True Colors

Black or White?

Nightmare Moon gazed over the rebellion camp with interest. It was impressive. It was…even larger than the Legate had anticipated. All throughout the trees and clearings were tents and campfires scattered about. Large wooden crates lay emptied, and weapon stands stood fully stocked. The ponies of the rebellion trotted about their business all well equipped, and in far higher numbers than predicted. Nightmare had no idea where they all came from, but the equipment was explainable. The wolves were definitely supplying the rebellion, but there was oddly no sign of the wolves anywhere. Their last shipment must have been days ago.

Ponies closer to the alicorn and her guides were staring dumbfounded, unable to process what was walking in front of them. Nightmare decided it was best to ignore them, and looked to her side. Twilight was keeping pace despite the scouts’ rapid gait, but she appeared to be as distracted by the rebellion as the alicorn had just been. Her gaze turned to Nightmare, staring a little above the ruler of the night’s face, before she realized the alicorn was staring back and looked away. The alicorn returned to looking about the camp. She knew what had captured her companion’s attention. It didn’t really bother her, despite the fact it was technically an embarrassment to walk around with it. It was part of the deal she had made, and she would stick to it for now. Even if the enchanted leather sheath on her horn did felt a bit tight. It was not long before the group arrived at a particularly large tent in the center of the camp. Two earth stallions in slightly worn steel armor blocked the scout leader from entering with their spears. “The council is meeting.” One of them said in a strong tone.

“All the better.” The scout leader replied. “We have a guest, as you can see, and it is best left up to them on how to deal with the situation.”

The other guard narrowed his eyes as he looked Nightmare over, but the alicorn simply stared back. “What are you playing at?” The guard asked.

“Nothing. There is no illusion on her, and she wishes to speak with the council. I agreed on the condition that she allowed her magic to be sealed, and it is.” The scout leader explained.

The first guard took note of the too small leather sheath on Nightmare’s horn. He snorted before mumbling something about, “Damn unicorns and their fancy magic.” Before anyone but the alicorn could realize what he said he spoke aloud. “Alright, but if your wasting the council’s time it’s on your head. You and your ‘guests’ can go in, but the rest of your squad will have to go elsewhere.”

The scouts all looked their leader questioningly before he dismissed them with a hoof saying, “Go get some rest.”

The other scouts saluted, and left the party as the earth stallions removed their spears from the entrance.

When Nightmare followed the scout leader behind the flaps of the tent she was once again surprised. Around a table in the center of the room were three ponies calmly strategizing over a map. One was a red earth stallion with a blonde mane and tail wearing a heavy full-body steel suit, minus the helmet. Another was an entirely dark blue pegasus mare with only a light leather saddle and barding for armor, and the last was a young, and slightly nervous looking, white unicorn with a black mane and tail wearing a simple green robe. They, however, weren’t what was surprising. They were clearly the “council” that had been referred to earlier. The leaders of the rebellion. Their presence had been both expected and wanted. What was surprising were two mythril armored pegasi at the back of the tent looking as stoic as any other guard. Nightmare Moon paused at the sight. Their armor was in perfect shape. If it had been stolen it wouldn’t be. They were praetorians. In the rebel camp. The obsidian alicorn was suddenly reminded of Prefect Daunting Hooves’ concern about two missing praetorians in the Stalliongrad region. It was now clear why they had gone missing in action. They were traitors to the empire. But why? “More importantly, how? They wouldn’t decide to just fight their family on a whim. The Praetorians are too close to each other for that. So what could cause their change of allegiance?” Nightmare wondered in her mind.

Her presence still seemed to demand attention, even here, as shortly after she entered all eyes in the tent turned to her. “What…in the hell?” The red earth stallion gaped.

The white unicorn’s horn lit with a grey glow, and the blue pegasus locked eyes with the scout leader. “You, soldier. What is this?”

The scout leader sighed at the prospect of explaining again. “One of the empresses wishes to speak with you.”

“Are you mad, colt!?” The red earth pony exclaimed.

“There are no illusions, mind control, alteration spells, nor any other spell upon any of them.” The white unicorn clarified as the glow on his horn stopped. “Although…”

His gaze drifted to Twilight, and Nightmare stepped in front of her servant protectively. The white unicorn smiled nervously, and dropped whatever he had been about to say. The ruler of the night, however, was fairly certain of what he had been about comment on and she grew tense. She did not yet know if the rebellion were trustworthy, and it would do no good to have Twilight’s blood oath exposed to enemies. She felt that alien nagging in the back of her head again telling her something was wrong with her companion, and glanced back at Twilight. The lavender mare appeared distressed and she was breathing hard. The alicorn shot a glare at the white unicorn at the table. He had done something. To be able to sense a blood oath was impossible with a simple detection spell, and Twilight’s current state confirmed something else had been cast by the unicorn at the table. Nightmare stood resolute in front of her charge as the red earth stallion scoffed, “You’re the real Nightmare Moon?”

The black alicorn had to resist scowling. The way the earth pony said her name. It was as if he had no respect for her at all. The earth pony continued, “What? You think you can just waltz right into our camp and do as you please?”

“Thunder, enough.” The pegasus mare interrupted.

“What? Afraid she’s gonna make the ground swallow us or something?” The earth stallion mocked.

“While I doubt her divinity and supposed control over the moon, I would be a fool, like you, to underestimate her.” The blue pegasus retorted. “As long as she’s lived she must powerful. Speaking of which…”

“I believe they’ve…already sealed her magic.” The white unicorn mumbled.

The pegasus took note of the leather sheath on Nightmare’s horn. “So they have…Then the question is, why does the night-empress want to speak with us?” She addressed the alicorn.

The ruler of the night responded without skipping a beat, “I would first wish to know with whom I am speaking.”

The earth stallion at the table mocked her again, “Hah! You-”

“I am Hail Bolt.” The blue pegasus mare interrupted.

“Masque Raid.” The white unicorn stallion supplied dutifully.

The earth stallion grumbled under his breath staring at his companions malevolently before answering himself. “Thunder Cracker.”

“A pleasure.” Nightmare Moon politely responded as she walked over to the table.

Twilight followed behind her cautiously, but avoided stepping out into clear view. The praetorians at the back of the tent tensed as the alicorn sat on the unattended side of the square table and began explaining. “Now, to answer your question, I have come because I believe we have something in common, and I wish to confirm this.”

“Oh? What could we possibly have in common with you?” Thunder Cracker derided.

“I am not sure when it happened, but over the years my sister has changed. She is no longer the caring alicorn I once knew.” Nightmare answered. “She speaks of ponies as if you are beneath us.”

“You…don’t…think we are?” Masque asked unbelieving.

“I have never. So you want a seat in the government? I say we give it to you. You want a more lenient justice system and laws? Very well. She, however, does not believe you can rule over yourselves. She believes it will lead to your own destruction.” Nightmare responded.

“Snobby bitch, ain’t she?” Thunder Cracker asked rhetorically, earning a glare from the black alicorn.

“If your so kind, then why do you show your face to the common ponies even less than Celestia, and why did the one time in the last few months that you did happen to be nothing more than a publicity stunt?” Hail Bolt asked coolly.

“Ponies are usually awake during the day, and I usually hold my court at night.” Nightmare Moon explained. “And if you are referring to the incident at Stalliongrad…Let us just say that my sister and I disagreed on the subject.”

“Oh what? Did you want to actually get up off your plot and do something?” Thunder Cracker scoffed.

The obsidian alicorn scowled viciously and growled, “Yes.”

Masque turned to the praetorians and asked, “Can you offer any support to the empress’ claims?”

“We have never had the pleasure of speaking with Empress Moon ourselves,” One of them began. “But we have been present during many of her conversations with Empress Celestia in the throne room. Their behavior is very different. Though they are both cunning Empress Moon is more open about her emotions, and very insistent about her stance on things. Whether she is speaking truth about agreeing with your goals or not, we can confirm that after her return from Stalliongrad she was upset with her sister for them not doing more. They had an argument, or Empress Moon at least tried to. She did indeed wish to help Stalliongrad.”

Honest, if a bit revealing. Perhaps the praetorians’ presence was a blessing. She had her own questions, however. “I have been patient with you,” Nightmare cut a look at Thunder Cracker. “And now I ask that you be patient with me. I did not come here to simply explain myself. I came because I no longer agree with the path my sister is choosing for this country. I wish to help you, but before I do I need to know that you are not going to simply take advantage of everypony after this war.”

Thunder Cracker put on a snarl that could rival one of Nightmare’s own and began yelling, “You come into our camp brazen as you please, and begin to question whether our motives are true!? You, a leader of the empire, are suddenly concerned about the common pony!? Just who the hell do you think you’re foolin’!?”

“Th-thunder, calm down.” Masque tried to reassure the earth stallion while waving his hooves up and down. “It
won’t do any good if she thinks we have anything to hide.”

“Oh, so what? You trust her now!?” Thunder Cracker asked pointing an accusing hoof at the younger unicorn.

“N-not exactly, but if she’s telling the truth she can be a powerful ally. She could share all the information she has about the empire with us, and, like Hail said, she has to be extremely powerful. She could be a great boon to the forces.” Masque Raid attempted to explain.

Thunder Cracker snorted, but let the subject drop to simply glare at the unicorn and alicorn. Hail Bolt sighed, and addressed Nightmare Moon, “I’m afraid we can’t divulge any information at this critical moment. Unless you have someway to prove your honesty.”

The ruler of the night had not expected this to be entirely easy, but she was not worried. She did, however, wonder about something. The pegasus had said this was a critical moment. The rebellion was planning something, and, regardless of if they could trusted, she needed to find out what that was. First things first, though. “How about the fact that none of you are dead?” She asked rhetorically.

Her horn abruptly took on a dark blue glow, and the small leather sheath around shattered. The rebellion leaders shot to their hooves, and the praetorians dropped into a battle stance while the scout leader simply gawked. “Did you really think any sealing spell you could perform, let alone a hobbled together one like that, could actually work on me? I have more than enough power to brute force them broken. If I was truly your enemy, I would kill you all now, teleport away, and then flee to a safer distance.” The alicorn explained.

Nopony relaxed, but they did begin to stare at each other nervously. Nightmare did not decide to speak into the silence. She simply remained motionless to let the idea sink in. After a few minutes Masque Raid spoke up, “U-um,…Well you’ve…certainly…given us a lot to think about. Perhaps we should change subject for the moment? Umm…For example, who is…this mare you’ve brought with you? You didn’t…bring any guards, so…?”

All eyes turned to Twilight Sparkle, who had stepped around Nightmare over the course of the conversation, and the lavender unicorn flinched at the sudden attention. The alien feeling pulsed inside the alicorn’s brain. Twilight was afraid. Nightmare placed a hoof protectively in front of her companion and answered, “She is a personal servant bound to me by a deal. Her name is Twilight Sparkle, and she has served me faithfully. I did not wish to leave her behind.”

Thunder Cracker appeared to begin to relax. As he grunted and mumbled quietly, “Figures she’d be dedicated to a damn servant.”

Hail Bolt, who appeared to be the most together of the rebellion leaders, let out a sigh and said, “I believe that there has been enough tension here for now. Ms. Moon, I am afraid we are in the middle of something urgent, and must return to it. In addition we need to time to ponder what you have said, and decide what to do in regards to you.”

Nightmare nodded in acceptance. She could not force the issue if she was to gain their trust. “Then what do you suggest in the meantime?” She asked.

Hail Bolt responded only with a slight pause. “Praetorians.”

“Yes ma’am?” The turquoise armored guards in the back spoke at the same time.

“I wish for you to take Nightmare Moon and her servant to a tent for them to stay in tonight. Guard them. Do not let anyone into their tent, barring us, and do NOT let them out.” The blue pegasus explained.

The alicorn narrowed her eyes. They were not given a choice or chance to negotiate. Then again, what more could she expect? She was still perceived as their enemy. The alien awareness in the back of her head shot up like a wild fire, and she immediately jerked her view down towards Twilight. The unicorn was breathing rapidly. She wasn’t just scared. She was frightened. Of what? The alicorn began lowering her wing to comfort her servant, but paused halfway. Twilight hadn’t been taking so well to being touched since her rape. Nightmare pulled her wing back up, and addressed the mare verbally, “Twilight.”

The unicorn looked up breathing slowing only slightly. “What is bothering you?” The alicorn continued.

“N-nothing.” Twilight Sparkle mumbled, and began breathing more calmly.

The awareness in the back of Nightmare’s head began to die down, but it was still present. The alicorn frowned, but decided not to pursue the subject in present company. The praetorians, who had waited until the Twilight calmed down, approached. “Follow us.” One said, and they began to lead the way.

Twilight Sparkle trotted into the small tent behind her owner nervously. Inside it was barely large enough for them both, and that only added to the unicorn’s trepidation. She was afraid. She was trapped. The only good that had ever happened when she was trapped was becoming Nightmare Moon’s slave, and, after everything she’d been through, Twilight no longer believed that was true. She laid on one of the mats on the ground, and stared at her owner cautiously out of the corner of her eye as the alicorn did the same. They weren’t touching, but they were close enough that she could hear her owner’s breathing. Nightmare looked at her before stating, “I can feel your anxiety, Twilight. We are as alone now as we will be in this camp. Now tell me what is bothering you.”

The unicorn looked at the ground. She didn’t want to answer, but…Her owner would use that power on her again, wouldn’t she? Twilight sighed, “I don’t…I don’t like being trapped.”

“Ah.” Nightmare responded. “You have no need to fear being held captive, so long as I am by your side.”

“Because you’re the only one allowed to hold me captive?” Twilight mumbled to herself as she stared at a tent wall.

“What was that?” Nightmare asked.

“Damn it!” Twilight thought.

“Twilight, you may be my slave, but you are not my prisoner.” The alicorn corrected sternly.

“Oh? What’s the difference?” Twilight asked whipping her head around to her owner, but before she could be answered she continued. “Because I have a use? Because you find me entertaining, or because that’s just what I am to you right now? One day I’m imprisoned by you. The next I’m serving you, and living better than I’ve ever dreamed. The next you’re even protecting me. After that you’re teaching me, and then you abandon me to whatever your sister wants!!! Then you tell me that everything was a mistake! That you need to go see the ponies who were, up until then, enemies, and you’re bringing me along! You don’t apologize! You don’t even ask me if I’m okay! You do whatever you want with me without thinking about how it makes me feel! Why!? Because I’m just your toy, so why should you even give damn!!!?!?”

The unicorn began panting as she finished her rant. She half-expected to be punished for snapping at her owner, but Nightmare Moon seemed shocked at the outburst. She was staring, jaw agape, something Twilight hadn’t seen on her before. The obsidian alicorn recovered quickly asking, “Toy?”

There was silence for a few moments before Twilight looked away and answered, “That bitch said it herself.”

More silence. “Twilight, you’re more than a toy to me.” Nightmare Moon spoke up after a few minutes. “I apologize if I gave the impression that I didn’t care for you.”

“Oh, so you’re sorry after I point it out?” The lavender mare asked sourly.

“Yes. I am.” Nightmare answered. “I did not want to broach the subject because it was personal to you, and I did not wish to reopen fresh wounds.”

“So you did it to spare my feelings? To put me at ease? Is that the same judgment that told you your sister was trustworthy?” Twilight asked angrily, still looking at the tent wall.

“Twilight…I regret sending you to her that night. I wished no harm to come to you, especially not in such a horrid manner. If I had known my sister’s intent, I wouldn’t have sent you to her.” Nightmare replied.

The young unicorn grit her teeth and closed her eyes as tears began to build in them from the memory of that night. “Why didn’t you save me?” She whispered.

“Pardon?” Her owner queried.

Twilight Sparkle whirled her head around to Nightmare eyes open, and her tears freely falling. “I PRAYED to you!!! You didn’t come! You didn’t save me!”

The alicorn looked speechless. She stared at Twilight with an unidentifiable flicker in her glowing turquoise eyes. She looked away as she responded in a strangely subdued voice. “I’m not a god, Twilight. I’m…sorry.”

The unicorn took in the news with a shaky breath before she too looked away, and let the silence lull her to sleep.

Nightmare Moon breathed in the cold morning air, her usually steady breath having the slightest tremble. She stared at the still sleeping form of Twilight Sparkle through half-lidded eyes as she pondered their argument the night before. Twilight had prayed to her…While it was, aggravatingly, popular belief that she and Celestia were deities open worship was uncommon. Prayer for salvation, though? That was unheard of. She supposed, though…Now that she thought of it, that it shouldn’t surprise. From what little the alicorn knew of it, Twilight’s life prior to enslavement had been rough. When the ruler of the night had taken her into forced servitude, however, Nightmare had provided the unicorn with a home and steady food. More food than Twilight had probably been able to steal most of the time in Stalliongrad. She also gave her charge books to study, and, eventually, taught the unicorn herself, at least in offensive spells. She had given Twilight everything, so should it really be a surprise that the unicorn worshiped her?

Then, it all fell apart. Nightmare had acted coldly towards her slave after she broke into the Altar of Harmony. The alicorn could see now just how hurtful that might have been, and she hadn’t apologized for that either, not that it was a good idea at this time.

Truth be told, Nightmare Moon was bothered by just how attached Twilight had apparently become to her, or at least in the manner that the young mare had. Still, she could see that the extent of the damage of Celestia’s actions extended beyond just that of emotional damage, which was undoubtedly extensive on its own. It also had severely distorted Twilight’s perception of reality. Her “god” had abandoned her to harm, and done nothing about the incident when it returned. The alicorn placed her head back on the ground, and looked away from Twilight as the unicorn began to stir. Her heart was heavy. She was guilty of hurting her servant, and it was her responsibility to make it right. She wasn’t sure how, though, and it hurt to think about it.

There was a rustling, and Nightmare felt Twilight’s eyes on her. Before either of them could do anything more, the tent flaps opened, and Hail Bolt stood before them. The ruler of the night’s somberness faded at the presentation of another pony, and she raised her head to the pegasus, their eye levels even because of her laying down. “Come with me. We have things to discuss.” Hail stated before trotting outside the tent.

Nightmare rose to her hooves immediately, but paused as she looked at Twilight. The lavender unicorn shrugged off her gaze, and rose to trot after the pegasus. The alicorn sighed, and bore up her guilt for a later time. She cantered out of the tent after the two mares, catching up quickly due to her height. The look of the camp was different this grey morning. There was an air of seriousness that exceeded anything Nightmare Moon had felt in centuries, but it was a seriousness she recognized from her early years all the same. Even the praetorians marching on either side of the group seemed more grim than they had before. “What is it that we need to discuss?” Nightmare asked.

“You want a chance to prove yourself trustworthy? Fine. We are about to do something you wouldn’t be willing to aid us in unless you truly have thrown your lot in with us.” Hail Bolt explained.

“I did not say that I had yet. I still need to know whether you and the others of your council are being honest in their goals.” Nightmare argued.

“Then you’ll know soon enough.” Hail Bolt responded.

“You mean when it’s too late for me to take back what I’ve done?” Nightmare thought.

The group returned to the large tent they had been in the night before to find Thunder Cracker and Masque Raid already around the square table. As Nightmare and Hail took their own positions the red earth stallion snorted, and aimed a glare at the alicorn. “Are you two certain about this? If YOU’RE mistaken we might be losing everything before we’ve gained it.” He said.

“Nothing risked, nothing gained.” Masque Raid replied.

“It’s a damn big risk.” Thunder Cracker grumbled quietly.

“Enough. We agreed on this last night.” Hail Bolt said.

Thunder Cracker did not respond. “What’s…going on?” Twilight asked timidly.

Hail Bolt sighed and began explaining, “For the months that we’ve existed we’ve done little, but amass supplies and harass the empire forces. However, as you’ve no doubt seen, we are well equipped and numerous. Now, we’re more than capable doing something more damaging.”

“You’re going on your first real offensive.” Nightmare guessed.

“Yes.” Hail Bolt confirmed. “We’re going to capture Stalliongrad, and you’re going to help us.”

Nightmare Moon heard a gasp from her side, and looked at Twilight. The unicorn appeared surprised. Of course, why wouldn’t she be? They were talking about her home town. The alicorn refocused on the pegasus and asked, “Why do you need our help? The town is hardly defensible, and even with the increase in actual soldiers in the area most its forces are just town guards. You can easily overwhelm them.”

Thunder Cracker snorted, “We don’t need your help. We could do this on our own, but you’re being offered a chance to prove yourselves.”

Masque Raid spoke up, “Even if we don’t need it, however, your power will come in handy. You see, you are correct about Stalliongrad being difficult to defend. However, you are incorrect about most of its forces being town guards. Our harassment has bit us on our plots, so to speak. The Grand Army has a fairly sizeable number of troops in the town itself. Enough that it will take a good amount of force to eliminate them, but they are not the main concern. If we were to send in all of our forces we would win easily enough, but few things are ever simple.”

“The Grand Army’s forces aren’t just inside the town.” Hail Bolt took over. “They have much more outside of it. Spread throughout the region are camps, outposts, and scouting parties that would undoubtedly hear the commotion of our attack and come running. Unopposed, they could box us in, and end the threat we pose then and there.”

“Even if we won we’d still take too many losses to be able to prepare for the empire’s counterattack.” Masque began again. “So, we need to split our forces in half. One half will take over the city. The other half will split into smaller groups that will attack the outposts at the same time as our assault, or form a perimeter around the town to catch any scouting parties.”

Nightmare studied the map in front of her as the strategy was explained. There were seven outposts marked on the map and ten camps. Splitting up the forces like that was risky, but there was little to be done about it. The area around Stalliongrad was a field, so they couldn’t have the whole of the second half of their form a perimeter. That would work fine for small scouting parties, but in the numbers that the outposts and camps added the rebellion would be slaughtered. The outposts needed to be handled before they could arrive at the town. The alicorn looked back up at the rebellion leaders and asked, “One question, what are you going to do with the town and its residents after you take over?”

“We fortify it.” Thunder Cracker answered in part.

“Those who wish to join us are trained and equipped, and those who don’t are under our protection.” Hail Bolt finished.

Nightmare closed her eyes in thought, and let the idea sink in. They were going to assault an empire town, and they wanted her help. Yet, they at least sounded like they meant well for the residents. They weren’t going to force them to join. The ruler of the night opened her eyes and gazed at her saddlebags. She hadn’t used what was in them for over a millennium, but… “Stay here, Twilight. I must prepare myself.” She said before exiting the tent.

Twilight Sparkle stared at the grassy ground in the tent lost in her thoughts. Were they really going to attack her home town? Was she expected to fight? Probably. “I don‘t have any combat experience.” The young unicorn thought worriedly. “I’ve chased off a few thugs, and trained in the castle yard. Nothing else!”

The sound of tent flaps brought her gaze to the entrance, and, for a moment, she forgot her panic. There, Nightmare Moon stood armored. Perhaps armored was not the right word, though. Whole might be a better one. The obsidian alicorn wore six intricately carved mythril pieces. The turquoise metal covered each of her hooves entirely, and rose in branched spikes to shield the knees of her front legs, coming just short of the hocks’ level on her bark legs. A great thick crest took the place of her chest, and a crescent moon lay engraved in its center. The final piece of armor was a helm the seemed to meld with her skin and fur, and left her face open and a hole for her magnificent horn. Her astral mane flowed as freely as ever despite being partially matted down by the piece of lunar steel. “So,” Nightmare Moon began, “Where do you want me?”

Author's Note: Oooh yeah! This is the moment we've all been waiting for. I apologize for this chapter mostly being conversation, but, as you can tell, most of next chapter is going to be action. Of course, you all have to wait until the week after next. After all, I update Shoot for the Stars next week. Not this one.

On another note, in case you missed the memo somehow True Colors now has a side story by courtesy of Leonofsweden. It's called At the End of Bliss, and it's brilliant. I even made a reference to it in this chapter. Word of warning, it has to do with Celetia's rape of Twilight. Assuming you aren't okay with the idea then don't read it, and, please, don't insult it. Regardless of the subject matter it IS great. If you are okay with reading rape, however, then go check it out.

Be prepared for next chapter kiddies. Because we're going to war.