Nocturnal

"Everypony up!"

I felt a sharp jab to his ribs as the company commander started to painfully rouse the ponies from their sleep.  I looked up from my resting place through a crack in the barracks ceiling and confirmed that it was in fact the dead of night. This was how it is supposed to be forever now, but some of us still had time coping with the change.  I glanced over at the commander, who continued kicking at sleeping ponies in an effort to wake them up, occasionally kicking twice at those who were too stubborn.  There weren't many.  Tonight was the big night.

The night we finished our training.

The night we received our blessings from our rightful Queen, Nightmare Moon.

As a pegasus, I had spent the last few weeks training in the Everfree Forset, at a small camp that had been dug out of the overgrowth.  I had been working to become an aerial commander in Nightmare Moon's army, where I would then work to battle Princess Celestia's Royal Guard and keep law and order during Nightmare Moon's following reign of eternal night.  It was a dangerous place.  Many times, monsters had attacked our hollow.  I had already mastered advanced combat technique due to the danger, and was currently awaiting the blessing that would dictate my specialized training.

I quickly got to my feet and shook my dark grey coat, trying to dislodge the vestiges of our rough night spent sleeping on the dirt from my black mane.  Around me, other recruits were doing the same.

Not long after I finished, I heard the booming voice of our company commander behind me.  "All of you, bathe.  You'll want to look thine best for Queen Nightmare, lest you deign to feel her wrath."

I was all too happy to comply.  We all knew about Nightmare Moon's temperament.  Some of the others had experienced the pain of not pleasing her, and nopony who witnessed it wanted to go through that once, let alone a second time.  Many of the other recruits weren't going to receive her blessing, and would be lucky to end the night with their lives.  Me?  I had never had to be disciplined.  I was called her "Star Pupil" and was the best aerial specialist in the entire encampment.  Rumors between the training officers are that I was to be granted a special blessing from the Queen.  I was in no mood to disappoint her on the day of my graduation into my next level of training, and hurriedly went in the direction of the shower complex.

As I stepped out of the thermal pool we had set up as a bath, I saw a humorous sight in front of the mirrors.  Many of the other colts were attempting to trim their coats, and a few even looked like they were applying varying types of cologne in a desperate - and useless - attempt to make a good impression in the hopes of attaining some form of mercy from our sovereign Queen.  I knew better, and only groomed my self as much as necessary.  The proper way to make a good impression is to show the person what they're going to get, not what you try to show them on the one day it matters.

Despite my best efforts at hiding in the crowd of ponies, my furtive presence drew a few glares of animosity.  Many of these ponies knew of my favor with our superiors, and resented me for it.  I tried to ignore them.  No need to start a fight on the most important day of my training.  Sadly, most of these pegasi weren't going to be accepted into  future training, and they knew it.  These ponies had no qualms about starting a fight tonight, and I think some of them would relish the chance to put me in disfavor with Nightmare today.  The ringleader of the group gave a sharp whistle, and most of the ponies in the room left in varying forms of disarray, leaving me alone with him and four other pegasi, who moved to surround me.

"Look at this little wus!"  A brown coated pegasus nearly a head taller than me snapped, and then proceeded to spit at my face.  He then turned to a slightly smaller, yellow coated pegasus with a white mane.  "What'ya say we preen 'is wings a little?  Won't be flying so pretty for Nightmare tonight after that, will he?"

I wiped the saliva off my cheek, and turned to face him.  "I'm in no mood for this, DustWind.  And if any of the commanders catch us fighting, it'll mean our heads."  I took this time to survey my opponents.  DustWind, one of the camps bullies, wasn't that bright and tended to push his way through anypony or anything that got in his way.  I didn't remember the name of the yellow-coat, but I did recall from the practice drills that he was fond of of overstretching his limits and coming up short when it came to high speed or distance flying.  So far, it looked like my best chance at winning with all my teeth intact was to take flight.  To their left was a black coated and blacker maned pagasus I recognized as BlackRider.  She was an ace pilot, but useless when it came to ground combat.  If I wanted any chance at winning this fight in the air, I had to incapacitate her here.  I didn't get a chance to look behind me at the other two.

DustWind scoffed.  "Our heads?  You mean your head.  Many of the commanders are just dyin' for a reason to see you in trouble.  If we do get caught, we got three witnesses sayin' you started the fight."  Dustwind lowered his head and grinned as they started to converge on me.

I started to back toward a wall, but was jumped from behind by one of their cohorts.  My arms and wings were pinned to my sides as yellow-coat took at swing at my face.  I took it, letting my head snap into the jaw of the attacker behind me.  I planted both of my back hooves into DustWind's chest and pushed with all my might, slamming the already dazed pegasus behind me into the wall, and wrangled myself free.

When I looked up, DustWind had already recovered, and was swinging his arm with all his strength, his face was contorted into a mask of rage.  I ducked his blow, letting it slide over my head and into the second pony behind me, who was lining up a shot at the base of my skull.  I heard him fall to a crumpled heap behind me.

Down one.

BlackRider bent her head and charged me.  I sidestepped out of her way, and, clasping my arms around her neck, directed her into the stomach of the pony who had grabbed me from behind.  He jackknifed as the wind was knocked out of him, and ended up collapsing on top of BlackRider, gasping to refill his abused lungs.

Blackrider made an attempt at untangling herself from the pegasus, but I took this opportunity to deliver a single kick across both their faces.  They fell to the ground.

Down two, down three.

I caught a hoof to the gut, and felt the air leave my lungs as another one followed. I hit the ground panting, and received a blow to the back of my head and a kick to the chest.  I blocked the followup with my left wing, spread my right, and shot out from under my assailants.  I made a dash for the door, and felt the glorious sensation of the air as it rushed through my mane.  Now we can finish this, I thought as I directed myself toward a nearby treeline.

I looked back to see my attackers taking flight themselves, and also saw a number of gawkers.  I returned my attention ahead of me and narrowly missed planting my face in a leafless, dying oak tree.  My pursuers were not as lucky.  Yellow-mane either failed to see the same danger in time, or was overconfident in his abilities.  His left wing clipped the tree at the end.  He started to spiral out of control, but corrected himself.  The tip of his wing was in an obviously broken mass, and it clearly pained him to fly.  I wouldn't have much of a problem with him now.

That's when DustWind hit me.  He locked his brown arms around my legs, and tried to pull me to the ground.  I flapped my wings faster, dodging trees left and right, then finally exerted myself upward, making for the dark clouds above us.  His wing movements reversed, and I started to lose altitude.  I looked down, and saw yellow-coat laboriously gaining altitude.  If he were to grab me, the dead weight alone would force me to ground.

And then I smiled.  There was no way yellow-coat could reach these altitudes.  Not in the way he was overexerting himself, and definitely not with the branches protruding from seeping holes in his wing.  I planted a back hoof into DustWind's face, and pushed off, using the momentum to both dislodge him and propel me forward.  At this time, I could hear shouting coming from below, and it was getting closer.  I looked down, and sure enough, there was a number of pegasus officers in shining black armor climbing towards us.  I also saw yellow-coat falter, succumb to his wounds, and tumble into the trees below.

I didn't get long to look though, as DustWind latched his hooves across my chest, squeezing the air out of me.  I retaliated with a headbutt, and tried to free myself from his grasp.  Instead of escaping, though, I was ripped from his grip by a pair of officers.  They forced us down and proceeded to beat us with batons.  My last image before blacking out is of a discorporeal shape, black as the night itself and speckled with what looked like stars, moving closer to me as I seeped into unconsciousness.

The world outside mine eyelids was one of red.  I shut them even tighter to block the unwelcome light, and became aware of a dull pain radiating from, well, everywhere.  I would be in the infirmary now, and I probably looked terrible, judging by how I feel.  But that wasn't important.  What was important was that I was still alive.  Well, there's no hiding from my fate.

I opened my eyes, and waited until they had adjusted to the sudden influx of pale light.  Upon completing this feat, I looked around to find myself alone.  As I examined my surrounding, I noticed that I was not in the camp infirmary as I had first suspected.  The bedding on my cot was black, speckled with white.  The unworn walls were an even darker shade of ebony, and my heart jumped to my throat as I realized where I was.  The tower ward of Nightmare Moon's castle.

Now I've done it, I thought as I glanced at the doorway, and felt a pit form in the center of my stomach.  My ears folded to the back of my head as I pondered my fate.  On the final day of this dreadful camp, I managed to injure four Pegasi, and possibly kill a fifth.  I doubted I would get any leniency with the Queen.

As thoughts of my looming mortality floated through my mind, I heard a rush of air and noticed the purple curtain fold in on itself, seeping through the door.  It opened and the doors hit the walls with a loud crack, snapping a few timbres.  One of the unicorn officers stepped in, pulling a baton from a loop in his saddlebag.  He was followed by an Alicorn twice my size and black as darkness itself.  The officer pinned me to the opposite wall with his magic, and proceeded to beat me relentlessly.  The air was devoid of any sound, except for the sounds of the impacts on my skin and my sputters or gasps that punctuated through my clenched teeth.  This abuse continued until the Alicorn pulled him away with her magic.

"Enough!" Her authoritative voice cut through the air.  I  dropped to the floor and offered a silent thank you.  My muscles were in agony, and I suspected the unicorn had been backing up the physical blows with magic.  Nightmare walked over to me, and I instantly felt the pain dissolve from my limbs.  I looked up and saw her scrutinizing me closely with her eyes.

I bowed.  "My Queen," my voice was hardly above a whisper, "If I have offended in any way, I accept responsibility for my actions.  But I wish to say that I had no intention to cause a..."

Nightmare Moon cut me off with her magic. "I am not displeased."  Her turquoise eyes watched me.  "In fact, I am quite the opposite.  DustWind was a foal to believe I wouldn't know what goes on in my Kingdom.  I saw the way the fight started, and I was most satisfied with how thou hast conducted thyself."  We walked out of the infirmary, and made our way to her throne room.  "Thou understoodst that an altercation might prove too costly on a day like today.  But once it started, thou didstn't hold back.  The fight resulted in the death of one of thy peers."  She allowed herself a small smile.  "Sadly, even I can not watch everywhere at once.  I need agents.  Especially agents with as clear a head as thine."

I kept my head bowed to her, and smiled.  Such high praise, coming from her, was something to be savored.  She continued.  "I have kept thee sedated for the past week.  Preparing thy body for the blessing, wherewith I will bestow thee."

I was surprised, and tilted my head up.  "Begging your pardon, your Highness, but if I may ask, wherefore? What do you mean 'preparing?'  What kind of power could require changes to my body?"

As we passed under the arch leading to her throne, I was expecting harsh words thrown at me for my [mine] interruption, but instead saw her smile.  "I understand thy confusion, but it is unnecessary."  She began to walk around me.  "If thou art to become my agent, thou must trust my every word to be true, and follow even those that are not.  These small changes I have made are to thy mind.  I have changed thy brain chemistry to resemble more closely that of a unicorn."

She closed the door behind us, and must have read the worry on my down-turned face, because she began to chuckle.  "Fret not.  They are harmless, and necessary for what I am about to do."  I heard voices outside, mixed with heavy hooffalls and the distinctive noises made by various magical blasts.  I glanced at the door.  The cacophony was getting progressively louder with each passing moment.  I then looked upon my Queen's face.  She had turned to the window, and appeared crestfallen.  "I must admit to thee, my sister has found this refuge.  Time is short, and we mustn't tarry.  Thy combat ability, mixed with thy clear head and ability to process information have led me to choose thee for this privilege."

The ground started to shake.  The voices had stopped, but the hooffalls were almost on top of us.  They didn't sound like those of the soldiers in Nightmare Moons army.  These sounded too clean, too precise, to be anything but Princess Celestia's warriors.

Nightmare Moon turned to me, and her eyes flashed with violet.  "This is the gift I impart to thee.  I give thee and all of thy descendants a portion of my magic.  Whether I reside on this plane or another, you may wield this power in my name."

She looked to the door, her translucent mane floating towards it, encompassing the wooden beams in a dark purple.  But a bit of it floated to me, and hovered in front of my face.  I stood this way for about a minute, reveling in my Queen's infinite power.  I would have continued to bask in this glory, but the door started to warp and rattle.

The purple aura floating in front of my nose flew up my nostrils, filling my mind with sensations I never dreamed of.  Was this the power a normal unicorn lived with, every day of their lives?  I felt a rush of blood go to my head, and my vision started to waver.

As my eyesight returned to it's former pristine state I noticed that cracks had begun forming between the wooden planks in the door.  They were quickly patched by the magic surrounding it.  The timbres stopped shuddering for a moment, but then started again with renewed vigor.  "Thou must leave."  I turned to find Nightmare looking at me sternly.  "Should my sister find thee, thou wilt surely be put to death, and all of my plans will be for naught.  But before thou goest, thou must receive thine assignment."

My mind was filled with images of what I was to do.  Images of bribery and corruption.  Images of murder and theft.  I turned back to Nightmare Moon.  "Do ye not wish me to aid you in the fight with my new powers?" I inquired, feeling quite puzzled.  "I believe I would best serve on the front lines."

My head began to throb with sharply unimaginable pain. "Dare not question my commands!" she barked.  "I intend not to win this war tonight.  I have glimpsed into Celestia's mind, and have grasped what she plans for me.  I have set things in motion which will allow me to bide my time and strike later.  Thou art one of them."  The pain stopped, and was replaced by a heavy sense of foreboding.

Nightmare Moon continued.  "Thou art to live thy life.  Forget about thy past.  Look only to thy future.   Every chance thou mayst find, spread mine influence across all of Equestria.  But also, do not forget thy bloodline.  Marry, and procreate.  But ensure that thy descendants are loyal to me.  Thy children and thy children's children will become mine agents, and follow in thy hoofsteps.  Thou, and all yon who follow thee, shall be known as Nocturnal"

I replied to her with "Your will be done."  I turned around, and thought about the new life ahead of me.  One of subterfuge, and sabotage.  Of death, and despair.  Yet also one of possibilities.  But there was one thing that still worried me.  "How will I escape?"  I rotated my attention to the door, which was showing more and more stress as the pulsing neared its climax.  "How will you keep me from being detected by Princess Celestia's magicians?"

"Like this,"  was all I heard before the purple around the door moved to clothe me in night.  I no longer felt the cold stones beneath my hooves, or the cold air flowing through my mane.  I was only aware of a loud crashing sound coming from everywhere and nowhere.  One thought entered my mind.  "Think, and my power will serve thee.  But do not use this liberally.  Thy greatest asset is thine anonymity, and their greatest mistake will be to underestimate thee.  Go, Nocturnal.  But never forget thy mission."

And with that final message from my Queen, the darkness overcame me.