The Luna Cypher

by iisaw

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Sex, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Nightmare Moon, Romance, Princess Luna
Length: 102144

Sequel to The Celestia Code. When the monsters created by the dark crystal engine escape their prison, it's up to Princess Twilight to deal with them. She gets help and advice from Princess Luna, but things don't go as planned.

When the monsters created by the dark crystal engine escape their prison, it's up to Princess Twilight Sparkle to deal with them. She gets help and advice from Princess Luna, but things don't go as planned. In fact, when a pony who relies on logic and rationality tries to navigate the stormy seas of emotional entanglement while simultaneously saving Equestria from a horde of evil creatures intent on destroying everything they encounter, nothing goes as planned.
AUDIOBOOK by VisualPony
WARNING: Major spoilers in the comments.

Book 2 of the Alicorn Adventure series.
Sequel to The Celestia Code and prequel to The Twilight Enigma.

Goodreads Page
100% Approved by Twilight's Library!

The Badass Twilight tag applies more than ever, but please note the new tags.

This story is a fairly direct continuation of The Celestia Code. You might be able to follow it without having read The Celestia Code first, but it's better if you do.

The sequel is here: The Twilight Enigma

Most excellent pre-reading/editing done by the erudite AcademicPony and the dapper statoose!

Published 2014-04-17 05:10:04 UTC
Last updated 2014-10-16 02:36:27 UTC

12 Dinner and a Show

Chapter Twelve
Dinner and a Show

I met Chrysalis on the grand staircase. When she caught sight of me, her expression remained fairly neutral but her eyes narrowed slightly and her tail swished sharply back and forth in what I hoped was irritation.

Periwinkle approached us and formally bowed. Usually, my secretary acknowledged protocol with a little nod, but with foreign royalty present, she was playing the perfect servant. "Princess Luna has requested that dinner be served on the balcony, as the weather is so fine this evening."

"She's here already?

"Yes, Your Highness. She arrived shortly after moonrise."

"That's fine," I told her. And then, as I passed by her near enough not to be overheard, I whispered, "She wants room to maneuver in case a fight breaks out, right?"

Periwinkle inclined her head ever so slightly.

Dinner as battleground. Well, such a thing was no longer outside my sphere of experience, and I needed to be flexible. I trusted Chrysalis to behave herself much more than Luna did, but if that's what my lover felt comfortable with, I wasn't going to deny her.

My lover. I realized my face felt so tight because I was grinning my head off. Before the guards opened the doors to the balcony, I took a deep breath and forced myself to relax. I tried to remember Rarity's advice as I had categorized it:

1) Do everything at three-quarters of your normal speed, or half speed if you're feeling excited or nervous. Slow down and breathe deeply.

2) Speak softly. Never raise your voice! It seems odd, but you'll find ponies will pay more attention to you if you suddenly lower your voice.

3) Lower your eyelids but not your gaze and don't look directly at anypony for more than a second or so. Don't bite your lip like that, it makes your mouth go all crooked.

4) Save your best smiles for Luna. Turn to look at her, wait a beat, then smile with your mouth closed. Look at her as if you were alone in bed together, even if she's just asked you to pass the salt.

5) If you walk about after dinner, keep a wineglass with you. Don't gulp, don't even drink if you don't want to, just float it next to your face or chest as an accent. When you do sip, raise it slowly to your lips but keep your eyes on hers. Touch your lips to the glass like a soft, gentle kiss.

6) If you find yourself facing away from her, cock a hoof and lean forward a bit. A little more... good. You can look back over your shoulder and smile at her if you really want to drive her wild. Yes, you're showing off exactly what you think you are, that's why the dress drapes like that, darling.

The doors swung wide, revealing a large table, set with silver, under a silk canopy. Candles on the table and lanterns hung around the balcony made it an enchanting sight, but it was Luna that captured my attention.

She had been standing at the railing, looking out toward the distant lights of Canterlot. She wore nothing but her accustomed regalia, which was fine with me; I couldn't imagine anything that would enhance her beauty. She turned toward us as she heard the doors open and paused. Her mane began rippling and sparkling a little more energetically than usual, and her lips parted just slightly.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to walk over to her slowly, eyes half-lidded, holding back my smile until I was near her. Then I lifted my head for a kiss and kept my legs from shaking by a sheer act of will.

Luna's kiss was passionate for the brief few seconds it lasted. Then the staccato, sharp sound of Chrysalis' hooves on the floor reminded us that we were not alone.

The lessons from my royal etiquette book nagged at me. "Luna, you remember Queen Chrysalis, of course. She is my guest here until we leave for the Badlands. She will be aiding us in the battle." Luna knew all this, of course. Periwinkle would have filled her in as soon as she'd arrived, but it was a comforting ritual to go through. "Your Majesty, I believe you already know Princess Luna."

They nodded warily to each other, their horns not quite coming low enough for a quick thrust.

Surprisingly, we got along fairly well at dinner. Chef Soupçon had outdone herself and had even prepared a special dish for Chrysalis that smelled vaguely, but inoffensively meaty. The conversation didn't focus on the upcoming battle, but Canterlot gossip. Luna and Chrysalis traveled in very different circles, but there were many areas of overlap, and they seemed to enjoy filling in the gaps of each other's experiences. I didn't have much to contribute, so I mostly just listened and took mental notes.

I learned quite a number of fascinating things.

"I am very lucky to have found such a handsome, unsentimental stallion. He uses mares and throws them away like they were old napkins," Chrysalis said at one point, regarding her stallion friend. "I am the only one unique enough for him to value. We even play games sometimes, luring in some desperate social climber for a little confusing fun between the three of us. Confusing for her, that is."

"That's awful!" I said, before I could stop myself.

"Worse than any of the countless females that throw themselves at him, hoping for riches and titles? I assure you, I can't sense the slightest whiff of love from any of them."

"Wait," I frowned. "You're not talking about..."

"The prince, of course!" Chrysalis snorted. "I am a queen! Do you think I'd stoop to association with any lesser nobles?"

My treacherous brain summoned up a very brief image of Chrysalis and Blueblood together and then banished the picture in a frantic effort to avoid a mental meltdown.

"I think you two are a perfect match," Luna said, with every evidence of complete sincerity.

"Thank you," Chrysalis said, taking a sip of her wine. "I wish your sister shared your opinion. We are very definitely discouraged from attending events at the palace together ever since the little incident at the charity ball."

"Yes, I heard about that." Luna grinned at her.

Chrysalis shrugged. "The young countess was being a pest. She was far too forward with the prince and I just warned her off. I simply let my 'mask' slip for a moment. I really don't see what all the fuss was about."

"You'll be happy to know she's stopped having nightmares about it," Luna said.

"Will I be?" Chrysalis raised an eyebrow.

Luna shrugged. "Perhaps not."

"I get the distinct impression that your sister doesn't quite approve of you and Twilight, either." The queen spoke with a trailing intonation, inviting comment.

"She just had to get used to the idea," I broke in. "It was a bit of a shock. I'm sure everything is fine now."

"Oh yes, true love conquers all." Chrysalis grinned in a way I didn't much care for, and it wasn't because of her sharp teeth. "I ought to know."

Thinking back to the horrifying bit of personal history she had related to me in the ruined city about killing her lover, her sarcasm was obvious. But there was no way I was going to relate details of our personal lives to Chrysalis. What did I care for her opinion, anyway?

"Celestia will endure," Luna said quietly. "She's very good at that."

Of course, we did talk a little about the upcoming battle to relieve the siege of the changeling hive. I laid out my new operational plan[1] and invited comments and criticism.

[1] I didn't actually bring the charts, break-downs, and spreadsheets to dinner, although I had been tempted. Rarity threatening to have a "hissy fit" if I dared to sling saddlebags over her dress was a deciding factor. I used saucers and a bread plate for the airships, silverware for pegasus formations, and petals from the centerpiece for monsters. It was a good thing the table was fairly large.

"Well," Chrysalis said, after a moment of thought. "You are certainly no fool."

Luna frowned a bit. "I mislike that you intend to expose yourself to such risk, Twilight. This plan depends on very precise timing. Can you not let the proper warship take the brunt of the assault?"

I shook my head. "This is the best way to get them all into a concentrated group. If we go at them piecemeal, it could take a very long time finish them off. That would also greatly increase the risk that the monsters at the hive will be able to communicate back to the main force around the city and warn them. We've seen how fast they adapt. We don't want to give them any time to adjust to our tactics."

"I see the wisdom in it," Luna admitted. "But again, I do not like it overmuch."

"Don't worry, Solar Flare will be first into battle at the city. That's where I'm expecting the heaviest concentration of the enemy."

My mention of the ruined city reminded me of something I had intended to ask Chrysalis. "In all the documents I found there, the city's name was never mentioned. What was it called?"

Chrysalis blinked and looked aside for a moment. "We called it the Spire. Ponies always said the Spire when speaking of it."

"That's odd. There were several towers there, but nothing I would have called a spire. The mesa didn't look very much like a spire, either. Do you know the origin of the name?"

Chrysalis shrugged. "I can't remember why, if I ever knew. What does it matter?"

I bit back a comment on her appalling lack of intellectual curiosity and moved the airships and troops aside to make room for the dessert course.

Later, after the light dessert, I rose and walked over to the edge of the balcony. I remembered to take a flute of sparkling cider with me. "I've always loved watching the evening sky from here. The lights of Ponyville are so few, they hardly dim the stars at all." I lifted one hind hoof slightly, leaned forward against the railing, and looked back at Luna. "And now I have the perfect companion to share my nights with."

Was it manipulation? Was it really a game? Maybe. But I wasn't promising anything I wasn't willing or even eager to give. Games are just fine when both ponies know they're playing, and the look on Luna's face was completely worth it. Behind her, Chrysalis stared for a second, then rolled her eyes for my benefit. I could feel myself blushing, but Rarity had assured me that doing so at the right time was a good thing.

Luna arched her neck as she approached me with a high, stiff gait. "I think you will need to excuse us, Your Majesty," she said to the queen without ever taking her eyes off of mine. "The princess and I are going to retire now."

Chrysalis had a surprisingly pleasant laugh.

= = =

I woke to find the bed empty and had a bit of a bad moment until I saw Luna at the window with her horn alight. I reached out with my magic and softly twined it with hers as she moved the lunar mechanism. The moon smoothly slid below the horizon and we released the Great Wheel, but kept our magic joined.

I rose and crossed the bedroom until my horn touched hers, and then our mouths met, completing the circuit. The tingle was delightful.

"Come back to bed?" I asked her as I drew back, shedding cool sparks from my lips.

"There is much to be done," she replied. But she was already moving back into the room.

"This is the last time we'll have alone together until we leave for the desert. I've scheduled in a free hour. An hour fifteen, if I skip breakfast."

"I would not deny you sustenance, my love."

"Then..." I grinned, rolled her over with a burst of telekinesis, and pounced on top of her. "I will have to feast on you!"

"E-gad! Am I to be devoured by this ravenous beast?"

"Very likely," I said, my voice lowering as I pressed my muzzle against her belly and drank in her scent.

I missed breakfast.

= = =

When I went to put on my armor for the day, Luna stopped me and insisted we send for Rarity first. It was obvious that something was up, but I somehow couldn't work up to my usual frenzy of analysis/prediction/anticipation. Instead, I leaned over and nibbled at the base of Luna's neck. I loved the way the light played on the interweave of muscles from her neck, wings, and shoulders there. Also, her mane tickled my nose.

"Ah!" Rarity said from the doorway when she arrived. "I'm not interrupting, am I?"

Luna made a slight noise of disappointment when I lifted my head.

"Not at all. Come in," I said, suppressing a sigh of my own.

All the things that Rarity had brought into my chambers the day before, aside from the clothing that could be hung in the closets, had been stacked to one side of the sitting room. We followed her there and I watched with building curiosity as she unearthed a large chest. I noticed that the top had my cutie mark carved into it, and when Rarity opened it, I thought at first she had brought me a chest full of gold bits.

Then she lifted out a splendid suit of armor.

Even in the softly lit room, it shone. It was golden and polished to a mirror finish. Intricate etching lined the edges of each part and large gems the color of my coat studded the center of six-pointed stars on each of the major pieces. Looking closer, I could see that the head of every rivet had been set with a small star-cut diamond.

I took the chamfron in my magical grip, gazing in amazement at the coronet that rose from the crest, and the spells that had been forged into the metal came to life. The suit of armor had not only been made for me, it had been attuned to me. I could feel an impetus woven into it, a will to serve and protect me that matched my own style and level of magic. It was a stunning piece of spellcraft as well as a masterpiece of metalworking.

"It is a gift from both of us, dear," Rarity explained. "It was Luna's idea to get you proper armor of your own, and I contributed my own particular design skills to the effort."

"And the spells are the work of Celestia," Luna said. "A 'measure of her sincere regard,' she said to tell you. They mostly reinforce the protective qualities of the metal, but they also make it easier for you to wear, and there are wards to channel away magical strikes or attempts to immobilize."

Is it weird that I was so much more thrilled and eager to put it on than I had been with my slinky black dress?

Each piece slipped on as if it wanted to be there. There was none of the shrugging it into place as I'd had to do with Luna's barding. It covered quite a bit more of me than Luna's old suit had, but it seemed to weigh a bit less. It moved and shifted with me as easily as my dress had done.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you both so much!" And then it hit me. "But I can't wear this!"

"What? Why ever not, darling?"

"It's too beautiful! It'll get it all scratched and dented up!"

Luna chuckled and lifted my chin with a wingtip. "By that logic, I should not allow you to go into battle, Twilight, my love."

Rarity dismissed my concerns with a flip of her hoof. "It's much easier to repair dented armor than a torn dress. Oh, that reminds me!" She levitated a smaller box out of the armor chest and opened it to reveal a small mound of gems. "Replacements, in case you lose any. You see? I've thought of everything! Besides, you don't want me to outshine you, do you?"

"You mean...?"

"Well, of course! We're all going off to war together. We should have coordinated ensembles! The rest of us won't be quite as magnifique as your royal self, but we won't look shabby by comparison, either. I even had the most adorable little cuirass made for Spike. I'm sure he'll love it."

For the moment, I put aside the question of whether I was irresponsible enough to take a baby dragon into battle. I was almost convinced that I had unknowingly stumbled through a magical mirror portal sometime during the night.

I took the armor off and carefully stowed it away, piece by piece. I assured Rarity and Luna, once again, that I was absolutely delighted with the gift, and would publicly wear it for the first time when we boarded Evenstar the next day.

"Oh, what a lovely idea, Twilight!" Rarity said. "We can all make an entrance together! What time is dawn? The low light will be perfect."

I shifted my stance uneasily. "Umn... I think Rainbow Dash will be on Solar Flare for the trip to Dodge Junction, and I'm not too sure Fluttershy will like the idea, and—"

"Oh nonsense, darling!" Rarity said with a toss of her head. "Rainbow is in the dining hall right now, and Fluttershy can be talked into almost anything."

"Wait! Dash is here? She's supposed to still be resting in the hospital! How did she get here?"

"Chewed through her straps, or so Fluttershy told me. At least she took the train instead of flying all the way. For our dear Rainbow Dash, that is practically the height of responsibility."

"It will be a very inspiring sight," Luna said. "Soldiers love that sort of display."

"Fine," I sighed. "But no banners and trumpets and all that, okay?"

"No promises, darling. Pinkie Pie wanted to contribute, too."

= = =

It was torture, saying goodbye to Luna, but she had her final inspections and preparations to make. Solar Flare would rendezvous with us late the next day at a prearranged location north-west of Dodge Junction, and we would see each other then.

When Luna had gone, I kept my promise to Rarity by attempting to give her a brief, concise summary of the previous night's dinner. But she insisted on minute details and even speculation, for Celestia's sake! The fact that Prince Blueblood turned out to be Chrysalis' mystery lover was the only thing that allowed me to escape her clutches. She practically galloped out of the castle to hook up with her "network" only moments after I told her the news.

I had to make up the extra half hour I'd lost by leaving the last logistics inspection to Applejack, but she was happy to take over the task, and she had my checklist to work from.

Most of the rest of the day was taken up with tedious details of one sort or another, but they were important details.

Right after lunch, I got to perform one duty that I thoroughly enjoyed: I introduced Rainbow Dash to the team she would be leading.

"You will be responsible for scouting only, do you understand?" I told her as we descended the steps of the tower. "No engaging the enemy under any circumstances, right?"

"Sure, Twi," she said, casually. "Anything you say."

"I mean it, Dash! And intelligence comes second. Your number one priority is to keep your team and yourself safe."

"Hey, they're big bad military types!" Dash gave a careless toss of her head. "They can take care of themselves!"

"What ever gave you that idea?" I said, forcing myself not to grin.

"Huh? What do you mean? I'm going to be in charge of a couple of the pegasus soldiers, right?"

"They've got their own officers, Dash. You are going to be commanding volunteers."

"What? Who? You're not going to saddle me with some random strangers!"

"No, of course not. You know them; Downdraft and Ditzy Doo."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Downer and Derpy? No way!"

Right into my trap, Rainbow Dash. I turned to face her slowly. "Is there something wrong with them?"

"Well..." Rainbow looked away and rubbed at her mane. "Ditzy Doo is... um... directionally challenged."

"She's a strong flyer and she will be following you all the time. What about Downdraft?"

"Aw, Twilight!"

"What are your objections? If they're valid we can find a replacement. I think Bulk—"

"Okay, now I know you're messin' with me!"

"Rainbow Dash, right now you are in no shape to go slugging it out with a swarm of monsters, and, frankly, Downdraft and Ditzy Doo will never be capable of that sort of thing. But with you leading them, they can still be a very important part of this battle. You can command a scouting flight, play a critical role, and gain some very valuable leadership experience, or you can leave Downer and Derpy to flounder around as best as they can manage on their own. How do you think that will turn out?"

Dash scowled and folded her hooves over her chest.

She was teetering on the edge of acceptance. I'd already played the loyalty card, so it was time for a bit of carrot. "I thought you might enjoy being the forward observer for the Alpha Squad."

"Wait... I would be assigned to the Wonderbolts' combat unit?"

"Yes," I said, pretending to misunderstand. "You'd be wearing only the uniform because armor would slow you down and might give you a false sense of security. You'll report directly to Spitfire. Do you have a problem with that, too?"

"I... I guess not." She gave it one last try, however; "But can't I work on my own? Maybe you can find something else that's safe for them to do. I mean, I like Ditzy well enough, but Downer—"

I nodded. "She may be a bit gloomy in her outlook, but—"

"She's as much fun to be around as a bucket of ticks!"

"Rainbow!"

"Okay, okay, okay!"

"I've talked to her about this. You will be making the decisions, and whatever her opinion of them, she will be following your orders without comment."

Rainbow sighed and said, "Fine." And she said it in the tone of voice that meant she really had agreed.[2]

[2] Which was good, because my backup plan was to chain her to a bed in Ponyville Hospital.

That was my one last big job of the day out of the way. One fewer thing to worry about. Rainbow wouldn't take any unnecessary chances when she had two ponies who really depended on her.

Now, all I had to worry about was all the ponies who were depending on me.

= = =

=

Author's Note

Yes, dudes and dudettes, I totally did it. I shipped Chrysalis and Blueblood. This might give you a clue as to what sort of maniac you're dealing with here... except several of you came up with this paring as the most probable all on your own. And what does that say, hmn?

Thanks to Academic "I can kill you with my brain" Pony and "Laser Gaze" statoose for the awesome assistance.

13 As Brave as an Army with Banners

Chapter Thirteen
As Brave as an Army with Banners

There were, of course, banners and trumpets. And flags and confetti and bunting and streamers. As the seven of us marched out of the castle, the glare of the morning sunlight reflecting off of our armor nearly blinded half the crowd, and the fanfare and roar of the audience drowned out my little prepared speech, but all the ponies seemed to love it. Chrysalis hadn't wanted to be a part of the ceremony and had boarded the airship well before dawn with her two changeling attendants.

Fortunately, after I explained in detail how the expedition was supposed to turn out,[1] Spike was satisfied with escorting the rest of us to Evenstar's moorage and then remaining at home. He wore his shiny new breastplate and a hat with a big feather in it while carrying my personal banner as we headed for the airship.

[1] Hours and hours of boredom punctuated by moments of appalling violence.

We marched up the airship's boarding ramp and took up our stations. Evenstar lifted, trailing all of her signal flags and some unauthorized streamers, and we were away.

Rainbow Dash and her team flew a V-formation in front of us, with other pegasi teams flanking them. We turned in a broad curve until we were on a course that took us over the Everfree, heading for our rendezvous point.

"Would you like to take the helm, Your Highness?" Captain Zephyr asked.

I had been standing on the bridge all the while, going over all the plans in my head while nervously tapping my metal-shod hooves on the deck. I suppose it was the captain's polite way of asking if I'd like to have something else to do but fret. It wasn't a bad idea; I usually found the slow, careful motions and steady concentration needed for steering an airship very relaxing.

The pilot recited our course, speed, and control settings, and I repeated them back to him before I took the wheel. With the captain's tacit permission, I ran through a series of simple maneuvers. Evenstar had been taken out for a shake-down and speed tests the day before, of course. I just wanted to make sure that I had the feel of the new way she handled. Aside from being a bit less responsive to the helm, she still steered well enough.

Lieutenant Stormfeather went over the new levers and valves that had been installed on the pilot's pedestal with me. Even though most of them controlled systems that gave Evenstar additional maneuvering capabilities which were too uncomfortable or dangerous for a passenger ship, I made sure to memorize them.

Twenty minutes or so later, a manticore flapped up from the forest, probably just curious about us. I can't see how even one of the fierce creatures of the Everfree would think attacking a large craft like Evenstar would be a good idea. The pegasi on our left flank dove at it, and it fled back below the canopy of trees. Otherwise, not much happened the rest of the watch.

I briefly looked in on everypony before making my way to my cabin and settling in. Before starting to work, I removed my chamfron and set it on the bed. I brushed out my mane, wishing Luna was there to do it for me, or even just to watch. Or just to be there. I wondered if everypony in the first flush of love was so obsessive about their partners or just me. I sighed, put aside my pointless speculation and turned to my paperwork.

First, I re-read the replies to my letters to Shining Armor and Cadance. Cadance's was very polite and apologetic. I wrote her again, also apologizing again, and giving her my love. I knew that it would take a few little low stress get-togethers between us all to get things completely smoothed over, but at least we were on the right track. I'd get a chance to talk with Shining at the rendezvous, so I didn't bother replying to his somewhat fractured ramble about family and duty. At least he'd signed it "Your BBBFF." I put the letter in the stack to be sent from Dodge Junction.

I dealt with a few other bits of correspondence and went over some reports, but it was mostly just busywork. I hadn't been lying to Spike about the amount of dragging down-time involved in any military endeavor. Fortunately, I found a few hours of routine paperwork soothing. I finally admitted to myself that nobody would consider it dereliction of duty if I just relaxed with a good book. I discovered that the angled coronet that topped my chamfron made an ideal book rest.

It was late afternoon when a pegasus courier came winging in from the northeast. He reported that Solar Flare was slightly ahead of schedule and would be at the rendezvous point a half hour early. I ordered our engines to full ahead and sent the messenger back with a note saying that we would try to arrive at the same time.

I'd gone over the consumption projections several times and knew that the extra energy that would be burned was well within our safety margin. Seeing Luna again a few moments sooner would absolutely be worth it.

= = =

The two airships signaled each other, a series of colorful flags dropping on weighted lines from their respective bridges. They maneuvered and lowered their ground anchors well upwind of where Hazina was already waiting. I stood impatiently on Evenstar's bridge until the "all secure" signal was given, then I threw myself out of the side hatch and sped for Solar Flare.

Luna met me halfway.

It's certainly possible to hug and smooch in mid air, but as I was not a natural-born pegasus and encased in metal, I decided not to try it. But oh, how I wanted to! Instead, we flew tight circles around each other, calling out greetings. She was wearing her platinum armor, bright and shining again, and I felt dizzy at the sight of her magnificence. Or maybe it was the flying in circles.

We finally got smart about it, and I followed Luna back to Solar Flare. The commander's stateroom was quite nice, and the bed was very comfortable. And strong.

= = =

I had a nice talk with my brother in the afternoon. We commiserated about having to balance official duties with our personal lives and agreed that the world ought to be much simpler than it actually was.

"I'm really sorry we pressed you guys so hard," Shining Armor said. "Maybe Cadance and I were being a bit paranoid about the situation, but after all the shenanigans that went on at our own wedding…"

"Perfectly understandable." I nodded in agreement. "I wish I had as good an excuse for my own behavior. Or any excuse, really." I paused before hesitantly asking, "Uhmn... Have you and Luna spoken since...?"

Shining Armor chuckled. "She's technically my C.O. on this mission, so it's kind of hard to avoid it," he said.

"You know what I mean!" I gave him what was supposed to be a playful swat on his shoulder with my wingtip. The clank of my couteau against his peytral was a reminder that our business was serious.

"Yeah." He nodded. "She started out the trip by apologizing to me... in a very Princess Luna sort of way." At my curious frown, he continued, "About an hour out of Canterlot, she ordered me to report to her quarters and I stood at attention while she pretty much itemized the things she was and was not sorry about. Lots of the royal plural and words ending in 'eth' and 'est' were involved."

"She tends to slip back into archaic speech when she's emotional," I explained.

My brother regarded me fondly for a moment. "I guess that's good then, because when she was trying to convince me how much she loved you, I could barely understand her."

I grinned at that.

He shook his head and chuckled. "It's going to take some getting used to. You and the Dark Lady... who would have guessed? Have you talked to Mom and Dad about—"

"Whoa, that's Luna's nickname? The Dark Lady?"

"Yeah. Well, just in the Royal Guard, really. The... uh..." He trailed off, suddenly looking a bit nervous.

I can read my brother like a book.[2] "And what do other ponies call her?"

[2] A book with lots of explanatory annotations and footnotes.

He knew from my tone of voice that I wasn't going to let it go. "The Bats... uh... that is, the Night Guard call her... uh... The Mistress." Ponies with white coats don't hide blushes well, so it was lucky for him that he had his helmet on.

I wish I had Rarity's ability to come up with lighthearted quips in such situations. As it was, I had to make do with a shrug and an attempt to sound casual as I said, "Oh. I guess that makes sense."

I was disconcerted enough that I forgot to ask him if I had a nickname.

Shining and I made tentative plans for a completely unofficial family get-together after everything was settled with the dark magic monsters. I wanted Mom and Dad to meet Luna in a casual situation, and, evidently, in addition to the letter she had sent, Luna had promised a thorough (no doubt archaic and itemized) personal apology to Cadance.

We met with the rest of the fleet commanders before dinner and went over the plan again. I assured them that Chrysalis' part was purely political, and that, unless things went wrong in a completely unexpected and spectacular way, she would not be taking part in the fighting.

Nobody came up with anything new, and there was general agreement that everything was in order. Shining and Luna were being very polite to each other and as casual as military discipline allowed, which also added to my general satisfaction with the situation.

Luna and I dined with the officers and Chrysalis, but retired just as soon as it wasn't terribly rude to do so. It took a lot of effort on my part to wait even that long because Luna kept surreptitiously running her magic through my mane.

When we made love that night, there was a moment when I looked up at the golden sun-in-splendor that crowned the headboard of the bed and recalled that there had been a time that such decorations were commonly called the Eye of Celestia. I froze up for a second.

"Oh, Twilight," Luna gasped. "Cease not thy ministrations now, I beg of thee!"

I had an urge to flip a corner of the bed curtains over the sun, but mentally shook myself out of a pointless reaction to my ridiculous flash of guilt. I turned my magic back to pleasing my lover, and was rewarded by a soft cry on a taken breath. That wordless sound of joy meant more to me than any praise of Celestia's I could imagine.

= = =

I wandered in a beautiful village of whitewashed stone buildings that clung to a steep rocky shore. The same moonlight that sparkled on the ocean far below made the pale buildings a mosaic of luminescence and shadow.

I climbed the winding streets, discovering delightful little plazas and fountains along the way, until I reached a great tower at the top of the village. Strings of colored lanterns hung around the edge of the open space at the foot of the tower as if they had been set out for a celebration, but there were no ponies present. On the tower itself hung a huge embroidered banner that stirred slightly in the gentle breeze from the sea. It depicted Luna, rampant against a field of stars. The artist had captured her beautifully, even though the design was stylized in a heraldic manner.

While I was admiring the banner, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. A black patch of shadow at the foot of the tower was moving in a way that couldn't be accounted for by the slight swinging of the little lanterns. It slowly flowed out onto the plaza, oozing toward me like thick spill of black oil.

I cautiously stepped back and readied a spell.

The unnatural shadow stopped inching toward me as if realizing it had been seen, then it began to undulate and hump upward, drawing in at the edges. It rose up into a distorted shape, and I caught the brief glimpse of white within it, like a parted mouth full of sharp fangs. Then two glowing dragon eyes opened in the blackness, and the thing spoke.

"She is magnificent, isn't she?"

The Nightmare slowly took on her usual shape, and she nodded her head toward the banner, mane and tail streaming away from her like dense, oily smoke.

"My Luna is the most beautiful mare that has ever lived," I said, looking back up at the banner.

"Your Luna," the Nightmare said, her eyes narrowing.

"Yes, and I am her Twilight," I replied, just a bit miffed at her tone.

"Oh? I thought you belonged to the big white one." Her mouth quirked upward in a half grin, half sneer. "Celestia's Little Terror is what some ponies call you; the vicious attack dog that keeps Her Majesty's hooves out of the mud."

"I'm going to destroy you," I told her, conversationally. "Not right now, but as soon as possible."

"After all I've done for you? That seems ungracious." She didn't seem too upset by the news.

"I know you're up to something. There's a prophecy."

She chuckled and trailed a wingtip along a string of lanterns as she walked, setting them to swinging. "There's always a prophecy. Equestria is littered with them. Prophecy, destiny, fated quest, and ancient enemy. They will tug at you like the strings on a puppet if you let them." She leaned close to a red lantern and the dancing highlights in her eyes became blood-colored streaks. "Let me guess: it was Celestia who told you about this prophecy."

I tried to remain calm, but a tight rage was building up in my chest. "Killing you seems like a better and better idea every time you open your mouth," I said through my teeth.

"Do your worst." She grinned. "Afterwards, we'll sit down to tea and I can tell you what you did wrong."

"I've faced much more powerful foes than you!"

Her smile faded. "Only with borrowed power, Twilight; alone, you are no match for me."

"I'm not alone! I have my friends, I have the Rainbow Power, and I have Luna!"

"Oh yes," the Nightmare's grin returned. "The lovely Luna! Where is she, I wonder?"

That was a very good question. I glanced up at the banner and touched my lower lip with my teeth.

"She would rush to your defense if she sensed the slightest threat to you, wouldn't she?" The Nightmare almost purred the words. "So, I must not be a threat. Isn't that logical?"

"I wish I could believe that." Where was Luna?

"That little tidbit of advice I gave you some nights ago served you well, didn't it?" She began to circle me, walking very slowly and only looking at me from the corners of her half-lidded eyes. "If we were friends, I could show you other things. Things that would make that seem like nothing in comparison." She circled closer, her smoky tail curving around just a hoof span from my legs. "We could practice them together."

"Get away from me!"

The Nightmare swirled away into a cloud of laughter and smoke, then reformed into her alicorn shape at a more comfortable distance. "As you wish, Twilight. You see? I am very accommodating." That said, she began walking toward me again. It felt like I was being stalked by a predator. "You are chummy with Discord, you play ball with Cerberus, you are even getting along quite well with the parasite that came close to devouring all of Canterlot. Why shouldn't we be friends?"

"Because killing you will save Celestia!"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. You could be misinterpreting the prophecy. Or, like several others, it could be wrong. Or Celestia may have lied to you."

"Shut up!" I screamed. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

The big banner loudly snapped in the rising wind, and the figure of Luna tore loose from it and fell in serpentine twists to the paving stones. It didn't land in a heap the way fabric ought to have done, but stood there, looming above the Nightmare. "Enough!" embroidered Luna snarled at her. "Go now, else we shall do battle."

"I may be stronger than you," the Nightmare said. "I once was."

"I am not alone," Luna said, laying a fabric wing across my back.

"No. You are not alone now," the Nightmare said, over the freshening breeze. "But I can wait until that little pest is gone. Then we shall see."

The wind increased, swinging the strings of lanterns wildly. One line broke and the brass and colored glass smashed on the paving stones, the candles guttering out. Luna pulled me closer.

"We will never leave each other!" I yelled at the Nightmare over the rising gale.

The wind tore at the Nightmare's form, shredding it and carrying it away into the darkness, but I clearly heard her last words, anyway, and they didn't please me at all. "Never is a long time, mortal!"

= = =

"I am going to smack her so hard, she's going to bounce!" I growled as I paced around Luna's stateroom in the morning. "I'm going to kill her, and then I'm going to find and use a resurrection spell on her just so I can have the pleasure of chopping her zombie corpse into gooey little chunks!"

Luna didn't interrupt. She just sat on the bed and watched me pace. At one point she tilted her head and smiled.

"What are you grinning at? Don't you think I mean it?"

"Ah, but of course I do, my love. I revel in thy righteous anger, and thy newfound ferocity is a joy to me. But also, I cannot help but notice..." Was she actually blushing? It was kind of hard to tell under her dark coat.

"What?"

"Thou hast developed the most attractive lines of muscle tone in thy shoulders and thighs. The wearing of armor agrees with you, it seems."

Well, that totally derailed my rant.

Around an hour or so later, I showered and left her stateroom, heading back to my own ship. I was still feeling the golden after-glow and was so distracted by my own happy thoughts that I almost ran into Private Flicker. Not that I realized who he was until he spoke.

"Your Highness," he said, bowing low. "I wish to thank you again."

His half armor let me see his cutie mark, which was the same open fan, but a much darker shade of orange than before, and it had a small crescent moon on top of it. It fit quite well against his new steel-gray coat.

"You're very welcome. How are you adjusting?"

"I did not understand before what an honor and a blessing it is to serve Her Majesty of the Night. Had I known, I would have volunteered before I was wounded."

Oh. So he was adjusting pretty well, it seemed.

"How about your family and friends?"

He shrugged. "They are fearful, but I hope they will come to accept it. In any case, the Night Guard is a family to me now."

Maybe Flicker was adjusting a little too well. I might have been more concerned, except I was halfway to worshiping Luna myself. I completely understood his enthusiasm.

I flew over to Evenstar and made sure everything was ready for the next leg of the trip. Then I stopped by the galley to get some breakfast and found Rainbow Dash slurping down a big bowl of oats and cream.

"Oh, hey, Twi," she greeted me, lifting her dripping muzzle out of the bowl for just a second.

By the time I got my food and went to sit down at the table, Dash had finished and was moving for the door. "Hang on a second, Rainbow."

She stopped and looked back. "Yeah?"

"I just wanted to ask you something."

"Sure thing! Shoot." She stood up a little straighter, no doubt anticipating a grilling on the progress of her own recovery.

"How are your teammates coming along?"

Dash relaxed a bit and gave a little shrug of one shoulder. "Not too bad, actually. I'm keeping it really simple for Downer, and Derpy is never going to be a star formation flier, but they're doing okay. They're sure trying really hard."

"I'm glad to hear it. Thank you, Rainbow."

"No prob, Twi!"

"Make sure you and your team get some rest today. You'll be wrangling clouds in the middle of the night tonight."

Rainbow Dash blew me a raspberry. "Twi, the day you can teach me anything about napping is the day I turn in my wings!"

= = =

The rest of the day was hard on me. I tried to sleep in the afternoon but only managed a bit less than an hour. I kept feeling like there was a Luna-shaped hole by my side. The couriers that flew circuit between the ships carried some saucy notes between us, but that was all I had to occupy my time. I teleported out to Hazina a couple of times, unnecessarily checking on her cargo and her skeleton crew. We all knew what we had to do and all the preparations had been made, so there was not much else to do but watch the desert slide by beneath us until we were in position.

When night finally fell, things started to happen. All three airships hove to at predetermined distances, and then the weather pegasi got busy. Luna and I provided extra energy for the steaming machinery on Solar Flare's flight deck while the cloud specialists came and went.

About two hours before dawn, I flew out and inspected the line. The weather team certainly knew their business: we had a perfectly natural-looking line of high desert cumulus in place. I returned to Solar Flare as the second-shift pegasi moved into position to start the gentle breeze that would float us over our target.

When I staggered slightly on landing, Luna insisted on putting me into a brief magical sleep. After an hour curled up on her bed, I awoke refreshed and energetic, and she gave me a lingering kiss before I left for Evenstar. "Be careful, beloved. Any hurt you take will pain me twice as much."

"There will be plenty of hurt, but it will all be outgoing, I promise you."

"I love thee with a fierce and lasting passion, Twilight Sparkle."

I returned her kiss, then said, "Thou art my true and noble lady, Luna. My steel and velvet Mistress of the Night." I tore myself away from her and flew through the darkness to Evenstar where she waited, far below.

It was time to go to war.

= = =

The clouds floating in the arid desert sky lit up in red and orange hues minutes before the light of the sun touched the ground around the entrances to the changeling hive. When the sun was fully risen, there still remained dark shadows across the landscape: shadows that crawled and slithered and even walked.

As Evenstar floated slowly nearer, I could make out the shadow things digging at the ground in several places, scraping away with claws and teeth at the hard translucent substance that plugged the entrances to the hive. Where the sun was at a particular angle, vague movement could be seen through the greenish plugs as the changelings on the inside presumably added to them, fighting a slow battle against the diggers.

I lowered the spyglass and nodded to Captain Zephyr. "It's all just as General Csharreee reported. We go ahead as planned."

The captain saluted, then pulled down three times on a large brass lever that had been newly installed on the aft bulkhead of the bridge. Bells rang throughout the ship and hooves clattered on the deck.

It wasn't at all like the scenes you might read in a military novel, with all the excited shouting of "battle stations" and ponies rushing around in a near panic. All my crew knew exactly where they needed to be, and they went to their places with a minimum of fuss.

Two unicorns entered the bridge and sat themselves at their firing ports. They flipped the brass levers that opened the ports, then slid their heads onto the padded rest that supported them while their horns projected slightly beyond the hull. We cleared the last ridge between us and the hive. If the monsters happened to look in the right direction, they would undoubtedly see us.

One of the speaking tubes whistled. Lieutenant Stormfeather flipped up the cover and put his ear to the tube. After a moment he flipped the cover down again and turned to the captain. "All crew at battle stations, sir."

"Very good Lieutenant. Start engines and get us some altitude."

The pilot set the two trim tabs to either side of the wheel, then adjusted three small ballast tank valves and pulled the dump lever. There was a clunk and a hiss, and the deck pressed against my hooves as the water dropped away and Evenstar begin to rise. The lieutenant rang the big handles of the engine telegraph to slow ahead and a moment later, the indicators matched up, and the low rumble of the engines accompanied a surge forward. I raised my glass and saw the sudden flurry of movement in the mass of monsters as they heard our engines start up. Black shapes rose into the sky.

"Looks like they've gotten better at flying since last time," the lieutenant observed.

He was right. There was none of the floundering, inefficient motion we had encountered in the first battle. The mass of monsters still seemed slightly disorganized, but the individuals flew very well. Quite a lot of them looked like changelings.

"Full ahead," the captain said quietly.

Lieutenant Stormfeather rang for the requested speed and the indicators acknowledged his order. The engines ramped up, moving us faster and faster toward the monsters.

The creatures began to realize we were a serious threat and some broke away from the mass to charge at us while the rest of the flight-capable monsters were still taking to the air. I could spare firepower for the first few brave (or stupid) ones; I settled myself into the central firing port. Monsters flared brightly and fell from the sky as we opened up on them. Far from being a discouragement to the rest, the initial blasts seemed to galvanize all of the remaining fliers and they came at us en masse. Even the few left on the ground decided to take to the air.

They weren't stupid about it either. They rose as quickly as possible to get above Evenstar's envelope where only the three unicorns in the dorsal cupola would be able to fire at them. We kept blasting at the approaching fliers from the bridge and the ports along the gondola's sides until there were no more targets visible.

A whistle from a speaking tube, and the lieutenant opened it and listened, repeating the report as he heard it. "Enemy massing above. Tight formation. Any second now. They're going to hit us all at once."

I stood and nodded. "Time to go." In a flash of magic I was on Solar Flare's bridge, standing in front of Luna. "Now," I said, and couldn't resist kissing her on the end of her nose, just below the edge of her chamfron. I heard "vent gas" and "engines full ahead" before I winked out again.

Back on Evenstar, we all slipped on our dark glass goggles, and I moved to the speaking tube from the cupola. The most eager of the monsters hit the envelope with muffled thumps. Several more came in quick succession. Then, over the speaking tube, the hollow voice of Captain Lance shouted, "Now princess!"

I cast a shield around Evenstar. It was an ellipsoid rather than a sphere, a compromise between fitting it as closely to the airship's shape as possible while keeping the matrix simple enough for me to maintain in my head. That still left a number of early arrivals clinging to us inside the energy barrier, but it excluded the majority of the monsters assaulting us. Those were still outside.

Where Solar Flare was.

High above us, one of the big, fluffy, and totally non-threatening cumulus clouds that had drifted over the hive in the wee hours of the night burst open to reveal the enormous airship that had been hidden within.

She dropped down, trailing thick wisps of cloud as her firing ports flickered open. I saw her rudder swing hard left as she turned to present us with her starboard side, then I didn't see much else but blazing magical fire as she enveloped us with a full broadside. The pressure in my head as I took the strain of the impacts on my shield was worse than I'd anticipated, but I managed to hold firm even as the kinetic transfer made Evenstar lurch and slew around. The plan had been for ten-second bursts, repeated until all the monsters outside of the shield were destroyed, but I would have sworn that the first volley went on for at least a minute.

When the barrage finally let up, I widened my stance and lowered my head, bracing for the next attack. I needn't have bothered. The next blasts from Solar Flare were sporadic and specifically targeted, hardly impacting my shield at all. After about a minute of that, all firing stopped, and a string of signal flags dropped from Solar Flare's bridge.

"Solar Flare reports 'all aerial targets destroyed', Your Highness." Lieutenant Stormfeather said.

I dropped my shield and flipped open the speaking tube to the bunkrooms. "All pegasi away," I shouted.

Our small contingent of pegasi flung themselves out of the hatches and engaged the monsters that had been inside our shield. The unicorns fired at any lone dark shape they saw, but most of those were already broken, spiraling down to the desert below.

Solar Flare, meanwhile, kept dropping down toward the hive, her unicorns turning their attention to the flightless groundlings, which were helpless without their air cover.

It was an out-and-out massacre.

We sent out messengers to the Wonderbolts' picket line to the east, where they had positioned themselves between the hive and the city, patrolling for any escapees that might carry news to the main body of monsters. They reported no sightings at all; the battle was officially over.

I went aft to tell Chrysalis that it was safe to leave the ship and found that she and her attendants had joined Evenstar's pegasi in the cleanup action. The spatters of green goo looked perfectly natural on her.

"It's all clear, Your Majesty. You can go tell your people the siege has been lifted."

She paused before she jumped out of the open hatch and said, "Thank you, Twilight Sparkle." She said it like she had something sour in her mouth, but she said it.

The girls were also there, even Rainbow Dash, just arrived back from her scouting flight. I grinned at them, feeling very pleased with myself. "I think that may be the first time in history a battle has gone exactly as planned."

Applejack chuckled and lifted a leg, shaking it so that her armor rattled. "All dressed up an' nobody ta stomp!"

"Stomping isn't the most important part of it, AJ," Dash said with a superior air, much to the surprise of everypony present.

"We had more trouble with the parasprites!" Rarity said, sounding just a little miffed.

A pegasus entered the hatch while we were talking and Fluttershy turned toward him. "Are you hurt? Do you need medical attention?"

"Oh, no ma'am, I'm fine!"

"Oh," said Fluttershy, sounding both apologetic and disappointed at the same time. "Do you know if anypony else is hurt?"

"I think one of the unicorns in the cupola got cut by some broken glass when his firing port cracked."

Fluttershy grabbed a first-aid kit and ran into the passageway.

Pinkie Pie was pressed against one on the ports, looking intently down at the desert below. She had a pencil tucked into the corner of her mouth and would turn aside every so often and scribble something on a pad that lay on the deck.

"What are you doing, Pinkie?" I asked.

"Baking," she mumbled around the pencil.

"Uh... no you're not," I said, intrigued despite myself. "What's on the pad?"

I moved closer to get a look at her writing or drawing or whatever it was, but she snatched up the pad and held it close to her chest. "Professional secret!" she hissed at me with narrowed eyes, and then rushed out of the room.

I shrugged and let it go.

A couple of minutes later, as I was speaking to a young unicorn who had a band-aid on his cheek patterned with pink and blue kittens, two changelings crawled in the open hatches.

"Her Majesty requires your presence!" the first one demanded of me.

"Shut up, idiot," the second snapped at her, giving her a hoof to the shoulder. "I'm sorry, Princess Twilight," she continued. "But could you please come down to the hive? It's urgent."

"Tell Captain Zephyr where I've gone, please," I said to Applejack, and then dove out of the hatch after the changelings.

We dropped down to one of the hive entrances, and I could see right away that it hadn't been opened willingly. The mouth of the tunnel was littered with the bodies of both monsters and changelings.

"This way, Your Highness."

I followed the changelings down into the dark.

= = =

=

Author's Note

Pre-readers hold great power. And with great power comes great nachos. No, really. AcademicPony and statoose need to go treat themselves to awesome nachos or poutine or something. They should smugly celebrate, with unhealthy, yummy snacks, their ability to make me rewrite big chunks of text with but an offhand note.

14 Unexpected Consequences

Chapter Fourteen
Unexpected Consequences

The changelings led me down a long curving ramp lit by occasional globes of a pallid greenish substance I couldn't identify. We reached a junction and found another heap of mixed bodies.

"What happened here? Where are we going?" I asked.

"They broke in shortly after the battle began, Your Highness," the friendlier of the two changelings answered.

"One frantic last push because you wiped out their fliers," the other half-snarled at me. "We've trapped them in an empty brood chamber, but I doubt we can hold them long."

I sped up.

It was only another minute or so before we emerged into a large chamber where the stench of burning flesh hung in the air. Chrysalis had her back turned to us. She was facing a wall of the same green substance that had sealed off the hive's entrances, and around her hooves lay a heap of mixed bodies. I winced at the sight of the carnage and briefly wondered when I had gotten so sympathetic toward changelings in general. Beyond the wall, frantic shadows thrashed violently with scraping sounds and dull impacts.

The queen turned her head as I entered. "Ah, good. I could probably deal with this myself," she said, flicking a surreptitious glance at her attendants, "but I don't take any chances when my people are in danger. I am going to dissolve two holes in this barrier, and then you and I will fire into the room until all the creatures are dead. Be careful: they can squeeze through very small spaces."

Before I could answer, there came a voice from the floor near Chrysalis. "P—princess Twilight?"

She was much bigger than when I had last seen her, probably due to some quirk of changeling biology tied to her promotion to General of the Hive. If it wasn't for her voice, I wouldn't have recognized her, not even if I had been looking for a familiar face in the tangle of bodies.

"Csharreee?" I darted over to her and then hesitated. What could I do for her that wouldn't cause more harm than good? "Chrysalis, you've got to help her!"

"She feels no pain now, Twilight Sparkle. We have enemies before us."

"You have to do something!"

The queen lifted her lip just enough to show the tip of a fang. "Are all of you ponies so crippled by sentimentality? We must destroy our foe before they break free or find another way out of the brood chamber. The general would tell you the same."

I looked back to Csharreee, but she had closed her eyes again and lay with her head to one side of her broken forelegs.

"Destruction? That's what you want?" My own lips peeled back and I took a step toward Chrysalis. "That is something I'm getting pretty good at!" Chrysalis took a step backwards, her shadow wavering across the cave wall behind her, and I turned to the wall, my horn blazing. "Tell me now if there's anything in there you don't want destroyed."

No answer.

In a confined space like that, it was easy. One long, concentrated blast was all it took to both burn a small hole in the wall and incinerate the monsters beyond. Then the monster on my side of the wall lit her horn and plugged the hole to keep the black, greasy smoke from choking us all.

"Now," I said to Chrysalis in a tone of voice that made the other changelings close in around her protectively, "help Csharreee!"

Chrysalis held my gaze for a long moment and then shook her head, and I knew with a sinking heart that she wasn't refusing me.

I cleared a space beside Csharreee and lay down beside her. "You," I said, pointing to the unhappy changeling beside Chrysalis, "go back to my airship and get the rest of my friends!"

"I—"

"Do it," I hissed.

She went without even glancing at Chrysalis for confirmation.

I spread one wing across Csharreee's back, being careful not to put any pressure on her. I didn't know what to say. I didn't even know if she was awake enough to hear any comforting words I might come up with, so I finally began to sing softly to her. "Neg-a-tive bee, plus or minus radi-ical..."

= = =

The Rainbow Power isn't a magic that can be commanded or directed: it can only be unleashed. Essentially, I point it at a problem and say, "Fix that." Whatever happens afterward is out of my hooves. The power also seems to be a bit fussy about details. Unless the six of us are in harmony and our intent is for a greater good, instead of a big, flashy light show, we get a long moment of embarrassed silence. This had been true even back when we needed the Elements to call it up.

So, I was worried about whether my friends would think it was something we ought to do. Stated bluntly, healing an unrepentant changeling, particularly one who had been a part of the invasion of Canterlot, wasn't exactly something that would top any of their to-do lists. In the minutes before they arrived, I began marshaling arguments to sway them if they showed reluctance.

I needn't have bothered. Sun and Moon, I love those girls! They piled into the room ready to light it up, no questions asked.

Well, there was one question: "What will it do to my hive?" Chrysalis asked. Good question, bad timing.

"I have no idea," I replied. "But it's Csharreee's only hope, and she won't survive if we try to move her. We're doing it here and now."

Chrysalis looked like she was going to say something for a second, but then she shrugged and moved toward the exit. "Let me know how it turns out," she said over her shoulder as she left, taking her attendants with her.

My friends closed around me, and we brought up the magic that we all shared. The Rainbow Power filled and transformed us, arcs of energy swirling around the chamber. I had just enough time to notice that the ribbons of magic slid through the walls like they were made of smoke, and then the power reached its peak and exploded around us.

At the very least, I had expected that the power would heal Csharreee. I had sort of hoped that it would transform my friend into a pony, even though I knew she wasn't all that interested in being one. At least she would be alive, we'd be able to be friends at a closer distance, and I could help her to acclimatize. But, like I said before, the Rainbow Power uses us, not the other way around.[1]

[1] I hope nopony really thinks I'd voluntarily look like that while the Power has possession of me, despite what the gossip rags say.

Csharreee arose, tall, strong, whole... and nearly an exact double of Chrysalis. She even had the little topknot that looked like a crown. The last thing I expected was that we would end up with another changeling queen on our hooves.

"Well, ain't this a hoot an' a holler?" Folksy phrasing aside, I think Applejack spoke for all of us.

When Csharree opened her eyes, we could all see one major difference between her and Chrysalis; They were shades of a smoky golden color rather than green. Looking closer, I saw her mane and tail were also warmer colors.

Also a surprise was the three other changelings that arose from the big pile of what we had wrongly assumed to be all dead bodies. Their eyes were just as bright and golden.

Csharreee looked down at her long, perforated legs and then up at me in puzzlement. "I thought I saw you, Princess. I think I was dreaming about you teaching me algebra. Then everything went all multicolored and... what happened to me?"

"Well," I said, grinning in embarassment. "That's kind of a funny story, Your Majesty."

= = =

Chrysalis was unhappy, Csharreee was unhappy, and most of the rest of the expeditionary force was mildly miffed. We were on a very tight schedule and having a sudden possible civil war thrown into the mix didn't exactly improve matters. Several of my officers recommended we proceed on schedule and leave the changelings to sort out their own affairs by themselves, but it was a mess I'd created, and I felt an obligation to fix it.

Going by an insect model of hive politics, there could only be one queen. Chrysalis and Csharree would either fight to the death, or one of them would go off to found a new colony. Neither of those options appealed very much to me.

But the changelings weren't mindless insects, and I was certain I could negotiate some compromise between them. I cleared Evenstar's starboard bunkroom and set it up as a meeting space with tables to each side. Then, I sent messengers to both queens, offering my services as mediator. We were all intelligent beings and I was sure we could find some peaceful way out of the situation.

I was wrong, of course.

I was sitting between the long tables, arranging a gavel, quills, and notepad, when Luna popped into existence next to me.

Luna looked just a tiny bit disheveled and perplexed. "Prithee, Twilight, dearest," she said, giving me a sidelong gaze. "Canst thou provide me with any sane reason why the bug queen is even now on my flight deck with a full five score of her minions, beseeching me for political asylum? She doth assert 'tis thy fault, entire, though I ken well what a deceitful creature she is."

That took me so aback that I couldn't think of anything to say for a moment. Then, when I decided I needed more clarification and took in a breath to begin some counter-questioning, Csharreee and a dozen attendants flew in the open hatches.

"Ah," Luna mumbled under her breath. "I have gone mad. That explains it."

"I think there won't be any need for negotiations, Princess," Csharreee said. "But thank you for the offer."

I took in the group of changelings that stood by her sides. They all had golden eyes. "It looks like you've acquired some more... uh... followers. Do you mind if I ask you how you did that?"

"It seems that if a changeling decides that I am the rightful queen, they physically change."

"Huh. As simple as that? Pretty convenient."

She nodded. "At first I thought there would be a fight between us, but as I traveled through the hive, most of the drones I met became golden-eyed. It seems that they have become used to me being in charge while Chrysalis has been absent. With fully eighty-three percent of the hive supporting me, there is no point in a battle. Chrysalis is wise enough to know that."

"Well, that's half the problem solved," I said, trying really hard to keep the snarky tone out of my voice. "Now all we have to do is figure out what to do with Chrysalis."

"Take her away with you," Csharreee said, suddenly earnest. "I have served and admired her all my life, but now I feel a very strong urge, an almost primal need, to kill her."

"Yeah, that happens to me pretty often, too. Uh... sorry, sorry! I didn't mean for that to come out the way it did." I thought for a second. "Well, I think we can arrange that." I glanced at Luna for confirmation and she nodded cautiously. "Yes, I'm sure that can be done."

"Thank you, Twilight. You have done so much for me that I doubt I'll ever be able to repay you." Csharreee paused and then suddenly smiled. "If you someday decide to overthrow Celestia, you can count on my support!"

I'm sure she meant well.

= = =

More than two hours behind schedule, I said my goodbyes to the girls, then grabbed a pair of saddlebags and prepared to depart for Hazina, still floating inside of one of our jury-rigged clouds. On my way out, as I hovered outside the bridge hatch to get a brief report from Captain Zephyr, I noticed that a second battle medallion had already been painted beside the first. Below it were the words, Bug Town. I sighed and told myself to let it go. I had too many real battles to fight to worry about minuscule matters of offensive language.

I climbed away from Evenstar, grimacing at the sight of the new patches of white cloth on the upper surface of her envelope. When I got to the altitude of Hazina's cloud, I slowed and glided in until I could make out her shape in the mist. I called out to the pilot as my hooves touched down on the big hatch cover aft of the old-style burner that supplied hot air to keep Hazina aloft.

"Welcome aboard, Your Highness," he called down to me from the quarterdeck. "We got your message."

"Good. I'm sorry to be late. I'm going to start working now. Please keep me from being interrupted unless it's important."

"Aye aye, ma'am."

I floated the heavy wooden hatch cover to one side and descended into the cargo hold. All of the equipment and alchemical supplies were secured right where I had last seen them, and I set about unfastening the ropes and opening the crates.

Some time later, Luna came aboard. I heard the pilot greet her and begin to pass along my desire to be uninterrupted when he was interrupted by another voice.

"I think you'll find that Her Divine Majesty outranks the princess."

"Stand down, Corporal Flicker," Luna said calmly. "He is just doing his duty."

"Crabapples!" The pilot exclaimed. "Is that you, Flicker? I'd heard that you'd gone over to the... uh... well...." His voice trailed off.

"I will leave you two fine soldiers here on deck to catch up," Luna said, and I heard her hooffalls approaching above me. She dropped into the hold with a precise sweep of her wings and touched down with scarcely a sound. I hadn't even finished drawing in a breath to welcome her when she unbuckled her helmet and set it aside.

I was late. There were important tasks to accomplish. I had very little time to finish my complicated and delicate preparations. All that was going through my mind, as I unfastened my chamfron and put it on the deck.

Muzzle against muzzle, lips on lips and cheek and neck and throat, all tangled with swirling caresses of magic as I devoured the sight and scent and feel of my lover for all too brief a time.

"I... I can't..."

"I know, my love," Luna said on a long exhalation of breath. "But I had to see you once more, alone, before the battle tomorrow."

I nodded. "Yes, but after that, I am going to completely neglect everything but you, for at least a week!"

We were silent for a while after that, simply standing with our cheeks pressed together, listening to each other draw breath. Finally, I shifted and sighed, turning back to my work.

Luna stood and watched me assemble the wires and cables for several minutes. "'Tis a cunning piece of work, my love. I knew your device would be intricate, but I had not thought it would be so beautiful."

I stopped and stepped back, regarding the branching web-work of brass and copper that surrounded the big iron tank at the center. "It's the mathematics of it," I explained. "It does look pretty, but each piece is where it needs to be. All of it is dictated by harmonics."

"As in music?"

"Yes, exactly! Only in several extra dimensions."

"And the mere shape of it will bleed away the magic that is creating the foul creatures? I still marvel that such a thing can be done."

Well, I hoped it could be done. I certainly wasn't counting on the monsters standing around while the device slowly harmonized their life energy away. That's what the structure I had put together a year ago in the cavern housing the dark crystal had been designed to do.[2] But for a job that had to be done in the heat of battle and as fast as possible, I had come up with a twist on the idea.

[2] And it worked perfectly, until the changelings ruined it, I might add. See The Theory and Construction of Thaumic Waveguides Expressed in Fractally Divided n-Dimensional Hypervolumes, T. Sparkle, Canterlot University Press, 1007, for more details.

Instead of creating matching inverted waveforms to dampen out the dark magic to little more than background energy, my new device was designed to consume a small fortune in reagents to produce a complimentary stream of pure magic generated by the central alchemical engine. The opposing magic would annihilate both sets of waveforms in a burst of heat and light that would be projected upward through the atmosphere to harmlessly dissipate in space. Simple, really. All I had to do was activate the engine and drop it into the pit in the ruined city. The field it generated would keep the engine safe from the impact. It was a shame that the same couldn't be said for Hazina.

Luna made me take a break before continuing with my work. With all the excitement of the morning and early afternoon, I'd completely forgotten about eating, and my stomach began grumbling as soon as I smelled the food that Luna pulled out of her saddlebags.

I ate about three quarters of it, not wanting to risk making a mistake with my device while in a satiated torpor. But I couldn't pass up the cookies that Pinkie Pie had sent along: They were shaped like little dark magic monsters. Dark chocolate batter and chunks of semi-sweet chocolate made a texture quite like the surface of the creatures, with little slivered almonds for claws and fangs and raisins for eyes. When I bit into one, I discovered a greenish, cinnamon-y, chewy center. They were absolutely delicious.

Luna savagely bit into one like it was a real enemy, growling as she did so. When I started chuckling, she leaned forward and said in pompous tones, "See the fate of those who would threaten mighty Equestria!" Then she stuck out her tongue and displayed the gross glob of masticated cookie thereon.

I couldn't help myself. I rolled back onto the deck with a clank and a thump as I burst into laughter. How could she manage to be adorable and disgusting at the same time?

Lunch was over all too soon. Luna gave me a lingering cinnamon kiss before she left, and I returned to my work, calm, re-energized and relaxed. I found myself humming the tune she had danced to in the Canterlot river garden as I wove the nets of fine wire together, effortlessly and quickly setting out the necessary patterns. When I paused to drink some cold tea and check the Wheel of the Moon, I found I had made up nearly all the time I had lost that morning.

Not only was Luna beautiful, strong, sly, funny, and sexy, she was good for me. How could anypony be surprised that I loved her? For that matter, why wasn't everypony in love with her? I shook my head and returned to my work, recalling something that Granny Smith had once said to me, "Th'ain't none as strange as ponies, I reckon."

= = =

We had a final command meeting on board Solar Flare a little past midnight. Our battle plan was similar to the one we'd used at the changeling hive, only this time Solar Flare would lead the attack while Evenstar and Hazina remained hidden until it was time for them to strike. The weather pegasi were already at work, patching the slowly evaporating clouds and generating the wind necessary to take us to our target.

Shining Armor had been practicing with ellipsoid shields and was confident he could hold one for an indefinite period around the airship. Next to shielding a whole city, it would be foalsplay, he assured me, even though the shape wasn't as strong as a sphere and would require more raw power to provide the same amount of protection.

After the meeting, I went down to the crew deck to visit Chrysalis. It was awkward, and she wasn't exactly in a forgiving mood.

"I will do my best to make sure things work out for you and your followers, I promise," I told her. "It won't be too bad; you were spending more time in Equestria than in your hive, anyway."

"My hive?" she snarled. "Don't you mean Bug Town?"

Oh. So she'd heard about that.

"I'm sorry about that. Soldiers can be pretty crude sometimes."

She huffed and turned away to stare out the porthole into the night.

"Look," I began again. "I will still work on a way to keep you from reverting to a pony, and then you can be with Blueblood all the time. Won't that be better? I mean, I suppose you could get married... if you want. Or, maybe..."

Chrysalis let me flounder on for a few seconds before she turned back and snapped at me. "Oh, yes, won't that be nice! I could wear your sister-in-law's dress; I know it will fit me. But I wonder if the prince will object to a hundred or so hungry step-children. What do you think?"

"I think if you weren't an imitation of a pony, you could have your own foals with him!" Yikes! Where had that come from? It just popped out of my mouth, a lightning fast riposte that had been meant to hurt her. I regretted saying it almost instantly.

Her eyes went wide for a moment and then narrowed down as her muzzle wrinkled up. "Oh, I am so looking forward to your breakup with Luna! That love gone sour will taste sweet to me! Now, get out." She turned away any dismissed me with a wave of her decayed hoof.
I felt a flush of anger at her insult, but tamped it down. It was all I deserved after my own verbal attack. I opened the door and then paused halfway through. "I'm still willing to help. I don't care if you dislike me or not, you'd be foolish to—"

"Get out!" Chrysalis hissed.

I closed the door behind me.

The whole expedition had been focused on eliminating a threat to Equestria, and I'd gone and made another one. Or two. Possibly.

Csharreee was a friend, but she was also, by her very nature, a parasite that preyed on ponies. I knew that she could overcome her nature and coexist peacefully with us. From what I knew of her, I was almost certain she would guide her swarm to that end. But things happen.

Then there was Chrysalis. Now a potential enemy again, much closer to home and with me to blame for her exile. Yeah… That was going to work out fine.

I sighed and tried to put the changeling complications out of my mind. There would be time to deal with all that after I'd gotten rid of the more immediate problem of the dark magic monsters.

= = =

"Luna?"

"Mm?"

I raised my head from her back where we lay on top of the broad upper surface of Solar Flare's envelope. Except for a minimal crew keeping her engines turning over just enough for her to be able to steer and a few lookouts, everypony below us was asleep, resting for the battle that would come with the dawn.

"I think I have to come to terms with the fact that I can't fix everything."

She lifted her head and rolled an eye at me. "You are so adorable when you say things like that, my love."

"I'm serious!"

"Hence, the adorableness."

I bit her on the flank. Not too hard, just a nip.

"Ahh! Still adorable, now shading into desirable."

I chuckled and put my head back down on the smooth rise of her back, between her wings. "I just can't seem to worry about everything being perfect anymore," I murmured. "I know I have you, and that's all that seems to matter."

"There is the small matter of a battle in a couple of hours. Perhaps a tiny amount of worry is warranted."

"I already did that job of worrying and checked it off. You've given me enough magical sleep to keep me fresh for days, if I need it, I've checked the device over five times, and everypony knows their jobs. Chrysalis is so furious with me that anything I try to do about that situation will only make matters worse. So... didn't somepony once say, 'If there is nothing to be done, do nothing?' Well, here I am, doing nothing with the mare I love for the next forty-seven minutes, until I need to armor up and report to Hazina."

"'Tis odd," Luna said, shifting her chin so that it nestled in the little flat space forward of my rump. "Of all the things that we share, the feasting, the jesting, the practice of combat, the sweeter struggles a-bed, the play of magic... What brings such a surprise of joy to me is to simply be with thee, alone like this, together doing nothing."

"Yeah." I grinned even though she couldn't see it. "Let's do this a lot, okay?"

"Now and always. Together through all the years to come, my love," she said.

Of course, we didn't have years. By then, we had less than four hours before we were to be separated by a gulf greater than all the oceans of the world.

= = =

=

Author's Note

What happened to my previous author's note? Must be gremlins!

Anyway, rather than try to recreate my devastatingly witty paean of thanks to AcademicBrony and statoose, I'll just say... thanks again for making this a better story!

15 Unpleasant Surprises

Chapter Fifteen
Unpleasant Surprises

Seeing the dawn from the inside of a cloud was something I hadn't experienced before. It was interesting and pretty and didn't take my mind off of the coming battle for an instant. I was blind to what was going on with the rest of the fleet and had to trust that everypony else was doing their jobs according to plan. I was also figuratively blind to what, exactly, we were going to be facing. I had made some educated guesses based on my knowledge and experience, and my commanders and Luna had all agreed that my assumptions were logical, but not knowing for sure made me a bit nervous.

For a few moments, I wished that the Rainbow Power could have made it all go away. But I'd learned from hard experience what sort of situations the Power worked best in, and fighting through an army of monsters to eliminate an area of dark magic contamination was fraught with too many variables. There was way too much that could go wrong. Even my relatively simple rescue of Csharreee had turned into a diplomatic nightmare. No, it worked best on friendship problems, most particularly problems that it had pointed out itself in Ponyville Castle at the map. The simple and easy solution was not an option.

I won't say that I was unreasonably keyed up, but when Luna teleported to my side, I might have jumped and gasped just a little bit.

"Now, my love!" Luna said, and then kissed me and teleported away with my pilot and engineer in tow, leaving me alone on board.

I grabbed the vent line and pulled hard, opening the big flap at the top of Hazina's envelope that spilled hot air out into the cold morning sky.

The deck dropped beneath my hooves, and the wooden hull creaked in an alarming way as I released the line and pulled back on the levers that controlled power to the propulsive fins. I had to ramp up speed slowly because the old vanes were delicate and throwing them into full ahead might snap one or more of them, if it didn't break some other part of the linkage mechanism first. Or, I might stall one of the engines and, without an engineer to restart it, I would be in big trouble. I couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

I throttled up slowly, and Hazina began to move forward. As she dropped out of the cloud, I got my first view of the battlefield. The ruined city was off the port beam, and the black pit was clearly visible. I turned the wheel to the left, chanting "Don't over-steer, don't over-steer" to myself. The weather pegasi had gotten me pretty close to the target, considering that they had to stop adjusting the course of the clouds an hour or so before dawn.

The plan had been for Solar Flare to begin a long straight run at the city from several miles out, lit by the rising sun and flying her parade banners just to make herself as obvious as possible. If they reacted as they had before, the monsters capable of flight would go charging at her as soon as they were aware of her presence, leaving the way clear for me to drop Hazina into the cavern of the dark crystal.

I could hear the roar of Solar Flare's engines somewhere behind me but didn't have time to look around to see what was happening to her, because I was almost immediately attacked by a force of fliers that had remained over the city.

They looked like pegasi drenched in tar.

I threw bolts of magic through them as quickly as possible, but there were too many for me to down them all before they reached me, and there were undoubtedly many more hidden from my view by the hull of the ship. The dark, magic-soaked pit was the closest thing they had to a home or a base, and protecting the point of their creation seemed like a logical thing to do.

The blast of a horn from above me signaled that Evenstar had dropped out of her cloud and was moving into position, and I cast a shield around Hazina as I pulled down my dark goggles.

The ship slowed and her turn softened as the airflow around her got sluggish from pushing through my shield. Then the magical bolts from Evenstar began to streak by me, picking off my attackers. The flashes of light made keeping on target even more difficult, but I had held off on the counter-measures long enough to get roughly on course for the pit. I squinted into the glare and eased off on the wheel a bit.

Two long and one short blast from the horn: the signal that the monsters had mostly given up on Hazina and were turning their attention to Evenstar. I waited a few seconds, then dropped my shield and vented more hot air. The sky between Hazina and the pit was clear of fliers, and I had managed to straighten out on a good line to take me directly over the hole.

Soon, I was close enough to make out the shattered remnants of the enchanted dome that Celestia and Luna had created to contain my little mistake. Too bad I'm better at messing up than they are at cleaning up, I thought grimly. I also caught sight of several huge, lumpen creatures that surrounded the pit and the swarms of crawling things that circled them, but they were all obviously incapable of flight, and the big ones didn't look like they were preparing to generate more flyers, so I felt it was safe to ignore them for the moment.

And a moment was all I needed.

The little brass dials that indicated my speed and altitude came to the readings that were perfect for my estimated distance from the pit, and I took hold of the two lines marked with big red flags and pulled hard. My stomach tried to jump up into my throat as a full third of the top of Hazina's envelope tore away, and she plummeted downward.

As the deflating envelope shook and flapped loudly above me, I reached out with my magic and turned the valves on the iron tank at the center of my device to start mixing the alchemical reagents. I waited until I felt the surge of magic build before I threw myself over the stern rail and caught air with my wings, following in Hazina's wake just long enough to make sure she was on target before banking sharply away.

I really didn't want to be anywhere near the pit when the detonation happened.

I streaked over the desert, looking around for Evenstar. I spotted her, still engaged with the dark fliers, and I began to call up a teleport spell. Suddenly, I sensed danger from my left. Air pressure, some unusual sound, or motion caught out of the corner of my eye; I couldn't be sure what had alerted me, but I began to turn to face whatever it was... and everything went dark

= = =

I came back to consciousness, lying on a pile of rubble and sand.

I tried to get up, screamed, and lay still again. I clenched my teeth and tried to breathe as shallowly as possible. The first thing I needed to do was dull the pain; I was helpless until I was mobile again. I called up my magic and cast the simplest palliative spell I knew. Fortunately, it seemed that I still had plenty of power to work with. With my head a bit clearer, I cast a second, more comprehensive spell and felt my armor resonate in sympathy, adding to the effect.

I moved again and tested my legs. Nothing broken that I could detect. Good. I got to my hooves and staggered as a wave of nausea hit me. Rather than resist, I dropped my head and expelled the remnants of my breakfast of oatcakes.

When my nausea passed, I cast a simple shield around myself that wavered and flickered but held, then looked around to assess my situation. I was somewhere in the city. The pile of stones I had landed on was a collapsed wall. For all I knew, it might have been my impact that had collapsed it. Poor old town, I thought. I sure am rough on you.

I took several deep breaths, trying to get more oxygen to my brain and hoped that lack of same, rather than brain damage, was why I felt like giggling. It seemed to work, because my next thoughts were a little more sensible. Where were the airships? Had the device detonated yet? If it had, why was there no gigantic column of smoke and ash in the sky? And, oh yeah, what the flippin' hay had happened to me?

Engines. I could hear engines. That was a good sign. I stretched out my wings and gave a few tentative flaps. Unsurprisingly, they hurt. But it wasn't too bad, and nothing seemed to be broken. I wasn't going to trust them to full-out flight, but I could at least get up high enough to see over the walls.

I wobbled up and perched on the most stable structure I could see, a tall columnar pedestal that must have once supported a statue. In the distance, to the west, I could see Solar Flare blasting away at the cloud of monsters around her. If Luna had thought the ship was in any danger, she would have ordered Shining Armor to raise a shield, so I felt safe in assuming that her part of the battle was going well. The airship had cupolas set all over her that, between them, were able to fire on any point on her surface. Except under the heaviest of attacks, she could stay buttoned up and pick off her enemies at her leisure.

I turned around carefully on the small surface of the pedestal and saw Evenstar headed straight for me about three hundred feet up and five furlongs away. That explained why the engine sound was so loud. They must have seen me fall and were coming after me. That meant I couldn't have been unconscious for all that long. There was a cloud of skirmishing pegasi and monsters swirling around her, and no shield. Bolts of magic from her firing ports were knocking black creatures out of the sky at a rapid rate. All good signs.

I was trying to assess whether I was focused enough to attempt a short teleport spell when a large spinning black mass rose from somewhere beyond the buildings at high speed and hit Evenstar amidships, just above her gondola. I only got a brief glimpse of whatever it was, because it tore straight through her envelope and fell out the other side, carrying a tangle of wires and shredded fabric along with it.

Evenstar slewed around wildly, pitched her nose up, and began to fall.

I didn't think, I just reacted. I threw myself off the wall and flapped hard for altitude, ignoring the shooting pains in my left wing and shoulder. All of Evenstar's skirmishers who could do so without fatally turning their backs on their enemies broke away and darted for the crippled airship. Hatches along her sides slammed open at the same time as tons of water dropped from her ballast tanks, and her engines roared in a frantic effort to keep herself level. If she went further down by the stern, she'd lose all lift from her control surfaces and drop like an anvil.

The pegasi snatched ponies from the hatches and dove for the ground as smoothly and perfectly as if they were merely practicing an abandon ship drill instead of frantically trying to save their shipmates. But Evenstar had begun her fall at almost exactly the worst altitude and speed for a crash: high enough to kill, but low enough that parachutes wouldn't work. There was too little time to evacuate all her non-pegasi crew.

I dropped my shield and quickly shot down a dozen or so of the monsters, freeing up the pegasi who had been fighting them for the evacuation effort, but I could see that it wasn't going to be anywhere near enough. Evenstar had slowed her fall after the first ballast dump, but her number four gas cell was completely destroyed, number three was rapidly deflating, and she was already beginning to fall faster.

I quickly ran through a number of possibilities and came up with only one that had any hope of working. It wasn't a good plan. In fact, it was outright crazy. I swooped down to the ground, skidded to a stop, lit my horn, and tried to catch the airship.

In the first instant I took up the weight, I nearly passed out. Stabbing pain shot through my head, and I gasped and staggered, but I kept on pouring as much power into my telekinesis as possible in the faint hope that I might slow the crash enough to do some good.

Evenstar slowed and leveled, bits of wreckage falling away from her to crash into the dry dirt many precious seconds before the gondola itself slammed into the ground. It made an awful cacophony as it hit. Support girders shrieked and groaned as they bent and twisted, and shattering glass added a high counterpoint to the percussive crackle of hull plates warping and crumpling. The ruined envelope deformed, sagging to one side as a huge cloud of fine dust was thrown into the air.

But I had done some good. It was a crash landing, but not a fatal one: As the dust began to settle, I could make out ponies helping others down from the hatches. I staggered forward on my hooves, not trusting my wings enough to fly, desperately searching the crowd for my friends. Pinkie Pie's bright color caught my eye as she and the rest came trotting around the smoking pile of wreckage that used to be the port engine nacelle.

But we were still under attack. I didn't have time for tearful reunions. As soon as the unicorns got clear of the ship, they began to fire upwards at the remaining dark fliers. That was a good idea. I sat and raised my head, then waited for the blurry, multiple images of monsters to come into focus before I began throwing bursts of my own. It was only a minute or two before we'd cleared the skies.

And that's when the groundlings came for us.

The unicorns turned their horns on the insect-like scuttling horrors that swarmed out of the ruins, but there were so many that they had no chance to form a decent line of defense before they were in among us and slashing away with their claws and fangs. The pegasi hovered and lashed out with their couteaus, but the long, stinger-tipped tails of some of the monsters could reach them in the air as they came close enough to strike.

I belatedly cast a shield around our general area, trying to exclude as many monsters as possible without trapping any of my ponies outside. Then I shouted, "Fall back to Evenstar! Get your backs to her hull!"

I grabbed a couple of ponies that had fallen under their attackers with my telekinesis and shoved them back through the open hatches as I backed away from the creatures. I'm sure my rough transport would have horrified a doctor or medic, but leaving them under the claws of the creatures would have been worse.

We began to get into some semblance of good order, and I was considering changing tactics when suddenly, as if they had been given a signal, the biggest and fastest ones all came at me at once.

I burned down a half-dozen before a snake-like creature whipped its coils around my forelegs and threw me to the ground. I killed it, but the one behind it was already striking, its dripping stinger arrowing at my face.

That's when Pinkie Pie cut it in half. "Yarr, ye scurvy dogs! You'll not be touchin' me friend Twilight!" she growled around the hilt of the cutlass in her mouth. She lifted her eye patch to give me a wink and piled into another knot of charging monsters on my right. If it had been anypony but Pinkie, I would have assumed I was hallucinating.

As I got to my hooves, Rarity and Applejack ran by me, breaking up the creatures on my left. Applejack slammed into them, rearing and bucking, using pure brute force to send them flying. Rarity looked like she was dancing, first on four legs, then on two, her hooves landing with precision and power, each strike sending a creature to the ground.

We were turning the tide, but I could see another wave of creatures slamming against my hasty shield from the outside. I poured more power into it, then began blasting monsters again. If we could get rid of the creatures inside with us, I would have enough strength to be able to hold the rest at bay until Solar Flare arrived and rescued us.

That was the plan, anyway. Yeah... me and my plans.

I downed another couple of opponents when I heard a pony scream, "Look out!"

The warning hadn't been directed at me, and it took me a second to locate the threat. A pegasus was pointing up at an angle into the sky beyond my shield, and when I followed the line of her foreleg I saw a large, tumbling black shape headed right for us. I frantically reinforced my shield only a second before it hit. The shield held, but it was a close thing, and I felt a powerful wave of nausea.

The black shape rebounded and fell into the ruins with a loud crash. I could clearly see it then, after it stopped moving: a black pyramidal shape. To be specific, a tetrahedron.

Some of the creatures must have survived the battle at Ironwood Pass and returned to the main group. The pegasus shapes, and now the attempt to physically imitate my buzz-saw shield attack, made it a certainty. We had to finish them off. If we didn't, what would we be facing next? Airships made of living dark magic?

Beyond the mass of creatures piled up outside the shield, I could see a huge black form rising into the air. It was a long, thick limb of black flesh, cradling another tetrahedron: a living catapult. Astoundingly quick for its size, it arched upward and flung its payload at us.

I flew up and passed through the shield in order to be able cast spells beyond it. I could have simply put more power into it, but that would be wasteful. It took a lot more strength to directly oppose an impact than it did to deflect one. I cast another shield, this time in tetrahedral form, slightly off center of the black pyramid's path. When it hit the angled surface of my shield, the spinning mass jerked slightly to one side. I dispelled the little shield, watching to see if I would need to repeat the process.

Luckily, the shot went wide enough that it missed the main shield and plowed into the desert to one side. The giant arm sank down again, another tetrahedron starting to grow on its end. More nausea twisted in my head, throat and chest, and I wondered how long I would be able to keep blocking the catapult shots, particularly if any more fliers showed up.

Then I suddenly realized that the catapult creature was one of the huge black shapes I had seen at the edge of the pit. I was certain that, even if my thaumic structures for focusing the blast upward had been near perfect, the detonation of the device aboard Hazina should have collapsed the edges of the crater at the very least. Something had gone wrong: the device hadn't activated. But if I could force an explosion to happen, it might get rid of the biggest immediate danger we faced. At that point, it was a gamble I was willing to take.

I couldn't feel the device from where I was, but I had designed and assembled it all myself and knew every piece of it very well, indeed. So I knew if I removed the plate dividing the central iron tank, the two reagents mixing together a few drops at a time would flow together all at once. The resulting power surge would overwhelm the waveguides; the cancellation wouldn't be perfect, but I wasn't in a position to be picky.

I dove down into the big shield again and used the Royal Voice. "BIG EXPLOSION IN FIVE SECONDS! LOOK AWAY FROM THE CRATER!" Then I loudly counted down from five and cast an object-specific teleport spell. The separator plate appeared on the sand at my hooves.

The sky lit up like the sun had come to earth. The flare must have incinerated everything near the pit, even before the shock wave hit. Considering how near we were, it was probably a good thing that the blast wasn't nearly as big as I had expected. As it was, the ground shock tossed everypony off their hooves and the forward end of Evenstar's envelope crumpled and caved in on itself. But there was no big air blast, and no directed energy blazing up into the sky. That meant that, somewhere along the way in my chain of assumptions, something wasn't right.

Then all the dark creatures began an eerie wailing, turned and tried to claw their way out through my shield.

I started to get nervous again.

At least we weren't under attack any longer. With their backs turned, we made short work of the remaining monsters.

Captain Zephyr got the crew organized to care for the wounded, and Lieutenant Stormfeather began damage assessment for Evenstar. Captain Lightning Lance sent up flares of magic light just under the apex of the shield to signal Solar Flare that we were no longer under attack, but still needed assistance, and I...

I thought seriously about having a little lie-down for a week or so.

"Woo-ee!" Applejack's voice came from somewhere off to my left. "Wasn't that a fine dust-up!"

"Indeed it was! I only wish it wasn't so horridly dirty and hot here. I'm sure I am a frightful mess."

"Rarity, I just cannot figure how a mare as prissy as you can swing such a mean hoof. Seriously, gal, y'all musta got nearly as many of them as I did."

"Exercise is boring, dear, so years ago I took up martial arts to keep my figure trim and found I rather enjoyed it. And, I don't mean to be contentious, but I'm sure I actually defeated several more of these unfortunate creatures than you did."

"Huh. Well I reckon y'all ain't as good at countin' as you are at fightin'."

"Oh? Well, maybe we should look over the field, hmn? There. Those three are mine, and there are two more over there."

"Scrawny little things. Not like the big one over here that I took out."

"Sorry, darling, but I believe that's one of mine, too."

"Ain't neither! Lookit the way its head is caved in! That's a classic tree-shakin' buck if I ever—"

"Avast, me hearties! Whar be these lubbers' booty?"

"Pinkie, dear, whatever are you talking about? And where did you get that ridiculous outfit?"

I suppose they all stopped their genial bickering because they were a bit concerned by my painfully ragged laughter.

A moment later, Fluttershy was at my side trying to support me and waving something blurry and yellow in front of my face. "How many feathers am I holding up?"

"Stop moving your wing around and let me count!" I grinned. "Square root of thirty six or three factorial, take your pick," I told her.

"Yep," Applejack drawled. "She's normal."

"Well, normal for Twilight," Rarity amended.

Fluttershy frowned. "That is six, isn't it?"

Just then, Lieutenant Stormfeather came trotting up. "Your Highness, Solar Flare is approaching. They have flown signals asking for you to come aboard."

I sighed. "We don't have a series of flares for 'I'm too tired to fly or teleport,' do we?"

He thought for a second. "The closest I can get to that is 'unable to comply,' or 'unable to maneuver.'"

"Those might be misinterpreted. I wouldn't want to worry Luna."

"If you'll drop the shield, ma'am, I'll send a messenger, but they'll be here in another five or six minutes, anyway."

I did so. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

About two minutes later, Luna appeared next to Evenstar's bridge, looking around.

"Over here!" I called out to her. "I'm okay, and so are... oof!"

Luna teleported to my side and grabbed me in a big hug. I wheezed a bit and gritted my teeth against the pain, but there was no way I was going to tell her to let go.

"Do you know what is happening in the pit?" she asked, loosening her hold on me just enough to be able to look me in the face.

"I had to detonate the device manually," I told her. "I don't know if it absorbed all the dark magic or not, but the monsters seemed to be pretty upset about it."

"Yes, they all fled right after the explosion. As for the crater, seen from Solar Flare, there is still activity inside. Magical activity, and not a little, as far as I can sense."

I nodded. I was the expert, so I'd have to go see for myself. My nice lie-down receded into the uncertain future. "Take me up, will you? I'm pretty exhausted. And send down the medical staff; we've got lots of wounded that need attention."

We appeared a second later on Solar Flare's bridge. Luna left me there while she went about shuttling medics down to Evenstar's landing site, and I asked Captain Falcon Heart to fill me in.

He led me to one of the big pivoted telescopes and let me look for myself.

"The explosion didn't happen as you predicted, but at least it took out those catapult creatures. There were several smaller eruptions down in the pit afterward, and the monsters all headed toward the hole and began throwing themselves in," he said.

I grunted acknowledgement as I peered through the scope. I couldn't see any of the dark creatures at all, but the glowing aurorae of magical discharges still flickered in the crater. They didn't look much like dark magic, which was puzzling. My alchemical engine should have expended all of its energy within seconds of the reagents mixing. Something was very wrong.

"Don't fly over the pit," I said, not looking up from the telescope. "In fact, don't get closer than a couple of furlongs, and take us up another thousand feet." I wasn't going to take any chances with the last vessel that could get us all home.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Luna popped back onto the bridge, and I heard hooffalls on the deck as the other crew moved away from me.

"Twilight," she said in almost a whisper, "are you well enough to do this? Your young lieutenant told me that you were struck by one of those catapult shots."

I looked up from the scope. "Is that what it was? I never saw what got me. That was one heck of a good shot to hit a target as small as me."

Despite my light tone, Luna looked horrified. "Do you not wish to have the doctor examine you? Do you not have pains you would fain be eased of?"

"It's okay, really. I'm mostly just exhausted." I hesitated, not wanting to worry her. "But I wouldn't say no to some painkillers, and if I can get me something that will give me some temporary energy, that would be great."

Luna brought a medic to me, who took one look at me and insisted I immediately go to bed and be sedated. She was very young and very earnest. I did not laugh at her and I did not snap at her, though I felt conflicting urges to do both.

I pointed out the forward ports with a wingtip. "Out there is an unknown, uncontrolled magical reaction that has to be treated as an imminent threat of possibly horrific magnitude. I am the only pony aboard who has a chance of understanding what's happening and putting a stop to it. Do you still want me to go take a nap?"

"I... I'm sorry, princess."

"Don't be. You're undoubtedly correct in your recommendations. I just can't afford to follow them right now."

She nodded, turned and nosed open the flap of her saddle bags, then held out a tiny flask to me. "This is the best stimulant I have. Drink half of it now. If you need more after two hours, drink half of what's left, but no more than that. It's dangerous in larger quantities. And be very careful; you'll feel wonderful, but you'll still be injured and tired. When it wears off, no power in Equestria will keep you awake."

I drank the first half right away, tucking the flask inside my breastplate. "So, I've got about three hours before lights out?"

"About that, yes, Your Highness."

"Hah! I'll have this sorted out in ten minutes, flat!" I blinked. "Hey, this stuff works fast!"

It was odd I should have picked that amount of time, because that was almost exactly how much I had left.

= = =

=

Author's Note

Thanks, once again, to AcademicPony and statoose for the editing and critique.

And a special thanks to 0utcast9851 for advice on military protocol and operations.

Some readers have expressed doubts that Rarity is as good a fighter as I've depicted her here. My answer:

She has shown the will and ability to seriously kick ass several times in the show. She is not just a simple girly-girl!

16 Trapped

Chapter Sixteen
Trapped

"What, in the name of the sacred stars, is that?" Luna gasped when Solar Flare got close enough for us to be able to see down into the cavern.

A roiling, blazing jumble of unconstrained magical energy seethed at the bottom of the charred crater that had once been the center of the city that had given birth to Sombra and Chrysalis. It was the mess I had caused. Okay, so it wasn't completely my fault, but I had made it much worse by acting on a lot of faulty assumptions.

The first thing I noticed was there was no dark magical energy involved. None at all. The second thing I noticed was the huge, jagged hole in reality at the center of the tangle of energy. The few monsters left were trying to scrabble back into that rift, a job made very difficult for them by the out-of-control magical energy arcing all around them, looking for some dark energy to cancel.

Luna turned to me sharply. "Twilight, I think I hath never heard thee swear before!"

I wasn't aware that I had said anything. "Well, I don't think I've ever been this wrong before," I said, chuckling. "I was completely and utterly wrong about what those monsters really are."

I had the full and undivided attention of the entire bridge crew at that point, with the possible exception of the pony at the helm, who was keeping Solar Flare circling the crater.

"But it's an understandable mistake," I said as I grabbed the eyepiece of the pivoted telescope next to me and swung it around, searching the edges of the crater. "They look just like the things the dark magic pollution caused." Then I found what I should have suspected long ago.

"Twilight," Luna said quietly but urgently, "thou hast used foul language for the second time in as many minutes. I become concerned."

"It's a booby trap, and I'm the booby! Look at the narrow ends of that rift, the clusters of dark crystals there. They're dead now, but that's what opened the portal to a world full of shapeshifting monsters. This is a trap that Sombra set up to catch anypony who meddled with his crystal engine. I suppose I didn't set if off when I was here before because I was soaked with dark magic at the time. Or maybe it was faulty or..." I realized that I was babbling, and got back on track. "I don't know where it leads or what those things are, and it really doesn't matter now. What I need to do is fix all this, because I'm pretty sure that my magical kaboom has destabilized that portal. Look at the edges! Ooh, chromatic dissipation... That's a bad thing."

Luna turned her gaze back to the pit. "So these things only look like the creatures created by the dark crystal's magic because they imitated the first things they encountered in our world, just as they have now imitated changelings and pegasi."

"Yup! You're a smart pony, you know that?" I said, cheerfully. "And I'm a dumb pony. I spent a lot of time and effort creating a device to counter something completely different. I admit it: I'm an idiot."

"Fie! Were another pony to speak so of thee, I would seek redress! Turn thy mind to a better course, my love. What shall we do now?"

"You're right. Ooh... you are so right!" I said, thinking aloud. "Clock. Is. Ticking. Hmn... First, we break down the problem. We need to close the portal. That shouldn't be too difficult. Then we need to get rid of all that magical energy I let loose."

"Is it not a good thing that the energy now flows into the portal?" Luna asked. "Let it be taken away to the world of monsters and then seal the rift. Then shall both problems be done away with."

"What?" I turned the scope back on the crater. Sure enough, the swirling magic was flowing into the rift. "Mmm... It really shouldn't be doing that. Bad for peripheral stability. You know something? I have absolutely no idea what's going on!" I just couldn't help chuckling again. "But if that portal ruptures, it might mix several different realities together at once. That wouldn't be good... or survivable, probably. Might even crack the planet open like an egg." When I looked up from the telescope, the horrified expressions of the bridge crew made me laugh.

"Twilight," Luna said, frowning, "Art thou feeling well?"

"Are you kidding? I feel terrific! Okay, okay, I know that's probably a teensy bit because of the medicine, but really, I'm great. There's nothing to worry about! Yeah, so there's a big ol' rip in reality over there, but dimensional portals aren't very robust, and if I give it a good blast of a negation spell, it ought to fold the thing right up. No problemo!"

"Twilight, I am doubtful—"

"Oh come on! I'll bet you that I can pop that thing out of existence with one shot! Do you have any spare crown properties lying around that you want to wager? I'll put up the east tower of my castle. Yeah, it's kind of vulgar, but I didn't design the Celestia-forsaken thing."

"I do not believe thou art thinking clearly. Perhaps we—"

"Party-pooper!" I stuck my tongue out at her. "I bet you can't do this!" I was tired of arguing, so instead of trying to get around Luna to reach the hatch, I phased through the forward viewport. The wind caught me and smacked me against the outside of the glass, then I tumbled off to one side. "Weeeeeeheehee!" Was that what Pinkie Pie felt like all the time? Wow.

I stretched out my wings in a glide and used just the very tips of my primaries to steer myself toward the crater. Rainbow Dash had shown me how to do that. She was so cool!

Luna swooped down on my left and leveled out with me. She cast a worried glance in my direction but said nothing.

"Good idea!" I called over to her. "We should stick together until I whack Ol' Nighty. No getting separated. Isn't that the mistake all those dumb ponies make in horror books? Hey! Maybe I can negate her the same way light magic cancels dark. Wow... She's all dark and spooky and unhappy, so maybe all we need is something happy and fun to cancel her out. Wouldn't it be funny if all we had to do was hit her in the face with a pie? Wow, would she be surprised. Maybe we ought to try it. It would be funny even if it didn't work."

"Attend, my love!" Luna called out to me. "We near the rift."

"Huh? Oh yeah! Right, right! One negation spell, coming up!" I could do negation in my sleep. With all the experimenting I did as a young filly, it was something I had learned to cast almost reflexively, kind of like always having a fire extinguisher handy. Three deep breaths and then...

I never got to cast the spell because Luna's yell of surprise broke my concentration. As we swooped down close to the rift, tendrils of magical force shot out and enveloped her. I blasted them about two lengths below her as they tried to pull her into the portal, and most of them broke up for a second, but reformed and reattached. Luna struggled, but the things wrenched her around, keeping her from using her horn directly. Her kicks and wing-slashes had no effect at all.

I blasted them again and interposed myself between Luna and the rift. I cast a shield spell to block the tendrils, but they merely enveloped my whole shield and flowed past to grab Luna again. Fortunately, the second interruption gave her time to get her horn in line, and she cut loose, burning the tendrils away from my shield.

My muddled brain finally got around to giving me the best course of action, and I went back to the negation spell. I dropped my shield, poured all the strength into the spell that I could, and hit the rift dead-center.

The magical blow-back as the portal spell began to collapse was surprisingly strong. I think I might have blacked out for a second or so, or I may only have been seriously disoriented, but when I sorted out what was going on, I realized that I was again entangled in the tendrils of magical force, and they were pulling me down into the rapidly shrinking rift. I twisted around, looking for Luna and saw her above me, diving down as fast as she could, horn blazing even as more of the tendrils shot toward her.

The last thing I did before I was engulfed was throw a magical blast that cut the strands reaching for Luna. The reaction threw me downward, into the rift.

The last thing I saw was Luna slamming to a halt so quickly that she lost several midnight blue feathers as she was caught up in a levitation aura the color of afternoon sunshine.

Then the portal closed, and I was in darkness.

= = =

Somepony was screaming, "No, no, no! Luna, no! I need you!" Oddly enough, it wasn't me.

I was no longer bound by the tendrils of magic, but it was still very difficult to get to my hooves. I was in some sort of cavern, and there was a flat surface underneath me that looked like granite. It was inset with old-style magical runes, many of which were unfamiliar to me. A dim light suffused the area, making the irregular arches above me look like old bronze. Surrounding me was a very large horizontal circle of metal that appeared to have gone molten and spattered outward from its original position. It was still very hot, but solid, and I had no trouble stepping over it.

I peered around, trying to find the pony who had been screaming. She had stopped, and was instead alternately muttering and sobbing. The echoing in the cavern-like space made it difficult to tell which direction the sounds were coming from, but even distorted by grief and rage the voice was horribly familiar. Could it be...? But I was awake!

It had been less than a quarter of an hour since I'd taken the potion aboard Solar Flare, but I could feel myself slowing down, and my many aches and pains were making themselves known again. My euphoria was also slipping away. It might have been a natural reaction to the strange and possibly deadly place I found myself in, but I thought it was most likely that my alicorn metabolism burned through the drug faster than a normal pony would.

I didn't want to draw any attention to myself, so I fumbled the little flask out of my breastplate with my mouth, tongued the stopper out, and drank the rest of the mixture. It was only a few seconds before I felt much better.

Well, so what if I was trapped in an entirely different world with unknown, perilous creatures and a deranged Nightmare? I'd gotten out of worse situations! I decided to prepare myself and cast an object-specific teleport spell. Nothing happened. I figured I had a range of around two or three hundred miles for something the mass of the object I requested, and there wasn't a single key lime pie within all that distance? This world was awful!

I supposed I could try being aggressively cheerful instead. "Hey, Nightmare! Where are you? Don't be sad! Let me try to cheer you up!"

The answer was a piercing scream of outrage. So... I guess my idea sucked. Well, that was why I was stuck here, wasn't it? Sucky ideas. I sighed and called up a shield spell.

The Nightmare boiled out of the darkness between two pillars at the far end of the cavern and rushed at me, not even bothering to fully form herself into alicorn shape. She screeched and clawed at my shield while I made little soothing noises and tried not to laugh. "That's it, just let it all out and you'll feel lots better."

"I'll kill you! I'll tear out your entrails and feed them to you!"

"Shhh... Shhh... It's okay, it's o-kay."

"I'll rip your wings off! I'll snap off your horn and stab your eyes out with it!"

"Now, now, what good would that do? Just take some deep breaths and—"

"You're mocking me!" The Nightmare began to hammer on my shield with her hooves... and her face. Wow, she was really mad. "I will ANNIHILATE you!"

When she reared back for a really big smash, I dropped my shield for an instant and popped her in the mouth with a blade of magical energy. It was way harder than anything I would have used on an average monster, but I figured that the Nightmare was an undying spirit of evil and darkness, so she was probably pretty tough.

I was kind of surprised when it took the top of her head off.

But that was okay, because her head coalesced back from the fragments of roiling black stuff a few seconds later. Once she had her face back, she did look a bit shocked. Also, she didn't go back to her futile attack on my shield. Score one for off-the-cuff tactics, I thought smugly.

As long as there was a break in the action, I thought I'd ask a couple of questions that had been nagging at me. "So, what are you doing here, and where are all the monsters? I mean, I'm not even asleep."

I didn't expect her to begin to cry.

She was right, I had been mocking her before, but I couldn't help feeling a surge of sympathy for her when she broke down and wept in front of me.

"Hey," I said, fumbling for words, "I'm sorry. I'm taking this really strong potion right now, and maybe my judgment is a bit off. I didn't mean to hurt you. Well, okay, that shot to the face was on purpose, but you know what I mean, right?"

"You fool!"

Ah, that was better. She was getting back to her old self.

"You sit there grinning?" she continued. "You are imprisoned forever! With only spirits and cold uncaring mechanisms and the burning heart of the world for company until time itself winds down."

"Well, there's you, too," I said glibly, though I was beginning to feel uneasy, even through the influence of the potion.

"I? The mare that turned your life to this end? You should wish for the company in the deepest cells of Tartarus instead!"

"Huh? This isn't your fault. Sombra set the booby-trap. Besides, Luna will come save me any minute, you'll see."

The Nightmare laughed at me. It wasn't a very nice laugh. "Oh, the vaunted genius! How pathetically wrong you are, how easy to manipulate."

I frowned. "Well, excuse me, Miss Gloomy-Pants! I'm kind of drugged up to my eyeballs at the moment, so maybe I'm not at my best. What are you talking about?"

"I suppose I should be flattered that my dreamspell worked so well on you. I not only twisted you into loving Luna, I even stopped you from questioning any of it." She blew air through her lips in a hiss of scorn. "A little push, a little tug, and you walked the path I led you along like a mindless puppet! Even better, you fought against anypony who had suspicions. Oh, I had you. I had you!"

The stupid potion kept me on my hooves. It made me happy that I finally knew the truth. But somewhere underneath my magically-induced bliss, a part of me shattered. "I'd like it if you stopped talking now, please."

She wasn't listening. She went right on with her rant. "But Celestia! It's always Celestia! I made you dance easily enough. You brought Luna to me, just as I'd planned, but she interfered!" The Nightmare broke off and screamed again, beating her hooves against the granite until the cavern echoed like thunder. "I was so close! I could have had her! My Luna! I could have been whole again!"

"Wait," I said, trying to stamp down the cheerful, uncritical acceptance that bubbled through my brain. "You used mind magic to force me into loving Luna so that I'd bring her with me when I came here to fix the monster situation? That's a pretty chancy plan."

"It nearly worked, didn't it? The last time I spoke to you in your dreams, I told you how much I would like to see you two separated, so of course you came to me side-by-side! I didn't even need to use magic for that," she hissed. "If it hadn't been for Celestia, it would have worked! I've been trapped here since you used the Elements to sunder me from Luna and drive me deep into the world. Celestia unknowingly triggered Sombra's trap when she cast the dome spell, and it opened a way to bring Luna to me. We would have been reunited! We would have been happy again!"

"So, this isn't even another dimension." I was kind of disappointed. "It's just the magical substructure of the planet? But where did the monsters come from?"

That got her attention. The Nightmare swung her head to face me and a slow, vile grin transformed her face into a mask of disdain. "Idiot!" she spat, then began to laugh again as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks. "Here... I'll show you!"

It was good that I'd left up my shield spell as we talked, or the things she summoned up would have killed me before I could have reacted. She seemed to pull them out of the rock itself, and they were nothing like the oozy black things I'd faced on the outside of the world. In fact, they were kind of pretty. They had marble and granite bodies, with diamond fangs and claws that glittered in the indirect light of the cavern.

I don't remember deciding to run. I simply found myself galloping through the strangely shaped halls and galleries of the metaphysical world. I suppose that an instinctual response can sometimes be the best in quite a number of life-threatening situations. If there is one thing a pony is really well suited for by nature, it was sprinting. I outdistanced the rocky monsters in mere seconds.

But I wasn't going to be able to run for much longer. I had only minutes to come up with some sort of safe haven before I came down off my magically-induced high and fell unconscious. If I did that where the Nightmare could find me, I'd never wake up.

At every branch of the tunnel up until then, I'd automatically chosen the one that was wider or led in an upward direction. That was dumb. Up meant out to my subconscious mind, but it wasn't the physical planet I was trapped in, so I could spend a lifetime tunneling up and never come close to the surface. When the Nightmare came looking for me, she'd search in the obvious places.

So I went down. It wasn't a great plan, but it wasn't awful. If the Nightmare had some way of magically tracking me, I was as good as dead no matter what I did. If she didn't, I was counting on probability, psychology, and a little trickery to keep me hidden. I chose the smaller or darker of each branching path I came to and flew over any surfaces that looked soft enough to take an impression of my hooves. When I began to feel tired, I picked the most sheltered space I could find and crammed myself into it.

I used a blast of telekinetic force to powder part of the stone ceiling above me and immediately poured most of my remaining strength into an irregular shield just barely big enough to surround me. The rock dust settled onto my shield, hopefully making it look like just another boulder from any distance away. The Nightmare had been in my dreams, and had evidently used that route to twist my mind even when Luna had been on guard, so I had to protect that avenue of attack, too. Fortunately, I knew a warding spell that would isolate me from the Dream Realm. It wasn't a healthy thing to do, and could have some very bad effects if used for too long, but the alternative was worse. I had barely finished casting the ward when I dropped into unconsciousness.

= = =

It was the armor that saved me in the first place. I suppose I might not have survived being hit with the catapult shot without it, but certainly after masking all my wounds and fatigue with spells and that awful potion, I had exerted myself enough to die of sheer exhaustion. It must have been the spells woven into the metal; I don't know how else I could have made it. I have no idea how long I lay unconscious in that place, but it was a full day at the very least.

When I came back to consciousness, my shield was gone and I was coated with rock dust. When I tried to move, the agony was so excruciating I almost wished I had died. I had more than enough magical energy to ease the pain, but I couldn't concentrate well enough to cast the right spells. After a long time of slow, shallow breaths and pitiful attempts at mental focusing, I managed to complete the simplest palliative spell I knew. That eased the pain enough that I was able to manage the next level of suppression, but I didn't dare go beyond that.

I was horribly thirsty and tried to summon a bowl of water. What I got instead of a proper drinking bowl was a little fountain that sprung out of the floor in front of my face. I was so thirsty, I wouldn't have cared if it had been a dog dish. I lapped at the flow cautiously, forcing myself to stop long before I wanted to. It was only then that I noticed that the water disappeared when it fell back to the stone floor. That worried me; I checked to make sure that the water wasn't an illusion, but it was real enough. My strategy for staying alive had worked, and seeing as how I wasn't going to be running any further anytime soon, I had no choice but to keep relying on it. I created another cloud of dust from the ceiling, reestablished my shield, added the ward to keep the Nightmare out of my dreams, and fell asleep again.

I woke up thirsty and hungry. I dispelled the shield, wiped dust off of myself, lapped more water, and tried for some food. I got some flowers, nuts, and apples, all too small to be cultivated, but I was far too hungry to be picky. Halfway through my meal, the recollection of my conversation with the Nightmare swam into focus, and I lost my appetite.

When I thought of Luna, the sheer longing in my heart made me ache. But of course, I knew that a love poison or Want-It, Need-It spell would have made me pursue her even more frantically than I had, and just as unquestioningly. Celestia, Shining Armor, Cadance... They had all tried to tell me... tried to snap me out of my self-indulgent, foolish, selfish, pathetic...

It hurt to cry. My ribs and belly and neck all lit up with pain while I sobbed. I told myself I deserved it for being so stupid. Was I really trapped in the world forever? The thought of never seeing Luna again was the worst thing I could imagine. We were happy together and good for each other; that should be all that mattered. Yes, there were a few attendant problems surrounding our love affair, including magical banishment, a very gloomy prophecy, and the fact that I wasn't really in love with her. But what relationship didn't have its little problems?

Now if I could just manage to stand up, I could start working on correcting those downs.

After a wave of agonizing pain, dizziness, and nausea, I decided to concentrate first on recovery. I drank and tried again for some more food. I had little success until I simplified my requests, then I got fresh berries, nuts, and grass: filling, but plain.

With a little food in my belly, I got smart and summoned a large amount of soft moss beside me and then self-levitated onto it. Even that little bit of floating hurt a lot, but I was much more at ease afterwards. I suppose I would have been even more comfortable if I had taken off my armor, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

I shielded and warded myself, and slept again.

Celestia would have a plan. She would be the one to eventually pull me out of banishment. All I had to do was stay alive until then. I knew it wasn't exactly my fault, but I'd apologize to her and everypony else I'd wrongfully ignored and insulted by my behavior. And then I'd... what? I couldn't conceive of actually doing anything after that. I don't think I'd ever be able to be in the same room with Luna again, much less speak to her. But, oh how I wanted to!

And that gave me the motivation to get up again and get moving. There were things that needed to be set right.

= = =

It took me two or three days to get steady on my hooves and be able to move around for more than a few minutes without becoming exhausted. I was still unable to acquire any food other than simple wild stuff, but it was filling and no doubt better for me than the big plate of greasy hay fries I was craving.

I took off my chamfron and a few pieces of leg armor, but found no strap-sores and discovered that my hair was clean and looked as if I had recently groomed myself. I put the armor back on, blessing Celestia for the wonderful spellwork she had wrought.

I stretched and walked slowly around the area, actually examining the strange cavern for the first time instead of letting my eyes slide uncaringly over the oddly ribbed walls. I don't know what it was that finally made it all come together in my mind, but it was one of those shocking moments that happen only a few times in a pony's life.

When I was a filly, I had often gone with my parents to the upper end of Phaeton Street, where there is a cluster of used bookshops. We always went the same way, which was the shortest route from our house. But one day, while my parents were in Baltimare for a symposium, Cadance took me out for an afternoon walk and picnic. As we made our way home, talking and laughing, I glanced up a street we were passing and saw two shop windows stuffed with old books. I was gleefully overwhelmed to discover that there were more bookstores so close to home. Of course, I was very disappointed when I realized that they were the same shops I knew so well, just seen from a perspective that made them seem unfamiliar, but I always remembered the powerful sensation of surprise when my mental picture of the world shifted back into line with reality.

It was the same sort of surprise that hit me when I realized that the ribs of the halls, chambers, and passageways around me were only sections of great ringed structures, and that they were cycles of interwoven magic that turned almost too slowly to be perceived. I reached out with my magic, touched them precisely as I had learned to do with the Great Wheel of the Moon, and knew exactly what they were.

Wheels within wheels: they were the dynamic magical structure of the world itself. Not just a mass of metaphorical magic, what surrounded me and held me prisoner was a great mechanism.

It was a mechanism I could touch. It was a mechanism that I just might be able to influence. Suddenly, my odds for survival and eventual escape seemed a bit better.

= = =

=

17 A Gilded Cage

Chapter Seventeen
A Gilded Cage

I think the next week was the worst for me. I finally found my way back to the spot where I'd first appeared, but never caught sight of the Nightmare. Mind magic is hard for the targeted pony to dispel for obvious reasons, but I knew a few techniques. None of them worked. I tried mental clarity spells and meditation, but I couldn't rid myself of missing Luna.

I kept busy by exploring the limits of my magic. I couldn't really teleport anything; when I tried object-specific requests, the magic around me responded by providing me with wild, uncooked food, water, or even rocks and wood: things that might reasonably have been in contact with the earth, but not animals. It's just as well that experiment failed; I don't know what I would have done with a badger if one had appeared.

When I tried teleporting myself, nothing happened unless I picked a target area inside this world that I knew well. In that case, my perception was that I traveled along the route I knew at high velocity as a point of consciousness. There was no interstitial lapse at all. Still, it provided me with a quick escape technique, and I spent some time seeking out places that made good refuges.

I tried phasing through thin walls, but it seemed that was another ability lost to me. I was well and truly imprisoned. By the third day after I was healthy enough to be trotting around, my shame and embarrassment had waned to the point where I was willing to consider what I would do when I faced Luna again. The Nightmare had been able to dreamwalk while trapped here, so I was certain that Luna would be able to contact me, but I didn't dare leave my mind open when I slept.

And that was the thing that hurt the most; knowing Luna was so close but still unreachable. Unvisited, my dreams were the usual mundane jumble of subconscious processing that signified nothing of importance.

I discovered several large open spaces roomy enough to fly in. Exercising my wings felt bad in a good way. Soreness and fatigue kept my mind off of less immediate matters.

My explorations and exercises led me to some interesting discoveries about the nature of the magical mechanism I was bound up in. They were evidently much the same as the cosmological structures, but more dense and slow, less amenable to outside influence. I could call up springs of water easily, and I could even cause veins of various metals to slowly shift and flow to the surface of the rock in some areas. I entirely coated the inside of one small space with gold just to see if I could do it.

But my biggest discovery came when I lost my temper.

I had been searching for the Nightmare after locating the melted magic circle and found no trace of her nearby. Based on what I'd explored to that point, the magical mechanism was so huge, I'd never find her if she didn't want me to.

I vented my frustration by flying loops and circles around a large cavern, blasting away at a jagged outcrop at its center. Childish, I know, but it was better than leaning against a wall and blubbering. I'd had quite enough of that.

When I finally flopped to the ground panting and sweating, I noticed something happening to the ragged rock spire I'd been hammering with bolts of magic: It was growing.

I flapped to the cave's entrance and prepared for a speedy escape in case I'd triggered something dangerous, but the pillar simply grew smoother and taller, magical sigils lighting briefly on its surface as it changed. I couldn't be sure of many of the symbols, but there were several that were similar to the celestial ones I was familiar with, and I'm sure I saw node and flow among them.

Evidently, I'd re-energized a structure that had... well, withered away, for lack of a better description. With that possibility in mind, I began looking for other places where the World Mechanism wasn't functioning correctly, and was appalled at how many I found in the first hour of my search.

The great crystalline spheres, cycles, and epicycles of the heavens all meshed and moved with oiled perfection; there were no spare or non-functioning parts. But within the world, things were different. Meddling with a magical structure of such size without knowing exactly what one was doing was a road to disaster, but if I could work with the parts of it that were non-functional, perhaps I could rebuild them to serve my own purposes.

I hadn't studied the creation of artifacts with a huge amount of enthusiasm. When introduced to the subject at school, I had thought that dependence on such things as amulets, charms, and foci were signs of laziness. I'd decided that creating such objects was tacit approval of such. Remembering holding such a naive attitude while wearing my armor, which was one of the most beautiful and useful artifacts I'd ever encountered, was just another drop in the ocean of my chagrin.

My disdain didn't mean I hadn't done well in my classes; I had a thing about getting perfect grades, even in subjects I didn't care for, if you can believe that. My knowledge might be rusty, but it was sound and extensive. So I began approaching my problem from a different direction. I was surrounded by an enormous mechanism of nearly unlimited magical energy; if I could learn to control it, at least in some part, I might be able to use it to escape.

Sombra had created a portal trap, no doubt designed to banish an enemy into the heart of the world, sealing them away forever. He had the prodigious power of dark magic to power his trap, but I'm no slouch myself, and anything that malign stallion could figure out shouldn't be beyond my capability. I set to work.

= = =

One of the first things I found out was that work is a great treatment for grief. I didn't dwell on my situation while I was concentrating on escaping it. It was only in the down times before falling asleep or during a hasty meal that I had the leisure to be miserable. When I became mentally exhausted or discouraged, I would switch to pure physical exercise to keep the unwelcome thoughts away.

Once or twice, I foolishly tried to motivate myself with the goal of seeing my friends and family again, but that always brought up thoughts of Luna, and the crushing, pointless anticipation of how that meeting would go. I worked better when considering the whole thing as an abstract problem.

Within another week, I was able to manipulate dormant parts of the World Mechanism and had begun constructing a preliminary power ring at the spot where I had first appeared. That's about when I realized the Nightmare must have gained the same ability to manipulate the mechanism, and given what was left of the runes, she was not only the source of the monsters, but the tendrils that had ensnared me as well.

That nearly threw me into another fit of depression. All that knowledge and power she had commanded, and yet she had still been unable to break free. But then I mentally smacked myself. What was an immortal spirit of darkness compared to Twilight Sparkle with a puzzle in front of her? A shadow in a dunce hat, that's what! I snorted contemptuously and got back to work.[1]

[1] But not before I had taken a chunk of gypsum and carefully written on the black basalt wall: N.B., Do not begin speaking or thinking of yourself in the third person. You're in enough trouble as it is without going full-Trixie.

= = =

It was hard to keep track of the time. There was no day or night, and the uneven lighting of the place never grew brighter or dimmer. I kept track of the number of times I slept and counted those as days. It was only a few "days" later that I sensed the presence of something lurking nearby.

The timing made me almost certain that it was the Nightmare. It was the first time I'd fully shed my armor, and I seemed at my most vulnerable, literally up to my neck in hot water, and drowsy with exhaustion.

Though the armor kept me clean, it didn't do much for muscle soreness. I'd had a miserable day, chasing fruitless avenues of testing and watching carefully crafted runes dissolve into garbled nonsense. I had taken out my frustration on the old pillar in the big cavern that was, by then, nearly filling the center of the space, and both my magic and my muscles were feeling very abused.

I'd come up with the idea of a hot bath and had discovered that creating a basin and filling it with hot mineralized water was a quick and easy task. It took me a while longer to come up with a formula for soap that I could put together from what minerals and plant material I could summon, but I got a fairly nice lavender-scented compound after only a few tries. Also fortunately for me, Luffa acutangula grew wild all over the subtropics and was easy to dry and cut to size. When I'd finished, I had a loofah that looked like I'd bought it in a shop.

I was lying with my chin and forehooves over the edge of the basin and running the loofah in long strokes down my back and hind legs when I felt a change in the slow, heavy magic around me. I readied a shield spell but didn't cast it. I didn't want to waste the energy or make a show of being afraid. I'd also gotten in the habit of placing little disguised magical traps around whatever area I was working in, so I was more protected than I looked.

"I know you're there, Nightmare. You might as well stop skulking and come out and say hello." I knew no such thing, of course. But if there was nothing there, it didn't cost me anything to call out, as I was well past self-embarrassment by then.

I permitted myself the smallest grin of satisfaction as a swirling black mist flowed into the chamber and condensed into the black alicorn's form. She stood there for a while, looking at me with a neutral expression, saying nothing. I kept up a show of being nonchalant, sweeping the loofah down my body with slow even strokes.

"I'm glad you came," I said truthfully. "I've been wanting to discuss some things with you." I gestured with my horn to a spot on the floor on the other side of the room. "I can fill a tub for you if you like. This is very relaxing."

"You seem to be much more sensible than before," the Nightmare said.

"So do you."

She lowered herself to the floor, laying with her head upright. She kept watching me, but didn't reply for a long while. I sat up and began washing my mane, carefully keeping the soapy hair away from my eyes.

"You've gotten leaner," she remarked after a while.

"Simple, uncooked foods and lots of exercise," I said, trying to guess what she was up to by commenting on my looks. She ought to know by now that I wasn't the sort of pony given to vanity. "Being in better shape helps keep my mind sharp."

She said nothing. I rinsed my mane and let the bath water drain away into the ground.

"I'd like you to tell me how to remove the compulsion you put on me," I said, as casually I as could. "It doesn't serve a purpose any longer, and I find it inconvenient."

Her eyes narrowed a bit. "You have simply decided you don't want to love Luna any longer, is that it?"

I touched the earth magic and brought up heat from the magma currents into a crevice in the wall. With a simple change in pressure, I had a hot, dry breeze flowing over my body. "I want my mind to be unclouded. Looking back on my behavior, the spell, or whatever it was, seems to have had a negative effect on my judgment and temper, as well. I can offer a truce in exchange."

"What is that to me? I am not afraid of you," she sneered. Arrogant dismissal of my ability. Good. I could use that.

"Did you come here to fight me, then?" I modified the shield spell I had readied and completed all but the last symbol of the matrix, putting it on a hair trigger.

She sniffed disdainfully and looked down at her hoof, turning it side to side as if examining the quality of its trim. "I've come to offer you a way out of here."

My heart tried to leap up into my throat before I could remind myself of her essential, deceitful nature. "You don't have a way to escape, or you would have used it already."

"There is a way, but I need your help. I have examined what you're doing and can tell you what mistakes you've made. I can give you all the knowledge of the earth currents that you'll need." She smiled at me and there seemed to be very little malice in it. "So, you see, you need my help, too."

"We help each other to escape, is that what you're suggesting?" I began floating over pieces of my battered armor and settling them in place. "Releasing you into the world might be too high a price to pay for my own freedom."

"Oh, I'll escape with or without you. You can cooperate with me, and we can escape this place together, or I can take the slow route and free myself long after you've crumbled to dust. One way, you will have a chance to thwart my plans and see your lover again. The other way, you die alone here in the heart of the world, forgotten, unloved, and unburied. Which do you prefer?"

"There's just one problem with that choice," I said settling my chamfron on my head and fastening its chinstrap. "You're lying. Everything you say is a lie."

She nodded, her smile widening. "Yes, everything I say is a lie."

"Oh, don't even try to pull that sophomoric, paradoxical load of roadapples on me! You can provide me with evidence for each and every claim you make, or you can expect me to assume it's only more twisted maneuvering on your part."

"Oh, Twilight, I am so hurt that you don't trust me!" She placed a hoof over her forehead and rolled her eyes in mock despair. "Perhaps you'd take Luna's word on the matter, instead?" And she had the utter gall to transform into a perfect copy of my Luna.

And, even though I knew it wasn't her, I had a second or two of futile, unthinking hope. "Stop it!" I snarled, turning away from the disguised Nightmare.

"It seems your desire for the magnificent Queen of the Night may be of use to me yet," the Nightmare said. "You can see her again soon, if you cooperate with me."

"It's an addiction, not real love! You think you can dangle her in front of me like a keg of cider in front of a drunk and I'll crawl for you? Think again, Nightmare!"

"But she misses you so much, Twilight! She's up there right now threatening the greatest magical minds of the kingdom with all sorts of dire things if they don't find a way to recover you! Her sister, the overgrown pale one, has tried to explain to her that your immediate rescue isn't possible, but Luna won't listen. They've had quite a falling-out over it."

"I'm tired of your lies. It wouldn't matter to me if they were true, anyway."

"Oh? I won't tell Luna that when I walk the land of dreams tonight. She would be so very hurt." The Nightmare shook her head in feigned sadness. Then she began to circle me, moving Luna's body in very much the same sultry way as Jigsaw had done in my bedchamber so long ago. "Luna loves you, Twilight. She desires you! It was her growing infatuation that gave me the idea to use you to lure her to me in the first place. Shall I show you what she dreams of doing, but is afraid to ask of you? Oh, she is such a wicked mare!"

I knew exactly what she was trying to do to me, and exactly how phony and manipulative she was being, and I knew that I wasn't in my right mind, and the act was still twisting me up inside.

"She's a shapeshifter, Twilight. She would willingly be anything to please you. Do you desire a stallion instead? She could be the most magnificent stallion imaginable, or any stallion you took a fancy to. Or maybe something more... unattainable... more celestial?"

"You are vile!" I shouted at her.

She laughed and changed back into her usual black shape. "I'm just saying aloud the things I slipped into your dreaming mind, Twilight. You didn't seem to object then."

"I won't be controlled by your influence from now on. I'm stronger than that! Now that I know, I can fight it. I won't play the fool any longer."

"You think I made you act the way you did? No, I only led you into love and broadened your taste in partners." She sneered at me. "You've been swept away by the current of your own passion, Twilight Sparkle. It doesn't matter that you were pushed instead of jumping in of your own free will, your reactions are your own. Sink or swim little pony; it's up to you now."

I don't know if she knew what effect her words had on me, but I'm certain it wasn't what she had intended with her psychological battery. It only made me more determined to escape, regain my own mind, and set things right. I took three deep breaths and then said, "You're right. Thank you for pointing that out."

She looked at me warily, obviously expecting a delayed, emotional reaction. "So, you'll work with me to escape this place?"

"No," I said. "At least not right away. I'd be an idiot to trust you, so I'm going to do as much verification as possible and a few more experiments with the World Mechanism. Then I'll make up my mind."

"You presume on my patience. Perhaps I will withdraw my offer." She frowned and her eyes narrowed.

"I don't think so. I do believe you'll be trapped here for a very long time without my help, or you'd never have approached me. So what is a few more days to you?"

"Days? Do you not know that time here turns more slowly, just as do the earthen wheels of power? It has been a full nine months since you were sealed herein. Every day you delay is near another fortnight above us. Both Luna and her sister are growing quite frantic. I fear they will soon do something rash."

It had the ring of truth, and I could immediately see the mechanisms that could cause such a time dilation, but I had to treat it as just another pressure tactic. "It doesn't matter. Leave me alone to think it over, and I'll give you my decision when I'm ready."

"Perhaps I can persuade you to haste. There are other things I can offer you. Ancient knowledge or—"

"No. Leave me alone now, or I'll try another solution. One you won't like very much."

"Ah! Another threat against my life? Without me to stop you, you will be able to visit Luna in your dreams... Is that what you're thinking?" Her bemused expression collapsed into a snarl. "I can summon spirits from the very rock, you fool! How long dost thou think thou wouldst last 'gainst an army of diamond-clawed monstrosities?"

Actually, I gave myself fairly good odds that I could prevent her from even getting that far, but it wouldn't do to give away my secrets before the fight even began. I had one last card to play, and it was only partially a bluff; if things went badly, it might be prophetic.

"Oh, that's not it at all! With the mess you've made of my life and reputation, and the incredibly awkward and painful scenes that are no doubt waiting for me on the outside, I'll just take the easy option! I'll resign myself to studying the World Mechanism for the rest of my days and give up trying to escape."

It isn't often that a pony can say they'd surprised and appalled an ancient spirit of evil, so the day wasn't a total loss after all.

= = =

Of course, the Nightmare didn't leave me alone. Even when she pretended to, I could sense her presence disturbing the magic around me. So, I not only had to carry out the experiments I considered critical as fast as possible, but I also had to hide what I was doing from her as best I could.

The time differential was a big clue. With such a fundamental separation between the world and its magical heart, the energy needed to cross from one to another would be of a staggering magnitude in the "uphill" direction. That was why the energy from my device had flowed into the portal; it was dropping to the lowest energy state available. I finally understood why Nightmare Moon had needed the impact energy of four stars to free herself, even from the smaller sphere of the moon, and also why I couldn't easily be rescued from outside.

I was frankly impressed that the Nightmare had even been able to force massless magical energy out of the portal. That thought set me off on another tangent, and I began to wonder why she couldn't have done so for herself. She was a physical presence here in the magical landscape of the World Mechanism, but surely she was only a formless spirit when in the real[2] world. Or was I proceeding from a false assumption?

[2] I use the label "real" here merely as a convenience. It is arguable that the underlying magical mechanism of the world is more "real" than what ponies experience in everyday life.

I eventually worked it out. She had to have used two spells as a binary base for a third, with the effectors on the other side of the portal. There were dozens of spells I could set up to work in that way, but none of them could transport matter or significant energy. The Nightmare's monsters had been created to be self-replicating and adaptive for a very good reason: it must have taken all of her strength just to trigger the creation of one of them in the "uphill" direction even though all the mass had been created on the other side of the portal. So, it was a dead-end as far as escape was concerned, but in conjunction with a portal, I could use the effect to send messages. Not that the Nightmare would let me do any such thing without a fight.

Without actually opening a portal, I could only make an educated guess as to how steep the energy gradient was, and what I came up with was an estimate that I could expel two pony-sized masses into the real world if I could generate roughly the same amount of energy as would be released by slamming a rock the size of the Carousel Boutique into the planet at a measurable percentage of the speed of light. Roughly. From the outside, it would take even more energy, possibly an order of magnitude more. Even for Celestia and Luna, it would be hard to manage an event like that without causing extensive devastation.

I was obviously missing something, so I thought I might as well ask the Nightmare. "Where are we going to get all the energy we need to escape?" I said to the empty room.

"I will show you where to obtain it," the Nightmare answered, as she swirled into view and took shape.

"If you can command that sort of power, why don't you just go? Don't tell me you can't set up a portal spell. You must have done it before."

"Do we have an agreement? You will swear a binding oath to work with me until we escape this place?"

"And when we do escape?"

She laughed. "Then, you may do as you please! I do not fear you, little mare."

I didn't need to give it much thought. It was the best deal I could hope for. "Fine. I will swear a mutually binding oath with you to that effect. We do our best to escape together and take no action against one another until we've accomplished that goal."

Our magic wove together, and I had made a pact with the Nightmare.

= = =

=

Author's Note

Thanks to statoose for the advice and corrections (orbital-based and otherwise) and AcademicPony for the tough love.

18 The Heart of the Matter

Chapter Eighteen
The Heart of the Matter

If I hadn't known it before, touching her aura directly would have told me that the Nightmare was extremely powerful, alicorn level at the very least. And there was something else. Her magic felt familiar.

"What are you?" I couldn't stop myself from asking as the magical link between us faded away.

She slowly grinned. "Recognized me, did you?"

I shook my head. "No, you feel almost exactly like Luna, that's all I could tell. Do you take on the qualities of the ponies you possess?"

She laughed. "Oh, you are so very precious! So revoltingly naïve!"

I sighed. "I should have included something in the oath about not being a jerk."

She stared at me for a moment, and then she laughed even louder. It was weird, but I felt like laughing along with her. I stopped myself from doing so.

"Look, can we stop the fooling around and get on with the escape plan?" I grumbled at her. "Show me the way to get the power we need."

Her smile stretched so wide that her eyes nearly closed. "Follow me, Princess."

= = =

We went down.

The Nightmare assured me that the time-dilation effect worsened as we neared the center of the World Mechanism, so we moved as quickly as possible. It would take us nearly a month of objective time in Equestria to complete the journey, even though it would only seem like hours to us.

The metaphysical mechanism wasn't a direct analog of the physical planet, but it did get hotter as we descended, and the amount of free magical energy in the air increased dramatically. After a little while, I realized we were taking a path that always curved to the left, and the curve got tighter as we descended. The cycles of magic surrounding us moved more quickly than those above, though that was only by comparison. As we neared our destination, I saw several shattered circles of spells and cycles twisted into unnatural configurations.

"Is this your work?" I asked the Nightmare, sweeping a wing at a distorted magical flow. It was the first time in hours that either of us had spoken.

She paused and examined the twisting arch of marble and gems that seemed to be guiding enormous pressure leeched from more normal cycles nearby. "No," she said after a moment. "That is one of Celestia's."

"What? You... she..." I sputtered, while the Nightmare turned her back to me and trotted on.

"You'll see soon enough," she called back to me.

Only minutes later, we came to a place that was very different from anything else I'd seen within this world. The diameter of the loops and cycles was small enough that their curvature was obvious and the ambient light became a uniform bright red.

The Nightmare stopped as we emerged onto a ledge midway up the side of a large open space. Under-lit by the strong red light below, she looked ghastly. I took one hesitant step toward the edge of the ledge, where I could see the source of the light.

Below me, bound in chains of shimmering energy that nevertheless looked dull and lifeless compared to the blazing light that shone from her body, was a huge, blood-red alicorn, trapped in the twisted and re-purposed magic of the world itself. She would have topped Celestia by a head, had she been able to stand upright, and she was absolutely beautiful in the terrible way a tiger is beautiful. She was awake and aware of us.

The Nightmare looked down at her and said, "Hello, Mother."

I backed away until the red light no longer fell on me, trying to make some sense of what was going on. The Nightmare turned her head and watched me.

"What is this place?" I asked her. "Some part of Tartarus?"

"No," she said casually. "Oh, Tartarus is encoded somewhere nearby, I'm sure, but this place is very different. This is the heart of magic. This is where we dungeoned up our mother in hopes that the memory of her reign would be lost to the world forever."

"Wait... 'our' mother?"

"Well, I suppose you could say she is the mother of us all, but in the case of Celestia and I, it is literally true."

"You're not Luna!" I yelled.

She laughed. "No? Then who am I? You touched the core of my magic during the oath, and you felt Luna. Luna, and nothing else! Or do you want to add your own self-deception to all the other deceits surrounding you?"

"But you're some sort of parasite... You take over a host and—"

"Did they ever tell you that? Or did they just let you believe it?" She stalked over to me and leaned down, her muzzle wrinkling up in a snarl. "The lie of omission was the most convenient explanation, wasn't it? Better than believing Luna was responsible for her own actions. Better than believing that the sacred Rainbow of Light, pure essence of Harmony, would rip your precious Luna in half!"

There is a horrible aspect to having a scientific mind. All of my training and all of my carefully instilled instincts denied me a comforting belief in the face of evidence to the contrary. But evidence had to be valid. A theory had to be testable.

"Prove it," I said to her in a calm, level voice as my guts twisted and ice water flowed in my veins.

She didn't get angry with me. In fact, she calmed down and nodded thoughtfully toward the imprisoned alicorn. "She would tell you herself, except it's far too dangerous to allow her to speak. You may think you can sense how strong her magic is, but believe me, that is only a fraction of her power. Even when we matured and came into our full strength, Celestia and I had to plan carefully and prepare for years before we could topple the Red Queen from her throne."

The Nightmare turned back to the cavern and motioned me to follow. "She didn't hate us for it, as you might expect. No, by her philosophy, we deserved to win because we did win. She was even proud of us for the act."

When we stood above the bound alicorn once again, the Nightmare pointed with a wingtip. "You see? She loves me still."

It was true, the blazing red alicorn was looking up at the Nightmare with what was an unmistakably loving expression.

"I still don't see any solid proof of what you're saying," I said. "I have a very hard time believing that Celestia and Luna would be a party to something like this, no matter what the provocation."

"Oh, you don't know our dear mother like we do, or you wouldn't say that. Still, we didn't do this without reservations. She is our mother, Twilight Sparkle; despite our belief that the world would be better off with us in her place, we still loved her." The Nightmare swung her wing to point at the nearly molten cycles of magic that fed the containment spell. "There is your proof. Celestia and I knew that, in a moment of weakness and compassion, one of us might be tempted to release our suffering mother. So we built into the spell a guard against just that. There, above the crowning circle, surely you can read those runes?"

I could. The abjuration only covered the royal sisters, Luna and Celestia. The ward would feed back any magic cast by those two in a painful and ultimately fatal way if any attempt was made to interfere with the structure of the imprisoning spells.

"Watch," the Nightmare said, when she was satisfied that I had understood the spell. She reached out with the lightest touch of her magic and made contact with an outer ring of the re-woven earth magic. A blast of red lightning immediately struck her in the horn, brutally throwing her to the ground.

"Proof... enough?" she groaned as she struggled to her hooves.

I made one last desperate test in the hopes that it was all some sort of deception. I touched the imprisoning spells. I wove my magic into them and into the ward against the royal sisters. But it was all true. I let my magic fade away.

"It's her, isn't it?" I asked, avoiding for the moment the new knowledge that burned in my mind like a cancerous ember. "That's why you need me. We're going to use her magic to power our escape and you can't open a path to it without being destroyed."

"Bravo!" She clicked her hooves against the stone in mocking applause. "You are quite a clever little filly. If it wasn't for your disdain, condescension, and death threats, I might even like you."

"You... you're really her, aren't you? I don't understand why the Elements did that." I was still struggling with the concept.

"Who knows why that Wild Magic does what it does? It has its own agenda, I'm sure. It could have lobotomized me, but instead it chose to preserve my pride and drive and ambition in this separate body."

"But Luna still has all that!" I protested.

"She does now," the Nightmare said. "She's had time to remember herself. Why do you think nopony saw her for so long after her return? She was a pathetic milksop for the longest time."

I frowned. "Then, what were you like? With no humor or playfulness or—"

"Or joy or happiness, and never will I know those again unless... Faugh! I grow tired of your endless questions. Every minute we waste here is an hour above!" the Nightmare snapped. "I will direct you, and you will extract the necessary magical energy from the queen. When we are quit of this place you can ask your foolish questions of Celestia. She may have the patience for such annoyances, but I do not!"

No joy. No happiness. I trampled down my sympathy for her. "Fine. Tell me what to do."

It was tricky. The Nightmare prepared a portal spell in conjunction with a helical guide, and I was to be the energy conduit between her spell and the Red Queen's energy. To tap into that magic without freeing the queen took a very fine balance of forces. Also, acting as a channel for that much raw power was not without risk, even though I had done similar work several times before. But I finally was satisfied with my preparations.

"I'm ready," I told the Nightmare.

She shared one long last look with her imprisoned mother and then said, "Do it."

"Just one last thing before we go."

She gave me a wary look. "Yes?"

"I want you to know that I respect you, even though we are enemies. If you want to cooperate instead of fighting one another, I will be glad to do that. I think you are remembering your kindness, just as Luna has remembered her strength. I'm sure we can work something out with Luna and Celestia."

She looked uneasy for a moment, then said, "I have slight regard for Celestia. If you wish to cooperate with me, I will allow it. "

I sighed. Well, it had been worth a shot. "Gee, thanks. Okay, then, let's get this over with."

We got into position, standing opposite each other on the nodes of the metal circle she had created to delimit the portal. I cast the spell that triggered the others I had set up around the Red Queen. A tiny pinhole opened in the containment spell, and a flood of raw magical power roared up around us, bursting into streams and filaments of directed force. I could feel the queen attempting to distort those forces to her own ends, but I had prepared for that, and each time the magical energy varied even slightly from the path I had prepared, I damped it down and opened a new conduit to shunt it into the portal spell.

The Red Queen's magic was terrifying. Once, I had possessed all of Equestria's alicorn magic, and later the poisonous dark magic from Sombra's crystal engine, but neither of those experiences had frightened me anywhere near as much as the primal magic that flowed through me then.

Though it felt subjectively longer, the transition only lasted an instant, which was good, because I felt that the queen's magic was trying to act on me in some way, even without being consciously directed by her. The super-powered portal spell carried us upward and outward in a direction imperceivable to our limited, three-dimensional minds. Then there was a burst of light and a wrenching sensation, and we were in the clear blue sky above the Badlands, a ragged corona of excess magic dissipating into the air around us. I instinctively spread my wings and looked down to gauge my altitude, and that's when the Nightmare attacked me.

I knew it was going to happen. When she had proposed our agreement, the logical thing to ask for would have been a mutual truce of a moon, a week, or even a day to let her get away and start in on her plans for the future. She'd tried to distract me with a laugh and a dismissive assessment of my own prowess, which had been carefully calculated to annoy me. As we had sworn it, the instant we appeared, our oath of peaceful cooperation was at an end. Just the way she wanted it.

Even though I was expecting it, the Nightmare came very close to ending me with her very first shot. I supposed I should be flattered that she didn't try to subdue me or knock me out, as is usual in battles of dominance; it meant she was afraid of me. No, her first move was to cast a blade of pure dark magic straight at my throat, just under my chin, where it wasn't covered by my armor.

I snapped up a shield spell the instant I felt the inceptive pulse from her horn, but I was almost too slow. If I had tried for a full-body shield, I would have been too late. As it was, the appalling force of her killing spell slammed my little shield against me and rocked my head back.

She threw blast after blast at me as I dodged and blocked, firing so rapidly that I had no time to bring up the spell I had planned. All I needed was two seconds, but if I had let my guard down, she could have impaled me a half-dozen times in the space of a heartbeat.

Then Luna was there. She materialized in a violent discharge of vortex energy between the Nightmare and I. Luna fired a blast from her horn but the Nightmare had become a black swirling cloud and the bolt passed through her, harmlessly.

"Luna, no!" I screamed. She was playing right into the Nightmare's hooves.

The air between the two of them darkened and the cloud began to streak toward Luna, sharp tendrils reaching out eagerly. That cloud of malevolent magic was going to take her over and Nightmare Moon would be reborn. The Nightmare was going to be whole again.

But not if I had anything to do about it.

When I was a little filly, I soaked up knowledge like a sponge. I overheard some of my teachers saying that it was a typical phase for child prodigies, and that I would soon begin to find learning more difficult and the real test of my suitability would come when learning was no longer effortless.

They were wrong. I loved learning magic with a passion that they never understood, and I never found it difficult to absorb the intricacies of a new spell. Far from needing hours of study and practice to be able to cast new magic, I only needed to have it demonstrated to me once in order to grasp the mechanics and structure of a new spell. This ability has served me well, as a certain little Hero of the Crystal Empire can attest. Watching Celestia cast a single dark magic spell had given me the knowledge to open the way for Spike to get to the Crystal Heart.

I know there is a lot of philosophical debate concerning the issue of learning dark spells, and even the ethical considerations of preserving such knowledge, but I am in agreement with Celestia on such matters. When asked for a blanket opinion on almost any subject, she often responds with, "It depends on how you do it," and when I once asked her about the application of magic widely considered to be outright evil, she said, "It also depends on why you do it."

So, on the day that I submitted to Tirek and let him take the alicorn magic from me, I paid close attention to how he did it.

There before me was a living cloud of magic, eagerly rushing toward union with another pony. By discorporating, the Nightmare had done half my work for me. I shoved Luna aside and stretched my mouth wide.

Ingurgitating the power and physical substance of the Nightmare was similar to the feeling I'd gotten when swigging down the revitalizing potion from Solar Flare's medical stores. There was a brief moment of dizziness followed by an expansive euphoria. I had only planned on stealing her magic, but the spell dragged in all of her. Fortunately, the disorientation didn't last long, and I didn't seem to be thinking-impaired afterward.

There was a great deal of commotion and consternation after that. Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolt squad arrived so quickly, I didn't even have time to hug Luna. Bat pony guards showed up and placed themselves in front of their mistress in a protective formation at the same time as pegasi wearing uniforms with my royal insignia approached me warily.

"It's all right," I said. "I got her. It's over." My voice sounded kind of funny to me.

I heard engines below and looked down to see several small aircraft rising from the ground. I was shocked at the size of the tent city that surrounded the old crater; there was even a cluster of permanent wooden buildings along one edge of the pit.

"I guess I've been gone a long time, huh?" I asked of nopony in particular.

Luna shoved past her guards and approached me, but stopped a couple of lengths away. "Art thou well, Twilight? What dost thou intend?"

"I'm fine," I said. And then, acutely aware of the growing crowd around us, I added, "We should find some place private to talk... If the rest of you fine ponies will please excuse us?"

"Don't trust her!" somepony in the crowd shouted. I wasn't sure who he was referring to.

"You shut up about Twilight!" Rainbow Dash shouted back. Well, that cleared it up.

"Look at her!" another voice cried out.

"She's evil!" came a different pony's shout.

"BE SILENT!" Luna shattered the air with her Royal Voice. She cast a stern eye over the crowd, waiting for any objection, but there was, unsurprisingly, none. She turned back to me. "Twilight Sparkle, shall we speak together in peace aboard my vessel?"

I finally realized what had happened. I stretched out a foreleg and saw, beneath my now silvery armor, a coat as black as coal, though it was not quite the absolute darkness of the Nightmare's. I looked up at the crowd. They were justifiably nervous, and not a few of them were outright terrified.

"I mean no harm," I said as gently as possible. "I know I look a bit different, but I'm still Twilight Sparkle, I promise you."

"Nightmare," somepony in the crowd hissed, almost too quietly to be heard. I felt a flash of irritation and an impulse to pull the stupid pony out of the crowd and teach him how he ought to behave toward Equestrian royalty, but it quickly passed.

Luna, however, didn't let it go. She turned to glare at the half of the crowd that seemed to have formed up well away from her. "Presume not upon our patience, for we have none to spare. Now that the princess has returned to us, we have no need nor desire to suffer insolence from foolish ponies!"

Uh-oh.

Somepony must have started to reply, but there was the loud crack of a wing upside of a head and an urgently whispered, "Don't be an idiot!" from somewhere in the group Luna faced.

"Luna," I called to her. "We should talk. We should talk right now!"

Luna reluctantly turned away from the hostile crowd and nodded to her guard captain, who called out, "Make way for her Majesty of the Night!" and led us down to the big midnight-blue airship that lay at anchor over the crater.

= = =

"We have little time," Luna said as her guards closed the door to the main cabin behind them. "Celestia will be here soon, and I wish to speak with you alone before then."

"What happened between you two?" I asked, but changed my mind as Luna opened her mouth to reply. "No. Never mind, I can hear it from the both of you later. Along with the story of your mother. What I really need to know right now is, do you still love me?"

Luna didn't immediately answer, but her face fell. "Did she not tell thee? The Nightmare taunted me with the injustice she inflicted upon thee, Twilight, and she told me that she had made it known to thee. Do you—"

"Yes, yes," I said, impatiently, "I know all that, but you're not under the influence of a spell, and your feelings may have changed."

Luna closed her jaw with a snap. Then she sighed. "They have not changed, Twilight Sparkle."

I actually shook with the effort of not rushing forward to sweep her up in an embrace. My voice was tight and unsteady as I forced out the words that had to be said. "I hope you understand that I have to make sure I am free of any magical compulsion, before I can...." I was at a loss for words but Luna understood.

"I'sooth, 'tis meet that it be so," she said in a very small voice.

"Oh, Luna! Please don't cry, or you will break my heart! Spell or not, I'm sure I will always love you as a friend and mentor. When my mind is my own again—"

Celestia appeared in the room with a blast of magic that made the deck creak underhoof. Luna's head shot up and her eyes narrowed. Celestia ignored Luna and turned her gaze on me, and for the first time in my life, I was afraid of her.

"Who am I speaking to?" Celestia asked as little flickers of magic ran along the grooves of her horn.

"Me," I said, "your one-time faithful student." But I had a sudden impulse and I acted on it, waiting until Celestia's lips began to part, so that I could interrupt her. "But if you want to talk to the Nightmare, she's listening."

There was quite a long silence after that.

"I used Tirek's spell," I finally said. "I didn't anticipate that the Nightmare would have this effect on me, but my mind is still my own. I am in control. If there is any way you can test me—"

"Enough!" Celestia held up a hoof. "If you are volunteering to be tested, you are, in all likelihood, Twilight Sparkle."

I gave a big sigh of relief.

Celestia stepped forward and gave me a brief hug. "I am glad you have come back to us, Twilight.” Then she stepped back and examined me more closely. "Your return is fortuitous, but your current appearance will not be of help to heal the damage that has been done to Equestria and the rest of the world."

"What?"

"Much has happened in the last year, Twilight Sparkle. Let me explain..."

Equestria was a kingdom in turmoil. Though Celestia had been in the right when she had told Luna that there was nothing they could do to reach me, Luna had taken it as her sister using the situation as an excuse avoid the consequences of the prophecy. It was obvious to her: Separate Night and Evening, and the Sun would not set.

In formal session before the Day Court, Luna had demanded Celestia turn all available resources to my rescue, which put her in an impossible situation. When Celestia denied her sister, Luna had declaimed the prophecy before the entire court and accused Celestia of abandoning me. The terribly formal, and terribly public, argument that ensued had driven a wedge between not only the sisters, but between the ponies of the kingdom as well.

There were ponies that supported Celestia, and ponies that supported Luna. At first, it was not much more than gossip and letters to the editor, and the situation may have never progressed beyond grumbling and partisanship if it weren't for the third faction. Many nobles and politicians, smelling an opportunity for a power grab, began to express the opinion that if the princesses couldn't agree on how to rule the kingdom, it might be better off as an oligarchy of nobles and wealthy merchants.

The sisters called a truce with one another for the good of the kingdom, but by then, the anti-monarchy faction in parliament, the Council of the Elite, had gotten the bit firmly in their teeth. The uproar spread far beyond Equestria's borders. With the princesses appearing weak and opposed, the borderlands protected under the Pax Equestria had begun quarreling with each other, and trade routes that had been safe for centuries were plagued by robbers and pirates. Rumors of military build-up in the griffin kingdoms circulated as if they were fact.

I was absolutely horrified. "But I'm back now! You and Luna are reconciled, and things can go back to normal!" It sounded stupid to me even as I was saying it.

Celestia sighed and shook her head. "It is not that simple, Twilight. Trust, once lost, is not easily regained. We rule by consent, not by our strength."

"Luna?" I moved around the table in the great cabin to be close to her. "We will fix this. I'll do whatever it takes."

She gave her sister a longing stare before replying to me. "As things stand now, our show of unity has been taken for a pretense and nothing more. The prophecy is widely known, though much distorted in the telling. The last line, 'The mare of darkest hue must die,' is oft repeated, and many ponies have called for my destruction." She paused for a second before dryly adding, "It has thus lowered my opinion of many of my subjects."

"No!" I cried out in horror. "How could they? You are not the mare of darkest hue, I thought we had settled that!"

"That much is true, Twilight Sparkle," said Celestia. Her horn lit and a cheval mirror appeared next to me. "Look there and tell me what you see."

I could see both Luna and myself in the mirror, and it was immediately obvious: Now, the mare with the darkest coat in Equestria was me.

= = =

=

Author's Note

Thanks to statoose for risking liver damage while searching for multiple spaces, and pointing out that if I want my readers to know what's going on, I have to tell them.

Thanks to AcademicPony for the revisions. Retroactive changes have been made to this and the two previous chapters.

19 Mind Games

Chapter Nineteen
Mind Games

Kill her! Kill her now, or flee before she strikes you down!

It wasn't exactly a voice inside my head, but the message from the Nightmare was as clear as if she had spoken. I ignored her.

"Well," I said. "This might be a bit of a problem."

Celestia said nothing, but removed the mirror. Luna stepped closer to me, her shoulder touching mine. I found myself wishing there wasn't a layer of armor between us.

"Ic wille nae..." Luna paused, collected herself, and began again. "I will not let you harm her, Celestia."

Celestia turned her head away from us. "I am hurt beyond words that you think I might even consider it. We will find another way."

Luna still frowned at her sister. "You would not injure the least creature for your own sake, but I know all too well that there is little you would not do for the sake of Equestria."

"Do you think that is wrong of me?" Celestia turned back to her. "We could have lived forever as the favored daughters of all creation, and yet we risked our own existence to make a better world for all ponies. Where is the sister who stood by my side then?"

"Here," Luna said, then lowered her head to tap her horn against the armor over my heart. "And there, sister."

"Please," I said, quietly. "Isn't this the time to be kind to one another? I want what's best for Equestria, too. I know my past actions have been rash and foolish, but I don't have the benefit of centuries of experience like you two. We can sit down together and figure it out. Whatever needs to be done, I'll do it."

The Nightmare knew what I was going to say before I opened my mouth again, and she resisted me. I felt like I was speaking in a room full of shouting ponies as I continued. "And if that means a sacrifice on my part, then that is something I will have to consider."

"Never!" Luna growled.

"I am my own pony, and if I decide—"

"You would not save Equestria, Twilight! You would doom it! Could I share a kingdom with Celestia if she even asked such a thing of you?" Luna said.

"You must!" I shouted and stamped my hoof on the deck for emphasis. "No matter what else happens, you must take control again. If the 'mare of darkest hue' isn't going to die, we need to figure out some other way to fix my blundering. I don't want to be remembered as the pony who broke Equestria!"

There was a long silence, and then Luna gave me a wan little smile and said, "Yes, The Pony Who Broke Equestria would make a truly dreadful holiday pageant."

I couldn't resist it any longer. I wrapped my magic around her and pulled her into a kiss.

After a while Celestia cleared her throat.

"Okay, okay," I said as I broke off the kiss. "Moment of weakness, there. Sorry."

"Don't be," Luna breathed.

"Cadance is in Canterlot," Celestia said. "She has been a great help in keeping the situation from becoming unmanageable. I think we should consult with her as well."[1]

[1] Translation: Twilight Sparkle, you need to get your head examined.

= = =

Celestia urged me to stay out of the public eye, which was just fine by me. Parading around in my Nightmare Twilight suit wouldn't help matters at all. We decided I would remain aboard Luna's airship, Midnight, for the journey to Canterlot. Luna ordered a crewpony to take me to a guest cabin, with the promise to come and speak with me just as soon as she had some final words with her sister.

"I love you both," I said before I left them. "Please, be kind to each other."

Only a few minutes after the engines started up, there was a knock at my cabin door. I gave a guilty little start. I hate to admit it, but I was standing in front of the mirrored door of the wardrobe, examining my new body.

My coat was so dark it was nearly black, but the light made lovely purple highlights shimmer across it. My mane was nearly the same as my old one, but longer and darker. It rippled slowly, like waves in heavy oil. It was less showy than Celestia's, but still an obvious indication of profound magical power.

I'd like to say that my interest was from pure scientific curiosity, but scientific curiosity couldn't explain why I was wondering how I'd look in a woven chain dress like the one Chrysalis had. I was just as tall as she was, and my new physique was a perfect blend of superb strength and feminine curves. I had a truly majestic set of wings, and a long, wickedly pointed horn to match. Yes, a dress that hinted at being armor would be perfect for me.

I'd never been really concerned or even much aware of my looks and figure before I'd fallen for Luna. But I have to admit that suddenly having a body that would make an athletic-wear model green with envy was a bit of a thrill. So, even though I'd sworn to myself I would be absolutely neutral with Luna until Cadance had a good rummage around in my psyche, when I heard the knock at the door, I cocked a rear hoof, leaned forward, looked back over my shoulder, and said in the lowest, throatiest voice I could, "Come in."

"Hey, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash said as she swung the door wide. "I wanted to... whoa!"

"Eep!" I jumped in surprise and bumped my shoulder against the wardrobe. "Rainbow?"

"Uh... yeah. I wanted to talk with you and the princesses said it was okay. Wow, you sure look different with your armor off."

I had no idea what to say, so I just gave her a hug. "It's good to see you again, Dash. How have you been? How are the rest of the girls and Spike?"

"I'm good," she said, grinning up at me. "Even better now that you're back! The gang will be really happy to see you. Uh... it might take them a while to get used to your new look, though."

"Well, I hope I won't look like this for long. If..." I finally noticed the Tree of Harmony symbol on the band that Rainbow Dash wore around her left foreleg. "That's the insignia of my personal guard! And those..."

Rainbow Dash actually looked a bit embarrassed when I pointed out her lieutenant bars.

"Yeah," she said, grinning nervously, "Royal Guard Academy. I graduated from the fast track last month. Third in my class, too. First in flying of course. It was the classroom stuff that dragged me down a bit."

"That's wonderful! I'm so proud of you, Dash!" I swept her up in a full wing hug, and spun her around the room.

"Thanks, Twi," she said as I put her down. "I got them to guarantee me a spot on your guard before I signed up."

"I'm very flattered, Dash," I told her. "You'll hold the same rank as a Wonderbolt, right? Half their senior members cross train with guard units."

She nodded but still seemed uneasy or embarrassed.

I frowned. "What's wrong? This is a big advancement for you. You should be bouncing off the walls."

"I..." She grimaced and looked away. "It was really hard for me when things got bad. I mean, it used to be so simple. Princess Celestia, you... I used to know what was what. But when you got trapped and the princesses fought..."

"Loyalty," I said, suddenly understanding.

"Yeah," Dash looked up at me with a ghost of her usual cocky grin. "It's kind of my thing, you know? Loyalty to Equestria was easy before there were… y'know, sides. So many ponies told me I ought to choose which side I was on, so I…" She actually blushed a bit. "I chose your side. Being full time on your guard makes it easy for me. I'm loyal to my commander and my unit and my princess, and I don't have to think about anything else. And sure I don't have to stay up all night arguing about it."

"I guess it was hard on all of you."

"Yeah... that's the thing. It's still hard for some of them. I sometimes think I took the easy way out." Rainbow Dash gave herself a little shake. "But now that you're back, you'll fix it all, right?"

"I..." The Nightmare's ghostly laughter floated through my mind. "I hope so, Dash."

A lot had happened in the year I'd been gone, and Rainbow Dash tried to catch me up, but she isn't the best pony for that sort of thing. If Rarity had been there, I would have gotten every small detail and every nuanced interpretation of events. But then, it might have taken her a month or so to get through it all.

For a wonder, it seemed like Discord had actually been a calming influence during the crisis. Every time some charismatic pony had come up with a new anti-royalty position and had started to attract significant followers, Discord would throw his fervent approval behind the scheme and usually the whole thing would dissolve faster than a sugar cube in hot tea. From how Rainbow told it, I couldn't quite be certain whether Discord had been deliberately undermining the agitators or not, but I knew that sincerity and the draconequus rarely crossed paths, so I had to assume he was being helpful in his own contrarian way.

An even bigger shock was that one of Celestia's biggest supporters turned out to be Chrysalis. She had taken up residence in a guest house on the Blueblood estate, and went about openly as his consort. It seemed that even some of her die-hard followers had managed to make some pony friends, so their number dwindled a bit, but the remaining ones had gradually replaced a good deal of Blueblood's staff and bodyguards.

I would have thought that this would be pretty off-putting for most of the Canterlot elite, but according to Dash, the novelty was something that outweighed the "ick" factor. Plus, there seemed to be quite a number of ponies that enjoyed the companionship[2] of a changeling, even if they knew it was a changeling.

[2] Yes, that is a euphemism. Yuck!

Rainbow Dash didn't have time to tell me much more than that before there was another knock at my door. "Yes? Come in!" I opened the door, wincing inwardly at how pathetically eager I sounded to myself.

It wasn't Luna. Instead, it was one of her Night Guard who stood there. He stared at me for a long moment and then bowed so low the top of his helmet bumped the deck. "Your Highness, Her Majesty of the Night would welcome your presence in the aft observation lounge."

I could understand why Luna wanted to meet in a more public space than my cabin, but I was still a little disappointed.

"That's cool," Rainbow Dash said. "I should be getting back to my unit, anyway."

I gave her another hug. "Can you get a message to Spike and the girls for me? Just tell them I'm okay and I'll see them as soon as possible."

"Sure thing, Twi! I'm pretty sure there are a couple dozen couriers flapping their wings off to spread the news right now, but I'll make sure the old gang gets told personally." She gave me a radiant smile. "Princess Egghead is back and everything is going to be all right!"

If looks could kill, the guard's glare would have cut Rainbow Dash in half.

Dash didn't miss it either, but simply sauntered out the door with a casual, "Move it, bats! Personal friend of Her Highness, comin' through!"

= = =

There were two guards on each door to the observation lounge and another two on the deck outside the big rear-facing windows. At least there were none inside the lounge itself, so our talk, if not our actions, would be private.

Luna sat at a low table near the windows. She smiled as I came in and nodded to the cushions opposite her. Keeping a table between us was probably a good idea.

I settled in and waited for Luna to say something. Her smile faltered. "So," she said at last. "You have met my mother and now are containing the Nightmare. I suppose you have also unraveled all the secrets of the world's magic. You are an amazing pony, Twilight."

"Luna, what's wrong?" I snorted at the idiocy of what had just fallen out of my mouth and added, "Besides all the obvious things, I mean."

"My sister told me that she withheld her magi not because she thought other matters more worthy of their attention, but because she had confidence that you would put things to right yourself. How could I have had less faith in you than she?"

"Luna—"

"No, Twilight, I have failed again." Luna hung her head and squeezed her eyes shut. "Celestia has the strength to put her own desires beneath the good of the kingdom, but I am still a selfish and vainglorious mare, unworthy of my crown. A true monarch serves her subjects and keeps them from harm, not the other way around."

My head came up and I stomped a hoof in anger. "Did she say that to you? That is monstrously unfair! Luna, you're still a good pony and you deserve to be happy!"

Luna looked up at me again. "No, Celestia very pointedly did not say such things. She was the essence of kindness and forgiveness. But her supporters made it abundantly clear that they believe all of this is my fault, and I cannot seem to disagree. The harm I have done to the kingdom will need the most careful of guiding hooves to repair if it is not to descend into hostile factions and chaos."

"Luna, you do deserve to be happy! You may not be perfect, but you are a good pony."

She barked out a sharp, bitter laugh. "Say that again after Cadance reveals to you the extent of my meddling with your mind."

"It wasn't you! It was... oh." I frowned. "But she really isn't you. You were separated by the Elements and they..." I had been about to say, "removed the worst of you," but I managed to avoid jamming all four hooves into my mouth at the last second. I felt the ghostly laughter in my mind again.

That brought up another subject I had been worrying about. "What about the Nightmare? She's strong enough to be a presence in my mind, and even though I don't seem to be having any trouble keeping control of her now, I'm worried she might be able to influence me like she did before."

Luna seemed to be glad to abandon the previous subject. "Until we can come up with a more permanent solution, I will guard you each night while you sleep. I am sure I will be able to keep her suppressed."

"That's very reassuring. Thank you, Luna."

"To keep my other self from harming you even more? 'Tis the very least I can do."

"Luna, please don't be so hard on yourself. You may have made some mistakes, but I wasted millions of bits worth of equipment and ponypower while playing right into the Nightmare's hooves. If anypony is responsible for this incredible mess, it's me! It's been an expensive lesson for both of us, but we will fix this somehow and go on as wiser and better ponies."

She gave me a wan little smile. "Wisdom is oft hard won, is it not? I trust thou art correct and that we will go on, but..."

I waited for her to continue, but she turned away from me and gazed out the window at the desert below. I was about to ask her what she was thinking when the Nightmare butted in.

She is troubled because she still loves you. She will destroy the kingdom if we come to harm, the Nightmare insisted. She will fight Celestia again, and without the Rainbow Power to stop her, she may win this time. You must keep us both safe for the sake of Equestria.

I suppressed a groan. This might be a lot more difficult than I'd anticipated.

There was a knock at the door and a guard called out, "Your Majesty? Her Highness's meal has been prepared."

"Ah, yes," Luna turned back to me but avoided my gaze. "I've had a selection of food laid out in your cabin, Twilight. I'm sure you must be hungry."

I hadn't really thought about it, but as soon as Luna mentioned food, I realized I was ravenous. "Will you join me?" I asked.

"No, but I will see you after your meal. Or if you've eaten so much that you wish to nap afterward, I will stand by you in the Dream Realm."

"Uh... is that likely? I mean, I am hungry, but—"

Luna gave a short chuckle. "Trust me, Twilight. I nearly ate my weight in cheese the first week I was back from my exile. You will appreciate your first meal in privacy."

She was dead right about that. I didn't so much eat my food as bathe in it. Real, cooked food with goopy sauces and processed sugar and bread! I ate until I could barely move, then I rolled onto my bunk and passed out.

= = =

I stood on the highest tower of the Castle of the Royal Sisters, looking out over the Everfree Forest. The landscape looked pretty normal for a dream, except that the forest extended much farther than in the real world. I couldn't see anything beyond it.

I heard a hooffall on the stone and turned to see Luna standing there. But there was something about her that was ever so slightly off.

"Are you the real Luna, or are you the Nightmare?" I asked.

"If you can't tell the difference, is there a difference?"

"Hello, Nightmare," I said.

There was a shimmer in the air and the real Luna walked out of nothingness to stand by my side. "Begone, Nightmare. You have done damage enough."

"Ah!" The Nightmare said, touching a hoof to her lips in thought. "How about, 'no'. Does 'no' work for you?"

Luna snarled, and her chest and shoulders tightened into hard-edged shapes under her coat. "I will drive you away, debased one! Think not that I shall have any mercy upon you merely because you are of my own self!"

The Nightmare snarled back with much pointier teeth. "Oh, shall we fight, then? Yes, let's! Let us battle each other the way we fought Celestia so long ago and lay poor Twilight's mind to waste, just as we did this once-beautiful land!" She swept her hoof out over the battlement, indicating the dark and tangled forest.

Luna said nothing, but she didn't move from where she stood, trembling with rage.

"No?" the Nightmare cocked her head. "Well, that's the first smart decision you've made in years."

"Leave her alone!" I found myself chest to chest with the Nightmare without consciously covering the distance.

The Nightmare grinned and leaned closer to me, until our lips nearly touched. "Make me," she whispered.

My hoof caught her along side the muzzle with a sharp crack. I'm sure Rarity would have scoffed at my technique, but it was enough to send the Nightmare crashing to the floor.

"Ahh..." She winced and rolled up to a sitting position, her Luna disguise melting away to reveal the back coat underneath. "My, how strong you've become, Twilight. And direct. A much better way to settle a confrontation than logic and reasoning, isn't it?"

I didn't know if I could ever think of her as purely evil ever again, but she certainly had my vote for most irritating creature in existence.

"Twilight." Luna laid a wing across my withers. "Do not let her bait you into hasty action."

"Yes, Twilight," the Nightmare said, "be a good little filly. Take her as your role model. Return to Canterlot with a bowed head. Wear a blanket of thorns and eat seared grass to show your repentance, and forever more deny yourself anything that conflicts with Celestia's grand schemes. What a wonderful life you will have from then on."

"That is a twisted version of reality! I follow the princess because she is wise and good!"

The Nightmare laughed scornfully. "She is ruthless and not half as wise as her subjects believe. Or should I say used to believe? After being abducted out of her own palace by the magic of an ancient enemy she had chosen to pardon, and then having Discord betray her at the critical moment in the scheme she had bet the whole kingdom on, the few ponies with any brains began to doubt her perfect wisdom. I'm sure she herself was more than a little regretful that she hadn't listened to or relied on you when she was hanging upside down in a pod of green goo from the ceiling of her own throne room or chained in the depths of Tartarus."

I looked at Luna, hoping for some rebuttal or even an interruption, but she held her gaze on the Nightmare and didn't move, much less speak. I had come to admit to myself that Celestia wasn't perfect, but this litany of failings was biased and cherry-picked from over a millennium of success and stability.

"And that fun little adventure with the shade of King Sombra! Wouldn't it have been nice to have a little help against that fiend? Luna wanted to go with you, but Celestia held her back. Why was that, I wonder? Perhaps she was afraid? No, surely not! She probably just wanted her Little Terror to get a bit more experience in the monster-killing trade. You and everypony else in the empire might have died or been enslaved, but those are the risks a monarch must take."

"Shut up, you poisonous nag!" I screamed at her.

"Twilight! How can you speak that way to me? Am I not a part of the mare you love?"

"I don't love her, you vile monster! You twisted my feelings! You bent my brain!"

Yes, the Nightmare had played me like a cheap guitar. I knew it the moment the words were out of my mouth, and I turned to see the tears welling in Luna's eyes. "Luna! I... I didn't mean it that way. I—"

"Nay, Twilight Sparkle, do not concern thyself. I can bear the truth."

I didn't even know what the truth was. But that was a problem I could do something about. I turned back to the Nightmare. "So Celestia isn't absolutely perfect. So what? What do you suggest I do about all this? Your scheming seemed to work out just fine in the end. Maybe I should listen to what you have to say."

Both Luna and the Nightmare started in shock at my words.

Luna found her voice first. "Twilight, surely thou canst not intend to heed her words! Though many times I have disagreed with my sister's methods, she has ever acted for the good of Equestria."

I shook my head, slowly putting things together in my mind. "No, I know that the good of the realm has always come first with Celestia, but she has made mistakes. And giving broad freedom to her subjects has given rise to many groups and individuals who hold their own gain above the health of the kingdom. The ones that thought killing you would be an acceptable solution, for instance."

Luna peered at me doubtfully. "But surely she is worse than any of those fools."

More little pieces of a plan clicked together in mind as I answered. "But she doesn't want you dead. Do you, Nightmare?"

The mare's black head turned, and her dragon eyes focused on Luna with a terrible intensity. "Nay. Your love may be false, little princess, but mine is as vast and true as the night sky. I would be whole again. I would rule Equestria as a true and mighty monarch, guiding my ponies with a stronger and surer hoof. Celestia's weakness is that she allows the love of her subjects to sway her judgement. I would exalt only the worthy and cast down the grasping, greedy fools. Is that not the very model of justice?"

I had to play it just right. I tried to ignore the look of confusion and horror on Luna's face as I replied, "If true, that's an admirable attitude. I think I should hear more of what you have to say."

A slow grin crept over the Nightmare's face. "Well, well, well, some sensible thinking, at last! My first suggestion is to ask Luna to depart, so that we can speak privately."

"Yes." I nodded. "All right, but there's just one little thing I want to ask of you first."

"Twilight! Thou art mad! Canst—"

"Wait a moment, Luna. You can see whatever she's doing inside me now, right?"

"Aye, but if I depart—"

"Yes, I understand. But if I were to ask her to completely remove any spell that is affecting my thinking, you could make sure that is all she does, right? A simple, blanket Negation of Origin would work, wouldn't it?"

"Yes," Luna said, with a puzzled frown.

"Well, then I suggest another oath." I turned back to the Nightmare. "You clean out whatever mind magic you still have lurking around in my brain and I will give you my full night's dreaming tonight to... advise me, shall we say?"

"Done!"

"Ah, you agreed to that awfully quickly!" I glanced over to Luna. "And you will give me time to talk in private with Luna. You can do that, can't you?"

"I can, but I don't see the benefit to either of you. I suspect you won't want to talk for long after I release you."

"I don't care. You get the full night tonight, but you remain sealed away from my mind until then; those are my conditions." I looked back over my shoulder. "Luna, can you enforce that privacy if she goes willingly?"

She nodded, but did not speak.

"Well? Deal or not, Nightmare?"

She frowned and her eyes narrowed, but she nodded slowly. "It is a pact."

We wove our magic together and swore our binding oaths.

The Nightmare negated her spells on me with a careless toss of her horn almost immediately thereafter.

There have been many times in my life when I have been unsure of my feelings, but I'm not the type of pony to let myself be swayed by them in any case. But when I looked back at Luna, I was certain of what I felt toward her. And it completely confused me. I stared at her with my mouth open for nearly a minute before she fled the dream.

The Nightmare chuckled. "Well! Are you sure you still want some alone time with her, now?"

I probed the still active matrix of the oath spell. The Nightmare had done what she promised. "Honor the rest of it, monster," I hissed at her from between my teeth.

She laughed and reared, her wings spreading in a joyful stretch. "I will see you tonight, Twilight! Oh, we have so many wonderful things to discuss!" She vanished in a swirl of darkness, and left me alone.

I stomped in frustration. I hadn't been able to think quickly enough, and Luna had left as a result. I had to fix this, and didn't have any time to waste. After I fell asleep that night, the Nightmare would be part of anything I said or did. I had to wake up and go find Luna now.

There, two steps in front of me, was the obvious solution. I clamped my wings to my sides and leaped over the parapet. The last thing I remember thinking before I hit the jagged rocks at the base of the tower was, I sure hope that superstition about dying in a dream isn't true.

= = =

I jerked upright in my bunk and gasped. I threw open the door to my cabin as I got to my hooves, and bellowed, "LUNA, I NEED YOU RIGHT NOW!" I might have overdone the Royal Voice a bit, because I blew the glass out of several ports on the other side of the passageway.

A knot of Night Guards rushed toward me, then skidded to a confused halt. One of them was brave enough to directly confront me. "Her Royal Majesty does not wish to be disturbed."

"Where is she?"

He said nothing, but braced his legs against the deck as if he expected me to charge him.

"Must be somewhere behind you, then," I muttered.

The bat pony didn't like that at all. He used his right wing to extend a bladed lance from where it had been sheathed in his armor. "I will protect my princess! You will have to kill me to get past!"

A couple of the other guards drew weapons, but most stared at each other in confusion.

"Flicker?" I snorted as I recognized his cutie mark. "You're willing to die to keep me from talking to her? You're an idiot!"

He charged, but I just teleported behind the group of guards. "Not dead yet? But here I am, a big nasty threat to poor, helpless Luna! I'll bet I can get to her before you do!"

He charged at me again, nearly impaling some of his comrades as he did so. I winked out just before he reached me, surreptitiously tagging him with a little spell before I went. In his rush to reach and defend his beloved princess, he would lead me right to her.

Luna had sealed herself in the great cabin and erected a teleportation barrier around it, which would have been a problem for me before I gained the magical strength of another alicorn. The airship rocked and swayed a bit with the energy released when I broke through the barrier, but I don't think it did any permanent damage.

I didn't give her any chance to teleport away or even begin a spell. I grabbed her in my magic and shook her. "Luna, you idiot, I do love you! I don't care if I got pushed instead of jumping, because this is the best swim I've ever had in my life! Okay, so now there's a certain ick factor that I'm going to have to get over, but if you can put up with me being such a neurotic mess that I rough you up and babble like an insane pony, I think we can work past that! Now are you going to kiss the ever-loving hay bales out of me, or am I going to have to break down and scream like a little filly with a rat in her birthday cake? Because, I swear, if I have to wait one more second, I will—"

Luna is a really good kisser. With the fog lifted from my mind, my appreciation took on whole different dimensions, not all of them entirely comfortable.

We didn't have time for much else. Sergeant Flicker pounded on the cabin door and shouted, "Are you alright, Your Majesty?"

"What is with that guy?" I asked, rolling my eyes. "Is he under some kind of mental compulsion?"

Luna grinned at me. "Converts are always the most zealous, and ponies can be irrational without the help of dark magic. He was with me when I stepped out of your dream and was distressed by how upset I was." She turned to the door and said loudly, "I am fine, Sergeant. Please stand down."

"Can you send for Celestia?" I asked Luna, once I was sure that Flicker wasn't going to demand some sort of proof of her well-being. "I need to talk with her before the Nightmare gets back to the party."

"Yes, I can. But what difference will the Nightmare's presence or absence make to what you have to say to Celestia?"

"Okay," I took a deep breath. "This may seem a bit strange... not to say crazy, but hear me out before you decide I'm a complete nutcase."

"Of course, my love."

"I made an oath to listen to what the Nightmare has to say, and I wasn't just intending to give her time to rant while I keep my hooves over my ears. I am going to listen what she has to say, and I am going to evaluate it in the calmest, most logical way I can manage."

Luna frowned. "But, why? You know she only seeks to further her own ends."

"Yes, and primary among those ends is her desire to be reunited with you. How can I fault her for that? And the other thing is..." I closed my eyes briefly and swallowed. "What she said about Celestia was vindictive and twisted, but it wasn't completely wrong. In her own bizarre way, I think she really intends to be what she considers a good ruler."

I opened my eyes. I had expected shock, dismay or repugnance from Luna but she gazed at me with a calm, neutral expression. "And?"

"And since I am going to give the Nightmare a chance to make her case, alone and uninterrupted, I feel it is only fair to give Celestia the same opportunity."

Luna blinked. "Thou art truly going to call upon my sister and weigh her plans for Equestria against those of the Nightmare?"

"Well, put that way, it sounds a little harsh," I grimaced. "But I really need to know the truth about what's going on if I have any chance of helping to put things right. I'll have to ask Celestia about her plans for the future. And to help me prepare, I'd like you to tell me as much of your early history as you can, starting with your mother's reign."

Luna nodded, eyes downcast. "And when thou hast heard all to thy satisfaction?"

"Then..." I said, lifting her chin up so that she had to look me in the eyes. "Then, I will have decisions to make."

= = =

=

Author's Note

AcademicPony and statoose, have once again rocked my literary world with their awesome assistance!

20 The Twilight Rebellion

Chapter Twenty
The Twilight Rebellion

It was the hardest decision I'd ever had to make. After I'd heard what Luna, Celestia, and the Nightmare had to say to me, I had chosen a course of action that I could not regard as anything but evil. But all the alternatives were worse.

Until then, I'd always believed that if I stood by my principles, I would never go wrong. But cold logic told me otherwise. When I woke up, the airship was over Canterlot, and I spent an hour going over everything I'd been told. Each of the ponies I had spoken with had their own view of the situation, but I felt I was capable of seeing beyond the individual perspectives and possible deceptions to the core of the matter.

I still hesitated. I drew out a decision grid in the air and went through the motions of filling in the squares with possible courses of action and likely outcomes, but it only told me what I already knew.

"Nightmare," I said softly as I let the grid fade away. "Are you there?"

A warm, dark stirring in my mind told me that she was with me and focused on what I was saying.

"The kingdom needs to be reunified under a strong monarchy. I will need all your power to accomplish this. You must surrender your will to mine. They won't give me any time to hesitate. If you resist me in the slightest, it could be disastrous."

And my reward?

"I don't think you deserve it, but I will release you, I swear it. If you want to rejoin with Luna... that's something you'll have to manage on your own."

I have no doubt of it. Perhaps her love for you will survive... won't that be interesting? Come, let us change the world! What is the first move?

A cold knot began twisting in my stomach, but it was not the time for fear or second thoughts. "We strike the Parliament first. The fear we put into them will make them all the easier to control later."

Eternal night! Her mental chuckle felt strange, like black ripples in my mind. Or just the threat of it. Long enough to make them cold and hungry enough to gladly bow down before me!

"Don't you mean 'us?'"

Another rippling chuckle. Do you really want their obeisance, Twilight? I, as the true Luna reborn, will take their adulation and you will run my world from beneath my wing!

"Yes," I said, my heart heavy with pointless regret. "Won't that be lovely."

I put on my armor and called up my magic.

= = =

On the afternoon of the previous day, I'd had a history lesson over tea in Luna's stateroom..

"It was a world where the slow, weak, or stupid quickly perished. The Everfree Forest is a pale remnant of her wild realm," Luna said.

"The Red Queen hated her subjects so much?"

Luna shook her head. "No, Twilight, she had high regard for her little ponies. She took delight in the ones who succeeded and was regretful for each one that passed away, unfulfilled."

"But, she was... is so incredibly powerful! Why didn't she protect them?"

"That is the heart of the matter. She believes that adversity makes for strength. That ponies who are unfit will fail and perish, and those who are fit will survive and pass down their superior qualities to the next generation, making all the pony races better and better as time goes on."

"So ponies who aren't good enough have to die? That's horrible!"

"Even worse, those who were simply unlucky were sacrificed to her view of how things should be. A truly superior pony might die young by mischance, but to an immortal, such a setback was trivial. Events would be evened out by the great timescale apportioned for her work. She trusted in the mechanism of her world more than she trusted her own judgment in such cases."

"That's crazy!"

"No, Twilight, it may have been merciless and unyielding, but the way she ordered her realm gave her the results she desired. The ponies grew in strength, intelligence, and capability. In fact, it succeeded so well, that she found it necessary to create greater and greater challenges for them to face."

"Wait!" I snapped my open mouth shut. "You're telling me that as soon as the ponies started to be able to protect themselves, she made things worse for them?"

"Again and again," Luna confirmed. "And ponies grasped the essentials of controlling magic, gained the power of flight, and learned to forge weapons and tools. Her method worked."

"But how many ponies died unnecessarily for this?"

"You ask the same questions that Celestia and I asked of her, Twilight. Regardless that we were the pinnacle of her grand process, we questioned it. We thought that intelligent minds could guide the ponies into the future far better than chance and an increasingly hostile environment."

"But she didn't agree, obviously."

Luna shook her head again and began to pace. "It wasn't like that. She created us for just that purpose. We were children of her own body, blended with the best of the race she had created. It was our duty to question her, to put her plan to the test. But we were not exempt. As we grew, she set us greater and greater challenges."

I was starting to find the story unsettlingly familiar. "But you decided to skip right to the biggest challenge of all, didn't you?"

"That is a good way of putting it. That is certainly how Mother would have seen it. Our idea of how the world should be ordered was better than hers because we were able to put it in place against her will."

"Might makes right?" I suppose it was a good sign that I could still be a bit snarky in the face of what Luna was telling me.

"No. If that were so, we would have failed. Trickery gave us our victory. But victory was victory, no matter how it was achieved or what it cost us. In the lifetimes it took us to claw our way out of the heart of the world where we trapped our mother, the ponies themselves had replaced the most challenging horrors of her plan. New perils emerged from the wild magic, and others of her own making remained, now unconstrained, Discord being but one of them. By acclimation, we were accepted as the new rulers of Equestria, and the world became a different place, a more ordered place."

Luna sat down in front of me. "The Red Queen is the name the ponies of our early time gave her and they cast her as a great villain: the Alicorn of Blood. But she did what she did for the good of ponies as a whole, much as my sister has. Do you think Celestia has not made hard choices? Do you think she has not let good ponies die or sent them to their deaths for the greater good of all?"

I thought about that for a while. "So, deposing a monarch because you think you have a better way of doing things is okay?" At Luna's frown, I rushed to reassure her. "I'm not trying to be accusatory! From what it sounds like, the Red Queen's reign was horrific. I am just trying to find my footing in all this. Is it right to overthrow a tyrant? Most ponies would say yes. How about a monarch that just isn't doing very well by her ponies?"

Luna sighed. "According to my mother, there is no right or wrong. What we now call good and evil is merely the whim of those who are powerful enough to enforce their views. The only true good is the betterment of ponies as a whole, and that is only because it was what Mother wished for herself."

"What about the Wild Magic? The Elements of Harmony and the Rainbow of Light are part of it, aren't they? Don't they seem to make moral choices?"

"Those are different, and Celestia and I are responsible for them. During the time it took us to struggle out of the world, we made attempts to change the workings of the deep magic that underlies all things. We wanted ponies of good character to be rewarded simply as a part of how things naturally were. We only partially succeeded. The spells were capricious, unpredictable, and uncontrollable."

"So the Elements are just a focus for that power?"

"Yes. Wild Magic is only strong enough to do such great deeds when concentrated in such a place."

I have no idea why the thought struck me, but it seemed an important question to ask. "After she banished you, the Elements would no longer respond to Celestia. Was that because—"

There was a flash of magic and Celestia appeared in the stateroom.

"It was because they no longer perceived me as a good pony," she finished for me. "Yes, my own magic judged me and found me unworthy. I set the rules and then broke them."

I had no idea what to say to that.

"Is she laughing there inside you, Twilight?" Celestia continued. "It seems the sort of thing she would enjoy, the disappointment of an innocent."

"No, she is sealed away until Twilight dreams tonight. You can speak freely, sister," Luna told her.

Celestia stared at her for a moment, then at me. I nodded in confirmation.

"That is a stroke of luck!"

"Luck had nothing to do with it," I said, a bit miffed at her "innocent" comment. "I maneuvered her into it. It seems I may be a better student than you realize. I might have learned things you didn't intend to teach me."

"I see," Celestia said in an absolutely neutral voice.

"Luna, will you please leave us to talk alone?" I asked.

"If thou wilt call for me if need be, and come to me as swiftly as thou canst. I deign to be parted from you only so long as is needful."

"Of course I will."

"Soon, my love," Luna said as she winked out.

"You should not encourage her, Twilight." Celestia said sternly. "At least not until Cadance has—"

"I've taken care of that, too." I interrupted her. "The compulsion is gone and I still love her. Oh, it may not have happened without the Nightmare's interference, and it may have opened up a whole new can of awkwardness, but it's real enough. At least that's one good thing that has come out of this debacle."

"Love among the ruins of Equestria… Will that make you happy, Twilight?"

Despite her calm voice and subdued manner, I realized then that she was very angry. She was possibly more furious than she had ever been with me before. I pushed the thought to the back of my mind.

"I understand that I have made some very bad mistakes and questionable choices, but I want to assure you that the good of Equestria is my foremost priority now. I will do whatever I can to regain the stability of the kingdom, even if it means personal sacrifice."

Celestia's expression softened. "I hope so, Twilight, because the only way I can see to do that is to take drastic measures. I have come up with a plan, and if you truly mean what you say, then I feel it has a good chance of success."

"I would like to hear it," I said. "That was mostly the reason why I sent to ask for you. But there is another matter. Now that I have learned something about the real workings of reality..." I sat back, put a slight smile on my face, and tried my best to not look like a pony who was about to pass judgment on the daughter of creation. "I would like to know what plans you have for the future of Equestria and the rest of the world."

= = =

In Parliament Square stands the Fountain of Loving Kindness. The sculpture at its center is the work of Sweet Marble, widely considered to be her greatest masterpiece. It depicts Celestia lying on a low cushion, surrounded by several foals who are playing and cavorting around her. She looks on with the tender expression of an indulgent mother. The foals are supposed to represent the provinces, counties, and client states of Equestria that existed in Marble's time, but most ponies don't know the symbolic nature of the piece nowadays. Celestia's mane is a cunning piece of work: it channels the water that bubbles up all along the crest of her neck into the rippling channels carved into the translucent stone. It is designed so that, at dawn and sunset, the light through the stone and water divides into a prismatic fan of color, mimicking Celestia's actual mane in a very convincing way.

The first blast of magic from my horn pulverized the fountain into a cloud of marble dust and steam. The Nightmare's satisfaction at the act was palpable. I was not so happy about it, but it had to be done. The ponies of Canterlot had to know I was serious. Tearing off the outer wall of the Parliament building was much more satisfying. Even with my limited appreciation of aesthetics, I had always thought it was a really ugly building.

My dramatic appearance had put the assembly into a bit of a panic. One moment, the Loyalists had been furiously debating with the Council of the Elite as to how the kingdom in crisis was to be governed, and the next, they all were blinking into the mid-morning sunlight, their arguments made moot by the arrival of their new queen.

"YOU WILL BOW DOWN BEFORE ME!" I thundered across the square at them.

Most of them grabbed a chunk of floor immediately, but several of them lit their horns instead of bowing. I made sure to carefully note which ones defied my command.

"BOW!" I repeated, increasing the gravity beneath them so that they had no choice but to obey. Slamming the dissenters to the ground also had the benefit of disrupting the spells that they had been readying.

I stood on the roof of the portico of the Royal Library. It gave me a good vantage point with a solid stone building at my back. It also put me high enough that the ponies streaming into the square could get a good look at me.

Ponies tend to run away when beings wrapped in dark, smoky tendrils of magical power suddenly appear, but it was Canterlot, and I was obviously focusing my attention on the ruling class, so the average citizen's curiosity overcame their sense of self-preservation. The square began to grow crowded except for where the rubble of the wall had fallen, and I even thought I heard somepony groan, "Oh no, not again."

"YOU WANT A NEW RULER? WELL, YOU HAVE ONE NOW! I HAVE THE WILL TO DO WHAT CELESTIA WAS TOO KIND-HEARTED TO FORCE UPON YOU! ALL OF YOU WILL SERVE ME AS—"

The blast of energy streaked toward me from high above, and I batted it away with a contemptuous flick of a shield snapped briefly into existence. The bolt shattered a pillar in front of the Corn Exchange, and ponies scampered away from the falling marble, leaving the steps vacant.

Everypony in the square looked up to see Celestia, wings spread across the face of the sun, her horn boiling with power and her eyes sparking with rage.

"I HAVE THE POWER OF THE NIGHTMARE WITHIN ME, CELESTIA. DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE ANY HOPE OF DEFEATING ME? YOUR TIME OF INDULGENT RULE IS AT AN END. FLEE, AND I WILL LET YOU LIVE."

She also used the Royal Voice, and it was just as loud as mine, if less harsh. "YOU WILL NOT ENSLAVE MY PONIES. I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!"

"YOU CANNOT PREVENT ME. YOU ARE WEAK, CELESTIA!" I threw a black blade of killing magic at her, and she dodged aside, swooping down toward my position. I rose into the air and threw another blast, larger and more powerful than the first. It missed Celestia, but finished the demolition of the Corn Exchange's façade.

Celestia's next move was a quick series of shots of the sort intended for maximizing confusion and pain in their target. I didn't even bother with a shield. I spread my wings and forelegs wide and let them slam into my armored chest. They stung a bit, but that was all.

"IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN DO?" I sneered at her and laughed. "PATHETIC!" I brought up all the combined power I had at my command and poured it into a combination of spells. A spinning, buzzsaw shield appeared in front of me, crackling with thaumic discharge as I slammed kinetic energy into it. "THIS IS REAL POWER, YOU FOAL!"

The spell rocketed away from me, and Celestia only managed to teleport away at the last instant. Unfortunately, the newly built Canterlot University astronomy tower had no such ability and disintegrated when my destroying spell hit it. The empty building, just days away from being opened to the students, turned into a rain of millions of bits worth of masonry and equipment down into the river valley far below.

I growled and felt for a teleport spell's exit vortex. Celestia would not catch me by surprise. No, it was Luna who caught me by surprise. A silvery crescent of magic slammed into my side, knocking me floundering through the air.

Celestia reappeared while I was still getting my bearings, but all my attention was on Luna. "What are you doing?" I gasped. "Luna, you—"

"I AM PROTECTING MY PONIES, NIGHTMARE TWILIGHT!"

"No, no, you..." I gathered my will and my power. "YOU BELONG TO ME, LUNA! EVERYPONY HERE KNOWS THAT TO BE TRUE!"

"IT IS TRUE NO LONGER!" She shook her head, and even across the width of the square, I could see the tears falling from her eyes, glinting in the sun as they fell all the way down to the crowd below. "I BELONG TO EQUESTRIA!"

"YOU MAY BE STRONGER THAT I, NIGHTMARE TWILIGHT," Celestia cried out. "BUT YOU ARE NOT STRONGER THAN WE TWO TOGETHER!" Her horn and that of her sister boiled with searing light. They both put every ounce of their combined strength into a killing spell.

"Now!" I hissed under my breath to the Nightmare. "Give me every iota of your power! This must end now!" And she did. She did it without reservation because we were in deadly peril. She did it because she trusted me.

And I betrayed her.

Stripped of her strength, I expelled her from my body in a great cloud of crackling energy and black vapor. To the crowd below, it would have looked like I had charged the royal sisters in a final act of defiance. The vapor lasted long enough to hide my retreat to the shadow of a spire on the library roof, just as we planned. Celestia's little mind spell, cast the evening before, had kept any hint of my duplicity from the Nightmare, and she had only an instant to realize what I had done to her. She managed to turn and face me before Luna and Celestia's blinding shafts of magic struck her and burned her from the sky.

I remained hidden, waiting for the next scene to play itself out.

"FEAR NOT, MY BELOVED SUBJECTS! THE NIGHTMARE IS NO MORE!" Luna said to the crowd. Ragged cheers erupted from below her.

The ponies in the square approached the smoking black body that lay among the broken marble and puddles that was all that was left of the fountain. The unicorns among them reached out tentatively and probed it with their magic, finding it to be real and undeniable. The mare of darkest hue was dead.

I didn't hear the question from the crowd, but I knew what it was. Celestia had known it would be asked. "NO, IT IS NOT SO!" she told the crowd. "EVIL MAY DIE, BUT NOTHING THAT IS GOOD CAN TRULY PERISH. BEHOLD: YOUR PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPARKLE RETURNS TO YOU, CLEANSED AND WHOLE!"

That was my cue. Celestia's magic would immolate the body of the Nightmare, and I would teleport into the updraft of smoke and flames, seemingly reborn from the ashes of evil like a phoenix, cleansed of all darkness, to be welcomed back among the good and righteous.

That was the narrative carefully constructed by Celestia. The faith of her ponies in her and her sister would be restored, and the kingdom would be at peace again. I had made it possible. I had deceived the deceiver. I had betrayed the betrayer. She had looked at me in that last instant of her life, and there had been no anger, cunning, or anything I would have expected from the being I called the Nightmare. Only fear. She knew what I had done to her, that there was no escape, and she was terrified. I had saved the kingdom again, and I felt as if the shame of it was crushing the life out of me.

I fled.

I teleported once, twice, again and again, ripping my own exit points apart with overlaying vortices, so that there was no possibility that anypony would be able to track me. I actually planted a target inside a mountain and blew a fairly big chunk out of the granite as the transmission energy whipped the exit vortex around to a place with low enough density to be safe. When I finally stopped winking in and out, I was in a grassy spot, surrounded by a screen of trees and flowering shrubs. It took me a while to recognize the spot. It was the little park and playground next to my parent's townhouse in Canterlot. I had traveled hundreds of leagues only to end up less than a dozen furlongs from where I had started.

I think it was the sound of the swing set squeaking that finally tipped me off as to where I was. I turned to see if whoever was using the swings was disturbed or frightened by my appearance and found—

"Well, well, if it isn't the littlest princess, playing hide-and-seek!" Discord leered genially at me from where he swung enthusiastically back and forth.

Imbalance. Disturbance. Disturbed.

That's how Discord had found me. I suspected he had a natural ability to sense a pony's weak spots as well.

"I want to be alone right now," I told him in an appallingly normal tone of voice.

"Oh, but the other big ponies with the shiny, pointy hats are having such fun up at the palace tossing pillows at each other! Don't you want to join in?"

"They're having a pillow fight?" I asked in disbelief.

"Oh, wait... no, what's that other word that sounds like 'pillows'?" Discord put a thoughtful clawtip to his lips. "Oh yes! I meant accusations! Easy to get those two mixed up, isn't it?"

I shrugged. It didn't really have anything to do with me anymore. They could sort it out among themselves. I raised my gaze and looked up at the windows of my parent's house. They'd probably be in the middle of lunch at that time of the day. I could walk across the street and knock on the door. I'm sure they would welcome me in and find another plate for me.

"Maybe you'd like to listen in on the conversation," Discord said from behind me. "I could arrange that."

"Don't be silly," I said. "All I have to do is cross the street and they'll let me in."

There was a little whumph of displaced air and Discord was in front of me, peering into my eyes with a worried frown. "What are you talking about, Twilight? I don't think you're all there today." He illustrated his concern by making several parts of his body vanish. Funny.

"You should go away now. All away."

"Oh, come on, Princess of Friendzoneship! You've caused all this delightful uproar. Don't you want to enjoy it with a buddy? Let's pop up to the palace and watch the fun! You can learn all sorts of interesting stuff while invisibly eavesdropping."

"Celestia's just mad I ruined her story. She'll get over it. She's got much more important things to worry about than me."

"Oh, that?" Discord snorted and held up a little puppet that looked like me. "A quick illusion spell and you smiled and waved at everypony, boo-boos all better!" He made it wave and blow kisses at an imaginary audience.

Of course Celestia had been prepared for me to fail. I took a close look at the grinning foolish face painted on the puppet, then I cleared my throat and stood up straight, squaring my shoulders. It was important to look serious when delivering a professional assessment. "I can say with a high degree of confidence that the probability of me doing something extremely stupid is now approaching certainty. Since you are in close physical proximity, the likelihood of the aforementioned stupidity happening to you is rather high."

Discord rocked back on his tail and laughed. "Oh, that has got to be the most eggheaded threat I have ever heard! You're a hoot, Twilight!"

A hoot. An entertainment. A jester. A fool. A puppet.

I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek until the pain was worse than the burning in my eyes. Then I turned to Discord and smiled. Well, at least half of my face smiled at him; the other half remained sort of numb for some reason.

"I forgave you, didn't I?"

Discord finally realized that I was just a teeny bit more upset than he had assumed and he went quiet, his eagle talon and lion paw wiggling together in nervousness. "Uh... yes?"

"You can fix me! Like you did with my friends. Just snap your fingers, and then I can forget what happened. Or maybe you can make me just not care. That makes sense, right?"

Discord raised an eyebrow and then reached into the hedge next to him. He gave a yank, and pulled Big Macintosh halfway out of the dense foliage.

Big Mac took a startled look around and said, "What? Where am I?"

Discord sighed and shook his head. "You were supposed to say 'ee-nope', you big dummy!" He shoved Mac back into the hedge and folded his mismatched arms over his chest. "What in Equestria are you blathering about, Twilight?"

"I murdered a pony today, you idiot! It wasn't a fair fight. It was premeditated, cold-blooded murder! How can I live with that?"

"Oh, poo! You got rid of a monster who was a real threat to Equestria. She tried to kill you, didn't she? I seem to recall you threatened to kill her several times. Where was all this concern then?"

"But she wasn't a spirit of darkness! She was a pony! She was Luna!"

"Oh, please! Luna is up at the palace and healthy as a horse!" A shimmer of magic and a poof of scented smoke, and Discord stood before me in a wedding dress, clutching a bouquet. "Now you can marry her and live happily ever after. At least, a proposal might stop her from shouting at Celestia that her plan was stupid and she needs to find you before you do something foolish." His spiky mane turned blue and wavery and he put on a horrible imitation of Luna's voice. "Oh, Twilight! This beith all so sudden! I kneweth we were good friends, but I never daredethed to hope—"

I'd like to think that if it weren't for his choice of flowers, I wouldn't have snapped. But they were night-blooming jasmine: Luna's favorite.

"Time for the stupid!" I said as I half-grinned up at him, my horn blazing into a violent torch of power. "You might want to brace yourself; I think this is going to hurt."

= = =

=

Author's Note

Just plain old thanks don't seem like enough reward for AcademicPony and statoose, who are tireless champions of coherence and good grammar, so I've asked Princess Luna to stop by for a guest note:

THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH!

And thanks to Her Majesty for the assist.

21 Friends

Chapter Twenty One
Friends

When my mother opened the door, it was with a certain wariness. The neighborhood my parents lived in was very respectable and very safe, but I imagine that the noise Discord and I had made was something that had never been heard in that quarter of the city in several lifetimes, if ever. "It's okay, mom!" I reassured her. "It's just me. Can I come in?"

She peered over my shoulder at the slowly writhing draconequus and then looked back at me. "Dear, are you okay?"

"Nope, not really. Hey! You've never met Discord, have you? Mom, this is my friend, Discord, malevolent spirit of disharmony and inappropriate touching. Discord, this is my mother, Twilight Velvet."

"Help me..." Discord wheezed. "Call... the guards... Celestia.... anypony!"

I laughed at that. Maybe I laughed a bit too much. "Oh, don't worry about him! Those are special concatenating shields to nullify his magic. They're not uncomfortable on purpose; they've got to be that layered and tight to work properly. I happened to notice the effect of my ordinary shield on his magic and then worked up this specialized version... just in case someone got a little too playful. Be prepared; that's my motto!"

I thought about what I'd just said for a second. "Well, I guess that's one of my mottoes. 'Reading is magic' is another. Oh, and 'keep detailed notes' is a good one. Hmn... maybe I should start a list."

Mom gave me a look.

"Oh, right! Sorry, I got sidetracked there for a second. Busy day. Can I park Discord out here in the hall while we visit?" I was feeling a bit giddy and jumpy at the same time. I supposed it was the effort of maintaining the multiple shields, but I thought I could probably hold them indefinitely by adding little bursts of power at measured intervals. Plenty of time for a nice chat with mom and dad and a rummage through my old textbooks.

"This... isn't funny... any more."

"Quiet, you." I propped him in the corner by the hat rack, facing the wall, then gave mom a big hug, which we held for a long time.

"I'm so glad you're okay, dear," she said. "A captain from the guard arrived last evening and told us you'd come back, but he also mentioned that you had... changed." She held me out and looked at me. "You look like you've been exercising quite a lot, but otherwise you don't look like you've changed much."

"Right, right," I chuckled nervously. "I guess you haven't heard about the little fracas in Parliament Square yet. All smoke and mirrors. Nothing to worry about."

"Alright, dear," Mom said slowly. "Why don't you come in and sit down. You look a bit frazzled." She led me into the parlor, and I sat down on the big blue cushion by the fireplace.

"Have you got anything to eat? I haven't had breakfast yet, and I'm starving!"

"Of course, dear," she said, the worried, puzzled look still on her face. "Just wait here for a minute." She went out of the room in the direction of the kitchen.

"Okie-dokie! Oh hey! I'm going to have a look though some of my old books if that's okay with you. They're still up in the attic, right? You didn't sell them or anything?"

Mom leaned back into the room and gave me another look. She's got a whole vocabulary of expressions for various occasions. Of course she wouldn't have sold my books! What was I thinking?

I teleported the books I wanted into the room: only the books and not the boxes. The boxes were probably covered with dust, and Mom was a bit fussy about the neatness and cleanliness of her house. See? I can be very thoughtful sometimes. At least with the little things.

A low conversation started up out in the hall, but I ignored it. I opened Advanced Geomancy, Higher-Order Thaumic Flow Functions, and Matrix Transformation Theory, and began to go through them, cross-referencing and making notes in the margins. After a little while, there came a voice from the hall.

"Twilight?"

I looked up to see my dad peering into the room.

I froze my books, notes, and quill in place and got up to go hug him. He seemed tense for some reason.

"Oh, hey! Where are my manners? Have you met Discord? Let me introduce you!"

"No, it's fine, sweetie. I just had a little talk with him. Maybe you should let him go now?"

"What? No! He's been bad and is having a time-out. Besides, he would turn your house into a gigantic pudding or something if I let him loose. It would get all over my books."

"Okay," Dad said, gently. "What is it you're doing there?"

"Well," I said, clearing my throat and putting on my serious business face. "The world is all twisted inside, the government of Equestria is based on greed and deception, and I'm a cold-hearted killer. There's not much I can do about that last one, but I'm going to do my best to fix the first two."

"Maybe you'd like to take a little nap now and talk things over later?"

"Dad! I'm not a little filly any more. I know what I'm doing!"

"Sweetie, you're not thinking clearly. You're upset, and even though you've got very good reasons to be so, you need to take some time to—"

"Look at this!" I said, my voice rising unintentionally. I held up the geomancy book for him to see where I'd circled a formula in red ink. "Right there! That is a deliberate error! It was put in this book to distract anypony away from getting near the real truth!"

"Uh, sweetie—"

"Don't 'sweetie' me, Dad! It's a monstrous lie! It's part of a conspiracy to keep us all ignorant!"

"Twilight, you're scaring me."

"You should be scared! I've seen what lies at the heart of the world, and it is worse than any Nightmare! And what's so awful is that the government is hardly better! There has got to be a way to fix all of this. Our little puppet show this morning is only a patch; the system is fundamentally flawed!"

Mom shoved Dad aside and slowly approached me.

"Twilight, listen to me, please! Take a deep breath and try to calm down. I've made some sandwiches and tea, so why don't we sit down together and eat, and you can explain all this to us bit by bit so that we can understand."

"Don't patronize me!" I shrieked. "I'm right!" I shook the textbook at her. "If this stupid formula is correct, would I be able to do this?" I turned to the window overlooking the street and reached out with my magic. My inner sight showed the subtle flows of energy below the pavement, and I grabbed onto them, intending to twist a big granite spire up into the sky to illustrate my point.

Just because the thaumic flow of the world's magic is slow, doesn't mean it's weak; something that I had disregarded in my haste to prove my point. Something else I hadn't taken into consideration was that, even though I had expelled the Nightmare's physical self, I still had her magical power within me. So, even before I could begin the spell, I unintentionally created a conduit of enormous capacity. I had a fraction of a second to realize my mistake before the blow-back bucked me into darkness.

= = =

When I woke up, I was tucked into the guest bed. Dad was sitting by the bedside. He looked up when I shifted, and then stood and leaned over me. "Hey, sweetie. How are you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess. Kinda numb."

"We were pretty worried for a while there." He reached over and smoothed my mane back from my face.

The whole little "episode" came back to me in a rush, and I tried to sit up, but my head swam and I decided it was better to be lying down. I looked at my dad and said, "Discord! What happened when I passed out? Did he..."

Dad looked a bit uncomfortable and pointed with a hoof. There, between my forelegs, was a little stuffed toy. It looked a lot like Discord. One of its button eyes winked at me.

"Aaaaahhh!" I flung the doll away from me and it hit the wall with a squeak, then dropped to the floor.

Discord arose from the floor and dusted himself off. "I was just trying to comfort a friend, Twilight. Where's the harm in that?"

I eyed him warily, all too aware of the things he could do to me if I was slow to cast my special shield spells. Even if I got the jump on him, my parents' house would suffer in the struggle.[1] "I... I guess you're pretty mad at me, aren't you?"

[1] The slide and swing set in the park would never be the same. Maybe they could be passed off as some sort of modern art installation.

"Oddly enough, I'm not." he said. "I wouldn't want to become predictable."

"I'm really sorry, if that makes a difference."

Discord floated up over the bed and lazily looped through the air in a sinuous figure eight. "I know you are, Twilight. You're completely predictable, uninteresting, and dull: a classic good-girl. Booooooring!"

Dad was frowning at Discord, and I think he was about to say something in my defense, but I made a little motion with one hoof to forestall him. Discord was working up to something. He wasn't as unpredictable as he thought he was.

"Predictable, am I? So what am I going to do next?" I asked.

"You'll stay here, of course! Away from those nasty, bickering alicorns and those horribly difficult and embarrassing conversations," he said with a grin, a snap of his fingers, and a burst of magic. "Here, with your books, where it's safe and comfy!"

The sides of my bed grew rails and bars and I... I spat out the pacifier and teleported the baby bonnet and diapers off of me.

"Oh," Discord sounded disappointed. "Would you prefer a padded cell?"

I flickered a brief shield around the bed, which returned it to normal, and then I hopped out. "I've got to go, Dad. I'm sorry for worrying you and Mom."

"She went for a doctor. He said not to, but—"

"Tell her I'm okay, and give her my love when she gets back. I'll let you know how everything turns out." I gave him a big hug and then turned to Discord. "I'm going up to the palace and I'd really appreciate it if you didn't stick your oar in. Things are bad enough as it is."

Discord hastily hid the oar that had popped into existence behind his back. "As long as you promise to tell me all about it afterward."

"Fine," I sighed. "All the gruesome details, I guess. And hey..." I reached over and pulled him into a brief hug. "Thank you. You were a good friend to me even when I was being difficult. That's pretty impressive."

"I... oh... You're welcome, Twilight." Was Discord actually blushing? It was undoubtedly just another act.

= = =

I teleported into the entrance hall of the throne room. The two household guards at either side of the inner doors didn't flinch, even though I had appeared quite close to them.

"Your Highness," one of them said, "Her Majesty asked us to convey her regards and ask you if you would be so kind as to spare her a little time as soon as would be convenient for you."

He had obviously memorized the message and was repeating it verbatim. I imagined all of the palace guard had been given the same instructions in case I happened to wander by. I didn't have the heart to ask him which Majesty had given him the message, but as he was wearing the golden armor of the Solar Guard, it was undoubtedly his princess.

"Thank you," I said. "Where is Her Majesty now?"

"She is in the solarium with the Princesses Luna and Cadenza, Your Highness."

So formal and serious. Well, after intra-monarchy tension for months on end, I supposed it was almost reflexive to be excruciatingly polite. The fact that they were talking to a mare who had violently thrown around several hundred tons of Canterlot building materials just that morning was probably additional incentive. I thanked them again, and headed up the north hallway.

I was attacked as I passed the entrance to the staff dining room. The first pony hit me low and hard on my left, and just as I was turning to see what was going on, the next landed on my back. The others piled on only a second later, and I was buried under a heavy squirming pile of my friends.

"Twilight, Twilight, Twilight, TWILIGHT, Twilight—"

"Pffnkie!" I tried to say through a face full of fluffy pink mane.

All coherency dissolved into overlapping greetings and joyful noises. I couldn't see Spike, but I knew the feel of his head spines digging into my cheek very well.

After a while, we all fell apart and got a good look at the whole group. "Did you come all the way here to see me? I would have come back to Ponyville in a day or so."

Applejack stepped forward. "After what Rainbow Dash told us, we figured you might need a little lookin' after, so we caught the red-eye last night."

"Yes," Rarity said. "We arrived just in time to catch the flashes and bangs from Parliament Square. By the time we got there, it was all over and ponies were saying the most ridiculous things!"

Rainbow Dash gave me a crooked grin. "'Nightmare Twilight?' Really?"

I almost rolled my eyes and scoffed, but then I thought about it. "Not in the way ponies probably told it, but yes, today I was a villain."

"Pfft! Yeah, right!" Rainbow Dash did roll her eyes.

"But you're not dark and spooky anymore!" Pinkie said. "No more Nightmare means you're our old Twilight again!"

I didn't think I was ever going to be their "old Twilight" again, but at least I could take a shot at being a new Twilight. The first thing I was going to do was ignore just how wet my neck was. I ruffled Spike's spines and said, "I'm sorry I caused all of you so much trouble. I'm supposed to be princess of bringing ponies together, not princess of crazy and pointless adventures!"

That got a chuckle out of most of them, but Pinkie's eyes went slightly out of focus and she got a crooked little grin on her face that sent a little shiver up my spine.

"All that matters is that you're here, and everything is back to normal," Fluttershy said with an expression of desperate hopefulness.

"Normal," I said. "Right."

"Oh, hey!" Rainbow Dash said, and pulled something out from under one wing. "You made the papers! Check it out!"

"EVIL DEFEATED!" read the headline. By slightly less evil, I mentally added in self-disgust. Below the enormous letters was a full width picture of me blasting the statue of Celestia. The photographers must have been in the square even before I'd arrived. Nothing had been left to chance.

"When asked for a comment," I said, in an attempt at levity, "Nightmare Twilight said, 'Mwahahaha! The evening shall last foreverrrr!'"

The group began to chuckle but stopped abruptly when Spike slapped me hard on the shoulder. "Stop it!," he shouted. "It isn't funny! You were gone for so long, and then you came back looking like that, and I thought you were going to get banished and, I'd never see you again, and it isn't fair that you scared me like that, and—"

I wrapped my wings around him and squeezed, rubbing my cheek against his. "I'm sorry, Spike! I'm really, really sorry. I messed up, I know. But that was the only way I could fix things. It was the only way that more ponies weren't going to get hurt because of me."

We hugged in an awkward silence for a time, while the girls shuffled their hooves and examined the ceiling, and then I said, "I know it isn't going to make up for everything I've put you through, but just as an initial apology, how about if I commission Pinkie Pie to bake you a double-stuffed, triple-layered gem cake for dessert tonight?"

"R—really?" Spike looked up, eyes shining.

I nodded. "Do you think you're up to the challenge, Pinkie?"

Pinkie Pie's face tightened down into fierce determination. "If he doesn't gobble enough to make himself sick, I'll turn in my oven mitts!" With that, she turned and began to stomp off in the direction of the palace kitchens. After three stomps, she looked back over her shoulder and added, "And there's gonna be so many gems in it, his barf will glitter!"

Something to look forward to, I told myself, while the rest of the girls made various quiet noises of disgust.

"On that charming note..." Rarity said. "As we all now have a de facto dinner date, I feel I should pass along Princess Celestia's message."

"Oh, right," I said. "The guards gave it to me. I was on my way to see her when you all ambushed me."

"Oh! Well, don't let us keep you from your royal duties, darling!"

"Too late," Dash said, half under her breath, earning herself a perfunctory glare from Rarity.

"Alright, then. Dinner in the little hall an hour after sundown." I hesitated. "Is it okay if I invite one or two more guests? We can have a more private get-together back home in a day or so. Yes? Good! Rarity, could you please ask the castle staff to arrange the meal? Pass it along as a request from me." I nudged Spike. "Walk along with me? You don't know how much I missed having my number-one assistant by my side."

Spike gave me a slight grin. "You were probably lost without me!"

"Utterly lost," I confirmed, as we walked on toward the solarium. "Ready to write out some invitations?"

He hesitated until I teleported a pad of paper and a quill into his claws. "Ready!"

"Good!" I nodded, and began to dictate.

= = =

"Her Exalted Highness, Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship," announced the guard as he opened the door to the solarium. Exalted? When did I get a promotion?

"See you at dinner, Spike," I said as I walked away from him and toward the doorway.

I had put on my big-girl shoes and mentally prepared myself for a stern dressing-down from Celestia. I was determined to be calm and reasonable about it, and I was going to do my best not to get emotional. But I certainly wasn't prepared for what I saw when I entered the solarium.

Luna and Cadence stood together with somber expressions. Behind them, almost entirely hidden from view, stood Celestia, looking out of the large windows. It wasn't until the door boomed shut behind me that she stood and turned to face the room.

When I saw her tear-streaked face, I found myself frozen in shock.

I didn't have much time to gawp, because Luna rushed forward and wrapped her forelegs around me and pulled me into a powerful hug. "Oh, Twilight, I was so worried," she murmured into my mane. "You should never have had to go through that at all! Celestia asked too much of you... expected too much."

Despite her appearance, Celestia's voice was calm and even. "Twilight is stronger than you give her credit for. She has her little eccentricities and... 'moments' we used to call them, but she has always served the kingdom well."

I felt Luna's lips against my neck as they pulled back in a snarl. She lifted her head to glare at her sister and opened her mouth... and suddenly her expression softened and her muscles relaxed.

Celestia's own face went from neutral and distant to a fond smile. I felt a cool sensation of relief wash over me, and I breathed a sigh of relief. We all had the same basic values and goals and we loved each other; why should we fight? Everything would be just fine.

Celestia approached the two of us and Cadance joined her, her horn softly glowing and shedding little heart-shaped pulses of magic. They both pressed in on either side of us, necks bowed over our backs and wings spread and overlapping. With all the wings and pointy bits, alicorn group hugs are a bit complex, but we managed.

There was a long time of unfocused apologies and reassurances after we had all dried our eyes, but there were several things that had to be gotten through, and we all knew it. First came Cadance's area of expertise.

"I don't want to make you angry, Twilight, but I think I really should—"

"Yes, of course," I cut her off. I had expected this and was prepared for it. "Things would have gone very differently if I had been sensible about this in the first place." I glanced at Luna, but she said nothing and her expression was unreadable.

Cadance lit her horn and touched me with her magic. It felt good. Then she gasped.

"What is it?" Celestia asked, suddenly alert and staring at me intently. I couldn't help it: I tensed up.

"It's... odd," Cadance said. "I'm surprised by the... well, it's hard to explain. The texture of Twilight's magic maybe? It just feels strange to me."

There was an easy answer to that. "I'm still carrying the Nightmare's power. Don't worry, there's nothing of her left, just the energy, and I've got full control of it." I tried to smile reassuringly at Cadance. "It should feel odd!"

Cadance glanced at Luna, who remained stone-faced, then back at me. "Yes, that's probably it. Sorry. I'll go on." After a minute or so the cool touch of Cadance's magic faded and she sat back. "The Nightmare told you she had forced you into loving Luna?" she asked, a puzzled tone in her voice.

"Yes, she 'pushed' me into it. But even after her influence is gone, I still love Luna." I turned to Luna and gave her a reassuring smile.

Cadance frowned. "She lied to you, Twilight. The only spell remnant I can detect is one that nudged your physical attraction to Luna. There is no trace of anything else."

Luna's ragged exhalation was neither missed nor commented upon, and fortunately, it was loud enough to cover my own gasp of surprise.

Cadance continued. "I confess I've never encountered a situation like this before, Twilight. You love her, but your preference for male partners might cause some—"

"'Twill be no matter for concern!" Luna interrupted. She had been standing behind Cadance and Celestia, but she walked slowly around them to approach me, flowing from one form to another with each step. She didn't transform as quickly as a changeling, but her mastery of the art was very clear. In a dozen paces, she became a dozen different ponies, all male. "I shall be whatever my lover finds comely, and in time she may even find mine own self desirable again." The final body she wore as she stopped in front of me was a particularly striking stallion version of herself, ethereal mane and all.

"I..." Cadance said in a voice so low it was nearly a whisper. "Unless you enjoy being a stallion, Luna, I'm not so sure that's wise or healthy."

I briefly had the strange twin emotions of admiring Luna's new form and feeling that I was being disloyal to her somehow. I was about to make a very rude comment on the state of anypony's mental health versus my own, when Celestia spoke up.

"We discussed this earlier, I believe."

Cadance backed away, and Luna turned to face her sister. "It is Twilight's decision to make. I will do as she wishes."

"Luna, it is unfair to saddle Twilight with such a decision. You have a responsibility—"

I cleared my throat. "Would you mind bringing me up to speed on this discussion?" There may have been a bit of an edge creeping back into my voice.

Celestia glanced at her sister and Cadance, but neither of them seemed over-eager to help out. She sighed and walked back to the big curved windows, nodding to a cushion next to her as she lay on her own. I accepted her offer and Luna, still wearing her stallion form, lay down by my side. Cadance stood where she was, nervously shifting her hooves.

"The situation is now much better than it was," Celestia began. "Very much improved over what I had any right to expect, in fact. But that does not mean that Equestria and her allies are returned to perfect harmony. There will be a long period of time in which any small disturbance will be magnified out of all proportion. We must take care that the next year or so is inordinately peaceful and... normal."

Cadance snorted. It was a very soft, lady-like snort, but it was certainly a sign from the only neutral alicorn in the room. The Alicorn of Love had expressed her opinion. I was a little bit glad that I had missed the earlier "discussion."

"Oh." I said, glancing at Luna, whose face had settled into an impassive mask once again. "And we aren't normal."

"You are perfectly normal," Cadance said, barely above a whisper. It was obviously untrue, but we all knew what she meant.

"Yes," Celestia nodded. "I cannot be anything but happy for your mutual love, and I understand how much it means to you both, but many ponies will feel differently."

"Because we are both mares? I know that makes a difference to some of the older and more conservative ponies, but most ponies nowadays don't care."

"Or they feel that expressing such prejudiced objections would not be received well," Celestia added. "But that is only a tiny part of the problem, and alone, it would not be of much consequence. The real problem is that Luna and I are more symbols to our citizens than we are real ponies. I have never taken a lover because I have always had to be the inviolate Sun Princess, the supreme and solitary leader of Equestria. A husband would have lessened my authority and stature in the eyes of my subjects. Luna is only just now being accepted as a princess with equal authority, years after her return. Any mate for her would be problematic, but given your tangled history over the last two years, continuing your relationship would be incredibly disruptive at the very least."

I opened my mouth to object, but Celestia went on. "Adding in Luna sometimes appearing as a stallion would also confuse our ponies about her traditional and symbolic role. You correctly pointed out that the gender problem will only affect the older and more conservative ponies of the kingdom, but that is a very good description of the majority of nobles and ponies in positions of power. What everypony needs right now is reassurance in the normalcy and stability of our rule. Please forgive me for being blunt, but there is only one thing that is more important to me than your happiness, and that is the good of the kingdom." Her head drooped and her expression became a mask of sorrow. "I will make no demands of you, but I truly believe that continuing your relationship will be harmful to the harmony of Equestria."

We all were silent for a very long time. I could be noble and supportive of the good of the realm, or I could selfishly choose to gratify my own desires and bring harm to Equestria. At least that was the choice as Celestia had framed it.

I turned to Luna. Her face was closed and unreadable but her eyes were very bright in the late afternoon sunlight. I kissed her on the cheek and said softly into her ear, "Wait for me in the Tower of the Moon. I will come there right after sunset."

She hesitated, but finally nodded and rose to her hooves. She didn't teleport away. Instead, she backed into the shadow of a pillar and faded from sight in a strange swirl of magic. I took Luna's method of departure as an unspoken message.

I stood and went to Cadance, hugging her tightly. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. I hope you can forgive me for how rude and troublesome I've been."

"Of course I do! But, are you sure you want me to leave, Twilight? I would like to help if I can."

The little love-whammy she had dropped on all of us earlier had undoubtedly defused a tense situation, but I needed to finish the conversation with Celestia without any moderation clouding the debate. "Thank you, but this is something that should be between Celestia and I alone. I will see you tomorrow if I can."

When the door closed behind her, I returned to my cushion, lay down again, and took a long moment to collect my thoughts. I wanted my words to be as precise and unemotional as possible. Celestia waited patiently.

Finally, I took a deep breath and began. "I killed a pony for you today. Yes, I know I didn't strike the blow myself, but without my cooperation, it wouldn't have been possible, so I am as guilty as you are. I did it because you convinced me that it was in the best interests of the kingdom and the world at large. But, no matter what logic tells me, I don't feel that it was right."

"If there was any other way, I would have taken it," Celestia said, her head bowed.

"I believe you," I told her. That got her to look up at me. "But I will never forget the look on her face the moment before she died. I don't know how I can deal with that. I..." I paused and took a couple of deep breaths to calm myself. "I don't mind admitting that I'm having a hard time keeping myself together right now."

"I know," she said.

I squeezed my eyes shut and my jaw muscles tightened. It took me a few seconds to unclench my teeth enough to speak. "How do you deal with it? I realize now that you must have had to do... things like this before. How do you cope?"

Celestia looked me in the eyes for a long moment. She did so because she wanted me to know that what she was going to tell me wasn't anything but the truth, no matter how it sounded. "I pretend to cope. I act like I imagine a pony who could cope would act. I keep on with the charade until one day it becomes the truth. And all the while, I desperately hope it will be the last time I will need to pretend to be somepony else."

She turned her head away from me. "It never is," she said, quietly. "But Equestria will have the leader it needs."

I sat and thought about that for a long while. "Okay, then," I said, rising to my hooves. "What's good for the kingdom is good for me, too."

Celestia looked up sharply at me. She'd caught the subtle tone in my voice. Good.

"I'm in love with Luna. I won't say that the issues you raised about our relationship are insignificant, and I agree that the image the two of you present is of critical importance. If you want a logical rebuttal from me, then consider Luna's likely reaction if I broke up with her. What sort of image would she present then, or do you think she is a good enough actress to cover up the resentment she couldn't help feeling, even if she was willing to try?"

Celestia listened attentively with a grave expression. She made no comment because she knew I wasn't finished.

"It was the Nightmare's influence. She manipulated me into seducing Luna and creating a rift between the two of you. Now that I'm 'cured', everything's back to normal. That's what I'm going to pretend."

The ghost of a smile flitted across Celestia's face. "But in actuality..."

I gave her a slight grin in return. "I've read that romances gain a certain exciting quality when they are carried on in secret, and I'm looking forward to discovering if that's true."

Celestia rose and crossed the short distance to where I stood. "You are an amazing pony, Twilight Sparkle, and I cannot find it in my heart to deny you happiness. It will be as you wish." She wrapped her huge wings around me and hugged me tightly and I returned the embrace with all of my strength.

= = =

=

Author's Note

Once again I must give my heartfelt thanks to my most excellent pre-readers, AcademicPony and statoose!

22 Secrets

Chapter Twenty Two
Secrets

So that was the plan. If we stayed out of the public eye, we could have our cake and eat it, too.[1] Equestria would be reassured that all was normal again, and Luna and I would be able to enjoy each other's company without panicking the populace.

[1] Pinkie Pie's solution to that traditional problem of gluttony vs. the artistry of the baker was to bake two cakes: one to look at and one to eat. Of course, she always ended up eating both cakes, so it wasn't a very good solution.

I didn't much like the idea of deception, but I couldn't deny that it was the best solution out of a host of unpleasant or unworkable ones.

Halfway across the upper terrace on my way to the Tower of the Moon, I became convinced it was what Luna herself had subtly suggested with her shadowy vanishing act. Ponies had some pretty sophisticated non-verbal ways of communicating. Just ask my mom.

Three-quarters of the way across the terrace, I began to wonder if all the events of the past year hadn't turned out exactly as Celestia had planned. The bitter and hateful Nightmare had still been a threat through the Dream Realm, even when she was unreachable within the Wheel of the Earth. Who else could have gone down there with a chance of bringing her out as anything other than a fully restored monster?

Celestia had obviously hidden aboard Solar Flare, disguised as a normal pony. I didn't think there was any way she could have reached us in time to rescue Luna otherwise. Had I really been too far into the collapsing portal for her magic to take hold of me? Had I really felt the slightest tug of her magic before the portal closed, or was that my hopeful imagination? Had she let me go, trusting that I would do pretty much what I had done?

No, surely not. Or was I really "Celestia's Little Terror?" The pony she trusted to solve the unsolvable. I confess the idea thrilled me just a bit. I made a mental note to worm my nickname out of my brother somehow. He'd surely know it, even if he didn't approve.

I paused and looked over the edge of the parapet toward Parliament Square. I couldn't help but reflect that every time my life showed any sort of stability or reliability, sudden drastic changes had overtaken me. When I grew complacent in my power and abilities, some new challenge would appear that would try me to my utmost. It felt a lot like the method the Red Queen had used to strengthen her ponies. Only personal.

There was quite a party going on in the square; I could hear the music and singing from where I stood. Colored lanterns had been strung above the rubble, and balloons floated on long lines along the High Street. It was a joyous celebration by a lot of happy and relieved ponies.

I might be disturbed by her methods, but I couldn't argue with Celestia's results. I turned back toward the tower as a thin waning crescent moon rose over the castle. It should have been a waxing quarter at this time of month, but allowances had to be made, I supposed.

Alone, Celestia had ruled Equestria in peace or victory for a thousand years. Though all the official histories said otherwise, she couldn't have managed that impressive feat by merely being the wise, motherly figure that was her public persona. Not many modern ponies know it, but griffins used to eat ponies, and the First Griffin War was partly the result of a famine in their homeland. Emperor Gustave certainly got a rude surprise when his armies swooped down on Canterlot, calling for the "mild and weak" Celestia to surrender her kingdom. Modern griffins blanch at the thought of eating any sapient species, and we all have Celestia to thank for that.

So why was I bothered by some necessary deception and one probably deserved death? Was it that it led me into even more deception? But it was for the good of Equestria, and the heroic tales of self-sacrifice that I loved as a filly might just as well be re-framed as sacrificing one's overly strict morals. I shook myself out of my inner argument and went on. I'd have plenty of time to obsess over it later.

The captain of Luna's guard stood watch at the entrance to her tower. He braced as I approached, head and neck held in a stiff posture of respect as I walked up to the door.

"Good evening, Captain Nightwing. The princess is expecting me."

He gave me a brief, tight nod. "Her Majesty requests that, if you bear bad news, you would be so kind as to leave her to her own thoughts tonight."

I gave him a slight smile. "I know my way up."

He relaxed just a bit and stepped to the side. As I passed by him, he said softly, "Thank you, Princess."

I didn't ask what he was thanking me for.

The two big onyx vases outside Luna's private chambers held large bouquets of asphodel and moon wort; their heavy scent filled the hallway. I raised the silver crescent knocker and rapped lightly. "It's me," I called out.

After a moment, the door swung inward, revealing the dimly lit chamber. Luna stood by the window that overlooked the city, her head turned toward me over her shoulder. She was leaning slightly forward and her near hind hoof was cocked at exactly the right angle.

"Oh, 'tis good to hear thee laugh, Twilight!" she said as she came to greet me.

Our wings and forelegs wrapped and intertwined as I said, "And it's good to know you haven't lost your subtle and wicked sense of humor."

"Nary a pony alive today would credit it, but I bore the Element of Laughter once upon a time."

We held each other for a while, then I said, "Our relationship has faced a lot of challenges, and there are certainly going to be many more in the future. Do you think it will matter if we add another one to the pile?"

"As long as we bear the burden together, my love," Luna said softly, her lips brushing my neck.

It wasn't so bad, really. So what if she was a mare? Love is love, isn't it? Can't a pony grow toward acceptance with an act of will?

After another moment, Luna spoke again. "I am the Mare of the Night, the Princess of Dark Places, and the Mistress of Secrets; it will be no hardship to me to hide the truth, to play at disguises and deceptions with thee."

"Oh, so you know what I decided?"

"I do," Luna confirmed. "Do I not? 'Tis not but the only way to satisfy all involved. But what of thee? Will not the clandestine meetings be a burden? Wilt thou not feel discomfort when we go amongst our subjects disguised?"

I chuckled. "It might be a relief to just be a normal pony every once in awhile."

Luna nodded. "Normal, but not ordinary. I will not let thee reduce thy beauty for the sake of dissemblement."

That made me laugh again. "Is that a real word?" My somber, introspective mood was rapidly dissolving.

"Wouldst thou doubt me? Oh, cruel and heartless lover! How canst thou be so calumtationish?"

I had an absolute fit of snorting laughter. "Okay, first thing tomorrow, I'm buying a Middle Equish dictionary!"

"Fie! Reunited we are, after a long and torturous absence, and thou thinkest of naught but reading? Mayhaps I can change thy mind."

That's when Luna's teasing took on a much more physical aspect. She stepped away from me, and I felt the cool and silky flow of her magic as she shifted her shape. Before me stood a silver-gray unicorn stallion with an ebony mane and tail. He was luxuriously muscled, but lithe and supple instead of bulky. "Tell me, Twilight," he... uh... she said in a baritone as rich as melted chocolate, "what do you read in my eyes?"

Oh, Stars and Moon! Those half-lidded turquoise eyes held an invitation that was unmistakable. My throat, heart, and belly all competed to see which one could perform the most convoluted internal gymnastics. I said something brilliant like, "Guh," and sat down hard. They aren't common or frequent, but there are times when I really wish I could turn off my brain for an hour or so, and that was one of them.

Luna sensed my distress and became herself again in an instant. "Forgive me! I didst not intend—"

I held up a hoof and made a little squeaky noise in place of coherent speech. Then, after I had collected myself and cleared my throat, I said, "No, that was... was... wow. It's just that I think I'd like to take it a bit slow at first. If that's okay with you?"

"Of course, Twilight." Luna nodded earnestly. "Wouldst thou have preferred wings?"

I managed not to make another dumb little squeak, and said, "No... yes... maybe... I don't really know!"

"Slow, then," Luna said, smiling gently. "We have all the time we could want, now."

"Oh, right," I gasped out. "Time! I arranged for a dinner party that's supposed to start in about a half hour. You should come. I mean we should go. Together. Go together."

"Thou art adorable when flustered, my love." She nibbled gently on one of my ears.

"Stop that!"

Luna tilted her head questioningly.

"I mean... stop making me go all melty and goopy inside!"

She chuckled and tossed her mane. "'Tis sweet revenge for all those times I looked upon thee with longing sans hope, my dear, brilliant, beautiful—"

"Dinner!" I shouted in desperation. "Either we go down to dinner right now, or nopony's going to see the two of us for a month!"

A slow, evil smile crept across Luna's face. "Dinner... for now," she said.

= = =

"You invited Chrysalis?!" Applejack quietly hissed at me, trying not to lose sight of the changeling queen-in-exile where she chatted with Jigsaw and Sesseressia on the other side of the dining hall. The big table in the center of the room had been set, but the first course hadn't been served, and the little tables along the walls held a large assortment of appetizers. Everypony orbited the dinner table, sampling and grazing.

I briefly considered the best way to phrase it so that Applejack could empathize with my motives. "I've got some scores to settle, and as long as I've been away, I thought it would be best not to delay any longer."

"Does one of them scores involve the big bug gettin' her hide whupped?" Applejack asked, with the beginnings of a grin.

"I know you don't like her, but I really do owe her for the trouble I caused her."

"Twi—"

"Just watch her face. I'm sure you will enjoy it."

I left Applejack and walked around the big table, trading a few words with my friends as they mingled and sampled the hors d'oeuvres set out on silver trays around the periphery of the room. I passed Luna and Rarity, who stopped talking to each other and put on bright, innocent expressions as I passed by. Palace intrigue, no doubt.

"Your Majesty. Jigsaw. Sessi," I said as I approached them. As far as I knew, all that Chrysalis ruled was a little part of the Blueblood estate, a few score changelings, and a couple of shady businesses, but it was simple politeness to go along with her self-styled title.

"Twi!" Jigsaw beamed, and we exchanged hugs. "It's so good to see you back. I was worried sick, but I guess it's going to take a twenty-ton tombstone to keep you down!"

"I'm sure I could scrape up the bits to pay for one, if you find yourself short of cash," Chrysalis offered. Sesseressia chuckled.

"It's good to see you, too," I replied to Jigsaw while ignoring Chrysalis' jab. "Do you think you could excuse us for a minute or two? State business."

Jigsaw glanced between Chrysalis and I with a frankly disbelieving expression and then said, "Sure thing, Twi. I'll be right over there if you need anything."

"Like bandages or burn cream," Sesseressia said out of the corner of her mouth as she went by.

When they had trotted out of earshot, I turned to Chrysalis, who was frowning at me warily, and asked, "You haven't forgotten my promise to you, have you?" I glanced down at her legs. Sure enough, the holes were small. Some were barely dimples.

Chrysalis lifted her lip just enough to reveal the tip of one long incisor. "I don't expect you to honor it."

I wanted to say, "That's because you think I'm like you," but bit it back. Instead, I said, "What I can do is offer you a couple of options, now that I know what you really want."

"What do you mean by that? I've told you what I want."

"No, I've thought this out. You don't want to stay a changeling. As an alicorn, you could use your shape-shifting magic to be anything you wanted, even your current changeling body. You'd shed the curse in an instant if you weren't afraid of losing its other effect."

Chrysalis raised her chin and her eyes narrowed in anger. She sneered slightly as she asked, "What options?"

"I can reinforce the curse. From recent experience, I'm pretty sure I can find a way to use energy from the Wheel of the Earth to lock it onto you like a magic straitjacket."

"You..." Chrysalis struggled with her own face for a second and then gave up, settling into a pathetically hopeful expression. "Can you really do it?"

I nodded. "You'll be able to be with Blueblood all the time, but I'm pretty sure the technique will limit you in another important way."

Chrysalis' expression began to harden again. "Explain."

"The magic would have to be designed to keep you from changing. At all."

I heard Applejack snort from all the way across the room. She had been watching. At least somepony was enjoying the situation. I didn't find the queen-in-exile's shocked and enraged face quite as hilarious.

Before Chrysalis could do something foolish, I went on. "Maybe you'll be able to use your alicorn magic to cast an illusion or glamor that will make you look different, but it won't be the true transformation you're used to." I paused for a second as her face went through a dozen different expressions and finally settled on cold disdain. "I'm sorry, but your choice comes down to living apart from your friend for most of the time or losing your ability to change shape."

"But..." She was obviously thinking furiously. "If I allow the curse to be lifted and I become my old self, you could lock me into that body, couldn't you?"

"Sorry, it won't work that way. I can only preserve what's already there. The curse itself is what's keeping you eternally young. You've got to choose one or the other."

She looked away from me and didn't reply for a long time. Just when I was thinking I ought to leave, she spoke again. "Or I could become mortal again." She turned to look at me haughtily. "For him."

Just the fact that she was considering it impressed me deeply. "Believe it or not, I understand that, and I sympathize. Let me know what you decide, and I'll do my best to help you. Of course, I really haven't had time to research the problem properly. There may be another way... or several ways."

I couldn't read her expression or get any clue from her voice as to whether she was joking or not when she said, "I've had the opportunity to kill you several times and failed to take advantage of those situations. I really can't decide if that's a good thing or not."

I gave her a flat stare in return. "I had a lot of time to think when I was trapped in the world, and I thought about a couple of things you said to me in my castle and on board Solar Flare. I got the strangest idea that maybe you knew what the Nightmare had done to me."

Chrysalis shrugged and looked away. "I really don't care enough about your affairs to delve into them that deeply."

I let myself smile, just a little bit. She was lying and I wanted her to know I knew while pretending to believe her.[2] "Oh, that's good. Because I made a promise to myself down there that I would hate to have to fulfill. My reputation might never recover." I turned and trotted off, feeling a little bit ashamed of myself for my little implied threat. I wondered if the Nightmare had left a trace of meanness in me along with her magic. Which was another thing I had to deal with. But not tonight, I told myself.

[2] It actually makes sense, if you give it a little bit of thought. No experienced courtier would even blink at such an ordinary dance of obfuscation.

Since Rarity had arranged the dinner with the palace staff, it was a bit more formal than I had intended. Little name cards had been set out at each place at the table. Luna was at the head, of course, and Chrysalis was at the foot, as befitted a visiting monarch. I was at Luna's right hoof and Sesseressia was in the respective position near Chrysalis. I guess ex-generals rated in the same way as ex-queens. I was a little bit apprehensive about where my friends would be placed. Most wouldn't care, but Rarity and Rainbow Dash getting into an argument about who was above who in the Order of Precedence was something I cringed to think of.

Fortunately, the staff hadn't been able to decide, so Jigsaw was to the left of Chrysalis, and all the rest of the places were simply marked "Honorable Ponyville Guest." Rarity, who was the only one of my friends really conscious of such things, sat at Luna's left. The rest just plopped down in the spaces nearest to them when the first course was served, except for Spike, who sat next to me out of habit, I guess.

Most of the talk during dinner was simple catching-up, which was incredibly relaxing. I think I must have told the girls a dozen times how good it was to be with them again, but I still couldn't convey how thankful I was.

There were no secrets from them, of course. When I told them that Luna and I were going to be keeping our continuing relationship quiet, they had varying reactions. One shared by most of them was a quick glance at Chrysalis. Most of them still thought of her as an enemy, and no doubt wondered why in the world I was letting her in on our secret.[3]

[3] Given her innate "talent" and her close connection to Equestrian royalty, there was no way I'd keep it from her for long. Besides, if I treated her like a friend, she might well become one... At least it would confuse her to no end. At the very least, she wouldn't consider my secret something she could blackmail me over.

Rarity was initially distressed but then warmed to the idea. "A clandestine love-affair is very romantic! But won't you ever be able to be seen in public together?"

Pinkie Pie, who had gotten a fedora and a trench coat from someplace, leaned over the table with a carrot canapé stuck in the corner of her mouth. "Naw, they're on the QT, see?" she rasped out in a deep voice. "Keepin' it on the down-low, slippin' it by Johnny Law, pullin' the wool over—"

Rarity pulled Pinkie's hat down over her face and put another half-dozen canapés in her mouth. "I think we get the idea, dear."

"Someday, maybe," I told her. "But for now, we will disguise ourselves if we want to go out together."

When the dessert course arrived, Spike's tongue dropped out of his mouth and unfurled half way across the table. Pinkie had been true to her promise. Presented on a large serving cart, the gem cake was enormous and glittered so brightly that it was hard to look at. In its shadow were an assortment of wonderful little pastries for those of us with less geologic tastes.

"Manners, Spike," I told him out of the corner of my mouth. He nodded in response, but I doubt he'd really heard me. Or maybe he did; he didn't actually burrow into the cake.

The party was just on the verge of breaking up when Chrysalis stalked over toward me. I instinctively readied a series of spells and then felt foolish for doing so. I did not, however, drop the matrix forms from my mind.

"Thank you for the dinner, Twilight Sparkle," she said.

"You're welcome, Chrysalis," I replied, cautiously.

"I've made a decision."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I have decided to do without your help. I rather enjoy having you indebted to me. I will show you how true royalty behaves, and very possibly the next time you return to Canterlot, you will be in my shadow!" She then gave me a full, carnivorous grin and swept out of the hall.

"What was she goin' on about?" Applejack asked.

"I'm not certain," I said. "But I doubt I'm going to like it when I find out for sure."

"She's just jealous," a voice whispered in my ear. I turned to find Jigsaw standing there. "She's gotten used to being an important pony in town, and I think your dramatic return has got her a bit worried her star will wane."

I snorted out a laugh at the thought that suddenly popped into my mind.

Sesseressia frowned. "Don't dismiss her so lightly, Twilight Sparkle. Even without her swarm, she is still formidable."

"If she really wants to overshadow me, she's going to have to save the kingdom several times over! That's a threat I can live with. Besides... friendly rivalry is a big step up for us."

"She may not see it that way."

"Yes, I suppose you're right, Sessi, but if she gets to be too much of a bother, I've got a magic mirror I can dump her into. If it was good enough for Starswirl, it's good enough for me."

My remark was greeted by several puzzled looks, but I didn't bother to explain.

We said our various goodbyes, and I excavated a semi-comatose Spike from the remains of his cake, passing him over to Fluttershy.

"He's going to be pretty cranky when he wakes up with a sour stomach and a sugar hangover. Are you sure you want to nurse him through it?"

"Oh, yes! I don't mind at all. I have my traveling kit with me and I wouldn't want for you two to have to..." She paused and glanced between Luna and I. "I mean that it would be too... uhm... for you two to..." She trailed off and her face rapidly became a delightful shade of pink.

I gave her a quick hug. "Thank you, Fluttershy. I'll come by to check on him tomorrow morning."

Luna and I left the hall and had just emerged into the palace forecourt when there came a hissing noise from beside the doorway.

"Pssst!" A lumpy shadow moved toward us from the shadows, and resolved itself into Pinkie Pie, still in her trench coat and fedora. "Youse guys needs some disguises?"

Pinkie held out two pair of glasses with heavy fake eyebrows and large pink noses attached.

It was Luna who replied. "Thank you, Pinkie, but I think I can manage to keep us shielded from prying eyes." She did something then; not overt magic, but I could feel the exercise of her power.

A bat landed on her withers. Then another. Then another and another. I felt a tickle on my back and realized that the bats were landing on me, too. I had a long moment's struggle not to freak out, holding completely still as Luna and I were covered in bats that smoothly transformed into dark hooded cloaks.

Pinkie dropped her glasses.

I tried to keep my skin from shivering off of me while I realized that odd gender roles weren't the only thing I was going to have to get used to if I was going to share my life with Luna. But I couldn't help it; my flesh still crawled.

The cloaks did more than make us dark figures in the night; some inherent magic kept us nearly invisible. We walked right past a steward as we crossed the terrace, brightly lit by the full moon, and he didn't so much as glance at us. To my relief, when we reached the entrance to the Tower of the Moon, our cloaks fell apart and flew away.

= = =

We had breakfast in bed, laughing and chatting and snuggling and... just like normal ponies.

"I shall have to arrange things so that I can visit you in Ponyville as often as possible. Perhaps you should acquire a handsome new neighbor who travels frequently?"

I smiled. "Yes, and maybe you can hire a new hoofmaiden or servant. Maybe a messenger to explain long absences?"

"Yes," she said. "Something like that would suffice. We need not be apart for more than a few days." I stiffened slightly at her words and she felt it. "What is the matter, Twilight?"

"It's something I've been thinking about. No, don't worry! I don't want to be away from you for a second, but I think it may be necessary."

Luna frowned. "How so?"

I sighed. I didn't want reality to intrude on our blissful time together, but my relentless brain wouldn't let go of the matter. "It's that I keep being surprised by things lately, and I think it's because I don't know enough about—"

"'Tis not the mention I made of certain uses of weathervanes? 'Twas but a jest, I assure thee!"

I laughed and smacked her gently on the shoulder with a wingtip. "No! I'm being serious here! Though it really is about my innocence. I was shocked about the way Celestia controls the realm, when I really shouldn't have been. I was horrified by how unscrupulous some of the merchants, nobles, and politicians are, and disgusted by how quickly they tried to turn a crisis to their own advantage." I sighed and flopped back onto my pillow. "If I'm going to be any sort of effective ruler, I have to learn more about how the world really works. And by that, I mean the entire world, not just the kingdom."

"Ah." Luna said, her smile fading a bit. "And that means more than studying from books, does it not?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I think maybe I've got to see more of the world. To go and meet with the peoples of other lands. That's going to take me away from you for long stretches from time to time."

Luna looked me in the face for a long while. Her smile had entirely vanished. Finally, she said, "There is more of thy concern in this matter than thou speakest, my love. Is't aught that thou fear to let fall upon mine ears?"

"Oh, Stars and Moon, I love it when you 'thou' me!"

Luna leaned over and bit me very gently on the nose. "There will be a surfeit of thous if only thou wilt speak to me of thy troubles." She was pretending to be playful, but I could tell she was really concerned.

I sighed again. "I can't help but believe there has got to be a better way to govern the kingdom. A way without so allowing so much self-service and deception among the oligarchs. I want to find one. Maybe I can do that by seeing for myself what works best in other nations. And maybe, by piecing together all the best bits I can find, I can create a better system."

Luna was quiet for a time. "Will not my sister have something to say on the matter?"

"Oh, I'm sure of that. But if there's a better way, she will be open to it, won't she? Especially if it takes some of the burden off of her back. I..." I nuzzled Luna's cheek and said in a lower voice, "Maybe it's because I'm so happy with you, but I hate it that she thinks she must be 'above it all' for the sake of the kingdom. I want her to be happy, too."

Another long pause. "As do I," was all Luna said.

I leaned against her and said nothing for a while. I was just thinking that it was about time we got up and started on the business of the day when Luna spoke again.

"You still have the magic of the Nightmare within you. Do you have plans for that, too?"

"I'm not going to keep it within me," I told her. "I don't think it's tainted, but there is an outside chance. And considering the way I got it..." I shuddered. "But it has to go somewhere, and I'm thinking of trying to bind it into an amulet or maybe a set of artifacts. It would come in handy in places where I couldn't use my own innate magic."

"They might be fearsome weapons, might they not?"

I frowned in puzzlement. "I don't want to make weapons! Luna, what do you think I'm planning?"

She shrugged. "If you judge my sister's reign in the manner that she and I judged our mother's—"

My jaw dropped. "What? No, no, no! I love her! You can't think I would do something like that!"

Luna gave me an appraising look. "But if you happen upon a superior means of ruling and Celestia refuses to consider it?"

"No," I said, emphatically. "If it isn't good enough to be convincing in and of itself, then it probably isn't worth considering. I would never use force to—"

"As did I? Twice now, as I recall. Perhaps thrice or more if you account my part in the overthrow of Sombra or the casting down of Discord. Mayhaps Celestia will not be content to be put out to pasture."

I was convinced by then that Luna was messing with me, and put on an exaggerated pouty face. "But those other guys were totally evil!"

Luna smiled and then chuckled. "True enough, my love!" She got out of bed and shook herself, shuffling her wings neatly against her sides. "Let us see to your friends and ailing dragon whelp. Matters of revolution can wait for another day."

"Never going to happen, I promise!"

She tossed her head. "Say as much in another century or so. Thy mind may be of a different cast by then."

I ran into a mental brick wall. Had she forgotten? "Uhm... Luna? I'm not going to be around in another—"

She interrupted me with a cheerful laugh and said, "Cast thy gaze upon thine own shoulder, my love!" She nodded to my right.

I rolled slightly onto my left side and curved my neck around but couldn't see anything remarkable. I looked back at Luna in puzzlement.

"Thy scar is gone."

It was true. Even if it had been slowly healing all the while I had been trapped in the Wheel of the Earth, there should have been some sign of it, but my hide was smooth and perfect.

"I think thou didst not merely shape the Red Queen's magic, but rather opened thyself to it and guided it in channel within thyself. Do I have the right of it?"

"Yes, but—"

"Thou hast taken into thyself the Fire of the World and didst not perish. What changes it has wrought within thee, I can feel within thy aura." A slow smile spread across her face and her eyes glittered with joy. She spun on dancing hooves and trotted out of the bedchamber. "Come, my sweet innocent! Forever awaits us!"

"Luna?" I untangled myself from the bedsheets and rolled onto my hooves. "Wait! You mean I'm actually..." I scurried through the door and caught a glimpse of Luna's sparkling tail as she rounded the corner at the far end of the hall. I slipped on the polished marble floor and had to flap awkwardly to avoid a face-plant. The sudden gust of air pulled an old tapestry depicting long-dead heroes from the wall and it fell across my neck and withers.

"Luna, wait!"

I shook off the dusty old thing and broke into a gallop toward eternity.

= = =

=

Author's Note

I owe a debt of thanks to AcademicPony and statoose that would dwarf an Ursa Major. This would have been a much poorer story without their help.

Thanks to PresentPerfect for the print edition editing!

2 The Battle in the Badlands

Chapter Two
The Battle in the Badlands

I received a far more coherent report from Captain Speedwell. The dawn patrol had spotted the mass of misshapen creatures just a few leagues ahead of us. Most of them scuttled and crawled over the ground, but there were a substantial number of fliers. They didn't quite number into the thousands, as Rainbow Dash had claimed, but there were hundreds more than had been reported by the Dodge Junction pegasi.

Fortunately, most of them weren't very good fliers; the black things floundered through the air like sun-dazed bats or, in the case of those shaped sort of like spiral umbrellas, rotated through the air in a ridiculous fashion. But they all possessed spikes, claws, and fangs, and they outnumbered us by an order of magnitude.

"They pulled in, concentrating over the grounded ones when we approached," the captain told me.

"Good," I said, thinking aloud. "Then we may be able to keep them bunched up by threatening the groundlings. Threaten only, captain. Don't lose the advantage of height, and don't let either wing be surrounded. Pick off any stragglers if it's safe to do so, but leave the main attack to Luna, the unicorns, and myself. Always keep your troops out of the fire lane directly in front of Evenstar."

"Understood, Your Highness. Blue and Green Wings are ready to launch on your command."

"Thank you, captain. Uhm... where is Princess Luna?" I asked, tightening the last strap on my armor.

"She's on the bridge, Your Highness," he said with a flat expression. "Trying to stamp holes in the deck."

"Ah." I hurried forward, followed by Rainbow Dash and the captain.

We found Luna glaring out of the forward ports at the scattering of distant dots above the horizon.

"Commander on deck!" the helmspony snapped as he saw me come through the hatchway. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I had settled into ruling my own realm well enough, but I still wasn't used to all the shouting involved in military operations. It also took a second for me to realize that he was talking about me.

I took a deep breath.

"Ready the ship for battle, captain."

I was speaking to Captain Zephyr, who commanded Evenstar. The third captain on board, Captain Lightning Lance, commanded the unicorn guards and was at his station in the forward dorsal cupola. It's kind of confusing, but that's the way the military does things.

Captain Zephyr barked out a few curt orders into a speaking tube and a crewpony opened the hatches on either side of the bridge. Captain Speedwell saluted me and went aft to join his squadron, snapping, "Rainbow Dash, with me!" as he left the bridge.

I went and stood next to the starboard hatch, the wind whipping my tail against my legs. Luna stood by the port hatch and glanced in my direction every few seconds as we slowly approached the monstrous horde.

"All ponies at stations. Standing by for your command, princess," the captain said a minute or so later.

"Thank you, Captain."

I tried to estimate our distance from the enemy. They looked less like a spill of pepper across the sky and more like scurrying ants, but the clear desert air didn't give me much in the way of a frame of reference.

A minute later, I could make out the different flying types by their patterns of motion, if not by their shapes. The ones on the ground were clearly visible by then. The rising sun cast Evenstar's shadow across them and they looked up. Well, the ones that had eyes did.

Twelve furlongs out.

Eight.

Four... It was time.

"Go!" I shouted, and threw myself out of the ship, flapping hard for altitude. I saw the pegasi fan out to my right and left as they spilled out of the aft hatches, streaking forward to flank the swarm of enemy fliers. Luna rose beside me with nostrils flaring and eyes blazing with excitement.

I called up my shield spell as I climbed, and when I had reached the apogee of my planned course, I recreated the magical buzzsaw spell I had improvised against Chrysalis back in the ruined city. I distorted the shield, reducing the defining points to only a few. As I dove into the cloud of monsters, I poured momentum into the shield, spinning it until the points shrieked through the air.

Think of a big fan. One of those huge, industrial models that Mr. Breezy sells. Now imagine removing its wire blade guard and turning it all the way up. Now throw a large bucketful of grapes into the blades.

Yes. It was just like that.

I wasn't quite prepared for the amount of drag or the uneven torque transmitted to me by my collision with the swarm, and my flight path wobbled all over the place as I strove to force my way through the mass of creatures.

Bolts of magic sizzled past me from the unicorns aboard Evenstar, each one dropping several fliers. I realized I was getting too close to the central fire zone and let myself drop lower than I originally planned. The bolts wouldn't harm me through my shield, but they would force me to use up more energy; even at that early stage of the battle, I caught myself wondering if I would have enough to see it through.

Luna flashed by me on my left, her couteaus striking monsters like a filly dragging a stick along a picket fence at a gallop. It takes a great deal of strength and skill to use couteaus effectively while maintaining controlled flight, but Luna cut through the swarm like it was the easiest thing in the world. I couldn't swear to it, but I thought I heard her singing as she went by. Her bat-winged guards followed in her wake like ducklings behind their mother. Savage, terrifying ducklings.

I fought my way clear of the crowded airspace and dropped my shield to conserve energy as I met up with Blue Wing on the right flank.

"Are you all right, princess?" Captain Speedwell called.

"I'm just... fine," I said between big gulps of air. "How is it going here?"

"One casualty, on the way back to Evenstar. Otherwise good. We've taken out dozens of the things so far."

I saw Rainbow Dash, hovering behind the captain, and immediately felt guilty for being relieved that the wounded pony wasn't her.

"Carry on!" I replied. "I'm going up for another pass."

As I rose above the churning battle, I saw the swaths we had cut through the sky with just our first assault and felt greatly encouraged. My pegasi were much faster and more agile than the floundering monstrosities, and that made each encounter a one-on-one fight. The dark creatures lacked the maneuverability to gang up on their quicker attackers despite their numerical superiority.

I let my breathing slow a bit before I cast my shield again. I dropped through the mass of them at a steeper angle for my second pass, letting gravity do a lot of the work for me. The tactic worked very well, so I repeated it on my next two runs. The third time, I had more difficulty slowing down after my dive, and that put me even lower at the end of the run. I got a good, close look at the larger horrors that slithered, crawled, scuttled, and squelched along on the ground. No two of them were alike. The only thing they had in common was a lack of symmetry and general hideousness. At the center of the horde was a truly enormous thing that looked like the worst bits of a spider, a slug, and a stingray all stitched together. Hideous doesn't even begin to cover it. Why does anything need that many eyes?

"Twilight! Beware!"

I had been so distracted by Big Ugly that I hadn't noticed the rain of angry fliers dropping down from above. Evidently, getting too close to the groundlings was a no-no, and the fliers were intent on explaining that to me.

I had time to give an acknowledging nod to Luna before they slammed into me. I hadn't dropped my shield, of course, so I let the swarm run into me, thinking it would just save some time and effort on my part.

That was a mistake.

Even as my magical weapon shredded them, they shoved me so hard that I was driven down to within range of Big Ugly. I didn't see the attack, but I most certainly felt it. I was wrenched around so sharply that my neck and back lit up with pain and my shield stopped spinning. Its points had become stuck in the huge flap of skin that had extruded like a frog's tongue from the back of the giant monster below me.

The flesh of the pseudo-tongue suffered for it: much of it was torn into greasy ribbons that were oozing a dark viscous fluid, but the sheer mass of meat had absorbed all the energy I had put into my shield. So great was the shock from the sudden transfer of momentum that I nearly lost concentration and dropped my spell.

That would have been very, very bad.

The tongue-like flesh began to curl around my shield and retract back into the mass of Big Ugly's main body. The fliers ramming into the now unrotating but still sharp shield were continuing to knock me around.

"Twilight!"

Blasts of midnight blue magic crackled around me, burning away the fliers and cutting at the tongue, but I could see that it wasn't going to be enough to free me before I was pulled into contact with Big Ugly. I waited until the next of Luna's blasts hit, and when the tattered flesh recoiled from the flare of energy, I dropped the shield and called up a teleport spell. I almost wasn't quick enough. Just as I opened the vortex, I felt a heavy impact on my right shoulder.

I reappeared about three hundred feet up, halfway toward the right flank of the battle. I glanced at my shoulder and saw a smear of dark ichor across the metal but I felt only a slight sting of pain. The armor had done its job. I looked around for Luna and found her just as a second wave of fliers mobbed her. She was driven down even as she tore dozens of the creatures apart with her couteaus and armored hooves. Her guards darted in and out, slashing at the incoming fliers.

I wasted several seconds before I acted, expecting her to disengage, and Big Ugly's bleeding tongue whipped through the spot she and her guards had been only a fraction of a second after I teleported them all to my side.

Luna was a mess. She was drenched in the greenish-black gunk that served as the monster's blood and her armor was dented in several places, but she didn't seem to notice or care. "Twilight! Art thou safe?"

"Good..." I gasped. "I'm good. How... how about you?" Grabbing three armored ponies from that distance, plus the potential energy put into the additional altitude, had cost me a lot of energy, and I was lightheaded and unsteady on my wings.

"A moment to catch my breath, and I will join the fray again!" she said. Her guards said nothing, smiling their pointed smiles.

"Right!" I grinned at her. It would have been incredibly unfair if she hadn't been tired, too. "Let me get my shield up and spinning and we'll hit them again!"

Luna held out her wing to stop me and said, "Perhaps thou shouldst see to thy troops?"

Oh. Right. Just because I could wield one of our most effective weapons didn't relieve me of my duty to coordinate the action. It was not only good advice but would also give my magic a bit of time to recharge. I had gotten carried away with the excitement of battle: Mistake Number Two.

"Of course! Uhmn... follow me."

I led them away, up to where Captain Speedwell's pegasi were regrouping and asked him for a report. It was hard to believe that we had only been fighting for a little over fifteen minutes.

Despite my personal miscalculation, we were doing remarkably well. The number of the fliers had been reduced so far that the pegasi were on the offensive and looking to finish them off in very short order. Only a few more pegasi had been wounded, and the combat had gotten so close and crowded that the unicorns aboard Evenstar had stopped firing.

I considered the situation for a moment and then came to a decision. "Captain, send word to Captain Zephyr to bring Evenstar forward and start bombarding the creatures on the ground. Have Green Wing continue to harass any stragglers in the sky and use Blue Wing as a screen for Evenstar until the fliers are no longer a threat. Do not engage any of the groundlings directly. Leave that to the unicorns or find some big rocks to drop, if anypony's got energy left to burn."

I kept on the right flank and switched to precision blasts of magic. It was only another ten minutes before the sky was clear, and we went to work on the remaining monsters on the ground. We had gotten rid of all of the smaller ones and put a big dent in the larger ones when we got a very nasty surprise. I was leading a small detachment of pegasi, looking for targets of opportunity when it happened.

Big Ugly, looking ragged and abused, still had one last trick to pull. As I circled around to its left flank, its forward end began to swell and it reared up, lifting several hundred feet into the air, swinging to point directly at Evenstar.

"What's it doing?" Rainbow Dash asked from behind me.

I had no idea what was going on, but I was absolutely sure it wasn't anything I was going to enjoy. I let loose a full-powered blast at Big Ugly's bulging business end, and Luna added her own a split-second later.

The swollen flesh ruptured where we hit it and a mass of newly created fliers erupted outward. Big Ugly had been going to spit them all directly at Evenstar, but luckily our magic blasts had cut through the side of it, so the swarm was spewed to one side, right at us.

I managed to get a shield up just before they hit us. It was a only a plain spherical bubble of force, scattering the attackers rather than hurting them. The effort of opposing so much kinetic energy made me a bit dizzy, and my shield wobbled and rippled like something cast by a novice, but at least it kept us safe.

Luna banged her nose on the inside of the shield and her war cry turned into a hiss of frustration. Faced with no less than a couple hundred attacking monstrosities, her instinctual response had been to charge them.

"Wait!" I shouted at her and Rainbow Dash. "Let's get above them. Then we can attack!"

Luna looked around at the small group and nodded. "Let me move us. You have been teleporting too often, too many, and too quickly. You will exhaust yourself."

I didn't have the energy to argue. The fact that I was still in the air was probably due to pure adrenaline. "Fine. I'll drop my shield just as your vortex forms. That should keep us from getting swarmed."

Luna nodded and cast the spell so quickly I almost missed the timing. She certainly had energy to burn.

The seven of us winked in above and behind the new swarm as it organized itself, banked, and headed for Evenstar. Dash and the two pegasi dove into them, couteaus lashing out. I'd thought Luna's guards would have followed, but they stayed right with their mistress as she and I threw bolts of magic as fast as we could fire. It was a huge waste of energy; each bolt could have fried a dozen monsters, but they were so scattered that we mostly only hit one each, and there wasn't time enough to keep them all from reaching the airship.

Blue Wing met the monsters a furlong or so out, but they were so outnumbered that dozens of fliers streaked right past them. At that point, Luna and I had to stop firing for fear of hitting the ship or our own ponies, so we flew after them in pursuit. A teleport would have been quicker, but any scrap of energy I had left was too precious to waste.

At least our diversion of Big Ugly's swarm had given the airship's crew time to prepare for the assault. Captain Lightning Lance had ordered the hatches partially closed where the unicorns were stationed, so that they could fire out without risking getting overrun, but they couldn't cover the entire exterior of the ship, and the leathery creatures were already landing all over its surface. Worse, many of the creatures had found the aft hatches that had been left open for returning, wounded pegasi.

When I realized what was happening, I teleported into the starboard bunkroom, getting smacked around a bit as my exit vortex jittered violently in order to land me in an open space. I lashed out with my hooves just to clear enough space to tell what was going on and then slammed the hatches closed with my telekinesis, crushing quite a few monsters in the process. I had mirrored my telekinesis on the port side of the ship even though I couldn't see into the bunkroom there. I desperately hoped that only dark creatures had been in those hatches when they came crashing shut. With all the shouting, kicking pegasi surrounding me, it was impossible to make any sense of the general cacophony.

I couldn't let loose with blasts of force inside the ship, so I grabbed monsters with my magic, tore them off of their intended victims, and wadded them up into a jumbled mass. They felt too rubbery to crush effectively, so I heated them to near the point of ignition instead. That seemed to do the trick, but the smell was appalling. Then I dashed across the central passageway into the port bunkroom and repeated the process.

Evenstar jolted and slewed around as I finished cooking the remaining fliers. I was gasping for air and my head was aching from the overuse of magic, but the monsters didn't seem inclined to give me time for a little nap. So I gritted my teeth and teleported back outside to see what was happening. The port steering fin was in tatters and there were several holes in the outer envelope. There was no way to tell if any of the gas cells had been punctured. I thought about casting a shield around the airship, but as tired as I was, maintaining a large displaced shield wouldn't leave me any energy to do anything else.

I swooped down to just outside the forward cupola and called out to Captain Lightning Lance. "Captain! Order your unicorns to stop firing and cast a shield around Evenstar! Protect the ship and the wounded. Hunt down any of the things that got inside and wait for my orders."

I was already banking away as he acknowledged me with a salute and a crisp, "Yes, Highness!"

Unfortunately, my spur of the moment plan also prevented the unicorns from firing on anything outside the shield.

"Luna!" I screamed.

She teleported to my side almost instantly. "Twilight?"

"We have to finish off the big groundling before it can vomit out more horrors! We're the only ponies with magic out here now."

The pegasi and bat ponies kept the fliers off us as best they could while we dove in for pass after pass. Neither Luna nor I could waste energy by teleporting, so we just dodged the spikes, tentacles, and whips that lashed at us out of Big Ugly's bulk. The couple of glancing hits I took made me swear to myself to practice acrobatic flying much more often.

Luna saw the second bulge forming and we dove side by side, hammering bolts of magic into it. Big Ugly's skin ruptured, but we kept on firing, burning away the mass of fliers while they were still tightly-packed and unable to avoid our blasts.

We were dangerously close to the ground and traveling at high speed by the time we were sure we had gotten them all. Pulling up out of the dive made my wings and shoulders burn with the effort, and my flight became so erratic that I thought I was going to lose control. I did, briefly, but I held out until I was climbing, folded my wings, and let momentum take over. When I reached apogee and began to fall, I opened my wings again and banked away from the monster.

I desperately wanted to just glide down and take a long nap on the soft, gore-spattered sand, but Big Ugly was still kicking. Well, crawling and writhing, actually, and I needed to stop it more than I needed to pass out. So, I kept banking until it was in front of me again, lit my horn, and dove again.

I don't know how long it took us. Too long is probably the right answer.

There was no climactic moment of victory, no last bellow of rage from the hideous thing. It just finally slumped down into a steaming heap and stopped moving. But we were taking no chances. Luna and I kept firing until our horns were barely glimmering, spitting out pitiful little gouts of force.

While we had been pummeling Big Ugly, the pegasi and Luna's bat ponies had finished off the last of the fliers. But it hadn't been an easy task; nearly a dozen of them lay wounded on the ground. I signaled to Captain Lighting Lance to dismiss the shield around Evenstar and Captain Zephyr immediately dropped the ground anchors and began winching down. Two pegasi wearing medical saddlebags dove out of the rear hatches and headed for the ground.

Captain Speedwell had some of his pegasi circling the area, keeping watch for any of the small groundlings that might have escaped notice, while he and the rest tended to the wounded. Luna and I landed next to the captain. I staggered as my legs took my weight and the wave of nausea that hit me nearly made me vomit. I hung my head between my forelegs and squeezed my eyes shut, breathing deeply until I felt a bit better.

"Do you need a medic, Highness?" the captain asked.

"No. No, I'm just... just... tired."

"You're wounded," he pointed out, gesturing to the streak of blood on my right foreleg.

"Really?" Sun and Moon, I sounded like an idiot. It turned out that Big Ugly's slap on my shoulder had driven the edge of my armor into me so hard that it had cut my skin through the padding. It was a shallow, trivial wound but it had bled like crazy before it had crusted over.

I shook my head. "It's fine. I'm fine. I'll bandage it later. What about them?" I gestured at the scattered wounded. "How can we help?"

"Healing spells?"

"My guards have potions in their kits," Luna told him.

"We've used them already, Your Majesty. Thank you."

"I know a few palliative spells, but I don't... I don't know how much energy I can put into them right now," I said.

"Anything would be a help, Your Highness," he said. He paused and then added, "You might want to..." His clipped tone softened and he pointed to one of the downed pegasi with a wingtip. "To see to your friend."

I looked at the pony he was pointing to. Her golden armor hid her sky-blue coat, but there was no mistaking the colorful stripes of her mane and tail.

= = =

=

Author's Note

I just want to assure you that, although this story is tagged DARK, and is more serious in tone than The Celestia Code, it will never stray into GRIMDARK territory.

Again, much appreciated assistance was given by AcademicPony, MacIsBest859, Gogito, and statoose, who beat me over the head until I wrote a better climax to the battle.

3 Limping Home

Chapter Three
Limping Home

"Rainbow Dash? Rainbow?" I started forward, but almost instantly there was a sharp impact on my peytral. I looked down to see Luna's armored wingtip resting across my chest. She didn't say anything, but when I turned to her there was a cautioning look on her face. She shook her head slightly.

I wanted to scream at her. Rainbow Dash needed me! My throat tightened and I felt the sting of tears beginning to well up in my eyes. Then I noticed that the rest of the ponies around were looking at me. Even the ones busy tending to the wounded glanced in my direction out of the corners of their eyes. They were looking to me—not just for direction, not for orders—they needed to know how to cope with this disaster.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened my eyes again, Luna lowered her wing and I stepped slowly forward.

"How is she?" I asked the pony with the medical saddlebags standing nearby. I kept my voice as low and calm as I could manage.

"She's alive," the medic told me. "I gave her something to keep her knocked out. She'll be in a lot of pain when she wakes up."

The wing I could see was bent in several places it shouldn't be. It was worse than the time she had clipped the big oak tree north of town. As I walked closer, I lost my calm façade for a second. "Oh, Sun and Moon! Her legs!"

Luna came up beside me and touched me gently, wing on wing. I took another deep breath and asked, "What happened to her?"

A different pony spoke up. He was having his ribs wrapped by another and wheezed a bit when he answered. "She outflew her wingponies. Got mobbed by a half-dozen flappers. She took out most of them before they broke her wing." He paused to wince and then continued, "Still managed to keep enough control to hit feet-first. That's why her legs are all busted up, but I guess that's better than her neck or back." He shook his head sadly and finished, "That is one heck of an amazing mare. I hope she makes it."

I bit my lip hard and breathed through my nose for a few seconds. I couldn't keep the tears from running down my cheeks, but I had to keep my voice level and calm.

I motioned Captain Speedwell over. "Captain, send a messenger to Dodge Junction and have them ready an express train and clear the tracks to Canterlot. That will be the fastest way to get the badly wounded to a hospital. We will load the casualties onto Evenstar while the crew repairs the fin and patches any leaks. The doctor in Dodge can do a secondary triage while we're making the transfer to the train."

"Yes, Highness." He saluted and trotted off.

It took a huge effort of will to tear myself away from Rainbow Dash, but there were other ponies that needed me. Luna and I walked among the wounded, using what magic we had left to ease their pain and encourage their wounds to close. There were several ponies who were hurt worse than Rainbow Dash, but none had gone beyond our help. I don't know what I would have done if... no, I don't even want to think about it.

Luna was by my side, silently helping. Her presence gave me emotional support but she also gave me somepony as a witness who had undoubtedly been through this before. She was a... what, exactly? Judge? No, nothing as harsh as that, but I'm sure she could not help but evaluate how I was doing. I didn't want to fail her any more than I would want to fail Celestia.

Ever since I took the throne, she'd been an incredible help to me, teaching me to be strong in difficult situations and a thousand other things that made up my daily life as a ruling monarch. I'd seen her much more often in the year since my trip with Jigsaw and I'd come to appreciate the subtleties of her character. I had learned many things from her, including, now, the realities of battle. I hoped it was knowledge I would rarely need to use.

I have no idea how I kept it together, and I suspect I might not have if Luna hadn't been by my side. I just went on putting one hoof in front of the other, doing what needed to be done, saying what needed to be said. I didn't have enough magic left to help carry the wounded, but I could use my height and earth pony strength to lift stretchers into the aft hatches. Then I helped scrape out what was left of the fried fliers in the bunkrooms and sort and stow armor and gear until Captain Zephyr came and told me that Evenstar was ready to lift.

I stood on the bridge as we headed north, watching the desert slip by below and the sun sliding down the sky. The battle had taken... what? An hour? Two? Surely no more than that. But the aftermath had stretched out all day. We wouldn't make Dodge until well after sunset. What would I do until then? Stand staring out into the dark, trying not to think about the wounded ponies? My ponies. My brash, reckless, beautiful Rainbow Dash lying crumpled in her bunk—

"Twilight, I need your help."

I didn't have enough energy left to start when Luna came silently up beside me and whispered in my ear.

I excused myself from the bridge. We walked aft together, but Luna didn't speak again until we went into my cabin and I closed the door. "What is it?" I asked.

"I fear I will not have enough strength to raise the moon when the time comes."

"How can I help with that? Won't Celestia take over if you don't do it?" I knew it was the wrong thing to say about a heartbeat after the stupid words had left my mouth.

"Yes." Luna looked away and sighed. "No doubt."

I was an idiot. What would Celestia think when the moon didn't rise at its appointed time? At best she'd assume something awful had happened to her sister. It would be a very good thing to avoid panicking the Goddess of the Sun. "I... If you want me to help, I'll do whatever you think best."

She looked up again. "Lend me your strength, as I once gave you mine. I would not ask this of you lightly, Twilight."

"I don't have much to give, but if you can make do with the dregs, they're yours."

We went to the stern gallery and waited. The wind of our passage carried back the horrible odors on board: sweat, blood, ichor, fear, and worse. Even the few ballads and ancient tales of war that mentioned the wounded on the field after battle never said anything about the smell. It was understandable.

I had watched Luna move and guide the Great Wheel of the Moon several times, but never so closely. The one time I had performed her duty for her in the past, I'd done it with pure force and about as much elegance as you might expect.[1] Now, as a part of the ceremony, I saw and felt how delicate a task it really was, despite the strength it took. I gathered up what magical energy was left to me and twined it with Luna's.

[1] I.e., none whatsoever.

Even at low ebb, her magic carried a solidity and power that amazed me. Under Luna's guidance, I managed to align the rays of starlight with their crystalline nodes, the least difficult of the series of tasks before us. Luna pushed, and the spheres of the stars and planets interlocked and turned, great epicycles driven to the rhythm of the celestial dance, intertwining to create the night. The rest of what tiny amount of energy I had left went simply to steadying Luna in her work. I touched the moon through her and felt its cold magic moving in my—our grasp. It was wonderful.

It almost made up for fainting and tearing a big divot out of the deck with my horn when I collapsed.

= = =

Luna woke me at Dodge Junction. Two hours of semi-comatose sleep hardly refreshed me at all, but it was better than nothing.

The Dodge Junction ponies were frightened and confused, and we had to supervise them constantly to keep things moving at a decent pace. It didn't help that they were also jumpy and skittish around Luna. How there could be ponies that still thought of her as Nightmare Moon was beyond my understanding. There was an ungenerous part of me that wanted to flare my wings and shout "Boo!" at the next sweaty pony that tried to unobtrusively edge away from her.

Once the train with the wounded departed, I turned my attention to other tasks. Letting Rainbow Dash go without some sort of farewell twisted me up inside, but she was in no condition to appreciate any words. So I contented myself with a kiss on her cheek, even though she would have hated that sort of "mushiness" if she had been awake.

I made a speech to the crowd with the mayor and sheriff beside me, reassuring them that the monsters had been defeated and that they were in no danger. "For now," was the suffix to that assurance that I didn't speak aloud. The pit of dark magic in the Crook-Tail Canyon ruins was something that still needed to be dealt with, but my ship and crew were in no condition to pursue the issue at the moment.

So I sat at the mayor's desk and wrote letters. A few years earlier, the first one would have been to Celestia, but many things had changed since then. I wrote to the girls. I told them what had happened, trying to use the gentlest of terms to convey a grim meaning. Then I crumpled up the blobby, tear-stained paper and started over, holding the new scroll vertically, away from my face.

I wrote to Spike, my chamberlain, my captain of the guards, the airship yards at Canterlot, the Royal Hospital, and finally Celestia. I gave the scrolls to the fastest pegasus we had and told him to deliver them to my castle where Spike and messengers in my company of guards would forward them to the various recipients.

Evenstar's crew were making a more thorough inspection and evaluation of the damage, and I was headed to join them when Luna intercepted me.

"You must rest, Twilight."

It was true that I felt like gravity had doubled for some inexplicable reason, but there were still things that needed to be done. I pointed a hoof at a couple of pegasi crewponies hovering near a twisted control strut at Evenstar's tail. "They're not resting!" I said, more sharply than I had intended.

"Trust me in this, Twilight." Luna's voice took on a sterner tone. "Things will go well until the morrow. If you exhaust yourself in the small matters, you will not be fit when the larger ones need your attention."

"Just a couple of hours more. Then I'll get some sleep."

"'Twould be most unwise."

"'Unwise' is sort of the theme for the way I handled this whole expedition, so why shouldn't I keep on with it?" I snapped.

"Fie!" Luna actually began to sound angry. "Play not the foal, Twilight Sparkle! A child may wallow in self-blame and 'twill harm none. You are a princess of Equestria and there are ponies you must rule! Will you rule them well or badly?"

Okay... so her mentoring style was a bit different than Celestia's. None of that gentle, guiding, "What do you think would be best, Twilight Sparkle?" stuff. But I guess "snap out of it, and get over yourself" was what I needed to hear right then.

"I... Alright. You're right. I'll get some sleep." I turned toward the boarding ramp and trudged a few steps before Luna spoke again.

"Despite what you may think, you did very well today, Twilight."

"It doesn't feel like it. It feels like I was too slow, too stupid, too... overwhelmed."

Luna turned and walked by my side. "And yet, you led us to victory."

"Yeah. We won. There's that, at least."

Luna stopped and pointed at the roof of a nearby house. There was a young colt up there, crouched beside the chimney. It was long past bedtime for any pony that age. His eyes were wide and fixed on Evenstar. "He will dream of airships tonight, of flying to distant lands. His sleep will be free of monsters because we kept them away."

It was odd that such a small thing would make me feel better. But it did.

= = =

When I woke up in the morning, I stretched—and nearly screamed. My back and wings felt like they'd been soaked in acid. I was bruised and aching in many other places I hadn't noticed the day before, including a few stinging, shallow cuts, but nothing compared to the pain of my badly overworked flight muscles.

Luna was completely unsympathetic. "Yes, the weight of good armor is distributed such that it feels like no burden, but the whole of it still needs to be borne. Wings or hooves can't be fooled. The pain and stiffness will be worse tomorrow, but then it will fade."

At least my horn didn't hurt. A hot bath to soak in and some willow bark tea would have helped, but I had too many things to attend to. Wasting time on luxuries wasn't in my schedule.

Repairs had gone well, but there were a few engine parts that needed replacing that we couldn't get in Dodge Junction. I would have tried an object-specific teleport if I could have been certain of getting what we wanted from a warehouse in the Canterlot Yards, but I was just as likely to pull them out of another airship. Paying later for a "borrowed" part was something I was perfectly willing to do, but not if it crippled another craft. I tried mending them with my magic, but my fine control wasn't up to the level of accuracy needed for the precision machined parts.

"Can she make it to Canterlot?" I asked the chief engineer.

"Havin' to climb half-way up the Canterhorn, an' fightin' those thermals…" He grimaced, squinted, and sucked at his teeth.

"I'll take that as a 'probably not.'" I thought for a moment. "Could we get a tow from a locomotive?"

"Ah... no, Yer Highness," he said. "Sorry, but th' surface load on Evenstar could pull a train engine clear off th' tracks if she got hit with a strong crosswind."

"Alright, then." I sighed. "What about Ponyville Castle?"

"Mmm..." He cocked his head and squinted up at the patched steering fin. "I s'pose so, if we don't try any fancy flyin'. But I ain't making no guarantees."

Getting us back in shape for an assault on the pit in the desert city was going to take a lot longer than I liked, but I couldn't see any way around it. I left four pegasi in Dodge to fly alternating scouting sweeps over the badlands. If any more monsters crawled out of the desert, at least we'd have advance warning.

We headed north at half speed to put as little stress on our bad engine as possible, and I spent the first hour or so moving around the ship with the engineer, making sure that all the critical repairs were holding. As I headed back to my cabin to write more letters, Luna intercepted me.

"Have you stretched out your wings lately? They will stiffen unless you do."

Of course I hadn't. I'd avoided even thinking about my wings. I muttered something about being busy, and Luna gave me the stink-eye.

"Fine," I said, making a show of shifting my left wing in the narrow passageway. "I'll stre—ouch!"

"May I help? 'Twill be unpleasant now, but neglect will treble the pain and stiffness on the morrow."

I let Luna direct me to my bunk and settled in sideways, my legs tucked under me. She pressed her shoulder against mine and took hold of my wingtip with her magic. Then she slowly pulled until my wing was fully extended.

I am a royal princess of Equestria. I am a hero of the kingdom and its savior several times over. I am the unquestioned monarch of my own realm and sovereign ruler of thousands of ponies. I did not whimper like a little filly.

Luna gently guided my wing back to my side. And then she stretched it out again and moved it up and down.

"Bleeding stars! Are you trying to kill me, you malevolent moonbutt?"

Luna chuckled and kept on working, unperturbed. I gave up resisting and contented myself with muttering curses under my breath that even my friend Jigsaw[2] would have been proud of. Excruciating though the process was, I have to admit that Luna knew what exactly she was doing. She found every aching fiber of my physical being and mangled them all. Massage is good for bruises? I was going to look that up when I got home. I didn't believe it, and I strongly suspected that the Princess of the Moon was a closet sadist.

[2] She's a pony of many admirable qualities, but she's got the foulest mouth I've ever heard when she's in a mood.

Unbelievably, when Luna had finished torturing me, I felt worlds better. I still ached, but the hard tension I had been carrying was gone. I rolled onto my side, intending to just close my eyes for a minute, and fell fast asleep.

= = =

I had to reciprocate, of course. Making Luna hurt just as much as I had in revenge was not at all what I had in mind. Honestly.

It was dark and the few candles scattered around us barely gave enough light to see by. I had my shoulder firmly pressed against hers as I gently pulled on her wing with my magic. She took in sharp breaths that hissed between her teeth, but didn't yelp or curse like I had done. Maybe a little massage therapy would change that?

I shifted around on the dark purple cushions beneath us until I was facing her almost head-on, then I leaned forward and began probing her shoulders for knots and bruises. The thick muscles beneath her black coat yielded only slightly to my magic, so I pressed harder, working down the long muscles of her back. I scootched forward until I was pressing my chest against hers and added the strength of my hooves to my magic. Her scent was like moonflower and evening primrose blossoms, with something warm and strong and mysterious layered beneath. She moaned with a release of breath, but it didn't sound much like an expression of pain to me. Quite the opposite, in fact. Her wings swept forward, the long, sharp points of her primaries tracing cold lines down my sides as she pulled me into an embrace.

"Ah, Twilight," she breathed into my ear. "That feels so good."

It was her voice that made me realize that the mare I was entwined with wasn't Luna. I tried to pull away, but was held fast by the black wings encircling me. The Nightmare slowly opened her glowing dragon eyes and chuckled deep in her throat. "Pain for pain, pleasure for pleasure, Twilight Sparkle. I can show you the extremes of either... or both, if you wish." She leaned closer until her lips brushed the corner of my jaw and said, barely above a whisper, "You have only to ask."

I wanted to scream. I wanted to pull away. I wanted to say—something. But I froze, unable to move or speak or even breathe until the Nightmare released me and I woke up.

= = =

=

Author's Note

And many thanks, again to my persistent and helpful pre-readers and editors:
AcademicPony, MacIsBest859, Gogito, and statoose!

4 Celebrating a Job Half-Done

Chapter Four
Celebrating a Job Half-Done

"Twilight? Are you in pain?" Luna looked down at me with concern. "You were moaning—"

"Nightmare," I gasped, gathering my wits and sitting up on the bed.

"Ah! Forgive me. I had not realized you had fallen asleep or I would have warded your dreams."

I shook my head. "No, I mean the Nightmare."

Luna stiffened. "What did she say? What did she do to you?"

Yeah. Well, I certainly wasn't going into details about that. "She... I think she was trying to tempt me, I guess. It wasn't a very long dream."

Luna's eyes narrowed and her nose wrinkled with the beginnings of a snarl. She took my head between her hooves and leaned close. "Twilight, you cannot trust anything she says! Whatever she promises, it is a lie. Anything she offers is but a trick to deceive you and further her own scheming."

"I... I know that." Luna was so close that I noticed her scent. It was identical to the Nightmare's. My heart began to race.

Luna sensed my distress, if not the reason for it, and pulled me into a hug. It might ordinarily have given me comfort. As it was, I clung to her with a desperate embrace that was half driven by panic.

"I will not let her harm thee," Luna said quietly. "I will guard thy dreams. I shall be there by thy side ever and anon to keep thee safe."

I pressed my muzzle against the base of her neck and drew in more of her exotic fragrance. I held the hug longer—much longer than was appropriate. I clung to her with a desperate need for—for what? What in Equestria was I doing?

I felt Luna briefly stiffen against me, but before I could release her and stammer out some confused apology, she tightened her own grip on me and lowered her head to touch the crest of my neck with her lips.

I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. She began gently, touching and pulling with her lips. I relaxed a bit and she began using her teeth on me. Touch, squeeze, and tug—ever so gently, she groomed me like a mother would a foal. I practically melted into her embrace. Her ethereal mane flowed across my face and streamed down, wrapping around my shoulder and side. Her magic joined her mouth on me, and I felt the smooth, loving pressure down my back and out along wings, setting everything to rights. Making everything all right.

The last thing I remember before slipping into a deep and peaceful slumber was stroking her side and murmuring something foolish into the hollow of her throat.

= = =

I awoke to a polite but firm rap on my cabin door.

"Your Highness?"

Luna was beside me on the bed, lifting her wing from my back. She stepped onto the deck and stood there, waiting for me to answer.

"Yes?" I called out as I scooted over and got to my hooves.

"The captain asked me to inform you that we are less than half an hour out from Ponyville. One of your royal guard has come aboard with messages."

"Thank you. Tell the captain I shall be out in a moment." I must have slept nearly twelve hours!

"Yes, Highness."

I turned to Luna. Her expression was indecipherable.

"I..." I cleared my throat and began again. "I suppose we should..."

She reached out with a wingtip and stroked my cheek. "You will do fine, Twilight. I will help you in any way I can. The confusion and disorder that comes with war is not confined to battle, but you will master it, I am certain."

I didn't understand. Was she talking about—was she giving me a way to save face? An excuse for my behavior? Oh stars and moon, it was a gentle, subtle way to put me in my place, wasn't it? I felt a flush of shame wash over me and I turned to the door.

"Yes, of course!" I said, with a little too much force. "I'll be fine." I opened the door to my cabin and walked out.

"I should return to Canterlot," Luna said hesitantly from behind me, "but I will rejoin you as soon as possible."

I nodded and kept walking. Luna was no longer behind me when I reached the bridge.

The messenger bowed as I approached, then pulled a scroll from his satchel and held it out to me. "There are others, but I believe you should read this one first, Your Highness."

I took it and broke the royal seal—and nearly wept with relief.

My Dearest Twilight,

Rainbow Dash is going to be fine.

I took a moment to get myself under control and read the rest of the letter.

She is already feeling well enough to complain about the food and the enforced inactivity. She and the rest of your ponies are receiving the best medical and magical care I can command, and most of them should be out of the hospital in a few days.

I am so sorry you had to face such a trial with only a few soldiers to aid you, and I will have words with Luna about suggesting such a reckless course of action.

I will ready forces to assist you in completing the task at hoof. A week should be sufficient time to prepare, and then we will put an end to this threat together.

Sincerely,

Celestia

I read it over again, just to make sure I wasn't mistaken. Celestia seemed to think that Luna had suggested the expedition. I had put together the troops based on the reports of the number and type of monsters and what I knew of their capabilities. I'd only asked Celestia for advice.

And she'd sent me Luna. Or—that's what Luna had told me, at any rate.

Standing there frowning wasn't going to get me any answers, so I mentally filed it under "What the Hay is Going on Here?" and read the rest of the messages.

One was a reply from the Canterlot Yards, confirming the shipment of the engine parts for Evenstar, one was a report from my senechal, and one exploded in my face.

Confetti, mini streamers, and glitter went everywhere.

YOU ARE INVITED!!!
The super-fun, "We Mashed the Monsters" party
will take place in the Grand Meadow
at Ponyville Castle
just as soon as you get your
royal rump down here!!!

No need for a signature on that one.

"Uh... Your Highness?" the helmspony said as he brushed confetti off of the compass housing. "There seems to be a disturbance at the castle."

We had swung around into the wind for our final approach and as we lined up with the castle, I could see what the helmspony was referring to. Not only were the fields surrounding its base filled with ponies, banners, bunting, pavilions, balloons, and flags, but the party had spilled over into the approaches and side streets of Ponyville proper. There even seemed to be a tuba and kazoo band set up on the Great Western Balcony.

Well, maybe a party was just what I needed to take my mind off of things. I turned to the captain. "Captain Zephyr, as soon as Evenstar is moored and secured, you may release your ponies to join in the celebration if they wish, or report back to Canterlot. I want to meet with you and the other captains tomorrow morn... no, tomorrow an hour after noon for an... uhmn... an after-action report, is that the correct term?"

"Yes, Highness." He nodded.

"Right. I imagine it will also be a good time to talk strategy for our next move. But until then, you and the rest of the crew are free to do whatever you wish." I walked to the starboard hatch and flipped the brass levers that unlocked and opened it. "You've certainly earned some time to relax," I said over my shoulder, just before I leaped into the sky.

= = =

"No, it's fine, Pinkie," I assured her, combing the last of the frosting out of my mane, "but next time you give somepony a twenty-one cupcake salute, maybe you shouldn't aim the pastry cannons directly at them."

"Sorry, Twilight!"

"Well, at least it was them Key Lime cupcakes!" Applejack chuckled. "She didn't waste any of the good apple ones."

"Hey! I like Key Lime." I said.

"And that's why I shot them at you!"

I had nothing to say to that, so I just smiled. Pinkie logic was comfort-nonsense, and being spattered with high-velocity baked goods was actually a return to normalcy for me.

Fluttershy was predictably absent from the wild festivities. She had remained in Canterlot with Rainbow Dash, but had sent a note with Rarity. Evidently, to keep Rainbow Dash from chewing through the hospital wall in an escape attempt, Fluttershy was by her bedside, reading the Daring Do novels to her. There were a few comments about how awfully Daring had treated those poor "kitty-cats" and asking why she didn't try talking with them first.

I had to tell the rest of the girls and Spike the story of the battle, of course. It wasn't too hard now that I knew that my wounded ponies were on the mend. I tried to keep it as non-gruesome as possible, but Pinkie and Applejack seemed to revel in the details, with Pinkie making monster-squashing noises for accompaniment. Even Rarity, though she made grimaces of disgust, hung on my every word. Spike kept saying things like "cool!" and "awesome!" but he didn't actually sound like he was enjoying the story all that much.

Rarity gave the wound on my shoulder an evaluating look. "I think the scar makes you look very dashing," she said. "Like some warrior princess out of an old legend!"

That gave me pause. I was kind of hoping my injury wouldn't leave a scar. And a warrior princess? That was the last flavor of royalty I wanted to be. I was the Princess of Friendship, not the Princess of Chopping Things Up With Swords. "I just did what I had to do. You girls, of all ponies, should understand that."

"Of course, darling! But that doesn't mean one can't look fabulous while doing it! Now, tell me, what did your armor look like? Did it have a crinere-aux-flambeaux?"

It turned out that Rarity had a freaky knowledge of fashions in armor through the ages. I didn't even know half the terms she was tossing around. Pinkie had some suggestions on how to incorporate pastry-based weaponry into an armored saddle, and even Applejack allowed as how a suit of barding would be a handy thing to have while making deliveries to some of her more isolated customers.

"Just a plain ol' one, ya understand," she clarified. "Nothin' fancy-schmancy."

"Just wait until you spend a day in a suit like that. You might change your mind." I told her. "My wings still ache just from carrying that stuff for a few hours!"

Applejack waved aside my objection to her plan. "Ah, nothin' like practice to toughen ya up! I might be a bit hoof-sore if I wore that suit while doin' chores for a week, but after that, I'd scarce notice it."

That was actually a very good point. If I was going back into battle a week or so from then, it would be wise to be better prepared. I made a mental note to retrieve the armor from Evenstar and keep to a training regimen every day until we set out for the desert again.

I mingled with the crowd, telling the story of the battle several more times and receiving congratulations I still felt I hadn't really earned. I think that Spike, my secretary Periwinkle, and others of my personal staff were running interference for me, because I never once got cornered by an official with "matters" to attend to. But, just as I was starting to feel a bit tired, Pinkie Pie appeared at my side and insisted that I had a "royal doodie" to perform. Hoping that her pronunciation was an error rather than an omen, I followed her toward the base of the castle.

What I found there was a royal box set up beneath the spread of glittering branches with a big sunshade and a huge pile of purple cushions. On the raised platform, two low tables flanked the seating area and were loaded with drinks and snacks.

"There you go, Twilight!" Pinkie said, pointing to the cushions. "It's your royal doodie to chillax and take a load off!"

Have I mentioned how much I love Pinkie Pie?

I settled in on the cushions and selected a cold mint tea and some cinnamon rolls. Several friends and acquaintances dropped by to chat in ones and twos. It was the perfect way to celebrate and relax at the same time. Pinkie Pie is a genius. A twisted genius, but still...

Spike played at being my attendant for a while until he got bored and went off to do more exciting things. But before he went, he rested his claw lightly on my cut shoulder and said the sweetest thing: "Rarity's right. It is cool... but don't get any more, okay?"

Later in the afternoon, a familiar blue face appeared out of the crowd. "Heya, Twilight!" Jigsaw called out to me.

"Jigsaw! I haven't seen you in ages! What are you doing in town?"

"I took the train down from Canterlot for the day. I wasn't going to miss your victory party!"

"Come on up, here! Hey, should I call you Doctor Jigsaw, now?"

She trotted up the steps, tossed me a sloppy little bow, and then settled down on the cushions next to me. "I only insist on the 'Doctor' from students, Princess Twi. By the way, the lot at Crinet College are getting pretty lazy. When are you going to drop by for another seminar? That should put some fire under their tails!"

"Oh, let's see..." I teleported a schedule book from my study and flipped through it, pretending to read the entries. "Save the world, save the world, open the Royal Garden Show, save the world... hmn... maybe sometime next spring?"

Jigsaw laughed at that, but then became more serious. "But you really did it again, didn't you? The same things we faced in the cave but more of them." She gave a quick shake of her neck, sending her short golden mane flouncing.

"It wasn't just me. I had a lot more help this time. Some very brave ponies got hurt defending Equestria from those things."

Jigsaw flicked a hoof in the direction of my scar. "Doesn't look like it was a stroll in the park for you, either."

So I told her about it.

"Wow. Not exactly what I'd call a grand adventure. More like an ordeal. Don't take this the wrong way, Twi, but I'm glad I wasn't there this time." She tapped a hoof thoughtfully on her chin for a moment before continuing. "But Sessi probably would have loved it. That mare is crazy!"

"How's she doing? Are you two still...?"

"Oh yeah! Both happy as a cockatrice in a rock garden. She's working for university security now. Lives for frat parties!"

"Uh... what?"

Jigsaw snickered. "Drunken hoofball players: She settles their hash in very short order! Never once has had to use her horn. Not that she wants to."

O—kay. "Well, it's nice that she enjoys her work."

"And the best part is that when she gets home after sorting out a half-dozen drunken louts, she's a wildmare! Really, Twi, she practically—"

"Got it, thank you! No need to go into details!"

"No?" Jigsaw sounded very disappointed. "But, attention to details is one of her specialties."

Yes, there I was, Monarch of All I Surveyed[1], being teased by a libidinous Archeology Professor. Celestia was right: The world is basically unfair.

[1] I was facing the castle and couldn't see anything else at the moment.

"So... how's the weather in Canterlot?"

Jigsaw laughed. "Still Princess Innocent, huh? Or maybe you've found somepony more your speed."

"I... what?"

"Oh, I just heard that maybe you had a special somepony of your own. And... maybe you aren't as straight as you led me to believe... you naughty girl!" She gently booped me on the nose.

"'Heard?' Heard from whom? What did they say?"

Jigsaw shrugged. "It was—" she swung a hoof out at the crowd filling the plaza. "—just some ponies. I didn't know them."

I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath to calm myself. I seemed to be doing that distressingly often lately. "What did they say?"

"I didn't mean to upset you, Twilight. It's just some stupid gossip. If it's not true—"

"Please, Jigsaw, I'm not upset at you. Just tell me what you heard. Please."

"Uhmn... well, they just said that you and Princess Luna were sharing a bedroom on your blimp. Something about... uh... moaning noises coming from inside... like... uh... you know... you guys were up to stuff."

Stuff. Oh, bleeding Sun and Moon... stuff! I'd never be able to face Luna again. I don't know how I'd be able to face anypony again! I looked out over the huge crowd again and realized that with how fast rumors traveled....

"Gotta go, Jigsaw. See you later!"

She was still drawing in breath for a reply when I winked out.

= = =

I'd had to turn away several ponies who had knocked at my bedroom door, until I finally hung a sign on it:

The Princess is Indisposed

After that, I had been left alone with my thoughts. My recursive, painful thoughts. The last set had begun with me wondering if I could banish myself and was circling back to considering a permanent shapechange into a small woodland creature and moving in with Fluttershy, when the sun set with an unusual abruptness.

Moonrise was later than it should have been by almost a minute and it lifted into the sky with unusual haste. I watched it all in a sort of stunned immobility from my bedroom's balcony. I guessed that I wasn't the only upset princess in the realm that day. Had Luna and Celestia heard the rumors, too? I groaned and lay my forehead on the railing of the balcony.

"What does 'indisposed' mean?"

"Aaaahhhh!"

Pinkie Pie was dangling by her front hooves from the railing, a hundred yards above the ground. I lifted her up onto the balcony.

"Ooh! Sorry, Twilight! I didn't mean to scare you, but your door was locked and there was this sign on it that I didn't understand, so I thought I'd ask you about it and maybe see why you left the party, which is still going pretty good and... Oh, hey! There's going to be a lantern parade after dinner with these ponies who do fire twirling and it's going to be super—"

"Pinkie! What are you doing?"

"Well... like I said, your door was locked and there was this sign on it..."

I put a hoof over her mouth and began a rebuke, but she pulled my hoof down and said, softly, "And I saw you up here, and you looked kinda sad. You shouldn't be sad, Twilight."

I tried to say something but my throat tightened up. Pinkie took my hooves in hers and waited patiently for me to compose myself. "Pinkie... there's a rumor going around. About Luna and me." I had to pause again. "It's embarrassing and—"

"Wait a minute," Pinkie Pie said, with a puzzled frown. "You're embarrassed because ponies know you and Luna were being snuggle-bunnies?"

So she'd heard it. Of course Pinkie Pie had heard it. "It's not true, Pinkie! Ponies have the wrong idea about the whole thing. She was just massaging my wings! That's why I was... moaning... oh Sun and Moon!" I hid my face in my hooves.

"Huh?" Pinkie cocked her head to one side. "So... you don't like Luna?"

"What? No! I mean, yes I like her. She's been wonderful to me and I admire her more that I can say." I got up and began pacing back and forth. "I've gotten to know her very well recently, and she's smarter and funnier than almost anypony gives her credit for. She knows so much about what it means to be a princess, and that means I can talk with her about things that nopony else understands. I'm happy that we've become close friends."

"So you're sweet on Princess Luna! What's wrong with that?"

"Huh? No... Pinkie, haven't you been listening?"

"Yep! She's smart and funny and wonderful and understanding. Sounds perfect to me!"

I groaned. "I like her a lot, but not that way! I'm not gay; I'm attracted to stallions!"

Pinkie Pie gave me a brilliant smile and asked, "Why?"

I swear, holding a conversation with that mare is like trying to gallop while somepony throws logs under your hooves. "Why what? Why am I attracted to stallions?"

She nodded eagerly. "Is it that they're big and strong, like Luna? Is it that they're forceful and commanding, like Luna? Or is it that they've got really big wings that look like they'd be so much fun to snuggle under, like... oh, I dunno... Luna, maybe?"

I opened my mouth, fumbling for an answer while dancing over the metaphorical forest that Pinkie had slung under my mental hooves.

"Or is it because they've got..." Pinkie Pie made an incredibly rude gesture with her foreleg. "Because if it's just that, there're some toys—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Pinkie, please!" I held up both forehooves in front of my face to try and stop the assault of images she was putting into my head. "I'm not—"

Pinkie put her hooves over mine and pulled them down. She frowned at me, reached out and tapped my forehead with a hooftip. "Twilight Sparkle, you've got two separate little boxes up there labeled 'gay' and 'not gay' and that's just dumb."

I had no idea what to say to that, so I sidestepped the issue. "Look, it doesn't matter if I'm gay or not gay or somewhere in between! It's Luna that I'm thinking about. She's the Immortal Goddess of the Flipping Moon, and she's not interested in me. She's going to be horribly embarrassed by this nonsense—"

"Wow! You can read her mind?" Pinkie gasped. "That's so great! That means you'll never misunderstand her, or have to talk to her about how she feels about anything, or—"

I sighed.[2]

[2] We've been friends long enough that I'm sure she understood it to mean that I took her point, that I really didn't want to discuss it any more, and that sarcasm was something I did way better.

Pinkie's smile fell. "I just wanted to help." She lowered her head and scuffed at the floor with a hoof. "Luna's been coming to see you almost every week for a long time now, or you've been going up to Canterlot for visits. You always seemed so happy about it that I thought... But she really told you she wasn't interested? That's too bad."

"Yes, she..." I paused. "Well, no she didn't exactly say that, but it was perfectly clear."

"Oh, she wrote you a note?"

"No! She... She said I was... confused, I guess."

"Huh. I think she was right about that!" Pinkie Pie stood on her hind legs and put her hooves on her hips. "You need to talk to her Twilight! A comedy of errors isn't funny when it makes ponies sad!"

"But—"

"Comedy," Pinkie said, drawing an outline in the air that was roughly pumpkin shaped. "Expert," she finished, tapping her own chest firmly.

Hard to argue with that. "Okay, okay. You're right, Pinkie. I will talk to her about it, but—"

"Would now be a good time?" Luna asked from behind me.

"Aaaahhhh!"

= = =

=

Author's Note

Thanks to my editors, AcademicPony, MacIsBest859, Gogito, and statoose! Feedback is almost as useful when it tells you you've done something right as when it says, "Delete that whole second part; it stinks." Almost.

5 Divine Intervention

Chapter Five
Divine Intervention

"Ooh! Lucky timing, Luna!" chirped Pinkie Pie. "Twilight wants to ask you—mmfph."

Pinkie Pie floated up off the balcony, held and effectively gagged by Luna's magic. "Oh, I doubt that luck had much to do with it," Luna said to her as she pushed her out across the railing and over empty space. "Thank you, Pinkie Pie." Then Luna released her and she plummeted like a stone.

I leaped to the railing, intending to dive after her, but Luna grabbed me with her magic and pointed with a hoof. "Watch," was all she said.

I struggled until I saw the long, heavy banner hanging from the tower lift in a sudden gust of wind and curl up under Pinkie like a tongue. She plopped down into the fabric like it was a slide, and a second gust caught it just as she was about to slip off the bottom end. It flipped her up and across to a big tent that had been set up to serve food and cider, dropping her onto the broad awning in front. She bounced out with a joyful "Wheeeeeeeheeheehee!" and fell into a huge mass of balloons next to a hot chocolate stall, which popped in rapid succession, slowing her fall until her hooves gently touched down on the grass.

I just stared, open-mouthed for a while. When my brain got traction again, I turned to Luna, but before I could speak, she answered my question.

"Wild Magic. I have suspected such for a while, but now I am certain. She is a very special pony."

"Well, I could have told you that! What would you have done if you were wrong?"

"Caught her and apologized, most likely." Luna shrugged. "But I was not wrong, and I am certain that it is thanks to her magic that I arrived here in time to hear what I heard. Had her bright color upon your balcony not caught my eye, I would have passed by, found you much later, delivered my message, and gone home."

A dozen questions fought for precedence in my head, quite a lot of them concerning this Wild Magic, but the most important one won out. "What did you hear?"

"A matter of disinterest, I think it was. Am I right to suppose this is a matter of the heart?"

"I... oh stars, I'm sorry! You... You must think I'm—"

"I think thou art a cherished friend, and I wish to know thy feelings on the matter." Luna wore a neutral expression and her voice was low and soft, but I knew she wasn't as calm as she appeared. Her tail always did that little flickery thing at the tip when she was tense but trying to hide it.

I'm sure that somepony could have fried eggs on my face at that moment. I dropped my head, letting my mane fall across my face to hide my shame, and I fell back on what I knew best. "Luna, I value your friendship more than anything else, and I wouldn't want to lose it for any reason. If I have—"

"No, Twilight Sparkle," she said, lifting my chin with her magic. "Thou wouldst have to struggle mightily to lose my friendship. No matter what... that, at least, is safe.

I nodded and fumbled for the right thing to say. "There's a rumor about... about us."

"Yes," Luna said. "Gossip flies faster than a pegasus, it seems. My sister had heard of it before I returned to the palace."

"Oh." I dropped my head again. "I'm sorry. Is... Is she upset?"

"More than I think sensible," Luna said, turning her gaze out over the party in the meadow. "She beseeched me to come to thee and set the matter to rights."

I frowned. "But you didn't do anything wrong! And there's no sense in making a public denial. I know how these things work; It would only convince ponies that the rumor was true. It's all so stupid!"

Luna looked at me from the corner of her eye. "Is it folly to suppose I could desire a beautiful and brilliant mare such as thee?"

"Well, ye... uhn.. I... Wait, what?"

Luna raised her head and looked up at the stars, saying nothing.

I knew what I should have felt then. It was a misunderstanding. Just a few words would clarify everything. I'm not... What? Was I really about to cram myself into a little box with a misleading label? I felt a warmth that expanded in my chest and made me lightheaded.

"I... I guess it's not that stupid." The warmth in my chest competed with a shiver that ran down my spine as Luna turned to look at me. "I mean... You... You're so beautiful and I... I'm just so confused!"

"Ease thy mind, Twilight," she said turning to me. "I shall make my intentions clear. I would be thy lover if thou wouldst have me, yet I have no wish to discomfort thee. If thy heart does not answer to mine own, we shall part and ne'er speak of this matter again."

I opened and closed my mouth several time without speaking. Luna's gaze fell from my face and she began to turn toward the balcony's railing.

"No, wait!" I called out to her.

She stopped, but didn't look back at me.

"I... I don't know what I want. I'm not sure..." I shook my head and stamped a hoof in anger at my foolish waffling. "Okay, I do know one thing for sure. I don't want you to go."

Luna let out a long, shuddering breath and turned to face me. There were unshed tears in her eyes.

I took a few hesitant steps toward her, trying to come up with the perfect thing to say. There was a long, awkward pause while I struggled with a jumble of words that were wholly inadequate to express my ill-defined feelings. Eventually, I gave up.

Feeling a bit like I was stepping off of a cliff, I leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. It wasn't quite a mom kiss, but it wasn't anywhere near the neighborhood of romantic. Luna returned it with one of her own, softly stroking my opposite cheek with a wingtip. It was as simple and chaste as the one I had given her, but felt startlingly more intimate. Evidently, there was a lot more I could learn from Luna. I shuffled my hooves nervously, unsure of what to do next.

Luna leaned in close and her warm breath tickled my ear as she softly said, "There is a grand revel below us. 'Twould be a shame not to take part in the festivities."

Given the rumor, the thought of walking through the crowd with Luna at my side made me feel more than a little skittish. But I was certain I wasn't ready for any other options.

"I'd like that," I said.

= = =

I had a marvelous time. My initial embarrassment wore off quickly as we strolled and chatted with the other ponies at the party. I was initially terrified that somepony would come straight out and ask us about our rumored relationship, but I hadn't taken into account Luna's imposing presence. I'd gotten used to it, but the Ponyvillians still showed her great deference, for all that they probably knew her better than any other ponies in Equestria.

We were asked about the battle several times, and Luna told the tale with grand, sweeping gestures, enthralling everypony within earshot. She emphasized the heroic parts and glossed over the awful bits, making adjustments to the order and timing of events such that the whole thing sounded much more like a grand adventure than an exhausting, messy struggle.

After the third retelling, as we paused at a cider booth for a couple of frosty cold mugs, I gave her a shoulder bump and said to her, "That sounded like a great fight. I wish I had been there."

Her burst of laughter blew the foam off of her cider. "Ah, but wait until Sergeant Obsidian has put his quill to it! Our foes will blot out the sky with their numbers and we shall wield swords of starlight!"

I laughed in turn and said, "There was a fair bit of blotting as I recall. Well, if Daring Do can stretch the truth a bit, I suppose it's okay for us to do the same."

Luna grinned. "The truth is in the poetry, Twilight. All else is a dry and bloodless recounting of facts."

"If you say so, but I think..." I trailed off, realizing that a wave of silence was sweeping over the crowd.

Luna looked up and the smile fell from her face. I turned to see Celestia descending from the sky in a long sweeping glide that brought her to the grass only a few lengths in front of us, in a circle of bowing ponies.

Celestia smiled and nodded to either side. "Rise, my little ponies! I am here to enjoy the celebration and congratulate the brave defenders of Equestria. Please, let us be informal for this evening."

Celestia is absolutely masterful at maneuvering social situations to her liking. Without seeming in the least bit hurried or forced, she guided us through the crowd, making pleasant conversation with passing ponies all the while, until we found ourselves walking alone along the bank of the river. "I am surprised to find you here, sister," she said when we were well away from the party.

Luna kept walking and did not look at her as she replied, "Twilight asked me to stay."

Celestia cast a glance in my direction.

"Uhmn... well, yes, I guess I did," I mumbled.

Celestia turned her attention back to her sister. "You assured me the rumor was unfounded."

Luna's mouth tightened and her eyes narrowed, but she didn't reply and didn't look at Celestia.
My chest tightened and my breath came shallow gasps. To try and break the awful tension I blurted out, "It's not true! We didn't... We didn't do anything! It's all nonsense! I would never—"

Luna gave me a brief, surprised look and then vanished in a violent blast of magic that nearly knocked me over.

I automatically reached out to the dissipating vortex with my magic, seeking to trace Luna's path, but Celestia stopped me with the touch of a wingtip on my shoulder. "Let her go, Twilight."

"I don't understand! We were having fun, and I'd almost forgotten about the stupid gossip," I said as I turned to her. "Why are you so upset? Why was she so upset?"

The tortured look on Celestia's face did absolutely nothing to reassure me. "It is a complex and unfortunate situation, Twilight."

At that point, I was so confused that I couldn't come up with a coherent question. I suppose my utterly lost expression conveyed that well enough, because Celestia sighed and indicated we should settle down on the grass. "Tell me, Twilight," she asked as she folded her legs neatly, "do you have feelings for Luna? Romantic feelings?"

My face went flaming hot again. "I... I think so, yes."

"When did you become aware of your feelings?"

I started to answer and then stopped to think. A simple "about an hour ago" wouldn't do. "I've thought very highly of her for a long time," I said, puzzling it out as I spoke. "We started spending a lot more time together recently. She's helped me so much and been a really good friend. I guess it's just in the last few moons... that I... that my feelings... oh flaming stars, I've only felt anything like this a couple of times before, and my friends have laughed it off as a 'crush!' I'm not even sure it's love or attraction or whatever. I just get this happy, warm feeling when I think about being with her, and I know it's not simple friendship."

Celestia nodded. "And Luna began spending more time with you over this past year or so?"

I had expected her to comment on my feelings, not the timing of them. A cold feeling started creeping up my spine. "Yes. Yes, I suppose that's just about right. Why?"

Celestia dropped her gaze, and for a moment she looked so sad that I wanted to comfort her. "Twilight, the last thing in the world I want is for you to be hurt... but better a small shock now than a greater disappointment later. You see, you have come to feel as you do for Luna because she intended that you should."

I gaped for I don't know how long before I gasped out, "What?"

Celestia turned to me and looked me straight in the eyes. "She is older than you... much, much older. She has conceived a desire for a relationship with you, and... there is no nice way of saying this... manipulated events to make it come about."

"But... But she never even suggested anything," I gasped out, casting my mind back though all our past times together, searching for something that would either support or refute Celestia's claim.

"She deceived you, Twilight! For a score of moons, she has subtly guided you away from other ponies you showed interest in. She pushed you toward others she knew would disappoint you. She planned for your friendship to become something much more intimate, and she interfered in your life for her own selfish desire!"

I thought about that for a moment after I got over the little jolt that ran through me at Celestia's use of the word "desire." There was one thing that occurred to me. Something awful. "Did Luna use any spells or potions on me?" I asked, dreading the answer.

Celestia looked shocked. "She swore to me she hasn't done such a thing, and I believe her. But she doesn't need to, Twilight. Her experience and subtlety at work against your innocence is more than enough to sway you."

I sighed with relief. After a moment, I frowned and said, "Just about anypony is more romantically experienced than I am. I have to start somewhere."

Celestia lowered her voice and spoke softly. "Yes, but with a more suitable partner—"

My flare of anger was completely unexpected, and I'm sure that Celestia wasn't calling her sister an unsuitable romantic partner in general, but that's the way I took it at that moment. I leaped to Luna's defense. "Luna is a wonderful mare! What about her is unsuitable? Do you keep a list of her faults or something?"

Celestia's wings flared slightly and her head went up in surprise. "Twilight! That is not what I meant at all. It is the differences between you that are the problem, not either of—"

I held up a hoof to silence her. Yes, I had the utter gall to shush the Immortal Sun. I was that angry. "Thank you for telling me all this. I'd like to think about it. Alone."

"I'm so sorry, Twilight," Celestia said. "I only want to spare you and the kingdom unnecessary grief."

I nodded and turned my head away, not trusting my legs to stand without shaking. Celestia throwing in "the kingdom" to subtly remind me that my life was not entirely my own, just made me more angry.

After a long, awkward pause, Celestia stood, lifted into the sky, and soared away.

I sat for a very long time and then, impulsively, I lashed out with my magic and tore up several square yards of turf, flinging the dirt and grass high into the air. At a guess, the clumps of sod rained down somewhere in the Everfree.

It didn't make me feel any better. I flew up to my room and flopped down on the bed, then stared at the ceiling and chased my thoughts and emotions around and around until I fell into a fitful sleep.

= = =

"You may not believe this, Twilight Sparkle, but I am sorry about how that turned out."

"Oh suffering stars! Can't I even get some peace in my dreams?"

"Forgive me, Twilight," the Nightmare said. "I'll leave you alone."

"Hey! Wait! Why are you being so nice? You're evil. You should act like it. Sneer or rub your hooves together and cackle or something."

The corner of her mouth twitched slightly upward. "I have my own goals and desires, Twilight Sparkle, just like any other pony. True, I am ruthless in satisfying them, and I hold little respect and absolutely no mercy for those who oppose me. But is that 'evil', or is that merely strength of will?"

That was an easy one. "It's evil."

She actually chuckled at that. "What is most important to you, then? Mutual respect... compromise... fair play... those fancy rocks you and your friends used to wear. All that rubbish?"

"It isn't rubbish! Those things are the basis for Harmony! It's what makes for the best life for the most ponies."

"Luna doesn't believe that."

"Oh, don't you dare! I'll—"

"No, no, Twilight Sparkle, you mistake me! I admire Luna. She is powerful and willful, yet she truly cares for all the ponies of Equestria. She shepherds their dreams with great devotion. Nopony could ask for a better Regent of the Night. You have seen for yourself how well she defends her subjects." The Nightmare turned toward me, took a few steps to close the gap between us and continued in a softer, almost confidential voice. "But she does not make the mistake of putting herself on their level. She knows her own quality and makes no attempt at false modesty. Luna is a goddess, and doesn't willingly suffer defeat. You know it's true. Your egalitarian ideals matter little to her when she truly desires something... or somepony."

Maybe what she said was true, but it was a twisted version of the truth. I had no idea why the Nightmare was making a point to tell me all that, but it certainly wasn't just innocent conversation. She was up to something, and it didn't matter that she seemed friendly and open. She was a malevolent spirit of darkness, and I couldn't trust her.

"Buzz off, Queen Meany, or I'll find out how well dark magic works in the dream realm!"

She laughed again. "As you wish, Your Majesty of Friendship! But we will talk again soon." She began to fade away and her voice softened so that I had to strain to hear her last words. "After all, now that you've insulted Luna and driven her away, there's only one dreamwalker left to visit you."

= = =

I jerked upright in bed. I'd been woken from bad dreams by fear and even sadness a few times but never before by blazing anger.

My life had been so simple only a week before. Now, I had to deal with monstrous invaders, a romantically scheming princess, another princess who was meddling in my life with only my best interests at heart, a conniving dark spirit intent on who-knows-what, and worst of all, my own indecisive emotions. I vented my frustration in a completely unrestrained scream of outrage.

The two guards outside my door burst into my room, spears quivering in the grip of their magic. One rushed to my side while the other quickly scanned the room and balcony for any threat to my royal self.

"I'm sorry!" I sighed. "A bad dream. No need to... wait, what time is it?"

The guards glanced at each other, only relaxing slightly before one of them answered. "Just before midnight, Your Highness."

I nodded thoughtfully. I had problems. Multiple problems. The best way to work through an overwhelming load was to address one item at a time starting with the most critical, and my heart told me which one that was. Good decisions are based on good information, and since this was a matter of love—

No. Not Cadance. Not yet. Right then I needed some advice on a much less romantic level. I needed somepony with practical relationship experience who wouldn't flinch at giving me a straight-out, even blunt evaluation of the situation.

The choice was obvious.

I sent for one of my hoofmaidens. "Misty Morn, would you see if a particular pony could be found and brought to me? She's certainly still awake and at the party."

"Of course, Your Highness!"

"Blue coat, golden-yellow mane cut short, with three puzzle pieces as her mark. Wasn't wearing anything the last time I saw her. Her name is Jigsaw."

"Yes, Your Highness!" She curtsied and left.

I've got a really good staff. Jigsaw was at my door not fifteen minutes later. I thanked Misty Morn and closed the door. Just as a precaution, I cast a silencing privacy spell over the room.

Jigsaw wore an absolutely obscene smile as she sashayed into the room, rocking her hips much more than was absolutely necessary. "Well, well... invited to the royal bedchamber in the middle of the night. Lucky me!"

"Have a seat," I said. "Over there," I added when she approached the bed.

She quickly caught my mood. "Okay, Twi, no kidding around. What's up? You seemed kind of upset earlier."

"And I haven't gotten much better since then," I told her.

"Okay. What can I do to help?"

"Let me explain... no wait." A sudden thought had struck me. Jigsaw had kept her athletic figure even after becoming one of the faculty at the college. I seemed to recall her telling me that she coached the track and field team part time. She had an admirably sleek and strong physique, but one that was still nicely rounded in all the places a female ought to be. A body like that certainly should appeal to anypony interested in mares.

"Vamp me."

"Huh?" The look on Jigsaw's face was priceless. It almost cheered me up.

"You know... do whatever it is that you do when you want to get Sesseressia all hot and bothered. Put the moves on me!"

"Twi... look, I kid around and flirt a lot, but Sessi and I are exclusive... You know what I mean? I really don't want any other mare, and I think she'd react badly if I..."

"No, no no! This is an experiment! I just want to... uhmn... observe your technique."

"I..." She shook her head. "Okay, Twi, but you had your chance and you turned me down. No take-backs, okay?"

"Yep. This is for science. Really."

She shrugged, then lowered her head and looked at me out of the corner of half-lidded eyes. A slow grin formed on her face as she took step after deliberate step, stretching her body in a very feline way as she crossed in front of me. Her hips and rump moved with an amazing, fluid grace, her tail slowly swept down one haunch as she came closer, stroking and emphasizing its firm curves. "It's late, Twilight." Her voice came out low and sultry. "Shouldn't we be in bed?" She arched her back, making the long sweep of muscles from her shoulders to her flanks dance beneath her skin. "In bed... together?"

Nothing. Oh, sure, I got a lot of information from the display. Jigsaw was undeniably, objectively gorgeous and really knew how to accentuate her sex appeal. What I'd always assumed to be "bedroom eyes" turned out to be "under-the-kitchen-sink eyes" in comparison to her performance, but there was no spark, no desire. It was weird. I was either gay or I wasn't. Isn't that how it worked?

I picked up a pad and a pencil and scribbled a few lines. Then I made a short checklist. My friends pretty much covered the range of normal, healthy, female body types. So...

Rainbow Dash: Athletic - Lean and defined. Admirable, but... No.

Applejack: Powerful - Muscles on top of her muscles. Stronger than most stallions I know. Nope.

Fluttershy: Delicate - Thin and waif-like. Classic model-type. Nada.

"Twi?"

I waved the pencil at her. "Hang on a second. Almost done."

Rarity: Statuesque - Perfect proportions and a trim, tight figure. Always perfectly groomed. No spark.

Pinkie Pie: Luscious - A symphony of soft curves and an I'll-do-anything-for-fun attitude. No.

I just wasn't physically attracted to any of them. Then there was Luna. I didn't even get past writing down her name before I felt myself flush. When I pictured her, my immediate thought was to wonder what it would be like to snuggle up next to her, to feel her touching me. Oh stars! Did I have a princess fetish or something?

"You okay, Twilight?"

"Yes, I'm fine... or maybe not. I'm not sure. I might need to do some research into aberrant behavior."

Jigsaw frowned and gave me a wary look. "Okay, I've had lots of different reactions to my little come-hither act, but this one is unique. I must be losing my touch."

"Oh no! Really, you were very sexy! It's me: I'm just not... well, okay I guess I am a little... but no, I don't think it works that way."

Jigsaw snorted and rolled her eyes. "Thanks a heap for clearing that up, Twi."

"Augh! It's complicated!"

"So explain it to me!" She walked over and plopped herself down at the foot of the bed. "Slowly and in short words. Athletic scholarship, remember?"

I snorted. "Sure, Doctor Jigsaw. But this has to be completely confidential, okay?"

"If it's about you and Luna, I gotta tell you... the cat's already out of the bag and halfway to the Crystal Empire. Everypony knows."

"Yeah," I tried to keep from sounding sour and failed. "And like a lot of things that 'everypony knows', it's wrong. Nothing happened between us!"

She shrugged. "Okay, then. You have my word, Your Royal Highness. No gossiping."

I released a breath I didn't know I was holding and tried to find the right words. "So, yes... I am attracted to Luna." I glared at Jigsaw. "If you laugh, you're leaving here with a burnt stub of a tail!"

"I wouldn't dream of it, Twi. Really." And, for a wonder, there was no levity or mockery in her voice. "Go on."

"It's all so sudden and I don't even think I'm really gay. Look," I held up the note pad so she could see it. "Given a cross-section of body-types—"

Jigsaw snorted and pushed the pad away. "You're kidding, right? You can't explain attraction with charts and graphs, Twilight."

"What? Jigsaw, you can explain anything with charts and graphs! If I recorded pheromone output, serotonin levels, magical resonance compatibility, and—"

"Okay, okay! Maybe you can explain the archano-biological aspects of love, but that's not what matters. What matters is that you're attracted to her. That's it. That's all you need to know. Who cares why you like coffee instead of tea? Drink what you like!"

I'm not sure I was entirely comfortable with the subtext of that metaphor, but I understood what she was getting at. "Well, I suppose you have a point."

"I'm hearing a 'but' in there, somewhere," Jigsaw prompted.

I sighed. "Yeah, there's another problem. I've just learned that Luna..." I hated to say it but I forced it out. "She manipulated me into it! Okay, so I feel what I feel, but she's been arranging to have us spend more time together, often alone, and Celestia intimated that she's probably been discouraging any other pony from... not that I was looking, but still." I cleared my throat and caught my lower lip in my teeth. "I'm upset about being tricked and I don't know what I should do. Should I deny my feelings out of... I don't know... pride? And Celestia is upset about the whole thing! She said it was inappropriate and—"

"Whoa there, princess!" Jigsaw said, holding up a hoof. "First of all, Celestia is upset over this? That's nice. Go buy yourself a sun hat and concentrate on the important stuff."

I sputtered in outrage, but Jigsaw kept on going. "The feelings of your friends are important in this but unless you're going to hold a vote among them, you owe them consideration, not control. Unless you're willing to make yourself miserable to suit other ponies' notions of what ought or ought not to be, you need to put your own happiness first."

"But what if I'm wrong? This whole thing is so weird and so sudden. What if it's just an infatuation? What if—"

Jigsaw snorted derisively. "What if it isn't? How are you going to be sure unless you give it a chance? She wasn't pressuring you was she?"

"No, but she deceived me. She maneuvered me into this—"

"Oh come on! You don't think makeup and a sexy dress aren't maneuvers? Some buff stallion just happens to pick the exact moment you walk by to lift that heavy wagon load of hay bales or slowly wipes the sweat off his big, broad shoulders? Ever seen a mare 'accidentally' spill a drink over a rival who's getting a little too close to the pony she fancies? It's all maneuvering and deception! That's the game, Sparklepants! Are you gonna toss the whole thing because Luna didn't play exactly nice and fair?" Jigsaw grabbed me with her magic and dragged me over to the balcony. "Yeah, it might end up as a big mistake... a total disaster. Or it might be absolutely fantastic. But you'll never know if you don't give it a shot."

I grinned at her. "You're amazing, you know that?"

"Yeah." A slow smile crept over her face. "I know."

= = =

=

Author's Note

Huge thanks to my editors for this chapter, AcademicPony and statoose! They put up with me swapping enormous chunks of text around, skipping important moments, and determinedly misspelling "lose" every chance I got.

BTW, statoose insists that Jigsaw's dialog should be read in Scarlett Johansson's voice. He's obviously a genius.

6 A Novice Celebrant

Chapter Six
A Novice Celebrant

I threw myself into the sky and cleared the top of the great crystal star in less than a second—and then realized I had no idea where Luna had gone. Canterlot? Somehow I didn't think so. After a scene like the one with her sister, the last place she'd want to be was in the palace they shared.

I circled slowly, trying to come up with any solid idea. What had she said before she left? Nothing, really. I had been the one talking. I had been saying, "It's all nonsense! I would never..." I groaned. I had been trying to deny the rumor, not the possibility! But Luna must have thought I was denying any affection for her. My circles tightened and sped up in reflection of my frantic thoughts.

She'd want to be far away from her sister and me. Someplace high and lonely. My gaze lifted to the sharp crags of Rambling Rock Ridge, the jagged peaks beyond the Everfree, black against the starlit sky, tall, cold, and lonely. The perfect place.

I changed course with a tight snap-roll that I never would have been able to do if I had been thinking about it and headed for the peaks. All I had to do was spot a midnight blue alicorn somewhere in a range of black basalt crags at midnight. Simple, really. Spells. What spells would help? Yeah—what could I come up with that would find an ancient, magical goddess that didn't want to be found?

I flew on, racking my brain. Okay, time for lateral thinking. What would my friends do? Pinkie Pie could probably pop up right where any pony might be hiding—but usually only if the pony was hiding from her. Try as I might, there was just no way I could think like Pinkie. Okay then, Fluttershy? No. Rainbow Dash? She didn't go in much for thinking. She was a mare of action. So maybe Rarity—wait. Action. That's what I needed. I couldn't out-magic Luna, but that was me thinking like a unicorn. What would a pegasus of action do?

It only took a minute to come up with a plan. I darted around the sky, gathering up as many moisture-laden clouds as I could find. Then, I merged them, shoved the whole mass over the first mountain peak, and gave it a good wallop. It threw a couple of little lightening bolts and began a light rain.

I darted under the cloud and scanned the mountainside below. Nothing. So, I pushed the cloud further down the range a while, scanning the crags. Again, I saw no reaction from the slopes beneath. I kept on pushing the cloud and searching. The cloud diminished as I went on until it approached the point where I would have to go and gather more clouds to continue. I was just about to break off when I spotted it: the brief pulse of a shield spell. Luna didn't want to get wet. I shoved the cloud away and dropped toward the mountain.

Luna was near the top of the ridge and when she saw me coming, tried to teleport away. I had expected that and was prepared for it. I sent a counter spell at her interstitial entry vortex, disrupting it. The feedback wrenched at me so badly that I floundered sideways through the air and nearly hit the vertical rock of the peak face-first. I flopped down next to Luna in the worst landing since the first month I'd gotten wings and gasped out, "Wait! Just let me say one thing and then you can go... or I will go and leave you alone... or whatever you like!"

Luna said nothing, but her horn didn't glow, and she didn't step toward the cliff edge. She raised her head and gazed down her muzzle at me from narrowed eyes, unsmiling.

I opened my mouth but my throat locked up. I coughed and shook my head angrily. This was no time to choke! Luna raised an imperious eyebrow and that broke the dam. "I don't care! Celestia said you planned this out and it's inappropriate and I don't care! Whatever happened before, whatever the differences in our experience, whatever you did... It doesn't matter. I want to be with you. I want to give us a chance."

Luna closed her eyes and bowed her head. After an excruciatingly long pause that must have been the better part of a second, she replied in a shaky voice, "Please, Twilight, I beg thee be certain."

"Of everything?" I asked, shaking my head. "I can't be. It's too soon, too new. But I am certain that I want to spend more time with you. I want to be close to you and maybe even intimate..." I trailed off and cleared my throat nervously. "I don't know, but I want to find out."

"Then…" There was a slight tremble in her voice and she paused, smiling softly. "Then, shall we make the discovery together?"

Luna, big, powerful, intimidating Luna, was nervous and hopeful and trying so hard to hide it. It was absolutely adorable. I lit my horn and a moment later, we appeared back on the balcony of my bedchamber. The moon was sinking toward the horizon and the fields and streets below were dark and nearly deserted.

I took a hesitant step closer to her and lifted my head. I really didn't know what to say, but Luna rescued me with a kiss. It was just a gentle press of her soft lips to mine, but it sent a tingle down my spine.

I stepped closer until our chests pressed together and we had to turn and arch our necks. Unlike the previous evening, Luna's touch could in no way be mistaken for that of a mother upon her child. After another long, sweet kiss, she lifted my chin and brushed her lips along the line of my jaw. Then she lowered her mouth and began to nibble gently at my throat. I shivered as her mane fell across neck and back, its cool undulations adding another layer of sensation to my already overwhelmed senses.

As much as I was enjoying myself, there was still a part of me that was unsure, and more than a little scared, of where we were heading. I think Luna must have felt my uncertainty, because she lifted her head, shifting from a strong, dominant posture to a more relaxed position by my side. She nuzzled me slowly as she carefully shifted her head, taking great care with her long, wickedly-sharp horn.

I timidly began to kiss and nibble at the powerful arch of her neck and was rewarded with a long sigh of pleasure from her as I worked my way around her poll and the base of her ears.

Luna extended one wing and brushed the tips of her soft primaries over my shoulders and down the length of my back. It felt wonderful but I found myself tensing up and holding my breath. I wasn't sure I was ready for—well, I wasn't even sure what, exactly, it was I wasn't ready for.

Among the racy books that Rarity had lent me, the few that were about two mares falling in love were so metaphorical about sex that they were useless as guides. One had the heroine "surrendering" herself and letting her lover take the lead. But others strongly intimated that a completely passive partner wasn't very satisfying. I just didn't have much of a clue as to what would be appropriate and pleasing. Yes, I'm a grown mare and I knew generally what might be expected of me. But to act without some sort of detailed idea of the techniques involved was like telling a fledgling pegasus that flying is just "moving your wings" and then chucking her off a cliff and letting her sort it all out on the way down.

And I was nowhere near sure I was ready to take that step, anyway.

Luna was so wonderful about it. She lay down on my bed, motioned me to lie next to her, and then just spooned with me. She nestled her head against mine, and moved her caressing wing over the less intimate parts of my anatomy. It wasn't that she had lost interest. Oh stars, that certainly wasn't true!

"Shal Ic speake fram oold bokes yn sondrye oold tonges thet suche langage uppan mine owne tonge wil, paraventure, mayke yt swete?" she whispered into my ear. "Than shal yt be beter fyt to gyft thee gret blisse and joye whan Ic, æt laste, mayst drynke of thee."

Have I mentioned that Luna tends to slip into archaic speech when she gets a little emotional? Well, a seduction line in full-blown Old Equuish both thrilled and terrified me.

"That sounds... wonderful," I gasped, and realized I was trembling. "But... maybe not right now?"

Luna made a sound deep in her throat that was something like a sigh mingled with a chuckle, and she settled her cheek against mine. Her wing curved around me and just held me. We stayed like that for quite a while before I got the courage to speak.

"Luna?"

"Mm?"

"I... I am so happy right now, I have no way to express it. Just saying your name makes me... well... sort of dizzy."

She didn't pull her head away from mine enough for a kiss; she just sort of nibbled at the corner of my mouth with her lips. I went all warm and gooey inside and nearly forgot what I had wanted to say.

"I... I want to... to... oh, I don't really want you to stop that, but I can't concentrate on what I want to say."

She drew away slightly, an entirely wicked grin on her face. "Prithee, share thy thoughts with me, my dearest Twilight."

Oh, there was no doubt; infatuation or love, I had it bad. Just that crooked little smile made me gasp and shiver. I swallowed and tried to sound like something other than a nervous little filly. "I want to... to make you happy, Luna. But I... no, please let me get this out! It's so hard to come right out and say it, but I think it's important. You see, I'm... I'm woefully inexperienced in the entire area of physical romance. Completely inexperienced, in fact. I don't think I'm ready for that yet, but when I am, you'll… You'll have to... to... teach me what to do. I may be clumsy and not do the right things at first, but I'll try really hard, and all you have to do is tell me what you want and I'll do my best to—"

She cut off my babbling in the loveliest way possible. Several moments later, when she broke off the kiss, she smiled again, but it was definitely wistful rather than mischievous. "When you are ready, we shall learn together, Twilight."

My happiness-sodden brain took an inexcusably long time to puzzle out what she had implied. "Wait," I frowned, "do you mean... That's impossible! There must have been uncounted stallions... or mares that were eager to—"

Yes, it came out all wrong, but Luna laughed it off. "I am not such a slave to carnal desire as that, Twilight!"

"Sorry! Sorry! But you know what I mean. You're so beautiful, and you could have your choice of anypony you wanted! Didn't you ever...?"

"Oh, aye! A thousand times, yet never once." Her mischievous grin was back. "Look not askance, dear Twilight! Before my exile, ponies thought of me as the Dark Presence, the Slayer in the Night, and She Who Walks in the Shadows of Sleep: I was feared by all but my sister. What pony born of mare would seek my embrace? Yet in their sleep, desire prowls the minds of ponies like wolves in a dark forest, where fear may turn the heart to undiscovered ways... paths whereon a pony might seek the darkness she would flee in life... all roads which I have walked in darkest dreams. For all that I have never felt the touch of love beneath the sun and starless sky, I know desire's aspect and scent right well. I have touched pleasure wherever I fancied, and yet am pure as moonlight newly made."

I stared at her for a long, long time. "But... but... you came back. And ponies know you now. They aren't afraid... or not most of them, anyway. Are you really—"

She stood up and the night air felt cold against my side where we had been touching.

"No! Wait! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—"

She stopped me with a raised hoof. "'Tis well, Twilight. The fault, if such it is, lies with me." She paced to the balcony's edge and looked out over the dark forest beyond Ponyville. "I am a pony of a different age. Though I strive to match my gait to the modern world, I carry in my heart the old ways. I speak not of prudery, but of pride, for I am a princess, divine. The stamp of my hoof brings thunder from a clear sky and the moon dances at my command. 'Tis an emotion I struggle to suppress, and my sister ever reminds me that it is a flaw, but the truth, though it may speak ill of my character, is that I have considered nopony worthy of my regard beyond a dalliance in the Dreamlands." She turned to look at me then, and there was sadness and hope in her eyes. "Nopony but thee, Twilight."

There was this tiny part of my brain that was rebelling at the surge of feelings her words kindled in me, and not just because the Nightmare had flung such an accusation earlier. As a princess, I had a duty to serve and guide my subjects. I may be more gifted and powerful than most, but I am not better than they. Hubris was a deadly flaw in a monarch and—and—I suddenly realized that I cared less about all that than I cared for Luna. I ruthlessly trampled my doubts and reveled in my own pride and joy. She loved me! That was all that mattered. The Goddess of the Moon found me worthy of her love and nothing could make me happier.

I grabbed her with my magic and dragged her over to me in a manner completely inappropriate for the treatment of a Divine Highness. We tumbled down together, laughing and touching and kissing.

We became so involved with each other that we lost track of the time and the moon was a teensy bit late in setting. Once again, I twined my magic with Luna's and she guided my touch on the celestial mechanism, revealing to me more secrets of the intricate apparatus of the heavens.

The blazing sun rose almost instantly after moonset and the day quickly grew uncomfortably hot.

"Looks like I'll be in the market for a sun hat," I groaned.

Luna gave me a look.

"I don't care," I told her. "Okay... maybe I do care... a little. So maybe there was a bit of deception involved. Celestia will just have to accept it." I made a mental note to order a couple of slinky dresses from Rarity and practice that thing that Jigsaw did with her hips in front of a mirror until I got good at it.

"Deception," Luna sighed. "I strove to deceive myself and denied my heart as long as I could. I spoke to thee of love but only to push thee toward another... to put thee beyond my reach and end the matter. But that evening a year gone, when you spoke in jest before my chamber... when you spoke of your friend Jigsaw... it was like a knife in my belly, Twilight! I knew then that I did not want to lose thee to another. And that is when I began my campaign to deceive thee."

"I guess I really can't blame you... and I'm certainly not complaining about how it all worked out... but why didn't you just say something? I would have... well... I guess I don't know how I would have reacted back then, but I...."

"That is the crux of the matter, Twilight. I have never courted anypony before and I did not know, either. And what I did not know, I feared. And so I deceived thee. I meddled in thy affairs so that thou wouldst be prevented from giving thy affection to another. I used every excuse to aid thee and give thee counsel and simply be with thee. And when the message came to Canterlot with news of battle looming, I could think of nothing else but fighting by thy side. I begged my sister to stay her hoof and let me alone accompany thee."

Luna paused and squeezed her eyes shut, the muscles along her jaw tightening. After a moment, she drew in a shuddering breath and looked at me again. "And I see now how wrong I was in many things I did, but most particularly that last, selfish act, and I beg thee to forgive me. I put all at risk for a selfish desire to be thy comrade-in-arms. I know well how battle may create a bond between ponies and I did not consider the matter further. Those ponies... thy friend... all hurt for the sake of my whim and disregard! Of course my sister is furious! She is right to be so. Last evening, she beseeched me, in the name of Harmony, to abjure my foolish intent. She said that our moment together in thy cabin was nothing but a need for comfort after a disaster that I had caused. She told me that I was lucky to have escaped hurting thee more deeply than could be mended. She drew from me a promise to leave thee to thine own way in life and meddle no more!"

"You... you came here last night to... break up with me? I mean, even before we had gotten together?"

Luna gave me a tortured look. "If not for Pinkie Pie, I would have flung my farewells at thee and fled." She shook her head and dropped her gaze to her hooves. "And now I am forsworn. Though I cannot regret it, 'tis a wound to my honor and pride."

"No it isn't!" I sat bolt upright, surprising myself with the force of my reaction. "My 'own way' in life is to share it with you! Whatever you did or said in the past to influence or manipulate me, you aren't doing it any longer, so you have kept your promise to Celestia. And the battle was... yeah, it came close to being a horrible disaster, but I was the one who organized the whole thing, so it's my fault! Would it have gone better if the mighty Celestia Sol Invictus was there to hold my hoof? Yeah, no doubt... but I am not a foal any more! I have to manage my own affairs without constantly being propped up by Celestia!"

Luna's eyes had gone wide and she started to say something, but I steamrollered right over her. "And I have some news that might surprise you and her! If it was Celestia who had offered to come along instead of you, I would have turned her down! I would have gone blithely into battle with a false sense of confidence in my own plans and power and a lot of us would have ended up dead!"

I leaned over Luna and poked her hard in the chest with an outstretched hoof. "So, my ponies are all alive because you came along! Equestria isn't swarming with nightmarish creatures because of you! I think I only took you along because I had a crush on you, even though I hadn't consciously realized it, and you made the difference between ruin and victory!"

"Sweet velvet night," Luna said softly. "Thou art magnificent when thou art angry."

"What?" My train of thought derailed and tumbled off the trestle into a deep chasm of shock and embarrassment. "I... really? I thought... I..."

Luna pulled me down into a hug and mantled her wings around us. In the cool darkness she whispered, "Thou hast given me a full heart and forgiven me for my thoughtless pride, beloved Twilight. Were I a poet, I could not find the words to thank thee, far less the ones to praise thy spirit and thy courage. For that and more, my kisses must suffice."

Wow. That certainly sounded like poetry to me. I was pretty much overwhelmed by—everything, so I turned my brain off and just enjoyed the moment for what it was. Pinkie Pie would have been proud of me.

After a while, we disentangled ourselves and got out of bed. I called for a hoofmaiden and sent her to ask the girls and Spike if they would like to have breakfast with us. Then Luna and I settled down together at a low table. I couldn't keep from yawning hugely. I supposed I would have to get used to being up late into the night, but right then, I was running very low on energy.

Spike arrived quickly, took one look at Luna, me, and the rumpled bed, then blushed deeply and began shuffling his feet while attempting to simultaneously look and not look at us. There were things that all of us would have to get used to.

"Uh... Periwinkle asked me to tell you there was a note on Jigsaw's door that said she'd skin anypony who woke her before noon." Spike told me, addressing the wall about two feet to my left.

"I'm not surprised," I chuckled. "Would you get some stationary, please? I need to send a letter to Celestia."

"Okay." He went to my little desk and brought out paper, ink, and quill.

"My Dearest Celestia," I dictated. "Please do not be angry with Luna or me. She has told me everything and I have done the same for her. There is no need to be concerned, because the more time I spend with Luna, the more certain I am that a relationship with her could make me very happy. I know that this will change a great many things and important decisions will need to be made. I cannot believe that anything bad can come of such wonderful feelings, but I don't quite know how we should proceed, and I would welcome and greatly value your council. Your Loving Friend, Twilight Sparkle."

"Uh..."

"What is it, Spike?"

"That's kinda mushy, isn't it? I mean, it is Princess Celestia you're writing to."

I chuckled. "Yes, well, I'm feeling very 'mushy' this morning, my number one assistant! In fact, I think you need a very mushy hug." I levitated him over the table and into my forelegs, nuzzling his stiff little crest of spines. He grumbled and protested, but not very forcefully.

I relented and set him down. "Send it, Spike! Before I ask you to draw little hearts all over it!"

"Jeeze," he mumbled. "Being in love sure makes you act funny." He burned the scroll and the smoke whirled out the window, on its way to Canterlot.

I started a bit at the L-word. I hadn't gotten to the point where I was certain that love was what I was feeling. But when Spike said it, it was like a jolt of electricity that made me tingle all over.

The sound of hooffalls and cheerful voices in the corridor heralded the arrival of Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. The others' voices lowered in volume as they approached my door, but Pinkie's was still loud and clear. "Luna totally booted me out of the bedroom, guys! It was so cute!"

"I am not cute," Luna grumbled under her breath. "I am beautiful and fearsome."

I briefly nuzzled the corner of her jaw and turned to face the door. I was incredibly nervous all of a sudden.

"Uhmn... hi girls," I said as they appeared in the doorway. "So I guess you've heard the news?"

Pinkie Pie was grinning her head off. Applejack was, well, she was looking stunned is the best word I could use to describe her expression. Rarity had sort of a wistful smile on her face as she came forward to hug me. "Darling, I think they've heard the news in Zebrica by now. I am so happy for you both!"

"So..." Applejack said slowly. "What happens now?"

I smiled at her and yawned again. "Breakfast is on its way. I'd like to... well, get some advice from you girls. Then, maybe a couple hours sleep before my meeting at one. And then..." I looked over at my beautiful Luna, gazing back at me. "I have no idea. I just know it will be wonderful!"

As a prophecy, it was completely accurate… just woefully incomplete.

= = =

=

Author's Note

Thanks to AcademicPony and statoose for their editing help on this chapter!

7 A Collision of Intellect and Passion

Chapter Seven
A Collision of Intellect and Passion

Breakfast was a little awkward.

I don't know what I was expecting. I guess I just assumed that, because I was so happy, my friends would be just as happy. Pinkie Pie certainly was. But her advice to us was extremely enthusiastic and just a bit more suggestive than I was comfortable with. Rarity was mainly concerned about what fabric would complement our colors so she could make matching outfits. She dropped into distracted professional mode and spent most of the meal holding color swatches up against Luna and me and making notes. Applejack didn't say much of anything and didn't eat much of her breakfast. I wanted to ask her what was the matter, but it really didn't seem like the time or place to do so.

The food perked me up a bit, but I was still dragging my tail and Luna was insistent that I get some sleep before the meeting with my captains. She shooed the girls and Spike out of the room and ordered me to bed—which sort of pushed thoughts of sleep out of my head.

"You will sleep, Twilight," Luna said firmly. "If I may?" She gave that little motion of the head that is the common gesture a unicorn makes to ask you if she can use her magic on you in a personal sort of way. I don't think Luna had ever used it much and it made her look even more adorable.

"Of course, but maybe we can stay up for just a little while longer?"

"One kiss, princess," Luna said, bending over me. "Then it's off to my realm for you!"

Even having been up the entire night and barely able to stand from exhaustion, there was no way it was possible that I would fall asleep while kissing her, so it must have been her magic at work.

= = =

I awoke from a deep, dreamless sleep with Luna's lips on mine. I reached up to pull her down but she broke off the kiss and stepped back.

"Your meeting is in ten minutes."

I rolled out of bed feeling wonderfully refreshed. Sweet Stars and Moon, could I have made good use of Luna's magic during finals week back in school! I grabbed a hairbrush and began working my mane and tail into some semblance of order.

Luna stood by looking at me with a thoughtful smile on her face.

"What are you thinking?" I asked as I set my brush aside.

"I am merely drinking in thy beauty, my beloved. I have no thoughts, for thy shining visage hath rendered me insensible."

I could feel myself blush. And the best part was that I knew she sort of meant it even though she'd said it in a teasing tone of voice. She really thought I was beautiful. That magnificent, stunning mare thought I was beautiful! I think my hooves barely touched the floor all the way to the council chamber.

When we got there, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack were there, as well as the military ponies.

"Oh! Thanks for coming, but you girls don't really need to be here for this. It will probably be boring and—"

"Don't be silly, dear. We may or may not be able to contribute something to the planning, but we should keep ourselves informed so that we will know what to expect in the Badlands."

"What? No, wait! I'm not asking you to come along. It will be mostly a military expedition."

"Oh, no you don't, Twi," Applejack spoke up. "Y'all managed to ditch us the first time, but we're coming with you on this one."

"It's our duty," Rarity insisted. "Noblesse oblige, n'est-ce pas?"

"Besides, we got our rumps parked in these here fancy chairs," Applejack said, reaching back and rapping on her throne with a hoof. "We gotta live up to that!"

"I believe that's what I just said, darling," Rarity sniffed.

"Not in no kinda sensible talk, ya didn't!"

"Please, girls! It really isn't necessary...." I glanced at Luna for some kind of support, but she was grinning, obviously enjoying my plight.

The next interruption came from Pinkie Pie. It wasn't so much a counter-argument as a burst of snorting, giggling laughter. "You're so funny when you're serious, Twilight!"

I knew when I was beaten. "Fine, fine! Of course you're coming! I don't know what I was thinking." It wasn't like I was going to go unprepared this time. It wasn't like I was going into a fair fight. I was going to organize an overwhelming force to exterminate the dark creatures like the vermin they were. If things went as planned, my friends wouldn't have anything to do but watch from the airship while having drinks and snacks.

It came as a bit of a surprise that Rarity had a good head for logistics. She made several excellent suggestions for organizing supplies for the expedition. "Packing well is a specialty of mine," she explained. "Oh yes! That reminds me."

Her horn lit and she grunted softly as a large wooden crate floated into the room. "Goodness, that's heavy! I don't know how you can bear it, Twilight." She opened the lid to reveal the armor Luna had lent me. "There you are! Your secretary said you'd want it today. Luna and I chatted while you were napping, and she showed me how to clean and polish it all. But I have to say, so much silver doesn't show well on you, dear. You should consider some gold-plating or maybe a caparison. Gold brocade might suit."

I was confused for a moment and then I remembered my plan for accustoming myself to the weight of armor. Something I mentioned to Periwinkle at the party.

"Oh... right. I think I'm going to be too busy to—"

But Luna was already lifting the pieces out of the chest and floating them over to me. It's really weird, but as I put on the armor, my captains got... more attentive. It was hard to put a hoof on, but their attitude definitely changed.

Rarity fussed around me, making little umns and ahhs and tsks, examining all the pieces, straps, and padding as Luna put them on me.

Spike was making distorted faces at himself the shiny curve of my peytral when he suddenly gasped, turned to one side, and hurked up a scroll on a blast of green fire. I reflexively caught it and broke the seal. Then I paused and exchanged glances with Luna.

I set the scroll aside. "Let's finish up here, shall we?"

It only took us a short while to finalize the plans and send the captains off with their instructions. Captain Lightning Lance paused in the doorway and said, "I just want you to know that it is a pleasure to serve you, Your Highness. If there is anything I can ever do for you beyond the scope of my ordinary duties, you have only to command me."

I thanked him, smiling as if I knew what the hay he was talking about.

Applejack was the last to leave and she also paused for a parting comment. "Maybe we don't always see eye-to-eye, Twilight. But I can see y'all are pretty happy, and I reckon that's a good thing."

"Uhmn... thank you," I said, and stepped out of the council chamber with her for a short ways, until we were alone. "Look, Applejack, I can see you're upset about something. Would you like to share it with me? Can I help somehow?"

She frowned and looked aside. "Naw, it's nothin', Twi."

"You're a terrible liar, AJ."

"I s'pose I'll get used to..." She broke off and made a vague gesture back toward the council chamber with her hoof. “But it's just downright weird, an’ I got my doubts.”

I gave her a puzzled frown as an unpleasant thought crept into my mind. "Is it because we're both mares?"

Applejack snorted. "Well… yeah, sorta. Maybe I ain’t all sophisticated like Rarity or whatever, but I ain't got nothin' against two mares fallin' in love. If that is what's goin' on."

"I... I'm not sure I understand the problem, then," I said, not sure whether to feel relieved or not.

"Well..." Applejack rubbed her chin with a hoof. "Lemme put it this way. Was anypony in town surprised when Lyra and Bon Bon got together?"

I snorted. "Hardly!'

Applejack nodded. "An' that's because Lyra always did have an eye for a soft and curvy rump, and when Bon Bon kept showin' up to hear her play durn near every night, sittin' in the front row and makin' googly eyes at her... well most o' the town figured out what was gonna happen afore them two did."

I grinned. "And they're ridiculously happy with each other as far as I know. So what's that got to do with Luna and me?"

Applejack frowned and scuffed a hoof across the floor. "I wouldn’t say nothin’ ordinarily, ‘cause it ain’t my business.”

“‘Ordinarily,’” I prompted.

Applejack kept her gaze on the floor for a minute, gathering her thoughts. “It’s all of it, really,” she said, raising her head to look me in the eyes. “You ain’t never had an eye for mares, Twilight. I seen you givin’ some stallions the once-over a couple o’ times, but you never looked at a mare that way. Leastwise, not that I know of. When did that change?”

“Luna’s special, AJ,” I protested. “She's hardly a typical mare, and I still don’t feel like looking at other mares 'that way.'”

“Really?” I could see she wasn’t convinced, but she didn’t pursue that part of the subject. Instead she took a different tack. “So when, exac’ly, did you start gettin’ feelin’s for Luna? Maybe I shouldn’t ask, but I seen plenty mares get all love-struck over somepony, and it don’t usually happen overnight.”

I was starting to feel a little defensive. “Oh? Like Rarity and Trenderhoof? Or Blueblood?”

She gave me a sharp look before she answered. “Yup. Those deep an’ abidin’ romances. An’ excuse me if'n I point out that you ain’t nothin’ like Rarity in that department.”

My ears angled back in annoyance. “All right, it’s sudden and unexpected, but I know what I feel, AJ!”

She frowned and looked away. “I’m sorry I brought it up, Twi. Like I said before, it ain’t none of my business. I just… I don’t want to see you jumpin’ into somethin’ and gettin’ hurt, is all.”

“Thank you for being worried for me,” I said, relaxing a little. “But I’m going to be fine… better than fine! I just know it!”

“Well, I sure hope so,” she replied, forcing a smile. “I’m still a mite doubtful, but that’s somethin’ I cain’t help. Nothin's gonna change the fact that we are PFFs, an' I'll be there for you no matter how things work out. An' that'll have to do."

I paused for a moment and then said, "Right back at you, AJ. Every word." I held out my hoof.

She gave me a nearly normal smile and a bump. My leg armor rattled.

When I walked back into the council chamber, Luna looked the question at me. Later, I mouthed.

"Spike, could you file these reports and take these specification sheets to Evenstar's ground crew?" I asked, levitating the stack of papers into his arms.

"Sure thing, Twilight! But don't you want to read the letter from Celestia first? You might want to send back a reply right away."

"Oh. Right." I lifted the scroll and unrolled it so that Luna and I could read it at the same time.

Twilight,

I would like to speak with you and Luna at your earliest convenience.

Celestia

Luna and I looked at each other. "Well," I said, trying to sound cheerful and not quite succeeding, "Things are in good hooves here. We might as well go now."

"Yes," Luna nodded. "'Twill be good to settle matters."

"So." I adjusted my chamfron and tightened its chinstrap. "Shall we fly?"

"Yes. It will be the quickest way."

"I agree."

"Indeed."

"And it will give me some exercise," I added, raising my wings to make sure the armor was well seated and secure.

"That is true." Another nod.

"Yes."

There was a long pause and then Spike asked, "So, are you guys going or not?"

= = =

We landed in the forecourt of the great hall at Canterlot Castle. The guards were a bit perturbed by my armor but escorted us to the throne room with quick efficiency. Evidently, we were expected.

Celestia watched with calm neutrality as we approached her throne. Luna and I came forward to the correct distance. I bowed and Luna gave a slight nod of her head. We waited for Celestia to speak first. Normally, formal protocol was something we three never bothered with when we were alone, but I had a feeling this was going to be a situation where being excruciatingly polite and correct might be very helpful.

Celestia finally broke the silence. "Armor, Twilight? I am not so angry as that."

A joke. That was a good sign. But she also made it clear that she was angry. Not so good.

"I'm getting used to the weight," I explained.

"Is it a burden that the Princess of Friendship should be accustomed to?"

The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. "With the sort of 'friendship' problems I keep running into?" Too late, I grimaced and bit my lip. Snarking at Celestia? I never did that! "Sorry! Sorry, but it probably did save my life."

Celestia knew exactly how to fine-tune the duration of a pause to deliver a rebuke and she did just that. She lifted a scroll before her and glanced down at it. I recognized it as the letter I had sent her that morning. She looked up from the page without lifting her head and gazed at Luna.

"Twilight tells me that you have confessed your misdeeds. Have you done so in detail?"

"No, but I will tell her whatever she wishes to know." Luna's emphasis went unnoticed by exactly none of us.

Celestia released the top of the scroll and it rolled shut with a crisp little pop. "I think that a relationship based on deception is doomed to failure."

I saw Luna's jaw muscles tighten and the stars in her mane flare slightly brighter.

"Okay, so maybe it started out that way," I blurted, trying to defuse the tension, "but I'm okay with that. It's just part of the game, right?"

Celestia turned her disbelieving gaze on me and I cringed. The armor didn't help at all. Good going, Sparkle. From snarky to foolish in one giant misstep. And it had sounded so cool when Jigsaw had said it.

Celestia's ears angled back ever so slightly and she said, "For an evening's entertainment, perhaps such a foolish game is appropriate, Twilight. But a castle built on sand will not stand for long."

I hung my head. I suppose I deserved a bit of ridicule for taking romantic advice from somepony who heedlessly jumped head-first into everything. "But… If I forgive Luna, we can start again, can't we?" I asked quietly.

Celestia showed mercy and looked away after a moment. "You should know what it is you are forgiving, Twilight Sparkle."

And suddenly I was angry, too. "All right, then." I turned to Luna. "Tell me. Right now. What is the worst thing you did? Think of the one thing you'd rather I never know and tell me about it."

The was a moment of shock and then, unbelievably, fear on her face.

"Yes!" I pounced on the instant. "That one! The one you just thought of. Tell me."

She hesitated and I turned back to Celestia. "If Luna tells me the worst of what she did, and I forgive her, will that satisfy you? Will you believe that I'm serious about this?"

Celestia turned her attention to Luna. "That seems reasonable," she said

Luna grimaced and then squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. "I will do better than that, Twilight. I will show you exactly what I have done." When she opened her eyes again, they were a pure blazing white, and the hall fell into darkness.

I don't think it was a dream, exactly. I was pretty sure I was awake; I could still feel the carpet of the throne room beneath my hooves. But Luna controlled everything we saw and heard.

"Do you know who it is that you presume to treat with such familiarity?" Luna's voice rumbled out of the pure blackness. "Do you know who it is you dare make eyes at?"

Suddenly I saw myself charging through a ruined castle. I had no wings and it took me a moment to realize I was seeing the night that I had fought Nightmare Moon in the Castle of the Two Sisters. The scene changed and I hovered in the air, possessed by the power of the Elements, sending their magic down to tear the Nightmare away from Luna, my eyes blazing with magic and righteous ferocity.

Then it was daylight, and I was in the plaza before Canterlot Tower, surrounded by changelings, my horn throwing bright bolts of energy into the swarming mass of the enemy.

Then I was in the Everfree, unleashing titanic blasts of magic at the towering, evil Tirek.

Then I was above the ruins in the desert, proclaiming my sovereignty over the entire changeling race, my eyes and body blazing with appalling streams of dark magic. I swept away a third of the city with a careless gesture of one wing and burned another third to slag with a furious glance.

Then there was cool, silent darkness again. After a moment, a gigantic Luna strode out of the dark, looming huge above us. She peered down, her narrowed eyes full of disdain. "That is who she is, you foolish pony!" Luna leaned down, her face growing huge in my vision and her voice rumbled like thunder as she spoke her final words. "You are not worthy of her, Flash Sentry!"

The illusion faded away and light filled the throne room once again. Luna stood with her head low and her eyes cast down. She looked... smaller.

Celestia remained silent. She looked down on her sister from her high place on the Great Throne of Equestria, her cheeks wet with tears.

And I? I was too shocked to cry. Not right then.

I suppose somepony had to speak first, and it turned out it was Celestia.

"Twilight might have been happy with him—"

"NO!" Luna flung up her head, and though she was shedding tears of her own, her voice was a roar of pure fury. "I forced the truth upon him, but truth it was! As a filly, Twilight was the most powerful unicorn in an age! As an alicorn, she has wielded more power than you or I ever have! Any stallion you can name is beneath her! None are worthy! She deserves an equal for her companion in life!"

I can't imagine anypony standing up to that imperious anger, but Celestia didn't even flinch. When she spoke, her voice was so soft that I had to step forward to understand her.

"Her life? Her life of a dozen decades or less? She is not your equal in one very important way, Luna. Twilight Sparkle is mortal. What will happen when she grows old? If your attachment is not true love but merely prideful infatuation with the young, powerful mare that she is now, then not so many years from now, it will be the script for a tragedy. It is cruelty deferred, Luna. You must see that."

I felt like I had suddenly been slapped out of nowhere. The loud clank that they both ignored was my armored butt hitting the floor.

Luna's voice got low and dangerous. "I know my own mind, sister." The room went cold. Her breath came out as clouds of frozen moisture and I could see frost forming where her hooves touched the floor. "I spent too long trying to deny it to doubt the truth of my love. I will love her beyond her life, beyond her death. Until the moon falls from the sky, she will live in my heart."

"Then, what will that love do to you when Twilight departs as she must surely do? Her love will only last her lifetime and then you will be alone. What of that?"

"Say you, that because her love is not eternal, 'tis not of value? Tell that to every colt and filly who loves a puppy or kitten! Cast them aside! Forgo love because it will be brief, because thou wilt be hurt, regardless that thy beloved will pass on after a happy life of companionship and joy." Luna's muzzle wrinkled in a snarl of disdain. "Fie! Thet ys base cowardice! Doest thou, oh mightie, virginal goddess, feare such an wound? Or haste thou ne'er tired of thy aloofe solitude?"

Celestia stood.

She took one step forward and the carpet smoldered beneath her shoe.

"Stop. Please, stop!" I cried out.

They held each other's gazes with an intensity beyond belief, but they stopped.

"I only want what's good for you both," Celestia said, not taking her eyes off her sister.

"You want what is safe! I want exaltation!" Luna shouted.

"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" I screamed.

They finally looked away from each other. Unfortunately, that meant they were looking at me.

"Celestia, I love and respect you for so many reasons that I couldn't come close to counting them all. I couldn't repay you for everything you've done for me, not in a dozen lifetimes. But I can't let that debt be a set of hobbles. I can't let you make personal decisions for me and still be my own mare." I wished I felt anywhere near as certain and confident as I was trying to sound.

I turned to Luna and swallowed. Even in that moment, I wanted to go to her and throw my wings around her, right there in the middle of the throne room. "Luna, what you did was horrible. Flash Sentry is a good, decent pony."

She said nothing in reply, but the tortured expression on her face twisted at my heart. I took a deep breath and then said, "I forgive you. I forgive you, and you are going to explain to me in detail every little dirty trick you've pulled on me this last year, and I am going to forgive you for each one of those, too. No, don't talk to me right now! I think you should go. We'll talk later, when I've calmed down. Please. Go."

Luna looked at me in stunned silence for a moment, then said, "I will await you in the Tower of the Moon." She turned to her sister and gave an exaggerated, courtly bow. "I leave you to the mercy of your protégé, dear sister." Her teleport ripped a big chunk out of the red carpet in front of the throne. Despite her attempt to sound calm, she must still have been pretty upset to make a mistake like that. If it was a mistake.

Celestia hardly waited for the crackle of magic to dissipate before speaking. "I am so sorry, Twilight. I never meant to upset you or Luna this way. You are both dear to me, and I want you to be happy. I apologize for letting things get so far out of hoof."

I tried to respond, but my throat and chest tightened up like they were being squeezed in a dragon's talons. I bit down on my lower lip and nodded in acknowledgement.

Celestia leaned toward me, her voice softening. "I also apologize for what must seem like meddling in your private life, but please try to understand why I am so concerned." She hesitated for a moment, her mouth tightening. Finally, she drew in a shaky breath and continued. "A mare disappointed in love may do many foolish things. In her grief, she can harm herself, harm others. Both you and Luna are so powerful that the harm you might do could be disastrous. Were you any other ponies, your lives would be your own, but you are something greater. You are a part of Equestria and have a responsibility to the kingdom that sometimes carries with it the need for personal sacrifice. Any monarch without dedication to the tasks of leadership quickly becomes a tyrant."

“Is that what you really think of me? That I would abandon my responsibilities for love? Or that I would throw a violent tantrum if I lost Luna's love?" I suppose the hurt in my voice was clear because Celestia rushed to deny it.

“No, I cannot truly believe that you would. But you are not the only pony involved." Celestia trailed off and looked away from me and toward the tall window that depicted the defeat of Nightmare Moon. "Mere disregard and fear once drove her to near madness, Twilight. She tortured herself in guilt after she returned, with near disastrous results! If she... oh, my heart tears at me to say it, but when she loses you, what might she do then?"

I had no answer for that, of course.

"I can't help what I feel," I said. "I can argue myself into or out of the conclusion that this whole thing is a horribly unwise idea, but I can't change what's in here." I clanked a hoof against my armored chest. "Am I really supposed to ignore that? Is she?"

Celestia sighed and walked slowly down from the high dais. "No, I suppose not." She looked up at the window that memorialized my ascension for a long moment and then she turned her gaze back on me, studying the armor I wore. Luna's armor. "Forgive me, Twilight. I did and said what I thought was needed, but I can see now, that I will not prevail." She lowered her eyes and sighed again. "You must follow your own path."

Her sudden surrender caught me off guard. "It feels so strange to be at odds with you," I said, quietly. "I will admit that it's possible that some time in the future, I'll need a shoulder to cry on and a friend who won't say 'I told you so.' But I have to trust my feelings in this."

"Then it shall be so. If you will not accept my advice, you will at least have my support. You and Luna both. I will hope for your happiness together."

I hesitated, but with a motion of her head, Celestia let me know that she would welcome a hug. I rushed forward and embraced her. My armor clattered against her peytral and made the hug very much less pleasant than usual, but I didn't care. "Please don't worry. I will do my best for Equestria, no matter what. I promise you that!"

"Pinkie promise?"

Hearing that phrase from Celestia was so unexpected that I barked out a laugh. "Yes, Pinkie promise."

We stood there for a while and then fell away from one another.

"Will you at least consult with Cadance about this, Twilight? Perhaps an aloof old mare like myself has no wisdom worth hearing on the subject, but surely the Alicorn of Love can offer good counsel."

"Yes, of course I will," I told her. "Just as soon as it's convenient. There are some other things going on that are a teensy bit more urgent."

"Oh yes," Celestia nodded. "The small matter of a horde of monsters threatening the kingdom."

The return of her dry wit cheered me up immensely. "Yeah. That little thing."

"This time you shall not go without proper support. I have already assigned troops and am making ready an airship."

"Good! Sunbeam should be able to carry—"

"Oh no, Twilight! Sunbeam is a pleasure craft. My flagship, Solar Flare, is being taken out of ground-dock and refitted. Two score of the most experienced unicorns will serve as the main battery, and twice that number of my best pegasi will provide air cover. The strike group will be the Wonderbolts Alpha Squad."

Wow. Lots of ponies think of Celestia as a subtle, guiding hoof on the affairs of the kingdom, but when she decides to get something done, she does not stop at half measures!

= = =

About a half-hour later, I climbed up to Luna's chambers in the Tower of the Moon. I found her pacing back and forth over a ragged chunk of red carpet. Her head shot up at my appearance and her ears flickered nervously.

"Art thou terribly vexed, Twilight?" I didn't think I would ever get used to seeing Luna unsure of herself.

"I don't have time to be vexed. I don't have time to be angry that you bullied a good and honest pony or that you compared me to a kitten. But, I will make time very soon, so don't think you're off the hook. In the meantime..." I grabbed her head and hauled it down to my level. I jammed my mouth against hers and kissed her hard.[1] When I got my breath back, I continued. "Right now, I need the following things: a good jeweler who works fast, the oldest, cheapest airship that can make it to the badlands, and the address of the best alchemist's supplier you know of."

[1] So... angry kisses are a thing. They're not half bad, either.

I rechecked my mental to-do list. "Oh, and a good florist. No gourmet stuff, though. Rainbow Dash likes her flowers simple and filling."

= = =

=

Author's Note

Thanks to AcademicPony and statoose for the editing help on this chapter!

8 Sustenance

Chapter Eight
Sustenance

One of the great things about armor is that it feels wonderful when you take it off. I carefully wiped each piece as I removed it and nested them all properly together. It was good for me to practice stowing them completely even though I had more than enough room in the palace guest suite that I had been given for the night.

I double checked my to-do list for the next morning and then floated over to the bed. Well, that's what it felt like without pounds and pounds of enchanted steel encasing me, anyway. I could feel where the armor's straps had been cinched down tightly, and I was completely tired and wrung-out even though it was still early in the evening. I suppose the emotional upset of the day had something to do with it. I had gone through the afternoon working through items on my to-do list and trying not to think too much about anything else.

I decided to stay in Canterlot, and while Luna had been more than willing to share her chambers with me, I had asked for the private room. I needed some time alone. I pulled back the covers and settled onto the bed. The pillowcases were expensive imported silk, which was a shame, really. Nothing but the finest for a guest of the two sisters, but it would have cost so much less to replace them if they had been cotton.

I held one of the pillows up to my face and beat at it and screamed until it came apart. Yes, I could have set up a sound-proofing spell, but that really wouldn't have been visceral enough for me right then. The pillows muffled the sound well enough. I took a deep breath, then grabbed a second pillow. The fluctuations of my magical field didn't quite set it on fire, but there were horn-shaped scorch marks all over the pieces when I dropped them on top of the others.

There had only been three pillows to begin with, and as I would need one to sleep on, I forced myself to calm down enough to merely soak a bath sheet with frustrated tears. When I finally felt that I had no more tears or energy to expend, I rolled over and pulled the covers up. I stared at the canopy and tried to mentally review my plans for the next day. I tried several mental focusing tricks, but I just couldn't manage it.

What I did was go over the scene in the throne room again, and again, thinking of what had been said, what I should have said, and how I was sure I had disappointed Celestia in a critical, fundamental way.

Isn't love grand?

Yes, love. Because that was the evening I finally admitted it to myself. I couldn't believe that mere infatuation could cause me such anxiety and emotional pain. I really was in love with Luna. I had forgiven her for the horrible dream she had given Flash Sentry, even though it had been bullying of the most appalling sort. I'd told her I would forgive her for whatever else she'd done, and I was pretty sure I would. What was it about me being furious that inclined me to forgiveness? I suppose Discord's betrayal had been much worse, and I'd managed to forgive him. I made a mental note to review some books on abnormal psychology when I got the time.

It was only when I tried to count the little roses on the tapestry bed canopy that my exhaustion managed to overtake me.

= = =

Pinkie Pie was trying to get me to eat a big plate of fresh blueberry muffins. They were piled so high I couldn't see over them.

"They're bad for me, Pinkie!" I explained. "If I gain too much weight, I won't be able to fit into my armor. Then who's going to fight the monsters?"

"Well, we could always just agree not to fight," the Nightmare said, reasonably enough. "Then you can have some muffins." She slowly took a big bite out of the one she was holding in her hoof. "Mmmmmm... so rich and sweet!"

"You stay out of this! And stop eating my muffins!"

"If you're not going to eat them, how are they your muffins?" she asked, and bent over for another bite. She paused and inhaled the steam rising from the muffin in her hoof. "Ah... such a wonderful scent! So soft and moist..." She touched the muffin with her mouth and her jaw worked, but she didn't pull back right away. She made a satisfied, humming sound and pressed her muzzle against the pastry, twisting her head slightly.

"Wow!" Pinkie said. "That looks really, really delicious! Are you sure you don't want some, Twilight?"

"Of course I want some, Pinkie! I've just got a good idea of the future consequences of my actions and have a decent amount of self-restraint."

Pinkie giggle-snorted and leaned over the table until her nose was almost touching mine. "Silly Twilight! No, you don't!"

For some reason, her statement deeply troubled me. I looked over to where the Nightmare had her face buried to the eyes in the plate of pastries. "I... I have to restrain myself! If I show good judgment, I'll still be nice and trim when ponies are calling her 'Nightmare Balloon!'"

The Nightmare pulled her snout out of the steaming pile of muffins and ever so slowly licked her lips. "No chance of that, little one. The Eternal Ones don't gain weight. Nor do we lose weight, age or become feeble with the passing of the years, so..." She leaned close to me, close enough that I could smell the scent of fresh blueberries on her breath. "We can eat all the muffins we want!"

"Wait, why are you here? Where's Luna? Isn't she going to chase you away?"

The Nightmare shrugged. "She's 'giving you some space', I suspect. Isn't that how ponies put it nowadays? I'm sure if you called out for her, she'd come rescue you from big, bad me!" She peeled her lips back in a snarl, revealing razor sharp teeth. It would have been a more frightening display if she hadn't had bits of muffin stuck between them.

"I can take care of myself!"

"Oh, I have no doubt. But wouldn't it be nicer to be friends? You're famous for making friends, Twilight."

"Why should I be friends with you?"

"I have so many things I could share with you, Twilight! So many secrets."

I knew better but I still asked, "Like what?"

"Well..." She reached over and lifted a muffin off of the plate and offered it to me. "How about this?"

"It's a muffin. And it already has a bite out of it."

"Look closer, Twilight. There's a secret hidden there."

In the cleft left by the bite mark was a big, juicy blueberry. It looked absolutely delicious. One berry couldn't hurt, could it? I stretched out my neck and opened my mouth.

"No! Not like that, Twilight," the Nightmare admonished me. "Gently. Touch the sides with your lips... yes, like that. Now... tease the berry out. Use just the tip of your tongue... softly, softly... stroke it until it wants to come free. Yes, that's right. Very good, Twilight."

= = =

A gentle tapping at my door woke me.

"Yes?" I called out automatically, blinking sleep from my eyes.

"Breakfast, Your Highness," came the reply.

"Oh, yes." I levitated the two shredded pillows, wrapped in the bath sheet, over to the other side of the bed where they wouldn't be visible. "Please come in."

The hoofmaiden wheeled in a cart carrying a coffee carafe and a couple of covered dishes. She curtsied and fussed with the food, setting it out on the table for me. She also put two folded notes down next to my breakfast before departing.

I went for the coffee first, of course. It was only after the second long swallow that the memory of my dream floated back to me. It was fortunate that I hadn't had my mouth full when my brain processed the meaning of the metaphorical muffins. I'd done enough damage to the room's furnishings without spitting coffee all over the carpet.

I definitely needed to do more research into what, exactly, the Nightmare was... and how to get rid of her permanently.

I opened the first note while biting savagely at a piece of wheat toast. It was from Celestia.

Dear Twilight,

I have spoken with Luna, and I have mended things between us as well as may be hoped for. As an apology, I have given her command of Solar Flare, and she alone will accompany you south at the end of the week.

I would like to see you again before you leave Canterlot, but if you are too busy, I understand. If you have need of anything I can provide, you need only ask.

Celestia

I thought about it for a while. I couldn't help but think that the note sounded a bit sad, so I wrote back and offered to have tea with her the next day. I made sure to sign it, "Your Friend, Always, Twilight Sparkle."

The second note was from Luna. She must have written it herself because it was in heavy blackletter script that was a bit difficult to read.

Twilight, My Dearest,

My sister and I have come to an agreement, and soon you and I shall once again know the excitement of battle together. I have made arrangements for all the things you requested and they have been delivered where you directed.

I am feeling penumbral without you, and wish to see you soon. If you come only to berate me for my failings, yet come. Your absence is worse than any scolding.

Love,
Luna

I couldn't help smiling. I felt like chucking my schedule and rushing over to her tower right then, but if I was to earn the trust Celestia had shown in me, I would have to behave as responsibly as possible. That meant I had to go on as planned. But it didn't mean I couldn't multi-task.

Dearest Luna,

I enclose a copy of my schedule. If you don't mind being up in the middle of the day, you could meet me at the hospital. Afterwards, we can have lunch together and then go to the airship yards to inspect the work on Solar Flare. But, if you'd rather sleep in, I understand. In that case, I will see you tonight.

Love and Kisses,
Twilight

I almost left my armor in the room. I was sore in all sorts of new places from wearing it the day before, but nowhere near as bad as the day after the battle. I tried telling myself it wasn't very appropriate for wearing around the city, but royal guards in armor were a common enough sight, and I could recognize rationalization even when I was the pony making it up. I grimaced at the weight as I buckled the various pieces on.

Canterlot ponies have an odd attitude toward royalty. Most are extremely concerned with their social position, so any hint of favor from the princesses or higher nobility is something they desperately hope for. At the same time, they think it is gauche and low-class to show any sign of being impressed by the presence of nobles or surprised by anything they may do. That meant that none of the ponies I encountered that morning while doing my errands gave any hint of being perturbed by my attire.

Only Donut Joe made any comment, and he was an old acquaintance of mine.

"Nice, shiny suit ya got there, Princess! What can I getcha today?"

"Thank you, Joe. I think I'll have..." My gaze fell on a tray of fresh muffins and I felt my cheeks grow hot. "One éclair, please!"

"Cream-filled?"

"Ye..." A sudden image popped into my head. Oh stars! Had that black-hearted nag ruined all pastries for me? "No, wait! I'll take an apple fritter instead."

"Here ya go, Your Highness. Nice to see ya again!"

I ate the lumpy, brown, and totally non-suggestive fritter on the way to the florist near the Royal Infirmary. I was even starting to enjoy the day a bit, beautiful as it was. I picked up my order of flowers and decided to make a last minute addition. I left the shop with an extra little bouquet for Luna, just in case.

The receptionist in the hospital lobby did stare a bit at my armor. She'd been told I was coming, but no doubt hadn't expected a clanking metal apparition in the midst of a cloud of flowers. Her assistant led me to the ward set aside for my ponies.

To my surprise, outside the doors to the ward I met the palace physician, Dr. Feverfew, who was flipping through some charts attached to a clipboard. She glanced up and then went back to her charts with a simple, "Princess." to acknowledge my presence.

"Doctor," I replied. Two can play at that game. "I didn't know you worked here."

"I don't."

"In for a check-up?"

That got her to look up. "Her Solar Majesty asked me to assess the condition of the ponies wounded in your latest... affair," she said, crisply. "I am sure you will be glad to know that all but one of them will be able to return to active duty in very short order. Three have already been discharged."

"The one—"

"Not fit for duty. Never will be. Should be dismissed from service with a pension, in my opinion."

"Give me the details," I said, as my stomach started to knot up.

Dr. Feverfew flipped to a chart and held it out to me.

The long and the short of it was that Private Flicker's right wing was so badly damaged that he would never fly again. He might regain some small use of the wing, but the major nerves were beyond repair, so there was no chance of fitting a prosthetic.

I let the charts flop back onto the clipboard and said, "Does he know?"

"Yes."

"Take me to him."

Dr. Feverfew cleared her throat. "Her Lunar Majesty is in the waiting area—"

"Then that's the perfect place for her to wait, isn't it?" I dumped the flowers on a nearby empty gurney. "Take me to Private Flicker. Please."

They all looked up when I entered the ward. I didn't meet the eyes of any of them, not even Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy, though I did say softly, "I'll see you guys in a bit," as I passed by them.

Flicker was in a bed near the end of the room. He watched me walk the entire length of the ward and made a very strong effort to smile. He failed.

"Thank you, doctor," I said, not looking away from Flicker. "You can go."

"Your Highness, I think—"

I looked at her then. She stepped back. After a moment, she bowed and walked away. I didn't feel very proud of myself for bullying a doctor who was only trying to do her job, even if she was really annoying about it. But I didn't think I was going to feel proud of myself for much of anything that day.

"T—thank you for coming, Princess," Flicker said. He had given up the attempt to smile.

I've never been very good at small talk. I've had to learn a few techniques to get by at court functions, but I would rather have been spit-roasted than play that sort of game with a pony who had had his life destroyed because of me.

"Flicker, there's a chance that something that can be done for you. It will mean a very big change in your life, but it will also mean you'll be able to fly again."

"What? You're not... is that really true?"

I wasn't the least embarrassed by his tears; my own cheeks were wet. "Yes, it's true. Let me explain."

I laid it out for him in the most direct manner I could. With Luna's consent, he could become one of her Night Guard: The transformation to a bat pony would renew his body completely, but it was irreversible. He would be magically bound to Luna, his oath of servitude literally embodied in his physical form. He was, understandably, shocked and uncertain at first. Despite Luna's guards now being a part of normal Canterlot life, most ponies were wary if not outright frightened of them.

"Yes," I said, "it isn't a perfect solution. Whichever choice you make, your life is going to be very different from now on, and I am so sorry for that. You shouldn't make a decision right now. Even if you decide you want this, you'll need time to let your friends and family know about it. And they will need time to... adjust."

"Okay," he said, with the stunned expression still fixed on his face. "I'll... I'll think about it. When... how soon do I need to let you know?"

"Whenever you're ready. Take as long as you need."

"Okay."

I left him and worked my way back up the room, stopping and talking with each of the ponies until I got to Rainbow Dash's bed.

"Two more days until the casts come off," she told me. "So, I'll be going with you when you go back."

"The casts may be off by then, but that doesn't mean you'll be fully recovered. Anyway, Celestia is sending such a massive force that—"

"Twilight, with these casts on, I can't stick my hooves in my ears, so just assume I can't hear you, okay?"

"Rainbow Dash, if you think that—"

"I'm going, too."

Dash and I both turned to stare at Fluttershy in amazement.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Dash said. "It's going to be a battle, Fluttershy! What are you going to do? You even skip over the violent parts of the Daring Do books when you read to me!"

Fluttershy crossed her hooves over her chest. "Ponies are going to get hurt, and I'm trained in advanced first-aid. I know I usually only practice on animals, but the principles are the same. Even if I can't fix what's wrong, sometimes it helps just to have somepony to talk to."

"Fluttershy," I said, "you're very brave for wanting to come, but—"

She turned and glared at me. "Which of the rest of the girls are going to stay home?"

"Uh..."

"Exactly. I'm going, Twilight."

Adaptation. That was the key. When a battle plan goes wrong, a good leader changes the plan. "All right, then. You'll both be on Evenstar with me. Rainbow Dash, I am going to put you in command of a three-pony flight. Fluttershy, when you get back to Ponyville, you'll assist with the fitting out of Evenstar's starboard bunkroom as a sickbay and be in charge of the ward during the trip." I looked back and forth between them, savoring their wide-eyed surprise. "Will that do?"

Fluttershy nodded slowly. Rainbow Dash squeaked out, "Really?"

"Oh, I almost forgot..." I teleported the flowers in from outside the ward. "Some snacks to brighten up the room."

= = =

Luna took up one corner of the waiting area. She had brought her own cushions and was curled up asleep with the just the tip of her nose under one wing.

"How long has she been here?" I whispered to Dr. Feverfew.

"She was here when I arrived this morning," she replied, equally softly.

"I see. Would you mind very much leaving us alone for a minute or two?"

The doctor was out of the room before I had finished speaking. I floated over the little bouquet of night-blooming jasmine until it settled right next to Luna's nose. She shifted her head to touch the flowers. "Mmmm... so sweet," she murmured. Her eyes slowly opened and she gazed across the room at me. "My favorite."

My heart banged around in my chest like a panicked bird in a cage. Luna slowly stood, stretching languidly as she stepped off the cushions. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her as her muscles tightened and relaxed in a wave that began at her shoulders and swept down her body in a display of powerful perfection. Oh Sun and Moon, I had it bad.

She carried the bouquet along as she crossed the room, and it half hid her lowered face as she asked me quietly, "Are you still angry with me, my love?"

The surge of emotion that swept through me left me dizzy and on the verge of panting. Really, that isn't hyperbole: I began breathing more quickly, and I actually swayed a bit on my hooves. In that head-on crash between higher brain functions and amorous blood chemistry, it kind of surprised me that I could still remember how to talk. "No, not angry. Maybe later."

Luna smiled and raised her head and all of a sudden I was kissing her and using my magic to pull her closer and cursing what remained of my senses for reminding me that a hospital waiting room probably wasn't an appropriate place to go flinging bits and pieces of armor off in a desperate attempt to get as much of my body in contact with Luna's as possible.

I broke off, gasping and staring into Luna's very wide eyes. Evidently, I had surprised us both.

"Lunch!" I blurted out. "We should go get lunch. Somewhere very public!"

I turned my back on her. I had to turn my back on her or I'm sure I would have caused a scandal. "How about that nice place on Hackamore Street across from the library? They have a balcony!" Without waiting for her reply, I trotted out of the room. I didn't dare to look back, but I listened closely for Luna's hoofsteps behind me and sighed with relief when I heard them.

Dr. Feverfew watched us go by with a carefully neutral expression and a perfunctory bow. Sour old thing.

= = =

The Hayloft on Hackamore was one of those fancy places where you paid for the atmosphere and décor as much as for the food, excellent though it was. The first time I had eaten there was for my sixteenth birthday with my family, and I always remembered how elegant it had been and how mature I had felt, dining in such a fancy restaurant.

I thought it would be the perfect place to take Luna for lunch, but I wanted to make sure. "Is it alright with you? Have you been there before?"

"I have not," Luna replied. "But I am sure it will be fine. You arranged the date, Twilight, it is your prerogative to choose the place."

Date? I almost panicked. The lunch I had so casually suggested would be our first date! Wasn't a first date supposed to be something extra special? I had gotten so caught up in all the planning for battle and dealing with Celestia's disapproval that I had completely forgotten the most important thing going on in my life! I could have checked out a guide to dating etiquette from the library and read it between the jeweler's and the alchemist's that morning, but I completely wasted the time. I was a horrible girlfriend!

"Twilight?" Luna asked when I stopped dead in the street and began hyperventilating. "Is something the matter?"

"No!" I had to be strong, for her! "No, I just remembered something that I... forgot. I'm fine. Everything's fine."

Luna looked at me doubtfully but I resumed walking and breathing normally, and soon we arrived at the restaurant.

The maître d' betrayed his utter astonishment at the unheralded arrival of two royal princesses, one in full battle armor, by twitching his impeccably groomed mustache ever so slightly. "How may I serve Your Highnesses?" he asked as he rose from a graceful bow.

"Is there a table available on the balcony?" I asked.

The maître d' clicked one highly polished hoof twice against the floor and a young colt in a server's apron appeared at his side. "Clear the balcony for the princesses," he said to the colt.

"Oh, no!" I said, quickly. "Please, don't disturb your customers! We're fine with just a table for two, if there's one available."

The colt looked to the maître d' for direction. Evidently, his boss far outranked mere royalty. "Table One," was all the sleek stallion said, and his minion rushed off to do his bidding.

The lunching elite of Canterlot affected not to notice Luna and me, but normal conversations lowered to speculative whispers in our wake. By the time we reached the upper floor, the large table in the central lobe of the scallop-shaped balcony was cleared and set for us. It was obviously the place of honor, affording a clear view up and down the street below: a place to see and to be seen. For my birthday dinner, we had been seated in the rear of the lower floor, with the rest of the riff-raff.

The maître d' waited until we had seated ourselves on the cushions and then floated over what looked to be three volumes of an encyclopedia: menus and the wine list. Luna waved them away. "I am sure that whatever the chef recommends will be fine."

The maître d' bowed just a little lower than previously. "Very good, Your Highness."

"And may I have a small vase for my flowers?"

"But of course, Your Highness."

I thought it would be best to remove the chamfron from my head while eating, so I unbuckled the chinstrap and set it to one side.

Luna grinned at me and said, with that little gesture asking permission, "Your hair is a bit mussed."

"Oh, I... sure."

Her magic swept over me, and brushed my mane into place with long, cool strokes. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensation.

"There," Luna said, all too soon. "Perfect, again." There was one last touch of her magic, a gentle caress on my cheek that made me shiver.

A waiter approached with two tall and frosty glasses of mint and lavender tea, and a little crystal vase with some water in it. Luna gave an elegant nod of her head in acknowledgment as he set them down. "It is one of the terrible burdens a warrior princess must bear, I'm afraid," she said in a clear voice that, while not at all loud, was certainly pitched to carry to the eager ears of our fellow diners on the balcony. "Helmet hair."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "But that's not a problem for you, is it?" I countered. "The night sky doesn't get all sweaty and mussed!"

Luna smiled as she took the paper from around her jasmine and placed the flowers in the vase. "Oh, but I didn't always have such a mane and tail. When I was quite young..."

I was suddenly aware of how quiet it had gone all around us. The clatter of a dropped fork sounded like a thunderclap.

"Ah... but that is a story I will tell you another time, my love," Luna concluded, the corner of her mouth twitching ever so slightly.

A collective sigh of disappointment swept over the balcony, and I had to admit to myself a terrible truth: Luna was an awful tease.

= = =

=

Author's Note

Thanks again to AcademicPony and statoose for the invaluable editing help!

9 Playing Games

Chapter Nine
Playing Games

Lunch was wonderful.

Luna was playful and charming and the food was incredible. There were appetizers of cheese and apples cut into the shape of lotus blossoms and swans on a blue crystal plate that made them look as if they were floating on water.

The maître d' himself came to the table to dress and toss the salad, which was amazingly good.

About half-way through that course, Luna lifted a forkful of salad and very slowly moved it toward her mouth. Her eyes twinkled with mischief as the bit of salad approached her slowly opening mouth. I knew she was up to something, but I just couldn't figure it out. After a minute of watching her agonizingly slow display, I gave up and asked, "What, exactly, are you doing?"

Luna grinned and then, in a cheesy Nightmare Moon voice, said, "Mwa ha ha ha! The bite shall last foreverrrr!"

It was dumb and goofy and it completely cracked me up. Then, it was kind of hard to stop laughing, because the reactions of the ponies around us were even more hilarious. One young mare almost strangled herself trying not to laugh while her parents scowled their disapproval. The rest of the crowd stifled snickers or shifted uncomfortably in their seats, depending on their temperaments. And, best of all, a very proper old stallion behind Luna did one of the most magnificent spit-takes I've ever seen, and there was an angry shout from a pony on the street below who had been on the receiving end of the sparkling cider spray.

"Or not," Luna quipped, and popped the bite of salad into her mouth.

I had to wipe my eyes with my napkin when I finally got control of myself. "You are outrageous, Luna!"

Her smug smile was all the reply I got.

The main course was a medley of roasted vegetables and mushrooms with crunchy baked oat and rye nuggets, drizzled with a creamy herbal sauce that was absolutely superb. Somehow, our conversation got onto the subject of books, and I was surprised to learn that, though Luna enjoyed poetry and history, she hadn't read any modern works.

"I think you would like some of the better adventure stories. Maybe you should give the Daring Do books a try."

Luna nodded thoughtfully. "If you would recommend a good one, one which you particularly enjoy, I shall make the attempt."

"You make it sound like it would be more of a job than an enjoyable pastime. If you really don't want to—"

"No, I am sure I would enjoy the story." Luna pushed a piece of broccoli around her plate. "But, you see, I am used to such tales and sagas being spoken aloud or chanted to harpsong. Cold, unliving words on a page do not seem terribly stirring to me. In the old days, such a thing as a novel was unheard of."

"Oh, I see." I should have realized it was something like that. "Well, then maybe I can read a novel to you. Some evening, the two of us could settle in together with a good book and some tea in front of a nice fire."

"That sounds delightful, Twilight," Luna said, a soft smile spreading across her face. "I would be glad to share some of the old stories with you in exchange. Providing that you excuse my poor performance. I am no bard, I fear."

Considering how well she'd told the story of our battle against the monsters, I supposed she had very high standards where such things were concerned.

We talked about poetry and history for a while, and then the waiter arrived with our desserts. We were each served a little chocolate cake surrounded by fresh raspberries and decorated with our own cutie marks in frosting. They were so perfect, it was almost a shame to eat them. Almost.

When we had savored the last exquisite bite of our desserts, the waiter appeared at our table and asked, "Will there be anything else, Your Highnesses?"

"No, thank you," I replied. "Just the check, please."

"Oh, we would not presume to charge Your Highnesses! The Hayloft is honored by your patronage."

That made me deeply uncomfortable, but I didn't want to get into a debate with the waiter, so I just smiled and said, "That is so very kind! Thank you. But you will, of course, accept a gratuity for the excellent service of your staff." It wasn't a question and the waiter knew it. I popped a bag of bits onto the table, that I was sure contained nearly double the price of the meals.

"Your Highness is most generous."

Rarity would have been proud of me.

Luna and I thanked the maître d', the manager, and especially the chef on the way out. All in all, our first date had been a complete success.

"Do you have anything else you need to do today?" I asked Luna. "I need to check on the airships, but that's probably going to be boring. Maybe later...?"

"I am to command Solar Flare, and an inspection is among the many things I must attend to, my sweet Twilight," Luna said. "My duty and my pleasure combine in one, as the shipyard shall seem a pavilion of delights with such a beauty as you for company."

Okay... words are magic. At least, the right words seemed to be able to cast a spell on me. I knew it was just flattery, of course. I mean, who would give me a second glance with an impossibly stunning mare like Luna at my side? But it still made me ridiculously happy to hear her say such nonsense. It made me want to be beautiful for her.

= = =

The Canterlot Yards is always a busy place, and that day was no exception. Several airships in various stages of repair or construction rested on the timber ways that jutted out from the mountainside, but they were all dwarfed by the huge white hull of Solar Flare.

"Oh my," was all I could think to say when we first caught sight of her.

"Indeed," Luna said, and I realized the she must be seeing the airship for the first time as well.

Solar Flare was both beautiful and scary at the same time. Even the massive amount of gold-leafed acanthus scroll work and sun-in-splendor decoration she carried couldn't disguise the brutal efficiency of her lines or hide the openings of the firing ports along her fighting deck. The sleek surface of her envelope glittered brightly in the sunlight because of a fine mesh of enchanted wire that served as armor for the gas cells within. The fact that it was also beautiful was a mere byproduct of military necessity.

As we approached, I could feel the spells woven into her. Powerful and subtle, they had to be the work of Celestia. Aside from Luna and myself, I didn't know of any other ponies who could have even attempted such an intricate interweaving of self-sustaining magic.

My grand expedition aboard Evenstar now seemed like the play of a filly with a wooden sword and a garbage can lid by comparison.

We were ushered through a gate in the security fence that surrounded Solar Flare to be met by Gudgeon, the chief naval architect of the yard and designer of the massive airship. He glanced briefly at my armor but made no comment.

"Do you like her, Princess?" Gudgeon asked, seeing that I could hardly tear my eyes away from the bulk that now loomed above us.

"She's one of the most terrifying things I've ever seen," I said without thinking. When I realized what I had said, I immediately began to apologize, but one look at Gudgeon's face made it obvious to me that he thought I had paid him the highest possible compliment.

"Tell me," I asked. "Does the wire mesh stop punctures as well as slashes? The strands are fairly widely spaced for that."

Gudgeon beamed at me. Just like any other specialist, he loved to talk about his craft. "The spacing is a balance between protection, weight, and magical energy requirements. The mesh won't stop small punctures, but the volume of each cell is so great that they could take a score of hits and you'd scarcely notice the loss of lift. There are small pieces of enchanted cloth inside each cell that will automatically patch up to a few dozen holes, in any case."

I nodded in appreciation. "That's quite clever."

"I'd be happy to give you a tour, Your Highnesses," he offered. "And your brother is aboard now, if you'd like to speak with him."

"Shining Armor? Really?" A surge of happiness went through me at the thought of seeing him again. It was always too long between visits.

"Yes, Your Highness. The prince is on the forward fighting deck, I believe."

Gudgeon led us aboard and through a cavernous flight deck that could have held Evenstar's entire gondola. We went up two decks and emerged into the area where ranks of unicorns were supposed to serve as the airship's main offensive weapons. Shining Armor was talking with a couple of mechanics who were working on some piece of equipment I couldn't immediately identify.

"Shining!" I called out to him. "What are you doing here?"

"Twily!" he replied as he turned. "It's good to see... whoa! Look at you!"

"Getting used to the weight of the armor," I explained shortly. "So, back to why you're here..."

"I'm getting a short course in airship operations; things I should know if I'm going to command the unicorn contingent."

I gave such a start of surprise that the lames of my criniere jangled against each other. "Wait. You're going along as captain of the unicorns?"

"Yep! Princess Celestia asked me as a personal favor. The Empire is just as much at risk from the dark magic, and I couldn't say no to the Big Lady, could I?"

"No, I guess not. Well, it will be nice to have you along."

"Uh... you don't sound all that glad, Twily," Shining Armor said with a frown.

"Sorry. I'm just kind of overwhelmed at the moment. Of course I'm glad that you'll be coming! I guess I still haven't gotten used to the huge scale of this operation."

"You will. You'll do great, Twily! You always do!" He grinned and clanked a hoof against my shoulder. "Gudgeon giving you the two-bit tour? Mind if I tag along?"

As we left the fighting deck, Luna fell back to walk next to my brother and asked him, "Is 'the Big Lady' a common nickname for my sister, or is it something personal between the two of you?"

Shining seemed flustered for a moment and then said, "It's sort of a thing within the Royal Guard, Your Highness. A term of affection, really. Uh... a very respectful affection. Nopony would ever dream of using it to her face, and I apologize for using it in front of you. I was so glad to see my sister, I didn't notice you there in the background."

"I see," Luna said. She walked on for several more paces before asking, "And is there such a term that is used for myself?"

"Uh..." I looked back over my shoulder and saw my sweet, noble brother take a deep breath, compose himself, and then fib to the Princess of the Night. "Not that I am aware of, Your Highness."

= = =

Compared to Solar Flare, the little cargo airship Gudgeon had acquired for me looked like a child's toy. It was an older style with the hull slung below the envelope, giving an open upper deck between the two. He assured me that she was sound and capable of traveling long distances, and the only reason she had been sent to the breaker's yard was that she was too slow to compete with the faster modern vessels.

"Hazina," I read her name off the little carved scrollwork on her stern. "That's odd. Do you know what it means, Gudgeon?"

"I'm afraid not, Your Highness," he replied. "She ran the trade route to Zebrica for a number of years. It may mean something in their language or it may just be a strange name. Some ponies have odd notions when it comes to names."

He kept a completely straight face as he said it, so I really couldn't be sure if he was making a little joke at his own expense or not.[1]

[1] A gudgeon is the metal fitting attached to a ship's sternpost that acts as half of a hinge when joined with a pintle, which is the part attached to the ship's rudder. They are usually found in pairs or sets of three. To use the word as a name is a bit like calling a pony Window Latch.

He assured me that, when Hazina was loaded with the supplies I had ordered, he would have a delivery crew take her to Dodge Junction and stay aboard until the rest of the fleet arrived. I thanked him and signed the paperwork for it all.

"I gotta get back to Solar Flare," Shining Armor said. "But maybe we can get together for dinner tonight? I know Cadance would love to see you."

"Cadance is in town, too?"

"Yeah. Been awhile since she visited, so she thought she'd come down for a few days. Do some shopping... you know... stuff like that."

"Right," I said. My brother was just about as bad a liar as Applejack, and I began to suspect something. "When did you guys arrive? Last night?"

"Yeah, we caught the night train down after Princess Celestia asked her... uh..." He faked a cough into an upraised hoof. "I mean, asked me to command Solar Flare's unicorn contingent."

"Sure. Dinner. Sounds good." I forced my teeth to unclench. "I'm busy later, but dinner sounds fine."

"Nothing fancy," he said. "Just a little family get-together at the palace."

"I was planning on spending the evening with Luna. You won't mind if she joins us, will you?"

Shining looked stricken for a second, and then said, "No! Of course not!" He gave a little bow in Luna's direction, and continued to her with a hopeful smile. "But wouldn't you rather dine with your sister, as usual?"

Luna turned and ran the tip of her wing gently along my jaw. "I prefer better company tonight," she said, looking only at me.

"Oh. Uh... Okay, then," Shining said.

"Good," I said, shortly. "That's settled. See you tonight at the palace."

It seemed that Celestia wanted my promised consultation with Cadance to take place sooner rather than later. I had assumed that I'd have a friendly chat with my sister-in-law sometime after I'd settled the mess in the Badlands, and having it forced on me so unexpectedly felt like an ambush.

Instead of going to the gate, I stomped to the edge of the cliff, cinching down my saddlebags and armor straps as I went. "Let's fly back," I said to Luna. "My legs are going to be sore from all the walking, so I might as well abuse my wings, too."

Luna said nothing, but she threw herself into the sky at my side. It wasn't until we were halfway around the curve of the Canterhorn to the castle that she spoke, breaking me out of my fuming circle of thoughts. "Twilight?"

I glanced in her direction, not much in the mood for a conversation right then, and saw the tip of her horn glowing. "Yes?"

"Block this," she said, and threw a pulse of magic at me.

I didn't block it. I was too surprised to even begin to pull up a shield spell and just let the little blade of light slap into my side. It stung a bit, even through the armor.

"Ow! What the hay?"

"Try again," Luna said, ignoring my indignation.

I didn't manage to raise a shield for the next one, either. I slewed around in the air in an instinctive and completely ungraceful attempt to dodge, and the bolt of magic glanced off my croupiere.

"Again," was all Luna said.

I popped up a shield around myself and the third blast dissipated harmlessly against it.

"Good," Luna said. "Now drop the shield and try again."

"If I drop my shield, you're going to sting me again! No thanks!"

"That's the whole point, Twilight. You can't fire through a shield and it takes energy to maintain. If you can reflexively cast a shield at just the moment you need it, you use less energy and are less restricted for offense."

Oh. A lesson. I liked lessons.

We flew on, passing the castle by as Luna continued to toss low-powered shafts of magic from different distances at staggered intervals. I got stung a few more times, but I soon caught on to the necessary timing and began blocking Luna's magic with ease.

"Excellent, Twilight!" Luna complimented me. "You are a very quick—" She fired another blast before she had even finished the sentence. It snapped against my criniere and I caught a whiff of scorched hair.

"Don't let your guard down!" she chided me.

"That was cheating!"

"That was winning, Twilight. Deception is more than half of warcraft. If you don't believe me, just ask my sister. She's an expert. Once around the Canterhorn, shall we? No pausing, no quarter. Are you ready?"

"Ready," I replied. "On three! One—" I popped off a little blast straight at her shoulder.

Luna twisted in the air and my shot passed over her back and right through her ethereal mane. She laughed joyfully and immediately fired a return shot.

Soon we were soaring and diving and dancing all over the sky while we flung little flashes of magic at each other like two pegasus fillies having a cloudball fight. I soon got the rhythm of it and we added dodges and feints into the game as well as good-natured insults.

"Hah!" Luna cried out after I'd done a very neat wingover to avoid one of her shots. "Do you call that flying? I have seen more agile albatrosses!"

"It's better than my aim!" I called back. "I don't know how I keep missing such a big, slow target!"

"Have I grown fat?" she gasped in mock distress. "'Tis the fault of your luxurious lunch! I perceive your scheming now, you devious villain. Have at you!"

By the time we dropped out of the sky, we were giddy and stumbling with happiness and exhaustion. There was a familiar tightness and twingeing in my wings; I was really going to feel it the next day, but it had been so worth it.

"Ahhh... I'm going to get out of this armor and take a long, hot bath before dinner," I said.

"Mm." Luna glanced at the sky. "I will need to raise the moon in a little while, but until then, I think I should aid in your relaxation. A massage while one bathes is considered a sovereign remedy for the stresses of battle."

"And who better to apply such a remedy than an actual sovereign?" I grinned back at her, trying to sound cool and flippant while striving to conceal the shivers of excitement that ran through me at her words.

Even as brief as they were, the bath and massage was amazing.

Just as Luna was leaving, I remembered something important. That morning I had signed my note with my honest feelings, but I hadn't actually spoken the word out loud to Luna. It was past time that I did. After our farewell kiss, I let my wingtip linger on her cheek and I said, "I love you, Luna."

It seemed our brief parting required a few more heart-felt kisses.

= = =

Dinner was disastrous.

It was clear that both Shining Armor and Cadance were very uncomfortable when they entered the private dining hall in the palace. Shining wore a brittle, worried smile, and Cadance wasn't smiling at all. Her neutral expression was a soft, gentle upturn of her lips that ponies often mistook for a smile, but I knew her better than that.

We made purely mechanical small talk until the appetizer had been served and the attendants had departed. I had warned Luna about what I thought was going to be sprung on us at dinner and, after she had calmed down, we decided the best way to approach the situation. I was still nervous.

While the rest of us fidgeted and fussed with the food, Luna forked a couple of the stuffed peppers into her mouth and pronounced them delicious. I looked up at her, grateful that at least one of us was relaxed, and that's when she slowed her next bite to a crawl and waggled one eyebrow at me.

My joyful laugh seemed to drain all the tension out of my body, and my brother and sister-in-law's bewildered expressions only made it better. That's right, I thought, you two just don't have any idea what we share!

"We had the most wonderful time today," I said, inspired by my own thought. "Luna and I practiced snap-shield defense magic all afternoon."

"I know," my brother said. "You gave the Royal Guard a bit of a scare until they figured out what you two were doing."

I waved away his implied criticism. "I think I've gotten fairly good at it. In fact, I came up with an interesting variation on the technique. Want to see?"

"In here?" Shining blinked in disbelief. "I don't think—"

I ignored him. "Low power, but as fast as you can," I said to Luna.

She didn't even nod; just snapped off a bright little pulse straight at me. I popped a little shield into existence right into its path. The shield was no larger than a salad plate and took far less time and energy to cast than one big enough to enclose my entire body, but it was all that was needed to deflect Luna's shot. The little streak of energy bounced harmlessly off my shield and spattered against the ceiling.

"See? The deflection throws some momentum feedback instead of dissipating in heat and light, and the resulting path of the reflection is a bit problematic, but I'm working on a way to guide that energy somehow."

"But you've got to be quick and pretty accurate with that cast," Shining said, suddenly showing an excited interest in the subject. "If your enemy is close, you won't have much time to throw it."

"True, close range shots are still pretty difficult for me to block, but it only took me an afternoon to drill the response into a reflex. All I really need is more practice. As soon as I feel the inceptive pulse, I start my own spell. I don't wait until it forms into an energy strike to react. I'll get quicker and quicker the more I do it."

"I've got to try that small shield idea. Maybe I can get some of my guards drilling on it. Most of them can only cast static shields, but—"

He was interrupted by Cadance very pointedly clearing her throat. Shining started and his worried look immediately returned.

"Twilight," Cadance began.

Oh no, I was not going to sit through the same dreary litany I'd gotten from Celestia. Time for a reflexive defense!

"I know why this meeting was arranged, Cadance." I took a deep breath and launched into my prepared speech. "I'm sure Celestia has filled in all the details for you, and I am fully aware that there are dozens of excellent reasons why our relationship is a bad idea, but the fact remains that we love each other and we make each other happy. I understand that we are royalty and therefore owe service and even sacrifice to the kingdom, but to give up something that means so much to both of us because of a slight possibility of something bad happening a long, long time from now is foolish. Love can't be turned off by flipping a switch, and even if we were to bow to Celestia's wishes and break it off, we would still feel what we feel. What quality of service would we render to the ponies of Equestria when we were both miserable and very likely resentful? Don't we deserve some happiness?"

She stared at me in surprise for an instant and then her expression softened. "Of course you do! And you're right about all the rest of it, too, Twilight. Except..." Cadance paused, and then went on, more softly. "There are some things that pass for love that can be turned on and off."

I gasped in surprise and then said, through clenched teeth, "Cadance, I love you as much as I could possibly love any sister, but I need you to tell me exactly what you meant by that."

Shining lost his polite smile and began to look a bit panicky.

"Please believe me, Twilight," Cadance went on, not quite looking at me. "I want you both to be happy. The thought of you in love is exciting and wonderful, but the suddenness of it has surprised everypony. We knew that you had become close friends with Luna over the last year or so, but that is something very different from romantic love. You are the most logical-minded pony I know. What would you suspect if this had happened to Celestia?" Trust Cadance to use my own pride in my intellect against me.

"Luna may have gone about wooing me in the wrong way, but she did not do something as despicable as what you're suggesting!"

"I am not accusing her, Twilight! I just want to be certain that your feelings are genuine, and there are any number of reasons why they may not be," Cadance said, looking absolutely miserable. "May I...?" She motioned with her head.

"You want to..." My mane stirred and lifted, a few sparks of magic snapping against the table and chair.

"Please, Twilight," Luna interrupted, stroking down my mane and grounding away the energy I had raised in my fury. "Let her make her test. I have no fear for my honor in this. Thou wilt deny her and my dear sister at least one doubt about us."

"No!" My anger-fueled denial was automatic. "This isn't fair!"

Cadance looked at me with concern. "It will put your mind at ease. It will put everypony's mind at ease. Then we can all be happy for—"

I slammed a hoof down on the table. I didn't want to meekly cooperate after being ambushed, though I could see that Cadance had a very good point. But that didn't mean I had to like it. I turned to Luna. "If I let her do this, will you swear to me that you won't think it means that I don't trust you?"

"Truly, Twilight," Luna said, stroking my mane with her magic again, "I will not think the less of thee for it. 'Tis not thee who is mistrustful of me." She shot a pointed glance at Cadance.

"Hey!" Shining Armor leaped to his wife's defense. "Celestia asked her to come here!"

Luna shrugged. "Let first suspicion be cast upon the mare who walks the night. 'Tis not a thing I am unused to." She tilted her head at Shining in a show of curiosity. "How strange that Celestia accepted all the oddities of your courtship without question."

"That…" Shining sputtered, going a bit red in the face. "That was different!"

"Yes," Luna said, drawing the word out into a long sigh. "That monster now walks our streets openly. A creature known for her manipulations of the heart and the devouring of love... And yet, first you come to me. How very curious."

I was squirming in my seat by then, desperately trying to come up with a way to defuse the situation. Unfortunately, I was too late.

"It's not like Celestia doesn't have a good reason to doubt you," Shining Armor growled between clenched teeth.

We all froze. You could have heard a gnat thinking about dropping a pin.

"Prithee, Prince Consort," Luna asked in a soft, exceedingly dangerous tone of voice. "What is this reason of which thou speakest?"

My brother's face closed down like a shutter over a shop window. He suddenly became "professionally neutral" as they called it in the guard. "My apologies, Your Divine Highness. I misspoke."

"I think you did not. Again, I ask you for this reason." Luna slowly rose from her place at the table. She didn't raise her voice, and her expression was relaxed and neutral, but she exuded menace.

Cadance stood up abruptly. "I'm sorry, Twilight. I can see this was a mistake. We should go."

"It seems that if there are secrets here, 'tis not I who holds them," Luna said.

I stood as well. I stepped to Luna's side and put a wing over her back. I wasn't quite sure if it was a gesture of support or restraint at that point. I looked at my brother. "Shiny?"

He wouldn't meet my eyes. He just shook his head. "I'm sorry, Twily. Let's just forget it, okay?"

I felt Luna's horn light up with power and her eyes went dark and red. "Prince Shining Armor," she said, and alicorn magic laced her words. "For the third time, I ask—"

Cadance and my brother winked out in a swirl of golden magic.

I felt Luna slump under my wing. "Ahh, I see," she said on a long exhalation. "I suppose I must thank my sister. To lay a geas upon a guest would have been a thing ill-done."

There was another burst of golden magic and Celestia stood before us. "Indeed, it would have been, Luna. And to no purpose." She lowered her gaze for a moment, sighed, and then spoke again. "I hope that both of you can forgive me for arranging this meeting. I certainly did not mean for it to take the turn it did. The last thing I want is for there to be ill-feelings among your family, Twilight."

"I'm not angry," I told her, avoiding her gaze. "I'm hurt. I'm hurt that you think there's something wrong with me because I'm in love with Luna."

"Oh, Twilight! It's not that at all! I just want to make sure..." She trailed off, and I heard her hooves shuffle uncertainly on the tiles. Celestia at a loss for words was a novelty for me.

"I'm sure," I told her, meeting her eyes at last.

Luna said nothing but held her head in a high, stiff posture. She gazed upon her sister, unsmiling.

"Then I will trouble you no more on the matter," Celestia said, a bit stiffly. "Again, you both have my apology for this debacle. I did not mean to accuse you of any wrongdoing, Luna. Please do not blame Cadance or Shining Armor for what I put in motion."

Luna relaxed a bit. "Aye, and I will make my apologies to the Prince and Princess when next we meet."

It certainly wasn't a sharing-a-hug moment. Things weren't magically fixed and the tension between us didn't instantly disappear. But it was a start.

Celestia vanished as abruptly as she had appeared, and Luna and I left the castle. It didn't feel right to remain there. We wandered the evening streets of Canterlot, moving as far from the upper city as possible. We surprised quite a number of ponies, including the owner of a "Korn Fritter Onna Stick" cart where we got our belated dinner. The food was greasy and half-burnt and completely wonderful because we were sharing it together. Luna had five of them.

"I guess an Eternal One doesn't need to worry about fattening foods," I grinned at her, pointedly staring at her narrow, tight waistline.

She grinned at me and casually stepped forward, raising one foreleg and arching her back. I went light-headed for a moment when I realized she was showing off for me.

"If you prefer a softer physique," she said in a low, velvety purr. "I am accomplished at shapeshifting magic, and can..." She trailed off and a look of puzzlement crossed her face. "But where did you hear that name, Twilight? It fell out of use long before my banishment."

I was already blushing, and having to tell Luna the details of the muffin dream would undoubtedly have caused me to collapse into a heap of embarrassed, stammering incoherence, so I simply said, "The Nightmare used it in one of my dreams."

"Does she still trouble your sleep, Twilight? Has she asked anything of you? Remember—"

"No, it's all right. I know better than to trust her. I think she's just... teasing me for her own amusement."

Luna looked like she wanted to press me for more details, but after a moment, she just nodded and continued walking. The nice little flirty moment had been lost: another crime to lay at the hooves of the wicked Mare of Darkness.

We talked of lots of little things as we walked. I told Luna about Private Flicker, and she agreed to take him into her service if it was his wish. We spoke of our own tastes in art and music and dance.

Luna sighed wistfully. "I have not danced in more than a thousand years, Twilight. I remember it was to the music of a grand celebration in the great hall of the old castle. I danced alone in the courtyard outside, lest I frighten the revelers with my presence. The stars were very beautiful that night."

She said it as a mere statement of fact, but it made my heart hurt for her. "You..." I paused and cleared my throat. "I'd love to see you dance, sometime."

She chuckled. "'Twill take some time to accomplish, I fear. The music of this age is ill fit to the steps I know, and modern dance seems to me more like the convulsions of one struck hard upon the head than graceful exercise."

I laughed at that. Then I had an idea. "Let's go down to the river garden! There's plenty of room on the big lawn there. You can show me your favorite dance!"

It took a bit of convincing, but Luna finally agreed, and we made our way back across the High Street and down winding Grassmarket Lane to the park. Luna set some cattails along the shore to thumping out the rhythm against the trunk of an oak, and I called up the Music of the Reeds spell. When Luna had crafted the tune to her liking, she began to dance.

It was a slow and stately dance, a pavanne Luna called it, but it was also full of joy and grace. After the first few measures, she made me join her. The steps were complex, but they were precise and arranged in a pattern that made a lot of sense to me. After a few run-throughs, I felt more comfortable with it than I'd ever been with the sort of freestyle dancing I usually attempted at parties. I never knew what I ought to be doing with my hocks and head there, but this dance had rules. We danced through the whole tune twice and then finished with a full, sweeping bow to each other.

We were surprised by the soft rumble of hooves against the lawn, as the small audience we hadn't known we had acquired applauded us.

Luna smiled at them, her eyes sparkling in the lantern light, and gave them a small bow of thanks. "'Tis an age of wonders, indeed, Twilight," she said softly to me as the little crowd broke up.

We went and stood on the high battlements of the city walls near the head of the falls and watched the fireflies wink in and out among the trees. I told Luna how, as a filly, I had thought they were actually teleporting, and had said to my mother that if a 'dumb bug' could do it, I was certainly going to learn to. My mother didn't correct me, and bought me a book on high energy vortex theory the next day.

Luna kissed me, and I melted into her embrace again. The fear was still there, but I had gotten out of the habit of letting fear stop me from doing what needed to be done.

"I love you," I whispered to Luna, my lips still in contact with hers. "I need you."

She kissed me again, and her magic swept through my mane and down my neck, tingling and caressing as it went. I moaned quietly and pressed myself against her. No more timid school-filly reluctance, no more fear of the unknown or my own ignorance. I kissed Luna, slowly and tenderly and when I was finished I looked up into her eyes and whispered, "I want you."

Her smile gleamed in the darkness and she softly replied, "Thou shalt have all that thou desirest, my love. All that I am... all that I can give… all are thine, now and forever more." She glanced up at the palace and frowned. "But where...?"

I agreed with her about that. I wanted my first time to be perfect, and I doubted that I could be comfortable in Canterlot Castle that night.

My own castle? No, it was as much my friends' place as it was mine. I wanted it to be someplace intimate and cozy, someplace I felt relaxed and safe. If my loft above the library still existed... but part of it still did. It was a long ways from Canterlot, but I was filled with a desperate energy and determination. "Come with me," I said to Luna, and stepped over the cliff edge.

I dropped alongside the falling water and saw the flow come to a standstill beside me as our relative speeds matched. Then, a slight twist of my wings and I was flashing out above the plains and the long meanders of the River Canter, headed for Ponyville.

Luna sped past and looped up and over me in a graceful barrel roll. I laughed and swerved, weaving in and out of her flight path like a filly playing at being a Wonderbolt. The night flight was exhilarating but it was only the prelude to what I was, by then, aching for. As soon as we got near enough, I summoned up my magic and teleported us the rest of the way.

We tumbled into my stateroom aboard Evenstar. We landed roughly and we'd completely missed the bed, which was saying something as it took up half the cabin. We scrambled up onto the blankets as we frantically used our mouths and magic on each other. Luna rolled me over and the look of unbridled desire in her eyes as she pressed down on top of me made me go absolutely molten with mindless need. I threw my head back and to the side and pressed my muzzle against the oak paneling, salvaged from my lost home. I breathed in the old scents of books, friends, and magic, and surrendered myself to the Night.

= = =

=

Author's Note

Thanks again to the perspicacious AcademicPony and the ebullient statoose! Without them I couldn't have managed to eschew obfuscation in a multiplicity of passages.

This is the music for Luna's dance in the garden: Belle Qui Tiens Ma Vie

10 Enchanted

Chapter Ten
Enchanted

I awoke with Luna's big, powerful body curled around me. One of her wings was slightly open and rested lightly on my shoulder. Her muzzle lay touching the top of my head, just behind my horn.

I let my thoughts drift back to the night before and felt my body warm at the memory. I hadn't ever imagined that it would be so good. Nopony had ever told me about feeling like a glowing, golden cloud afterward, either. Why hadn't mom mentioned that when she had given me The Talk? Still... if I had discovered sex while I was still in school, I probably would have flunked all my classes and Equestria would now be shrouded in eternal night, so perhaps mom could be forgiven for not dwelling on the upside of the subject.

I didn't have any idea when Luna and I had finally fallen asleep, but I had fully expected to be woken by Evenstar's crew resuming preparations in the morning. The full light of day lit my cabin through the curtains, but the ship was silent. Luna was blocking my view of the clock, so I extended my magical senses and touched the Great Wheel of the Moon, well below the horizon. It was late morning.

I woke Luna with my sudden start and she smiled sleepily. "I do so enjoy seeing you with your hair in disarray, Twilight."

The look she gave me nearly made me forget my concern. "It's late," I forced myself to say as I stepped over her.

Luna's eyes lost focus for a split-second as her horn glowed. "Nay, 'tis not yet noon, Twilight! Come back to bed."

I grabbed my hairbrush off of the little toiletry shelf below the mirror and began working on my mane as I stretched the stiffness out of my legs and wings. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be; I supposed I was getting used to the armor. "There should be ponies on board by now," I clarified. "Something's not right."

Luna rolled out of bed and shook herself. She floated her shoes, crown and peytral over and they settled onto her. Her mane and tail were, of course, perfect.

I made do with a few quick strokes on my tail and then opened the door to the stateroom. Outside was a little wooden table that had definitely not been there the night before. On the table was a silver tray, and on the tray were a stack of letters and notes, and a first aid kit with a ribbon and card attached.

Luna and I traded looks. I unfolded the little note card on the medical kit and read it.

I hope this helps! The last time I heard a pony scream like that, my sister Limestone had dropped a twenty pound agate boulder on her hoof!

-Pinkie Pie

P.S. I was in the galley last night stowing flour and sugar. Pro-tip: Close the little covers over the speaking tubes if you want privacy!

I had just acquired a valuable piece of information: A pony cannot actually die from embarrassment. Fortunately, the rest of the notes were not of a similar nature. The one on top of the stack read:

Your Highness,

Miss Pie assures me that you are aboard and will wish to sleep in this morning. I have reviewed your correspondence and have set aside some that are of personal or time sensitive natures. I have ordered work aboard Evenstar delayed until you deem fit.

-Periwinkle

That girl desperately needed a raise.

As I flipped through the rest of the papers, my stomach let loose with a truly feral growl.

"Ah!" Luna said. "We must breakfast anon! You must have strength for the trials to come, my dear Twilight."

What I wanted to do was chuck the letters out the porthole and drag Luna back to bed. Every time she tossed off some endearing archaic phase in that rich, lovely voice of hers, I practically swooned. And I'm not the type of pony that swoons easily. Rarity's the expert in that area.

Luna directed an evil grin at me. I guess I was pretty transparent. "Fear not, my dear," she said. "There will be endless nights to come, and we shall have time enough to explore all the ways of love."

Okay. Came pretty close to swooning at that, too.

= = =

Luna had her own royal duties to attend to, and she left me to a working breakfast, promising to return after moonrise that evening. I settled in and began going through the papers while shoveling forkfuls of a rather good primavera omelette into my mouth.

I cranked through a dozen or so requests by the time I was half-way through my food. I was in full-on efficiency mode and didn't even blink at the note from Rarity asking whether I preferred star-cut or rose-cut diamonds. I just answered it[1] and went on.

[1] Star-cut, at a guess. I really couldn't bring the difference to mind at that moment.

Just as I was finishing my omelette, a slightly out-of-breath pegasus messenger rushed in and bowed.

"Yfff?" I swallowed. "Excuse me. Yes?"

"Your Highness, the Queen of the Changelings is on her way here. She will arrive in a few minutes."

"Chrysalis? Why is she coming here?"

"I don't know, Your Highness. She sent no message. She and her entourage got off the train just moments ago."

Chrysalis took the train? Something very odd was going on. I gathered up all the papers and stuffed the last of the omelette in my mouth. "I'll meef her ouf front! Sfff..." I swallowed again. "Sorry. See if you can find a herald and a couple of guards to make a show of it."

"Yes, Highness!" He turned and sprinted out the door.

Crown, crown... Where was my flipping crown? I was always leaving the thing somewhere. I gave up trying to remember and threw an object-specific teleport spell. From the huge amount of energy it took to retrieve it, I must have left it in Canterlot somewhere.

I quickly checked my mane and tail in a mirror, brushed some bits of egg off my cheeks and chest, and rushed down to the main doors of the palace.

The changeling hive didn't have a banner or flag. They were more the sort to have skulls on sticks in the way of heraldry, but there was only so far I was willing to go to accommodate Chrysalis' tastes, royalty though she was. She would have to make do with an arch of spears. I thought that might be sufficiently barbaric for her.

As she and her group approached the palace I flung open the doors. The herald blew a short fanfare on his trumpet and then announced, "Her Majesty, Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings!"

Chrysalis stomped up the stairs, wearing something glittering and jingling, trailing a group of hangers-on.

I stepped forward to greet her properly. "I welcome Your Majesty to my palace and offer you—"

She swept right past me without stopping. "Stuff it, Sparkle! We need to talk!"

Her little group of followers, mostly ponies with a couple of changelings, made to follow in her wake with just as little ceremony. While I could put up with all sorts of rudeness in private or from another monarch, the public presence of an Equestrian princess would be respected. My horn lit and they bowed. When I thought they had showed enough respect, I released them from my magical grip and preceded them into the castle. I was disappointed that my friend Csharreee wasn't with them. She would have been polite.

Chrysalis had settled herself on a cushion in the main audience chamber and pulled all the drapes across the windows so that the room was dim. I levitated the big cushion down from the throne on the dais and seated myself across from her on the floor. Two of my guards stationed themselves to either side of me. I let her sullen lackeys fend for themselves and they dropped down on the bare floor around her.

I hadn't seen Chrysalis for nearly a year, not since I had left the Badlands after the destruction of the Dark Crystal Engine. A lot of her subjects had come north to Equestria and had... well, stopped being her subjects. Stopped being changelings, in fact. In the ruined city in the desert, I'd discovered that simple, mutual friendship could disrupt the spell[2] that kept them in their parasitic, insectile bodies and return them to their true pony forms. When the word had gotten around the hive, Equestria had been overrun with changelings. Changelings who wanted to be friends.

[2] It was an unintentional side effect of a badly designed magical construct, not a curse. I used to flinch every time I heard somepony say, "lifted the curse," or something like that, but it became so common an occurrence that I'm inured to it now.

Not all the changelings wanted to become ponies, and those had remained behind. It was hard to get accurate numbers, but I estimated around twenty percent of the original population was left. Chrysalis herself had traveled back and forth between her realm and Canterlot but was still her old self: dark, creepy, and semi-perforated.

Aside from the two changelings, her followers were an odd lot. They were all unicorn stallions, attractive in a dissipated sort of way, but ranging from a bit on the thin side to positively gaunt. I tried not to think too much about what sort of relationship they had with the queen.

I finished my survey of her hangers-on and turned my attention to Chrysalis. "You need to talk? I'm listening," I said.

"I've been in Canterlot these last few weeks or so, and out of touch with the hive."

It wasn't a surprise to me. Once I'd seen how she was dressed, or rather, draped, I'd figured out she hadn't come directly from her own lands. It certainly wasn't the sort of thing she'd wear in a dank hole in the ground. She wore a sparkling set of dozens of thin, interwoven platinum chains studded with emeralds of various sizes. Some talented jewelry designer had figured out the ideal sort of decoration to compliment her decayed, decadent looks. The jewelry/clothing hung from her like glittering cobwebs and was quite striking, if a pony's tastes ran to that sort of thing. Judging from the appearance and behavior of her fawning companions, they were exactly that sort of pony.

"Imagine my surprise," she continued, "when I received word that your little poison pit in my realm had begun spewing monsters."

"It came as news to me, too," I said flatly. I was not going to be put on the defensive. My poison pit? The evil thing had been built over a thousand years ago. I was just the pony who had trashed the place.

"And I hear you were driven back by their vanguard a few days ago."

I did not growl at her. I took a slow breath in and said, as casually as possible, "It seems your source of information isn't entirely accurate. What we did was utterly wipe out the vanguard and acquire valuable intelligence which will enable us to destroy the rest of the creatures in a few days' time. Other than that, you're quite correct, Your Majesty."

"You seem confident of that. Perhaps you don't know just how many dark monsters have crawled out of that pit. My subjects have sealed most of the entrances to the hive and are practically under siege."

That was news, and not the good sort. Our patrols had only been watching the approaches to Equestria. I decided to drop the sniping nonsense and play it straight. "If you can get us an estimate of their numbers and strength, that would be very helpful. We can easily drive them back from your hive and then seal the pit with your help."

Chrysalis looked a bit nonplussed. "With your little party balloon and a few soldiers? You're mad!"

I grinned. "You mean Evenstar?" I created a fairly good diagram of my airship in the air between us. "Oh, I'll just be using her as a command post. We have a couple more 'balloons' coming along with us. This one for instance." I popped up an image of Solar Flare next to Evenstar. "That's to scale, by the way."

What with her chitinous skin, Chrysalis couldn't blanche, of course, but her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open just a little bit.

I didn't smile. "Luna will be commanding her. I thought it would be a fun little outing for the two of us."

"Ah, yesss," Chrysalis tilted her head and looked at me appraisingly for a moment. Then she did something totally unexpected. There was a flash of green fire and Luna sat before me, giving me a blatant come-hither look.

I knew it wasn't really her but I my heart sped up and I felt my cheeks grow hot. "Stop that," I said.

Chrysalis returned to her former shape and gave me a calculating look for a long moment. Then she chuckled and said, "Mmmm... That was quite tasty. I might even say exotic. So the rumors are true, then."

"That's none of your business," I said through my teeth.

"Oh, if there's anything I've learned from you ponies, it's that affaires de coeur, particularly those of the upper classes, are everyone's business! You two are the talk of the town!"

I was about to fling an angry, thoughtless retort at her, but I managed to stop myself. I glanced down at Chrysalis' hooves and smiled. The holes were quite small and there were only a few of them. "I suppose you're right," I replied calmly.

Chrysalis caught the direction of my gaze and scowled at me. Demonstrably, the rumor mill could cut both ways. Rarity had told me weeks ago about whispers that Chrysalis had found a friend. A very close friend, but a friend nevertheless. The magic of friendship had begun to work on her, changing her from her revolting insectile form back to the uncorrupted, beautiful alicorn she had once been.

There was just one problem. Chrysalis' new companion had fallen in love with her, not the pony she had been so long ago. Were she to allow herself to change back, she feared she would lose the love of the only pony she had considered a friend in over a millennium. She didn't dare come near him for more than a day out of every week.

I supposed the sycophantic crowd around her might desire her in some twisted fashion, but it was clear that it wasn't mutual, nor was it the sort of love that could work magic. Chrysalis' little harem was mere decoration. And possibly snacks.

When I'd first heard about it from Rarity, I'd gotten a kind of grim satisfaction from the story. That the creature who had abused love for so long was now suffering at its hooves seemed like poetic justice to me. But now that I knew from personal experience how badly even briefly thwarted love could hurt a pony, I wasn't so sure. In fact, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

I made sure not to show a hint of that, of course. If there was anything Chrysalis would hate worse than my smugness at her situation, it would be my pity. Time to change the subject.

"Well, I can assure you that my private life will have no impact on my mission. Luna and I are going to eliminate the monsters and their source. If you would be so gracious as to provide us with information regarding that, I would be very thankful."

Chrysalis gazed at me for a long moment and then spoke to one of her underlings. "Blackberry," she said and made a little gesture with one hoof in my direction. The gaunt gray stallion with the eyeliner and black hoof polish levitated a bundle of papers out of his saddlebag and floated them over to me.

"I think you'll find the information to be accurate and fairly detailed. General Csharreee compiled it."

That made me smile. "How is she?"

"Very efficient," the queen said flatly.

I sighed and leafed through the papers. Then something caught my eye and I started reading in detail. After a minute or so, I looked up and asked, "Is this true?"

Chrysalis permitted herself a half smile. "Unpleasant surprise?"

"On the contrary," I said, with a tangential approach to the truth. "This confirms something I'd already suspected. It will make planning the attack a lot easier. Please convey my heartfelt gratitude to Csharreee when you see her again."

"You should thank the queen, not her lackey!" one of the other stallions snarled.

Without bothering to rise or even look in his direction, Chrysalis lashed her tail across his face in a sudden, violent movement. The stallion hissed in pain and covered the reddening stripes across his muzzle with a hoof. The rest of the entourage looked at him with very mixed emotions, and I'm pretty sure jealousy was in there somewhere. I really needed to go through that volume on abnormal psychology sometime very soon.

It turned out that Chrysalis wanted to come along. At least, she wanted to be at the forefront of the relief of her hive. It seemed that she still valued those of her brood who hadn't migrated to the cities of Equestria and become ponies, even though she had spent more time away from her realm than in it during the last dozen moons.

I assured Chrysalis that I could easily alter the battle plan to include the relief of her hive and promised to have the details in her hooves by the next day. What I didn't tell her was that I would have changed the plans in exactly the same way, just to avoid having a mass of the enemy at my back.

"Very good," she said, with every evidence of honest appreciation. She turned to one of her two changeling attendants and said, "Khaatak, go arrange for some place for you all to stay in the village. I will have Princess Twilight show me to my chambers here. You will return this evening to attend me. You, alone."

Wow. Invited herself right in, didn't she? Well, I could afford to be gracious, and seeing Luna's reaction to the news that the "bug queen" was going to do a sleep-over would be priceless.

As I led her to one of the guest suites, I discovered that Chrysalis wanted something more from me than just a bed for the night.

"You are the Princess of Friendship and your special talent is magic," she said as we climbed the tower stairs. "If anyone is capable of devising some way to prevent this insidious side-effect, it would be you." She waved a half-healed foreleg at me and didn't explain further. She assumed I would know exactly what she was talking about, and she was right.

"Are you sure he wouldn't like you just as much if you were a stunningly beautiful alicorn? I know there are severe downsides, but still..."

She gave a little hiss of irritation at my sarcasm and said, "I can be that anytime I want. The point is that I can be quite a number of other things as well, and he likes variety. You may not believe it, but he even enjoys me as I am now. Yes, a pony who loves me for what I really am... think of that!" Chrysalis chuckled and continued. "He has called me haughty and arrogant, cold, cruel, and disdainful... all meant as terms of endearment, I assure you."

She climbed a few more steps by my side and then paused, her shoulders slumping. "I do not wish to lose him, Twilight Sparkle." She sighed and made sure she was looking away from me when she continued. "And so I am lowering myself to ask for your help."

I took in a breath and readied my "Never Be Afraid or Ashamed to Ask Your Friends for Help" speech, and then had a sudden insight as to how poorly it would go over with Chrysalis. I decided that simplicity would work best. "Okay, I'll see what I can do for you when I get back from the Badlands."

She eyed me suspiciously. "Just like that? What do you want in return?"

"It will be an interesting puzzle, trying to counter innate magic like that, and I'll have fun figuring it out, so it wouldn't be right to ask you for anything."

Chrysalis resumed walking by my side without saying anything until we reached the door to the guest suite. Then, she muttered in a low voice, "You are either the most devious pony I have ever encountered, or a complete fool."

I beamed at her as if she had just paid me a gracious compliment and teleported away before I could give in to my impulse to burst into laughter.

= = =

=

Author's Note

Thanks again to AcademicPony and statoose (who can spot a double space from orbit) for their excellent assistance!

11 Preparations

Chapter Eleven
Preparations

The dark magic monsters were a more serious threat than I had first thought. I went over Csharreee's information carefully, adjusting my plans once again. I still had confidence we could wipe out the monsters with minimal risk, but we would have to do it quickly. Once we engaged them, they would adapt to counter our forces. Just during the short time we had fought the first group, Big Ugly had managed to produce many more capable flyers in response to our aerial attack, and Csharreee reported that after several skirmishes with her people, the monsters besieging them now closely resembled changelings.

At the top of my checklist of that day's tasks and preparations was one little empty box: armor conditioning. I grimaced. I had left my armor in Canterlot castle. It was a convenient excuse to have a day off from carting all that weight around, but the blank space on my list stared back at me accusingly. Well, I was scheduled to have tea with Celestia and I could pick it up then. Half a day off would have to do.

I went through everything else on my list, then went out and checked on the work on Evenstar. The structural repairs and modifications were complete, and the new patches were being painted over. If there had been time, I would have included magical armor similar to Solar Flare's, but beyond the fitting of the wire, it needed complex and tedious spellwork I'd never be able to finish before we needed to leave. I noticed that there was a simple sun-and-moon symbol in gold paint next to the portside bridge hatch. Below it was the words: Ironwood Pass. It wasn't any bigger than my hoof, and it hadn't been a part of Evenstar's original decoration.

"Excuse me," I called out to the pegasus working on the hull nearby. "What's this?"

He glided over and gave me the little head bob that took the place of a bow for a pony in flight. "Oh, that's her battle medallion, Your Highness. Hasn't been one of those awarded since the Second Griffin War, I hear."

"Ah, I see." I had very mixed feelings about that. "And Ironwood Pass is where we were?"

"Yes, ma'am. Well, we were about three miles from the pass, but that's the nearest named place that anypony knew of."

I almost told him to paint over it. I didn't want my sweet, pretty pleasure craft turned into a weapon of war. But there were now firing ports cut into her hull, armor plates over the rudder and elevator joints, and attach points for anti-boarding netting. Evenstar was now a warship because she needed to be. It was too late to pretend otherwise.

When I had entered my second year at school, mom and dad had talked with me about what I wanted to do with my education. Magical research was my top choice, and maybe a teaching position as well. Me being me, I had had several backup careers all planned out as well. Nowhere on the list was "princess" or "defender of the realm."

I sighed and touched the Wheel of the Moon; it was time for tea and armor.

= = =

Celestia was waiting for me in the gazebo in the upper palace garden. A sumptuous high tea had been set out: lots of little sandwiches, sweets, and cakes in addition to three different pots of tea.

I was determined to make it a pleasant hour or so. It would be the last time I would see the princess before I left for the Badlands, and I wanted to take away only simple, happy memories.

If I hadn't known Celestia so well, I might have managed it.

She apologized, again, for the scene in the castle dining hall, and I reassured her that I was deliriously happy with Luna and that I was still performing all my princessly duties.

"Well," she said, smiling kindly, "if you are happy together, then perhaps everything will turn out fine."

And right then, I knew. Despite her attempt to hide it, Celestia was sadder than I had ever seen her before. Combined with Shining's little slip-up at dinner the night before, it pointed to only one conclusion.

"There's something you're not telling me. Something important."

Her smile slipped a tiny bit for brief moment and then she laughed. "Yes, of course there is, Twilight. I can't tell you everything. It would take too long, for one thing."

I put on my grumpy face. Celestia's smile went all indulgent. The battle of facial expressions went on for another few moves until Celestia sighed and said, "It is not something you need to concern yourself with, Twilight. The business of the kingdom often brings—"

"No, it's something to do with me, isn't it?"

"Twilight—"

"I want to know," I said letting my ears flicker back and forth erratically. "You know how I can get when I'm frustrated."

She sighed. In a flash of magic, she brought forth a small, jeweled box and put it down on the table in front of us.

I peered down at the decoration on the curved top of the box: a painted lotus blossom with elongated petals that resembled flames. Anypony with an interest in history or lurid tales would have recognized it. "That's Fireflower's mark."

"It is," Celestia said, and lowered her head to tap the mark with the tip of her horn. There was a click, and the lid of the box popped open slightly.

I looked at the box as if it might have contained a viper. "From everything I've read, she was known as the Mad Wizard of Serpent's Spire, and an enemy of Equestria."

Fireflower's reputation was not a good one, but there were no records of anypony doubting her ability. Celestia lifted the lid and took out one of the tightly rolled scrolls within. To my disgust, I realized that it was actually parchment. Fireflower's dealings with the Griffin Empire must have influenced her in unsavory ways if she had kept her records on the dried skins of dead animals.

"No, she wasn't my enemy, though she certainly wasn't a friend, and she was not mad," Celestia said. Her head came up slightly and her eyes lost focus for a moment as she thought back to distant times. "She had the gift and the burden of prophecy. When the ruin of her tower was searched, this box was found. It will open only to my touch. Inside were twenty scrolls that could not be unrolled or read until a certain date had passed. In the past, some of them have been very helpful to me. Others... well..." Celestia's mouth twitched briefly in what I thought was distaste and then she continued. "At the last new moon, this scroll's seal dissolved."

Celestia passed the scroll to me, and I held the revolting thing up and opened it. The angular brown lettering was a little difficult to decipher, but it still only took a short while to read the entire thing.

Begins the setting of the Sun,
When Night and Evening join as one.
To save the Day who sits on high,
The mare of darkest hue must die.

I never thought that the old expression "my blood ran cold" was anything but a bit of poetic hyperbole. But that was exactly what it felt like when I finished reading. No wonder Celestia had been so opposed to Luna and I getting together!

"You should have told us," I said.

Celestia nodded. "Yes, perhaps keeping this from you was a mistake, but to deny your happiness out of fear for myself... no, that is worse. I am sorry, Twilight. I should not have shared this with Cadance and Shining Armor. You and Luna deserve happiness, and you must not—"

At that moment the answer to the riddle snapped into place and I laughed. Celestia looked at me like I was crazy. "Oh, sorry!" I said. "Maybe Luna hasn't mentioned it to you, but the Nightmare has been lurking around in the Dream Realm, pestering me. She's the mare with the darkest coat. Nothing's darker than black, right? Once we deal with the monsters from the desert, she's next on my list." I beamed at her. "See? Problem solved!"

"I thought the Nightmare was sealed away and beyond our reach. But if…" Celestia blinked. "Could it be that simple?

"I don't see why not. I'm sure all the little nudges I've been getting from that black nag are leading up to something nasty, so I'm just going to shortcut her plans by finding out some way to get rid of her for good. Don't worry; it'll be fine!"

Celestia smiled again and shook her head. "If it were any pony but you, Twilight Sparkle, I would dismiss your assurances, but with your past record, I am greatly encouraged."

I grinned and popped a little tea cake into my mouth. "You'll see! Everything is going to be just fine!"

= = =

The armor felt much lighter as I put it on. I'm sure my mood had something to do with it. I stopped by the jeweler's and picked up my order, then flew over to the infirmary.

Captain Speedwell met me there, and we talked briefly about how we were going to do the presentations before entering the ward. Once inside, we moved from bed to bed, speaking with each pony and then awarding them the various medals I had commissioned. I felt a bit hypocritical, actually. I couldn't see how passing out little bits of gold was in any way reward enough for what those ponies had been through, but they seemed truly touched by the gesture, and I guess that was good enough.

When we got to Private Flicker, he actually managed a smile. "Thank you, princess. And... I've made my decision. Could you tell Princess Luna for me that I'd like to join her guard?" He seemed a bit hesitant.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Your Highness." He paused and grimaced. "My mother isn't too happy about it, but it's the only way I'll be able to go with you back to the Badlands."

"I'll tell her," I said, marveling that a pony with such an easy excuse to hoof would be willing to throw himself back into battle after suffering such a crippling wound.

Rainbow Dash was just as eager, but that mare is crazy. Everypony knows it.

"Check it out, Twi!" she called to me, waving all four legs in the air. "Casts are off and I'm ready to fly!"

"Then why are you still in here?" I asked in some confusion.

Fluttershy flipped back the sleets, revealing a broad strap cinched around Rainbow's waist. "She's tied to the bed."

"Stupid doctor says I need more rest! He doesn't know me very well."

Someday I, too, will be calm and imperturbable enough to be above rolling my eyes at my friends' little quirks, but I wasn't at Celestial levels of serenity that day. "Look at it this way," I told her. "Solar Flare leaves here the day after tomorrow. You can't go aboard until then, so you might as well sleep here."

Dash crossed her forelegs over her chest let out a huff of air which flipped up her forelock. "It feels like I've been here forever!"

"Just one more day," I told her. "And I believe Captain Speedwell has something for you."

The captain went through the formal words and set the medallion on Dash's chest.

"Wow!" Dash said, grinning her head off. "A real medal. For bravery!"

I leaned over and tapped the little sun-and-moon disk with the edge of my hoof. "It says 'For Bravery', but in your case it's actually for insane recklessness."

Dash laughed. "It's the same thing!"

That was the classic Rainbow Dash attitude, and it was something that was going to have to change. Fortunately, I had a plan.

= = =

I grabbed a quick bite to eat at the florist's and then spent the rest of the afternoon learning to pilot the old airship, Hazina. I already understood a lot of how aeronautical concepts like wind levels and thermoclines affected airships from the days when I had learned to pilot my old balloon, and I had taken the helm of Evenstar on many occasions, but Hazina was a quite different experience. She was old and cranky, with propulsive fins instead of propellers, and her controls were both more complex and less accurate than modern equipment. She even had two rudders, one on the envelope and one on the hull.

It didn't help that Hazina's hanging hull design made steering a very touchy process. Any overcorrection set up an oscillation between envelope and hull that was very difficult to ease out of. Gudgeon told me that there had been cases of novice pilots on these old types who had fallen into the trap of "chasing the needle"[1] and actually tearing the ship apart in their frantic efforts to get back on course, particularly in bad weather.

[1] Even the most responsive airship turns very slowly. A pilot who thinks she hasn't given the ship enough rudder because the compass needle doesn't begin to turn immediately, will often oversteer, then overcorrect when trying to compensate, sometimes leading to wild oscillations.

Gudgeon and the rest of the crew were very patient with me and, when I had gotten comfortable with normal flight, I practiced maneuvering without one or more of the big fins to simulate battle damage. I knew it would take me a much longer amount of time than I had to get good at that sort of thing, but it was a good idea to at least have a grasp of the concept. Even with both rudders completely disabled, I could steer the ship by varying the amount of power to the two propulsive fins.

"The worst scenario is if you've lost one power fin and the hull rudder," Gudgeon told me. "We won't try that today because it's dangerous even under controlled conditions and in good weather. In that case, it's best to shut down power completely and use your ballast or gas venting controls to get to an elevation with a wind going the way you want to go."

"That, or abandon ship," I said.

"Well," Gudgeon said, squinting at me out of one eye. "I don't reckon you're planning on bringing her back in any case, Your Highness."

I smiled at him and gave him a little nod of acknowledgement. Clever pony, that Gudgeon.

= = =

I left Hazina to her delivery crew and flew back to Ponyville on my own. I arrived about an hour before sunset and was greeted by my secretary in the council chamber. She had a stack of papers and a stationery box floating by her side.

"Miss Rarity wishes to see you as soon as possible," Periwinkle said, passing me a note on lavender paper. "The mayor is showing signs of panic about the presence of Queen Chrysalis and her entourage." A scroll with the Ponyville seal. "The chef wishes to know what changelings eat and how many there will be for dinner." A nearly indecipherable scrawl on the back of an old menu. "And Captain Zephyr would like an update on the schedule." A crisply folded slip of white paper. "I've handled all the rest myself. I can give you a summary if you like, Your Highness."

I hastily wrote out replies to everything but Rarity's note. I added a letter to the treasurer instructing her to raise Periwinkle's salary by ten percent.

"Where is Rarity now, do you know?" I asked Periwinkle.

"She is in your chambers," she said. "She is complaining about the lack of closet space."

I hot-hoofed it to my suite to find the doorway half blocked by a large chest and a portable clothes rack. There were also several pastel-colored boxes scattered about.

"Oh, darling! I'm so glad you're back!" Rarity said. "I just can't seem to find space for everything and you must help me decide on your evening wear!"

"Evening wear?"

"You're dining with a royal princess and a queen tonight! You simply can't go au natural! Yes, I know that Chrysalis is of dubious quality, but she is royalty, nevertheless, and that outfit of hers is quite striking. The gothic look is passé, but she seems to pull it off well enough." She sniffed, hung up the dress she had been levitating, and lifted a necklace out of one of the boxes. "Don't worry, I'm sure that we can do better. Hmn... these opals are nice, don't you think?"

"Beautiful," I assured her. "But right now I'm going to get out of my armor and take a shower."

"Oh, of course, dear! But please, before you go give me a hint about what sort of look you want to present. Stiff or casual elegance? Perhaps stern and commanding on the eve of battle?"

"You can do that with just a dress?"

"Darling, you would simply not believe what I can do with 'just' a dress." She smirked at me.

Huh. Well, there was only one pony I was worried about making an impression on, and it certainly wasn't Chrysalis. "Can you make me look... uhmn... attractive?"

Rarity dropped the necklace.

"What?" I asked, after she had stared silently at me for several seconds.

She sighed and shook her head. "Twilight, you are a very beautiful mare. I can enhance or emphasize your various qualities, but I will only be accentuating what is already there."

Rarity is a great friend. It was really sweet of her to try boosting my confidence like that. I smiled at her. "Whatever you think Luna will like," I said as I began unbuckling my armor.

After an invigorating shower and grooming, I returned to find that Rarity had already completed the dress. She did my mane and makeup, added bits of jewelry, then stepped back to assess her work.

She nodded in approval. "It says, 'I am the most gorgeous thing you've ever laid eyes on and if I deign to glance in your direction for more than an instant, you will feel like the luckiest pony alive.'"

"It says all that? Really?"

"Verbatim, dear. Come look in the mirror."

I had to admit, Rarity had made me look really good. The slinky black dress, combined with star sapphire accessories and a bit of makeup did wonders for me. The shimmering fabric flowed and swirled as I moved, revealing an occasional flash of leg. The jewelry sparkled in the light and the up-swept hairdo with ringlets to either side of my face gave it all a touch of elegance.

"You're astounding, Rarity!"

"Yes, I rather am, aren't I?" She gave me a peck on the cheek. "Go forth and conquer, darling! All I ask is that you describe, in detail, the look on Luna's face when she first sees you!"

= = =

=

Author's Note

Released early because I will be hiking far from cellular reception all through the holiday weekend, and I didn't want to make you guys wait until Monday. To all mah fella' 'merkins, I hope you have a great Independence Day and don't blow off any of your parts!

A mis amigos, AcademicPony y statoose, muchas gracias por la asistencia! (Yes, I've run out of ways to say it in English, so I'm improvising. I'll probably end up by tapping it out in Morse code at the end of chapter ninety-seven.)

1 Going Forth to War

The Luna Cypher
by iisaw

Sequel to The Celestia Code

Chapter One
Going Forth to War

"'Twas the changeling ambassador who told thee of this invasion, then?"

If Luna's energetic pacing across the width of the throne room in Ponyville hadn't been enough of a clue, her lapse into archaic Equuish would have been a dead giveaway as to how worked up she was. Well, that and the broken crystal she had unknowingly crushed beneath her hooves with a few angry stamps.

Periwinkle, my secretary, had taken cover behind my throne. I didn't blame her; the Princess of the Night in a temper was a rare and terrible sight. Luna's mane flowed and sparked wildly, the specks of light within flaring and dying away like tiny supernovae. Shimmering highlights danced across her midnight blue coat, powerful muscles rippled beneath her skin, and her eyes blazed with a fierce, magical energy.

"Canst thou be sure of the ambassador? Mayhaps she seeks to deceive thee for some purpose yet unknown." Luna crossed the room twice more before turning to face me. "Twilight Sparkle?"

"Hmn? Oh, no, a flight of weather pegasi from Dodge Junction also spotted them while scrounging for moisture over the Badlands. The things are there, all right, and they're headed for Equestria."

"Then we must act with haste!" Luna stomped a hoof for emphasis and another crack appeared in the crystal floor. I surreptitiously healed the break with a pulse of magic. "'Tis no doubt these creatures are born of the vile influence of the dark crystal beneath the desert city. To escape the warding magics of my sister, and less than a score of moons since they were sealed, they must be powerful indeed!" Her neck arched and her nostrils flared in righteous anger, but I knew her well enough to realize that her wrath was tempered with a good deal of excitement. As the more emotional of the two sisters, and the one most predisposed to solving problems with direct action, she was undoubtedly pleased to be presented with a problem that did not seem to require delicate diplomacy.

I had been very calm when I sent the letter asking Celestia for advice. My mood hadn't been ruffled much when Luna arrived with a clear mandate from her sister to be my counsel in the matter. But after several minutes of listening to her rather forceful opinion, my heart was hammering in my chest. Her enthusiasm was contagious.

"Evenstar is being readied and provisioned as we speak," I told her. "It's true she wasn't designed to be a warship, but she's fast and can hold a complement of twenty ponies. With pegasi outfliers in rotation, she can support another half-dozen. We can be over the Badlands within a day."

Luna paused and gave me an arched eyebrow and a sly smile. "Is it needful to muster such a force? Can there be aught so fierce upon this globe to stand 'gainst thee and me together?"

I couldn't help grinning back at her. "Let's be on the safe side with this. Besides," I said, calling up what knowledge I had of ancient Equestrian customs, "we have to have some ponies to bear witness to our great feats of arms, right?"

Luna's smile widened. "Is there a place for my personal guard? Sergeant Obsidian has a fair talent for poetry. Perhaps he will craft a ballad of our deeds."

I really didn't know if she was kidding or not, but I ordered room made for her two bat-winged attendants, anyway.

= = =

"There's no way you're gonna leave me behind, Twi!" Rainbow Dash snorted.

"Rainbow, I've already explained—"

"Yeah, and I wasn't listening because you were wrong!"

The unicorn crewpony waiting at the bottom of Evenstar's boarding ramp muttered something under his breath and glared at Rainbow Dash. I held up a hoof to forestall any hasty action. "It's just that—"

"Nope." Rainbow crossed her hooves over her chest and shook her head. "Still not listening. Besides, you can't stop me from coming. I'll just fly ahead of you. Might even have those monsters mopped up by the time your slow old blimp gets there."

The thought of Rainbow Dash trying to tackle the dark monstrosities by herself made me feel just a bit panicky, with an added touch of indignation that she'd called my beautiful Evenstar a "slow old blimp."

"Fine," I said.

"And anyway, you need...." She trailed off. "Huh? You mean I can come?"

"Yes, you can come. There's just one condition."

"Name it!"

"This is a military operation. Captain Speedwell is commanding the pegasi, and that means you have to take orders from him, agreed?"

Rainbow Dash looked like she wanted to protest that for a moment, but my expression must have conveyed how serious I was about the matter. She shrugged. "Fine."

Right then, I was just thankful that none of the rest of my close friends were at the castle that day. It wasn't a friendship problem, but I'm sure that wouldn't have mattered to any of them. I could just see myself trying to convince Applejack that she wouldn't be of any help on a strike force that would rely mainly on magic and flying skills. I could also see myself losing that argument. It had been hard enough to convince Spike to remain behind.

We finished loading Evenstar just before noon and we were on our way shortly thereafter. I was a little troubled that the airship's first long voyage was going to be into battle. Until that day, I had only taken her out on day trips to entertain friends or foreign dignitaries. Celestia, Luna, and Cadance had had her built by the finest shipwright in Canterlot as a present for me, celebrating the blossoming of harmony in my new realm.[1] Her beautiful swirly paint job in my own colors marked her as a pleasure craft, not a military vessel, and the huge heraldic version of my cutie mark[2] on her vertical tail fin marked her as mine. She held a very special place in my heart. My personal cabin had been paneled in wood salvaged from the Golden Oak Library, which meant more to me than I was willing to let on to anypony except my closest friends. There were some nights I slept aboard just to have a cozy little place of my own. The castle was magnificent, but it still felt a little too formal and cold sometimes.

[1] Okay, it really was just the same old Ponyville and environs, but I was responsible for it now.

[2] Heralds have some odd notions that royal insignia ought to follow certain rules of clarity and balance. That is why all my banners and regalia had a sixth small white star, and the central big magenta one is outlined (fimbriated) in white. There are lots of urban legends about why Celestia's banners have a red background, but it's actually because heraldic art demands contrast.

Once I had made a brief tour of inspection to assure that everything and everypony were in their proper places, I went forward to the bridge and found Luna there. She was wearing a complete suit of armor. Not the usual helmet and body rig typically seen on royal guards, but full plate barding.

I stood in silent shock for a minute or two. Her armor was both exquisite and perfectly fitted to her body. The individual plates of her criniere cascaded down her neck like a frozen waterfall and joined to the peytral that covered her broad chest and shoulders with an intricate set of hinges at the forward edge of her saddle. The flanchards were fitted together with cunning sliding rivets that would allow the plates to protect her lean flanks through a large range of motion, and the croupiere fit her like it had been painted on. It even had copies of her cutie marks etched into the shimmering white metal exactly above where the real marks were. The greaves that protected her legs weren't directly attached to the main body of the suit, but were suspended by strategic straps that would allow for a full range of motion while giving room for the play of muscles beneath. Her shoes and the couteaus that protected the forward edges of her wings had wickedly sharp ridges on them: They were weapons as well as protection. Every piece was etched with scroll work and acanthus leaves on the edges, and the larger parts had engraved scenes of ancient battles and triumphal processions. Diamonds, fire opals, and other gems were set in clusters as wholly extravagant accents. Celestia rarely went in for showy displays; it was obvious that her sister had different opinions on the matter.

Luna finally noticed my presence and turned to greet me. Her turquoise eyes sparkled with excitement from beneath her chamfron. "Ah, Twilight Sparkle! Does it not stir your blood to be going forth to battle the foes of Equestria?" She gave a joyous toss of her head which set the intricately etched lames of her criniere jangling against one another.

I wasn't personally inclined to displays of wealth or power, nor usually much moved by them, but Luna in armor was a vision from another, more adventurous age. "Yes it does," I said, grinning, a bit surprised to realize that I was excited. "That's really superb armor, by the way. But don't you think it's a bit early to be wearing it? We won't reach the Badlands until tomorrow morning."

"I have not donned my war harness in... a very long time. 'Tis good to feel its weight again," she told me in a more subdued voice. "Do you think me over-eager?"

"No," I said. "I think it's wonderful. You are quite the sight. Inspiring, actually."

Luna just nodded in acknowledgment and turned back to watch the Everfree slipping by beneath us. Her metal-shod hooves shifted on the deck, as if my words had made her nervous or uneasy for some reason.

Or maybe I was projecting my own unease on her. I was about to speak when Rainbow Dash sauntered onto the bridge—in full pegasus armor. "Whoa!" she said when she caught sight of Luna. "And I thought my rig was swanky!" Her armor was a full battle suit in gold with purple accents but no rank insignia. It bore the Tree of Harmony medallion on the peytral that marked it as coming from my castle's armory.

Luna gave her a quick examination. "Thou art well-armored, Rainbow Dash! Methinks thy heart yearns for the morrow, as does mine own."

Rainbow frowned in puzzlement. "I'm totally ready to kick some monster butt, if that's what you mean."

I glanced at the half-armor suits worn by Evenstar's Captain and the helmspony, and suddenly felt a bit under-dressed.

= = =

I convinced Luna to remove her armor and get some sleep before she needed to raise the moon. It took some doing, but she eventually saw the wisdom of not going into battle after being awake for more than a day and a half. Since there was only one bunk aboard Evenstar large enough for her, she retired to my cabin.

Rainbow Dash continued to fly loops around Evenstar, getting used to her new armor and annoying the outfliers. If I hadn't been well aware of her physical capabilities, I would have nagged her not to wear herself out before we made contact with the enemy.

Instead, I went over my plan of attack for the tenth time.

I had read all I could get my hooves on about battles similar to the one we were headed into, but as Equestria hadn't been to war since before the development of modern airships, the tactics I had set out were untried. Back at the castle, Luna had briefly looked over my plan and pronounced it "sound enough."

From the descriptions provided by Ambassador Ketethek and the Dodge Junction weather chief, the things working their way toward us were the same sort of abominations created by the release of dark magic from the broken crystal engine beneath the Crook-Tail Canyon ruins over a year before. If that was correct, I wasn't too concerned about being able to deal with them. They would be fast and vicious, but not particularly smart. The thing that worried me was that they had somehow managed to escape from a containment spell cast by the most magically powerful alicorn in existence. That was troubling. I wasn't going to make any assumptions, or take the situation lightly.

I sat for a while, thinking and looking out of the port, watching the desert miles that Jigsaw and I had struggled across nearly a year ago slipped effortlessly by below. I sighed and checked my plan for the eleventh time.

= = =

At sunset, Luna emerged from my cabin and went aft to raise the moon. When she returned to the bridge, I was still there, making some last-minute adjustments to the final briefing I was going to give the crew in the morning. The watch was changing, so we retreated down the short passage through the chart room to my cabin, in order to give the crewponies room to move about.

"It's funny," I said as we settled in, I in front of the little desk and Luna on the bunk. "I'm nowhere near as nervous about all of this as I thought I'd be."

Luna chuckled. "You have fought such creatures before, and far worse!"

"Yes, but usually on the spur of the moment. I've never had so much time to think about it before the fact."

Luna thought for a moment and then said, "I think that's for the better. You are accustomed to adapting to changes as they occur. Many untested ponies expect a battle to go exactly as planned and are at a loss when it does not happen the way they assumed it would."

That gave me more to think about. "How often does a battle plan work out as expected?"

Luna made a show of thinking about it. "Would you like a number? A percentage?"

"Yes, please. That would be very helpful."

"'Twould only be a rough estimate. I am not the mathematician that thou art."

Her dip back into the archaic familiar made me a little wary. I wondered what sort of memories she was bringing to mind. "Just a general idea would be fine," I said.

"Roughly... none," she said, suddenly grinning broadly. "Never once. Not a single plan went as expected, though crafted by the most experienced of generals."

My face must have given away my dismay because Luna actually laughed out loud.

"Okay, now I'm nervous!" I grumbled.

"Forgive my jest, Twilight Sparkle! Your plan is a fine one, and will no doubt be a great help on the morrow. Your talent for improvisation will ensure our victory."

"Ah... well, thank you for the vote of confidence."

"There is one thing, though."

"Yes?" I eyed her warily, half expecting another joke.

"Will you not wear some armor suited to the task?"

"Oh, that's not necessary," I explained, "I'll be using a modified shield spell that will also serve as a weapon."

"Ah, yes! You spoke of that. I will be interested to see that." Luna turned and levitated her chamfron, holding it between us and turning it to catch the light. "Still, armor is a protection that will remain even if you exhaust your magic. And it is more than protection, just as a crown is more than ornamentation. You lead these ponies into battle as their commander and monarch, but that is only half of your duty. The other half is to inspire them."

"Ah... well," I said, thinking back to what a magnificent sight she had been in her armor. "I think a speech might be best for that. I'm not all that impressive in a physical way."

The chamfron wobbled in Luna's aura, and for a moment I thought she might drop it. She peered at me, frowning.

"What?" I asked.

"Nay, I perceive thou intend no jest. Here..." She lifted the criniere and attached it to the chamfron, then settled them over my head and neck, muttering, "Yes, 'twill serve."

"Luna—"

"Attend to my words, Twilight Sparkle!" Luna interrupted, taking my face between her hooves and leaning close. "There comes a dread foe to threaten Equestria, to kill your subjects and lay waste to your home! Wilt thou allow such evil to overrun us?"

"Of course not! I—"

She shook my head and leaned even closer. "Wilt thou make light of the threat? Wilt thou play at war as if moving pieces upon a game board?"

"I—"

She was practically shouting by then, and my own emotions rose with her voice. "Or wilt thou bring ruin and destruction to the foes of ponykind? Wilt thou save those thou lovest from this evil? Swear to me that you will!"

"I will!" I shouted, carried away by the strength of her emotion. "I swear it!"

As I spoke Luna released me and lifted a small mirror from my desk. She held it between us, and I saw my own face, flushed with emotion, framed by the superb platinum armor of the Moon Princess.

I have to admit it: I looked pretty darned impressive at that moment. The armor, my determined expression, even the flush of emotion across my cheeks—it all made quite an impact.

Luna set the mirror down. She had a smug look on her face.

A moment later there was a tap on the door of my room. "Is everything all right in there, Your Highness?" asked Captain Speedwell.

I opened the door a bit and said, "Yes, captain. Everything is fine. Sorry for the shouting."

He sort of gaped at me for a second and then braced and snapped out as crisp a salute as I'd ever seen from him. "Not at all, Princess! Forgive me for interrupting."

Armor. Wow. Who knew? I mean, on Luna it looked incredible, but to think that it would do the same for plain old me?

I turned back to the smiling Moon Princess. "Thank you for the lesson, Luna. I'm sort of amazed at that. I'm sorry I don't have any armor to wear, now."

"Ah," she said, her smile widening. "As for that..." Her horn lit and I felt the interstitial exit vortex of a teleportation spell form above our heads. A moment later, another suit of armor floated in my cabin. It was getting kind of crowded in there.

"This is my second-best armor," Luna informed me. "I think it may be made suitable for thee."[3]

[3] Yes, of course she owned more than one set of mindbogglingly expensive armor. This is Luna we're talking about.

We spent the next hour or so modifying and adjusting the armor to fit me. Some transformation was needed to get it to fit my smaller frame but a lot of that could be done simply by adjusting the straps and fittings. Luna even changed the decorative medallions on the chamfron and croupiere to match my cutie mark. She gave me a running commentary on armor in general as she worked; some of it I'd heard before from my brother, but quite a lot was new to me.

"During the First Griffin War, Celestia gave medallions in the shape of her cutie mark to ponies who had showed extraordinary bravery at the battle of Knife Edge Ridge. She told me this is where the modern custom of awarding 'medals' came from." Luna stood back and gave me an appraising look. "'Twill serve well enough, though gold would suit your color better than silver."

I shifted around, trying to imagine what galloping inside the stuff would be like. "Feels a bit heavy," I said.

"Thou wilt scarce notice it, once thy blood is up," Luna assured me.

I thought for a moment. "I thank thee for thy kindness in this. Thou art a good friend."

She blinked in surprise, no doubt suspecting for a second that I was mocking her by imitating her speech. But it only took a moment for her to realize that I had used the old words deliberately, to reinforce how close I felt to her and to avoid the "you" that would still sound somewhat cold and formal to her, even now.

She really seemed flustered for a minute. "It... it is my joy to be thy friend, Twilight Sparkle," she said at last. "I am more than repaid by this chance to fight again for a noble cause."

Luna helped me remove the armor and showed me how to nest the pieces inside one another to make them pack down into the smallest space possible. That done, she donned her own barding and made to depart.

"I will guard us through the night, Twilight Sparkle. Take sustenance and rest well."

"May I ask one more thing of you, Luna?"

"Aye. Anything."

"Call me Twilight. Just Twilight, or Twi, if you like. All my close friends do."

"'Twi?'" She looked appalled. "That sounds disrespectful to me."

"It's fine, really. It's like 'you' nowadays; nothing bad is meant by it."

"Ah, well... I think I may become used to the brusque and cold ways of modern speech in time. But until then, I will be happy to call you Twilight." She paused again, and then a look of distress flitted across her face. "Would it be... do you wish to call me..." She actually grimaced at that point. "'Lu?'"

I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. "No, not at all! Your name is perfect just the way it is."

Luna exhaled in relief. "Ah, 'tis well, then. Goodnight, Twilight."

I settled into the bed that still held Luna's scent, and wondered if I'd be able to sleep at all that night. I fretted that I'd be staring at the overhead until dawn, going over all the things that could go wrong, and be completely unrested for the battle[4], but I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep within minutes. I had a sneaking suspicion that the Regent of Dreams had something to do with the fact that I slept better that night than I had in a long time.

[4] Yes, I was worrying about worrying. Becoming an alicorn and a ruling monarch hadn't magically banished all my flaws.

= = =

It was a good thing I was well-rested, because I was rudely awakened only a few minutes after dawn by Rainbow Dash practically breaking down the door of my cabin.

"Twilight, Twilight! Get up!" she blurted out at me.

"Okay, I'm up! What's happening?"

"They're out there! I've seen them!"

I caught her sense of urgency, if not her exact meaning, and began donning my armor. Rainbow Dash didn't even comment on it, she was that upset. "Deep breaths, Dash," I told her. "what, exactly, did you see?"

"Monsters, Twi! Thousands of them!"

= = =

=

Author's Note

A huge thanks to Gogito, AcademicPony, statoose, and MacIsBest859 for giving invaluable critique on this chapter. Any goof-ups or awkward bits that are left after their suggested edits are purely a result of my stubbornness.