone: Magic. Is that what they call it these days?
Nuke.Equestria: Ahhh, the sweat tears of terror.
GelidEnmity: Yes, you heard Nuke right, they cry sweat.

Still, Twilight was able to get a general direction of the voice, the unicorn moving back into the forest clearing.

disco: "I have darker plans for you!"

Twilight offered as she looked around. Still, she heard nothing, or at least she didn’t hear any voice calling back. Maybe her imagination was really getting the best of her. Sighing once, Twilight began to gather magic in her horn, preparing to teleport back to to the library.

Ezn: “I think that was enough crying for a short teleport trip, but you’re not coming with!”

FLASH...

disco: King of the impossible?!
ecyor0: AAAAAAHHHH!!
yobxof2000: Stand tall for every one of us!
GelidEnmity: ~Just a man
With a man's courage
He knows nothing but a man
But he can never fail
No one but the pure in heart
May find the golden grail~

KRAC-CROOO-OOOM!

Pemberton: Votes are in, “Krac-crooo-ooom” is now a worse sound effect than the slide whistle. Nuke.Equestria: It sounds like the offspring of a kangaroo and a crocodile.

Again, the storm caught Twilight by surprise, making the pony jump a little. It was not as bad as the first time; Twilight able to keep herself standing

Ezn: Ezn able to point out missing “was”.
Nuke.Equestria: You’re missing a “was”.

in the center of the clearing instead of galloping off to hide. Instead, the unicorn looked up at the clouds, throwing them an annoyed glare for startling her twice.

DiStort: One day, clouds. ONE DAY.

Still, the thunder had also brought back another sound, the crying Twilight had heard earlier, and it was close. Deciding it would be better to not try and call out for the pony, Twilight swiveled her ears forward and listened. The sound was accompanied by some rustling, the leaves of the bush that Twilight had feared hid some horrible danger quivering slightly.

More concerned about the other pony than the possibility of crazy cult ponies,

GelidEnmity: As we all know that Crazy Cult ponies are the least of everyone’s problems.

Twilight trotted over to the bush as quietly as possible. When she was close enough, Twilight began to reach out her magic. She wanted to be sure to be sure she at least got one good look at what was in the bush, even if it ran away from her.

A single nervous swallow,

Saint: And several perturbed chickadees.

and Twilight braced herself. Her magic shoved the branches away and the unicorn shut her eyes tight, a small part of her still expecting some pony in a cloak

GelidEnmity: Help me Obi Wan Kenobi, I've been hogtied!
Anon13: And not in the fun way!

to jump out and hog tie

ecyor0: TIE HER UP! Just say "tie her up", for the love of Tom!
GelidEnmity: Servo!?

her. When that didn’t happen Twilight opened her eyes, and took a look at the interior of the bush.

What Twilight found, however, was nothing she could have expected.

Nuke.Equestria: NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!!!
GelidEnmity: Bring out...THE COMFY CHAIR!!

A filly, as young or even a little younger than Apple Bloom, was tangled up in the thorny branches. She had nicks

Ezn: FORESHADOWING.
Midnight: What shall we call this strange filly with the nicks all over her?
intangiblepony: We shall call her Ticks!
Ezn: Ticks has nicks! Ticks has nicks!

and scratches in a number of places, caused by the thorns as the filly struggled to free herself.

Ezn: That’s what her cultist parents told her to tell the social worker, at least.
Vimbert: “She fell down some stairs.” “But she’s a pegasus!” “A very clumsy pegasus.”
Alcoremortis: I predict she is the midget cultist.

Her mane was also tangled amongst the branches, and it looked like she had been there for at least a few hours if not longer.

If it was any normal filly Twilight would have reached out to help immediately

GelidEnmity: But instead, she clubbed her to death.
Vimbert:

... but the unicorn found herself frozen, mind locking up as she tried to process the filly’s appearance. Her coat was black, a regal black.

Neligahn: Unlike the more common: Darkness Black, Common Black, and Intense Black.
GelidEnmity: LOOK OUT GUYS, WE HAVE A BLACK PONY ON BOARD.
Ezn: Watch your tongue! She’s an Equestrian African-American!
DiStort: So … she’s a zebra?
Pemberton: CONGRATULATIONS, TWILIGHT; A NIGERIAN FILLY PRINCESS WISHES TO SHARE HER FORTUNE WITH YOU

A purple mane, dark in tone like Twilight’s but it had a shine and splendor that was comparable to Rarity’s, despite the fact the long strands were tangled in the bush’s thorny branches.

Ezn: Her mane also changed depending on her mood, like Pinkie’s, hung in her eyes when she was shy like Fluttershy’s, and allowed her to do Sonic Rainbooms. Also she could do rope tricks with her tail.
Midnight: *shiver* We got a fic like that once... I’m... I’m still in rehab.
intangiblepony: I shall pray for your soul Midnight. I shall pray...

And, finally, the filly had not only a pair of pegasus wings but a unicorn horn, making her an alicorn.

Hellioning: Really? I thought pegasus wings + unicorn horn = sea pony.
GelidEnmity: Mary Sue alert is ‘a ringin’!

The filly’s eyes were locked with Twilight’s,

Ezn: Twilight had put the four of them in a cage, to prevent further eye-escaping mishaps.

filled with fear but also a flicker of hope that this strange new face might be her escape from the bushes.

Ezn: Maybe I can use this strange new face to cut through the vines, she thought.

Those eyes,

GelidEnmity: They burned her brain like glue! Ohwait...

however, were not shaped like any normal ponies.

Ezn: Her eyes were instead shaped like weird, eye-shaped ponies.
Disco: What's wrong with your faaace?

The turquoise orbs,

Ezn: You know things are getting real when eyes start turnin’ into orbs. Paging Jim Theiss...
Alcoremortis: AAAH! The return of the turquoise! Quick! Get the color list from Wikipedia so that I might fight words with...different words!

which should have had round irises, were instead dagger shaped...

Ezn: I stand corrected: her eyes orbs were shaped like daggers.
Pemberton: Orbs = Daggers = wtf
Nuke.Equestria: No, it’s Orbs = Daggers = Mary Sue. Don’t you know literary algebra?

resembling in a way dragon eyes. And the whites of the eyes were not white, but instead a lighter tone that matched the irises.

Ezn: So really, a more apt name for them would be “the light turquoises of her eyes”.

Twilight felt her breathing quicken a bit,

GelidEnmity: Isn’t that considered pedophilia?
Isphone: "Get in my library. I have books on candy."

her memories slipping back to the night before.

Ezn: “Come back memories! You’re not allowed to use my time travelling spell!”

The spell to bring back Nightmare Moon... did it work? Had the cult succeeded in bring back Nightmare Moon?

Ezn: “Bring Back Nightmare Moon” made for a pithy campaign title, but the political tides were sadly not with them.

Was this Nightmare Moon?

It had to be. She... she had to warn somepony, tell somepony... she had to write Celestia immediately.

Ezn: And so she did, bringing a swift end to this story.
Vimbert: Silly Ezn, applying logic where Twilight Sparkle is involved. Why did you ever have such a silly notion? It’s not as though she’s the most intelligent character in the show or anything.
Midnight: “Quick! The fate of Equestria hangs in the balance! Fetch me... a quill and parchment!!!”
Isphone: "And a shrubbery!"
Lightsideluc: DUNNNNNNN
GelidENmity: Nee! Nee!! NEE!!!

Yet... while every logical part of Twilight’s brain was telling her hooves to run or her horn to teleport her away,

Ezn: every illogical part of Twilight’s brain was telling her horn to run or her hooves to teleport her away. And her mouth to sing a carefree ditty.
GelidEnmity: Which ditty?
Isphone: Ever heard "Chattanooga Choo Choo?" This sounds nothing like that.

she remained frozen... eyes locked on the filly Nightmare Moon. Those dragon eyes,

Nuke.Equestria: They only resemble dragon eyes!
GelidEnmity: How do you know? Maybe her mother was experimenting...

that had once looked down on all ponies as if they were nothing but lowly insects... were now filled to the brim with fear and pain. Some of the scratches from the bush’s thorns were bleeding,

Ezn: Those poor scratches!

the filly was hurting... and she needed help.

“It’s okay.” Twilight offered shakily,

Ezn: Everypony keeps offering stuff in this story, but no-one’s offered me a drink yet!
Midnight: Shaken, not stirred.
Lightsideluc: Don’t you mean “shakily, not stirred”?
DiStort: Snack time is later today, bro. Be patient.

not even really thinking about what she was doing as she just did it.

ecyor0: A recurring theme for Twilight in this story.

Her magic began to take hold of the bush, carefully snapping away branches piece by piece

Ezn: Piece by piece! Ush’ring in a new era of darkness!
Vimbert: Indeed, we stand at the precipice of such an era before darkness falls. A twilight, if you will.

as she worked to free the filly. There were a couple times the filly winced, any small movement leading to a thorn pricking her, but still she kept her eyes locked on Twilight’s face.

Ezn: You know when something’s so ugly, you just can’t look away?

A few minutes later, with a final snap, enough branches were cleared away for Twilight to gently levitate the filly out of the bush. She brought the filly Nightmare Moon out from the edge of the clearing, setting her down in the dead center where the pair proceeded to just stare at each other.

Ezn: “Twilight, I’d like you to take a seat over there.”

Twilight’s mind was going a million miles an hour while still not really going anywhere.

Ezn: Much like us all.
Lightsideluc: Much like this story.
Hellioning: Really? I thought her mind was running away from her body, that is just so common.

She kept just circling around the same thoughts. Was this really Nightmare Moon? Did the spell last night work?

Pemberton: Their leader’s name is “Spell Nexus”, would you expect anything they do to work?

How could there be a Nightmare Moon and a Luna? Weren’t they one and the same? Why was Nightmare Moon so small?

Nuke.Equestria: She shrunk in the wash.

Did the spell not work? Was Nightmare Moon just trying to trick her into taking her back to Ponyville? Was she dangerous? Was this really Nightmare Moon?

Hellioning: Who shot JR? Who shot Mr. Burns? Can you believe it's not butter?
ecyor0: Don't miss our next exciting episode, same bat-time, same bat-channel!

Round and around the thoughts circled, Twilight unable to stop herself from looping.

Ezn: You’ve been circling for 500 seconds!
Saint: I wonder what it looks like when a unicorn bluescreens.

It was the thunderstorm that finally managed to break the endless loop. Another crack of thunder cutting through the air snapped Twilight back to reality, and just as quickly the unicorn notice that the filly had rushed up to her.

Ezn: This is some precision thunder, dayum.

Standing right near the unicorn’s front legs, Nightmare Moon trembling like a leaf while keeping her eyes shut tight.

She was scared of the thunderstorm... would Nightmare Moon be scared of a thunderstorm? Could she just be playing a trick, trying to lull the unicorn into a false sense of security? Twilight, however, just couldn’t be sure. Her mind was telling her that the filly couldn’t be trusted. That she just needed to leave her in the forest, tell Celestia, and let the princess deal with it.

Vimbert: And she did, ending the... oh, who am I kidding?
DiStort: There, there, Vimbert. We'll get through this somehow.

But, at the same time, Twilight knew she couldn’t just leave the filly there. Nightmare Moon or not, she looked terrified. As stupid as it sounded,

Vimbert: You don’t need to tell us how stupid it sounds, believe me.

she just couldn’t

disco: In her idiocy.

in good conscience abandon the little pony.

Hellioning: But is it your little pony or my little pony?
Vimbert: DOH HO HOH

“Um... would you like to come home with me?” Twilight asked, not really how else she would phrase the question.

Ezn: “I’ve got some candy for you there.”
Nuke.Equestria: “I’ll even let you pet my puppy.”

While the filly didn’t speak the answer, her eyes spoke it all.

DiStort: And considering her eyes were dagger-shaped, the message conveyed may have been less than pleasant.
Midnight: (raises hoof, looks around) “Ahh who am I kidding... still too easy.”

She nodded her head, clinging even closer to Twilight as she looked upon the unicorn like she was some grand savior from a story book.

Ezn: Covert dig at organized religion? You decide!
Nuke.Equestria: I’d rather a story book tell me.

“Okay... great...” Twilight muttered, flinching a bit as she felt a raindrop hit her head.

Ezn: “You’re such a silly pegasus, Raindrop!”

The storm wasn’t going to break up anything soon, and she wouldn’t be able to teleport back to the library with the filly.

Ozimul: Yes, because you never teleported with Spike OH WAIT

She wasn’t very good with multi-pony teleportation spells, the one time she had been able to pull it off she and Spike both were pretty badly singed,

Vimbert: But since she’d been teleporting a pony and a dragon, that wasn’t an example of multi-pony teleportation spells.

and that was the last thing the filly needed after being stuck in the thorny bush.

DiStort: I dunno, a few good burns would shut her up, at least.
Ezn: I say electrocution! Electrocution builds character!

So, Twilight did the only thing she could.

Ezn: She took out a book and started to read, like a useless piece of garbage.
Pemberton: I TOLD YOU ABOUT STAIRS

Horn glowing, the unicorn picked up the filly and set her down on her back, nestled between the saddle bags. Twilight then turned her magic above her head, projecting a transparent barrier. Just in time too, because the rain began to fall down. It would be a long, muddy walk back out of the forest... but at the moment Twilight just hoped she could get back to the library before Spike panicked and sent a letter to Celestia.

Ezn: This is what she was hoping at this very moment, which is not... well, actually it’s not clear what’s going on with the tenses here.
Nuke.Equestria: Twilight’s time travel spell malfunctioned. And so, Twilight Sparkle finds herself leaping from life to life; trying to put right what once went wrong, and hoping that her next leap will be the leap home.
Ezn: And suddenly I started liking this fic a whole lot more!

==========

Spike anxiously finished writing the letter to Celestia, glancing at the clock as each minute ticked by. Twilight had been gone for two hours and fifty nine minutes. Twilight had one minute, just one minute, to get back to the library before he called in the cavalry.

Ezn: And another hour or so before he let Celestia know.

There wasn’t a second hoof on the clock, but still Spike watched it anxiously... rolling the scroll as he prepared to set it one fire.

intangiblepony: What happens when you set it two fire?
Hellioning: One fire, two fire, red fire, blue fire...
Ezn: He hated clocks.

The baby dragon glanced outside, the thunderstorm raging.

Ezn: It had been unjustly sent to its room by its mother again.

Dash had come by the library to warn Twilight that the weather team was letting a storm from Everfree Forest roll over Ponyville. The storm wasn’t scheduled, but the weather team had decided to let it roll over to save themselves and the trouble of preparing a storm just two days later.

Vimbert: Anything led by Rainbow Dash was bound to be lazy, and Ponyville’s weather team was no exception.

It made sense, but the storm was still pretty nasty.

Ezn: Its punishments hadn’t had the desired character-building effect.

Thunder, lighting...

Ezn: VERY VERY FRIGHT’NING!
Vimbert: But if there was only thunder, where did the lighting come from? Thunder doesn’t illuminate.
Midnight: so... Whoof was Isphone?
Isphone: You caught me! I was Spell Nexus the whole time!

the whole nine yards, and Twilight was out in that storm, possibly hurt or ponynapped.

Spike glanced at the clock again, seeing the minute hand click to the next slot. It was official,

Ezn: clocks really sucked.

it had been three hours and Twilight hadn’t been back. Spike began breathing in, the message to Celestia mere moments from being sent magically to Canterlot when the door swung open.

“Spike! Don’t you dare breath out!”

disco: I want to watch your face turn blue!
Ezn: And he didn’t breath out, bringing this tale to a tragic end.
Vimbert: “HOLD IT!” “TAKE THAT!”
GelidEnmity: “OBJECTION!!”

Twilight said, pointing an accusing hoof at the baby dragon.

Ezn: She’d got it on sale at the Accusing Body Part shop a few days before, and was overjoyed to finally have a reason to use it.

She had mud and gunk up to her neck, little leaves and sticks caught in her mane, and a tired expression on her face.

Ezn: “Sorry I’m late - ran into Celestia along the way. She wanted to teach me... some new material”

Still, Spike couldn’t help but smile,

Ezn: “Oh, to be young and desperate!”

tossing the carefully prepared note aside before running up to Twilight.

Crazy56U: Spike hasn't gotten the concept of recycling down yet.
intangiblepony: Dammit! Parchment isn't cheap, you know!

“Where were you?” Spike asked. He would have hugged the unicorn’s leg, but he took notice of how muddy she was.

“In Everfree Forest, like I told you.

Vimbert: “Metal Gear?” “METAL GEAR!”

It just took longer to find my bags than I expected and then I had to walk back in the storm.” Twilight replied, doing her best to

Vimbert: Speak very slowly for the stupider members of the audience who might have forgotten what just happened.

wipe off her hooves on the welcome mat before stepping inside.

“Are you okay?”

GelidENmity: “I’m talking to you, how do you think I am?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Nothing happened... unless you count this storm.

ecyor0: And the baby Cthulhu I just picked up.

All I need is a bath and some dinner.”

disco: And some common sense.
Ezn: “Hop to it, slave! Run the water at my usual temperature - and don’t be sloppy, I’ve got a thermometer!”
Pemberton: She stole it off of Stonewall when she had been kidnapped.

The unicorn replied, her horn glowing as she opened her saddle bags and removed the thankfully dry books, though the bags themselves were damp and splattered with mud.

intangiblepony: First, a breathing fetish, now a mud fetish. What do they do with their free time?
Nuke.Equestria: The better question is “when do they have free time?”

“Well then, you go straight upstairs and take a bath.” Spike said, already grabbing up the books to put them back on the shelves. “I’ll make some dinner. How about some soup and sandwiches?”

Ezn: “Aww, no hay fries?”
Midnight: No daffodil sandwiches, either.

“You make that celery soup and daffodil sandwiches and it will be perfect.”

Midnight: “Twilight, we’ve talked about this...” “And I’ve said if I don’t get my damned daffodil sandwiches, you sleep in the box again!”

“Celery soup and daffodil sandwiches coming right up... after I get these books put away.” Spike offered

Ezn: a book sacrifice to the powerful and terrible Elder Book Gods.
RingmasterJ5: So... the Elder Scrolls?

, climbing the library ladder with one of the said books, slipping it onto the shelves. While the baby dragon went about his work, Twilight headed to the second floor of the library, crossing her bedroom and entering the bathroom. It was a small, cozy room with a bathtub that could also be a shower and all the basic amenities. Nothing fancy, but it got the job done.

GelidEnmity: Much like Twilight’s plastic ‘wands’.
Vimbert: Oh lawd.

Twilight got all the way in before she used her magic to

Ezn: Nah, too easy.
Midnight: “Do I ever get to say my line?”
GelidEnmity: Even better if you read my last comment.

shut and lock the door, breathing a sigh of relief before looking back over her shoulder. Still lying on her back, nestled between her saddle bags was the filly Nightmare Moon. She had curled up and fallen asleep half way back to the library, and thankfully Spike hadn’t noticed the breathing black mass that was partially hidden by Twilight’s mane and her saddlebags.

Saint: He probably would have thought it was malignant.
ecyor0: The truth is revealed - Spike is terminally short-sighted.
Vimbert: What a convenient botch on a Spot check.
Hellioning: Everyone gets natural ones occasionally.

For the moment Twilight let the filly sleep, using her magic to turn on the bathtub faucets. As the tub filled the unicorn opened up the medicine cabinet,

Ezn: “Time for my happy pills!”
GelidEnmity: “Darn, all outta morphine again?”

gathering up some first aid supplies. While most of the injuries the filly had from the thorn bush were very minor there were a couple Twilight wanted to bandage to keep them

Ezn: together forever. Twilight was quite the romantic.

from bleeding and getting infected.

Twilight waited until the tub was almost full before shutting off the faucets, the perfectly warm water gently steaming

Ezn: while it thought up passive-aggressive taunts

in the cool bathroom air. At this point Twilight turned her head back,

Ezn: *snap* “Oops...”

lowering down as she gently nudged the filly Nightmare Moon with her nose. It took a few nudges, but little black coated pony finally began to wake up.

Ezn: I want you to point at where she touched you on this doll, sweetheart.

Her dragon like eyes looked about the room, the filly taking in her surroundings before looking at Twilight, the unicorn offering a gentle smile.

Ezn: “Where’s that candy you promised?”

“Don’t worry, you’re safe here. This is where I live, and you don’t have to worry about the storm or anything here.” Twilight offered. “Still, after walking around in that storm I need to get cleaned up. Would you mind getting off my back while I take a quick bath?”

disco: I need to cleanse myself of your horrid, potentially evil stench.

The filly shook her head

Ezn: “Now watch carefully, because I’m only going to do this”

once

Ezn: “You weren’t watching!”

and only once, very carefully and cautiously standing up on Twilight’s back before jumping off, using her wings to slow her fall to the floor. When her hooves were on the ground the filly laid right back down again on the semi-soft bathroom mat, curling back up into a tiny black coated ball.

Hellioning: Dude, she's a pony, not a cat.
GelidENmity: Maybe she’s some cross-breed freak of nature?

Twilight found the behavior a little bit strange,

Ezn: “Who the hell goes to sleep?”
Nuke.Equestria: I know I never do.

but she just guessed that the filly was tired and wanted to go back to sleep. The unicorn was now able to levitate her mud

Ezn: into a plastic container, which she planned on selling to Rarity later.

splattered saddle bags off and climb into the bathtub, the warm water feeling wonderful as she used a brush to get the mud off her body.

Ezn: “Can’t let any of this go to waste!”

It was destined to be a quick bath,

Ezn: As the stars had foretold.

Twilight more worried about getting clean

Neligahn: Usually the goal of most baths.

than enjoying the water. Once the mud was gone and all the little sticks and leaves were out of her mane, Twilight climbed out and magically toweled herself off while she let the tub drain. When the dirty water was gone she then began filling the tub again, but this time only to about quarter of the way full.

It was a very shallow bath, but it would be perfect for the filly.

Ezn: But only a pretty filly, as the bath was too shallow to look beyond physical appearances.
Vimbert: Just enough water to hold her head under with magic.

Twilight was able to levitate the miniature Nightmare Moon

Ezn: into her carefully constructed Ancient Equestria diorama.

into the water, the little pony

Ezn: Who may or may not have belonged to someone.

offering no protest but a few winces as the warm water touched some of her scratches. Twilight then made use of the brush,

Ezn: She sure did!
GelidEnmity: Brushie brushie.

cleaning some of the mud that had manged to splatter up onto the filly despite riding the whole way back to the library on the unicorn’s back.

With the filly clean, Twilight proceeded to lift her out of the tub, towel her off, and then use the first aid kit to put some bandages on the worst of her cuts and scrapes. All the while the unicorn was amazed with how cooperative the filly was being.

Disco: It rubs the lotion on its skin or it gets the lecture again!
Ezn: “Strange... I usually have to knock them out at around this point.”
Vimbert: “Somehow, it’s not as fun this way.”

Would Nightmare Moon really allow herself to be bathed and bandaged without protest?

DiStort: Sure, who wouldn't want to be bathed by a complete stranger?

Sure, such a regal and royal pony may expect to be waited on by servants but that wasn’t what Twilight was doing. She was cleaning the filly more like a caretaker or parent, in a way treating her like a foal.

The real Nightmare Moon wouldn’t accept being treated like a foal, no matter how small she actually was.

Ezn: Twilight knew this from her years-long friendship with the demonic tyrant.

This raised the question again of whether this filly really was Nightmare Moon.

Ezn: Nah, I think that question has been raised for a while now.
Hellioning: Can we put it back down again? Raised questions make me uncomfortable...

Twilight was becoming less and less sure. The resemblance was undeniable. All the little pony was missing was the flowing, magical mane that was dotted with stars and she’d looked exactly like the Mare in the Moon, only miniaturized.

scriber: My little Nightmare, my little Nightmare...

Despite arguments of age,

Ezn: age() has no arguments, silly!
Nuke.Equestria: She just forgot to declare them.

this filly just wasn’t acting like the Nightmare Moon the unicorn expected.

Hellioning: As opposed to the OTHER Nightmare Moon? I'm sure it's a popular name...
Ezn: “I’m the Nightmare Moon this city deserves, not the one it expects.”

Yet that raised another question. If she was not Nightmare Moon, who was she?

disco: Spartacus?
Ezn: ALL THESE QUESTIONS THEY KEEP BEING RAISED.

Twilight couldn’t focus too much on that train of thought,

Ezn: It was a condition she didn’t like to talk about.

a knock coming at the bathroom door

Ezn: “Damnit, Knock!”
Midnight: Knock: “I’m so sorry, this... this has never happened before...”

just as she was putting the last bandage on the filly.

“Hey Twilight, I’ve got your dinner.”

“Thank you Spike, but... you know, I’m really hungry after hiking through Everfree and the storm. Would you mind making me another sandwich and filling another bowl of soup?”

Ezn: “And get me some hay fries, too.”
intangiblepony: I didn't want to say anything, but Twilight really needs to watch how many hay fries she eats...

“No problem; I made a big batch of the celery soup and we have plenty of stuff for sandwiches. I could probably make five servings of this meal.”

“That’s wonderful Spike, but I only need one more.”

Ezn: “Keep the rest for tomorrow. You aren’t allowed to make any for yourself.”

“You got it Twi.” The baby dragon replied from the other side of the bathroom door before departing. Twilight listened for the baby dragon’s footsteps to reach the bottom of the stairs before she opened the door. She checked the bedroom, making sure Spike really had left before stepping out. The filly followed, staying close to Twilight as the unicorn cross the room and moved towards her bed.

The meal Spike had brought in was sitting on her bedside table.

Ezn: “He didn’t remove the crusts! Spike is such a disappointment sometimes.”

It looked good and the unicorn was starving, but instead of digging in herself,

Ezn: She dug into the filly, channelling Sergeant Sprinkles as she made intestine puns.

she levitated the filly up onto her bed and then set the food out in front of her.

“Here, you go ahead and eat this.

Ezn: “It’ll fatten you up nicely.”

I’m going to go downstairs and talk with Spike.” Twilight said, her words coming with a comforting smile.

Hellioning: "I'm sorry, this usually doesn't happen to me..."

The filly, again, didn’t offer more than a simple nod in reply.

Ezn: “I feel like I’m doing all the giving in this relationship. We need to talk.”

She then leaned forward, taking a bite from the sandwich... a bite that was quickly followed by another as the filly began to devour the food.

Ezn: Always with the beginning to do stuff! When will I get closure on these actions!

It was the first real sign of life Twilight had seen from the Nightmare Moon look a like,

ecyor0: Huddling in a bush, crying, and running out to be comforted doesn't count as 'alive', apparently.
Ezn: Okay, who stole all of this story’s hyphens?
intangiblepony: Maybe the same person who stole the commas.
Nuke.Equetria: I don’t know why you’re complaining. I haven’t seen an indent since the beginning.

and it was encouraging to say the least. Still, the unicorn had to leave the filly to her meal. She had to go downstairs and tell Spike the truth,

Ezn: “Spike... Soylent Green is made of ponies.”

before the baby dragon discovered the filly for himself,

Midnight: (raises hoof) “I... oh what the hell. SHWING!”

assumed the worse, and sent a letter to Celestia.

Hellioning: I'd hate to be Luna when Celestia received that letter... "Dear Princess Celestia, your personal student has a kid that looks exactly like your sister did."

==========

It had taken a couple hours to finally convince Spike not to write Celestia and tell her about the filly.

Neligahn: A loud conversation between two main characters about the merits of keeping a possibly satanic baby in their house: not interesting. Step by step bath time: Yes please!
Ezn: “I will.” “No you won’t.” “Yes, I will.” “Nuh-uh!” “Yuh-huh!” “Nuh-uh infinity!” “Yuh-huh infinity plus one!”
Midnight: “Spike, if you tell Celestia, I’ll tell her about that one time I caught you under her bed...” “Wait, how do you know I was under the bed?”

He, like Twilight had at first, assumed she was Nightmare Moon reborn and that Celestia had to be told.

Ezn: Go easy on the assumptions, Spike! There’s no need to tell Celly about every demon that gets reborn.

He had even written up a letter and was about to send it before Twilight snatched it away and threw it in the garbage.

Ezn: “Damnit! I even spelt ‘precipice’ right in that one!”

Twilight’s arguments were weak.

Ezn: There was a reason they’d kicked her off the debating team at school.
Vimbert: Her arguments were hacks! They were wack.

All she could really say was that the filly really didn’t seem to act like Nightmare Moon. In her logical mind,

Vimbert: As opposed to her illogical mind.
Nuke.Equestria: “...her logical mind...” the one she’s currently not using.

Twilight knew that Spike was probably right. They needed to tell Celestia, but again the unicorn’s imagination began to betray her.

Ezn: Twilight’s imagination began to slide a dagger into her back, upon which the resulting wound began to bleed, and Spike began to panic and yell for help.

Celestia had banished Nightmare Moon to the moon for a thousand years, and Twilight feared she would do the same to the little pony.. and that just didn’t seem like something the filly deserved.

Ezn: “I don’t think she even likes bananas!”

In the end, Twilight had only gotten Spike to agree to the silence by promising she’d go buy him a large sapphire from Rarity as a bribe.

Ezn: Spike: a dragon of principles.
Nuke.Equestria: Hey, principles cost money.
Midnight: The three rules of parenting, kids! Bribery, threats and extortion.
ecyor0: Worrying news that the princess must know, because it might threaten the safety of Equestria? Sure, I'll take a gem to not talk about it.
Saint: And remember kids, picking up potentially dangerous strays is wholesome fun!
disco: Seriously. Everyone in this story is suffering from Skewed Priorities Syndrome.

It wasn’t how she would have wanted to obtain his silence, but Spike had Pinkie Pie promised

Ezn: With a real cupcake, so you know it’s legit!

that if she got him the gem in the morning he would keep quiet about the filly until Twilight wanted to tell Celestia.

Having eaten her own dinner during the negotiations,

Ezn: Say what you will about her, but Twilight’s efficient.

Twilight made her way back up to the bedroom. She was a little worried what she would find,

Ezn: And I’m a little worried where that word went. Is it safe out there, lost among sentence fragments and comma splices?

that maybe in the past two hours the filly had grown into an adult Nightmare Moon

DiStort: "Maybe I shouldn't have slipped those growth hormones into her food."
Midnight: “Spike, I’m sure it’s safe! ...Oh, I hope it’s safe. Oh yes, it’s safe. Maybe. OH SWEET CELESTIA.”

and was ready to attack. Still, upon opening the bedroom door, she saw the filly was still sitting on her bed, the sandwich and soup eaten.

“Well, looks like you were hungry,” Twilight offered as she trotted over. “Are you feeling better?”

The filly nodded her head once.

“That’s good.” Twilight replied, sitting down beside the bed. “So... uh... do you know where you are?”

disco: You're in the jungle, baby! You're gonna DIIIIE!

The filly shook her head.

“Do you remember where you were before I found you?”

The filly shook her head, the first of many such replies

Ezn: WRONG. It was the third.

as Twilight then began a longer chain of questions, asking the filly what she did remember, what she knew, and all such things.

Hellioning: "Where were you on Monday the fifteenth?"
Ezn: “What’s your favourite colour?” *nods* “No, that’s not a colour.” *nods* “I think I understand why your parents abandoned you now.”
Midnight: “WHAT is the airspeed of an unladen swallow?”

There were a few nods here and there, but most of the questions were met with a shake of the filly’s head, her eyes slowly tearing up. Upon the last question, when Twilight asked the filly if she remembered her name, the little black pony broke down and began crying.

DiStort: "Ah, I see. Your name is crybaby. Of course."

It wasn’t wailing or outright crying, but it was a quiet cry... the filly sniffling as tears poured down her cheeks.

Twilight now began to understand why the little pony had been so quiet and secluded; she was scared and confused.

ecyor0: Really? I never would have guessed.
Ezn: Twilight’s not so great with body language.
DiStort: She must suck at charades.

The only memories she had were the ones of the past several hours, waking up in that thorny bush and then being rescued by Twilight. She had no memories of her own while still having some common knowledge like an understanding of Equestrian language.

ecyor0: Plot convenience saves us again.
Ezn: I thought her nods and headshakes were some sort of subtle interpretive dance, personally. But now you’ve shattered my carefully-constructed fanon. Oh well...

It was difficult to even imagine only having so few memories, of waking up in a place like the Everfree Forest, caught in a thorny bush and being unable to remember anything before that.

intangiblepony: Where can I get some of that Forget-Me juice?

It did, however, support Twilight’s theory that this little filly had been produced by the spell cast by the cult. It would make sense for her to only have a few hours of memory, because the spell had only been cast the night before.

Again, the question of whether or not the filly was Nightmare Moon reared its head.

Hellioning: With the number of times that question has been raised, it must be on the moon by now.
Anon13: Dude, don’t give away the ending!

The spell’s purpose was to resurrect Nightmare Moon, and it had been working until Celestia and the Royal Guard intervened. The spell was interrupted, and that meant that the filly was a product of an incomplete spell,

disco: So she's an accident? You might want to wait until she's older before you tell her, Twi.
Crazy56U: I might sound redundant here, but the narrator is being redundant.

and there was often no way to predict what effects an incomplete spell would have.

Still, it was a question Twilight shelved in her mind for later as she crawled up onto the bed. She laid down beside the filly, doing her best to comfort her while the little black pony continued to cry, letting out the pent up fear and anxiety that had been building for the past several hours. Nightmare Moon or not, Twilight couldn’t in good conscience not try to comfort a scared little filly.

Vimbert: Somehow, I think she’ll only be more scared after Twilight’s particular brand of “comfort”.

===========

It took about half an hour for the filly to finally calm down, crying herself dry.

Ezn: Such are the consequences of Twilight’s “good conscience”.

Still, the tears seemed to have a good effect, the filly looking less scared then she had been. She was currently lying right next to Twilight, leaning her head against the unicorn’s shoulder as she tried to dry her eyes.

“Feeling better?”

“Yes.” The filly offered, the first word Twilight had heard her say.

Ezn: “Now that I know you can talk, we can rehearse what you’re going to tell your parents about your visit to Auntie Twilight.”

The voice had a musical quality, but a fragility to it as well. It reminded Twilight of one time she had seen an earth pony playing crystal juice glasses filled with water. It was a feat made easier by the special horseshoes the pony had on, but still it was impressive. A voice like a Glass Harp.... certainly not the voice of an evil, fallen princess bent on creating an eternal night.

Pen Stroke: Fan-fiction linking side effect - confusing the hell out of one very professional glass harp performer when his video gets several hundred more hits because of a My Little Pony Fan-fiction.
Midnight: One of these days I’m going to write a serious fanfic, and then link it to a rickroll *trollface*

“That’s good. Still, we’ve both had a long day. How about we get some sleep?”

“Can I stay here?”

Ponyboy: NOPE! Go back in that bush!

Twilight nodded. “Yes, but how about I make it so we’re both more comfortable?”

esoomynopa: I like where this is going...
Hellioning: "Allow me to slip into something more...comfortable."
Anon13: Bow chicka bow bow...

With that the unicorn’s horn lit up, shifting things around. Within a few moments Twilight was under the covers of her blanket while the filly still lay on top of the covers with her own blanket and pillow, resting next to Twilight’s side.

Midnight: “Only real ponies sleep under the covers, you get the end of the bed and like it, slave.”
disco: Oh, no. It's not going to turn into one of those fanfics, is it?

It was comfortable enough, both Twilight and the filly having to stifle yawns

Ezn: “These yawns will never go to a good home, and we can’t afford them. It’s for the best, really.”
Midnight: “She knew she’d never get much sleep that night, after digging the shallow graves and all.”

as the long day began to take its toll on them. It was still relatively early, barely getting close to nine o’clock... but Twilight was more than willing to call it a night. Another yawn gripped the unicorn,

Ezn: “You’ll pay for what you did to my brothers!”
Midnight: “My name is Inyawno Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!”

her eyes starting to droop a little.

“Miss unicorn?”

Twilight was drawn back from the edge of sleep, her eyes meeting the the filly’s dragon like eyes.

Ezn: Thanks for that: I’d forgotten what her eyes looked like in all the excitement.
Midnight: I thought they were daggers?

“Sorry, I guess I never introduced myself. I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

disco: I’m Batman!

“Okay... Miss Sparkle?”

“Yes?”

“Will I have to leave in the morning?”

Vimbert: “I thought we had something special!”

“What makes you think I’d make you leave?”

DiStort: "Y'know, besides the fact that I think you're the reincarnation of an immortal goddess/demon."

The filly could only shrug. “I... I just feel like you wouldn’t want me around.”

“No, you don’t have to leave in the morning. You can stay here as long as you want.”

CTOONfan1: The rent is 50 bits a week.

The filly smiled at this, the first honest smile she offered all evening.

Vimbert: So she’s been dishonest the whole time! It’s canon, everyone!

With that concern put to rest the filly herself yawned, eyes drooping. Within minutes she had drifted off to sleep, Twilight soon following.

Chapter 2
A Secret Between Friends
===================

Twilight yawned as she made her way down the steps to the library’s main floor, her mane freshly brushed but the unicorn herself still not completely awake. She had been up late the night before doing research and making some plans, and had not gotten to bed until well past midnight.

Still, an empty belly can be a powerful motivation to get out of bed,

Ezn: and on a note unrelated to that pearl of wisdom:

the unicorn stepping into the kitchen.

“Morning Twilight.” Spike offered, the baby dragon working at the stove.

Vimbert: Just like a good sl... Indentured servant!

“Hey Spike.” The unicorn replied before having to yawn again, Twilight making her way to the table.

Ezn: “Spiiike! What’s this unicorn doing in my house!”

This had been the pair’s usual morning ever since they had moved to Ponyville and even for a time before that, one of them making breakfast while the other stumbled into the kitchen not quite ready to wake up. Who made breakfast also depended on who went to bed first the night before, and the previous evening it had been Spike.

Ezn: Just kidding, Spike always made breakfast!

Still, for the past few days, there had been an addition to the routine, a little black filly alicorn who sat at the table, waiting patiently for her breakfast.

Ezn: “I’m serious, Spike, show your unicorn friend the door. We’ve got an extra mouth to feed as it is.”
Nuke.Equestria: “But, I paid her for the hour.” he whined.

Twilight had come to call the filly Nyx,

disco: "™”
Ezn: “Filly, I have come to call you Nyx. With that, I go!”
Midnight: “Now, what shall I call this filly with all the nicks on her?”

an old name from a storybook Twilight remembered. Nyx, as the old stories went, was a pony that basked in Luna’s night before she became Nightmare Moon. A black

Ezn: leather

coated mare who stood guard of her home

Ezn: And the rest of the Greasers’ turf.

against the creatures that lingered in the dark, protecting those she cared about while they slept.

Nyx had been one of Twilight’s favorite storybook characters growing up, her parents reading some of the old stories to her at bedtime. The name just seemed to fit the filly,

Ezn: She was also Twilight’s favourite...

and it was far better than calling her Nightmare Moon.

Crazy56U: How much you wanna bet that's the last time the name is used?

And, in truth, the filly had become the focus of Twilight’s efforts for the past few days.

Ezn: She sure had.
Midnight: Bow chicka wow-wow

All of her research and time she could spare studying was devoted to trying to understand the spell that the cult ponies

GelidEnmity: Probably made to reincarnate Satan.

had been trying to cast. Twilight knew that the princess had unicorns in Canterlot on the same research, and she had been asked to be informed what they had found.

Midnight: She had also been asked to go do what more like

Celestia, however, had refused the request, wishing Twilight to not concern herself with it.

intangiblepony: No need to involve secret lov... uh, students in the investigation!

But Twilight couldn’t stop herself, not just because of her own curiosity but because of Nyx. While she couldn’t really believe the sweet little filly was Nightmare Moon reborn,

Crazy56U: Well, that didn't take long!
Disco: If this were a drinking game, we'd all be dead by the second page.

the threat and danger of that truth lingered constantly on the fringes of the unicorn’s mind. She needed to be absolutely sure, and the only way to be absolutely sure was to understand the spell that was being cast and what had happened when the spell was interrupted.

Vimbert: Or to just cast Identify on Nyx.
Nuke.Equestria: Twilight’s lore is too low.

But that wasn’t what had kept Twilight up late the night before.

Midnight: (raises hoof, puts it down again) “Honestly, it’s like these jokes write themselves...”

No, her efforts of the previous evening was in planning. Over the past few days Nyx had become a little more open, showing that she was more than just a scared filly.

Ezn: Some nights she pretended to be a petrified colt, much to Twilight’s excitement.

She had started helping Spike with his chores, winning over the skeptical baby dragon.

Vimbert: Spike finally has a friend!
Nuke.Equestria: That’s what he keeps telling himself anyways.
Midnight: Twilight: “Spike! Make dinner!” Spike: “Nyx! Make dinner!” Nyx: “Dammit.”

She had also demonstrated an interest in learning, or at least an interest in reading.

Her curiosity, however, was not going to be constrained by the library for long.

GelidEnmity: You know what they say! ‘Curiosity killed the social life!’
Nuke.Equetria: Her curiosity kept running out in to the street, making Twilight go chase after it.

Nyx had seen the many ponies walk past the library windows, seen some fillies and colts her own age playing, and she had asked more than once if she could go outside.

Twilight, of course, had to refuse the request.

Ezn: “Silly Nyx, there’s no such thing as ‘outside’!”

Even if Nyx didn’t look like a certain Mare in the Moon,

Ezn: or even a Mare in the Moon with a healthy amount of self-doubt

she was an alicorn, and that alone would raise a lot of suspicion. Thankfully, Nyx didn’t resist,

Ezn: I don’t really even have to say it at this point.

and was willing to accept her confinement in the library... at least for the moment.

Still, Twilight knew that she

Ezn: had to escape the clutches of this word “still”.

couldn’t keep Nyx hidden in the library forever. That and she didn’t want to. The library wasn’t a jail, she wasn’t a warden, and Nyx wasn’t a prisoner.

Ezn: Despite their occasional roleplaying sessions.
Nuke.Equestria: Prisoner is such a harsh word. I prefer mandatory guest.

The filly deserved to be able to go outside and enjoy the sunshine... but if she did it on her own without any preparation it would prove disastrous.

Ezn: That thinning Ozone layer ain’t no joke.
ecyor0: Likewise with getting water on her and feeding her after 12am.

So, the previous evening had been spent making a plan. Twilight was going to pass off Nyx as a cousin, who was going to stay with the unicorn indefinitely as a sort of student.

Ezn: It took her the entire evening to come up with this.

Much like how Twilight had started living at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns when she became the princess’ private pupil.

It was a plan that could work, buy her the time she needed to be sure whether or not the filly was Nightmare Moon. But it would require a number of things to work. The first of which Twilight was going to try and tackle that very morning.

intangiblepony: Time for College Football!

It was time to call in on Rarity’s favor.

Ezn: Spike leaned in eagerly at the word “tackle”.

===========

It took some precise movements and careful hiding,

Disco: And occasionally a cardboard box.

but Twilight was able to lead Nyx across Ponyville to the Carousal Boutique without anypony really getting a good glimpse of them.

Ezn: Zecora, however, noticed immediately and sounded the alarm.
Midnight: Nyx can’t go out to play, but she can drag the little blighter halfway across town in broad daylight? Good plan, Twilight!

Thankfully the front door to the shop was open, the little bell ringing as Twilight let Nyx get inside before the unicorn herself slipped in unnoticed by any ponies passing on the street.

While Nyx had been excited to finally go outside, the filly clung close to Twilight the entire trip over and still lingered nearby now that they were in the shop. Yet slowly her cautiousness was being overridden by curiosity as the filly looked about the room, taking in the shop’s beautiful interior and the elegant dresses on display.

Ezn: “Don’t steal too much now, Nyx. We don’t want Rarity to notice anything.”

“Rarity, are you home?” Twilight called out as she levitated her saddle bags off and set them by the door.

“Yes Dear, just a moment!” Rarity called back, the white unicorn coming out from the boutique’s back room with several spools of thread floating behind her. She had on her red glasses, a sign that Rarity was in the middle of sewing something together.

DiStort: FRANKENSTEIN JOKE.

Reading glasses, Rarity once told Twilight, that she only needed to work and, well, read.

“Twilight, Darling, I haven’t seen coat nor hair of you in days. Where have you been hiding?”

GelidEnmity: “Not in your closet.”
Anon13: That’s Spike.

“In the library, where else?”

“Where else indeed. You know, all those dusty old books can’t be good for your complexion. You should come with Fluttershy and I on our weekly spa outing. You had such fun the last time you joined us that I was actually hoping the three of us could make it a regular thing.”

“I’m sorry Rarity, I would like to but sometimes I just can’t pull myself away from a book.”

Ezn: Well, “book” is probably one word for it.

“As I am well aware.” Rarity replied, setting the spools of fabric down as well as levitating her glasses off and setting them on her workbench. “Still, I guess hearing that you’ve been studying your little head off is a good thing. It means

Ezn: we can replace that little head with a normal-sized one, so you look like less of a freak.

you’ve recovered from your traumatic ponynapping as well as anypony could hope. Now, just what brings you by the boutique?”

“I need some casual day-wear.”

“Casual day-wear? Now that is a request I don’t get too often. Most ponies are just satisfied strolling about without a thread of fabric on,

Saint: I only now realized this world is mostly populated by nudists.

but personally I feel some ponies would look just fabulous with the right vest or day dress.

“Personally, I think you’re one of those ponies that doesn’t need casual wear

Vimbert: Twilight was one pony Rarity wanted to always be naked.

but I can’t say for certain until we try on some designs. So, Twilight, what were you looking for in particular?”

“Okay, so... here’s the thing. It really isn’t for me.”

“Well, who is it for then?”

“It’s for her.”

At this Twilight stepped to one side, leaving Nyx standing in clear view of Rarity.

“Rarity, I’d like you to meet Nyx. Nyx, this is my good friend Rarity. Say hello Nyx.”

“Um... Hello, Miss Rarity.” Nyx offered, though the filly was doing her best to avoid meeting Rarity’s surprised gaze.

DiStort: Lest her dagger-like eyes stab out Rarity's.

The white unicorn was staring, focused on the dragon like eyes that were all too familiar... eyes Rarity had gotten a very close look at during the Summer Sun Celebration.

Still, the white unicorn put on a smile... an uneasy smile but a smile none the less before turning her attention to Twilight.

GelidEnmity: Then she pulled out a mallet and bludgeoned her to death with it.
THE END

“Well...of course... Dear. I just need you to... uh... come in back with me and....pick out a fabric. Uh... Nyx, was it? Would you mind being a dear and staying here? I just need to speak with Twilight for a few moments.”

ecyor0: If you hear a cry of "WHAT IN CELESTIA'S NAME ARE YOU DOING?!" from the other room, don't worry that's just friendly banter.

“Twilight?”

“It will be all right Nyx.”

GelidEnmity: “You’ll most likely end up without any wounds.”

The unicorn reassured. “Just go look at some of the dresses Rarity’s made. We’ll be right back.”

The the

Vimbert: Even the narration is stuttering. Not a good sign.
GelidEnmity: It’s not the narrator’s fault. He’s writing this at gunpoint.

little black pony nodded, turning and heading towards one of the display mannequins to look at a dress, which was actually the white jumpsuit Fluttershy had worn when Rarity was trying to impress Photo Finish.

DiStort: Remember, MLP fanfiction. In case you forgot.
Ezn: Fact: only the dresses seen and used in episodes actually exist.

As soon as the filly’s back was turned, Twilight felt herself wrapped in magic. Specifically Rarity’s magic,

intangiblepony: Ahhh, I thought it was Trixie's magic.

the white unicorn dragging Twilight into the back room of her shop.

Ezn: “I’m liking this favour already, Rarity!”
Saint: No! this screws up my shipping charts! and i just made RariDash work!

Rarity had the self-control to gently shut the door, as to not draw too much attention, but the moment that backroom door was closed her eyes locked Twilight.

“Twilight. Who. Is. That?”

DiStort: "I thought we discussed this little 'kidnapping' thing?"

Rarity stressed.

“I take it you noticed she looks kind of like-”

GelidEnmity: “-Pavarotti? Yeah, I noticed that too.”

“Nightmare Moon!” Rarity whisper-shouted,

Saint: Whisper shouting? Is this fanfic trying to go zen riddle on me?

the kind of whispering where the pony would rather be shouting but was still maintaining some self control. “Yes Dear, I DID notice! Now, would you care explaining?”

“Well, do you want the long or short version? Or maybe the medium version?

disco: “How about venti-size? Medium rare?”

I suppose I could-”

GelidEnmity: “Give you the medium version with easy fries on the side.”
Midnight: Easy fries are SO less fattening than hay fries.

“Twilight, just tell me!” Rarity pressed.

“But...”

“Tell me tell me tell me tell me!”

Ezn: Well, if you must know... *breathes deeply* It’s Nyx she’s the black alicorn Nightmare Moon filly that the fandom can’t decide whether it likes or hates she’s inspired a whole bunch of fanart some of it cute some of it gory and a lot of fans think she’s a Mary-Sue but man what does Mary-Sue even mean anymore?

“Okay, short version. She might, and I mean might... be Nightmare Moon reborn. That crazy cult that ponynapped me casted some weird spell, and while Celestia kept the spell from being completed, it still... well... I think created her.

GelidEnmity: “But, since EqD doesn’t allow porn, that’s a story for another day.”
Midnight: Twilight: “Hi Rarity, I’ve just brought filly Nightmare Moon into your shop for some casual daywear, hope you don’t mind! Also, tell anyone about this and I’ll have to... silence you, like I silenced the previous shop-owner.”

I found her in the Everfree Forest, alone and scared.

“She doesn’t remember anything that happened before I found her and she acts nothing like the Nightmare Moon we knew. She’s...just a sweet little filly. To be honest... I just am having trouble believing she could be Nightmare Moon.”

Ezn: Twilight doesn’t want to believe.
GelidEnmity: She can’t handle the truth.

“And did it ever cross your mind what would happen if she really was Nightmare Moon? That monster could have attacked you in your sleep!”

DiStort: I... no, too obvious.

“Rarity, she isn’t a monster, I promise. She’s just-”

Vimbert: Nightmare Moon, the pony who was going to take over the world. No big deal.

“Twilight, Dear, I think your ponynapping has rattled your senses. You HAVE to tell Celestia about this! If there is even a small chance that filly is Nightmare Moon the princess needs to know.”

Vimbert: When Rarity is thinking more logically than Twilight, something is very, very wrong.
disco: Rarity is afflicted with Common Sense Syndrome. Hopefully it'll pass.

“Rarity, please, I’m afraid that if Celestia finds out she’ll banish Nyx to the moon or something, and would you really like to see a little filly banished to the moon?”

DiStort: "Depends. Does she like bananas?"

Rarity cringed a bit, biting her lip

GelidEnmity: Little did she know that she was a VAMPIRE!!
THE END

before answering. “Well... No, but Twilight-”

“Rarity, please, you’re the only other pony I’ve told, and I need you to keep this a secret. I’m trying to pass her off as my cousin,

GelidEnmity: Yes, because EVERY pony’s cousin has lizard eyes.
Midnight: DRAGON eyes... no, wait, DAGGER eyes, no, wait... which one was it again?

at least until I can figure out if she really is Nightmare Moon or if she just looks like her. But, I can’t just keep her locked in the library. If I’m going to pass her off as a normal unicorn she needs to be able to go outside, but... she needs a disguise.”

scriber: "I was thinking something with a mustache, maybe a cape..."

“Twilight... I really think you should tell Celestia.”

“Rarity, I need you to keep this a secret.

Ezn: “Spike has a crush on Rarity! ...Oops.”

Consider this the favor you owe me.”

Rarity pushed her lips together, realizing that Twilight had just called in the one favor the unicorn owed her and she did not like the nature of the favor.

Ezn: “Don’t tell me I dragged you in here for nothing!”

“And you want to use your favor like this?”

“Yes.” Twilight replied firmly.

“Are you absolutely sure?”

Disco: Don't you want to save it for another fanfic?

“Yes.”

“Are you absolutely, positively-”

GelidEnmity: “-ULTRA MEGA SUPER KAMIKAZE sure!?”

“Rarity, I’m sure.” Twilight snipped.

GelidEnmity: Rarity’s face then slipped off, dripping blood onto the ground. “Whoops! Butterfingers!”
vertlizard: Rarity: "Alright, alright! Just put down those scissors!"

“......

Vimbert: What a pause! LOOK AT ALL THOSE PERIODS. Because doing this isn’t horrifically incorrect grammar or anything, amirite?
Ezn: It must be her time of the month. All the months.

Very well, Twilight. Your secret is safe with me, but that still leaves me wondering just why you’ve brought her to my boutique.”

Vimbert: Even though you just told me why. I have as short a memory as our readers.

“I need you to make something, anything, Nyx can wear on a daily basis to hide her wings.”

“Her wings?”

Midnight: A really short memory

“Didn’t you notice? Nyx is an alicorn.”

“Yes I noticed, but why would you want to hide her wings? Wings are so in style right now.

DiStort: Rarity has AFD. Attention Fashion Disorder. Tragic, really.
GelidEnmity: But...if Rarity’s always the one in fashion...then...*heartattack*

All the best boutiques in Canterlot are using pegasus models this season.

Blaze: What are the earth ponies and unicorns supposed to do? Wear fake wings?

Makes me wish I could talk Fluttershy into stepping back onto the stage, that or I could convince Rainbow Dash. She could have such a beautiful mane if she would just brush it out once in a while-”

“Rarity, focus!” Twilight said, bringing the fashion designer back to reality. “I can’t let Nyx go outside if ponies can see she is an alicorn, and it’s a whole lot easier to hide a pair of wings than it is to try and hide a horn.”

The white unicorn nodded her head. “True, wings are a feature more readily hidden... and that little filly does have such a wonderful black coat. It’s like obsidian

DiStort: Better get the diamond pickaxe.

the way it shines in the light. And her mane... it’s almost as beautiful as mine, and with a little care.... Hmmmm...”

Disco: I could make a dress out of it! Oh, um...

At that Rarity shut her eyes, gently tapping her chin with her hoof. A smile then sprang onto the unicorn’s lips.

ecyor0: Rarity kept a few tamed smiles running around the shop for just such an occasion.
GelidEnmity: And it danced for hours on end. That smile was happy.

“Oh... iiiiiddddddeeeaaaa~!”

disco: This won't end well.

Rarity sang, her horn lighting up as she opened the door to the backroom. And with that, the fashion designer was off, calling Nyx over as spools of fabric began to float around the room.

============

“Okay, Nyx, you’ve been an absolute darling and I’m almost done. Just hold still for a few more seconds.” Rarity said an hour later. The little black filly had a pained expression on her face, like she was tired of standing still in the same place. Still, as Nyx had proved to Twilight, she was naturally well behaved and did her best to keep still as Rarity touched up a few things.

GelidEnmity: “This is a BAD touch!”

Rarity had worked her usual magic, creating a perfect bit of casual wear for the little filly. A simple purple vest, similar in design to the vests worn by every pony in town during Winter Wrap-Up. Rarity, however, had modified the design in a few places so that Nyx’s wings could hide comfortably beneath the fabric and not be readily visible from the outside.

Ozimul: That is generally what hiding means, yes.

Rarity had also worked to stylize the vest a little bit, putting some black bits here and there to blend with Nyx’s natural coat color.

Ezn: Nyxbow Dash always dresses in style.

The final thing Rarity was working on was Nyx’s hair, the unicorn trying a number of different styles with it. She had tried styling it up like her own mane

Ezn: Back at the library, Spike’s heart skipped a beat.

as well as giving it more body, like Fluttershy’s, but neither style seemed to please Rarity.

“Oh, what to do? What to do?” Rarity said, letting Nyx’s hair drop. “ Most ponies have their mane styled to leave a little something in the front, but you just looks so elegant with your mane pulled back, and it shows off more of your adorable little face.

Vimbert: Twilight gave Rarity a warning glare that spoke volumes.

Yes, I definitely need to keep the pulled back style but it just needs something... but what?”

Rarity’s horn glowed, the unicorn levitating a few ribbons and hair bands from her private collection. Her eyes moved over each, tossing some away while other lingered in the air, waiting to be judged by the fashion designer’s meticulous eye. Then, Rarity’s eyes lit up.

“Of course! Aloe and Lotus.” The unicorn proclaimed.

“Who and what now?” Twilight asked.

“Aloe and Lotus;

DiStort: “My two potted plants. They tell me to do things.”

they are the ponies who run the spa. They style their manes back like this and, oh, that style would look absolutely perfect on little Nyx here.” And with that Rarity was off, running a brush through Nyx’s hair until every strand fell perfectly straight. Then, as a final touch, Rarity settled a turquoise head band just above Nyx’s horn, a turquoise color

Vimbert: So the turquoise headband is turquoise? I never would have guessed.

with some designs on the sides that really brought out Nyx’s eyes.

“There, perfect... oh Dear, you really do have the mane to pull this off.

Ezn: I *really* like her mane!

Your hair falls so wonderfully and has such a shine when its

Vimbert: *twitch*
GelidEnmity: Was that for the grammatical error, or..?

brushed. With your face... I dare say it gives you an air of sophistication and class.”

Vimbert: “Just the thing for when you’re crushing Equestria beneath your hooves!”

“Am I done now?” Nyx asked, not trying to sound bored but even the well behaved filly was at wits’ end.

Vimbert: Not just one wit, but multiple wits.

“Yes Dear, you are done and you look wonderful. Here, why don’t you go take a look in the mirror?”

Ezn: “My name’s not Dear!” “Well I wasn’t talking to you, you hideous girl.”

The filly nodded,

Ezn: Something she had become quite proficient at.

jumping down from the table she had been standing on while Rarity worked. It wasn’t hard to find a mirror, the front of Rarity’s shop littered with mirrors of varying sizes.

Ezn: Rarity was never a fan of remirrorcycling.

Nyx moved to the nearest one, examining her reflection.

Ezn: “Ah! It’s Nightmare Moon!”
NMM69: I am not that ugly.

“It’s perfect Rarity; if I didn’t know better I’d say she was just a normal unicorn.”

Ezn: Don’t listen to her, Nyx! You can be anything you want! Your hideous disability doesn’t have to stop you from living!

“Oh, Twilight, must you always think of function over form? Yes, it hides her wings, but she also looks fabulous, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes, she looks amazing Rarity.”

Vimbert: Twilight couldn’t help but drool as she stared at Nyx.

The white unicorn batted at a bit of her hair.

GelidEnmity: STEEEE-RIKE!

“Try not to sound so surprised, Darling.

Ezn: And get your jaw off the floor.

After all, I was the one that made your wonderful Gala dress.”

Ezn: Twilight opened her mouth to mention that her name wasn’t “Darling”, but thought better of it.

“Now all Nyx needs are her glasses and she’ll be perfectly disguised.”

GelidEnmity: “Ooh! Can’t forget the large nose and moustache!”

“Glasses? Heavens, Dear, what would that little filly need glasses for? Her eyesight seems fine.”

“These aren’t correctional glasses.

Ezn: “I just want Nyx to get bullied when she starts going to school.”

I’ve put a spell on them so that they can disguise Nyx’s eyes,

DiStort: Plot convenience 101, fillies and gentlecolts.

make them look... well... more common.”

ecyor0: If they thought her eyes were a rare drop, things would get ugly pretty quick.

“Oh, but it will be such a travesty against fashion to hide those beautiful orbs!

Ezn: Orbs.

Those slits of irises give Nyx an air of mystery about her.

Midnight: “I’m sure nopony will worry that, fabulous as they are, dragon/dagger-shaped orbs instead of eyes are at all ominous and scary.”
Ezn: And her dark coat gives her an air of mystery about somepony else!

What other pony can say they have eyes like a dragon?”

“None, but that’s the point. There is only one other mare who has ever had dragon shaped eyes,

CTOONfan1: I thought you said there was none.

and that was... you know who.”

Ezn: It was............... VLODIEMORT!
RingmasterJ5: No, it was …................DUMBLEDORE!
GelidEnmity: Didn’t you just make a comment about ellipsis ab00se?
Midnight: You know, dragon-shaped eyes would be REALLY painful. What part would they see from?

Rarity frowned. “True... and it was because of those eyes I was really able to notice the resemblance.

CTOONfan1: So it was easy for me to forget.

Oooohhh...

GelidEnmity: “Those eyes are positively ORGASMIC!”
Midnight: Rarity: “I’ll be in my bunk.”

but it’s such a shame to hide them!

ecyor0: Hang the consequences, fabulousness must win through!

At least tell me you got some fashionable frames.”

“Well, I thought they would be fine.” Twilight admitted. Her horn began to glow,

Ezn: And it continued to shine from that day forth, a bright beacon to all that unicorn ponies had achieved in the study of magic.

the saddle bags she had left by the door opening as a pair of glasses floated across the room. Rarity let out a not only audible but also rather loud gasp at the sight of the glasses.

“Twilight, please tell me this is some kind of cruel joke!”

Ezn: “Yeah, it is. Nyx is just some unicorn kid I taped a pair of wings onto.”

“Why do you say that; what’s wrong?”

“Those glasses, Dear. They are in every way wrong. Those thick frames, and that black color. Oh, they utterly clash with Nyx’s entire outfit!”

Ezn: “You have disappointed me for the last time, Dear. Twilight, you’re my new sla- assistant!”
disco: It's like she's cosplaying Velma!

“But... she’s got a black coat.

GelidEnmity: Nyx never asked for this...

How can black frames clash with a black coat?”

“It’s so much more than just the color,

Anon13: The whole “Aura of Evil” thing is tres gauche!

Twilight. I mean, look at these glasses! They’re matte, with no shine what so ever while Nyx’s coat as just the slightest, natural sheen. And don’t get me started with the thickness.

scriber: That's what she said.
Nuke.Equestria: *rimshot*

“No, these just won’t do.” Rarity snipped matter of factly.

“But-”

“No buts!”

Vimbert: What about secret butt fun?

Rarity said, getting behind Twilight and starting to

Midnight: Ezn, you may do the honours.
Ezn: Nah.

push her towards the door. “I will not have you ruin this poor filly’s fashionable attire with some random frames you picked out just because you’d thought they’d be fine. As you surely remember, Twilight, I’ve seen your definition of fine... and it was embodied in that horrible excuse of a dress you were going to wear to the Gala.

GelidEnmity: I thought Rarity made those dresses.

Not only was it old, the red and yellow colors were a horrible match for your mane, coat, eyes... it clashed with everything.”

Ezn: “I felt compelled to mention that, but I’m not sure why.”

“But-” Twilight tried to defend, only to get cut off again.

“Now, I want you to gallop

Ezn: because we are horses

down to wherever you purchased these atrocities and get them exchanged. Pick up something midnight purple with a slight, and I mean slight, gloss and make sure the frames are also at least half as thin as these... these... things.” Rarity replied, setting the offending glasses on Twilight’s forehead.

GelidEnmity: *Drum beat* YEAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!

“But what about Nyx?”

“She will be fine here with me until you come back with those new frames. Now, off with you.” Rarity said, shoving Twilight outside the shop before shutting the front door abruptly behind the purple unicorn.

Disco: Mwahaha! Now's my chance to steal her coat!
DiStort: Man, everyone wants a piece of Nyx.

“Twilight I swear, sometimes you try to be unfashionable on purpose.” Rarity huffed, turning away from the door and trotting away from the door.

Ezn: “Oh, how I loathe hipsters.”

“I do apologize for that outburst, Nyx, but I just couldn’t let Twilight make you wear those awful glasses. They would have just been a travesty against fashion, a simple travesty.”

Ezn: “They weren’t even a complicated travesty!”

Nyx turned away from the mirror.

GelidEnmity: Yet her reflection stared at her ass.

“Were the glasses really that bad?”

“Oh, yes Dear, they were. Honestly, I wouldn’t make my worst enemy, some pony I truly hated, wear those glasses. They are, in all honesty, the definition of a fashion don’t.”

Midnight: “And Celestia knows if I’ll let Nightmare Moon wear such ugly things, why, the coming Queen of Darkness simply must dress in style.”

Nyx fell quiet at this, looking down at the floor. Rarity didn’t take notice of this at first,

Midnight: Poor This, always ignored.

busying herself cleaning up the shop after making the vest. Still, the silence began to nip at the unicorn’s ear,

Ezn: “Stop it, Silence! We can do that later... once Darling gets back.”

and, when she looked back at Nyx, the foal looked like she was on the edge of tears.

“Oh... oh Dear, what in the world is the matter?”

“Twilight doesn’t like me.”

“Now just what makes you think that?”

DiStort: "Besides the fact that it's true."

“You said that you wouldn’t make any pony wear those glasses, even some pony you really hate... but Twilight wanted me to wear those glasses, so she must hate me.”

Ezn: Logic at its finest.

“Oh... oh Nyx, no.” Rarity reassured, trotting over beside the foal and using a hoof to raise her chin, so that she could look into those turquoise dragon-like eyes. “Twilight does not hate you.”

“But...”

Vimbert: Playing the sympathy card. Nice. Soon, Nyx will hold another canon character under her hypnotic sway.
Ezn: Not content with her conquest of canon, Nyx would later go on to conquer the fandom.

“Allow me to clarify. I wouldn’t make anypony wear those glasses, but I also have a better sense of fashion than Twilight Sparkle. She just doesn’t realize how ugly those glasses are; she’s always more concerned with function instead of form.

Ezn: “As I said a few minutes ago, in the exact same words.”

Honestly, if she needed to, she’d probably wear those glasses herself, and I know Twilight doesn’t hate herself.”

CTOONfan1: She hates popular things.

“Are you sure?”

Ezn: “Well, not really. That one’s a bundle of neuroses.”

“I am absolutely

Ezn: HIV

positive.” Rarity said, her voice ringing with authority.

GelidEnmity: “Now, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT!!”

“Twilight Sparkle does not hate you in the least, and I don’t want you to ever think otherwise.”

“Okay Miss Rarity.”

“Please, Dear, it’s just Rarity.”

Ezn: “Miss Rarity’s my online handle, and I like to keep those perversions separate from my IRL ones.”

The white unicorn corrected, heading for the stairs that lead to the upper level of the shop, where the unicorn lived. “Now, why don’t we go and have ourselves a late morning tea while we wait for Twilight? I also think I have some leftover pieces of cake from one of Pinkie Pie’s many parties. I’d say you deserve to have a slice after behaving so well this morning.”

Nyx perked up at the thought of getting a slice of cake,

Vimbert: The pony with no memory knows what cake is. How convenient.
Ezn: I guess the idea that “Cake is good” is in the same part of the brain as inherent knowledge of the Equestrian language.

and eagerly followed Rarity to the boutique’s kitchen. With an elegant flick of her horn, Rarity set several things in motion about the kitchen, the fashion designer well practiced at levitating a number of items around a room at the same time, an efficient multi-tasker.

“Go ahead and sit there.” Rarity said, motioning to the small kitchen table. “The tea will be ready in a jiffy.”

Nyx complied, jumping up into one of the seats, though it quickly became apparent that the seats were a little too big for the foal, her eyes barely breaking

GelidEnmity: God forbid her eyes break.
Anon13: Hey, at least they won’t run off, like Twilight’s.

even with the top of the table.

Ezn: Nyx and the top of the table parted ways after their failed business venture, having learnt many valuable lessons about life, love, and the consequences of unpaid debt.

A stack of books quickly alleviated that and within minutes Rarity had poured the tea and served both her and Nyx a slice of cake.

It was a pleasant late morning tea, but Rarity had another purpose for the impromptu sit down.

Ezn: “Nyx, take peace pipe. Breathe deep.”

To say the least, the designer was curious about the Nightmare Moon look-a-like.

Ezn: Hyphens! Oh joy, I’ve found some at last!

A curiosity she was now going to work to satisfy while Twilight was away.

Midnight: Bow chicka wow-wow!

“So, tell me a little about yourself Nyx. Twilight has managed to keep you a secret for the past three days, but now I want to know everything.”

“Well,

GelidEnmity: “I first started out in Alberta...”

I’ve been staying with Twilight the past three days. She’s a really nice unicorn, and Spike is nice too... not as nice but still nice. She also has an owl named-”

Ezn: Nyx was strategically interrupted, saving the author the trouble of looking up the owl’s impossible-to-spell name.

“Dear, you’re telling me about Twilight Sparkle, and I know Twilight.

Saint: She crazy.

She is, after all, one of my closest friends. That and, if you recall, you and Twilight told me all about what you’ve been doing the past three days while I was working on your vest.

Vimbert: RETCONNED!

No, I want to know more about you. Oh, and I’d drink your tea before it starts getting cold.”

Ezn: “In fact, I will! Give it here!”

Nyx nodded, looking down at the small cup she had been served. The filly alicorn first leaned in to take a sip,

Ezn: While the mare alicorn looked on proudly, and the stallion alicorn looked at his watch.

but quickly froze up when Rarity began to speak.

“Oh, Dear, please tell me Twilight has at least taught you how to have tea correctly.”

“There’s a proper way to have tea?”

“But of course.”

GelidEnmity: “You simply take the cup, and pour the scalding hot water into your face! Simple!”

Rarity replied, giving her hair a toss

GelidEnmity: I knew it was a salad!

as she liked to when making a point. “Especially when you have a unicorn horn.

DiStort: "There's no need to drink like a filthy earth pony."

The only proper way for a unicorn to have tea is to

Ezn: hook the handle with your horn and flick the cup up into the air!

levitate the cup to your mouth and take a very delicate sip, and above all a proper mare shouldn’t spill a drop or slurp.”

Ezn: “If you do either of those things, it makes you not a proper mare forever, and you will be doomed to short life full of abuse and misery.”

As if to give an example, Rarity did just that.

Ezn: “RIP Rarity. Died alone and unloved. She was very committed to her examples.”

She expertly sipped from the cup of tea without making a single noise before levitating it back down to its coaster.

Ezn: “Beat that, punk.”

“You mean... like this?” Nyx replied, her own horn starting to glow... only for her cup of tea to sky rocket up into the ceiling, smashing to pieces as drops of tea rained across the room.

Ezn: “No, retard!”

“My word...”

Crazy56U: ...huh... She must've spooked it.
Saint: That or she confused "levitation" with "mortar"

“Rarity, I’m so sorry! I... I didn’t mean... mean to... it just... “

“Nyx, relax, it was just an accident, I’m not going to hate you

DiStort: "Do it again, though, and I'll do a lot worse than hate you."

for something so trivial.”

disco: Mess with my fabrics, on the other hand, and I'll banish you to the moon myself!

Rarity replied, her own horn glowing as she took a few dish rags and began cleaning up the spilled tea and shattered tea cup. “Though, if I were to venture a guess, that was your first time trying to levitate something.”

The black coated filly replied with a nod.

“Well, I don’t want you to worry. No unicorn gets levitation right on the first try. Though, most colts and fillies your age have trouble lifting things, where as your trouble seems to be that you have a natural ability for magic and you just put a little too much energy into it.

Saint: A little? the roof was the only thing between that teacup and low orbit.
Ezn: “Rainbow Dash told me the same thing about flying! And Applejack said something like that about applebucking.”

“Now,” Rarity continued, her magic cleaning up the last pieces of the mess while, at the same time, pouring Nyx a fresh cup of tea .”I want you to try again, but be very gentle this time.”

“But, what if I break another cup?”

Ezn: “You break cup, I break you.”

“Then I’ll just clean it up and we’ll try again until I’m out of cups.”

GelidEnmity: “And if you manage to f*ck that up, I’ll just pour it into your mouth.”

Rarity answered, though she would secretly keep some of her cups hidden away. She was willing to help a filly learn, but she wouldn’t risk her best china being destroyed.

The bode

Vimbert: lolwut

of confidence, however, brought a smile to Nyx’s face as her horn glowed again. This time, the cup of tea very gently levitated off the cup, wobbling around a bit in the air but staying level enough that it didn’t spill. Nyx opened her mouth far wider than she probably needed to,

CTOONfan1: And she ate the cup.

bringing the cup close until she could bring her lips together and take a very gentle sip of tea. Then, she levitated the cup down. She let go of the cup a little early, causing it to clatter against its accompanying saucer but not spilling any of the tea.

“Oh, that was marvelous Darling, simply marvelous!

Ezn: “As for you, Nyx... well, we can’t all be ladies proper mares...”

I can tell, you have the makings and natural talent to really be a proper mare and a talented magic user, with the right instruction.”

Disco: They said the same thing about Anakin Skywalker.

“There is more to being a proper mare then sipping tea?”

“But of course! You have to be able to walk with the right posture, have to be able to keep up pleasant conversation, oh... and any proper mare must-”

Disco: Oh no, is she going to start singing?!

“Can you teach me something else?” Nyx asked eagerly.

Disco: That was a close one.
Ezn: “I really want to learn how to ‘-’!”

“Oh, now if only Sweetie Belle was so eager.”

Midnight: OH COME ON!

Rarity mused with a smile. “But yes, I can teach you. We can get started right now, as a matter of fact. With the proper way to eat a cake.”

GelidEnmity: Rarity then got out her book from Twilight, titled: The Proper Way to Eat a Lie. By: Caroline Johnson.

============

Twilight galloped, grumbling under her breath about the pony at the shop where she had bought the frames.

Ezn: “Uurgh, I hope he didn’t get any of his filthy earth pony germs on me!”

It had taken way longer than it should have to find the right glasses. And it was no fault of Twilight’s.

Crazy56U: She knew that the plot was to blame.

The stallion running the store understood Rarity’s very specific specifications, but what had taken forever was him finding those glasses. The stallion had no way of organizing his stock and they ended up looking through half the boxes he had in storage for that one pair of glasses.

Ezn: And then this fic became about Twilight’s adventures in micromanaging Ponyville!
DiStort: I dunno, that sounds a lot more interesting than what's going on.

Still, Twilight had the glasses in question and was happy to see she was getting close to Carousal Boutique.

Vimbert: It was located very close to Carousel Boutique.
Anon13: Ponyville has a strip club?

She galloped in the door, looking around the front room for Rarity and Nyx. A small surge of panic

GelidEnmity: Or Electricity, we’re not sure.

went through the unicorn seeing the front room empty, but before starting to get worked up in worry Twilight called out.

Ezn: “Good thing I have this handy flowchart!” Is room empty?→ If yes, then call out→ Is there a reply?→ If no, then start to panic

“Rarity?”

“OH! Twilight! You’re back.” Rarity called. “Come on into the kitchen.”

Disco: And make me a sandwich!
Ezn: Rarity knows a woman’s true place.

Following her friend’s voice, Twilight nosed open the door to the kitchen and was a bit surprised at what she found.

Ezn: “Oh my Celestia, it’s a room!”

Both Nyx and Rarity were standing in the kitchen, the white unicorn balancing a stack of three book on her head while Nyx had a single fairly thin book on hers. The filly was watching the book,

Ezn: The poor child thought books worked like TV - she hadn’t yet grasped the concept of “reading”.

squirming a little as she tried to keep the book balanced.

“What... are you two doing?”

GelidEnmity: Ship-Fics inbound.
Ezn: “And why does it stir my loins so?!”

“Why, I’m just giving Nyx a few lessons in being a proper mare.”

Ezn: So that’s what they’re calling it these days.

“Yea, she taught me how to sip tea, how to eat cake, and now she’s showing me how to have proper posture.” Nyx chirped, all too excited.

“There’s a way to eat cake?”

GelidEnmity: “I just thought it magically went away after a scene change.”

“But of course, Twilight; at least there is a proper way to do it.

Saint: Celestia's beard, I've been teleporting it straight to my stomach all this time!

Still, I assume you have the new glasses for Nyx?”

“Yep, I’ve got them right here.” Twilight said, levitating the frames off her forehead and over to Rarity. The white unicorn took the glasses into her own levitation magic, turning them around a number of times as she examined them, scrutinizing every detail.

“These are... better. Not ideal, mind you, but still better than the last set of frames. Have you already enchanted them?”

“Yes, I did it on my way over here.”

“Well then, Nyx dear, try them on.” Rarity said, passing the glasses to the little filly. Nyx didn’t hesitate a moment, grinning as she slipped the glasses on before looking at the two mares. The effect was immediate, Nyx’s dragon shaped eyes now looking round and normal while the whites of her eyes actually

Ezn: descriptively-named

white.

“While I still say your real eyes are far better, you still look absolutely darling and those midnight purple frames go perfectly with your new vest.

Ezn: “The fans will go rabid for you!”

Yes, I officially declare you to be fabulous, Nyx.”

disco: And I officially declare you to be Velma. Now, go solve some mysteries.
Vimbert: Somewhere, Spell Nexus’ nose itched, his Fabulosity Sense tingling.

Nyx could only giggle. “Thank you Rarity. That means a lot coming from a pony as beautiful as you.”

Vimbert: Twilight felt jealousy overcome her.
Crazy56U: Spike had a hand in the script, it seems.

“Oh my, why aren’t you the little flatterer.” Rarity teased.

Ezn: “But you’ll need to work a little harder before I give you one of my ‘favours’.”

“Still, why don’t you go finish your cake while I talk with Twilight for a moment, but do remember to practice eating it properly.”

“I will Rarity.” Nyx chirped,

DiStort: Nyx is a bird. It is canon now.

moving back to the table while Rarity guided Twilight to the far corner of the room, where they could talk quietly without being overheard.

Ezn: “Psst, Twilight, Santa Hooves isn’t real.” “REALLY?!”
Midnight: Rarity: “Santa Hooves is your parents!” “MY PARENTS ARE POT PLANTS!”

“So, I take it you two have been getting along.” Twilight offered in a hushed voice.

“Oh Twilight, she is a little angel!

Ezn: Somepony needs to get wise, ‘cause she’s the devil in diguise!

I can see why you were so adamant earlier that she only looks like Nightmare Moon. I can’t imagine that wicked old mare being so positively pleasant.”

Vimbert: You know, I can actually see Rarity being so easily duped. I’m okay with this.

“I’m glad to hear you think so.”

“Though I did notice a couple things that you may want to be aware of.”

“Like what?”

“Firstly, that little filly has a lot of magic. As you can see, she’s already able to levitate a tea cup. Well, the first cup she tried to lift flew straight into the ceiling and was smashed to bits, like she put too much effort into it.”

“Well, she is an alicorn.” Twilight pointed out. “Celestia and Luna are able to move the sun and moon, so moving a cup is probably something that comes quite easily to an alicorn.”

“Secondly,” Rarity continued, not even registering Twilight quick comment. “Be careful what you say around her. I accidentally said something in passing that made her think you hated her... and the poor dear was heart broken. For reasons I don’t understand, Nyx seems to hate the thought of ponies not liking her, specifically you.”

Disco: Just like half the fanbase.
Crazy56U: Five bucks says this fact will bite everypony involved in the butt later on. Anyone in?
Disco: Surely the foreshadowing can't be that obvious!
Vimbert: SHE JUST WANTS TO BE LOVED AND TO BE YOUR WAIFU
Ezn: Don’t let her see the “fan”art!

“Well, I was the one that found her in the forest and the one she’s been living with. Honestly, I think I was the first pony she’s ever seen.”

Ezn: “Thirdly, her head has this odd habit of twisting all the way round while she does this nasty projectile-vomiting thing. You may want to have that checked out.”

“That would explain a lot. Still, be careful what you say. While not as bad as our dear Fluttershy,

Ezn: Fluttershy probably would have committed seppuku at that “worst enemy” comment.

Nyx is sensitive. It wouldn’t take much to hurt her.”

Ezn: “I’ve tested her pain receptors very thoroughly, believe me...”

Twilight smiled. “Don’t worry Rarity, I may not know as much about fashion as you do but I do know that you have to be careful what you say to some ponies because it just may hurt their feelings.”

Ezn: Callin’ Twilight’s bluff here. Anypony without extensive fashion knowledge cannot possibly have a sense of empathy, or a conscience.

“One of your lessons on friendship, I would imagine.” Rarity said with a smile. “So, what do you have planned for the rest of the afternoon?”

Ezn: “Well now...”

“I was actually planning to show Nyx around Ponyville and see how well her disguise holds up. Take her to see the rest of our friends.”

“Very clever of you Twilight.

Disco: It's very Clark Kent-ish.

In case the disguise isn’t enough you’d only be introducing her to our friends, ponies who we can trust to keep a secret.”

“Exactly, though... I think for right now I’d like to just keep the real truth between you and me.”

“It would be for the best, wouldn’t it? While Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie may take well to Nyx, I can only imagine that convincing Applejack and Rainbow Dash that she isn’t Nightmare Moon would be more difficult, considering how stubborn those two ponies are.”

“That and the fewer ponies that know the truth the better, at least until I can figure out if she really is Nightmare Moon or just happens to look like her. Still, you promise to keep this just between us?”

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” Rarity quickly chanted, making the appropriate body movements in tune with the Pinkie Pie promise.

Ezn: “Oh Rarity, that’s soooo last season!”

“Thank you Rarity... and thanks again for helping with Nyx’s disguise.”

“It was my pleasure Twilight, really.” Rarity replied, she and Twilight moving back to the table now that the sensitive part of their conversation was done. “But just promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“I want you to let Nyx come over to see me once in a while. I won’t let you keep this little sweetheart all to yourself.”

Crazy56U: Annnnd, things just got creepy.
disco: She's like the sister I never had!
Twilight: What about Sweetie B-
Rarity: Like the sister I never had!

Twilight giggled a little, but nodded her head all the same. “I promise.”

Vimbert: Twilight wasn’t used to sharing her “toys”, but she had no choice.

=============

A few hours later, Twilight and Nyx were walking down the street of Ponyville, their destination looming closer. They had been to see Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash. All of those ponies had met Nyx in her disguise, and had not been able to notice her similarity to Nightmare Moon thanks to her vest and her charmed glasses.

Disco: and their gullibility.
Vimbert: Those scenes could have been included, but frankly, they were boring.

Twilight had a feeling all her friends would have accepted Nyx anyway, even if she told them the truth about the little filly.

Vimbert: Twilight’s indoctrination is progressing very quickly.

Still, it was safer for Nyx if fewer ponies knew. She just needed time to study the crazy cult’s spell, to figure out what had happened when the spell was interrupted.

Vimbert: That’s exactly why Twilight was doing all this other stuff instead.

Once she knew for sure she would tell them the truth.

Midnight: “You know my cousin?” *sips tea* “yeah?” *nods* “Really Nightmare moon.” *sip* “that so?” *nod* “cool beans.” *sip* “so, how ‘bout them Wonderbolts?”

But, for the moment, Rarity would be the only one Twilight would let in on the secret... that’s if the disguise held up against its most difficult opponent. An energetic pink earth pony that had a happy outlook on life but, more importantly, a strange sixth sense

disco: She sees dead people?

about the future.

Crazy56U: And medium awareness! Don't forget medium awareness!

The disguise would have to stand up against Pinkie Pie.

Ezn: And against that other pony in the previous paragraph, of course.

Twilight winced when she heard the little bell above the shop’s door ring, announcing her and Nyx’s arrival. She was understandably nervous. She knew she could make Pinkie Pie promise to keep the truth a secret if she saw through the disguise. If any pony was going to keep a Pinkie Pie promise it was the pony the promise was named after. Still, if the disguise could fool the pink earth pony then it mean that almost any regular pony would be fooled.

DiStort: Was that an insult or a compliment?
Midnight: It’s only an insult to those filthy earth ponies

“Hey, welcome to Sugar Cube Corner where everything is super tasty, super sugary, and just super super.

Saint: is it super special awesome?

OH, hey Twilight!” The pink earth pony said as she bounced out from the kitchen. “Here for an afternoon snack?”

“Actually, I’m here to introduce you to my cousin. She’s going to be staying here in Ponyville with me for a while, and-”

Ezn: “OH, hey Nightmare Moon!” “Rats.”

Twilight found herself quickly knocked out of the way as Pinkie Pie zipped up,

Ezn: “Wheee, zip-lining is fun!”

bringing her face within inches of Nyx, who could only crane her neck back in a bit of shock at how quickly the earth pony had crossed the room.

“OH YEA! I love meeting new ponies!

Ezn: “And new ancient demons!”

I’m Pinkie Pie. What’s your name?”

“I’m... I’m... I’m uh...” Nyx tried to answer, but was finding it hard to concentrate with Pinkie Pie’s face so close to hers.

Ezn: Twilight felt the same way.

“Oh, I know... let me guess. I’m great at guessing games.” Pinkie Pie chirped, bringing her head back and actually giving Nyx a bit of her personal space back . “Um... Little Shadow? No... how about Night Shade? Oh, I know... Black Snooty, Black Snooty!”

Pinkie Pie froze up at this, as did Twilight.

Crazy56U: Both had realized that Pinkie skipped ahead in the script.

The unicorn’s mind slipped back to the morning of the last Summer Sun Celebration.

DiStort: Wonder why nobody noticed the disembodied brain floating around that day.

When Nightmare Moon first appeared Pinkie tried to guess her name, and one of the names she guessed was Black Snooty. Was that a sign Pinkie Pie saw the resemblance?

Ezn: Yes, it was. And then Pinkie called in Princess Celestia, and Equestria was saved once more!

Was she able to see through Nyx’s disguise?

scriber: Are these questions rhetorical?

“Oh, I’m sorry, that was mean of me.” Pinkie then finally offered, ending the silence that had fallen on the room.

Ezn: “I meant African-American Equestrian Snooty.”

“I know your coat is black but I don’t know enough about you to call you snooty, and even if I did I wouldn’t say it to you like this. That would just make me a rude rudy rude pants. Still, I wonder why I thought that would be your name?”

Ezn: DRAMATIC IRONY!

“Well,” Twilight interrupted, not wanting to give Pinkie Pie time to think about it. “In any case her name is Nyx.”

“Oh, that’s a cool name. Nyx... Nyx... Nyx... oh yea, that is a really cool name. So, Nyx, how long have you been in Ponyville?”

“A few days.” The filly replied, finding it easier to answer Pinkie Pie’s very energetic question now that the pink pony had taken a few steps back.

“WHAT?!!!” Pinkie Pie half shouted before turning an angry glare at Twilight. “She’s been here for that long and you didn’t tell me?!”

“Well, I was just giving her a chance to settle in.”

Ezn: “Also, last time I told you about one my of my... little visitors, you really ruined it for me!”

“Twilight, nothing helps a pony settle in better then one of my famous Pinkie Pie Welcome Parties and now I’m late!

Ezn: “I cannot stand idly by while this glorious OC’s entrance into the story goes uncelebrated!”

I’m going to have to make this party extra, super duper special to make up for it! Oh, I’m going to need streamers, balloons, and you know what else?”

“No...” Twilight replied, slightly afraid of what the answer would be.

“I’m going to need... a pinata!

Vimbert: “It’ll be shaped like you for reasons TOTALLY unrelated to the itsy-bitsy little thing you did to annoy me, and we won’t stop until that purple pinata is punished!”

That’s the only thing that can make up for the fact I’m this late for with Nyx’s ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party!” Pinkie Pie announced, as if the strange unwritten laws of Pinkie Pie’s parties were common knowledge to anypony.

Ezn: Hey, if you guys didn’t take the time to read the party manual, then that is really just your problem. The section on pinatas is quite thought-provoking.

“Now, we’ll have the party at the library tonight and I’ll invite every pony. Oh, it will be such fun, but I’m going to need help if I’m going to pull it off. Oh, I wonder if I can find Rainbow Dash?”

Vimbert: inb4 Cupcakes.
Disco: I need to make some cupcakes!

With that Pinkie Pie was off, leaving a very stunned Nyx in her wake. Twilight, however, was mostly relieved. Pinkie Pie was acting like Pinkie Pie, which meant she hadn’t recognized Nyx, at least consciously. The unicorn couldn’t help but worry that Pinkie Pie might have subconsciously recognized Nyx, which is why she brought up the name Black Snooty. Still, as long as that recognition stayed in the pink pony’s subconscious they would be fine.

Disco: And we all saw how well that worked out in Inception.

Still, with Pinkie Pie off to pull together a welcome party,

Vimbert: Twilight stole a few pastries from the unmanned counter.

Twilight turned her attention to Nyx.

Ezn: Not in public! Have some decorum!

The filly was stunned, as some ponies were when they first met the very energetic earth pony. As the filly recovered she blinked a few times before looking at Twilight.

“Twilight, is she always like that?”

Ezn: “Pretty much. Sometimes I make her run on a treadmill to power my experimental electronics. That’s really the only reason I haven’t already killed her.”

“Not always... but she does get like this whenever she meets a new pony.”

Nyx took this answer silently, turning her attention to the door Pinkie Pie had bounced out of a few moments earlier. “And is she really going to throw me a party?”

Ezn: “No, Pinkie would never throw a party for a horrible little filly like you!”

“Yep. Pinkie Pie throws a party for every new pony who comes to Ponyville, even ponies who may only be staying here for a few days. She just... really likes throwing parties and making ponies smile.”

Ezn: She’s especially pedantic about always throwing parties for OCs.

“I... I think I like Pinkie Pie.

CTOONfan1: That's everyone's first reaction. Then they read Cupcakes.

She’s a nice pony, and fun... but kind of random.”

Twilight laughed a little. “Yep, that’s Pinkie Pie. Fun... but random.”

Disco: And psychotic, but we don't like talking about that.

=======
Past Sins
By Pen Stroke
Assisted By Batty Gloom
============================================================
Chapter 3

Saint: Why are we still here?
Disco: Morbid curiosity.

School Days and Memories
===================
Nyx stood near Twilight, close to the mare’s front leg as she looked ahead.

Ezn: “Arr, Ah lost the other one to mah sworn enemy, Moby Slick.”

Before the pair was a building painted in rich, welcoming red colors set amongst a lush green yard.

Ezn: The extreme contrast made Nyx want to throw up every last content of her sensitive little tummy.

The building was decorated with festive hearts, even the weather mane

Disco: Did you mean 'vane'? Damn you, muscle memory!

on the top of the bell tower featured a heart,

DiStort: Seems like the schoolhouse is overcompensating a little.
Midnight: “See that heart kids? Disappoint me again, and that’ll be YOU.”

looking almost like a Cupid arrow. A playground was visible out behind the building while a flag pole and a hedge sculpture stood in front. The hedge sculpture was of a pony wearing a square, flat topped hat with a tassel.

Ezn: This schoolhouse reminds of one I saw in a television show recently. Was it... Pound Puppies?

An utterly welcoming sight

Ezn: UTTERLY WELCOMING

to most young ponies in the community and a place of fond memories to many of Ponyville’s resident

Vimbert: Pedophiles

. A place of learning, where ponies studied for a bright future and made good friends.

Disco: And get harassed for not having cutie marks.

Ponyville Elementary School house, where the mulberry-colored earth pony Cheerilee

Ezn: Who had recently been confirmed for NOT FLOWER SMILES, so SUCK IT.

granted the gift of knowledge to her students.

Ezn: Along with some other gifts it would be inappropriate to discuss here.

It was a place that scared Nyx utterly.

Ezn: She was scared to the same degree that the lake in the Everfree was peaceful, and Spell Nexus’s painted flanked appeared black

“Do I really have to go?” The black coated filly asked, trying her best to hide behind Twilight’s leg.

“Yes.” Twilight replied.

“For how long?”

DiStort: "The rest of your life. Welcome to your new home, kid."

“You’re signed up for the morning class, which means you’ll start school now but you’ll be done around lunchtime and I’ll come back to pick you up then.” Twilight answered.

“But... I didn’t have to go to school before. Why do I have to go now?”

disco: Nyx has obviously been listening to Pink Floyd.

“It’s important for you to get a good education.” Twilight replied, though it wasn’t the whole truth.

Ezn: “...Psych! All that matters is social connections and marrying rich!”

Yes, she felt it was important for Nyx to go to school but it was also part of her disguise. If she was going to school it would be more easy for ponies to believe that she was just an average, unicorn filly and really was Twilight’s cousin.

Ezn: “But if you’re too average Twilight’s gonna have ta smack a fillah!”

Nyx was also becoming just a little too clingy at the library. She had a thirst for knowledge that was almost insatiable

DiStort: She will suck out your brain... THROUGH A BENDY STRAW!

and Twilight hadn’t been able to get much research done into the cult’s spell. She found Nyx’s curiosity wonderful and wanted to encourage it, but she needed to be able to get to her own studies as well.

“Do I really have to?”

“The whole point of school is to learn new things.

CTOONfan1: Like how to leave me alone.

You’ve been learning everything you can from me and Rarity and having a lot of fun doing it.

Ezn: Wink wink, nudge nudge.

Now you’re just going to learn from Cheerilee instead, and actually be in a class with other fillies and colts.”

Ezn: Oh my!

“But I know you and Rarity... I don’t know Cheerilee. What if she’s mean?”

Ezn: “Then just murder her with your evil alicorn powers! Nothing could be simpler!”

“Don’t worry, Cheerilee is very nice. Just pay attention in class and remember to follow the rules. That means both Cheerilee’s rules and my rules, which are?”

disco: Don’t talk about Fight Club.
Vimbert: “Don’t cry out, don’t tell anyone where the bruises are from, and don’t speak ever.”

“I can’t take off my vest and I can’t take off my glasses and I should try not to use my magic unless I’m writing something down.”

“And try to make some friends.” Twilight replied, rubbing a hoof against the little filly’s head. This made Nyx giggle a little, squirming to escape Twilight to escape the playful noogie.

“Are friends really that important?”

DiStort: "It's in the title of the show, kid. You tell me."
Ezn: “Nah, it’s magic that is truly important.”

“Trust me, nothing is more important than having good friends.” Twilight said, taking a step forward as the school bell began to ring. “Now, come on. If we just keep standing here you’re going to be late.”

============

“Good morning class.” Cheerilee half sang,

Vimbert: Half screamed, as she was getting into death metal in her free time.
Disco: No! No impromptu singing! Please!

standing at the front of the room.

“Good morning Cheerilee.” The class echoed back, some honestly meaning it while others were just saying it because, if they didn’t, they’d have to say it again.

Ezn: “I’m just going through the motions, man. Just saying good morning when I really mean good afternoon.”

“Now, before we get started, I have a small announcement. We have a new student joining us today. Her name is

Ezn: Nyxia D’arkness Nightmare Tara Moon

Nyx, and I expect you all to welcome her as you would any new student.”

Crazy56U: By silently judging her.
disco: Get your spitballs ready!

Cheerilee said,

Vimbert: Giving implied permission for everypony to abuse and traumatize Nyx like good children.
Ezn: That’s what school is for! Trauma builds character!

motioning to the black coated filly standing next to her.

Ezn: “Treat this black filly well. Nyx, on the other hand, you should shun and make fun of, because she’s Nightmare Moon.”

“Now, go ahead and find your seat Nyx. You can take any open desk you like.”

Ezn: “Call Twilight and Rarity in and tell them to sit down as well. Right over there.”

Nyx nodded gently, looking out across the dozen desks. Unbeknown to the filly alicorn, the school house had only had nine desks the day before. In preparation for having a new student Cheerilee had brought out another three desks from storage.

Vimbert: For some reason, Cheerilee had lost the ability to count.
Ezn: “She’s so fat I might need a fourth!”

The room was now laid out with four columns of three desks each.

The rest of the class was sitting to one side of the room, leaving an entire column of desks on the right side of the room when one was looking from the teacher’s desk. Nyx looked at each seat. Twilight had told her to sit as close to the front as possible, but at the same time Nyx didn’t feel brave enough to sit in the very front, at least not on the first day. With only three rows of desk to choose from, that only left one desk that really worked.

Nyx walked to the middle desk, setting down the saddle bag Twilight had packed for her that morning before taking a seat. Directly to her right was an earth pony with a grayish magenta coat, and a mane that was a mixture of white and violet. Nyx couldn’t help but glance up to the top of the filly’s head, where she wore a tiara very similar to the tiara she had for a cutie mark.

It was only then that Nyx realized the pony she was staring at was staring back, and not in a good way.

Vimbert: It reminded her of the look Twilight gave her when she was washing her.
Disco: The potential shipping was thankfully averted.

The tiara wearing pony wore an expression of annoyance, like Nyx’s very presence was something of an offence to her.

DiStort: I see Diamond Tiara is channeling her inner klansman.

The black filly tried to dispel this, offering a gentle smile and a wave, but the tiara wearing pony just humphed and turned her head away, lifting her nose a little. It was an action that made Nyx slump down in her seat, turning her attention to the front of the room where Cheerilee was writing something on the board.

School was not going to be fun at all.

==============

School was AMAZING!!!

Crazy56U: Uh, that was a quick turnaround.
nuke.equestria: Short attention span.
Vimbert: UHMAZING BUUUUHKS
Ezn: Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerd!

Nyx could only smile, horn glowing gently as she took notes feverishly.

FreeKey: Note fever, note fever. Gently's how to do it...

Cheerilee had started the day’s lesson with some history, talking about the founding of Ponyville by earth ponies and why the town honored some of the traditions they did. Specifically, she focused on the town’s seasonal traditions, giving simple explanations as to why the traditions were done and why they were so important.

Ezn: “We’re all stupid and like doing hard work for nothing, as is the way of the filthy earth pony.”

“Now, are there any questions before we go to recess?” Cheerilee asked, not expecting to see a hoof in the air since her students were always more interested in taking their recess. Still, the teacher couldn’t help but smile when she saw a particular black hoof in the air.

Ezn: I stick my hoof up IN THE AIR SOMETIMES!

“Yes Nyx, what’s your question?”

Ezn: “What’s the quickest and most discreet way to kill a pony?”

“How was Winter Wrap Up done before there were pegasi ponies in Ponyville?”

“That is a very good question Nyx. While it is tradition that magic isn’t used to clean up winter, few ponies realized that back when the tradition started that there weren’t pegasi around.”

“So how did they clean up the clouds and get the birds back?”

Ezn: “Yeah, okay, you caught me out. Of course there were pegasi around. Earth ponies couldn’t survive on their own!”
Midnight: “Us filthy earth ponies just can’t survive without our moral and physical superiors and betters, the pegasi and their masters the unicorns. All hail unicorn Nyx, you get an A.”

“Well, if you don’t mind getting to recess a little later than usual, I can tell you that originally the earth ponies in town-”

And Cheerilee was off, going much deeper into her lecture.

Vimbert: Having written himself into an corner, the author decided to not follow her.

Nyx was happy, already jotting down fresh notes,

Ezn: She had picked them from the orchard just that morning.

but while she was in the middle of doing that she felt something hit the side of her head. Looking down at the floor, she saw it was a piece of paper, and upon looking up she saw a number of her classmates were glaring at her fairly coldly

disco: Lukewarm?

for delaying recess.

Ezn: Sadly, none of them really had ice-vision, so Nyx went on to Sue another day.
Crazy56U: I'm sorry, but I got to side with them. Recess is the most important subject in school, no exceptions.

==============

“Boy, am I glad to get outside.” Apple Bloom said about fifteen minutes later, when Cheerilee had finished talking about how earth ponies cleared the clouds. “I’m just glad Cheerilee didn’t cancel recess because of the question that new filly asked.”

“But it was pretty cool hearing how earth ponies were able to clear the skies and bring back the southern birds before there were pegasi in town.”

Midnight: It was so cool, the author forgot to mention it! WAIT, how DID the EARTH ponies clear the SKY? Tell us, Pen!

Twist offered

Midnight: Twist without a lithp? THAT’S IT. *flips table, leaves*

as she and Apple Bloom walked down the outside steps of the school house, heading into the playground area.

“Yea, it was kind of cool, but I’d still rather have recess. So, what do you want to do?”

Ezn: “Let’s try clearing the clouds!”

“You want to take turns on the swing?” Twist asked, pointing at the swing in question.

CTOONfan1: Y'know. Before you go back to ignoring me with those friends of yours?
Ezn: “No, go away, I’m not your friend anymore, you dirty picture flank!”

“Sure!” Apple Bloom replied, the pair jogging

Ezn: Not galloping or cantering? Suspension of disbelief = broken!

over. Twist arrived first, jumping on the wooden swing as she began to put her weight into swinging.

Ezn: Oh, so that’s what you’re supposed to do!

Apple Bloom stood back, watching as her friend got pretty high,

Ezn: Don’t do drugs, stay in school, and don’t do drugs at school, kids.

not the highest the farm filly had seen but respectable.

Ezn: Rustle quickly ran up to her with the measurements, and she ascertained that she was still the highness record holder.

“Hey!”

Saint: Listen!

Twist called, as she reached the top of her forward swing.

“What is it?”

Ezn: “I’m so high you should call me ‘Your Highness’! *giggle*”

“I think... Silver Spoon... and... Diamond... Tiara... are talking... to... the new... filly.”

DiStort: Man, at this rate those ellipses are gonna go extinct.
Ezn: Ah Twist, from one wacky speed impediment to the next...

Twist said, saying a few bits of her sentence each time she swung by Apple Bloom. The farm filly turned her head, seeing that the two school bullies had caught the new filly just as she came outside for recess, the three of them talking on the school house steps.

“What do... you think... they’re... talking... about?”

CTOONfan1: Not sure, Mr. Shatner.

“Nothin’ good if I know those two.” Apple Bloom said, before turning in that direction. “Twist, you stay here a sec. I’ll be right back.”

“O... kay!” Twist called, continuing to swing but watching as her yellow, earth pony friend made her way across the playground. Thankfully, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had their backs to the rest of the playground, so they couldn’t see Apple Bloom coming

Midnight: “Applebloom, I think we need to have a little talk about... things we don’t do in public...”
Vimbert: HNNNNNG
Ezn: “I’M COMING FOR YOU!”

up. This allowed the yellow filly to listen in and hear what the two bullies were saying.

Ezn: Like the filthy little eavesdropper she was.

“So, like, we don’t appreciate nerds like you making us almost miss recess.” Diamond Tiara said, pointing an accusing hoof.

GelidEnmity: “So, like, for, like, your, like, punishment, like, we’re going to, like, never stop, like, saying ‘Like’.
DiStort: OH DEAR GOD IT'S LIKE NEEDLES IN MY EARS.

“That class is already soooo boring without you asking a bunch of questions.” Silver Spoon added. “We get enough of that from Twist.”

“So the next time you got a question, just button your lip, Blank Flank.”

Ozimul: S*** just got real.
disco: I'm getting Season 1 flashbacks! And not the good kind!
GelidEnmity: “I tried, but I only have hooves!”

Apple Bloom had heard enough at this point, the blank flank insult one that tended to rile the young farm pony very quickly.

Ezn: Sticks and stones, AB.
GelidEnmity: Sticks and Stones may break their bones, but bullets hurt them greater.

Breaking into a gallop, Apple Bloom closed the last few feet between her and the bullies in a few seconds, putting herself between them and Nyx.

Ezn: “Why can’t we all get aloooooooooooong?!”

“Hey, that’s enough!”

Ezn: “My turn! Nyx, you don’t have parents.”

“Wow, it’s the blank flank to the rescue.” Diamond Tiara offered, drawing a snicker

GelidEnmity: Have at you!
Ezn: Mmm, Snickers. How kind of you to offer, DT.
Anon13: They really satisfy, unlike this story.

from Silver Spoon. While Apple Bloom had been able to stand up to the pair at Diamond’s cute-ceañera, it was still a taunt the pair made use of regularly, especially since it was well known she, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Bell had made a club all about getting a cutie mark.

Ezn: This fic is so great, you don’t even have to watch the episodes!

“Just leave her alone! All she did was ask a question, and it was a pretty interestin’ question.”

“Only nerds find school interesting.”

DiStort: And only future high school drop-outs still talk like that.

“That is so totally true Silver Spoon.” Diamond Tiara offered. “Still, I’d rather be a nerd than have such an ugly coat color.”

Ezn: “This hideous shade of pink just makes me want to end it all!”

“What’s the matter with her coat color?” Apple Bloom asked.

GelidEnmity: All of a sudden, AB became a bully!
THE PLOT TWIST
Ezn: No AB, you are the bullies. And then AB was a racist.

“It’s creepy. The only things that are black are things like spiders and bugs and other nasty insects.”

“Yeah, and ticks.” Silver Spoon added with a shutter, only for a devilish smile to sprout on her lips. “Like, for all we know, she could be crawling with those icky black bugs.”

“I am not!” Nyx whined from behind Apple Bloom.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon both grinned, having found a sensitive button to press.

“Nyx has ticks, Nyx has ticks, Nyx has ticks.”

disco: There are worse rhymes they could have used.
Ezn: “Oh yeah, I got ticks... on my school assignments! Awwwwwwwwww yeah!”
GelidEnmity: “NERD!”

“Hey, stop that or I’ll tell Cheerilee that you were being mean when she told us all to be nice.”

scriber: "Oh no, tattling! My only weakness!"
disco: It's the kryptonite of Equestria.

While Apple Bloom wasn’t one to tattle tale, there were points where she knew it was better to get the teacher. Thankfully, Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara took the threat seriously, Diamond offering a huff as she stuck her nose up and turned to leave.

Anon13: Much to her chiropractor’s dismay.
Ezn: And only a single huff was given that day.

“Fine; I hope you two blank flanks have a lot of fun together.

Ezn: Diamond Tiara’s got swag; she talks with semicolons.

Come on Silver Spoon, let’s get out of here before we get infested with ticks.”

With that the pair turned, tactically retreating while still lashing out with a final few cutting insults. Apple Bloom huffed,

Anon13: paint

scrapping her hoof on the ground

Anon13: sounds painful.

as she watched the two leave.

“Someday I’d like to buck

GelidEnmity: them right in their-- I mean... buck

some sense into those two,

CTOONfan1: Why not now?

just like my big sister would. She never got teased in school... but then again she got in trouble for fighin’.”

Ozimul: I want to hear THAT story!
nuke.equestria: Can’t be worse than this.
GelidEnmity: Fighin, the new form of throwing figs at the poor.
DiStort: It's the sport sensation that's sweeping the nation.

Apple Bloom grumbled before turning around. “You okay?”

Ezn: “Those two had better have left some untapped vulnerabilities for me!”

Nyx nodded, using a hoof to dry her eyes a bit. She had been close to crying underneath Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon’s assault, but was now able to smile thanks to her yellow rescuer.

“Yea... but why are those two so mean?”

Ezn: “They’re only mean to awful fillies like you.”

“Personally, I think it’s their special talents and that they should have bully cutie marks, but I guess it’s kind of like havin’ a special talent for arguin’. There just isn’t a cutie mark that really makes sense for being a bully. I’m Apple Bloom by the way.” The yellow filly chirped as she put out a hoof.

“Nyx.” The disguised alicorn replied, shaking hooves with Apple Bloom.

==============

“Well howdy Twilight; what brings you round these here parts?”

GelidEnmity: “I’m here to insult vampires and werewolves!”

Applejack greeted, trotting up to the purple unicorn.

“Oh, hey Applejack.

DiStort: "How is your sex life?"

I’m just on my way to the schoolhouse.” Twilight replied, the two friends staring to walk along side each other down the path.

“Well, that’s just where I’m headin’. I’m pickin’ up Apple Bloom from school today. Need her help runnin’ some errands in town. What about yerself?”

Ezn: “I just like being around the schoolhouse when all the little foals come out.”

“I’m picking up Nyx.”

“Nyx? That cousin of yours? Since when did that little filly start goin’ to school?”

“Today was her first day actually.” Twilight admitted.

GelidEnmity: So it was a secret she went to school?

“First day of school is never easy, ‘specially when you just moved to a new place.”

DiStort: And when your school is full of junior klansmen, apparently.

“Yea, I remember the first day I transferred from my old school to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.

Disco: Twilight, stealth bragger extraordinaire.

It was scary, but I really didn’t have to deal with a lot of other students, being Celestia’s private pupil and all.

Vimbert: Just in case all you readers forgot who Twilight was. Are you following the story? Do I need to stop and repeat everything that’s happened?

Still, doesn’t this mean Apple Bloom and Nyx are in class together?”

“I reckon it does. You think they’ve met?” Applejack asked as the pair rounded a bend in the path, the school coming into view.

Ezn:”I hope your sister hasn’t gone around putting funny ideas about children’s rights and bad touch into my Nyx’s little head!”

Twilight smiled, taking notice of a couple of fillies playing just outside the schoolhouse. “I’d say they’ve more than just met.”

Ezn: Arg, not in public! Come on now!

The pair stopped at this, deciding to watch from a distance as Nyx chased Apple Bloom around, probably in a game of tag though Twilight couldn’t be sure, both due to the distance and because sometimes it’s just hard to tell what little fillies and colts were doing.

Vimbert: “Well, it could be tag, or it could be demonic rituals. I can’t tell!”
GelidEnmity: “Hell, these varmints and their hormones...”

The pair of young mares watched the fillies play for a few moments before resuming their approach, Applejack calling out to

Ezn: tell them to stop perving.

her little sister and causing both Apple Bloom and Nyx to run in their direction.

“Hey Apple Bloom, how was school today?” Applejack asked once the fillies were within ear shot.

Ezn: Before she could reply, AJ shot her in the ear.

“It was really fun, and I’ve made a new friend.”

“And would this be her?”

Ezn: “You’re such a disappointment sometimes, Apple Bloom. Why can’t you make friends with normal ponies?”

“Yep. Applejack, this is Nyx. Nyx, this is my big sister Applejack.”

“Wait... your big sister is Applejack?”

“You already know my big sister?”

“She should.” The orange farm pony interrupted. “Twilight brought Nyx around to see me and all our other friends.”

Ezn: “It was a day I’ll never forget...”
CTOONfan1: It involved an adventure across the country with pirates and the discovery of the meaning of life. You wouldn't want to hear it.

“Why would she do that?”

“Because, Nyx is my

Ezn: father

cousin. And she’s staying with me at the library.” Twilight answered with her simple but effective lie.

“Whoa, that’s cool!” Apple Bloom offered excitedly.

Ezn: “I wish I was allowed indoors!”

“Did you know Twilight once beat an Ursa Minor all by herself?”

Nyx eyes went wide, looking at the purple unicorn with awe and admiration. “You did?”

Ezn: “And I’ll do the same to you if you cross me, Nightmare.”

“Well... yes, but I wouldn’t really call what I did beating it. The Ursa Minor was just cranky from being woken up, so I gave it some milk and rocked it to sleep.”

Ezn: You forgot to mention Trixie in your episode summary.

“But it was still really cool.” Apple Bloom offered.

“So, did anything else happen at school today?” Twilight asked, trying to steer the conversation away from her defeat of the Ursa Minor.

“Well... some of the other fillies in class were mean...

DiStort: "But enough about my childhood trauma."

OH, and Cheerilee wanted me to give you something.” Nyx said, horn glowing as her saddle bag clicked open. The note in question floated into the air, passing from Nyx’s magic to Twilight’s as the unicorn read.

“What does it say? Did Nyx do something bad?” Apple Bloom asked, her only experience with teacher’s notes being when she had misbehaved at school.

Ezn: “Yes, it says that Nyx is stealing attention from all the canon fillies and colts and should be taken out behind the shed and dealt with immediately.”

Applejack whistled, reading the note over Twilight’s shoulder. “That ain’t just some subjects Twi; that’s a lot of book learnin’ Nyx has to catch up on.”

“Yes... but with my help I’m sure we’ll get through it really quickly. We’ll of course start right away. We could probably get through the basic mathematics this afternoon if we really hit it hard.”

Anon13: POUND THOSE PUNY PLUS SIGNS.
Ezn: Past Sines!

“Awww...” Apple Bloom muttered in disappointment.

“What’s the matter Sugarcube?”

“I wanted to as Nyx if she wanted to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

Ezn: “And be our leader, since she’s so amazing!”
Anon13: The curse of the Mary Sue.

I’m meeting Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell after they get of the afternoon class

Ezn: Not after S2E6, you aren’t.

so we can try and find our cutie marks, and Nyx doesn’t have hers either.”

“Well, them two friends of yers don’t get out of class until mid-afternoon and you and I got errands to run. So, how about you let Nyx go get some learnin’ done with Twilight and then you and your friends can go find her at the library later?

“That is, ‘course, if it’s okay with Twilight.”

Ezn: “Of course it is! I love little children...”
Anon13: Lightly sauteed with a hint of garlic.

Before the unicorn could even answer, both Apple Bloom and Nyx were giving her the biggest, most pleading puppy dog eyes and begging smiles they could muster. It was enough to make Twilight giggle, nodding her head.

Saint: The mind control experiment was a success!

“Of course. Nyx may need to study, but she also needs to have time to play with new friends.”
Ezn:”And I want to watch!”

==============
Diamond Tiara groaned as she dropped her face into her open book. She glared coldly at the letters on the page,

CTOONfan1: If only she could read.

even though she’d rather be setting her glare on a certain black filly.

Anon13: Those soft eyes, that sweet sweet flank...

Nyx had just asked another question, right before recess, and now Cheerilee was continuing to lecture past the time they were supposed to go outside.

Thankfully the answer to Nyx’s question was short and soon the fillies and colts of the school were free to run out

Diamond Tiara groaned as she dropped her face into her open book. She glared coldly at the letters on side. Nyx rushed out with Apple Bloom and Twist, the three rushing

Ezn: On and on and on, everybody’s rushin’~

off to play on a bit of playground equipment. Diamond Tiara watched the black filly from across the playground with a glare, waiting for Silver Spoon to get outside.

“Hey there Diamond Tiara. How boring was that lesson?”

“Totally boring, and Nyx just couldn’t keep her mouth shut and had to ask another one of her dumb questions. Seriously, I don’t know what’s wrong with her. It’s like she actually likes school.”

Anon13: “Next thing you know she might -- gasp -- learn stuff!”
“and, like, go on to make the world better! We totally have to stop that!”

“A total egghead.” Silver Spoon agreed.

“She’s been like this since she started class two weeks ago. Somepony needs to teach her a lesson about being so... nerdy.”

CTOONfan1: That's right. Being smart is bad. Try being dumb like me is.

“Oh yea. Hey, you want to put gum on her chair?”

“No, that won’t do it. It we’re going to prank her,

Ezn: “I told you not to call me that!” “Shut up, It.”

it needs to be a prank that teaches her to not be so curious.” Diamond Tiara smiled, shifting her gaze away from the black filly and to the forest trees in the distance.

Ezn: DOSE LEAVES

It was at this point the bully began to smile. “Oh... that is too perfect.”

“What is it?”

Ezn: “I found a bit on the ground!” “Yay! Now we can eat!”

Diamond Tiara just smiled, motioning for Silver Spoon to get close before she started whispering in her friends ear. Silver Spoon also began smiling, nodding her head in approval.

“Oh, Diamond Tiara,

Ezn: “I love it when you talk dirty!”

that will teach her.”

DiStort: Yes, that'll teach her to be friendly and care about her education.

“Bump! Bump! Sugar-lump, rump!” The pair said in unison, doing their strange special hoofshake

GelidEnmity: Isn’t it more an Ass Shake?

before laughing,

FreeKey: Always laugh after the hoofshake. No exceptions.

strolling off to set their plans in motion.

==============

KNOCK... KNOCK... KNOCK

Crazy56U: (embarrassed) ...w-we couldn't afford actual sound effects, so... ... we paid somepony to say them out loud. ...heh.

“Coming.” Twilight announced,

Vimbert: Too much information, Twi.

strolling towards the door. She and Nyx were in the middle of the filly’s extra afternoon lessons, where she and Twilight worked to catch Nyx up with the rest of her class. Nyx was currently working on some math problems Twilight had written out for her while the unicorn answered the door.

“Nyx?” Twilight called from the door.

“Yeah?”

“There are a couple of your friends from school here. You want to take a break and go play with them?”

Nyx was at the door in the flash, expecting Apple Bloom or Twist... but her smile turned into a frown when she saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon standing there.

CTOONfan1: KILL THEM WITH FIRE!

“Hey Nyx, we were just going to Sugar Cube Corner to get a snack. You want to come with?” Diamond Tiara offered, putting on a smile.

Ezn: “Do you like it? I cut this smile off one of my other victims. Do you think it goes with my tiara?”

“I... I really shouldn’t.” Nyx said. “I’ve got a lot of studying to do.”

Ezn: “Among other things,” added Twilight.

“Oh, nonsense.” Twilight said, using a leg to push Nyx out the door. She then fetched the black filly’s saddle bags and puts a few bits into the right bag. “Go have a break with your friends.

GelidEnmity: “Even though I’ve met them before and know they’re complete douches.”

That and can you bring me back a sugar cookie.

Ezn: Twilight doesn’t play by your stuffy punctuation rules.

Pinkie Pie was bragging that the sugar cookies she made this morning are her best ever and I was hoping to try one.”

“Okay Twilight.” Nyx replied, the unicorn not quite picking up Nyx’s lack of excitement.

Vimbert: Grow a Sense Motive, Twilight.

Still, since she was already outside and she had been given bits for a snack, the black filly decided to just roll with it.

Ezn: She hadn’t eaten in days.

She began walking with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, the pair standing on either side of her.

“So Silver Spoon and I just wanted to apologize for being so mean. We tease, like, every new student in class to see if their cool enough to hang with us.

Ezn: “And your cool is enough to hang with us!”

After all, we can’t be friends with just anypony.”

“Yea, mares like us

Disco: Upperclass twits?

need to stick together.”

“So, you really didn’t mean all those mean things you said?”

Ezn: “Nah, we totally did. They were true.”

“Of course not, we were just playing with you. It was a joke.”

“Kind of a mean joke.” Nyx pointed out.

“Yea, but that doesn’t matter now. Now we’re friends, isn’t that right Silver Spoon?”

“So totally BFF’s.”

“BF whats?”

“BFF’s... Best Friends Forever.” Diamond Tiara said. “Oh, and just so you know, black is so totally cool.”

CTOONfan1: It's the new black.
scriber: Ahh, so this fic is post-Civil Rights movement!
disco: Yes, it's all very PC. Zebras, on the other hand...
Ezn: “Yeah homie, let’s chill at my crib and pop some punk-ass Bloods, dawg!”

“Like, coolest color ever. It makes you unique, even if you don’t have a cutie mark yet.” Silver Spoon assured.

“Totally cool.” Diamond Tiara agreed.

“Well, thanks. I’m glad we can be friends.” Nyx said, smiling. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon smiled as well, winking at each other behind Nyx’s back before laughing a bit.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh, nothing, just thinking of a joke Silver Spoon told me.

Vimbert: We are in no way suspicious.
DiStort: IGNORE US.

Now, let’s go get those sweets.”

==============

“Really?” Nyx asked in disbelief, sitting with Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara just outside Sugarcube Corner, the three eating their snacks.

Ezn: “I can’t believe that Snape would kill Dumbledore!”
GelidEnmity: *Annoying pre-teen voice* “AWW, I NEVER WATCHED THAT MOVIE!! GAWD, SPOILERS!”

Nyx was using her horn to levitate the food to her mouth, doing her best to remember all the lessons on being a proper mare Rarity had taught her since Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon seemed to be the kind of mares to care.

“Oh yes, the Everfree Forest really is amazing once you go deep enough inside.”

Ezn: “A lot of things are like that, really.”

Diamond Tiara reassured. She and Silver Spoon had just spend the last half hour telling Nyx that while the Everfree Forest was scary on the outside, once you got deep enough the forest turned into an amazing place will all sorts of gentle animals and babbling brooks

scriber: Bodies of water are talkative in the Everfree.

and ponies playing in fields of flowers.

Vimbert: Sounds legit.

“But... I’ve been in the Everfree Forest with Twilight and I never saw anything like that.”

“You must not have gone deep enough.”

GelidEnmity: Should I... Nah.
Ezn: She needs to go deeper. Into the forest within the forest.

Silver Spoon answered quickly, brushing off Nyx’s comment.

Ezn: “Uurgh, this comment is all tangled up with my mane!”

“Still, you don’t know what you’re missing. It is, like, so beautiful.” Diamond Tiara offered before perking up with a smile.

Ezn: Just like you, she thought dreamily.

“Hey, we should all go together.”

“But Twilight’s expecting me back at the library.”

“Oh, don’t worry. Silver Spoon and I will go tell her where we’re going.” Diamond replied, reaching into her saddle bag and pulling out a map, one which she had drawn a dotted red line. “Just follow this and you’ll get to the really beautiful part of the Everfree Forest. We’ll be right behind you.”

Nyx eyed the pair for a second, and then looked down at the map...

Ezn: “Get a unicorn to do this for you next time: these mouth-drawn lines just scream ‘tacky’.”

but then she smiled, picking up the map with her magic and sticking it into her saddle bag. She then took out some of the bits Twilight had given her.

Ezn: She swiftly fastened them in the mouths of the other two and rode off into the sunset on a bully-pulled chariot.

“Okay, I’ll see you there. But, remember to take Twilight a sugar cookie when you go to tell her. “

Ezn: “She gets cranky if she doesn’t get her fix.”
Anon13: “Every night I can hear her saying ‘Gimme some sugar, baby’ in her sleep, so I figure it’s important.”

“Of course.” Silver Spoon said, taking the bits and standing up from the table. “I’ll go buy the cookie right now.”

“Yea, we’ll go tell Twilight. You just go on ahead, BFF.”

Nyx nodded, jumping down from the table and trotting off in the direction of the forest. Diamond Tiara smiled, watching the black filly until she had rounded a corner before bursting out in

Ezn: profuse sweating

laughter. She laughed until Silver Spoon came back out of Sugar Cube Corner, carrying two freshly purchased cookies.

“Oh... that was too easy.”

Ezn: “The nerdy ones always are.”

Sliver Spoon nodded, offering one of the cookies to Diamond Tiara. “Yea, and we, like, got free cookies out of the deal.”

Disco: Does their depravity ever end?!

“This, Silver Spoon, was our Best. Prank. Ever.”

DiStort: "That was even better than the time we got that one colt to try and adopt a diamond dog! Hopefully the hospital bill will be twice as much this time!"

“Totally.” The gray earth pony replied, the pair high hoofing before digging into their ill gotten cookies.

soFreeKey: Because nothing beats a stolen cookie after an attempted murder.
disco: Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon stole cookies. And that's terrible.
Vimbert: Those FIENDS.
GelidEnmity: The poor cookies. Someone get them some soup.
Ezn: brb soup

==============

Twilight trotted through the streets of Ponyville anxiously, looking around. She hadn’t seen Nyx in two hours and was starting to worry.

Ezn: “She better not have gone to the police!”

She hadn’t been able to find the filly or the two friends that had come to play with her, but at the moment she was willing to believe they had just gotten so caught up in playing and lost track of time.

The unicorn trotted into the market, looking around but seeing no sign of Nyx.

Ezn: A diabolical thief had stolen all of the town’s carefully-placed “Nyx is that way -->” signs.

She did, however, catch sight of Applejack.

Anon13: That soft mane, strong legs, sweet sweet flank....

The farm pony was tending the market stand while, at the same time, keeping an eye on Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle, the Cutie Mark Crusaders trying to balance on top of each other. It was another attempt in getting their cutie marks, but one Twilight didn’t have time to try and figure out.

Ezn: Cutie Mark Crusader Pony Centipede!

“Hey, Applejack!”

“Hey there Sugarcube. What can I do ya for? Want some red delicious, gala, or maybe some granny smith apples?”

Ezn: “No, but I’d like some Granny Smith, if you catch my drift...”

“Applejack, you haven’t seen Nyx have you?”

“Nyx? Why no, I haven’t. Is she missin’?”

Ezn: “Yes! I finally got rid of her!”

“I... I don’t know. Two fillies from her class came

Ezn: “It was very arousing.”

by to see if she could play, but that was two hours ago and I’m starting to worry.”

“Oh, Twilight, I’m sure you got nothin’ to worry yourself about. They’re probably just off playin’.”

“I know, but... but it has been two hours.”

Ezn: “Nyx doesn’t have that kind of endurance!”

“What two fillies came to play with Nyx?” Apple Bloom asked, she and the other crusaders overhearing the conversation and walking up to the young adult mares.

Vimbert: CUTIE MARK CRUSADER EAVESDROPPERS, YAAAAY

“I don’t know their names. One was gray with a spoon cutie mark

GelidEnmity: Guess what her special talent is?
DiStort: No, seriously, someone guess. I have no bloody idea what it's supposed to be.
Ezn: spooning lol. That, or being rich.

and a braid in her mane. The other had a swirled mane and a tiara.”

“Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon?! Nyx went to play with them?!” Apple Bloom said, her voice carrying undertones of concern.

Ezn: Only undertones, though. She didn’t really care.

“Yes... is that bad?”

“Twilight, those two are bullies. Don’t you remember how they made fun of me, called me a blank flank at the Cute-ceañera?”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed, remembering that day and the two fillies who had been teasing Apple Bloom. She hadn’t recognized them when they came to play with Nyx because they didn’t have on their party dresses.

Vimbert: Fact: Twilight only recognizes ponies by their cutie marks. Clearly.

“Girls, I reckon you three better help Twilight find those two.

Ezn: Don’t you use your fancy mathematics to muddy the issue!

Do you know where they like o hang out?”

“I know where Diamond Tiara lives, her dad owns the jewelry shop here in town.

GelidEnmity: Ironically, he still never gave his wife a diamond ring.
DiStort: To be fair, where would she wear it?
GelidEnmity: Er...Ya got me.

” Sweetie Belle offered. “My big sister Rarity is good friends with her father.

Ezn: “And she says he’s a gentle, well-paying man.”

Whenever I go over to the shop with her, I see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon

Ezn: and

their doing homework,

Ezn: I wish I had a doing homework. Must be a great pet!

at least at this time of day.”

“Take me

Ezn: “Shh, not here!”

there.” Twilight said, the three fillies quickly snapping into stiff salutes before galloping off, Twilight following in their wake.

==============

Nyx shakily took out the map Diamond Tiara had given her, looking it over before looking up at the dark, foreboding path ahead. She didn’t know how far along the path she was, but the line on the paper said she still had to keep going.

Ezn: It was very insistent on that point.

The line crossed a river,

Ezn: leaving Nyx to fend for herself.

and Nyx could hear the babbling of a stream just ahead of her. Still, after rounding a corner, Nyx froze up, eyes focusing on a large purple serpent that was splashing around in the water. Ducking behind a tree, Nyx watched the purple sea serpent with strangely well styled orange hair ate his lunch, some rough gemstones he had gathered from the river bed.

Anon13: At which point she was sure she’d become unstuck in time.

Nyx was certain the serpent wouldn’t turn down his gemstones to eat a little pony, so she decided to stay hidden and wait until he had left.

Ozimul: Wait, what? If he's not going to eat her why does she need to hide? Nyx, you make no sense.
disco: She was probably intimidated by his fabulous moustache.
Vimbert: Check another one off the list of pointless fandom references.
Ezn: Pointless, sure, but fabulous nonetheless! Spell Nexus approves.

==============

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon weren’t at the jewelry store, and Twilight was officially starting to panic.

Ezn: “Check that off the list, Spike!”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders had split up, each going to fetch help. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle ran to get their big sisters, Applejack and Rarity, while Scootaloo used her scooter to quickly race out of Ponyville to where Rainbow Dash was practicing tricks.

Ezn: crying all the while about her lack of a sister.

That left Twilight to continue to run around Ponyville, trying to find the two fillies who had last been with Nyx. She began asking anypony she came across, growing more frantic as more time passed. Where were they, where was Nyx?

“TWILIGHT!”

The unicorn turned skyward, seeing Rainbow Dash circling above her.

“I’ve found them, this way!” With that the pegasus banked, flying off to another part of Ponyville. Twilight galloped as fast as her hooves could carry her. It was a few blocks of running, but, after rounding a corner, Twilight saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

Ezn: “HI GIIIIIIIIIIIIRLZ!”

“How you want to do this?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Crazy56U: The calm, legal way or the fast, easy way?
Disco: Nah, this fic desperately needs another action scene.
Anon13: You hit the one on the left, I’ll put righty down fast and we’ll be long gone before the cops get here. Don’t forget their wallets this time!

“Go find the others and have them meet in the town square, just in case we have to go and try to find Nyx. I’ll deal with these two.”

FreeKey: "In my calm, polite and civil Equestrian way."

“You got it, Twi.” Rainbow Dash said, the look in the unicorn’s eye

Vimbert: And then, Twilight was a cyclops.
GelidEnmity: The End.

telling the pegasus that she didn’t want to try and argue. With a flap of wings

Ezn: And a bit of salt, just a pinch!

Dash was airborne and flying to gather all the others. Twilight watched her friend leave for a moment

Ezn: DAT TAIL

before turning her eyes on the park bench, eyebrows furrowing as she approached the two fillies.

Ezn: “Help girls! My eyebrows have gone rogue!”

“Hey, you two!” Twilight snapped, making the two fillies jump. Still, the shock was short lived as the pair’s expressions shifted to annoyance and disinterest.

“Oh look, Silver Spoon, it’s the town librarian. What, trying to find ponies that have over due books?” Diamond Tiara teased.

GelidEnmity: Suddenly, Twilight’s horn lit up and their heads exploded.
NON SEQUITOR

“Where is Nyx?”

“Who is that? We don’t know a Nyx, do we Silver Spoon?”

“Doesn’t ring a bell.” Silver Spoon said behind a giggle. Diamond Tiara would have joined in the giggle, but the laughter died in her chest as her eyes fell on Twilight Sparkle.

Ezn: “I’ve always liked older mares...”

While reports of such things are rare, especially magically inclined unicorns were said to be able to perform a rage shift,

Casca: Manacost 140/160/180, cooldown 45 seconds, and buying Aghanim's Specter will improve both.

where their anger feeds into their magic and causes a physical change to their bodies.

Ezn: This was not, as previously suspected, a symbolic artistic flourish on the part of the animators.

Twilight had experienced one such rage shift when she was trying to understand Pinkie Pie’s sixth sense, and today would be the second occurrence.

Ezn: Nyx is just that important!
Anon13: ITYM Mary Sue.

Mane and tail set ablaze by her rage driven magic,

FreeKey: Okay, not a calm or polite or civil, but definitely an Equestrian way.

eyes a glowing red, and coat a bright, angry white, Twilight glared down at Diamond Tiara like a fiery unicorn of doom.

Vimbert: Strike them down with all of your hatred.

“Unless you want me to turn you into a cactus tell me where Nyx is RIGHT NOW!”

Ezn: “I’d like to be a cactus.”

“She’s in the Everfree Forest!” Diamond Tiara squeaked out in fear. “We... we told her that the forest got really nice if you go deep enough and gave her a

Ezn: spinning top and some guns.

map. She left from Sugarcube Corner and that’s the last we saw of her!”

Twilight’s rage shift ended,

Anon13: OK, that makes no sense. Going nuclear makes more sense.
Ezn: Luckily, Spike was on hoof to tow away the red background.

her her mane, tail, coat, and eyes returning to normal

Ezn: but everything else staying enraged.

as her eyes narrowed into pin points. Without another word, Twilight spun on her hooves and galloped back towards the center of Ponyville, where Rainbow Dash would be gathering her friends. It would be getting dark soon, and the Everfree Forest only got more dangerous in the dark.

==============

Nyx trembled, just barely keeping herself moving. It had gotten dark, and the forest had gotten very, very scary.

DiStort: As opposed to before, when the forest was all bright and happy with little birds singing copy-written Disney songs in the background.

The little filly looked around the path anxiously, looking at the many long shadows... seeing things that looked like scary monsters.

Ezn: “Ah! Nightmare Moon! Oh wait, that’s just my reflection.”

It was only by some miracle that the moon was three fourths full,

disco: Or one quarter empty.
Ezn: Deft language usage, as always.

providing plenty of light to see the path ahead.

Nyx had given up trying to find the nice part of the forest, just trying to get back to Ponyville.

Ezn: She had also given up try to get away from comma splices, just let them have their way with her.

But, she had lost her map when something startled her and she ran, leaving the map behind.

Ezn: She took a moment to mourn the fate of her only true friend.

Now she was wandering around aimlessly but what else could she do?

disco: Yell for help? Fly? Use her magic to send up some kind of distress signal?
Ezn: This was the only way she could symbolise the direction of the story she was in.

She tried to follow the paths that were familiar, ones she thought looked like parts of the forest she had seen before. Still, she hadn’t even crossed the river again, the one landmark Nyx was desperately hoping to see, even if the sea serpent was back.

Rounding a corner in the path, Nyx came to a stop as her eyes fell on aged and worn stone.

DiStort: "OH MY GOD, A GIANT ROCK!"
Ezn: So handsome!

A creaky rope bridge hung over a deep expanse, shifting gently from side to side. On the far side was the ruins of an ancient castle, long forgotten and partially overtaken by the Everfree Forest.

Ezn: The Everfree didn’t make it a priority to remember castles.

It was something Nyx knew she hadn’t passed by on her way into the forest, and yet... it was strangely familiar.

Ezn: I WONDER WHY

Without really thinking about it,

Ezn: Taking a page from Ethan.

Nyx carefully stepped out onto the bridge, crossing the expanse. Thankfully none of the wooden planks gave away, Nyx able to cross to the other side without incident.

Ezn: I’m just relieved that those planks are all okay!

Still, as the filly looked up the long forgotten castle... she began to remember something, a memory rising to the surface.

Ezn: “Hey, remember that time my memory rose to the surface?” “Yeah man, that was craaaaaazy. What were we even on?”

It wasn’t like she was trying to remember, but the memory just wouldn’t go away. It forced itself to the front of Nyx’s mind,

Ezn: Taking advantage of her nubile lobes.

the voices and blurry images from the memory playing in her head.

Disco: Obligatory flashback sequence, go!

Oh, my beloved subjects. It's been so long since I've seen your precious little sun-loving faces.

What did you do with our Princess?

Whoa there, Nelly!

Why, am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?

Ooh! Ooh! More guessing games! Um... Hokey Smokes! How about Queen Meanie? No! Black Snooty, Black Snooty!

Does my crown no longer count, now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?

I did, and I know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon. Nightmare Moon.

Well well well, somepony who remembers me. Then you also know why I'm here.

You're here to... to...

Crazy56U: "...uh... ...line?"

Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night will last forever! AH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Ezn: “This is a pretty good show. My memories should play it more often, instead of that Strawberry Shortcake nonsense.”

Nyx shook her head, finally managing to banish the blurred thought

disco: to the moon?

that had overtaken her mind.

Ezn: “Uurgh, reruns.”

She had recognized some of the voices, she had heard Twilight’s voice... but there was a voice she shouldn’t have recognized, but did. The voice of

Ezn: BILLY MAYS HERE TO SELL YOU SOME OXYCLEAN

the older mare, the one who laughed in the end. It was a voice that Nyx felt she kind of remembered, but she couldn’t remember who it belonged to.

Putting the strange occurrence out of her mind,

Vimbert: Clearly, this won’t come up again.

the filly began climbing the steps to the castle. She didn’t know why, but she just had to see the inside. She climbed steps, navigated old hallways, and eventually climbed to the one remaining tower. Despite its age, Nyx couldn’t help but shake the thought from her head that she had just entered the palace’s old throne room... like she had been there before.

The little filly stepped into the center of the room, looking up at the broken glass windows at the far end. She then winced in pain, a memory coming to the surface of her mind again. This memory, however, was far more aggressive. It would not be ignored; it shoved all other thoughts out of the way, demanding attention.

disco: Just like Rarity.
Anon13: HATE IT when thoughts have temper tantrums! Where’s its binky?

Nyx could remember standing at the far end of the room, looking down across it. She was looking down at a small purple unicorn... a unicorn she knew... Twilight.

You little foal! Thinking you could defeat me? Now you will never see your princess, or your sun! The night will last forever!

Nyx could remember herself saying those words.

disco: She practiced them in front of a mirror for hours.

She could remember thinking them, but even worse... she could remember the feelings behind those thoughts.

Ezn: She just couldn’t remember the name of the drugs Twilight had given her the day she’d had this sweet trip.

She wanted to hurt Twilight, to punish the unicorn for trying to usurp her.

DiStort: She wasn't really trying to usurp you so much as vaporize you with rainbow laser beams.

She was thinking about banishing her, imprisoning her... even torturing her.

GelidEnmity: Don’t turn into a clopfic, don’t turn into a clopfic...

Nyx struggled against the memory. No, she wouldn’t want to hurt Twilight. Twilight was the kindest pony she knew. It was Twilight who took care of her, who taught her, who read her to sleep at night with story books.

Ezn: who touched her in uncomfortable places and made her a mare.

It was Twilight that had found her in the forest. She didn’t want to hurt Twilight.

Vimbert: She wanted Twilight to hurt her.
GelidEnmity: Suggestive Themes make this a T rated comment.

Dark shadows shifted around the room, dispelled magic that had laid dormant being awaken by Nyx’s presence. Trails of purple smoke began to creep towards Nyx, and as the magic began to seep into her, the memory continued, despite how Nyx would want it to stop.

She saw Twilight with her friends, the unicorn giving a long speech about elements... and then there was a bright light. A light so bright that it hurt to look at it,

disco: Blinded by the light!
scriber: Wrapped up like a deuce in the middle of the night!

that she had to shield herself from it with her wing. And then... then there was a rainbow... but not a nice, pretty rainbow.

No, the rainbow lunged at her like an angry snake, encircling her. It... it burned. It was burning her away, tearing her away from something else. It was like a savage animal with razor sharp claws, tearing her to ribbons despite her cries.

Anon13: Too late she remembered the warning “Stay away from the brown acid!”

Nyx collapsed on the floor of the castle, panting heavily as the memory finally relented.

Midnight: (raises hoof, puts it down) “Honestly, by now, is ANYPONY surprised?”

Despite the cool feel of the castle stone floor the filly could still feel the burning pain of the rainbow, how it had cut and tore at her.

Disco: Guess she doesn't like Skittles.

And with that memory other thoughts began to bubble to the surface as more and more of the purple smoke began to draw in from the room and feed into Nyx. The thoughts were desires... hateful desires. Desires to hurt ponies, to make them pay for ignoring her. Memories of being scorned and ignored,

DiStort: As the aforementioned desires alluded to.

memories of jealousy and anguish.

Casca: And memories of bananas. Bananas as far as the eye could see.

Amongst these thoughts a few began to stand out.

Ezn: Before stopping halfway, in an awkward half-crouch position.

Thoughts that mingled with Nyx’s latest memories of her friends, of Twilight. They began to poison those memories, filling them with hatred. She wanted to hurt Twilight. She wanted to make her suffer, wanted to torture her. These were thoughts that Nyx didn’t want to have, the little filly clapping her hooves against the side of her head.

Ezn: But alas, she squeezed a little too hard, and her brains splattered on the cold stone floor.
GelidEnmity: Fin

“NO!!!” Nyx tried to argue, shouting to the silence of the castle as if to chase the thoughts away. “I don’t want to hurt Twilight! She takes care of me, teaches me things, let’s me go to school. I don’t want to hurt her!”

Yet the thoughts continued, unrelenting. Thoughts of how she would hurt Twilight. How she would torture the unicorn. Snap off her horn, keep her locked into a dungeon,

Ozimul: FORESHADOWING

horrible thoughts that started to make Nyx physically ill.

Ezn: And then further horrible thoughts that excited her somewhat.

“NO!” Nyx cried to the silence. “I don’t want to hurt Twilight! I don’t want to!”

The thoughts were reaching a boil.

Anon13: Time to lower the stove to medium heat and add the other ingredients.

As Nyx tried to push some away, more rose in their place. Thoughts of how she’d hurt Twilight’s friends to make the unicorn suffer. How she’d go after Twilight’s family. Of all the ways she could break the unicorn’s spirit.

“NO! NO NO NO NO NO NOOOO!!!”

With that final scream something sparked to life inside Nyx,

GelidEnmity: She’s a woman!

the filly alicorn’s eyes glowing white.

Ezn: Avatar state, yip yip!

The creeping tendrils of purple smoke suddenly shifted, swirling faster and faster as they were sucked down into the filly like water in a whirlpool.

Ezn: I’ve seen enough hentai to know where this is going.

At the same time the dark desires began to fade, ebbing away and leaving as Nyx floated up into the air.

When the last traces of the purple cloud was gone, Nyx’s horn sparked, a crack of lighting lancing up from her horn and into the sky with a thunderous boom.

==============

Celestia bolted up in bed, turning her eyes to her window, through which she could see the distant Ponyville and the Everfree Forest. Her breathing was still,

Ezn: HELP, HELP, she’s been assassinated!

the alicorn trying to stretch out her magic and senses. For a moment, it felt like... but that was impossible.

Ezn: Her heart had been closed to love for too many years for this sudden fluttering.

She could sense Luna in castle, in the main hall...

Disco: Talking to her abacus again...
ozimulm: In addition to raiding the sock drawers....

but this presence.

It was short lived, but she had sensed her presence... a presence the sun princess hoped to never sense again.

Ezn: I know you mean, Celestia. Underlined words are soooo last century.

==============

In another part of Canterlot, a dark blue unicorn with turquoise eyes,

Disco: Hey, look! Epic Failure is back!

who was sitting in his study, also looked out his window.

Ezn: It faced the window of the mare he’d pined after for years. He looked on as she slept peacefully.

His eyes remained focus on the window for a time, looking out beyond it on the distant Everfree Forest. He shut the book he had been reading, a complex spell book on theoretical resurrection magic.

Ezn: with a copy of Playcolt hidden inside.

The figure quickly moved to the door of his study, opening it and calling out into the hallways of the stately manor.

“Proper Etiquette!?”

GelidEnmity: “I’ve never HEARD of such a thing!”

“You called Sir?” The butler pony replied, quickly zipping up.

GelidEnmity: Guess he got called at the wrong time...

He was an all white unicorn with a collar and tie around his neck and a monocle over his right eye, his eyes turquoise as well.

“Have messages sent to Miss Gray Gale, Miss Night Wind, and Mr. Stonewall. I need to speak them right away, this evening if possible.”

DiStort: “We are going to have a movie night AND THEY ARE GOING TO LIKE IT.”
Ezn: “And then we are going to do each others’ manes and talk about boys.”

“Of course Sir. I will have them summoned immediately.”

==============

“AAHHHH!!!” Twilight cried out in pain,

Ezn: and in Capslock

tripping over her own hooves. She and her friends had been racing through the Everfree forest when a arcane bolt of lighting launched itself up into the sky.

Ezn: It’s always an arcane lightning bolt! Why can’t it ever be a comprehensive one?

Twilight tumbled on the ground, landing in a heap on the side of the path. Rarity and Fluttershy

Ezn: saw her tumblin’, they hatin’

quickly galloped up while the others were transfixed skyward, where they had just seen the bolt of magic.

“WHOA!!! Did you see that!?” Dash asked, the pegasus pointing skyward.

Ezn: “The sky, maaan. Have you ever looked at the sky? It’s everywhere...”

“Sure did Sugarcube. Where do you reckon it came from?”

“Oh, the Everfree Forest!” Pinkie Pie chirped.

“Well, no duh Pinkie Pie.” Rainbow Dash pointed out. “We’re kind of in the Everfree Forest.”

“Of course, Silly, that’s how I knew that lighting bolt came from here.”

Dash could only face hoof while Twilight struggled to her hooves.

FreeKey: "Your hooves Rainbow Dash, I want them, I need them.
Ezn: and while Rarity placed a hoof on Fluttershy, who waved a hoof at Pinkie.

“Twilight, Dear, what happened?” Rarity asked. “You were running just fine and then you... you just crashed. Did you trip on your own hooves?”

Ezn: “No, it was your hooves, you naughty, lustful filly!”

“No... I just...

FreeKey: "wanted a taste of the ground for some reason."

it felt like a big surge of magic was just released. It... it came from the old castle... and I think Nyx is there.”

Pen Stroke: I was going to have this uncanny knowledge mean something at some point, and then... plah.
GelidEnmity: There’s been a disturbance...in...the force. Like a certain *cough* Mary Sue *cough* cried out in pain and was suddenly silenced.
Ozimul: Pinkie sense? Blasphemy. Sensing Nyx at an old castle? Totally legit.

“But why would she be there?” Rarity asked as Twilight got to her hooves.

Ezn: “This is where all the cool kids hang these days.”

“I don’t know... but I got to get to her now.” Twilight said, her horn starting to glow. Before any of her friends could protest the unicorn was enveloped in light, teleporting away.

DiStort: Way to abandon your friends in a forest, Twilight.
Midnight: Way to mangle to Equestrian Language, Twilight.

==============

Twilight reappeared, looking around the room she had not been in since the last Summer Sun Celebration. The throne room in the Ancient Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters,

Ezn: Well, that’s what it said on the sign. “Ancient” had been added by the master tagger, CpnObviouz.

where she and her friends had defeated Nightmare Moon. The room was just as Twilight remembered it, except for a single small detail.

Lying in the center of the room, bawling her eyes out, was Nyx.

Ezn: “Nightmare Moon is so small this time! This’ll be easy!”

Twilight rushed over to the filly, getting down on the floor beside her as the unicorn did her best to embrace and comfort the little pony.

Ezn: successfully terrifying her further.

“Shhhh... it’s okay. It’s okay.”

Saint: Pinkie, get the shotgun, she's gone NM
disco: She's gone to New Mexico?

Twilight reassured, Nyx trembling in her hooves. Still, as Twilight looked down at the filly, she took notice of something that made her heart skip a beat.

Ezn: “We’re going to make your death as painless as possible, don’t worry.”

Nyx’s mane and tail had changed, becoming a swirling cloud of bluish-purple dotted with stars. It was the “hair” of Nightmare Moon. Still, even as Twilight was trying to process the existence of the mystical mane and tail they began to fade and change, reverting back to the regal purple hair Nyx normally had.

Ezn: While reports of such things are rare, especially magically inclined unicorns were said to be able to perform a sadness shift, where their emoness feeds into their magic and causes a physical change to their manes and tails. True story.

The unicorn found herself hugging Nyx even tighter,

Ezn: “Can’t... breathe...”
Midnight: “Ssh, shh, it’ll all be over soon...”

her mind trying to find some way to explain what she had just seen.

Vimbert: Here’s an easy one: the filly CREATED BY THE SPELL MEANT TO BRING BACK NIGHTMARE MOON is NIGHTMARE MOON. What a shocker, I know.

“I’m sorry, please don’t hate me!”

Disco: A feeble appeal to the readers.

Nyx wailed,

Ozimul: "Now, now, Nyx, don't go stealing my quotes from the Trixie incident."

burying her head in Twilight’s chest.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m not mad.

GelidEnmity: “But I still hate you.”
Ezn: This sort of deep-rooted hatred doesn’t just go away, young Nyx.

I know Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon tricked you to come here.”

“No... I’m sorry I wanted to hurt you.”

“When did you-?”

Ezn: “Well, I really didn’t like it when you touched my-” “Shh, not here!”

“I... I don’t know. I came in here and then... and then I remembered looking down on you. We were both here, and you looked so scared, and I was happy to see you were scared... and I wanted to hurt you, because you tried to stop me from doing something... but I don’t want to hurt you, Twilight. Please... please don’t hate me, I don’t want to hurt you.”

Disco: I don't want to be a cliched and hammy villain!
DiStort: “Well, that’s a shame young lady, ‘cause the feeling ain’t mutual.”
Ezn: “This gives me a great idea for tonight, though!”
Saint: Does she really want to hurt her? Does she really want to make her cry?

“I know you don’t.” Twilight reassured. “It’s okay, I know you don’t.”

Ezn: “And you don’t have to. I’ve got enough self-loathing for the both of us!”

Still, the unicorn couldn’t help but look up at the far end of the throne room, where the true Nightmare Moon had stood on the night of her defeat.

Ezn: with the false Nightmare Moon seated just behind her, enjoying some popcorn.

There was only one pony Twilight had ever really stopped, a pony whose plan she had thwarted.

Vimbert: Assuming you don’t count Trixie.
Ezn: And who does?
Trixie: The Great and Powerful Trixie is not thwarted by a mere bookish Nerd! The Great and Powerful Trixie decided to retreat!

That pony had been defeated in that very room, and it was possibly the room itself that triggered these memories in Nyx.

Ezn: Y’think?

It sent a chill down Twilight’s spine and she hugged Nyx as tightly as she could without hurting the filly.

Ezn: Much.
GelidEnmity: Her hug was interrupted by a sickening *SNAP*.
THE FREAKIN’ END

If she remembered this place... if she had memories of that night... then... then there was a chance she really was Nightmare Moon.

Ezn: Twilight became confused as to how many notches she now needed to carve in her bedpost.

Twilight shook her head, feeling herself tear up. No... it couldn’t be true. She wouldn’t believe it. She didn’t care what anypony said. Nyx wasn’t Nightmare Moon, she just wasn’t.

Vimbert: Twilight loved Big Brother.

It just couldn’t be true... could it?

disco: Search your feelings, you know it to be true!
Lightsideluc: YOU CAN’T HANDLE TH- Oh wait, we’ve already done that joke...
Vimbert: Hasn’t stopped us yet, Light.
DiStort: He’s right. If we cared about repeating jokes, we wouldn’t have all of the Twilight=rape stuff.
Ezn: *Everypony=rape. It’s like a Tumblr account in here!
Crazy56U: We will have more information on this as it develops. But first, your local weather.

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Questions, Comments, Concerns?

Crazy56U: Oh, you have no idea...

[email protected]

My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic © Hasbro
I do not own the intellectual properties this fan-fiction is based on.

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Disco: And the chapter slowly, mercifully stumbles to a close.
GelidEnmity: Finally! I can finish it!
The End (for real this time!)
Anon13: Oh no, Gelid... it’s only just begun.

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