The Rise Of An Empress

"Ew, why is she even here anyways? Nopony in the entire town, no wait, in the entire land of Equestria likes her. Her magic is obviously not from here. I'm telling you everypony she's evil. Pure evil. A freak of nature. Oh, and not to mention, a blank flank."

"Yeah, what a freak."

"Why exactly hasn't Princess Celestia banished her yet?"

"No, forget banishment, what about death?"

"Nightingale, Nightingale, Nightingale needs to kill herself."

These unsettling remarks always played over and over again inside the young pony's mind, who at the moment was struggling to sleep. She heard comments like this everyday, at the orphanage where she lived -because nopony wanted a freak like her. and when she would go to school to try and receive a good education, there she too would get taunted, mostly started by a certain duo of snooty, pink and grey fillies.

        She sighed.  "Once again another sleepless night."

       She then looked over toward the window and she could see Princess Luna's beautiful moon, getting closer towards the horizon.

"Great...Two Hours and Twenty-Three Minutes until hell begins...".

         The young filly, who was a little over ten years old, leaped down from her bed and looked around at her room. Books, art projects, and loneliness filled the small, cramp room. Thank Celestia, she didn't have to share a room with any of the little beasts that inhabited the hellhole. Normally at the Ponyville Orphanage, each room held up to 3 fillies or colts, so there would be plenty of room for the pitiful, unfortunate children that had to live here. Of course, nopony wanted to be in the same room with her, fearing she would use some of her 'corrupted magic' on them as they slept. So, Mrs. Tenderheart - the owner, and cruelest adult she knew, gave her this tight room by herself, so the 'normal ones' wouldn't have to deal with her 'specialness' - as Mrs Tenderheart would call it. The tormented filly didn't really mind it however, it was nice studying magic...and crying, without anypony to disrupt her.

         As she slowly walked toward the full-length mirror that hung on the wall in the corner, she resented every step closer to the glass prison. Everytime she looked at her reflection, it was just a reminder of how much of a freak she really was. A walk from her bed to the mirror only takes about 5 seconds-but, it felt like an lifetime for the young pony. She stood in front of it, disgusted by her appearance.  Her silver coat and jet black mane even looked like a trait of somepony who was evil. Her ears, which were 'tuffed' at the top, looking like some evil beast had chew of the top part of her ear. Then there was her horn, which she loved...the only thing about herself she loved, but even that she resented a bit. She loved magic, but it just made the whole 'Nightingale's a witch' statement more true. She took a deep sigh as she slowly spread out her webbed wings from the side of her body. A monster's wings. She then proceeded to open her mouth wide, revealing two medium-sized, pointy fangs that inhabited her mouth. Then last were her eyes. They looked normal. Regular pony style, but it was the color of them that made Nightingale wish somepony would just come and gauge her eyes out. Red...blood red. She had never seen another pony have eyes any color near what hers were. To top it all off though was on her flank. Nothing. Ten years old, still no cutie mark. She was the only one in her entire age group at the orphanage without one. In school there were three other fillies without a mark of destiny called 'The Cutie Mark Crusaders', they were nice, but she could tell they didn't even really want her around. As she stared at herself in the mirror she felt like a freak. She had never seen or heard about another pony like her. A bat pony. Not even any of the books she had, or the ones her favorite pony in the whole wide world, Twilight Sparkle had held any information about the unique filly.

         Twilight Sparkle...she had been Nightingale's best - and only, friend for almost two years now when she was eight. A smile found its way upon her mouth has she remembered the day she met the best pony in Equestria.

"Get back here you!"

The younger Nightingale raced as fast as her little legs could carry her. She had been trying to escape just a few of her tormenters - two unicorn colts - who wanted to get revenge for her magic being better than theirs. Her wings ached, from having rocks being thrown at them and her legs were and no better shape, ready to give out any second. Up ahead she saw a familiar tree building - the library. It had been closed for months because nopony wanted to run it without pay. This ached Nightingale because the only thing she could read for months was what the orphanage had in stock. 'The Little Pegasus Who Could' and 'Golden Delicious and the Three Manticores' was only a few of the painfully dull and terrible literature the orphanage has to offer. Luckily, news had spread three days ago a new unicorn to Ponyville had decided to run the much needed building. She picked up the pace and immediately dashed into the library, slamming the door behind her, painting as though she had just run all over Equestria. As she stepped away from the door, excitement replaced fear on her face. This was the place she had missed so much over the past couple of months, and it even looked the same - with a touch of a new throw rug on the side of the room. Nightingale walked over towards the one of the many, large bookcases. This section was labeled 'Magic and Ancient History'

She slowly and carefully looked through each-and-every book, trying to find one that would meet her needs for a good piece of literature.

"Aha", she said quietly as she levitated down a rather large book down from the third highest shelf.

'Starswirl The Bearded: An Ancient Hero and Pony Magic Expert',ooh this was going to be a good read. She read bits and pieces about the legendary unicorn and a few of her books she read, and instantly formed a interest in him, wanting to learn every little thing about him and how he became so powerful. Just as she was beginning to start the first sentence a lavender unicorn walked slowly to the excited reader.

"Hello there...did you just levitate that book down all by yourself?"

Startled, Nightingale yelped and quickly closed her book, trying to hide herself behind her long, messy mane.

"Ooo, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I've just never seen a unicorn of your age do that kind of spell."

The lavender mare looked closer at the shy filly and noticed a pair of wings pressed at the side of her body.

It can't be...she thought.

Nightingale didn't know what to do, her constant ridicule she received made her nervous around other ponies. She knew this pony was judging her in her mind, but she couldn't find herself to move. It was if Celestia had held a gravitational pull on her that wouldn't let her move. Instead she just looked up to the elder mare.

"I-I-I'm sorry..." She said quietly under her breath.

The elder pony gasped a bit as she noticed a small pair of fangs...coming out of the filly's mouth.

"Why...I've never seen anything like it...Its okay, I won't hurt you, but...if you don't mind me asking...where are you from?"

Nightingale looked back down towards the ground, wishing that this stranger would just go away, leaving her alone to read all about the mysterious wonders of Starswirl The Bearded.  Giving a sigh she quietly replied,

"The Ponyville Orphanage..."

The response wasn't the one the lavender unicorn was looking for, but it was obvious the strange little filly didn't like talking, and it was a miracle she could get this response out of her.

The webbed-like wings, the powerful magic...the fangs. She almost looked like one of the animals Fluttershy has. What were those things called...a bat! Wait...A bat pony? I've never heard of one of those before.

"Listen...its okay, I've just never seen a pony like this before." Trying to take the young filly's mind of the subject..."So, I see your interested and learning about Starswirl the Bearded. Fascinating fellow. I learned so much about him when I was living in the castle with Princess Celestia..."

Nightingale perked up. The princess? She had lived with the Princess? The most powerful pony in all of Equestria.  Suddenly, all the shyness had left her body and she wanted to know more about the mysterious lavender unicorn.

"You got to live with the Princess? That is soo cool!  Is she nice? Did she teach you all the secrets Equestria had to offer?  Does she really have an obsession with cake?  Is her mane really powered with batteries like everypony saids? Is She..."

Nightingale was cut off by the unicorn who laughed and shook her head.

"No, no she's just a normal pony. Well, other than being the ruler of all of Equestria. I was her student, Princess Celestia taught me many wonderous things about magic and I will always be internally grateful for that."

"But, if you were her student, and she was teaching you about magic, why would you come here?"

"She sent me here because I was a introverted pony, who only wanted to spend her time reading and studying magic."

Nightingale smiled a bit..this sounded a lot like her.

"...so right before the Summer Sun Celebration she sent me here to oversee the checklist for the preparations, but it was really a task to make friends...which I wasn't so keen on at first. But, after the five other ponies and I had defeated Nightmare Moon, which was Princess Celestia's long lost sister, using the Elements of Harmony, I realized the importance of good friends and you life. So, thats why I'm here in Ponyville, learning about the Magic of Friendship, and reporting it to Princess Celestia."

"Wait a minute...you're the pony the Princess was talking about in town square the other day, how you reunited her with her sister, Princess Luna. You're..."

"Twilight Sparkle. Element of Magic. Yep thats me. And you are?"

"I'm..Nightingale..."

"Nightingale? Thats a nice name..."

Nightingale nodded her head shyly, before asking another question.

"Uhm..whats the Elements of Harmony?"

Twilight was ecstatic. Never had she met another pony who liked to know so much...well besides herself.

"Well, its kind of hard to explain...My knowledge of the elements are pretty limited as well. All I truly know right now is that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, before she was Nightmare Moon, were connected with the elements, defeating evil in Equestria. When Nightmare Moon got banished to the moon the elements wouldn't work, without Luna. Forcing Celestia to leave them behind in their old castle in the Everfree Forest."

As soon as Twilight had said 'Everfree Forest', shivers went down Nightingale's spine. She had never ventured out inside them, but she knew that it was dark place with dark magic...but it wasn't that...something about the Everfree just made her skin crawl.

"Wow...you sound like a pretty smart pony Twilight."

Feeling some sort of trust with the new unicorn she had just met only moments before, Nightingale looked down at her wings and sighed.

"Twilight...do you know anything...about what I am?"

There she asked it. She was just waiting for Twilight to fully take notice of what she was. Tell her to leave. Never come back...everypony else does that...so, why wouldn't she?

Twilight smiled, but with a hint of pity on her face.

"I'm so sorry...I honestly have no idea...In all the books I have read, not once have I ever come across a pony of your species. The only thing you remind me of is one of the animals my friend Fluttershy has, its called a bat."

"Oh...so you mean like SparkleLuna?"

"Wait, huh? Who in Equestria is that?

Nightingale cringed a bit of the old foal tale she read long ago. Its simple plot line is an embarrassment to all things literature. Even though she was around four when she read it, it was still embarrassing telling that to a book pony like Twilight.''

"Well, it was a book I read as a little filly, It was about a bat who lost her family, then got raised by animals that were not her kind, until one day she found her family again. I remember reading it and noticing some of the similarities. Like my wings and the fangs."

"Ah yes, now I remember that. I read that too when I was little. Yes, you do look a lot like those. But still, I have never  seen nor heard about a pony with those qualities before. I suppose I could write to the Princess asking her what..."

"NO!" The yelling of Nightingale startled Twilight who stared at Nightingale in confusion. "I'm sorry Twilight...I just don't want the princess to banish me...and cause more attention to how awkward I am..." Nightingale frowned and drooped her head down, wanting to cry, but not wanting to show Twilight how weak she was.

"Okay Nightingale its fine..I understand, we'll find out together. Does that sound like a plan?"

Nightingale, who had done a pretty bad job of not trying to cry, had tears slowly flowing down her face, but smiled and ran up and hugged Twilight. For the first time in her entire life, somepony was actually being nice to her. Not judging her for what she was.

"Okay Twilight. Together."

Twilight, caught off guard by the filly's sudden rush of emotion, hugged her back and smiled. Nightingale knew her and Twilight were going to get along great. So, she felt as though it was time to show her new friend something.

"Twilight! I gotta show you something!"

Nightingale rushed out of a confused looking Twilight's hooves and stood a good couple of feet away from the other unicorn. Clearing her mind of all thoughts, painful thoughts, she focused her mind of a spell she had been working on for weeks. She knew no other pony at school or the orphanage could even come close to this spell, and she wanted to finally perform it and front of Twilight. Concentrating harder on the spell, she started to feel the magic move throughout her horn...she could feel it...it just might happen! Suddenly a large glow of red begun to flow out of her horn, covering her entire body and a magical, glowing red aura. She...

"NIGHTINGALE?!" Twilight exclaimed, as the bat filly who was just standing before her just mere moments ago, disappeared and Twilight frantically panicked "OO WHAT DO I DO?"

"Hey Twilight."

"AHHH!" Screamed Twilight, as she heard the familiar squeaky voice behind her.

"NIGHTINGALE, HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!"

Nightingale laughed at Twilight's expression as she noticed the filly appear from behind.

"Its magic silly, I would have thought if anypony would know that it would be you."

"But..your only...not even I could do that at your age.." Twilight looked down at the triumphant filly who was celebrating the spell that takes even magical unicorns,such as herself years to do...and here was a eight year old filly who did it beautifully.

"Nightingale...it is clear that your kind...has some sort of magical advantage over the common pony. If you don't mind, I would like to how do I say, 'study you' to get a more clearer knowledge of where you came from and your heritage. I've just never heard of a filly who could do a teleportation spell...the Princess would be very intrigued."

Nightingale stopped her celebratory act and ran over to Twilight, and begged.

"No, Twilight, you already told me you wouldn't tell the Princess this...I don't want to be banished because of my magic. No pony else knows I can do this sort of advance skill..please Twilight..you can't.."

Twilight sympathized with the little filly. She knew that her being a bat pony would be odd enough, but surly the Princess already knows there is a bat pony in Ponyville...the orphanage must have told her...she probably is only here because no pony knows the extent of her magic...

"Alright, Nightingale...I won't tell the Princess anything..." Twilight sighed, this was the first thing she had ever kept from the princess, but if it kept a little filly safe...

"So..about you wanting to 'study' me, does that mean I'll kind of be like your 'student?' " Nightingale asked, looking up at Twilight with her sparkling, red eyes.

"Yes..congratulations Nightingale the bat pony, you are now my faithful student."

           Nightingale smiled at the memory. Every day after school since then, she would go straight to the library and Twilight would teach her magic and even more about ancient history about Equestria. Twilight at least once a week would hook her up to her data analysis table to try and get more information about the magic inside her. Two years later and Twilight still couldn't figure it out.  Maybe that would never happen, maybe she would never discover where she came from, maybe she would just always be a orphaned freak of nature...

"Attention all fillies and colts, breakfast will be served in the Mess Hall in 10 minutes, school starts in 45 minutes. Have a great day."

     The intercom broke Nightingale's train of thought. Geez. 45 minutes already. She looked out the window and saw the sun peaking just over the horizon line. She didn't care for the sun. Not only did it hurt her, it just made it another day where she had to interact with the ponies who made her life miserable. The moon, which gave her the only alone time and peacefulness she gets, she had to sleep through..forced to be awake during the wreathed daytime. With a sigh of sadness and anxiety, Nightingale levitated her black-rimmed, tinted sunglasses, placing them on her eyes, and closed the door to her room. Only seconds later to be knocked into the wall by another filly and colt, as they laughed running off, yelling the word she heard the most often..'freak'.

     Getting up slowly, she sighed and said "Another day, in hell..."