Queen Nightmare Dusk sat upon her throne, she’d sent out a squadron of guards to find Spike, but she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to find him. She didn’t want to hurt him again, but she couldn’t just leave him out there. It took all of her willpower not to burst into tears right there; but no, she had to be strong.
So many arguments and conflicting thoughts swirled in her mind; Raise the sun? No, the sun doesn’t deserve it even if these ponies do.
Cancel winters snowy weather? No, the seasons shouldn’t be meddled with even if ponies freeze to death.
And then of course there was Discord. She should have realized sooner; Equestria had gone to chaos ever since she’d risen, of course Discord would break free eventually.
If you do this everypony will die, they’ll freeze, starve. And soon there will be nopony left, in less than a hundred years everything will be dead. You’ll be all alone just like you were… She bit her lip. Shut up, she mentally scolded herself for thinking like that, even though it was true.
“But... is it even me thinking like that?” she asked herself, in a voice barely more than a whisper.
“I can’t keep Discord imprisoned forever on my own, and… like this he won’t stay imprisoned.” She looked down at the stolen, horse shoe-clad hoof. Thief, liar, cheater, manipulator, murderer… “No,” she said out loud, tears clouding her vision. She wished her guards would say something, anything, but they spoke only when spoken to. Emotionless drones. They have families, don’t they? I’ve kept them from their families. That was a depressing thought. She stood up; she couldn’t sit still any more. She paced back and forth in a circle, her head starting to hurt.
Her chest ached, her heart fluttered, stomach doing flip-flops, and… her back was still sore. A piano… Why a piano of all things? Why at all? Honestly though, she felt she couldn’t complain. If Discord hadn’t stopped her, she would have… she swallowed hard, had the thought of killing somepony really become such a bad thing to her?
“Spike, We’re sorry,” she whispered to herself. “We… I’m sorry.” She needed comfort, somepony to tell her it was okay.
But there was no one there. Did she even deserve comfort? She looked up when a small herd of guards opened the great double-doors and stepped in.
“Did you find anything?” she asked, already knowing the answer.
“No, your Majesty.” they all replied in unison. Dusk sighed, should she make them search again? Should she go out herself?
…Let him alone, he needs time. He’ll come back, “…Alright. You may return to your original posts,” she told them. They nodded, turned, and walked out the door, the clip-clop of their hooves all matching perfectly. She hated that. All of them, mindless zombies! Her horn glowed faintly, she contemplated. She stood there, unmoving for the longest time, before her horn winked out.
She wanted to, but not yet. She felt an itch in the back of her mind, a dull throb. Magic, Harmony, Friendship… a rift.
~~
Spike knew the Canterlot Gardens like his own backyard, mostly because once upon a time it actually was. Back before Twilight had moved to Ponyville. And that’s why he knew that the secret hole hidden under the rock hidden under the marigolds was the best hiding place there. He used to hide here all the time; it was the perfect hide-and-seek spot. Nopony ever found him, not even Twilight.
Although the marigolds were all wilted now, most of them devoid of their lovely orange petals. But the hole was still slightly hidden by a rock. Spike was curled up, it was a tight squeeze and he was having trouble finding a comfortable position. He’d remembered it being bigger. He gently rubbed his sore throat. If that piano hadn’t fallen on her I’d be dead. The thought was frightening, somehow even more frightening than the experience of being suffocated.
Discord did it; Discord saved me, but why? He didn’t understand what he had ever done to make Discord want to help him. I… I owe him the favor now, don’t I? He thought; he saved my life.
i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/6380974080/h524F21EB/
More after I've read the chapter!
Edit: First, allow me to say that you, my fair lady, are spoiling us. I mean, you gave us two chapters in one day!
denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw1021_Rainbow_Dash_says_youre_awesome.gif
Second, it looks like Dusk is about to finally realize how worthless and stupid her Eternal Night is.
Also, let's hope Spike doesn't do anything stupid just because Discord saved him that one time...he's going to attempt to free Discord, isn't he?
Morgan Freeman as the voice of Sombra?
Get on it, Hasbro!
So short. Planning on extending it?
1970413 I can guarantee the next chapter WILL be longer, I just wasn't sure how to continue this one
1970421
With maybe a little more added in to help the flow it could work as the last part in the last chapter. like those ~ thingies for showing scene changes. But its fine if you want to keep it as its own chapter, just feels like filler.
uuh oohhhh... now spike don't get any ideas about helping discord now just because of your dragon code of honor....
now my question is... why hasn't Shining Armor and Cadence suggested to go to the Cristal Empire? Surly they have something to help them there.
Also I'd think the crystals would provide some artificial light to the surrounding area. (it keeps the cold out from the barren landscape around it.)
Tuck Trotter: "Mares and stallions! Tuck Trotter here and we interrupt this program to bring you a special news bulletin!: Nightmare Dusk is having a depressive epiphany! Discord is rumored to be making a comeback! The members of the Royal Guard want to go home to their families, cider and Water Polo matches! Who Waldo the Owl feels threatened by Spike's hide and seek skills!"
Tuck Trotter: "And now we go to the weather with Oats Willow! Oats?"
Oats Willow: "IT'S COLD!"
Tuck Trotter: "Thank you Oats."
Tuck Trotter: "We will now return to your regularly scheduled program after these messages..."
Mr.Market:..............................That is so freaking EPIC!
1971305 You know, I didn't even think about that.. .The crystal ponies, I mean... Huh. I have everything planned already, I don't know whether or not it's worth it to try and squeeze that in somewhere!
1972195 And Morgan Freeman Sombra... Hasbro better make it happen
1972834
I'm curious... What did you talk about with King Sombra Freeman? Acts of random kindness? Temporary godhood? The UNIVERSE!?
1973308 I don't really remember, I just remember a weird Super Mario Sunshine-looking area, and a castle
1973362
Hmm... does THIS or THAT ring any bells?
1978779> Yep! It was the first MLP fanfic I ever read,
And is it just me or are more and more Past Sins fans either referencing or mentioning that story on here? Other than the fact that it's a Nightmare Moon-esque story I really don't see the similarities
1970349
Hey! Eternal night is awesome! You just have to be prepared to replace the sun with a different source of light and heat.
2032800 Which is exactly why eternal night is such a bad idea. There isn't anything that CAN provide as much light OR heat as the sun!
Why did NMD not use the spell she used in the throne room to track Spike down? If she wanted to find him, she would have.