Random idea for art & story:

Previously on Equestria Girls: Friendship Games…

Sunset Shimmer yelled over the cacophonous chaos: “This isn't the way! I know you feel powerful right now, like you can have everything you want! I've been where you are, I've made the same mistake you're making! I put on a crown and, just like you, I was overwhelmed by the magic it contained! I thought it could get me everything I wanted!”

Midnight Sparkle cackled: “Oh, you're wrong. Unlike you, I can have everything I want!”

And then, a rift in reality appeared right beside Midnight. From its murky depths, ethereal blue smoke emerged, coiling and twisting around her, encompassing her in an embrace that looked smothering.

Sunset froze. “Wh-what is THAT?!”

Midnight, too preoccupied with testing out her powers, didn’t notice until it was too late. With a startled yell, she was half-dragged, half-floated towards the gaping maw of another reality. “NO! PUT ME DOWN! WHAT TOMFOOLERY IS THIS? HEEEEELP MEEEE—”

And then she was gone.

The air was still for a moment, save for the background noise of the still-open rifts. Everyone stared at the black abyss that had taken the winged girl.

Sunset was the first to recover. “Everyone! Stay away from the rifts!” She then turned towards her friends. “Please, keep everyone safe. I’m going to get her back. And Pinkie? Keep the time. I need you to tell me how long has passed when I come back.”

She steeled her resolve and dashed towards—not the pitch-black rift, but a window displaying a crystalline building with a starburst adorned on its highest spire, which she vaguely remembered from what Twilight had mentioned during her visits. She leapt into the rift without hesitation, accompanied by her friends’ collective cries of “Sunset!!!”

Their voices had barely dissipated when she shot back out of the rift, followed by an extremely confused Princess Twilight Sparkle. She stood up with wobbly knees and stared around, mouth open.

“What the hay is going on?!”

“No time to explain. Your counterpart in this world did all this—don’t interrupt!—and something in this one,” she gestured at the nighttime rift which had taken her, “grabbed her and sucked her in. We have to go and rescue her because who knows what the hell’s in that place.” She wheeled around. “How long was I in there?”

“Less than three seconds!”

“Good. You all stay here. There’s no knowing how much time will pass in that place, though, so we have to hurry. Come on, Twilight!” She sprinted towards the rift that Midnight had disappeared into and dived into the ominous blackness.

“Wait! Sunset! You can’t just— never mind.”

Twilight took a deep breath and plunged after Sunset. After several disorienting seconds, she landed on what felt like carpet. Further inspection showed that her surroundings were a dimly lit chamber whose ceiling stretched upwards into indigo oblivion. Pillars of onyx marble and tapestries of cyan and turquoise adorned the walls.

Sunset lay sprawled next to her.

“Sunset! Are you alright?”

Sunset groaned. “Ow. My head hurts.” Twilight sighed in relief.

Said feeling was short-lived, however, for from the gothic throne, shrouded in darkness, a voice rang out which made her heart freeze:

“Well, well, well. Look who we have here. My little time traveller and her friend, it seems. I admit I’m rather surprised to see you again, Twilight, especially after how you ran out on me the last time we met.”

She descended the steps to her throne with a terrifyingly graceful beat of her wings. “By the way, there’s someone you would probably like to see. Midnight, dear?” She called out to nowhere in particular, “Why don’t you give our guests a warm welcome? They’ll be staying here for the remainder of the century. Let us not forego our manners.”

From a previously unnoticed corner veiled by the darkness, Midnight leapt out. “Why hello, friends! It’s certainly nice to see familiar faces,” she smirked at Sunset, “and see myself in a new light,” she stared curiously into Twilight’s eyes.

“But above all, I’ve been DYING to tell you: I now have plenty, oh, PLENTY, of what you all tried futilely to deny me—” Her luminescent, spiraled horn flared, the air crackling ominously as arcs of errant mana flashed. “—MAGIC! This kind lady here—”

Apparently enraptured by the dark Alicorn as much as her own monologue, she smiled sweetly at Nightmare Moon, who watched with satisfied fascination, lounging lazily on her comfy throne, “—has been teaching me all about it! And soon, I shall be the most powerful magic user in all the worlds! Who needs you pathetic people when you have such a powerful force at your disposal? Surrender to my Empress now, and you might get a chance to be half as knowledgeable as I am!” She let out an unhinged cackle.

Noticing the looks passed between the two petrified ponies, she gleefully added: “And don’t even think of getting away; this room is locked and spell-proof. Friends or not, we’ll be here together for all eternity!”

Twilight chuckled weakly: “V-very funny. Hey, Sunset, next time, please promise me to at least make a checklist before you dive into dimensional rifts…”

Sunset buried her face in both hooves and groaned. “I sure hope that there will be a next time. We’re so cooked.”

———————*——————-
Happy Nightmare Night!