Ch1: Rise of the Nightmare

Chapter one: Rise of the Nightmare

As the sun rose over the distant mountains, Celestia walked through the massive halls of the palace, contemplating the rest of her day. She had a meeting with the ministers of state, delegation over a land dispute between two parties from the border Equestria shared with the neighboring Republic of Zebrabwe, and was attending the wedding reception of her “nephew” Prince Blueblood (how he had convinced any mare to engage him was beyond her understanding, but she wished them well). Then she would try and meet with Luna to see how things were progressing regarding her work with the recently formed Peacekeeping Corps, and maybe get a bite to eat, all by 3 o’ clock, when she expected to receive her faithful student Twilight Sparkle. She was looking forward to seeing her now graduated disciple. It would be the first contact they had been able to make in nearly a month, and Celestia wanted to make sure she had some time to converse with her favorite purple unicorn. As she trotted past the stairs of the entrance hall, she lightly hummed to herself, and went out to the nearby balcony for a moment of fresh air before hours in a stuffy room with even stuffier ponies. It was yet another truly glorious day in the paradise she called her lands, and she relished every bit of it, soaking in the suns warm rays and letting the smell of flowers from the royal garden waft to her nostrils. Suddenly, she froze up, and slowly sniffed the air again. She had gotten a whiff of something, a smell she recognized, but couldn’t quite place. She shrugged, passing it off as her trying to give herself an excuse to avoid the meeting, and slowly cantered back inside.

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Meanwhile, in the maze portion of the palace garden, Luna was giving instruction and running early drills with some of her handpicked elites for the Peacekeeping Corps. As her sister was older and had had a thousand years’ worth of experience of running a government, Luna readily agreed to leave the day to day ruling to Celestia. She would be more or less free to do as she wished, and so, sensing a need for it, had taken up the role of defending Equestria from any given phenomena, enemy, or situation. However, while she felt incredible pride in her own abilities and success, the role she had chosen was another constant reminder of her fall. She had betrayed her sister, and in being banished, was released from the constraint of her jealousy, but the scars of a thousand years alone in the darkness and the knowledge of her betrayal remained heavy in her heart. So, to distract herself, she ran drills with her honor guard at least once a day, and personally saw to the training of the officers that would command beneath her. She had the complete trust and loyalty of each of her soldiers, as she wouldn’t put them through anything she was unwilling or unable to do herself. Ready to begin, Luna shouted to her second in command, “Stronghoof, gather the squad!” The gigantic stallion’s rugged face sparkled, his one curl of golden hair bobbed, and his eyes lit up.

“Of course, Princess Luna, at once! I shall gather them with a speed unrivaled by any, passed down through the generations of the Stronghoof line!” He quickly stood in the iconic pose of his cutie mark, kneeling and flexing one foreleg with the other pointed to the horizon, and was gone in a flash. Luna couldn’t help but smile at the Major’s trademarked statement/pose and overly dramatic personality.

As soon as the others had been called to attention, she announced the plan for the drill.“I have arranged for the 2nd platoon to gather on the far side of the maze and act as the aggressors in this little exercise. That means four squads against us, and they have ten to a squad. As well as superior numbers, they hold the high ground and have a base set up on the far side of the maze. We need to thin them out and capture the base, all by thirteen hundred hours. Am I clear?”

“Yes, Princess!” they shouted in unison.

“As you all are well aware, this will not be a live fire exercise. That said, they have been instructed to come at us with all they have, and those rubber bullets still sting like a manticore tail. We will be going in with limited weaponry, so if you need something, take it from one of the soldiers in the field. I am allowing the use of martial arts, but no killing, and preferably no broken bones or organs; these are still our own men after all. Stronghoof, you are to take Rocky and Archer with you, running interference on the left front, drawing their fire. Other orders are your own call.”

“Of course, Princess Luna!” Stronghoof shouted, turning to the others and meeting their eye: Rocky Mountain, a brown earth stallion, nearly as large as the Major himself, grinned and began to ready his explosives, and Archer Bodkin, a blue pegasus mare, the youngest of the group, but the best sniper in the Corps, nodded excitedly.

“While they draw the enemies’ attention, Starshade will lead a covert attack on their units in the maze, with Rain and Flicker.” Starshade, the matte black pegasus mare, simply nodded, and turned to look at her unit . Rain Dance, the green and blue unicorn mare smiled and popped another round into the clip for her assault rifle while Flicker Flash, a lean earth stallion, gray with a red streaked mane, stretched and grinned widely.

“While the two teams carry out their objectives, Steel and I will be assaulting the base. We attack fifteen minutes after Stronghoof’s team begins their operation, giving both teams time to work, and effectively emptying the base of all resistance.” Steel Thunder, a large steel colored pegasus stallion, grunted his affirmation.

Though a motley crew, they were the best at what they did, and had honed their cooperation with each and every other member of the group to a razors edge. They were the perfect team of soldiers, and were eager to begin their mission.

“After you have neutralized as many of the opposing forces as you can within the three hour mark, carefully make your way to the far base and meet up with us. I trust you will get this done with no trouble. NOW, GO!” Luna shouted with the Royal Equestrian Voice, commencing the operation and shaking up the soldiers on the far side of the field, who all heard it and trembled at the force behind it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“NOW, GO!” echoed throughout the halls and Celestia smirked at hearing the Royal Equestrian Voice. She for one had never cared for it, and had stopped using it before she took up rule, but Luna still found use for it.

“Majesty,” said the Chancellor, clearing his throat, “it would be best for all present if you would please return your full attention to the matters at hand…”

“Chancellor” Celestia responded quietly, “I appreciate what you mean, and understand that these matters are important, but in all honesty, I know they can be settled under local jurisdiction, and I grow weary of listening to every little detail of cases that can be solved easily and management that is better handled by the ponies that live there. Now, if you will please excuse me, I wish to lie down for a spell.” With that, she quietly stood and left the room with demure grace.

As she sauntered back towards her chambers, she once again smelled that same strange smell. This time however, she recalled what it was, and gasped in horror. Hearing the Royal Equestrian Voice, something from so long ago, had reminded her of her past, and so the smell fell right into place. It was that of the master she and Luna had shared as fillies, long since dead and gone, yet his scent was unmistakable and pungent, as though he was in the room with her. He had been their teacher, best friend, and general care taker since they could remember, and had died saving them from the same fate as the rest of the Alicorn race, falling before the legions of the Nightmare. His sacrifice had destroyed any chance the Nightmare had had at victory, but at the heavy cost of his life. There was simply no way he could be there.

She quickly fled back to the balcony she had first picked up the scent, and looked upward. The sky had become gray, the clouds moving erratically, and she could hear shouts from across the palace yard. “SISTER!!” shouted Luna, as she streaked to where Celestia stood “We have a problem!” Clearly, the drill had been interrupted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Celestia whispered “No….. No, it cannot be!” Before them, hovering in terrifying reality, was their old master, twisted and evil. His once shining golden coat and silver mane were dulled, waving with malevolent energy, and his eyes held no sign of their original kindness, but contempt and rage.

“Well, well, well…. If it isn’t my favorite students. My, how you’ve grown! Oh, I have truly missed you both. Being dead for a millennium or so is quite lonely, and clearly, we have much to catch up on!” The princesses were dumbstruck. “What is wrong, young ones? You look like you’ve seen a ghost! HA HA HA HA!” he laughed sinisterly.

“How? How could you possibly be here? We saw you die! You saved us from the Nightmare!” Celestia shouted.

“How? You want to know how I can be here?” he snorted. “I’ll tell you how. I am the Nightmare, reborn! This old fool sought to rescue you from a fate worse than death, but in doing so, sealed your fate with his own hooves! The irony is just delicious! He gave all his soul to the last attack that destroyed my army, and my body. I thought I would be successful at finally ridding myself of the two of you when I had control of your “dear sister”, but those cursed Elements of Harmony cast me out. It shan’t happen twice, for you both know not a force of this world can contest the strength of this form. Your master was the strongest alicorn ever, physically, mentally, and magically! And he felt the need to leave his body open and waiting for me, as soon as I was finished repairing it! How very kind of him, wouldn’t you say, Princesses?” Those words hung with venom, and the sisters realized they had to stop this abomination. But how?

Celestia thought quickly. “Luna, lend me your power!” she shouted, and began casting the most intricate spell she had ever conceived. One which bound the power of this creature in an alternate dimension until a certain condition was met. The possibility that the power could be restored was the only clause of the spell keeping it all in balance. Unfortunately, they had no way to permanently disable or destroy the vile creature that was before them, but Celestia had just bought them a chance.

“What…. What have you done to me?!?!?!?!?” The creature bellowed, its voice trembling with rage.

“We simply stripped you of your power,” Celestia said smugly, “until you meet a certain condition. You must face the best warriors our world has to offer, in a tournament. If, and only if, you win will you be restored. Should this happen, you know as well as we do that we will be unable to stop you, and you will have your way. The only thing keeping us from killing you now is the fact that if we attack you ourselves, your power will flow back to you when we make any form of contact. Therefore, it will fall to our subjects to defeat you. I have the utmost confidence in their abilities. Your reign of tyranny will be ended, and you will finally be destroyed, by the greatest we have seen in our many years!”

“What is to keep me from making said contact myself, and destroying the two of you in the process?” Nightmare asked, sneering.

“Part of the spell,” responded Celestia, “will shield us from any and all attacks using your own energy. While we cannot attack, defensive magic is far easier to bind, and so you cannot retrieve your magic by trying to destroy us. You would only succeed in further weakening yourself!” The sneer vanished, and was replaced by a look of pure hatred. “Do you agree to put yourself to our test? Or shall we have you shot down by the Peacekeeping Corps?”

“FINE!! I SHALL PARTICIPATE IN THIS FOOLISHNESS, BUT IT WILL NOT AVAIL YOU! I WILL STILL DESTROY YOU, AND TAKE YOUR PLACE AS RIGHTFUL RULER OF THIS WORLD!!! Perhaps I shall even have some fun, utterly destroying your precious subjects.” it spat.

“That is the other defensive part of the spell. None shall die under this tournament until the very end, in the fight between you and our greatest warriors. Our powers combine with yours to revive any hurt and killed as we see fit. Killing will not benefit you here.” The Nightmare snorted derisively,

“So be it. See you on the battle field, my students.” And with a bright flash, the Nightmare vanished.

“Sister?” Luna asked tentatively, “What are we going to do? You and I both know we have no way of participating, and none of our subjects could possibly be a match for that abomination! They’ll be slaughtered!”

“No, Luna,” Celestia responded calmly, “we have hope. The Nightmare agreed to our terms without specifying any rules or regulations. The spell is finalized, and it cannot go against its word. Its hubris will be its undoing. We need to stack this tournament in our favor as best we can, and strike as hard as possible. We have but one chance…. Call Twilight Sparkle, and the holders of the Elements of Harmony to me, as soon as you can. We have much to discuss with them."

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Major thanks to my friends for helping refine my writings here, as well as any and all readers, and the brony community in general. Peace!

Ch2: The best laid plans

Chapter two: The best laid plans…

While there was incredible turbulence from the raging emotions and magic at the castle, none of it reached Ponyville. The idyllic little town kept on hustling and bustling as it always had; daily life uninterrupted for its occupants. That is, until Twilight came through. *Crash* *Smash* She ran into boxes and the occasional potted plant as she ran. “Late….. latelatelatelatelatelate LATE!” she muttered under her breath as she scurried through the streets, heading towards the train station. Spike was out of breath and hustling to keep up, despite the size difference between them. He was at least half again as tall as Twilight now, his purple and emerald spikes shining in the sunlight. He had grown into a fine young dragon, but still had a way to go, as he was a tenth of his full grown size and strength. “Spike, hurry UP, or we’re going to miss the train!” Twilight shouted back. Spike added that little extra burst of speed as he mumbled about how she sounded like his mother. “What was that?!?” she glared back at him, not noticing where she was running.

“Nothing,” Spike shouted back, “But you might want to look where you’re….” *Crash* “Oooooh…. That’s gotta hurt” Twilight had literally upset the applecart, and of course the mare behind it.

“TWILIGHT!!! Ah swear, ya’ll ‘re as clumsy as a tap dancin’ rattlesnake!” shouted the young cream colored mare, with her red hair tied up in a “pony-tail”.

“Sorry Applebloom, I’d help you clean up, but I’m late getting to the train station!!” Twilight shouted back as she careened around a corner. The teenaged filly huffed, and started picking up her wares. She then deftly bucked a pair of apples to Spike, who caught them without looking.

“Thanks ‘Bloom! You know how she gets, we’ll help next time we drop by, Pinkie Promise!” he waved back at her.

“Ya’ll better, or my sister’ll be getting’ an earful, believe you me! And that don’t bode too well for the two a’ ya!” she tossed playfully back at him. She of course had no such intentions, it was just part of the game. Twilight being in a panic and causing mayhem had become a regular occurrence in Ponyville, and all its occupants cut her some slack. She HAD saved the town more times than folks could count, not to mention she and Spike were well liked and renowned by all. “Shoot, now what’m I gonna do? That was the mos’ excitin’ thing to happen today…” Applebloom pouted, then sighed and went back to work tending the apples.

As she and Spike sped through the streets, Twilight was mentally counting down the seconds until the train left, and was beginning to panic further, when suddenly her momentum was halted. The last thing she saw before she hit the ground was a pink blur, and then next thing she knew, she was looking up at her five best friends, the one who tackled her directly on top, grinning ear to ear.

“Twilight Twilight Twilight! We all heard you were leaving for a few days and we were worried you’d be gone by the time we got here but you weren’t and I was sooooo happy that I just had to jump over and glomp you!” Pinkie said in one short breath.

“Pinkie, I’m really glad to see you and all, but I’m late, and I need to get going!!” Twilight said as she struggled to get free.

“Now keep yer mane straight, we were jus’ comin’ by to see ya off, an’ we knew you were a bit late so…”

“NONONONONONO this is not just a bit late, as you so casually suggest Applejack. I am running exactly fifteen minutes and thirty-seven seconds late! It’d be a miracle if I haven’t missed the train!” she shouted as she tossed and turned beneath a heavy layer of Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash began to tug on Pinkie, trying to help Twilight up.

“Well DUH! Sheesh, that’s why we’re here!” the cyan and rainbow mare said, finally freeing the captive unicorn. Immediately Twilight was sprinting towards the doors to the station, but again, momentum was stopped, and she suddenly turned around to face them, a blue glow surrounding her body.

“Yes, of course, we understand dear, but we still need to say our goodbyes after all! This could be the last time we see each other, and I simply couldn’t bear to face the dreadful thoughts of not saying goodbye to you before you go on such a big journey!” Rarity hammed it up as she dragged Twilight back toward the group.

“Rarity, I’m just going to Canterlot for the afternoon…. I’ll be back by tomorrow!!! Now LET ME GO!” she said as she burst Rarity’s magic with her own, and then proceeded to fall right on top of Fluttershy. “Oh, Fluttershy, are you alright?!?!? I’m SO sorry!!” All she got was a little squeak, so she quickly jumped up.

“Ouch…. Twilight, I’m sorry, are you all right?” Fluttershy asked quickly.

“Fluttershy, you have nothing to be sorry for, it was my fault. Now, if you’ll all excuse me I NEED to go!” In her struggles to escape the others, she landed some smarting blows, and then Rainbow and Applejack jumped into the fray to calm her. Spike huffed and puffed as he finally caught up, rewarded with the strange sight of the six best friends in all of Equestria accidentally pummeling each other as they struggled to calm Twilight and get loose of one another.

As this occurred, Derpy floated by, happily munching a muffin. Seeing the tussle, she stopped and asked “Hey, you all okay? Anything I can do to help?”

“NO!”, they shouted in unison.

Upon seeing Derpy’s face, however, they quickly recanted. “Derpy, I’m sorry,” Twilight said, “We’re fine, I’m just running late and am very stressed.”

“Oh, that’s ok then. See you later guys!”, and with that, the grey pegasus flitted off towards the center of town.

Suddenly, the train whistle blew, and Twilight blitzed for the platform. Waiting there was the train to Canterlot, with dozens of ponies on board looking and laughing at the show. “This is what we we’re tryin’ ta tell ya sugarcube. We asked the train ta stay a mite longer so ya could get on easy after sayin’ yer goodbyes.”

“Oh my…. I’m sorry everypony. I made a complete fool of myself, and hurt you all for no reason.”

“Its fine” said Rainbow Dash, “I was looking for a good workout anyway! Besides, we all know how you get when you’re flustered and want to impress the princess.” Twilight turned a shade of bright red, and they all shared a laugh as they gathered for a group hug before Twilight boarded.

However, the perfect moment was shattered when they heard wing beats and a call “Twilight Sparkle!” Two of Celestia’s guards streaked towards them, out of breath, but still pushing hard, trailing a large enchanted flight carriage. They landed with a heavy unified thud, and one stepped forward. “Miss Sparkle, the Princess has requested your and your friends’ presence at the castle immediately. Something has happened.” With that, the six shared a look and clambered aboard the carriage as Applejack waved the conductor for the train out of the station.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It’s sure been a while since we were all here, huh gang?” asked Spike, as they walked quickly down the large entrance hall for the castle.

“Not now Spike, we need to hurry!” shushed Twilight. They quickly trotted up the steps and headed directly for Celestia’s hearing chambers. There, they saw a sight that frightened them on a deep level. Both of their beloved princesses, clearly shaken up and drained, were seated on the far side of the room. None of the group had ever seen either princess like this, let alone both at once. Something was very wrong…

“Princess Celestia, we came as soon as we could. What’s going on? What happened to the two of you? You look terrible!”

“Twilight, all will be explained in a moment. First, I feel like we could all use a little tea.” With that, several servants poured in and presented each pony (and dragon) with a fine cup of hot tea. Spike downed it all at once, relishing the warmth it spread through his body, and the rest sipped quietly as they waited for the princess to speak again. After several moments of silence, Celestia looked at them sternly, and began to recant the tale of what had occurred that morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I…. wait…… What?!?!” Rainbow asked incredulously.
“You heard exactly what I said, Rainbow Dash. The stallion that taught Luna and I, thousands of years ago, one who we believed to be dead and gone has returned, possessed by the same nightmare that held Luna the day you all first met, during the Summer Sun Festival. Somehow it has survived and come back stronger than ever, in the only form we couldn’t hope to defeat…. “

“How is this possible?” Twilight asked. “I’ve never heard of any of this before…. None of the history texts mentioned anything like what you’ve described, you’ve never said anything of your mentor, and we always assumed you were the strongest of your kind.” she stated.

“Yes, I realize this must be a lot to take in, but I assure you, it’s all true. We never revealed it to anyone, because it was never relevant. We thought that force had been destroyed by our teacher’s final act…. I never suspected It was what had Luna acting as she did. I knew there was something wrong with Luna, all those years ago, but I never suspected she was being controlled...”

Luna spoke up, “I find it hard to believe as well, but I think ‘tis the truth. I recall whispers in the dark, taunting me, angering me, flaring my jealousy of you, dear sister. Then I remember very little until our reunion in the Everfree forest...”

“I never would have believed you were under another’s control, Luna, because what it would suggest was something all alicorns believed impossible. The idea that a soul could survive on our plane for an extended period of time without a body was a theory at best, and scoffed at by most… the corporeal essence should have dissipated. Let alone a corrupt soul and a period of over a thousand years.... I only wish I had realized sooner, something could have been done to prevent this”

Pinkie suddenly chimed in, “You know, if I was that nightmare, and I had the power to possess a pony, I’d do it and be all sneaky and throw parties for ponies who weren’t expecting it!”

Suddenly, Twilight gasped. “That’s it!!!! Pinkie Pie, you’re a genius!” she shouted.

“No I’m not, I’m a pony! Jeez Twi, I thought we established this… You’re gonna confuse all our readers!”

“Pinkie, I… What?... Never mind.” Twilight shook her head. “Princess, I know how the Nightmare survived! You said that your master spent his soul in an attempt to destroy the nightmare, right? Well, forcing something like that into a spell would have to cause feedback. There was simply too much energy, and so the spell was unbalanced. Rather than completely destroying the nightmare, it hollowed out your master’s body, and destroyed the Nightmare’s body. With equivalent exchange, we cannot completely destroy energy, or make it appear out of nowhere, and so your teacher’s soul was used as fuel for the spell, which destroyed the Nightmare’s physical form. However, he couldn’t use the spell to annihilate both the nightmare’s body and soul, since he didn’t factor in his body as well. The energy was enough to destroy the physical forms of the Nightmare and its army, but not their souls. The Nightmare has been flitting from pony to pony for years, biding its time until it had gained enough strength to find a new form. It noticed Princess Luna’s jealousy of you, and took her by surprise! You know the rest….”

“I believe you are absolutely right Twilight, and so we must tread carefully. We have no way of knowing what the Nightmare has planned. Now that you know what is at stake, I wish to explain the last portion of what happened, and our plan.” Celestia said calmly, and began to explain the rest of her tale.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Afterwards, they were all shocked. None of the six friends had anything to say, or anything they could say. Finally, Spike spoke up. “So, wait a minute. We all have to FIGHT each other to beat this crazy monster which is more powerful than anything the world has ever known…. But the ultimate prize is our reward? I’m having trouble wrapping my head around this one…”

“I agree with Spike, this is simply dreadful! How in Equestria do you expect one such as moi to fight other ponies? I simply won’t have any part of it.” Rarity stamped her hoof.

“If you don’t mind, I’d rather not do it either. I know that I can’t harm anyone, and I’m sure you all realize it too…..”

“Fluttershy, don’t try that. You know as well as I do that when you get worked up, you can be crazy scary” Rainbow Dash said. Fluttershy just looked down and mewled.

“Don’t worry, my little ponies. I refuse to force you to do anything you don’t want to, but all of Equestria hangs in the balance. I implore you, as the holders of the Elements of Harmony, do your best to stop the Nightmare. It will be unable to use all of our teacher’s powers, as we have sapped It of much of its strength. As well as this, there are rules in place, bound by magic until the tournament is complete. We cannot interfere on anyone’s behalf, as it would allow the Nightmare access to its powers. We must not use magic until it is all finished. But, while we cannot directly cast spells, we have control over the protection and regeneration spells that were weaved into the tournament challenge. We will set limits, and have a wide variety of different challenges available. As well as this, the tournament will be open to the public, and we plan on inviting fighters from our neighboring countries, as the outcome will affect them as well. Only you and a select few will know the truth. The general public must believe this to part of the upcoming Summer Sun Festival, or there will be panic. We plan on explaining how no one will feel great pain or suffer permanent damage, and what the prize is. The more fighters we have, the better our chances of stopping the Nightmare before it’s too late.”

“Princess, this is a lot to take in, but you know you can count on me! How about it girls?” Twilight asked.

“Yee-Haw! Time for a good ol’ fashioned rodeo beatdown!” Applejack Shouted as loud as possible.

“I have to compete, if AJ is doing it! No way am I losing to an earth pony!” Rainbow Dash grinned.

“Are you loco in the coco? Of course I’ll do it! This is gonna be the most fun thing that happens all year!” Pinkie was bouncing in anticipation.

“Ugh…. I suppose if I MUST, I will try to win a few matches. But I had better not get dirty!” Rarity begrudgingly agreed.

“Well, if all the rest of you are doing it, I guess… I mean, I suppose… I think maybe I could try…” Fluttershy mumbled.

“Count me in too! I could use something to do, and I bet I’ll do way better than any of you! HA!” Spike said with confidence.

“In that case, I suppose we have much to get ready for. Go back to Ponyville, everyone, and wait for us to finish preparations. We’ll send word along, and set up a registry for ponies to sign up. Be alert, as we don’t know what the Nightmare has planned.” Celestia said, trying to hold her composure, but let her worried look through.

“Don’t worry, Princess. When the six of us...” *AHEM* Spike grunted. “Heheh…. Sorry…. SEVEN of us work together, there isn’t anything that we can’t do!”

Suddenly, a mellifluous voice filled the air, “Oh really? Are you all so sure of that? Because it seems to me that you can’t properly seal away a spirit of discord… heheheHAHAHAHA!”

“Discord!” Celestia gasped. “No…. no no no, this cannot be happening now!”

“Oh, but it is, dear Celestia. Come now, the fun is just beginning! Did you really believe that I would let a gathering of my old immortal chums go unnoticed? Look, here’s the deal…. I’m still trapped in this hunk of rock, but I feel like I warrant a piece of the action here. I want some representation, and a chance to be free of this prison. I’m only asking nicely, because I know how much it makes you squirm to know I’m right. I can get my champions in, whether you like it or not, so you might want to stay on my good side, hmm? Ta for now!” With a resonating laugh, the voice faded back into nothing.

“Can this day get any worse?” Twilight asked, exasperated.

“Yeah, of course it can silly! It could be a Monday!” Pinkie giggled. Twilight, having no response to Pinkie’s usual randomness, suggested they take their leave. They quickly said goodbye to the princesses, and headed back to Ponyville to prepare for the challenges ahead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After they had left, Luna took the opportunity to speak with her sister. “Celestia, you know those girls aren’t warriors. They can’t handle this! Let the Peacekeeping Corps and I take care of this. You and I both know we are much more suited for the challenges ahead!”

“Luna, you know that you cannot be involved in the fighting. Besides that, your soldiers will already be informed and ready. I took the liberty of sending them a message regarding the situation just before Twilight and her friends got here. Understand however, they are the backup. Twilight won’t let us down, and I can’t say we should sell her allies short either. They are all capable and accomplished in their own ways. If anyone can save us, it’s them.”

Luna was torn between her pride and the hard truth, but she decided to trust her sister’s judgement. “Alright, sister. The element bearers will be the ones to save us.” She said. “However, they aren’t ready. Set it so they fight my soldiers first. They will win, but not without pushing their limits, and learning the hardships that await them.”

“Agreed.” Celestia nodded her head. “Now then, we have much to do, and even more to prepare for. Let us begin.” With that, both sauntered deeper into the palace, their fates and the task ahead weighing heavily upon their shoulders.

Pic: Fighting is magic
http://www.ponibooru.org/post/view/101521#search=mane_six

Ch3: Dangerous Preparations

Ch.3: Dangerous Preparations

The seven friends ended up calling it a night shortly after returning to Ponyville. None of them could seem to muster a friendly mood after the evening they had been through, so they said their goodnights and went their separate ways. As Twilight and Spike walked through the darkened streets, a chill wind blew past, causing them to shiver and hasten their pace. Twilight’s mind was ablaze with the possibilities, filled to bursting with plans, ideas, and fears of what might be should she and her friends fail. She was exhausted, but couldn’t let her guard down, not even for an instant. Because that was when the Nightmare would strike, when she would fail her friends and home, when she would fall into darkness and despair and never return. “I won’t be sleeping tonight,” she sighed…. “Well, I suppose that’s all the more time for me to study… Come on, Spike. Let’s just hurry up and get back to the library.”

“Agreed. It’s WAY spooky out here, let’s get inside!” Spike nodded quickly, hunched over and pawing at his tail.

Once inside the library, they lit every candle in sight, and the purple unicorn set to work, rifling through old scrolls, books flying left and right as she searched for a particular set of documents. Yawning, the young dragon stared down at her, wondering where she got the energy to do anything after the sun went down. “Twilight, are you sure you don’t need me on guard duty? I’m fine, really…. *Yaaaaaawn*…”

“Spike, as much as I appreciate your worry, I am fully capable of handling this. Besides, I’ll have Owloysius with me. You still need your sleep; you’re still a baby. Now go to bed.”

“I am not a baby….” He grumbled. “I….. Fine… You’re right. I’ll see you in the morning Twi.” Spike then turned and flopped on his bed, out before he hit the covers. Twilight smiled warmly, walked up the stairs and tucked him under the sheets.

Turning, she called out to the owl in the lower lobby. “Owloysius, have you seen any of those old textbooks on martial arts? Or perhaps The Unicorn Almanac of Magic?”

“Whoo?” Owloysius hooted, flying up and perching on the nearby table, looking at her.

“No, no reason….. I’ve just meaning to brush up on some reading…. You know, broaden my horizons and all…. Hehe,” she giggled nervously, glancing around the room. She walked quickly down the stairs, trying to avoid eye contact. Owloysius simply stared at her, unconvinced. “Owloysius….. Do you know where they are, or not?” Solemnly, he nodded his head in affirmation, and fluttered off to grab the books she had requested. Twilight hated lying to him, but felt it was better he not know yet. She promised herself she would inform him of the situation before long. She was suddenly startled out of her thoughts as several large books landed next to her. She jumped and let out a little squeal, but instantly regained her composure. “Thank you. I’ll call you if I need anything else, so please take a break for a few hours.” The owl looked apprehensive, but hooted his agreement. He flew to his perch, fluffed up his feathers, and got comfortable. It was going to be a loooong night….

As the sun once again diligently worked its way ever higher into the sky, Twilight awoke with her face in a book, a blanket draped over her shoulders. She mentally reminded herself to thank Owloysius, and then got up to get herself some breakfast. Checking in on Spike, who was still buried under his covers and snoring quite loudly, she sighed and went down the staircase leading to the small nook they called a kitchen. After rummaging through the fridge for a minute, Twilight found a few daisies and a bit of hay, and so made herself a light salad. Feeling better now that she had some food in her, she went back to work, reading through several different books at once with gusto. She was unaware that her young dragon was in fact awake and outside already, hard at work with his own training (for some reason, she didn’t think to look under the covers to check on him, so he left a pillow and a magic scroll that read off what was written on it, to make it seem like he was still asleep. He had been using this method to sneak out of cleaning duty for years…). He knew Twilight didn’t take his earlier brazen attitude at face value; she knew him better than anyone. He was going to prove to his friends that he could protect them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Applejack awoke to the smell of fresh apple strudel, and was groggy from the fitful amount of sleep she had managed to get. She woke up fully in a jiffy and hurried down the stairs of her family home in order to get some food before Applebloom and Big Macintosh got to it all. As she quickly strode through the hall, she thought something was amiss. It was far too quiet…. ‘Bloom and Big Mac ought to have been making some noise eating, or rushing after her to get there. When she entered their cozy dining area, she saw why it was so quiet. Waiting for her were the three closest members of her family, with the apple strudel sitting between them on the table. “Now what in tarnation’s goin’ on here? Ya’ll never wait fer me ta get ta breakfast….. “

Granny Smith spoke up, “Now, don’tcha get all upset fer no reason, dearie. Applebloom was just worried ‘bout ya.”

“Yea! Twilight was actin all crazy yesterday, an’ then ya’ll got called up ta Canterlot… Something’s goin’ on, ain’t it? You can talk to us sis.” Applebloom pleaded, putting on her best “innocent little foal” face.

“And what do you think, Big Mac?” AJ asked her older brother.

“Ayep, I’m gonna roll with ‘Bloom on this one. Somethin’ smells, and it ain’t the outhouse.”

Applejack sighed. She knew she was going to tell them sooner or later, she had just been hoping for later. “Alright, look. Ya’ll know I can’t lie to ya… What I’m ‘bout to tell ya’ll does not leave this room, y’hear?” They nodded their agreement. She looked around, pondering where to begin. “All right, here’s what’s goin’ on...”

After explaining the situation, Applejack exhaled and looked at her family. Her brother was chewing harder than usual on his stalk of straw, his brow furrowed, too deep in thought to talk to. Applebloom was much the same way, but the look of eagerness spread on her face suggested she thought of the whole thing in a very different light than Big Mac. At once, they spoke together, “I’m in!”

“Wait, what? Nuh uh, no way am I lettin’ you two join in this, it’s too dangerous and ya’ll know it! Granny, talk some sense inta these two!” She pleaded with her grandmother.

Granny Smith just looked at the three of them. “I don’t see why they caint.”

“Granny, you can’t be serious! They could get hurt!! I am not gonna allow this. The only reason I’m participatin’ is on accounta my friends! They need mah help.”

“And your kin wanna help you. There’s no difference here, darlin’, and if ya’ll are anything like yer parents, yer more stubborn than any mule. Applejack, yer one of the strongest buckers I’ve ever seen. Big Mac is bigger an’ stronger than anypony an’ you know it, and Applebloom is coming into a fine young mare. She’s smart enough ta handle herself. So, like ah was sayin’, ah don’t see why they can’t help ya.”

“I.... guess you’re right. Ya got me…. I guess ya’ll can help me. But promise me you’ll be careful? I don’t want to have to deal with busted ponies helping on the farm next harvest, ya’ll hear me?” Both nodded “Alright, if we got that settled, I say we hit some trainin’. This is gonna be one heck of a fight.” With that, she sped out the door, gobbling down the strudel she grabbed.

“Hey, wait for me!” Applebloom shouted after her sister and followed suit, leaving Granny and Big Mac alone in the kitchen.

“Big Macintosh, you’ll look after those two, won't ya?” Granny asked, finally letting some of the worry show in her voice.

“Ayyup” the large stallion said solemnly. He helped her put away the dishes, and then walked outside to start his own training.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, at the Carousel Boutique, Rarity was pacing around the boutique show-floor, worrying her mane with her mouth. “What in Equestria am I to do?” she thought. “I am simply not a fighter…. I can handle myself, I suppose, but a lady does not get into tussles… oh, WHAT am I going to do? This is simply THE. WORST. POSSIBLE. THING. EVEEEERRRRR……” She sighed in a grandiose manner and swept herself off her feet onto a nearby sofa.

Just then, Sweetie Belle walked downstairs, rubbing at her eyes. “Rarity, what are you doing? It’s too early for you to be weird…”

“Sweetie Belle, I am not being weird. I am being dramatic. There’s a difference. A lady does not act weird…. that would be uncouth.”

“Yea yea yea… so why are you being “dramatic” this time?” the young unicorn inquired. “You’re usually so composed.” She rolled her eyes and giggled.

“Trust me Sweetie Belle; this is no laughing matter…. I know I’m acting a bit silly, but it is very worrying. There’s to be a tournament, and all of Equestria will be attending. I’m expected to fight in it…. Oh this is simply horrible. First, I don’t want to fight anypony, and second, WHAT WILL I WEAR?!?! This is a disaster….” She continued to mope, flailing her forelegs for emphasis.

“Wait, there’s going to be a tournament? Like, a fighting tournament? When were you gonna tell me? This sounds like fun! I gotta get the girls and see if we can join!”

“Sweetie Belle, you simply have no taste when it comes to fun…” Rarity said, rolling her eyes. “Although, I suppose if you want to join, I can’t stop you. It’s open to the public. Honestly, you’ll probably do better than I will. But you’d best start getting ready now; some of the best fighters in the world will be there. If you’ll excuse me, I need to work on my outfit for my big entrance” With that, she suddenly had enough enthusiasm to jump off her sofa and dash into her work room. Sweetie just stood there, shaking her head.

“Sometimes I wonder how we’re related…..” She wanted to see if Applebloom and Scootaloo wanted to help her train, and set off to gather them. Walking through Ponyville, Sweetie Belle could tell that the tournament was the talk of the town. The air was practically buzzing with whispers and anticipation for the event. As she passed Sugarcube Corner, she could hear Pinkie Pie shouting excitedly about it. Sweetie shivered a little at the thought of going up against Pinkie in a fight, and quickly trotted toward Sweet Apple Acres.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pinkie was talking to the twins about the upcoming contest, gesturing wildly, running in circles, and just being ridiculous as usual. “I can’t wait to show off my new moves! I wonder who I’m gonna get to go up against? Should I try for a silly approach, or do you think I should be more serious?” She put on her war face and growled for them to demonstrate. Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake were listening in awe, hanging on Pinkie’s every word. As soon as she started asking for their opinions, they became quite vocal.

“Pinkie, you gotta show us some of your moves!” Pound Cake demanded. “I can’t wait to see you in the fights!”

“Yeah, you’re gonna do awesome!” Pumpkin Cake exclaimed, clapping her hooves with glee.

“Thanks guys! This is going to be the most fun I’ve had since I threw that party for Gummy and Rainbow Dash got her head stuck in the punch bowl!”

“Uh, Pinkie…. That was last week…” Pound Cake said, a quizzical look on his face.

“I know that, silly. But that doesn’t make it any less true! This’ll be the most fun I’ve had this week!” Pinkie shouted and grinned, giggling all the while. The twins shared a look and rolled their eyes, then smiled and laughed along.

After the laughing fit had passed, Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake nodded in unison and said “We wanna join too!”

As soon as they said it, Pinkie stopped laughing. She looked at them sternly and simply said “No.” They looked at each other with worry. This wasn’t what they were expecting from their normally bubbly and agreeable caretaker.

“But why not?!? You and your friends are entering! We want to help!” They shouted in unison.

“Why not? Because you two are far too young. I refuse to allow it. Your parents left me in charge, and I’m going to be responsible. I understand that you want to help, and I’m sure we can come up with something for you to do, but you are not to try and participate in the tournament. Am I clear?”

“Yes, Pinkie Pie.” They begrudgingly agreed.

“Pinkie Promise!”

“Cross my heart and hope to cry, stick a cupcake in my eye.” They recited, with less than enthusiastic tones. Suddenly, Pinkie’s demeanor was back to normal.

“Oki Doki Loki! Now that we have that out of the way, want to help me work on a few moves?” Upon hearing that, the twins’ spirits picked back up, and they nodded happily. “Alrighty then, let’s get to it!” Pinkie then jumped out the window and proceeded down the street at warp speed, leaving the twins dumbstruck.

“Hey! Wait for us!” They shouted as they sprinted after her, grinning from ear to ear.

~~~~~~~~~~

As a certain pink blur and the two foals chasing her passed by her cottage, Fluttershy smiled to herself. Even in the face of this crisis, Pinkie was Pinkie. Fluttershy herself was having trouble remaining calm and collected about the whole situation. How was she to fight other living creatures and cause them pain for her own gain? She knew she wouldn’t be able to do it, and was ashamed of letting her friends down in such a way. She desperately wished she could help without having to fight. Suddenly, a carrot bumped her flank, and she turned to see Angel standing there in a huff. “I’m sorry, Angel! Did I forget feeding time?” The rabbit shook his head, and hopped toward her with something in his paws. It was Fluttershy’s medical license, which she had earned a year ago to help nurse a large group of foals that had suddenly become sick. “Angel, did you want to show me this?” The bunny nodded in the affirmative and thumped his foot. “You think I should act as a nurse to the ponies in the tournament?” He started thumping harder. “Angel, I would, but that would mean losing… I don’t know if I can let my friends down like that… I can’t fight, but I can’t just lose…”

“HA! Says you!” called a familiar cyan pegasus. Fluttershy walked outside to see Rainbow hovering a few feet from her door.

“Rainbow Dash? What are you doing here?” Fluttershy looked at the ground, blushing. “…and how much did you hear?”

“I heard enough. I came by because I knew you’d be like this. Fluttershy, we all understand that you don’t want to fight. You won’t be letting us down if you don’t go through with it. Besides, there’s nopony I’d trust better to tend to my injuries.”

“Really, Rainbow? That’s such a relief to hear…” Fluttershy exhaled and looked much more relaxed, letting her shoulders slump.

“Well, that, and I know you’d be terrible at fighting anyway,” Rainbow said through a grin as she “swam” backstroke. “Don’t worry about it, just leave it to me! I’ll bust up anypony in my way and toast that Nightmare!” She swaggered in the air and did a loop, trying to comfort Fluttershy with her bravado.

“I… Thanks, Rainbow. I’m feeling a lot better now. Are you sure that’s all you came out here for, though? It doesn’t seem like you to be so concerned.”

“Well, actually, I was on my way to Cloudsdale to stock up on some stuff for the tournament, but its flight-path had me coming this way anyhow, so I thought I’d check in on you. Simple enough, right?” Rainbow said quickly. “Anyway, I’d better get going. See ya!” She sped off, leaving a rainbow trail in her wake. As she flew away, she hoped Fluttershy hadn’t noticed her start to blush. She didn’t like the others to know how deeply she cared for them. “Element of Loyalty indeed,” she huffed.

As she reached Cloudsdale, she heard much of the same excited chatter as she had encountered in Ponyville. Word of the tournament seemed to be spreading fast. Rolling her eyes, Rainbow walked into a specialty shop. The Weather Patrol’s supply shop was a little place that catered to the pegasi in charge of weather change in Equestria, and carried a wide array of tool for the job. Rainbow intended to use them to her advantage in the upcoming fights. “Hey, Al, what’s new in stock?” she called to the gruff grey pegasus tending the store.

“Ah, Rainbow Dash! Just got some new stuff, come on back and I’ll show you.” Al motioned her around the counter, to the back store room. Inside, he turned on the lights and opened a nearby crate. “Check these out! Fresh Fog Grenades! Pop one off and get instant fog cover. We also have a mist and cloud variant, if you’re interested… they’d be great for sneaking up on ponies in the fights.”

“Pass. Sneaking isn’t really my style. Learned that one the hard way… What else have you got?” Rainbow motioned toward the other crates.

“Let’s see here… Lightning inducers! Plant ‘em on a cloud and it’ll be ready to blow at the slightest touch. Also have a mini tornado spinner, guaranteed to blow gale force winds in the direction of your choosing. Other than that, it’s the usual fare.”

“Alright, guess I’ll take a few of each. Put ‘em on my tab, Al.” She waited for him to box up her order, and took off to plan out her strategy. She thought she might catch a few winks if she had the time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scootaloo watched as Rainbow Dash sped by, in awe of her awesomeness, as always. She would have chased after her and tried to see what was going on, but she had to get down to Ponyville and find Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. She had just learned of the tournament, and planned on getting her friends to join with her. As she flew down the path toward Sweet Apple Acres, she saw Sweetie Belle was already there, standing with Applebloom. She landed next to them with a crash (she still didn’t know how Rainbow took off and landed at such high speeds), and quickly got up to see them transfixed on Applejack putting the hurt on a scarecrow. “Wow… Guess you guys already know about the tournament then, huh?” Scootaloo was astonished at the ferocity with which AJ was pummeling her inanimate foe.

“Yep, we heard this mornin’. Ah’m guessin’ you had the same idea as Sweetie Belle and I. We’re all gonna join too!” Applebloom said excitedly.

Scootaloo nodded. “It’s gonna be awesome!”

Sweetie Belle added: “Not to mention fun!”

The three looked at each other and shouted in unison: “Cutie Mark Crusaders Gladiators are go!!!”, as they hoof bumped. They all giggled and started talking about their plans for winning, leaving Applejack to stand panting over a demolished stick, some scraps of cloth, and a tuft of hay.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight had just finished reading on Zebra wrestling holds and was starting on practical uses of magic in battle when she heard the horn call. Looking out through the window, she saw it was announcing the royal messenger, who was spreading news of the tournament and explaining were applicants could sign up. He was also shouting new information to Twilight, the date on which they would gather in Canterlot to hear the rules. It was only three days away, and the fights would begin that afternoon. Twilight realized they didn’t have much time, but was still caught off guard by the urgency with which the princesses were pushing the tournament forward. “If the princesses are starting it all in just a few days, then this is even more serious than I thought…. I was hoping to avoid it, but I think I’m going to need to read that book.” She hung her head and sauntered back to the table where she had been reading the tomes of fighting techniques. Buried beneath the other books and scrolls was a dark purple book, with weathered pages and a dark red font. It was a book of old magic, most of which hadn’t been used in any way for centuries, let alone in combat. Twilight regretted digging this one up, but knew she was going to need the power it offered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While all of Ponyville was getting ready for the tournament, Princess Luna was making preparations of her own. In a dimly lit room on the lower floor of the castle, she had gathered her team, and was delivering to each of them a dossier for their opponent. “I have convened with Celestia, and we have agreed to pit each of you against one of the Element Bearers. Celestia believes they will be the ones to save us, and while I agree that they have strength and tenacity, they are not experienced in combat. This is where you come in. You are to do your best against them, and push them to their limits. If they are truly going to save us, they will need to be able to overcome the challenge you pose. Rain, you will be going up against Twilight Sparkle. She is far more experienced in the use of magic, so be cautious. Keep her close and off balance, she has few close quarters abilities.” Rain nodded. “Starshade, you will be against Pinkie Pie. She is…different. I have no real strategy for you, but I feel your stealth will give you an advantage.” Starshade was not too pleased with this.

“Surely this mare can’t be that bad... According to the report, she’s a pastry chef, not a fighter. I doubt she poses much of a threat.”

“Trust me on this one. She will give you a run, I guarantee it. Now then, back to business. Rocky, I am putting you against Applejack. Be wary of her kicks, and she is surprisingly fast for an earth pony. Stay alert, and don’t let her down home demeanor fool you.” Rocky grinned. “Steel, you will take Rainbow Dash. She is by far the fastest pegasus we have seen in a long time, so do not allow her to race around you. If you must, I have authorized your use of the sonic boom. It may not be as powerful as her rainboom, but it ought to catch her off guard.” Steel grunted affirmation. “Archer, I have placed you against Rarity. She is actually quite capable of fighting hand to hand, but she has no long range spells, so you should be able to hold her back. And last but not least, Fluttershy. Flicker, you will be going up against her. I want you to be cautious against her, she is fragile, but has inner rage. I need you to bring that out. That is the only way for her to win. Do what is necessary, and then run. If she catches you, it’s going to hurt.” Flicker snickered, but seeing the seriousness on Luna’s face, stopped and was suddenly a little nervous. “That is all the information I have for you. Anything else you need is in the report on each of the Bearers. I want you to go to Ponyville and study them as best you can, without being seen. Good luck to you.”

Suddenly, Stronghoof spoke up. “What of myself, Princess? Do I not get to demonstrate my abilities?”

“Stronghoof, you will be participating in the tournament, but will not be going against the Bearers. I know you would be too much for any of them to handle. Besides, I have something special planned for you, in the second portion of the tournament. Fear not, you will play a pivotal role, and will need to use all your strength and skill.” Stronghoof seemed satisfied with that. “Now then, if there are no further questions, go and make preparations for your fights. I will see you again in three days at the start of the tournament.” With that, they dispersed, and got ready for the greatest fight they would ever know.