Chapters Night's Children
by Admiral Q
inspired by Children of the Night
My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro
There was darkness around her looking like mist. She was normally not afraid of darkness, it was her element after all but this was different. She felt anger from it, power from it, hunger. And those green eyes that it now has. They were eager and began to close in.
With a start Luna awoke from that nightmare. She panted as she took in her surroundings. She was in the quarters her sister set up for her in the Canterlot Castle. Her sister has rule Equestria from this place since the night they fought and left their castle in ruins. There is so much she regrets that night, destroying the castle they work so hard together to make that castle. So much of themselves and she destroyed it in a fit of rage. She missed it. She heard that Twilight Sparkle had thought about restoring the castle and Luna hoped she did. It me a nice retreat from Canterlot. She got up from her bed and check the sun. Due to her royal duties she kept odd hours thus the very heavy curtains to keep out the sun while she slept. With a flick of her magic the curtain was put aside and saw the sun lowering it would be time to raise the moon soon. She went to her bathroom and took care of business and brushed her hair. She then put on her hoof covers and crest armor and last but not least her crown. She looked out the window and her horn glowed and soon the moon rose and past the sun as it set for the night. Satisfied the moon was where it needs to be she opened the door and saw a servant nearby. Seeing the servant cemented her guts urge and ordered. “have my carriage prepared for a long journey.”
She found Celestia in the throne room looking over something. She looked up and Luna saw the smile in Celstia's eyes. Far different from the tear filled eyes she had when she used the elements on her. At times she is still surprised how forgiving her sister was. She tried to kill her but considering the lengths she seemed to have done to get her back shows how much her sister loved her. “Good evening sister, sleep well?”
Minutes later in the courtyard her chariot awaited her. Celestia had it made as she restored her connection to the moon and assigned two Pegasi Royal Guards to her. While cold at first they eventually warmed to her and even allowed themselves to be altered to signify their royal duty to her. They were the closest thing she had to friends for other then Celestia they see her the most. With a mental command her bat cloak formed around her and she greeted her guards. “Silver Sword, how is the family?” The Guards look in her direction and smiled and the closest one answered.
For hours they flew on Luna enjoying the night and remembered the days she flew among the clouds with a handful of young children who loved the night as she did. She believed they delayed her change to Nightmare Moon and when she returned from her Nightmare she tried to find out what happened to them but couldn't find a clue. Celestia never knew them and records around that time are sporadic. Heck Nightmare Night had so much wrong about her alter ego yet cemented in the culture. Even the Elements were nearly lost to history before Twilight and her friends found them. She must have been in those inner thoughts when Quick Arrow jolted her out by speaking her name. “Yes Quick Arrow?”
It was the middle of the night and She stood upon the a balcony on the castle she shared with her sister. She shook her head in sad bitterness. So many of her subjects sleep instead of enjoying the night. They do need to sleep at some point but to waste so much of her beautiful night. She has to take some action. She starts singing a song and leaps off the balcony and flies to the nearby city of Canterlot. As she slowly flew singing she felt some children awake and approach the light she was now emitting. With her magic she brought them to her and with it every pony child, unicorn, earth, even pegasus flew with her and like her enjoyed the night. Eventually to her sadness she had to return them to their homes as the night waned but it would only be the first of many nights with them.
Luna slowly awoke from the dream, or was it a memory? She flicked up her eye cover and checked the time. A couple hours before sunset. She stretched and decided to take a bath. It was relaxing and refreshing for the hour she was in it. She took care of her other needs and was fresh and proper when she emerged from room. She returned the key to the front desk and headed outside. She saw her guards already checking the carriage but soon noticed a crowd forming. This was probably the first time any pony in this town saw any of the four princess. She took a breath and remembered the lessons she learned from Twilight Sparkle and her friends. She look over and saw the sun setting. Perfect. She floated into the air and pointed her horn to the horizon and with a beam brought out the moon. When it was at it's proper spot she turned off the beam and and with a slightly leashed royal Cantoerlot voice she announced. “My subjects behold the night and enjoy it's beauty.” That actually got some cheer and the princess sheepishly smiled as her guards grinned at each other. Their charge was getting better at greeting her people. Luna noticed a mare nearby and looked at the mare and asked. “Good mare, my guards and I hunger. Do you know where a fine establishment can be found here?”
They had two more stops along the way but they were finally over the border into currently unclaimed lands according to the map Luna had. The last town they stopped in reported strange lights in this area. “Be cautious guards we are in are target area.” She saw them nod and begin scanning around. She did as well, it was a wooded and mountainous area and she saw a couple lakes in the distance.
All Luna knew was pain, searing pain. Everything hurt so much and she just couldn't move. Eventually time past as she past in and out of conciseness and during a concise phase she heard movement. “I found two more.” A female voice said. She felt something lifted off of her and something else touch her causing her to moan in pain.
Luna came to again with a start and yelped in pain before she felt a hoof on her. “Easy now your still badly injured but you are safe now.”
The response Luna got was not what she expected as Nightshadow put a hoof to hir muzzle trying to prevent something coming out but failed and Nightshadow fell down laughing and hugging her sides. "You the Princess of the Night, that's rich. WOW what a statement!" Luna lost her temper and got up.
Luna awoke sometime later feeling the aches and pains of her wounds and she took stock of herself. She had scratches, bruises and bandages all over her body and one wrapping her left wing. She was still disturbed by the fact she was in her original form. This was going to cause Celestia to worry. When she assumed Luna's role after banighing her to the moon it took her a couple days to have full control over it. But it helped that even banish on the moon Nightmare moon still had a bond with it even if she couln't control it anymore. But when she returned it took MONTHS to get her powers and bond back. Looks like Clestia has to do both roles for the time being again. What a way to start a quest. Celestia might even send out Twilight Sparkle and her friends. While they would no doubt help and be an asset they deserve some time off after the whole Tirek incident. And she was the Princess of the Night for pony's sake. She should be able to handle this. She looked back at herself and noticed two of her hoof covers gone and she didn't feel the small weight of her crown on her head. Well she was still alive. She can handle the rest. And first up was the call of nature. Finding a nearby chamber pot she took care of that and began the long process and bonding to the moon again. She does this for shi doesn't know how long when she hears. “How are you feeling Luna?”
It took a week for Luna to have the strentgh to walk and the first thing she demanded was to see her guard's graves. Nightshadow directed her to a pair of graves just outside the main wall. They were mounds with a stick with her mark. She cried hard then. These two were among her few friends and now they were gone. Nightshaow stood respectively away as Luna mourned. “Their names were Quick Arrow and Silver Sword.”
About a week earlier
Celestia looked out her window as for the second time she had to raise the moon. “What has happened my dear sister. Whatever it is please be alright. I did not wait a thousand years to lose you again so soon.” She walks back to her throne and with a sigh sits. She doesn't sit long when a scroll magically appears. It read.
Dear Princess Celestia,
Princess Twilight Sparkle.
My Dear Twilight Sparkle,
You former teacher,
Princess Celestia
Luna awoke to the sound and cheerful fillies. She looked over and saw them at the table eating their breakfast. Nightshadow saw her and smiled. “Good evening Luna, hungry?”
After breakfast or dinner in Equestria Luna tested out her wings. They were a little stiff at first but she was able to take off and fly around and got a great view of the compound and they got a great view of her. She saw some look at her and some hoof pointing before she landed on a ledge under the moonlight. She closed her eyes and basked in the moonlight and again resume the process of rebonding to the Moon. She was like that for hours before she heard a flap of wings and she opened her eyes to see a pegasus mare floating next to her. The mare was dark blue with a short cut purple mane and tail, had yellow eyes and a horizontal lightning bolt cutie mark. “Hey haven't seen you around here before and that was not a bad warm up either.” Luna smirked.
An hour later the battle was over with they remaining creature's falling back. She and Nightstreak landed and the pegasus spoke out. “Not bad Luna, had a couple of nice saves back there. You can fly with me anytime.”
It was nearly dawn by the time Luna walked into the alcove that she now shared with Nightshadow, Twilight Moon, and Eclipse. She saw the two fillies huddled in their bed but looked too scared to sleep and poor Nightshadow looked haggered. Luna saw her on the firing line earlier and then saw her tending to the injured so she had to be tired. “Good to see you Luna. I can't get them to sleep, you have any idea's?” Luna smiled.
“Come, little children, I'll take thee away
Follow, sweet children, I'll show thee they way
Hush now, dear children, it must be this way
Come, little children, I'll take thee away
The two fillies were asleep with smiles on their faces when Luna was done. Luna smiled and lightly nuzzled both before walking over to Nightshadow.
While the bulk of the Children head for bed Darkmoon was not. She got passed the walls during a shift change and she headed out into the country side. She was not going to let the Elders stop her. She needed to do this for the sake of her people. She walked for a couple hours before she found what she was looking for. The ruins of an ancient castle next to a cliff. Before the invasion they confirmed this was the old capital of the Unicorn faction and thus where her treasure lay. It took an hour for her to find the old throne room and she began looking for what she needed. In the olden days when the three tribes lived here there were no royal sisters that controlled the sun and moon. The unicorns did it but her kind has lost that knowledge and power but here in these walls the spells that contained it might still remain. She has spent the last two years studying the records they gathered before the invasion and believed she had found a secret room that could contain that knowledge. She went behind a raised platform, probably where the unicorn king and queen once sat on thrones. She looked over the back of the platform but could see any tell tale signs of a door. 'Okay gonna have to do this the interesting way.' She thought and began a spell she worked on. While much ancient unicorn knowledge had been lost that didn't mean the unicorns were impotent. Her horn flared purple and she was able to project a beam that allowed her to see through the stone. She was able to see the mechanism left behind. Smile she hit the appropriate stones and heard click and saw a stone right next to her move till she heard snapping and clanging and the stone stopped. Looking back at the platform with her spell still on she saw the mechanism in pieces. Opening the door was too much for the mechanism that had for eons gone unused. Still it showed her where the door was so turning of the spell she then directed her energy to the door itself and moved it on her own. When opened she saw stairs and went down. It went a ways before stopping at a stone door with a lock. The key was long gone so Darkmoon blasted it instead. With the lock gone Darkmoon pushed open the door. It was dark as the night and Darkmoon illuminated the room with her horn. She saw shelving with many objects on them but not much more. She then notice a crystal near her. It was an illumination crystal. They had some at the compound. But a little unicorn magic and it would stay light for hours. She lit it and saw more crystals and lit them to reveal a decent size library. She walked up to the nearest shelf and saw book made out of stone tablets. Sensible way to preserve knowledge. She began slimming it. All of it in ancient pony language but since they found out this was the ancient pony homeland the Elders made it part of school reading to know the language as well as the modern version. Thus Darkmoon really began her search.
Hours later Dark moon left the ruins with her saddle bags full of book and tomes. While much was left behind she could return for them later. These had what she needed right now. With a nod she past the guards at the gate and went for her room. As the premier mage of the Children her place was among the largest in the compound and filled with scrolls, books, and tomes on magic. While any unicorn can ask her about borrowing a item from her stock it was her duty to keep and maintain them. She went to her desk and took out the first tome and began reading hard. She needed more power to defend her brothers and sisters ans these tomes and books can provide the answer.
It has been a couple weeks since the major attack against the compound. While the creatures did a couple of minor raids against their farms those were quickly replied. Luna proved to be quite the versatile soldier, either flying through the air as Nightstreak's wing pony or casting spells with Darkmoon. She even manage to keep the Air Commander and the mage Commander from going to blows better than anyone else and was now considered among the leaders of the militia. Despite her rising fame in the Children she still stayed with Nightshadow and her charges despite being offered her own place. The young fillies have taken to calling her Auntie Luna which seems to make the strange wing unicorn very happy. Nightshadow thought to herself as she walked along the woods on the Equestrian side of the mountain. It's a sad state of affairs that a side they always thought the enemy would come was safer then the side facing north. As she walked she thought of recent events. First is Luna's type of pony. The Elder historian Moon Marked found reference to Alicorns in the records but on the fact they were very rare type of pony. Then there was the song Luna sang to them. She remembered her own mother singing that song. Or more accurately one close to it. She remembered her garden of shadows no my garden. The song was always sung with the idea of the Princess of the Night taking them to a world of wonder and beauty yet Luna said she was. Her thoughts are interrupted by the sense of powerful magic. She followed the sense to a clearing in the woods. There she saw Luna seemingly bathing herself in moonlight. And she was different than what Nightshadow has seen. Her hair has gone wavy like it's caught on a breeze but there was no breeze out tonight. And her fur....Her fur was a darker blue then it usually is. With fear and concern she says. “Luna?” The pony opens her eyes in shock and immediately reverts to the form Nightshadow remembers. Luna quickly glances around herself and says.
Chapter 4 Princess of the Night
Luna just looked on in shock with her head yelling, 'Nononononononon' as her alter ego is given new form. 'By the heavens Darkmoon why have you done this?'
Meanwhile the former Darkmoon reveled in her new power. 'Yes, with this power I shall protect my children. Then we shall take our rightful place. Before that could get further one of the lookouts reported in. “We have a very large force heading for us.”
A creature swipes at Nightmare Moon's head then jerks her head back and impales her horn in the head of the creature killing it instantly. She saw another coming when a blast destroyed it. Looking back She saw Luna closing in. Nightmare moon smiled at the sight of her child coming in to help but the sight of her cutie mark caused her unease. She felt like she should despise it but couldn't remember why. Well that could wait and together they decimated that enemy force. Finally what was left of the enemy force were retreating but that was not enough for nightmare Moon. With her ethereal mane she caught one of the creatures and brought it close. “Now listen carefully creature. Tell me where you base from and you won't suffer.”
When they returned there was great cheer among the Children. Luna quickly walked away from the crowd heading for the forest area again. “Luna, you okay?” The princess looked over to see Nightshadow looking concern.
Meanwhile Nightmare moon entered Darkmoon's chambers. They will serve for the time being as hers. Besides it felt familiar, She maybe Nightmare moon but a part of her will always be that brave pony who has given her body for her Princess. She took off her armor and had to do some rearranging to make a bed big enough for her form and she laid down and grabbed a book to read to tired herself out. A knock on the door interrupted her. “Come in.” The door opened and an Earth pony mare came in.
The next evening Nightmare moon called everyone together for a meeting. Luna herself went to bed when day came and sadly still in her unbound form. She gathered with Nightshadow and Twilight Moon and Eclipse. She feared what this Nightmare Moon will say, she had to protect her children. With everyone gathered Nightmare moon began. “My Children tonight truly starts the beginning of a new era. We will rest and rebuild ourselves then we will go to Equestria and take it over from the sun loving faces of those ponies and bring about Night Eternal!”
Nightshadow raced through the woods trying to find Luna, Twilight Moon and Eclipse huddled on her back. A bright light of dark cyan appeared ahead of her and she raced in that direction hoping that Luna was okay it took her a half an hour to finally get to a small clearing and spotted a bluish form on the ground. She raced over with her kids hoping off her back. “By the moon Luna, please be alive.” She activated her horn and her healing spells and got started on the alicorn trying to heal her wounds. She was in bad shape with scorched marks all over but she was alive. She can survive this she HAD to. She survived worse. “Please Luna don't leave. I rather serve you than Nightmare Moon. You have always shown care and compassion for us. You've always been in the thick of it defending us and even this last fight was you trying to protect us. Nightmare Moon seems to be more interested in power and revenge and I fear she will destroy us with that thirst. She may be the Princess of the Night but you deserve it more. Besides you have your nieces to help me take care of and......and I need you.” Nightshadow began crying and her tears dropped onto Luna's body. Even Twilight moon and Eclipse cried with their adoptive mother. Unbeknownst to them something was happening to the moon. It was in crescent form this night it now has gone to Full moon and suddenly a narrow beam of white light shot from it and onto Luna. Nightshadow and the fillies backed off and Nightshadow looked at the moon. “By the night!” The White beam pulsed where Luna laid and Nightshadow felt a massive increase of magic. She couldn't even see Luna in there just a beam of white. After a few minutes though a figure stood in the beam. Taller then the average pony the being had a pony form and the beam ceased and Nightshadow looked on in shock and manage to say. “It was true, it was all true.”
Author's Note
I little short I know but i had to end this chapter there
Nightmare Moon basked in the moonlight, feeling it's caress against her as she laid on a rock ledge attached to the mountain. She dreamed of the near future. She defeats the Princess of the Sun who ignored her plight and shunned her proposals. She takes her rightful place on Equestria's throne with the Children of the Night forming her new government. In hours they will begin to fear as moon fails to fall. The sad look forming on their sun loving faces as the realization (snicker) dawns on them. She looks at her moon and her mood sours. Her moon had changed. It had gone from crescent to full and was moving again. She stopped an hour earlier yet to her senses it was moving again. She did feel some resistance initially but over came that. She exerts her influence on the moon again but felt a stronger resistance then last time and she only manage to slow it down. She stands and demands. “WHO DARES MESS WITH MY MOON!”
As the two alicorns dueled Nightshadow looked on and looked back to the few minutes earlier.
The white beam ceased and Nightshadow look to where it used to be and saw a pony bigger than her and the truth dawned on her. “it was true, it was all true.” Before here was the pony she always dreamed the Princess of the Night would be. A physical embodiment of the night sky. She even got fancy clothes from this and a tiara or more accurately a crown. “L-luna?” The alicorn gave a familiar smile greeted her.
Luna teleported them with in view range of the compound and she now watch her good friend fight for the future of the Children of the Night.
Luna was knocked off balanced as a gust a wind hit her. She went with it and barrel rolled dodging maybe magic bolts from Nightmare Moon. With a quick turn Luna faced her alter ego and fired back. Hers hit causing the black alicorn to growl in anger. Darkmoon may have her alter ego's power and personality she didn't have her experience thus Luna had the aerial edge. As she banked away several lighting bolts struck at Nightmare Moon. But Nightmare was quick to retaliate. Monstrous lighting bolt shot at her and she manage to dodge some but few did hit. Gritting against the pain Luna did a series of loops before unleashing a spread of energy crescents. Nightmare Moon did a quick dodge but she did get nicked and responded with a quick blast before diving to the ground with Luna following in. The flew through the trees moving too fast for either to take a shot. They get close to the mountain and Nightmare moon races up the side and blast a boulder causing it to fall. Luna barely dodges it and it hits her hoof. Ignoring the pain she focus to follow Nightmare Moon but she lost track of her. Then she got plowed on the side and manage to bring up a shield for her back as she and Nightmare moon plowed into the ground. The shield prevented her wings from breaking but the plow still hurt. She bucked with her rear hooves and that got nightmare moon off her and she flipped so she was standing again and summoned an tornado to twirl the black alicorn around. With a burst of magic Nightmare moon frees herself from the tornado and it fades away. Luna rises to the air and Nightmare Moon makes her eyes glow and the veil of magic appears below her hooves as she charges a massive attack. Knowing the move since Luna tried it on Celestia on that fateful night she begins her own charge. Soon blow lower their horns and sphere's of raw magic appeared. One a dark cyan the other a night blue before massive beams erupted from the alicorns. They hit dead on and now the duel of magic power began. For minutes the two seemed even but Nightmare poured more magic into her attack and it started going forwards. Luna saw this and went for broke pouring every ounce of magic she had. She didn't have the Elements to use so this had to be all or nothing. With all that magic her beam quickly covered ground and pushed onwards. Nightmare moon was shocked by this move and tried to counter but it was too late. She screamed as the blast carried her away and into the horizon before a massive explosion. Luna sighed and and fell. She managed to get her wings out and glide down and collapse onto the ground. She panted from the exhaustion but her fur was still dark and she could still feel the moon. Heck she could feel all of it. Light and dark side now under her control. She heard a sound of something flying fast then with a whoosh she heard something land. “Wow Luna you are pretty messed up.” The voice was that of Nightstreak's. The pegasus lifted her up and asked. “I know you're tired but could you help me out a bit?” Luna nodded and manage to get onto the pegasus back. “Okay hold tight your highness I'll get you back.” And with that Nightstreak set off to the compound.
Luna had recovered some energy when they landed but winced in pain as her right hoof touched the ground. Nightshadow was the first to run over and provide medical care. As she was being tended Luna looked at the crowd. “Nightmare moon has been defeated. I hope that proves to you all what I say is true.” And elder Earth pony approached.
When she awoke she found the fillies sleep next to her. The door opened to reveal a sunset happening before it revealed Nightshadow. “That bed is the last thing left Luna.” Luna then nudged the fillies who slowly woke up.
The first couple days pf the trip she rested her hoof and played with her nieces. Smiling and their love of life and play. After that she would fly over the caravan giving the Children reassurance that she was still with them. And she always made sure she was outside when she brought out the moon to the awe of the Children. Eventually Nightstreak dashed up to her. “My princess I see a town in the distance we will be there before dawn.”
They had breakfast as a local cafe and Luna introduced Nightshadow, Twilight Moon, And Eclipse to Twilight and her friends though both Rainbow Dash and Nightstreak left quickly to prove who was more awesome. Minutes later everyone heard a BOO-BBBOOOOMMMM! And all alicorns and unicrons felt the magic surge from it. “Wow a double Rainboom. That had to set a record.” Twilight commented. The door burst opened and a shocked Nightstreak came in with a smug Rainbow Dash.
Celestia was in the throne room reading a scroll when Luna walked in. The white alicorn's face brighten and she smiled, threw the scroll and raced to her sister's side. “My dear sister I am so glad your safe. You scared me so much this time. Especially when I was being prevented from lowering the moon. I am also eager to meet these Children of the Night.”
Lens Flare had just finished cleaning the dishes she and her daughter Silver Sparkle used for tonight's dinner. She heard that Princess Luna had returned and she couldn't wait for her husband to come home. He was probably getting debriefed before getting let go. There was a knock on the door and that puzzled Lens Flare. She wasn't expecting anyone and Silver Sword wouldn't knock. She walked over and opened the door to see Princess Luna. “Princess! What are you doing here?” then she remembered to bow.
Middle of the next day was a rare event. All four Princess in full regalia and all of Canterlot was waiting to hear the great announcement to come. Celestia stepped forward and the crowd became quiet. “Citizens of Equestria, as you know my dear sister Princess Luna was away for over a month. She was on a mission to check out disturbances beyond our northern border and while she found a potential threat and faced an old one of ours she also found something wondrous. She found a colony of ponies that fled Equestria over a Thousand years ago fearing their love of my sister's night would lead to wrath by me or their fellow ponies. They had thrived their all that time and even found the ancient homeland of the three tribes and have collect much knowledge from the ruins and thanks to my sister I can stand here today and proudly present to you your lost brothers and sisters, THE CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT!” A deafening cheer erupted and maybe Children were in shock at the response and Nightshadow and an elder looked at eachother and the elder nodded and the unicorn approached Luna and whipsered in her ear and the Night Princess then whispered in her elder sister's ear and she smiled and nodded. With a raised hoof she manages to quiet the crowd. “A representative of the Children will like to speak. I present Nightshadow, go ahead my little pony.” Nightshadow gave a meek smile and the large alicorn and readied herself and walked in front of the regal alicorn.
Hours later the sun has set but the parties continue and Nightshadow was on the balcony gazing at the moon and stars. “Taking a break from the party Nightshadow?” The unicorn looked back and saw Princess Luna there smiling at her.
Author's Note
The Title for this chapter was inspired by this piece of musichttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIrVpIJ2hRk
