Twilight made her way toward Fluttershy’s cottage, having heard from several ponies who had come into her court some strange rumors about the usually timid mare, rumors she would have normally scoffed at until now.

She didn’t want to admit it, but she had been growing steadily worried with how close she and Luna had been growing, mostly due to how much she had learned about the princesses…“needs” when it came to her other side. She knew Fluttershy had her own dark desires, having been told by Fluttershy about them, and she knew it was only a matter of time before Luna discovered them as well…and she was worried that her friend would give herself to Luna in a desire to satisfy all of Luna’s urges, and possibly end up killed.

She reached the door, knocking on it and then yelping in surprise as Angle Bunny came out from the window, latching to her leg and crying as he started to babble in bunny speak to her.

“Whoa Angel slow down, I can’t understand you when you’re talking so fast, now what is going on.”

Angel took a few quick breaths, and then told her all that had happened since the day Luna had arrived with the strange bottle in her grasp, to when Fluttershy had pinned him to the floor with her new claws. Twilight just stood there in shock, then jumped when the door opened and Fluttershy walked out, her bat-like wings rustling as she smiled at Twilight.

“Why hello Twilight, I’m sorry I was late to the door but I kind of wore myself out last night, I hope you can forgive me.”

All Twilight could do was stare, for Fluttershy’s neck and several other parts of her body were covered in blood and recently healed bite marks. Fluttershy noticed that she was staring, and the moment she looked down she gasped, laughing as she covered herself with a wing. “I’m so sorry about that, I kind of had an exciting night. Why don’t you wait inside with the others, and I’ll go get myself cleaned up.”

Before Twilight could speak Fluttershy left, revealing her living room and the ponies inside, which made Twilight gasp. “Petal, Fuedal, what are you guys doing here?”

“Oh, high Twilight,” said Fuedal nervously, “um, were here because…well…”

“They are here because of me,” said Luna, walking out of the kitchen and passing some cups of wine to each of them, sipping at her own as she sat between them. “I recently marked them, and after Fluttershy’s transformation she decided that they should join with us, so that is why they are here.”

“No.”

She didn’t know why she had said it, but she knew she meant it, glaring at Luna as she spoke her next words. “I knew it was a bad idea for you to be with her, ever since I found out about that other part of you, but I kept silent because of your sister, but no more. You are going to leave Fluttershy alone from now on and you…” she said, pointing her hoof at Death Petal, “are going to change her back into a pegasus.”

“I don’t think that’s your decision Twilight,” came a growl from the bathroom, and Twilight turned to see Fluttershy standing in the doorway, her eyes glowing menacingly as she stared down her friend. “I won’t let you break up my heard Twilight, nor will I let you lock my true nature back in its cage, I am done living a lie.”

She moved over to Twilight, her mouth snapping open as she exposed her fangs, hissing a little as she stepped closer. “I think it is best you leave Twilight, I have to get ready to go, were heading off to the bat pony lands so that we can make our heard official, and if you truly are my friend, I will expect you not to interfere.”

Twilight couldn’t believe her ears, but she slowly backed out of the house, teleporting away as soon as she crossed the threshold and returning to the palace. There she grabbed up a quill and several rolls of parchment, writing quick letters to her other friends and sending them off, then she made her way to Celestia’s quarters, needing both her advice and her love in this troubling time.

Fluttershy and her mates walked along the path toward the train station, Fluttershy talking with Fuedal’s parents, who had come by after Luna had sent a letter to them.

“Oh you are just going to love the dark lands dear, it will probably take some getting used to not having a sun over your head, but I can tell you’re a pony of nature so I think you will enjoy it a lot.”

“It sounds interesting, but what do you mean by not having the sun over my head?”

“Well you see,” said Bale Wolf with a grin, “the entire land is covered in tall trees, and those trees have really thick and long branches, which cover the entire sky and keeps the forest in a state of eternal night.”

Behind them Luna looked surprised; the idea of a place where no sunlight showed taking her back to the time before her banishment, when such an idea had been a dream for her, before her hunger had driven her mad.

“It sounds wonderful, and it will be nice to hunt in such protected lands instead of the Everfree forest.”

“And you will love it dear,” said Sin Star, “and the game is just to die for!”

They reached the train station, but were surprised when they saw a group of royal guards, accompanied by Princess Celestia.

“Luna, could you please step over here, I need to have a word with you.”

“Sister what is going on, why are these guards here?”

“They are here at my behest now could you please come here a moment, I promise nothing will happen to them.”

Luna was reluctant, but with a quick nod from Fluttershy she walked over to her sister, who draped a wing over her and gave her a worried look.

“Sister, I know I said I would look more kindly on your other side because I know you need it, but now I fear you have taken things too far…I need to ask you, did you pressure Fluttershy into this.”

“I would never do anything to harm my matriarch.”

Celestia turned pale, her eyes darting over to Fluttershy and back to her sister, seeing all she needed to see. She had seen the confidence radiating from Fluttershy, as well as sensed the new feelings her sister held for her, and it made her want to scream in rage. She had always worried this would happen, she knew that when a bat pony marked another pony, that they left a venom inside them that caused a connection to form between the two ponies, and the connection grew stronger the longer the venom remained. She didn’t want anypony having any kind of control over her sister, least of all a pony who happened to be one of her greatest protectors.

“Luna I cannot allow…”

“Sister I know what you are going to say and I am going to have to say no, you cannot take me away from her, we have shared the blood, and you know that kind of connection cannot be broken by any distance or words, so I suggest you just accept this for what it is and get over it.”

Celestia was taken aback by this, too stunned to react as Luna turned away and walked onto the train along with her mates, giving one last glance back toward her sister before the doors of the train closed, the train moving down the track as Celestia simply stood there.

“……sister…no…”

Fluttershy purred as she let herself be wrapped up in Luna’s embrace, watching as the others got comfortable. They had gotten the luxury of getting their own car, Sin having said it would be good due to how long the ride would be.

“So Fuedal,” said Sin, looking at her son with a big smile as she spoke, “how does it feel to have the Night Mother as you matriarch dear, it must be quite something.”

“Um mom…Luna is not my matriarch, Fluttershy is.”

This comment caused both Bale and Sin to look at him in shock, before finally Sin spoke up with a hesitant voice. “Well…that’s interesting, though it could prove problematic later.”

“What do you mean,” asked Luna, looking puzzled as Sin looked apologetically at her.

“Well Princess you see, we bat ponies…”

“Honey why do you keep using that term?” asked Bale, “it’s so demeaning.”

“It’s the term most ponies know us by Bale, but if you would prefer it I can switch to our proper name.”

“Prithy,” said Luna, “I seem to have been gone longer than I thought; for I always heard normal ponies referred to us as Thestrals, at least they did back in my day.”

Bale nodded, “a lot changed after you disappeared, we kind of…left Equestria for the dark lands, figuring that after your transformation we would be unwelcome in their land. But eventually we started coming back, and under the protection of Princess Celestia we were able to begin mingling with the other pony tribes, though it was during that time that the term ‘bat pony’ arose.”

He then inclined his head toward his wife, letting her know that she could continue.

“As I was saying,” said Sin, “We thestrals have always viewed you as our goddess, and…and most of them, especially the ruling council, would not look favorably upon the goddess of the night not being the matriarch in a herd.”

Luna’s eyes widened, looking panicked as she voiced her concerns. “But why, I am a mare of free will capable of making my own choices, why should it matter if I am leading the herd or not.”

“Because you are the first of us Luna,” said Sin seriously, “we can’t help how we see you, especially when it comes to you taking lovers amongst our kind. I know this must come as a shock, but unless we…do something about this, I am afraid the council will never allow this heard to form, at least not legally.”

The others all watched as Luna processed the information, then, much to everyponies surprise, Fluttershy got up and walked up to her, whispering into her ear for a moment before pulling back, nodding to her before sitting back down. Luna gulped, and then nodded her head, turning back to Sin before speaking.

“What…what must we do?”

Sin seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then she reached inside her saddle bags, pulling out a vial which immediately caused Fuedal to hiss and back away from it.

“Fuedal…”

“NO!” he growled, baring his fangs at his mother before glaring at the vial. “You cannot make me take that, I will not take that, why would you even carry that?!”

“Because I bought it long before you were born Fuedal,” said Sin, looking at Bale with worried eyes before speaking again. “I…I was worried your father was not the right…match for me, especially with how his parents had reacted to me. I…I know that you look rather harshly upon what I am presenting you…”

“Harshly…HARSHLY,” Fuedal roared, his wings flaring along with his rage. “I campaigned endlessly to try and have that vile creation removed from this world, and you carry it around in your saddle bag like every day…!”

He was stopped by a hoof grabbing him by the shoulder, turning to see Death Petal looking at him in confusion. “Fuedal what is wrong, I have never seen you this angry before, what she has in the vial can’t be that bad.”

Fuedal breathed in deep, calming himself before letting himself speak, knowing he needed to stay calm for this. “About three hundred years ago a unicorn by the name of Nocturnal Bane started studying the effects of thestrals venom on recipients, under the delusion that our kind was using this unique bite to steel away mares, not knowing all the history and culture behind our venom. Through this research he…he managed to develop a cure, and that’s when things went to hell.”

“What…what do you mean,” asked Petal, fearing the answer even as she asked.

“You got to understand,” said Fuedal, “Bane wasn’t just the only one under that delusion our venom could be used to steal mares. There were hundreds…nay thousands of ponies who believed as he did, and the moment he said he had a cure which could help protect their loved ones and others from the threat of the thestrals venom, let’s just say that it went from cure to chemical weapon faster than you can say Magic is Might.”

Petal gasped as he turned his face away, fighting back rage as he continued. “Thousands of my kind lost the ability to mark their mates when those ponies began using this…“cure”…the devastation only stopping when Princess Celestia intervened, destroying the weaponized version of the cure but…but keeping the non weaponized version around, giving it to the council of elders to decide what to do with it, though as you can see, they decided to keep it, much to many thestrals regret.”

He then turned to his mother, keeping his gaze fixed on her before speaking. “I don’t care if this will help us mother, you are not making me take that cure, for I will not lose my connection to Death Petal, not even for a moment.”

“I know that Fuedal,” said Sin, “which is why I am only offering this to Luna and Fluttershy, as they are the ones who need to switch positions.”

She then turned to the two intended ponies, smiling softly at them before speaking. “You don’t have to worry, unlike the weaponized version of this cure; the cure itself only removes the latent venom which is in your bloodstream, not the venom produced by your own body. The only thing I have to warn you about is that, after you take this cure, you will lose your connection to bother each other, and my son and his mate, but it will only last till you bight each other again, for the cure becomes inert once it eradicates the venom in your blood.”

The two nodded, watching as Sin poured the cure into two cups and then passing it to them, before heading to the door with her husband. “we’ll leave you alone,” said Sin, and then they left, leaving the room as Luna and Fluttershy both looked at their drinks.

“You don’t have to do this,” said Fuedal instantly, “we don’t need the council to approve of anything; we can just have each other, that is all we need.”

Luna stared down at her up for a moment, and then she turned to Fuedal, shaking her head as she spoke. “But it would not be official, while I would love for dear Fluttershy to remain my matriarch; my natural instinct is to lead. And also, if I am to…to completely changed into what I am meant to become, I need this…we need this.”

She then nodded to Fluttershy, and then they both drank, taking it all in one gulp and then setting their cups down. As the cure worked through their system, Luna began to feel her connection the three ponies beside her begin to vanish, till all that was left was her love for them, but now it was but a pale trade compared to the…enhancement…the venom brought to those feelings.

They didn’t waste any time after Luna confirmed with Fluttershy that she too had lost her connections, and so they quickly set about rectifying the issue. Fluttershy moved first, biting Fuedal and Death Petal and receiving bites in turn, and then she turned to Luna, presenting her neck to the regal pony to allow her to finish the bond.

Luna didn’t hesitate, sinking her teeth into Fluttershy’s neck and administering the venom, feeling Fluttershy wait a bit before finally biting her back, and then she did the same with Fuedal and Death Petal.

Finally after everything was done, Luna left to tell Sin and Bale that everything was finished, and then she returned, following her mates toward the large bed and curling up with them, letting sleep take her as the train road on toward their destination, not even noting the red tinge that was steadily growing on the moon, threatening to consume it.

To Be Continued......

Author's Note

Man this chapter took forever to do, but I finally know where I am going to go with this story, and trust me, things are going to continue to get more interesting from here. We get a tiny glimpse into some history behind the bat ponies, as well a name change for them, and while I know that name does come from Harry Potter, it still fits well with this group of ponies, so I decided to use it. Also I know the whole Luna and Fluttershy switching positions in the heard is kind of strange, but it is necessary for the plot, and besides, our little couple is going to be having enough problems once they reach the Dark Lands, especially once word gets around that the night mother has taken Fuedal as one of her own.

As always guys I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to drop them on by, I always love hearing from you guys.

P.S. Also for those wondering, yes the immortality potion will be coming up again eventually, just not yet, we still have a lot of story to cover before we get back to that.