Chapter 7 - Broken
The usually bustling market town of Appleloosa was eerily calm. It was a night of cloudless skies that stretched out endlessly across the open desert, the pale light of the moon lulled all beneath it into a peaceful sleep. This was a time of night for recuperating. It was for getting ready for the next day of selling your wares or expanding the town with the help of the local buffalo herds. It was for dreaming of your future and the joys of your favourite things; the ones you love and your most treasured memories.
At least, it was meant to be.
Luna’s own thoughts plagued her mind that night, as she approached her destination after returning from the castle. She had believed Twilight to be safe once she boarded the train to Appleloosa and so returned to Canterlot to speak with her sister.
Celetia was worried, and that did not sit well for Luna. Her sister’s usually calm demeanor remained stoic in front of her subjects, but was cracking at the foundations ever so slightly whenever the two were not surrounded by servants or guards.
Tensions with the gryphon kingdom to the east had begun to stir. The foalnapping of Spike in front of Twilight Sparkle was not an isolated case. Foals had been disappearing from the towns and villages that were closest to the neighbouring gryphon aeries in the east and the ponies there were naturally blaming the gryphons for it. It had yet to escalate to violence between the towns as extra guards from both the Royal Military and the Gryphon Clans had eased tensions and kept any would be troublemakers at bay. The two forces were working together with swift execution and brilliant efficiency, despite any thoughts both might harbour for one another.
Both Celestia and Luna were having talks with the leaders of the gryphon clans near the borders, who denied any knowledge of foalnapping from any of their aeries and even offered to dispatch elite trackers to help search for any leads into the whereabouts of the missing foals. Both princesses graciously accepted their offer on the grounds that Luna’s own Nightguard be dispatched along side the trackers to aid them. This was also graciously accepted by the gryphons.
There had been peace between the ponies and gryphons for hundreds of years now, with many of both species migrating to live in the neighbouring kingdom. The gryphons gained nothing from stealing foals and angering their allies, and any activity that even approached that would have been stamped out. Harshly. Such would be their response to anyone caught to be in possession of the missing foals. This was why Luna had offered to dispatch her guard along with the gryphons. Gryphon justice was swift and absolute, but whoever was taking the children needed to be apprehended and questioned before being brought to justice; something she fervently explained to her loyal Nightguard.
The search and the compliance of the gryphons to help brought a small amount of comfort to Celestia and Luna, but a bigger problem still remained. Whoever was taking these foals was evading the ever alert gaze of both of the princesses. This was happening right underneath their own noses and there was nary a foul stench to go on.
As a result, Luna had taken leave to continue to watch Twilight Sparkle in her search as she seemed to be onto something. Her case also confused the two sisters. Twilight lived in Ponyville, far from the borders with the gryphons. Her town was in viewing distance of the palace in Canterlot. So why her?
Why were Twilight Sparkle and her dragon assistant, Spike, targeted? Were the cases unrelated, and whoever had taken Spike had nothing to do with the disappearance of the foals from the border towns?
Luna had discussed this with her sister. That was the only explanation they could come to without it being something more sinister. Twilight was Celestia’s student and the Element of Magic, but who would specifically target her and her young companion? Who had the kind of power or resources to target her?
With no feasible explanation, Luna had chosen to return to watching Twilight. On her return however, she had witnessed the aftermath of her sister’s faithful student’s most recent outburst of power and its destructive consequences.
Whilst Luna was still to learn the story of what had happened to cause such destruction, as it was unlikely that Twilight simply decided to destroy part of a train, the small town of Appleloosa had definitely not been ready to receive a mostly-destroyed train carriage with the remains of masked ponies buried beneath the rubble. The town had panicked, and Luna had immediately requested the dispatch of guards to calm the populace and take charge of the station for the time being whilst an investigation into what exactly happened took place.
Luna snapped her thoughts back to the present moment. She had a pretty good idea of what could have happened and was going to find out. She glided gently between the houses and shacks of Appleloosa, her eyes shining with an ethereal white glow. She was the Princess of the Night, or a ‘guardian’ as the plaque under the white tree in the palace read. It fell to her to safeguard the dreams of her little ponies from nightmares and other dark, terrible things that can lurk within their minds. Luna could sense those who were without peace within their dreams. Their minds cried out to her, something only she could sense.
One mind in the small town was screaming.
Luna flew swiftly towards an open window on the side of one of the larger buildings in the dusty town, a plain inn apparently called ‘The Watering Hole’. The window was far too small for Luna to simply fly through. Without a thought, the princess’s horn flashed blue, and reappeared on the far side in the dark room.
The room was bland, with only the basics needed to house a pony for a few nights along with any necessities they might have brought along with them. A small bathtub lay behind a curtain in the corner of the room along with a sink and a toilet. A large rugged rug covered most of the floor, stopping the recently laid wooden floorboards beneath from creaking at every movement. A single candle flickered upon a bedside table next to a single bed in another corner of the room, furthest from the window. Twilight lay curled up beneath thin covers, her gentle face twisted into pain. Beads of sweat crept down her brow as she muttered quietly, tossing and turning.
Luna took a seat next to the bed, folding her legs beneath her and let her mind drift away. A trance-like state overcame her as her horn gently illuminated the side of the bed and Twilight’s face, bathing her features in a soft azure light. Her eyes shone like the pale white of her moon. The rest of her body relaxed, the world around her faded into darkness.
Luna awoke in her dreamscape, the world she used to travel between the mind of ponies as they slept. Her own body sat quietly, motionless next to her as she looked around, only her eyes and horn glowing. In front of her on the bed, a lavender outline pulsed quickly. The ghostly light was incredibly bright, but yet did not light up the room. It was a beacon in a dark sea and Twilight’s cry for help in the night. Luna was going to come to her rescue. She took a deep breath and plunged herself into the lavander light. Luna was forced to close own eyes as the world around her was overcome with white.
ooooOOOOooooOOOOoooo
A howling wind ripped through Luna’s ears and mane as she stepped into the mind of Twilight Sparkle. Surrounding her across the dreamscape were islands, torn from the earth and flung into the sky, broken and being battered by a storm of wind and rain. Lighting danced angrily across the sky, flashing and illuminating the islands in a blinding flash for a split second, before giving way to the deep roar of thunder.
Luna shook slightly. She couldn’t be hurt in this place; she knew it wasn’t real. But it might be to Twilight, and the thought of her being alone somewhere in this devastated land worried her.
“Ahhh! Please... Stop!”
Luna’s ears twitched and turned to hear the sound. A whimpering cry in between the booms of thunder and hissing of rain. There was another flash, but Luna didn’t see the lightning, nor was it followed by thunder.
She bolted up above the landscape, unaffected by the conditions lashing at her. In the distance on another floating isle stood a purple dome. From beneath it, cries of help ripped through the air to the princess.
“Please! It hurts! Plea-Ahhhhh!”
Twilight’s voice screamed out in pain. Luna rushed towards the floating island, calling out her name. As she drew closer, other voices boomed, laced with malice.
“Hahahahahah.. You’re weak!” Another flash of light flashed. “Pitiful! Why don’t you just give in?”
As Luna drew closer, another figure came into view. The twisting visage of a pony, cloaked in shadow stood outside of the dome. Dark tendrils of shadow whipped about it’s body as it laughed maniacally and lashed out at Twilight’s dome with one of the tendrils. It rebounded off the surface, causing the outline of the dome to ripple and crack slightly. It also flashed brightly, being desperately reinforced by Twilight on the inside.
“Twilight!” Luna roared at the dome. “Are you alright?”
A weak voice answered back from inside. “Please... Make it stop...”
The shadow cackled madly. Luna felt an all too familiar chill creep down her spine, something that shouldn’t have been possible inside Twilight’s mind.
“Oh look... It’s the whelp of a princess. Come to aid the pitiful, crying pony?” The shadow pony turned to stare at Luna, eyes burning with fury. “You couldn’t even save yourself from me!”
The shadow started to bulge, swelling up into a larger form. The shadow cloak that formed the dark ponies body contorted and formed a swirling mass of dark cloud. Dark, sinuous wings sprouted from it’s side. Instead of feathers, parts of the shadow cascaded down from the crooked wing bones. A large black horn emerged out of it’s head, ending in a razor sharp point. It’s cruel smile bared keen fangs that lined a hungry maw. The rest of it’s body started to settle, the shroud of shadow dissipating from its form. Then, it turned its gaze to Luna once more.
The princess stood shocked, mouth agape. The dark form had taken on the form of Nightmare Moon. It’s eyes still burned white with anger as it stared down the smaller princess.
“It took that insolent whelp and her idiotic friends to save you from me last time, little Luna, and big sister isn’t here to hold your hoof this time either!-” dark tendrils started to emerge from the nightmare’s body once more, “-and they won’t save you this time!” it screamed.
Luna snapped back to attention and laughed softly. “This is my domain, Nightmare. I am the Princess of the Night for a reason. You can’t hurt me, ever again.”
The Nightmare screamed and lashed out with jagged tendrils towards the princess, who laughed as they went straight through her, leaving her unharmed.
“No! Arrrghhh!” the dark alicorn screamed, again lashing out with the tendrils at Luna. This continued for a minute or so, with no ill effect, until the nightmare started to laugh again.
“Fine. If I can’t hurt you...” more dark tendrils sprouted from the shadow, and a swirling ball of dark magical energy blazed to life above her horn. “I’ll take it out on her!”
“No!” Luna screamed in realisation as the dark alicorn released a merciless barrage against Twilight’s weakening dome.
Twilight wailed in pain from inside. “Please! I-It hurts! Stop!”
The dark from continued, full of malice and fury. There was nothing else in its eyes but burning hatred for this unicorn.
Luna galloped up to the dome and placed her forehooves onto its side. “Twilight! Listen to me, it’s Luna!”
The screaming from inside continued as the nightmare restlessly lashed at the shield, causing blinding flashes of light every time she struck. The dome was cracking under the pressure and it was taking all of Twilight’s effort just to keep it materialized.
“Luna? Please h-help me! Argh! I can’t... I can’t...”
“Twilight listen to me. This is not real, you’re dreaming! I need you to believe me when I say that this thing cannot harm you! This is all in your head!”
Another whimpering cry emerged from the dome. “Princess I-It hurts! I can’t take it down, she’ll kill me!”
Luna’s voice turned stern. “Twilight Sparkle, listen to me. I am not my sister. I was not there to see you grow into the powerful mare you have become. I was not there to see you become one of the most powerful unicorns in Equestria’s history, but the time I have spent with you was more than enough to prove to me that you do not give in!”
The princesses expression dropped, replaced by tears and a desperate tone as the nightmare continued to smash at the shield, cackling madly.
“Give in, pathetic mare. I promise i’ll make your death quick.”
“Twilight, please. I let this happen to me once before... I was weak and I gave in. I was jealous of my sister and let anger and hatred overcome me.Y-You can fight back! This is your mind, and in here, it cannot harm you! Do not give in, you cannot let the same happen to you! This is not the way to save Spike!”
Only one word escaped the dome this time. Spike.
The dome shimmered and exploded, blasting a wave of force and light outwards towards both of the alicorns. Luna staggered back, unaffected by the force but momentarily dazed by the light. The nightmare was flung back into the air, screaming and cursing before her crooked wings spread and halted her ascension.
Twilight stood at the centre of the explosion, shaking and looking weary. She turned to face Luna.
“This is my mind, and she can’t hurt me.”
“No!” the nightmare roared, diving towards Twilight headfirst, her razor horn primed to pierce her chest.
“This is my mind...” Twilight said again, raising her volume as a purple glow enveloped her own horn. “And, you!” she screamed, immediately turning to face the charging alicorn, her own eyes burning white with anger. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Magical energy started to build above Twilight’s horn, shining and shifting into a lavender ball lightning.
“Can’t hurt me!”
The dark alicorn had tried to pull up, but it was too late. The ball shot from Twilight’s horn and ripped right through the shadow form of the nightmare, shattering and tearing her into shreds as she screamed in pain. The alicorn was replaced by a dazzlingly bright white light that engulfed the entire dreamscape, reaching out and beating back the howling wind and soaking rain. One by one, the islands disappeared until the wave of light reached the one occupied by Luna and Twilight.
Both turned to look at each other as the wave washed over them, slowly bringing them both back to reality. Both smiled at each other.
The world faded into white.
ooooOOOOooooOOOOoooo
Luna rose slowly as she came to, slowly tilting her neck until it gave out a satisfactory crack. She turned her gaze to the bed, where Twilight sat up, staring at her. The unicorn’s shocked expression quickly turned to one of relief as she recognised the regal blue alicorn sitting on the floor next to her.
“Princess Luna!” Twilight cried out, throwing herself from the bed and wrapping her forelegs around the larger alicorn’s neck in a tight hug. Luna returned the gesture wholeheartedly, glad to see that Twilight had recovered.
“It is good to see you are alright, Twilight. I was worried about you.”
Twilight released her bear-hug and sat back on her haunches on the bed, sighing deeply.
“Thank you Princess, if you hadn’t-” Luna cut her off with a raised hoof.
“Twilight, please. Firstly, just call me Luna, you’ve known me long enough and I don’t mind if you do. Secondly, you just needed a push in the right direction. I didn’t do anything but provide it. That manifestation was defeated by you and you alone.”
Twilight huffed, but smiled gratefully at the princess, before turning more serious. “What that thing actually... I mean, was that Nightmare Moon?”
Luna considered this for a moment, before replying. “No I don’t believe it was. Or, not all of her.”
Twilight looked confused; and rightly so. Luna wasn’t even sure if what she was about to say was true, but it made sense.
“I believe that was just a part of her that was attached to you. As to how it came to be attached to you, I would imagine it was when you cleansed me of her using the Elements of Harmony.” Luna sat up onto her haunches and glanced up and to her left, thinking and speaking aloud.
“When you cleansed me it ripped apart the entity known as Nightmare Moon, fragmenting her. I believe that different parts of her tried desperately to hold on, to seek out new hosts. Nightmare Moon was immensely powerful. Even when she was ripped apart, her emotions may have spread out across Equestria, thrown apart by the power of the Elements. It is uncertain, but it seems that a part of her latched onto you, Twilight.”
Twilight nodded once in understanding. “Anger. So that’s why I’ve been having these outbursts? Where I feel like I’m not me?”
Luna nodded too.
“But, how come it’s happening now? I’ve been angry in the past, and it’s been awhile since that night in the Everfree Forest.”
“Spike,” Luna stated simply. “When Spike was taken from you, did you have an outburst of anger?”
Twilight looked solemnly down at the covers on her bed. “Yes, that was the first time it happened.”
“Then that was a sufficient enough source of anger for that part of Nightmare Moon to briefly surface and take a foothold in your mind. Since then, the anger within you had been festering, growing and becoming more powerful until it culminated into what we just witnessed; an attempted takeover.”
Twilight glanced up at the princess, looking downhearted but understanding of what she was saying. “Then, is it gone? I won’t have any more outbursts like the one on the train?”
Luna smirked, “oh, so that was you! You made quite a mess of that carriage. You should have seen the mayor of the town’s face when that pulled up to the station! It was priceless, even at my age, a fully grown stallion sweating and panicking is still funny.”
Both of the mares giggled and Luna nuzzled the side of Twilight’s neck. “But yes, I believe that part of Nightmare is now gone and should no longer affect you or your emotions.”
Twilight let out a breath she didn’t realise she was holding, making the dark blue alicorn giggle again before standing up and walking towards the window she entered though.
“I will return to the castle and explain to my sister what has happened, no doubt she is still very worried about you,” Luna said, glancing back over her shoulder. “She will be happy to know that you are alright, as I am.”
“Prin-Luna,” Twilight said, shuffling nervously over to her side and nuzzling her cheek with a deep blush, “thank you. For helping me out I mean.”
A small blush spread across Luna’s azure features as she draped a wing over Twilight and pulled her close for one last hug goodbye. “Anytime, Twilight,” Luna winked, before teleporting out the window and taking to the cool night air outside.
Twilight lazily strolled back over to her bed after watching Luna fly towards Canterlot for a minute or two; long after she could no longer see her shimmering outline against the pale, soothing light of the moon. She climbed up into her bed for the night and shuffled round in the sheets, getting as comfortable as she could before drifting off soundly to sleep.
The candle on the bedside table glimmered one last rebellious light against the darkness of the room before smoking and flickering out. The gentle glow of orange that lit the dim corner of the room faded and the peacefulness of the moons light once again, took hold.