Snow seemed so mediocre now. Snow... The simple magic that fell from the sky to coat the peaks of mountains in a silver hue... It seemed so transparent as the small bat filly jumped around circles, giggling with each bounce.
Her mother merely watched, a nostalgic grin on her face as she watched her daughter bask in the joy of her most recent discovery. Night skidded to a halt and looked back to her cutie marks, beaming with excitement, eyes wide. She looked back to the telescope and trotted back quickly, putting her eye to the eye piece once more as she gazed up into the sky. The many sparks in the sky beamed down at her and she stared in wonder, moving the telescope ever so slowly across the dark blue sky .

Her mother had trotted over to her and leaned down next to her face. "What can you see?" She asked with a hushed whisper.
"Everything..." Night exaggerated as she turned her attention from the sky to the land below, climbing onto her hind legs and holding the rail as she scanned the plains. "There's guards on patrol... And the fields..." She said with a grin, scanning the town, watching the guards on patrol laugh and exchange banter as birds picked at the berries in the fields, an angry farmer awoken by their screeching calls, charged out to remove them.

Nights ears twitched, hearing the door behind them creak, both mother and daughter spun around and stared at the door in surprise. An elderly mare stepped through, she wore a cloak as dark as the sky itself, the edges laced with a silvery white and above that was a series of stars, wrapping their way around the fabric. Her eyes were a deep purple and her mane a light grey... Sprouting from her mane was a grey horn.

Nights jaw dropped and she stared in wonder at the gifted mare, recalling the stories of those blessed by Luna. Nights mother gulped and stepped back gently.

"Crescent Ardra Dancer!" Her shrill voice called out. "What in Luna's name are you doing here? I thought I told you that this balcony Is off limits." She growled as she trotted forward, Nights mother, Crescent, slowly backed away, Night stared at the two, stunned by what she was seeing.

"Please, elder, I only wanted to let my daughter see what was up here... Ponies don't come here often..." She said, a hint of worry in her voice.
The old mare looked down to Night who stood there, dumbfounded... A bat pony with a horn and her mother backing down.. In the same day.

"So this is the filly you speak so highly of?" She said as she leaned down to Nights level. They stared at each other for quite some time before the mare pulled away with a "Humpf." She trotted back towards Crescent, passing Night. "And has her visit been... Enlightening?" She asked.

Crescent nodded quickly. "I-I taught her the history and... She found her cutie mark..."She said softly.
The elder stopped in her tracks and looked to the small filly who had turned to face her. "Oh has she? Tell me child, what does it mean?"

Night gulped and hesitated. "W-What? My cutie mark?... Well... I... I'm good at looking through telescopes.." She responded simply.

The elder laughed a raspy laugh. "And I'm good at magic... What does a cutie mark mean to you?" She said, rephrasing the question.

Night gulped and thought for a moment. "It means... That there are infinite possibilities, and talents, like the number of stars... and I found my special talent amongst all the others... " She said, simply remembering what her mother had told her a few nights ago on the hill.

The elder nodded. "That is very insightful of you... Now what is your special talent?" She asked expectantly, giving a tired smile.
"I... I don't... I Saw a comet... " She said hopefully, the elders brows rising in surprise.
"I'm surprised." She commented, looking down to the constellation that adorned her flank. "I was unaware that you could trace a comet with a telescope. I'm sure our scholars can help you understand your mark."

She turned her attention back to her Crescent and trotted over to her, her face blank before a smile grew across her old wrinkled face. "You have taught your daughter well acolyte... She may have her rite of passage in the Sephulcer... Maybe we could fix the lack of ponies in here." She said with a smile.
Crescent raised her brows in surprise and kept silent, not wanting to test her luck. The elder stopped by the doors, the handles gripped by her magic. "It shall be on the next full moon, two days from now." She finalized before stepping through and closing the door. Nights smile was as wide as anything and both mother and daughter looked to one another quickly before they started to jump and giggle excitedly around , bouncing and chasing after each other.

Night gave her mother an excited hug and they both giggled. "C'mon... We should get home and start planning."

Night pouted and looked up at her mother. "Can we stay a bit longer?" She whined. Crescent sighed and nodded gently. "Alright.. But only for a few more minutes." She cooed as she gave her daughter's mane a quick ruffle before she darted back to the telescope with eager eyes, staring back out to the sky, the trail of the icy blue comet she saw lingered, casting streaks of light across the night.

Night was still beaming, even as she got home. The whole colony complimented and congratulated her... It took her twice the time to get home cause everypony wanted to hear the story. Once the two of them were home they looked around, searching for Nights father, Midnight.
"He must've taken a longer shift." Her mother commented as she leaned down and booped her nose with a hoof, causing the small filly to scrunch up her nose. "We should get dinner ready... I'm sure he'll want to celebrate.
"If the town doesn't tell him first." Night replied with a grin.

*Meanwhile*

Midnight trotted home slowly, tired from training and the long boring patrols of the plains, his armor still shining its deep purple. He came to the entrance to the caverns and made his way into the darkness, his bright eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness. He yawned as he emerged at the other side, entering the many caverns.

The trip home started normally but as he went he noticed the smiles and waves he got on the way home, the quiet thunder of mumbling... Something was up. He narrowed his eyes in confusion at many of the ponies... They were all giving him the same attention that he got when the whole town found out his wife was pregnant. His eyes widened "Oh shit... " He said in shock, his mind immediately returning to the time when Crescent was pregnant.
"Hey Midnight!" One of the ponies called out. "Congrats! I'm sure your wife will be as happy as you." He said cheerfully.
That did it... Midnight began to gallop home urgently as if he was fearing for his life.

Night and her mother sat at the table eating dinner, a soup mixed with vegetables and some of the berries they grew. Both merely held their excitement, just waiting for him to get home. The door burst open violently and Midnight fell through, panting loudly, his eyes wide as he stared at the the two dumbfounded ponies in front of him. He trotted forward urgently, staring at crescent and he fell to his haunches.

"How long have you known?" He asked with a pant.

Crescent looked surprised. "You know?" She asked.

"The whole bloody town knows!" He said with a smile.

"Well... Night and I found out this evening, not too long ago."

He smiled and sighed gently and looked over to Night. "You must be happy." He said with a tired grin, immediately greeted with an ecstatic nod. He sighed and placed his ear on her belly, trying to listen. "How'd you find out?"

Crescent stared at him in confusion, a light blush on her cheeks. "W-Well I took Night to the Sephulcer and she found this telescope and.." She was cut off by him raising his head quickly.

"What?!" He asked aloud.

"What?" She answered back.

"Wait... What are we talking about?" He asked to clarify.

"Uhh.. Night's cutie mark.. What are you talking about?" She asked.

He laughed loudly, falling back onto his haunches as he let out a long relieved sigh.. "So you're not pregnant?"
Both Night and Crescent looked at him, Night was surprised, her eyes wide and soon focusing on Crescent.

Crescent was unimpressed. "Really...?" She asked.

"You're pregnant?!" Night squealed loudly.

Both adults looked to her. "No." They responded in unison, watching Night's elated mood get shot down.
"Lets start from the beginning..." He said with a tired smirk.

"Sure thing you Numpty." She giggled, pushing his head to the side playfully.

Night sat there, smiling sheepishly up at her father. He sat In front of her, smiling with embarrassment. "Everything makes a lot more sense..." He mumbled as he received several glares from Crescent, standing beside him. He turned back to her with a bright grin. "Well c'mon, let's see it!" He said enthusiastically.

Night smiled and slowly shifted positions, her side facing him and her cutie mark, the bright constellation of stars was easily, looking as if they were apart of the sky upon her dark coat. He grinned and nudged her hoof. "Hey.. The little trouble maker finally got something out of her mischevious ways..." He teased.

She immediately stuck her tongue out at him, pushing him back. "Hey, I always get something out of the trouble I make." She retorted, greeted immediately with two pairs of raised eyebrows from both her mother and father.

"Right..." They responded sarcastically in almost perfect unison, followed by a small course of laughter. Crescent trotted over and ruffled her purple mane. "Run along now, your father and I need to plan your Rite of Passage." She said.

Night smiled wide. "You mean my party!?" She asked enthusiastically. Her father glared.

"It is not a party young lady." Her father said firmly, followed by a snort from her mother.

"There's loud music, food, drink and a lot of dancing... Sounds like a party." Crescent said with a smirk, it quickly melted when she received a glare from Midnight

"That may be true but it's more than a party... It's a sacred tradition... You of all ponies should know that." He argued back. She simply shrugged and nudged him.

"Sorry, I just remember the last Rite I went to... I think it was yours..." Crescent said with a smirk. "I've never been that bored in my whole life." She laughed, creating a bright blush from Nights father.

"At least I didn't get my drink spiked at mine." He responded with a vengeance, smirking at her, both glaring at each other, about to enter another fit of bad memories and heated words.

"I Uhh... Think I heard Starlight calling." She said, making her ears twitch as if she heard something. "I'll be home later bye!" She quickly said, getting up and trotting briskly away from the couple about to enter a violent verbal war.

Her hoof steps echoed quickly as she moved away from the house as if it were about to explode. She looked back cautiously, wondering if her parents had any objections to her absence. Night continued to trot by, her shadow cast onto the grey stone by a bright fiery torch.

"NIGHT VELA WATCH!" An angry voice bellowed, her voice echoing through the cave. Night jolted and gasped, turning around rather quickly.

She was greeted by the furious look of Miss Chanel, a broken board in her hooves. Night gulped and only just remembered the destruction of her stand.

"I Uhh... Sorry Miss Chanel I.. I have to go.." She said as she backed away like an animal from its predator.

Night had no time to reason with her and immediately turned tail and bolted away from the angry shop owner, her heart pounding heavily as she traversed the caverns, darting in and out of tunnels, around stalactites.

It was only then did she check behind her, Night skidded to a halt in one of the many chambers where one could merely socialize. She sighed in relief but it was soon gone as her ears twitched, hearing the running of hooves and an excited giggle. Night gulped and sighed,closing her eyes as she caught her breath.

She felt the hoof steps come right up to her, the excited giggle of another filly. Night opened her eyes and looked up, a smile growing wide as she saw Starlight.
"Star?..."

"AHHH!" Starlight squealed as she pranced and bounced around the stationary filly, her blue mane flicking back and fourth. She came to a halt in front of Night , pulling her mane back behind her ears. "I can't believe you got your cutie mark!" She exclaimed, her dull green eyes staring brightly at her. She hugged her tight. Night gave a small awkward laugh and hugged back, not used to the extreme attention.

"I-it's nothing special really.." She mumbled. "You'll get yours soon.. I know it!" She said happily as she pulled away from her friend.
Starlight gave a small shrug.

"Yeah... Some day... But hey! You got yours, when are you going to do your rite?" She asked, focusing on Night smiling brightly.
Night shrugged, "I dunno, but apparently it's just a party..." She said with a smile. Starlight raised a brow in confusion.
"Isn't it when you do a whole lot of funny rituals? My parents told me that Luna herself is summoned there and you have to perform the commands she gives you."

A shudder passed through Night and she gulped. "I don't think that actually happ.." She was quickly cut off as Starlight continued.

"And you have to provide a blood sacrifice!" She yelled out dramatically, Nights eyes going wide and fearful.

"W-What?"

Starlight laughed at her and pushed her gently. "Hey... Calm down I'm just joking leather brain." Night blushed and smiled at her gullible attitude.

"You're so mean sometimes..." She mumbled as she nudged her gently. Starlight gave her a gentle nudge back, throwing Night off balance for a few moments.

"I heard Miss Chanel yelling... Has she been trying to hunt you down too?" Starlight asked with a mischievous grin. Night sighed and nodded painfully.

"C'mon, I know a great place where we can hide for a bit." She said with a dangerous look in her eyes.

Night bit her lip and grumbled gently. "I dunno Star... Last time you said you have somewhere to hide we got covered in berries..."
Starlight nudged her and bounced excitedly.

"C'mon it's really quiet and the only thing for us to get covered in is dust." She said back, practically bouncing in her place. "And we wouldn't get caught.." She continued, trying to convince her more and more.

Night gave out a groan and hung her head lightly. "Fine... But this better be worth it..."

"This won't be like the other ones we've destroyed." Blaze said, the table in the basement covered in a large yellow map, a small wax candle lighting the room. Tyl hung from the wall, his body limp and the dried blood clung to his fur. His breathing was barely noticeable and the light glow of his eyes was barely seen, covered by heavy eyelids.

"It's under a mountain so we're dealing with stone... And a lot of it." He continued, looking to Boulder and a oegasus by his side, his mane was a light orange, curled at its edges, large strands scratching the outside of his ears.

His coat a pure white, making the orange in his mane even brighter. The pegasus looked over the map, many crosses covered the map, previous colonies that were destroyed. The mountain in general was circled in red... And creepily enough, it was the blood of Tyl.

"This place is huge, from what our informant has told us. It has at least four hundred of the shits..." He continued, glancing back to Tyl. "Ideas Gentlecolts?" He asked as he stepped away from the old board table.

"Find their weak points and we hit them there." Boulder said angrily.

"You'll kill all 400 of them?" The pegasus asked, raising an eyebrow. "A foal could think of better things." He scowled back.

"And what do you suggest Savant?" Blaze asked with smug interest.

"Well how do you get rid of a bee's nest?" He asked with a smile, appealing to Blaze's sick sense of humor.

"Uhhh... Magic?" Boulder replied.

"Fire!" Blaze announced as he slammed his hoof down on the table, making it creak. "We'll smoke them out!"

Savant nodded. "I'll speak to the Doc." He said with a blank look.

Starlight and Night struggled to pull the large wooden door open, the loud creaking echoed through the stone caverns and they both grinned, peering into the dimly lit room, flickering flames dancing across the walls. Tall aisles stood, creating dusty columns and corridors through the room. Scrolls of all ages and sizes were held inside, some teetering on the edge of their shelves.
"Are we even allowed in here?" Night asked in a hushed whisper.

"Stop being so scared, it's just the library... Any pony is allowed in here." She replied with an excited grin as she stared back into the library.

"But don't ghosts run around?" She asked, her body shuddering gently.

"Yup!" She said excitedly as she trotted in, her hoofsteps echoing loudly. She turned and pulled Night in eagerly. "C'mon scaredy bat." She giggled, Night pulling back.

Starlight continued pulling her in and Night gave up, giving a fearful sigh as she trotted in further with her fearless friend. The two could hear their own hoofsteps, their heartbeat just as loud as they began to traverse the library. A few loose scrolls scattered themselves on the ground and dust filled the air, the dim light seemed to follow them.

They came to a tall ladder, scaling the huge height of the shelves and Starlight eagerly galloped there and climbed the first few rungs.
"Starlight! Be careful." Night warned, receiving a stuck out tongue as her reply.

"Catch me if you can!" She challenged with a loud giggle as she began to ascend the ladder.

Night groaned and looked around. "I-I think I'm going to go Starlight... It's really dark... Even for me.." She mumbled, her friend not hearing her as she climbed higher and higher. Night bit her lip and sighed painfully as she turned around and began trotting away, looking up and only seeing the dull green eyes of Starlight.

Night trotted backward as she watched the glowing of her friend's eyes, backing onto a scroll that lay on the ground, her hooves slipping out from underneath her. Night let out a loud scream, cut short as she hit the ground with a thud, dust flying up from where she fell and settling down slowly as she looked around nervously, her heart pounding heavily.

The echoing of her scream died out and a deafening silence followed. The sound of hurried hoofsteps bounced through the library, her ears flicking and twitching to the noise as she raised herself from the ground. "S-Starlight..." She called out timidly, her heart pounding as she looked back to where Starlight was, the dull green remained, at the top of the tall bookshelf.

Her heart felt like it stopped as the hoofsteps got louder and louder. She gulped and panted nervously, turning around and bolting away from the hoofsteps, trying to traverse the darkness.

The hoofsteps quickened and just seemed to get louder, her heart raced as she galloped past the mighty shelves, the shadows morphing and changing as she charged away. Small tears came to her eyes as she whimpered, fear utterly dominating her mind.
The hoofsteps felt like they were right behind her, her head looking behind her, seeing nothing but darkness.

She turned her head forward once more but it was already too late. A dim candle light was coming from around the corner of a shelf and got brighter as she approached. She began to skid to a halt but a figure emerged from the light and she crashed right into it, giving a loud "Umpf!" as she tripped and fell onto the ground from her fall.

She shook her head and looked up, hearing an unearthly groan from the figure. She gulped and tried scrambling away. The figure was the same size as her and grumbled and groaned on the ground and slowly sat up, looking over to her slowly, peering out from under a hood. She was greeted with a pair of bright violet eyes, staring back to her.

Night gulped and slowly inched away.
"A-are you okay?" The figure asked out, his voice young, high and full of worry. Night froze and raised a brow.

"Y-yeah... A-Are you?" She was answered with a nod as he got up, a small colt drenched in a black cloak. Night looked at him curiously, her heart still thudding loudly in her head. "A-are you a ghost?" She asked nervously.

The small colt turned to her and grinned, giving a small laugh. "No..." He replied as he trotted away to a nearby table, picking up the dying candle and relighting another. He trotted back to her as he pulled back his cloak. His deep blue mane hung over his bright purple eyes. He offered her a hoof and helped her up.

"T-thanks.." She mumbled as she gulped, looking around to see if Starlight was near. "W-who are you? I thought only ghosts and spirits lived in the library..." She mumbled to him, calming herself down.

"I'm Swift Marcher." He replied with a smile. "And only me and my dad live here." He said as he ruffled his mane. "Who are you?"
"I'm... Night Watch... My friend Starlight and I came here to hide from..." Night eyes widened. "Oh no Starlight!" She said in fear.
"What's wrong?"

"She went climbing one of the ladders and I lost her." Night said in worry.

He smiled and looked down the aisle. "Well... We better go find her before any ghosts get her." He said with a laugh as he began to trot down the way Night came, looking back to her, offering her a warm smile.

Night slowly began to follow Swift, her hooves shaking just a bit.
"Oooooh!" He called out in a groany tone, mimicking a ghost. "Starlight!" He called out, smiling at Night. Night smirked and gave a small giggle, following suit.

"Starlight!" She groaned in unison with Swift as they trailed along. The two laughed and continued their ghostly impersonation.

Time had gone by quickly, they had gone up many aisles and they hadn't found Starlight, their jokes and games had died down and the two trotted side by side, Night almost clinging to his side. He glanced to her, a smirk across his face. "Scared of the dark?" He asked teasingly.

She blushed gently and gulped. "Yeah.." She mumbled almost shamefully.

He raised a brow. "Why? What's there to be afraid of?" He asked.

*THUD*

The two of them spun around, seeing a scroll roll gently across the floor. Night gulped and got closer to him. He stared into the darkness with confusion. "T-that's why..." Night whispered.

Swift smiled and rolled his eyes. "It just fell Night.. It's not that scar..." He was cut off as a low groan echoed through the library, Night gulping and hiding behind him.

Slow hoof steps were heard all around them and Swift stood strong, looking around in an oblivious interest, Night clinging to him heavily.

The hoofsteps drew closer and closer and Night let out fearful whimpers. Swift placed a hoof on her back and tried to calm her down.

"Hey.. Don't worry it's just..."

"RAAAAR!!!" Starlight screamed as she burst from the darkness.

Night screamed out and jumped high into the air, hitting the ground heavily. Swift jolted and spun around, sighing as he saw Starlight.

"Starlight!" Night complained. "N-not funny!" She whimpered. Swift trotted over and helped her up, smiling at her reaction.
"It was for me." She retorted.

Swift and Star both laughed and Swift gave her a comforting pat. "C'mon Night, you have to admit, it was funny." He said with a smile.

Night slowly smiled and nodded, her head bowed. "Yeah yeah... Let's just get out."

"Not yet... I wanna show you two around."

Author's Note

Haha, forgot to add this. The wait is over and another chapter has been released! This one was horrific to edit as the story morphed and Night somehow became a time traveler and her mum became a stallion... Good stuff.

Please If you find any more mistakes please tell me.