A/N: For the sake of immersion, this story is highly dialogue-intensive. In some instances, the spelling of certain words and altering of phrases have been changed to reflect accents, mispronunciations, or errors present in those speaking.
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Night
Chapter One: Lost Days of Peace
"The wonder of the world is gone, I know for sure."
Since the graceful rainfall of the day before, Equestria was calm and quiet. The rising of the Sun was met with a cool air that nearly frosted over the flowers and trees. As the day progressed, radiance and warmth soothed all who lived, leaving only the freshened air of the shower upon the dried earth. Near the heart of the forest, a husband and wife Pegasus prepared for the great pain and joy that would soon come. After an entire day in labor, the mother felt a warmer light begin to shine upon her as she prepared. It was as if the winds and land were preparing themselves for the same occasion.
Pushing herself, the mother Pegasus felt tears stream down her face. As she cried out, her husband remained close to act as a support, though it pained him to see his wife suffering so. Soon, the pain came to its climax, and quickly subsided. Closing her eyes for just an instant, the mother watched her blessed filly spread her young, sky-blue wings and gently take to flight. Together, the parents rejoiced and brought their only child to the ground, where she lightly dropped to her knees. Seeing her child begin to crawl, the mother nudged her upward with her snout. Struggling at first, the baby Pegasus rose onto her weak, wobbling hooves, took several steps forward, and quickly returned to the embrace of her mother and father. The orange and crimson colors of the sunset warmed and welcomed the filly to Equestria and into the love of Queen Celestia. As the three lay together, the mother gently cleaned and bathed her child's sky-blue coat and rainbow-colored mane as it rested its weak eyes.
"What should we name her?" the father asked, keeping his voice low and calm.
Looking up from her child, the mother admired the filly's joyous colors and feisty attitude. Even at its most tender, the infant showed signs of boldness. "She looks like a rainbow," she declared. "But she has the spirit of a great charge."
"Perhaps a dash," the male Pegasus replied. "I see both of our spirits within her. She may be a filly, but she embodies the soul of a colt."
"Then I believe Rainbow Dash is a fitting name for her," the woman answered. "It reflects her twin-spirithood." The young filly let out a brief whinny before settling its head into her mother's embrace. "The grace and beauty of a female, but the temperament and boldness of a male."
Awaking from her dream, Rainbow Dash sat up in her bed. The visions had been appearing more and more lately, though they were distant and nearly forgotten. Pressing her hooves against her sore eyes, the young mare let out a quiet, strained sigh, her Cutie-Mark of a rainbow-colored bolt of lightning coming from a cloud, still covered by blankets. "Why the hell do I keep seeing that?" she asked herself, laying back down and staring at the ceiling. "My parents've been gone for almost a decade now. Why do I keep seeing them?" Her home quiet, the Pegasus attempted to forget her dreams and fall back asleep.
With the rising of the Sun shining through her open window, Twilight Sparkle, a violet-coated Unicorn topped a purple mane highlighted with streaks of pink and darker violet and crowned with a light-violet horn, opened her deep purple eyes and took in its warmth. Her twinkling-star Cutie-Mark was as vibrant as a lucid dream, though she felt worn from the night. Glancing down at Spike, still asleep in his basket-bed, the young mare smiled at the baby dragon and gently nudged his side to wake him up. "Morning, sweetheart," she greeted her beloved friend and servant. "How'd you sleep?"
"I wasn't sleeping," the violet and green little dragon fibbed, wiping his tired eyes. "I was totally on-guard all night long. How about you?"
"I slept okay," Twilight answered with a smile. "Thanks, Spike. Now let's get you some breakfast before I have to take off." Spike smiled and walked with his best friend to the kitchen.
Sitting atop their usual meeting spot, a large apartment topped with a rocky roof that provided the ideal spot to view the skyline of Ponyville, Rainbow Dash awaited her friends, occasionally twitching her wings. Applejack was the first to arrive, wearing her brown cowgirl hat, her orange coat, blond hair and mane, and triple-apple Cutie-Mark shining in the radiant light of morning. "Mornin', Dashy," the cowpony enthusiastically greeted her friend. Despite offers from her aeronautic friends, the Pony elected to make her way up to the rooftop by her own power, which never seemed to tire her out.
"Hey, Applejack," the tomboy Pegasus replied, turning her head and giving a slight smile. "How's the Apple family been?"
"Jus' fan," Applejack answered, taking a seat next to her friend. "Thanks. An' yer keepin' the skas in order?"
"You know it," Dash proudly shot back. "The Wondercolts better watch their tails. I got the skies, you got the land…"
"Hey, mares," Fluttershy greeted her friends, her soft voice barely above a loving whisper. As the Sunshine-yellow Pegasus flew up to Applejack and Rainbow Dash's level, her long pink mane blowing on the wind, the two could see Pinky Pie dangling beneath, tightly holding her friend's hooves while rocking back and forth and waving. Guiding herself forward, Fluttershy motioned for her friend to let go, allowing the pink Pony to make a dramatic leap onto the rocks and strike a pose that highlighted her two-blue-balloon, one-yellow-balloon Cutie-Mark.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack clapped their hooves together half-jokingly as their excitable friend took a bow or two, allowing her curly reddish-pink mane to flip and flop over her face. Meanwhile, Fluttershy landed between the first-arrivals, hugging them lightly with her wings as her hooves touched the ground. "Thanks for the lift, and drop, Fluttershy," Pinky rejoiced, quickly fixing her hair and taking a seat next to her friends. "It was absolutely, positively perfect!"
"Thanks, Pinky," the yellow Pegasus blushed, her tail whishing past her triple pink butterfly Cutie-Mark. "Has anyone seen Twilight or Rarity yet?"
"Not yet," Rainbow answered. "You know Rarity: Always has to look perfect whenever she leaves her house. And Twilight's probably finishing a book or something."
"Come now, dah-lings," Rarity's happy yet dramatic voice called out, turning heads as usual. "'Perfect' is hardly the word. And I'm terribly sorry to keep you all waiting again." Sitting down next to Pinky, the glistening white Unicorn flipped her flawless, lightly curled purple mane to the side, exposing her majestic horn and allowing her triple-diamond Cutie-Mark to glisten. As always, her eye lashes and eye shadow were precise, and her coat well-groomed. "Oh, Rainbow Dash, you simply must allow me to style your mane one of these days."
"Back off," the Pegasus snapped, flattening her spiky rainbow mane. "Nobody touches the mane and lives."
"Ooh," Fluttershy quietly giggled.
"Now where is Twilight?" Pinky loudly asked no one in particular. "It's super-unlike her to be late. I mean, she's always kind of late, but she's always got a good reason or a fun story why she's late, but I haven't seen nor heard from her, so I have no idea where she is or why she's late, and…"
"Pinky, sweetheart," Applejack politely interrupted, placing her hoof over Pinky's mouth. "Ah don' mean to cut yuh aff, but you really need to calm down." Still smiling, the enthusiastic Pony mumbled an "Okay" through her friend's hoof. "Thank yuh, dearie."
"I just hope she's okay," Fluttershy confessed, brushing her hoof through the rocks. "I know she can take care of herself, but I just worry sometimes."
"Hey, chill out, Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash nonchalantly assured her friend. "She's probably just running late or sending a message to Queen Celestia. She's totally fine, I'm sure."
Within a few minutes, the door to the rooftop opened and Twilight walked out. "Hey guys," she greeted with a smile. "Sorry I'm late. Spike has a hard time saying goodbye sometimes. Hope you guys weren't waiting long."
"I told you she'd have a good reason or awesome story why'd she be late," Pinky exclaimed, earning her a brief, stern glance from Applejack.
"Glad you're here," Fluttershy declared, gently rubbing her long hair against Twilight's face in a way only Fluttershy could. "I was getting worried."
"Sorry, filly," the violet Unicorn warmly replied. "You don't need to worry, though. Everything's totally fine. So, what's first for today?"
"You see the sunrise?" Rainbow answered, getting everypony to look at the last glimpses of the rising of a wondrous Sun. The group all agreed. "Why don't we start there?"
Once the day had truly begun, the six mares set out into Ponyville, galloping their way down the street as those around them slept inside or began to open their shops and stores. Birds and Phoenixes awoke from a night's rest and took to the skies as dragons yawned or heated their eggs for the day and ponies swept the sidewalks. All through the city, the rich smells of freshly baked bread and sweets warmed the air as music started on tapes and headphones. Certain parts of town were still dark, their streets lined with litter and lost horseshoes, and the unfortunate ones still asleep in alleyways. Fluttershy had to stop herself from offering them something to eat, knowing the risk to her friends as well as herself. The young fillies and colts hadn't even left for school, and the day was young and full of promise.
"Hey, Twilight," Rainbow Dash called out, taking to the skies. "What do you call it when a pony spends the night with a dragon, the morning with her family, and the same night at a party?"
"I don't know," Twilight answered, never breaking her stride. "What?"
"Tuesday!" Rainbow Dash loudly concluded, snickering at her own off-color wit. The others chuckled, though Fluttershy blushed slightly. Several onlookers expressed their discontent, though the six mares didn't notice. "So, any ideas yet?"
"I do need to stop at the Royal Library to check something out," Twilight volunteered. "It won't take a sec."
"Sands good tuh me," Applejack replied, flipping her ponytail to the side. "Y'all in?" Everypony agreed, Rainbow Dash doing so with a slight eye-roll. "Buck up, Dashy. We mat jus' fan somethin' fer you there. Maybe one-a yer comics."
"It's not that, Applejack," Dash replied without any resentment or attempt at a comeback. "I just hate being inside on a day like this. I'm still having those dreams: Gotta run 'em off or fly or something."
"What do you think is going on with those?" Twilight asked her friend as she looked back at her. "I thought everything was cool between you and your parents."
"They are," the blue Pegasus answered, reflecting more on herself than those around her. "I just…I don't know. I can't shake this feeling I keep getting. I don't even know what it is."
"If you'd like, we could spend the night with you and see if that helps," Fluttershy sweetly suggested, flying alongside her friend. "It might make you feel safer."
"Ooh, a slumber party!" Pinky exclaimed, her heart racing. "That would be so fun!"
"Maybe next time," Rainbow answered in a sensitive manner. "Thanks, guys." Fluttershy nodded in understanding, and let the subject go."
"Maybe it's Night Mare Moon," Pinky Pie suggested, using her "spooky" voice.
"Who?" Twilight replied, caught off-guard.
"The Mare in the Moon," the pink Pony answered. "They say she shows up in dreams and turns them into nightmares. Then she eats the dreamer and traps them in the nightmare forever. It's totally scary. My parents told me about it when I was a filly and I passed out."
"Oh, yeah," the violet Unicorn replied plainly. "I know who that is."
"Thanks for the comforting thought, dude," Rainbow Dash's sarcasm surfaced. "I feel so much better now."
"Yay!" Pinky shrieked with joy, clearly not getting it. "Now, onto the library!"
Once inside the pink stone tower known as the Royal Library, the friends split into groups and browsed around. Pinky went off on her own to chat with the hoarse-voiced librarian with Fluttershy keeping an eye on her from a distance, Applejack and Rarity looked through records and yearbooks while talking quietly among one another, and Twilight Sparkle went off to the exclusive back wing, followed by an unusually quiet Rainbow Dash. Twilight's determination was sharp, and she knew exactly where she was going. Once the insightful Unicorn began looking through aged books, her Pegasus friend focused her gaze. "What are you looking for, anyway?" Rainbow said demandingly.
Twilight jumped slightly before turning around and regaining her composure. "Just a book for research," she answered, sounding somewhat annoyed. "Why are you acting so paranoid?"
"Call it tuition," Dash answered, not holding back. "Twilight, I've seen your personal library. If you don't have it, it's gotta be something special."
"It's a book on dreams," the Unicorn politely explained, no longer showing any sign of anger. "There's something weird going on lately. I need to check with Queen Celestia, but there's just some stuff I want to know."
"I'm getting the impression there's more up than just dreams," Rainbow Dash replied. "Look, don't do this for my sake. I've had those visions on and off for years. It's no big deal."
"Research is research, Rainbow Dash," Twilight answered, using her telepathy to pull out an old, dust-coated book with the guiding motion of her horn. "You know I worry about you sometimes."
"Well, don't," the Pegasus sharply declared. "I'm a grown mare. I can take care of myself."
"I know I've babied you before," Twilight replied softly. "But friends do that. It's just…you don't have to go it alone, Dash. None of us do." Defeated, Rainbow Dash let out a closed-mouth groan and walked off. From her, that was "thank you" enough. Smiling to herself, Twilight levitated the book and proceeded to the front desk.
Once Pinky finished her long-lasting conversation with the now-irritated librarian, the group departed, checking the nearby clock tower to see that roughly one hour had passed. Turning to Applejack and Rarity, Fluttershy prepared her voice. "Did you two find anything interesting in the records?" she asked with a smile.
"Kand of," Applejack answered, seeming puzzled. "Whatever happened to that Shimmer filly we went to school with? Her records 'er just gown at one point."
"Not sure," Fluttershy replied, trying to recall the past. "She just went home one day and never came back. I felt so bad for her."
"Well, not much sense dwelling on the past, darlings," Rarity declared while fluffing her mane. "Let us move on." The others followed their Unicorn friend into a wooded area filled with exotic birds.
"Guys, I know it's early, but I'm starving," Rainbow Dash moaned, finding a seat away from the rainbow-colored fowls.
"Don't sweat it, sugar cube," Applejack shot back, dropping her knapsacks on the ground and flinging them open. "Ah brought some goods from home." Burrowing her head into the bag, the Pony bounced a Red-Delicious over to Dash. "Dig in if y'all 'er hungry. Ah brought all kinds."
"Thanks, dude," the blue Pegasus said before taking a generous bite of her apple. As the fruit crackled, its rich juices splashed out onto Pinky's cheek and caused her to jump. "Sorry, Pinky." The pink Pony simply brushed off the accident and chuckled at her friend.
"Thanks, Applejack," Twilight accepted the offer, nipping at a Granny Smith apple while levitating it with her horn. Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinky each took an apple (Fluttershy accepting a Golden-Delicious, Rarity taking a smooth Pink Lady, and Pinky randomly gobbling a half-and-half green and red apple) and thanked their provider. "You're the freakin' best." The Unicorn couldn't help but laugh at her own awkwardness.
"Aw, shucks," Applejack pretended to blush with a laugh.
"Um, can I make a suggestion for what to do next?" Fluttershy offered almost confidently. The others more than happily agreed, and soon found themselves near a small stream beneath a waterfall. "It might be cold at first, but the waters warm to fit each pony's needs. This is where most of the animals in the forest come to take baths." Settling in, the sunny Pegasus felt the ears of a small bunny pop up beside her and brush her face.
Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle were the next to enter, diving in away from the others to avoid splashing, followed by Pinky, who just wound up accidentally splashing every pony and animal present, Applejack, who thrust herself into the water to adjust, and Rarity, who gracefully stepped down into the stream like a starlet descending a grand staircase. Then, within a minute, the waters adjusted to the temperature of a hot tub.
"Fluttershy, this is amazing!" Pinky Pie cried out, sinking deeper into the water. The others rejoiced, making sure Fluttershy got the thanks and credit she deserved for the find.
Twilight settled into the water, letting the hot stream ease the tension of her muscles and joints. For an instant, in the company of her loving friends, the Unicorn slipped into peaceful slumber, only to be awakened by a concerned Fluttershy. "Come on, Twilight," the shy Pegasus said in a calm voice. "We'd better go before it gets too late. Besides, you're really starting to prune."
"Thanks, Fluttershy," Twilight replied, blinking herself back to reality. Rarity and Rainbow Dash helped their friend out of the water as Fluttershy and Applejack nudged her forward and Pinky cheered the team on. Levitating her book, Twilight followed her friends, now led by Pinky Pie, into the heart of Ponyville.
Just as the day had begun, as they had when the Sun rose, the six mares sat atop the large, stone-covered roof of the apartment as the Sun set on another wonderful day. Rainbow Dash sat atop the short ledge, her back hooves dangling over the city, watching the warm colors of the day slowly drift away. Rarity traced the lantern lights of the skyline with the point of her hoof. Fluttershy and Pinky Pie sat beside one another, drawing vague pictures in the rocks. Twilight Sparkle and Applejack told one another stories and jokes. "I love you guys," Fluttershy warmly declared.
"Same here," Twilight happily replied, followed by the others. "You're the best friends anypony could ever ask for."
"Hey, while we're getting all sappy," Rainbow Dash replied, sounding calmer and more at-ease than usual. "Check out the last of the sunset." The mares gathered around and watched Queen Celestia's will put the Sun to rest and usher in the Moon and a peaceful night.
"Beautiful," Pinky Pie warmly whispered, leaning against Applejack's shoulder. "You've gotta thank Celestia for tonight, Twilight."
"I will," Twilight Sparkle agreed. "Right after I thank her for all of you." The mares let out a collective sigh that even Rainbow Dash didn't regret.
Parting ways only for the rest of the day, the six mares returned to their homes after offering some final blessings to one another. Rainbow Dash assured her friends that she was okay, and everypony left without leaving anything unsaid.
Her hooves trotting along the gravel roads that would take her home, Twilight smiled to herself as warm new memories settled within her mind. Finally, she made it back to her tree-like castle home and locked the door behind her. The day was gone. Spike had left one of his notes on the kitchen table, which read, "Dear Twilight Sparkle, hope you had a great day! I had fun and did NOT sneak any ice cream. For dinner, I had one of the dinners you made me. No letters from Queen Celestia today. Hope you had fun with the others, and tell Rarity I said hi, please. Love, Spike." Making her way into the library, the Unicorn saw Spike's basket bed set up next to a stack of comic books with the baby dragon sleeping inside. Smiling, Twilight gave her friend a soft kiss, pulled his blankets closer to his little face, and retired to her room for the night. Closing her door, the young Unicorn wrote a quick letter to her beloved queen by light of her candles, sent the draft through enchanted flame, and prepared to rest for the night.
"So easily amused, aren't you, child?" that most hated of voices taunted Twilight, blowing out the candles and smothering the light.
Her gaze fixed on the Moon outside her open window, the young mare's joy melted away as her dread and pain returned. Twilight's smile faded into a sorrowful, weeping frown as her head dropped and her strength faded. "What do you want?" she miserably, sobbingly demanded. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"
"I am not going anywhere," the dark, malicious voice of a cold mare answered. "I am always with you, Twilight. I always have been…And I always will be."
"That's a lie!" the Unicorn furiously shot back, snapping herself around to face the shadows. "You're not here! You're just a ghost or a bad dream! You haven't always been there, and I'll find a way to make you disappear forever!"
"You and I both know you won't discard me," the nightmare answered, her voice sounding warm, as if she were an old friend. "Even if you truly wanted to…You and I are together, Twilight. I am, after all, your only friend."
"No," Twilight sobbed, her rage turning to desperation. "No, I have real friends. They love me, defend me: We make each other strong. I hate you. You're nothing but a leech."
"I am your strength. I have always been there for you, even in your childhood. All your life I have guided you. All of your success, all of your glories, all because of me. You'll always need me, and I will always be here."
"I don't need you!" Twilight cried out. "I became who I am and what I am through my own work. Whenever I needed help, my friends saw me through. You only tried to tear me down. You were the voice telling me I couldn't do it. But I shut you out. No matter how long you haunt me, that won't change."
"You mustn't deceive yourself, Twilight. I have never haunted you. Rather, I am a part of you. I took you to Celestia, helped you learn all you know. I have done nothing but help you. And here you stand before me, you cowering wretch, and deny my devotion. In truth, I have long grown disgusted with you. Every opportunity presented to you has been squandered. You choose to live your days in lies and distractions. You live in fear because you know the truth: That you are nothing without me!" Twilight felt her eyes become blinded with hot tears as her composure broke down. "Don't bother screaming. No one can hear you anyway. You have nothing but me. And yes, I hate you. I always have. Regardless, I remain." Her shadows gently brushed and stroked the Unicorn's face and wiped away her tears. "You have always been hated, Twilight. You have always been alone without me. You are worthless, ugly, helpless, and lost. You belong to me."
"Stop it!" Twilight cried out as her world shattered.
"I will never stop, child! I am with you forever! And when you finally die, I will swallow you entirely!"
As a young filly, Twilight ran towards the forest until her parents were just out of sight. She was happy, carefree, and filled with wonder. Her Cutie- Mark yet to form, the young Unicorn laughed and shouted cheerfully, until she saw the black mare standing before her. The dark entity whispered into her ear, and filled the child with fear and doubt.
Now all alone in the darkness, Twilight let her mane fall over her face as she wept. "I don't need you," she whispered in an act of self-deceit. "I'm not like you. I can survive on my own." It was all a lie now, and the Moon outside only grew darker as an emblem resembling a dark Unicorn formed on its side.