Author's Note

Welcome back, all. Another chapter brings forth another moment in the story. Let me know what's your favorite part, and let me know if there's anything I can improve on.

''The past actually happened but history is only what someone wrote down.''

-A. Whitney Brown.

Days Gone Past

FWOOOSH! FWOOSH! BOOM! BOOM!

''N-ngh! Luna! Slow down!~'' Duncan barely managed to yell at his ride away from the chaos of Nightmare Night. He didn't feel the full force of Luna taking off, and when she seemed to stabilize, she only ended up blasting off with a purpose, intending on getting as far away from the situation and accusation which neither of them believed for a moment. Knowing the layout of Ponyville itself took Duncan a few days to get used to, but even he knew that they had to be far, far away from the town by indication of the rapidly moving sights underneath. ''Where the hell are we even going?!''

''Say again! I did not hear you that well, I am flying too fast!'' Luna called her the frantic look in her eyes betraying her once regal attitude that he bore witness to earlier. For what little hope he was sure to hold in the few moments before the night activities were put to a halt, Duncan did enjoy himself.

''I can't hear you! You're flying too fast!'' Duncan huffed, tapping her neck and pointing down as Luna craned her head to look at the appendage staring at her before Duncan shrieked, the sight of the tree in front of them. ''Watch out!''

Luna managed to look back forward, gasping as she pulled her body to the right, Duncan's grip loosening until he all but pulled Luna down to hold on, causing her head and body to swing back and forth in an attempt to correct herself, the underbrush of the trees slowly grazing the both of them and tearing Duncan's cloak off of him as multiple branches whipped him and Luna in the face, the stinging pain, and droplets of blood falling out of the cuts as Luna pushed her wings to their limits and flew upwards again, soaring faster than before as the night sky greeted them again, the moon enveloping their vision from its place in the sky. ''Curses!'' Luna groaned, her eyes attempting to blink, only for her eyelids to be so badly damaged and or filled with miniature fragments of leaves making seeing difficult.

Another few tortuous seconds passed by as the pair fought to make sense of what was happening, Duncan's mind fighting with his body on what action to do as Luna's mind and body were in perfect sync of everything being wrong from the very beginning. A glimpse of a reflection of water at the bottom of a chasm did little as Luna's altitude began to dip, Duncan's hands grabbing onto the sides of Luna's face, steering her away from the drop that would no doubt kill them. ''This way!'' Duncan grunted, feeling Luna's body gradually respond and go in the direction he moved her head.

The sound of her wings flapping, the breathing of both of them due to the stress, as well as the circumstance in which tone dealt with the other certainly made for a memorable experience, should they touch down and meet dirt in a controlled manner. ''I-I cannot see! Guide me to ground!'' Luna shouted, hoping Duncan heard any part of that, or that would end up as part of the land when their bodies decomposed with enough time. Glancing at the slight reflection of the tracks the closer that they came to, Duncan was somewhat assured that they were hopeful far enough away from Ponyville for it to give them the time needed to gain their bearings.

Another flap of her wings and Duncan felt the pressure in the airdrop and Luna begin to sink down to the ground as Duncan fought to keep the two of them up for as long as possible as another grove of trees that couldn't easily be avoided get presented to him. Another round of ducking and dodging trees took place as his grip could no longer be supported and he slipped from Luna's body, barely able to protect his head from any damage as he hit the ground and attempted to recover in a staggered roll, feeling the hard ground scrap at his skin and clothing before he came to a halt on his back.

SMACK! Duncan's sight faltered, black spots filling his vision as he painfully rolled over on his side, wincing when he felt the tension in his lower right leg. His breathing was shallow and the cold air of the night slowly began to get him the longer he was on the ground. ''U-Ugh. . .''

A bit of a way away, Luna had encountered her own pain, impacting the nearest tree and its branches in succession as she fell to the ground, dirt, rocks, and leaves covering her as she reached a weak hoof to the air before the shock of all what happened got to her, resulting in her throwing up in a small pile that her nose fell right in, the tears in her eyes filling her vision as she felt a splintering pain from her head and all around her body, the thought of how things went so wrong making her angry as she allowed herself to get distracted for a single moment.

''D-Dun. . .can.'' Luna said, looking over to where she was sure that he was, hoping he was okay. Darkness took over before long, the pain failing to subside.

Canterlot. . .

Celestia had just finished taking her a well-deserved bath, relishing the new body wash formula she tried to help and make her coat shine all the brighter. The result themselves would come in time, but she held good faith that it would work out. The hallways of the castle were quite the sight to behold, and Luna's touch of lavender did help things certainly smell better. ''Some many memories,'' Celestia said to herself, walking along and reminding herself of the different meetings, arguments, and late-night talks that took place up and down the corridors, sometimes for days.

Especially issues that were more sensitive.

Starlight's mission was one that Celestia knew she would have no trouble accomplishing; or if she had any. . .complications, then she would uncomplicate matters for the sake of the mission, which took priority overall. That. . .Human was treading on dangerous water the longer his presence remained in her land. It would take ages for the stench to be purged from the world. She wouldn't know what exactly would be necessary for it to be gone, but whatever would be needed would be utilized.

Celestia was sure that she had taken care of that problem long ago, and written history in the manner that they almost existed, but obviously her plan contained a loophole, and that would need to be taken care of before long. ''Filthy Humans. . .bringing death and disaster wherever you go. Well, not here,'' Celestia told herself, shaking her head and walking forward to her chambers. ''Not again.''

''Princess Celestia.'' Starlight's voice called out to her, though as Rainbow Dash as she knew that her plan was taking place.

''Report,'' Celestia replied, her tone final and impatient.

''The plan. . .went a bit off course.'' Celestia's left eye twitched as she inhaled air, wanting to curse at the incompetent Unicorn who was renowned for making those who needed to go away with no hassle do that very thing. ''But I believe that this may be good for us.''

Celestia walked into her chambers, closing the door after nodding to the two guards. Her soundproof spell activated the moment she walked in, sitting at the base of her bed as she wanted to find out just how could this little incident could be made into a bigger positive than if the original plan was followed. ''Pray tell, do you figure that?''

''Well, framing the Human was the first part, though accounting for your sister in the mix didn't work out quite as well I anticipated, them fleeing did help the narrative that he indeed had help in assaulting poor Rainbow Dash,'' Starlight said, snickering as she began to revel in the plot to kill two birds with one stone. ''This will help you secure your place as the true Matriarch of this land, and those shall know so. . .with my enforcement.''

Hmm, misdirection? Could pay itself out in spades if used correctly. Celestia did like a slow burn to certain things, so something that would put and keep her at the top could certainly not be passed up if the work to accomplish said goal would be foal's play. ''In what direction did they flee?''

Starlight was not actually that sure on that part, they could have changed direction once they were far enough, but she would get to track before long. ''Adjacent to the Badlands. Should I begin searching for Luna's signature so I can begin the hunt?'' Starlight figured an early start makes and an earlier end.

''Very well, just locate where they currently are, and wait for further instruction,'' Celestia said, reinforcing her point. ''Do not fail me when the time comes to hunt, you know the consequence for those. . .who dare fail me.''

''Yes, Princess,'' Starlight said, the connecting cutting off after that, leaving Starlight with her own thoughts as she remained in the Ponyville General Hospital to be 'examined.' The doctor hadn't yet come in, but Nurse Redheart assured her everything would be fine even she didn't seem to be shaken up by her own claim.

Because it was false. Observing the pale white floor and seeing the reflection of her face as Rainbow Dash, Starlight chuckled after shaking her head in disappointment. ''How much longer will I have to put up the farce?''

''Rainbow Dash!'' Twilight and her friends all but barged in, the Unicorn having a fiery vengeance in her eyes as the rest of her friends teemed with different emotions, Starlight muttering under her breath as the ponies advanced on her.

''This better be worth ruling this world.''