Author: AnnonyMouse
MLP:FiM is property of Hasbro. This is a free fanfiction, not to be sold or traded for any money, goods or services.
...
A/N: No comments on spelling or grammar. See my profile for details.
...
Evernight
08
...
Canterlot Ruins.
A flare of dark purple light warned the occupants of the throne room they had company.
Spitfire, Soarin and a third Pegasus Pony turned to see Mare Do Well appear, drop a scroll, then vanish again, teleporting off someplace the fliers could not find her.
Spitfire trotted over and unrolled the scroll with her hooves, pinned the parchment down and read it out.
“She's on her way. Get prepared.”
“She?” Soarin asked. “Wait, you mean that freaky looking version of Twilight Sparkle?” He shivered. “I heard how powerful our Twilight is...”
“Time seems to have flowed differently, if even just slightly.” Spitfire stated. “This one should not be as powerful.”
“Are you sure?” Echo asked. “She possesses the Element of Magic, and her special talent is magic. She might prove more than we can handle.”
“We'll be fine. Mare Do Well, I mean the magic using one, set up a magical trap in the throne room. We should be able to contain her and use her magic to free Princess Celestia once again.” Spitfire grinned at her pale green eyes companion.
Echo nodded and looked toward the window. “Which of us will be the sacrifice?”
Soarin shook his head. “I'm the strongest flier here, Spitfire's the most skilled, and you can weave through any obstacle course with your eyes closed. I think that Gryphon should be the one.”
“No. If it wasn't for Gilda, we would never have escaped the void in the first place.” Spitfire sat on her haunches and crossed her forelegs. “Damnit... I don't like this, but we need a sacrifice...”
“What about one of the Mare Do Well?” Echo suggested, her pale green eyes glancing between Spitfire and Soarin.
Spitfire shook her head. “No, that's not an option either. They're all too strong. That Pegasus is faster than Soarin, more skilled than myself, and more agile than Echo. The Earth Pony is stronger than even Gilda, and the Unicorn, well, her magic is unbelievable. You wanna suggest one of them sacrifice their lives for this ritual?”
Soarin sighed. “Then I'll have to fly to a nearby town and find a sacrifice...” He started toward the window. “Unless you have another suggestion.”
Spitfire hung her head. “I'm afraid I don't... The seal requires a thousand years to pass, or either the ones who sealed her to free her, or a blood sacrifice to break it.” She looked up at Echo and Soarin. “And we all know the likelihood that the Elements from this time line will free her. They're loyal to Nightmare Moon.”
“Fine... When I was scouting, I spotted a small settlement to the east. I'll nab somepony from there.” Soarin took off as fast as he could.
Echo frowned deeply. “Are we really going to murder somepony for this ritual?”
Spitfire looked away, a look of shame on her face. “We have no choice, other than too wait another thousand years on the void... Do you want to do that again?”
“No, but... It's murder. Even Nightmare Moon didn't kill anypony, and she's evil.” Echo started toward the window. “I don't want to hurt anypony.”
“Neither do I, and I know Soarin doesn't want to do this either.”
A larger suddenly flew in through the window and landed heavily on the marble floor. Gilda glared hard at the pair of Pegasai. “I'd do it in a heartbeat if I could, but the ritual must be done by a Pony.” She folded her odd, mechanical wings, wincing a little in pain. “Ugh... These things still hurt.”
Spitfire felt sympathy for the Gryphon. She had lost her wings when they escaped the void. Had it not been for all three of the Mare Do Well, Gilda would be flightless for the rest of her life. “Don't worry Gilda. I'll do it. I'm the leader of the Wonderbolts after all.”
Gilda snorted. “Please. You've never killed anything before, have you?”
“I eat plants, not meat like you do.” Spitfire replied. “I've never had to kill, but this case... I'll murder anypony I have too if it means we can restore Princess Celestia and all of Equestria. Time MUST be set right again.”
Echo walked next to Spitfire and nuzzled her under the chin gently. “Once Twilight Sparkle arrives and we trap her, all we'll need to do is wait for Soaring to return.” She hung her head. “If he can't bring a sacrifice... what will we do then?”
“I'll sacrifice myself... I REALLY don't want too, but if we have no choice, then I'll do it.” Spitfire choked a little. She couldn't believe she had just said that. Her honor demanded that she follow through if Soarin failed.
...
Soarin landed on a cloud over the small farming community. It wasn't a town like Ponyville, just a small village with maybe thirty or so ponies.
Even though it was night time, he could see plenty of those aberrations walking around. They looked so unnatural to him.
(If we can restore our time line, then none of this will have happened. This sacrifice will never have happened, even if we remember it for the rest of our lives. The one we kill will never have died, right? We're doing the right thing.) He had kept telling himself the whole flight here that they were doing the right thing.
Was he right? Was he just deluding himself and using this as an excuse for cold blooded, premeditated murder?
No pony had ever taken the life of another pony during the whole reign of Princess Celestia, and even the evil Nightmare Moon had not harmed another pony.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He had to find a potential sacrifice.
(We'll have a Unicorn when that freak arrives... We'll be needing a Pegasus for the blood sacrifice. I'll have to be careful because some of these things carry weapons. Maybe a foal would be easier to handle... But how would that effect the ritual?) Soarin sighed. (No matter. I'm not about to fight a full grown pony that's packing a weapon. A foal will have too do.)
He searched from his hidden vantage point till he spotted a young Pegasus foal jumping off a cottage roof into a pile of hay, trying to learn how to fly.
(That one can't fly, so it should be easy pickings.) He checked to make sure there were no other Pegasus or other Ponies within sight before diving.
...
This had been her third attempt this night to fly. She had managed to stay airborne for at least five seconds this time.
Snowflake giggled as she climbed back onto the roof. She had done something right this time, so all she had to do was keep practicing it till she could really fly. Her friends and family would be so surprised.
Again the white filly with soft blue mane and tail ran for the edge and jumped.
She flapped her little wings and watched the ground fall away from under her. She was flying?
Snowflake suddenly became aware of something else. She felt arms under her armpits and around her chest. She looked down and saw, not hands, but hooves?
“What the?” She gasped as the ground fell away even faster now. She looked over her shoulder and saw a strangely dressed and masked pony holding tightly onto her. “Hey, what are you doing?”
“If you scream, I'll drop you. From this height, the fall will either kill you, or break most of your bones and you'll never be able to fly.” His voice quivered a little, but was cold.
“What?” Snowflake paled. “Don't drop me... Who are you? What do you think you're doing?” She then spotted the clouds. “Are... are you taking me up too the clouds to teach me how to fly?” Her eyes grew wide.
“No.” He replied coldly. “I need you to save the world. Don't worry, once this is all taken care off, you shouldn't remember anything and should be right back at home with your family and friends.”
Snowflake struggled a little, but this strange hoofed pony was too strong for her to break free. “Take me home. I don't want to go anywhere with you.”
“You have no choice in the matter little one. I will drop you to your death if you struggle or try to escape, so just be quiet and soon it will be all over.”
Snowflake was feeling fear now. This Pony... creature, whatever it was, was no natural pony. It had hooves rather than hands. That was just not natural at all. It was some sort of pony monster perhaps. “P-please don't hurt me.”
“You won't feel a thing.” He stated and poured on the speed.
Snowflake saw the ancient white towers of Canterlot, and they were heading right for them. “C... Canterlot? That place is cursed... I don't wanna go there!” She started crying, but the strange pony thing ignored her and flew on.
...
Midnight was not the fasted flier, that was certain, but her flight was allowed by magical wings, not wings of flesh and bone and stretched membrane. In fact, hers resembles feathered wings, just like Queen Nightsong's.
She loved flying, but knew that she had too keep this magic a secret, not wanting to frighten other ponies, or to make them think she was trying to be like the Queen.
“Almost there...” Midnight sighed as the towers came into view. She then spotted a small white form moving fast through the air toward the tallest tower, toward the throne room.
“Who's that?” She wondered and pushed her wings to the maximum speed they allowed. She was a little slower than an average Pegasus, but was still faster than what she could run. “Hmm, maybe an explorer? I hope they can help me somehow.”
...
Soarin flew in through the window and dropped the filly, letting her tumble across the floor till she crashed into something large.
Snowflake looked up and her blood ran cold.
A Gryphon.
“N... no...” She scrambled away. “Get away from me. Don't eat me.” She cried in fear, tears pouring from her eyes.
“Me? Eat a Pony?” The female Gryphon snorted. “Please. I prefer rabbit.” She stormed forward and pinned the filly down with one of her talons. “If you behave, I won't hurt you.”
“Gilda!” A flame maned Pony stepped into view, walking on four hooves. “You will not harm her. We need her for the ritual.”
“I know that.” Gilda shot the Pegasus a dirty look. “But if she tries to escape, I'll break all her limbs.”
The Pony who had pony-napped Snowflake spoke up. “I spotted one of the freaks flying toward the castle. We need to get everything ready.” He looked around. “Where are the three Mares?”
“They should be here when we need them.” The flame maned creature spoke, her strange, beautiful, feathered wings fluttering almost excitedly. “All of you, get into hiding. I'll lure the target into the trap. Gilda, keep that filly quiet, without hurting her.”
Gilda nodded and clamped a talon around the filly's head, then dragged her off toward a side room, ignoring her struggles.
The stallion and another mare joined them in the side room while the flame maned one remained behind.
...
Midnight reached the castle and located the throne room balcony. She landed and folded her wings behind her before entering. “Hello?” She called out softly. She cast a spell and created a ball of light to float over her head.
She stopped the moment she cast the spell, spotting the masked pony. A quadrupedal Pony.
“Who... who are you?”
“Twilight Sparkle?” The mare asked, sounding almost friendly.
“No, my name is Midnight Sparkle. Who are you?”
“I'm Spitfire.” She started.
“Captain of the Shadow Bolts?” Midnight stopped in her tracks. “You're not her. I've met her and she's like me. She stands upright.”
Spitfire chuckled a little. “Ah, well, you see, I'm not YOUR Spitfire. I'm from Equestria, which no longer exists because of Nightmare Moon messing with time. Why don't you come in and we can talk?”
Midnight almost took a step forward, but stopped. “Why should I believe you? How do I know you're not a minion of the Tyrant Skyfire? You're four legged like she is after all.”
“All ponies are four legged. All REAL ponies. You're a twisted mockery, created by Nightmare Moon. We need your help to return the world to the way it should be.”
“Should be? The world is as it is. I'm 'aware' that the Tyrant feels time has been messed with. She's tried to trick me before, but I won't fall for it. This is Evernight, not Equestria. Tyrant...”
“Princess. Her name is Princess Celestia. She rules all of Equestria alongside her little sister, Princess Luna.” Spitfire replied sternly. “Certainly you must be aware that a world with no sun is unnatural.”
“The sun is unnatural here in Evernight. Why don't you return to where you came from?” Midnight stalled for time as she tried sensing for magic. There was a Unicorn with four legs after all. Who knows what she was capable of .
Her delay proved useful as she could see the elaborate spell circle hidden in the floor.
“The Sun and the Moon need to be in balance.” Spitfire spoke again. “Just come along and we can talk.”
“And fall into your magical trap?” Midnight scowled. “I can see it.”
What Midnight didn't see was the black and purple clad Pegasus fly in from behind and tackle her. Midnight flew through the air, but spread her wings before she touched the floor and lifted into the air.
She spun and stared at the masked and cloaked Pegasus. “Who are you? You're dressed just like that Unicorn that came to deliver a message earlier.”
The mare said nothing but stepped aside, revealing her clone.
No, not a clone. The Unicorn.
Midnight's wings suddenly faded and she fell to the floor, landing on her hands and knees. Instantly she was paralyzed, bound by magical chains that bound her limbs and horn.
“Let me go. What do you think you're doing?” (I should have brought the others with me...) Midnight was now regretting not bringing the other five Elements of Harmony.
“No can do.” Five more figures entered the room. Two more Pegasus, a third cloaked pony, and a vicious looking Gryphon with metal wings, who was dragging a little white filly. “We need your magic, your Element, and this sacrifice to free Princess Celestia.”
“Sacrifice?” Midnight gasped. “Don't you hurt her.” She strained, but was unable to move. The Unicorn's trap was certainly powerful. She couldn't even focus on her magic.
The filly's eyes were wide with terror, but with the Gryphon's talons clamped over her mouth, she could only whimper and cry.
“Yea, her lifeblood.” The Stallion stated flatly. “Don't worry, once time is set right, you'll remember none of this, and she'll be alive again, so no harm done.”
“No.” Midnight struggled, but to no avail. “You can't hurt her. She's an innocent little filly.”
The flame maned mare walked to the edge of the circle and glared at Midnight. “Are you serious about wanting to live in darkness all your life? Don't you want to live and love under the warmth of the sun?”
“Skyfire will burn the sky once she becomes strong enough. I won't allow that. I... I'll die before I let you free her.” Midnight threatened, but she couldn't do anything.
“And how will you kill yourself?” The stallion laughed.
“I...” Midnight thought fast. “I'll bite my tongue off and bleed to death.” Midnight threatened. Her loyalty to her Queen was strong enough, she most certainly would do it.
The cloaked Unicorn's horn flared bright purple, the same color as Midnight's. Her jaw was suddenly clamped shut so she could not bite her tongue, or even speak.
Midnight's eyes went wide as she felt the magic. It was not so much as familiar, but almost the exact same as her own. (No... could that mare be... me? The alternate me?) She struggled, but the magic was not just strong, but prevented her from calling on her own.
“Prepare the sacrifice.” Spitfire commanded. “Once we begin the ritual, all this 'Midnight's' magic will be drained, and that of these fake Elements of Harmony.” She looked at Gilda. “Place her in the smaller binding circle so she can't move.”
Gilda nodded and dragged Snowflake over, slamming her down onto the floor, within a small circle that was connected too the larger one. “There we go.” The Gryphon grinned as the freak filly was bound by magical chains. “Now, who's going to perform the actual sacrifice?”
The Earth Pony Mare Do Well stepped forward.
“Has too be an Earth Pony.” Soarin stated. “So now, we have everything we need.” He reached under his wing and pulled out a sharp knife. He set it on the floor before Mare Do Well.
The strong mare took the knife in her teeth and turned to face the filly. She stepped up too her and looked down at the crying filly. She glanced at her fellow Mare Do Well and received a pair of nods.
Mare Do Well lifted the sharp knife high and hesitated.
Her few seconds of hesitation cost her.
The knife was struck by something and sent flying across the room. An arrow clattered too the floor nearby.
“I won't let you hurt anypony.” A soft, gentle voice spoke from the doorway.
All eyes turned too see five of those upright ponies standing there, one already notching another arrow on her slender longbow.
“Ya'll ain't gonna get away with this.” The tall Applejack readied her axe.
Rainbow Dash pointed her spear at Spitfire. “What do you think you're doing? Hurting another pony?”
“We have too do this to make everything right again.” Spitfire replied sternly. “You don't realize that this world should never have existed. It's wrong.”
“You say that, yet you're more than willing to effectively hurt everypony.” Pinkamena stood next too Fluttershy, her eyes cracked open ever so slightly. A faint blue glow could be seen.
The tall, slender Unicorn stood between Rainbow Dash and Applejack, a pair of gems slowly orbiting her head. “Keep them all busy, I'll free Midnight and the filly.”
“We can't let you do that.” Spitfire growled. “Soarin, Echo, do not let them interfere. Mare, recover that dagger and perform the sacrifice. No stalling this time.”
The Earth Pony nodded and rushed for the knife.
Gilda stepped forward and stared at Rainbow Dash. “Can't say I like the look of you right now Rainbow Dash. I can't wait too see the real you again.”
“G... Gilda?” Dash stepped back, eying her strange metal wings. “No, you're not my Gilda.”
“Oh? There's another me in this fake world? Does she still have her real wings?” Gilda's metal wings stretched, revealing sharp looking metal feathers. “Well, once we set things right, I'll get mine back too.” She charged forward too attack.
Applejack was tackled by Soarin. He may not have had her height, but he was stronger than he looked, and fast. She swung her axe, but could not land a blow. “Hold still ya feather duster. Let me clip yer wings.”
“Yea, that's not going too happen.” He grinned and kicked at her head, but she blocked with her axe shaft, sliding back a few yards.
Rarity cast a spell toward Midnight, hoping it would break the chains, but the spell was blocked by a purple barrier.
“Great...” Rarity muttered and drew her dagger. “I don't want to hurt you, but I'll do every thing I can to save my friend.” She charged forward, her gem magic deflecting a purple beam cast from her opponent's horn.
Pinkamena's eyes snapped wide open, glowing bright blue as Echo flew right at her. She sent pieces of rubble flying at the Pegasus, but somehow she was able too evade everything, still, she was pushed back out of melee range. “I'm not a magician. I'm an Esper.” She grinned as the stones stared flying around more, seemingly right into Echo's path of movement, like the pink mare knew exactly what her opponent was going too do ahead of time.
The winged Mare Do Well moved to join in against Rainbow Dash, but a pair of arrows caught her cloak, pinning her too the floor. She turned her attention too the archer and narrowed her eyes.
“Please, we don't have too do this.” Fluttershy pleaded. “We don't need too fight.” Already she was readying another arrow.
Spitfire hovered in the air over Midnight Sparkle. “Futility, that's what this is.” She glared at the trapped Unicorn, then at the filly Pegasus. “Within moment, it will all be over.” She turned to see the Earth Mare reaching for the knife.
But a long, thin tail wrapped around the handle, said tail being part of a feather winged serpent, which flew up and out of Mare Do Well's reach. “Sorry, we cannot let you do this.”
Mare Do Well flared angrily at Spike, but remained silent.
Spitfire snarled and flew for Spike.
Spike easily weaved around the rush attack, and wrapped himself around the mare's neck, the knife suddenly pressed against her throat. “Surrender or I'll use this on you. You're not a real pony, so my 'programming' won't prevent me from cutting your neck.” He hissed in her ear. “Call your team off.”
Spitfire gritted her teeth. “Kill me, and they'll only get angrier.” She snarled. “I'm already prepared to give up my life to save the Princess.”
Spike frowned. “Hmm, by spilling the blood of a Pegasus, right?” He then grinned. “Then I'll disable you without drawing blood.”
Spitfire screamed as she felt fangs pierce her neck, and a numbing sensation quickly spread through her veins. “No... paralyzing... poison?” She started falling.
Spike released her and stayed airborne, out of reach of that Earth Pony in the black and dark purple costume. “Sorry, but you left me with no choice.”
Spitfire was caught before she hit the ground, landing on Mare Do Well's back. “Mare... You'll have to use your hooves...” She then sent completely limp.
Mare Do Well lowered Spitfire to the marble floor and turned to the fight.
Applejack and Soarin were fighting, axe and massive strength against hoof and speed.
Fluttershy had pinned the Pegasus Mare Do Well down completely with arrows and the cloak.
Rainbow Dash was on the defensive, using her spear to block or deflect the series of bladed wings, needle point talons, and razor sharp beak attacks.
Rarity and the Unicorn Mare Do Well were casting spells back and forth, with Rarity flying her knives around at the same time.
Pinkamena and Echo were less fighting, and more playing with flying obstacles and amazing weaving about to avoid them.
The Mare Do Well shook her head and rushed for the filly. She had no choice but to bloody her hooves. She rose high and was about to come down, her hooves aimed for her head...
...
To Be Continued...
...
Author's Notes:
Sorry for how long it took me to write this chapter.
Who will win this battle? Will Snowflake be sacrificed and Equestria restored? Insert random question here. Stay tuned for the next Chapter of Evernight.
