“Yin!” Celestia screamed, galloping to the jumbled figures lying prone on the floor strewn with blood, fur and feathers. As the Princess reached them, the mass shifted and Yin staggered upright, cuts and gashes oozing blood. Horn glowing, the red flow trickled to a stop as Celestia quickly cast a healing spell, staunching the worst of the bleeding.

“Yin, are you alright?” Celestia cried, leaning against the shaking chimera to help support her, not caring if she smeared her pristine coat with blood.

“Water,” Yin croaked, her chest heaving with the effort she had just expended. Celestia shouted for someone to bring a glass of water, to which Assam, surprisingly, delivered very quickly. Grabbing the glass, Yin took a large mouthful before swishing it around and spitting it out with a look of disgust; brackish water splattering on the floor. Repeating the process, she downed the rest of the glass with a gasp.

“Gods, that was so foul,” she retched, passing the glass back to a scandalized looking Assam. “Thanks for patching me up, Tia,” she smiled hoarsely. “I’m alright now, promise.” As the two walked away from the carnage which was under watch from the guard, Luna suddenly came barreling down the corridor from the other direction.

“SISTER! THERE HAST BEEN A BREECH OF SECURITY! THOU MUST—oh,” she stumbled to a halt a she caught sight of the corpse heaped in the blood-smeared hallway. Whirling toward the nearest guard, she ordered a perimeter sweep and double security at all entrances to the castle. Once that was taken care of, she turned to her sister once more. “Well, it seems thou hast taken care of the problem,” she commented, eyeing the carnage again. “Who dispatched the creature?” she asked, rather impressed at the extreme angle the thing’s neck was at.

“Yin tackled it before it could harm me,” Celestia explained, voice heavy with gratitude as she nuzzled Yin lovingly. “She saved me from a rather brutal thrashing, if I do say so myself. Yin, what is that thing? It looks like a karasu-tengu, but…” she trailed off contemplatively, befuddled.

“I’ve encountered one or two before, karasu-tengu that have been inexplicably tainted. Being demons, they are more aligned with dark energy which is what alters their appearance so drastically, I think. I’ve seen it in a few other shadow fey, but nothing quite so acute! I really don’t know what’s going on any more than you do, Tia,” Yin explained confusedly, leaning on her love tiredly. Noticing how quickly the chimera’s energy was flagging, Celestia turned to her sister.

“I’m going to put Yin in my room to rest, I will rejoin you shortly.” Nodding, Luna stood back as Celestia teleported herself and Yin with a blinding flash. Once in Princess Celestia’s quarters Yin collapsed with a groan, too exhausted to support her own weight anymore. Worried, Celestia carried her over to her bed carefully where Yin curled up into a tight ball and promptly fell asleep. Kissing her lightly just to one side of her horn, Celestia tip-hoofed out her door and closed it gently with a click. Seeing two mildly surprised guards outside her door, she instructed one of them to have Dr. Mortar sent to her room and then send a missive to Empress Jia Li and Prince Sheng to meet outside her quarters. The doctor was free to enter. As the stallion saluted and galloped off, she instructed the other to let none pass except the doctor until her return. Saluting, the guard stood at attention as Princess Celestia teleported back to the hallway, where she found her sister directing the collection of the remains of the creature that had attacked. Turning to face her, Luna’s expression was grave.

“We will have the remains taken to the labs and studied; perhaps we can find what infected the Tengu. Are you alright sister?” Luna queried her voice fraught with worry. Smiling reassuringly, Princess Celestia nodded, remembering she might look a bit gruesome with a blood-smeared coat. She cast a quick clean-spell, though she felt a shower was definitely in order.

“Yin saved my sorry hide once again. I was so panicked, I didn’t even have time to counter attack before she was on the creature,” Celestia explained. “She even sensed it coming, or it would have attacked us out on the balcony.” Luna let a tiny smile slip free.

“Indeed sister, hearsay tells her fight was truly amazing,” she agreed, eyes full of admiration. “Yon guards barely started casting before she had that thing’s neck snapped.” At this Celestia frowned slightly, looking a little sad.

“She was impressive, yes, but…” Celestia trailed off, looking pensive.

“What is it sister?” Luna asked, curious as to why Celestia seemed so troubled over what she considered a stunning victory.

“Oh, you will think I am exaggerating…” Celestia looked sheepish now, though her voice was serious. “Well…how do I put this…we could see her moving.” She clarified, her frown returning.

“Of course you saw her move Tia,” her sister agreed bemusedly. Grinning inside at her younger sister’s puzzled expression, Celestia leaned toward her sister.

“Yin is a master at chi manipulation; she can use it to accelerate her movements faster than the naked eye can follow for short bursts of time. A short distance like the hallway, she should have covered it in a second.” At Luna’s incredulous expression, Celestia just shook her head dismissively. “It’s not very important at the moment. Queen Jia Li and Prince Sheng are on their way to my room. We must speak with them immediately, but I feel they will want to check on Yin when they hear what happened. A doctor will be there momentarily to patch her up. Can you meet me there as soon as you are done here?”

“Of course sister. We shall be there as soon as yon fell creature is safely secured.” Nodding reassuringly at her sister, Princess Luna turned to address the team assigned to inspect the damages for any harmful magical residue. Seeing the situation was well in hand, Princess Celestia once again teleported to her room. As soon as she arrived, she saw the doctor had already entered. At the grave look he gave her though, she felt as though she had swallowed an iceberg. Hurrying to her door, she opened it to find two nervous Lóngrén pacing outside it. Ushering them in quickly, they rushed to Yin’s side when the saw her lying prostrate and being attended to by a doctor.

“What happened?” Queen Jia Li asked stiffly, her face tight with worry. One minute her daughter is relatively fine, and the next she’s critically injured!

“We were attacked by what appears to be a tainted karasu-tengu,” Celestia began, her eyes never leaving Yin. “Just before it could strike me, Yin engaged it in combat and snapped its neck, sustaining a few injuries in the process--”

“That’s impossible!” Sheng exploded, rounding on the Princess angrily. “Yin is one of the best martial artists out there, there’s no way--” A sudden blow to the head from his mother’s tail shut him up.

“Sheng, mind your manners, Princess Celestia is the ruling monarch here not you,” Jia Li chided sternly, bowing in apology to the Princess. Celestia smiled briefly to show no harm was done before turning to address the doctor.

“Dr. Mortar, what’s your diagnosis?” she asked apprehensively. Yin had not woken up despite all the commotion, and had a slight wheeze in her breaths. When she'd left her, the former leopard had not been in this bad of shape. Turning to his audience, he shook his head worriedly.

“The wounds she sustained are fairly light, but due to the strain put on her body by trying to counteract the poisons for close to eighty years, her defenses are weak. While her body is focused on the more immediate problem, it struggles to neutralize the toxins in her bloodstream. Her wounds are closing fine, but she is taking damage to her lungs, which is putting stress on her heart. I have given her a mild sedative, but I can only address the symptoms, not the cause.” He explained sadly, clearly frustrated at his helplessness.

“Why can’t you just keep giving her medicine to fight the symptoms then?” Sheng catechized, a growl in his voice. Dr. Mortar pinned him with a slight glare.

“Because that won’t cure her, it will just alleviate some of her pain until she grows immune to the medicine or dies. She is very resilient to poison, yes, but the same holds true for medicine as well.” Growling in frustration and hurt, Sheng whirled away to pace in irritation.

“Why is she so sick now then?! She managed for eighty years or something, right?” The young dragon snarled bitterly.

“From what I can tell, the kirin part of her gives her resistance, but not immunity. Her dragon part kept her addicted, which has compounded enough to give her potentially fatal withdrawal symptoms. The real problem here is that the substance was simply pure poison to her snow leopard part.” Queen Jia Li half gasped, half sobbed, trying vainly to muffle her distress as the doctor spared her a tiny sympathetic glance before continuing. “Eighty years of constant warring has worn her body down. While her immune system struggles against the lethal parts of the poison, the withdrawal symptoms kill her. Once her wounds close up she should be fine, however, I’m afraid this stunt has shortened what little time she has left.” As the Empress and the Princess quietly broke down into tears, Sheng roared angrily.

“She’s my little sister damn it all! I just got her back and it’s not fair!” flinging open the door to the balcony, he threw himself out of the room and flew off into the night, leaving warm clouds of steam behind him. Sniffling slightly, Celestia thanked the doctor as he excused himself from the room, saying he’d be available whenever the Princess needed him and to not hesitate to call on him again. After clicking the door quietly behind him, Celestia turned and plodded over to nuzzle Yin rather intimately; much to the bronze dragon’s shock.

“Oh Yin, you and your heroics…” Celestia muttered tearfully before turning to face the Lóngrén. “Luna is on her way here, I think it’s time we discuss what’s going on.” Acquiescing with a nod, the Queen went to stand by her daughter’s side as a knock came from the door.

“Princess Luna has arrived your Highness, your Majesty,” The guard who opened the door announced as the Night Princess entered the room. Thanking him, Celestia closed the door and enveloped the room with a golden glow to prevent any magical scrying. As she did so, Luna turned to Jia Li with a serious expression.

“What hast brought thee to our realm, Empress Jia Li? Dost have aught to do with the attack we have suffered this night?” Luna questioned, to which the dragoness sighed resignedly, having anticipated this conversation.

“Yes and no. For the last thirty years or so, the High Empress had been pressuring us to join in a… more involved alliance with Qiling. Though we border each other closely, and our cultures are very similar, we all adopted an admittedly closed off relationship. While the idea of a stronger alliance is attractive, this recent development has made us extremely reluctant to seriously entertain the idea.” Sitting regally and looking rather like a somewhat serpentine cat, she took a moment to make sure her daughter was asleep. “She has begun to use tainted fey as an army. While she has not marched upon Lóngzhùzhái as of yet, we believe she plans on doing so after, of course, she has conquered your fair Equestria. Even more alarming, her appearance has altered over the last year. We believe she may have been…corrupted, much like the fey she uses. We are not positive, of course, when or if this occurred.” Hesitating slightly at what she was about to say, Jia Li took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. “We…have heard tell that you harbor magical artifacts of great power, with the ability to, ah, cleanse evil from a vessel without destroying it. My best spies have garnered reliable information that she will be headed here under the pretense of peaceful negotiations before launching a full-scale attack sometime four to six months from now.”

“And your hope is that if she is tainted we might cleanse her during this faux peace talk, yes?” Celestia clarified, to which the golden maned dragoness nodded.

“She must have sent this lone attacker to gauge your strength. She will be more wary now, and take precautions to appear friendly during her talks; smaller guard, less weaponry, et cetera. This will be a golden opportunity.” The dragoness met both sisters’ eyes squarely, hoping to convince them with her sincerity. Luna frowned slightly.

“There are a couple of things that bother us. For one, why did the creature go straight for our sister?" The night princess began pacing. "Were we to stage an attack garnered to gather attention, we--apologies-- I would, well, attack the populace." She held up one deep blue hoof to stem the protest on her sister's face. "I know it is horrible, but look at it from this view point: an enemy afraid is easily divided. None but a few of the palace staff witnessed the attack. While word may spread, there is easier chance for the guard to conceal evidence and stifle rumors--"

"--but an attack on unsuspecting civilians would draw everypony's attention," Celestia interrupted, eyes calculating as she finally caught the thread of her sister's reasoning.

"Indeed sister," Luna nodded, her face a grim mask. "Perhaps even instill panic in the populace with a death toll, possibly in the hundreds as panicked ponies trampled others to escape, were it perpetrated in full day." Celestia grimaced.

"So why did it attack at night then?" Jia Li mused. "Or perhaps we should ask, 'why did the High Empress send it to attack you, and at night?' The guard is no less during night than day at the castle, and an attack during the day would at least ensure more witnesses." Though Luna had paused in her pacing, her hooves suserrated against carpet as she began again.
"Which brings me to my other concern. We know that the Empress has these fey, but you are not sure she is tainted, correct?” she probed, to which Jia Li reluctantly nodded.

“Her appearance has stayed the same until very recently. I have several theories about this, but no solid facts. You saw how twisted the karasu-tengu was, yes?” Celestia hummed.

“Yin thought it was because their alignment is Dark, thus enabling their appearance to be altered so quickly.” She provided, to which the Empress smiled fondly.

“That’s my girl, she always was talented with anything chi-related.” Li smiled with brief indulgence. “I believe the reason it took so long for the Empress to show is because she is a kirin, and thus her magical alignment is Light. However, that does not explain…Lien-Hua.” Here, she fought back tears. “My daughter’s…body…also has a darker appearance; however she showed outwardly within a few short months, despite our kind also being of a Light alignment. This leads me to believe the soul inhabiting the body carries a great deal of influence as well.”

“We see. Thou art implying the soul within is the source of the taint?” Luna questioned carefully, trying to understand the Queen’s hypothesis. Celestia frowned thoughtfully.

“Yin did not report any noticeable changes in appearance, but she did notice strange behavior from the Empress just after I left, followed by Lady Himeko a year later. This suggests that Lady Himeko was potentially infected well before stealing Lien’s body…”
Luna’s eyes lit up with sudden inspiration.

“This sounds rather similar to what we…experienced, over a thousand years ago. We believe it was triggered by our extreme emotions. Perhaps it is the same here…?” She mused, looking to her sister for her opinion.

“You have a point Luna. However, the rapid increase in infected indicates that this taint is viral, somehow.” Turning to the bronze Lóngrén, Celestia quizzed her. “Have your spies noted any other infected who have a close proximity with the High Empress or Lady Himeko? Ponies, or other kirin?” The Queen pursed her lips thoughtfully.

“Several of the kirin and pony generals directly under Commander General Himeko have exhibited drastic behavioral changes, but two ponies have changed notably.” Thinking, Celestia resumed her questions.

“What were their personalities like before?”

“Those generals had always struck me as bullies, and ambitious far beyond their ranks.” The queen recounted thoughtfully. “Though now they are downright vicious, and wield the political power they have as subtly as a sledgehammer.” Celestia hummed broodingly.

“Would you say they were especially magically powerful?” Luna stamped a hoof in realization when she saw where her sister’s thoughts were heading.

“Intensely dark thoughts, yes, Celestia? And the power to bring them to realization.” Luna concluded, to which her sister nodded.

“It is the only thing that connects at the moment. The generals’ ambition and spiteful behavior, twisted to cruelty and abuse of power. Lady Himeko’s jealously of the Lóngrén has driven her to murder and theft of another’s body… but she is not satisfied, I think. Perhaps the intended invasion of Lóngzhùzhái is due to her machinations? And the High Empress…” here Celestia trailed off, unwilling to put to words the crimes she had inflicted. Luna finished for her.

“Her fear of Yin’s mortality compelled her to mutate Yin, and her feelings--” Eyes widening; Luna eyes shot over to Celestia whose own face betrayed her shock as they both came to the same conclusion.

“What?” Jia Li blurted, her gaze jumping between the two in confusion.

“She must have loved her,” Luna breathed, somewhat astonished. “Somewhere deep down, she must have had intense feelings for Yin, for them to have become so twisted. Did Lady Hoshimi ever exhibit any kind of favoritism toward Yin?” Luna asked suddenly at she turned her head toward Empress Jia Li. Frowning, once in thought, her eyes widened with remembrance.

“Yes. She always insisted Yin speak informally with her when alone or with family, she gave Yin allowances no one else had except her sisters, she showered her with praise and affection…Yin was respectfully friendly with her, sometimes a little bashful as one is with a respected teacher, but always maintained a, how do I say this… a humble distance--” Celestia suddenly choked, causing her companions to look at her in bewilderment.

“I just…remembered something, is all,” she hedged, waving a hoof dismissively. “It’s not especially important. Either way, it seems clear the catalyst is dark emotions. Their magical--or chi-- alignment determines how quickly their appearance becomes altered, I think. Magical power designates infection susceptibility. At least this is something, to work with,” the Sun Princess muttered. “Now if only we could find the source…” Nodding, Luna turned to the door.

“We are going to give the investigative team our hypotheses. Good evening sister; cousin,” bowing politely toward the Empress, Luna exited her sister’s chambers. Turning to her bed, Celestia gazed worriedly at Yin, unaware of the narrowed eyes shrewdly dissecting the expression on her face.

“What was it that you remembered earlier, dear cousin?” she asked sweetly as Celestia flinched slightly. “I get the feeling it was of more importance than you are letting on.” Her voice was velvet steel, soft enough but brooking no avoidance. Eyes downcast, Celestia kept her gaze on Yin’s prone figure.

“Once… just days before I left the peace talks with Qiling… Lady Hoshimi approached me. We were just outside Yin’s practice room, listening to her play. She quietly listened for a few minutes, then casually mentioned how…open Yin was around me. I gave the noncommittal assurances that while Yin was free with friendly conversation, she was perfectly polite and professional with me; she was more than proficient at her job, and Hoshimi must be glad to have her loyalty and devotion. She was quiet for a minute, then turned and gave me the most peculiar glare. She said: ‘I have her loyalty, yes, but not her…devotion. Not like you do.’ Then she left. She practically sneered at me. I-I have a confession to make,” Celestia stammered, her voice fraught with nervousness as she finally turned to face the nigh immortal imperial dragon mother of her love interest. She felt as though the power of her sun was immolating the moisture in her mouth.
Puzzled, the Empress nodded for her to continue. “I am…in love with your daughter, Yinfâng.” A great uncomfortable silence ensued.

“You’re what?!” The dragoness shouted, only to wince as she looked over at Yin’s still sleeping figure. Meeting Celestia’s resolute gaze with her own shocked one, she hissed quietly. “Damn it, Celestia, she’s not—I don’t even—Gods, this is…” slowly the Queen exhaled, trying to calm her nerves. “Does she even know?” she finally asked, nodding toward Yin.

“She does. And she has…returned my affections,” Celestia offered cautiously, unsure how to gauge her figurative cousin’s reaction.

“She what?” The Queen exclaimed, quieter this time as she covered her eyes with her claws and bowed her head in exasperation. “Oh gods, this is so…wait…oh gods--” head shooting back up in alarm, she pierced the Sun Princess with a glare bordering on murderous. “You two didn’t--” she started, before Celestia cut her off hastily, Blushing as she waved her hooves in denial.

“No! No, we only, ah, kissed. And...cuddledonoccasion. Very, very discreetly,” she emphasized, somewhat mollifying the disgruntled Empress. “Though, looking back at Lady Hoshimi’s statement…she may have realized something was going on between us.” Looking somewhat abashed, Celestia frowned miserably. “She must have been jealous of me,” she surmised quietly, to which her companion sighed in agreement. After a moment of silence, draconic eyes met equine ones.

“What will you do now?” A sad voice murmured, as Celestia curled up on the floor next to her love.

“I will never give up on her. I have two of the brightest minds I know looking into a cure as we speak. I will not let her die like this.” Looking purposefully at her serpentine friend, Jia Li nodded permissively at the white alicorn. Licking her lips nervously again, Celestia’s gaze shifted briefly. “With your permission, Majesty, I would officially court your daughter.” Eyes lighting up mischievously, the Empress sat haughtily.

“And what are your intentions toward my daughter, young mare?” she intimidated, mock-glaring at the Sun Princess.

“I would…make her Solar Consort,” Celestia admitted quietly, ignoring the humor and surprising the Lóngrén out of her play-acting.

“You would give her a title under only your own and your sister’s?” she asked seriously, her mind already considering the advantages this would have for Lóngzhùzhái. Celestia once again looked at Yin, her eyes aglow with affection.

“Yes.” Carefully observing Celestia’s demeanor toward her daughter, Jia Li came to a decision.

“Save my daughter, Princess, and I will see to it that you have her pa-er, claw in marriage.” She declared, the overjoyed smile on Celestia’s face bringing one to her own as the princess leaned over to give her sleeping daughter a peck on the cheek. Turning, she decided to leave the sun princess alone with her daughter, and perhaps try to find her son. Really, that drake… she shook her head.

A few minutes after the door had clicked quietly shut, Celestia was startled out of her reverie by a quiet, hoarse voice.

“Is she gone yet?” Yin rasped one eye cracking open tentatively. Smiling, Celestia nuzzled Yin affectionately.

“Yes, she just left. Did we wake you?” she asked tenderly as she levitated a glass over to Yin for her to sip at. Leaning up slightly, Yin sipped from the proffered glass still in Celestia’s telekinetic grasp.

“Heard your voices, but couldn’t make out words. Where am I?” She asked blearily, glancing around the room.

“My room. Are you comfortable enough?” Celestia asked concernedly. Weakly collapsing back down to Celestia’s bed, Yin nodded.

“One thing though,” she demurred, smirking slightly. “I could use a nice warm pony to curl up next to.” Crooking a claw, she gestured for Celestia to lie next to her. Hesitating only slightly, Celestia removed her golden regalia and carefully settled next to Yin, who leaned back to curl into her side contentedly. “What did I miss?” she asked weakly, snuggling slightly into Celestia’s flowing mane. Celestia repressed the urge to shiver in delight, Yin’s fur felt luxuriously soft against her own.

“We were theorizing how the taint works. Your mother suspects that Lady Himeko and the Empress have both been infected.” Yin stiffened suddenly, alarming the alicorn curled around her. “Yin, are you alright?” Looking her over to make sure she wasn’t hurting her somehow, Celestia almost missed the terse whisper.

“She’s sure? Is High Empress Hoshimi really tainted?” Her pained voice eliciting a twinge in Celestia’s heart, the white alicorn brushed a hoof through silvery locks.

“She is not positive, but it is most likely,” Celestia offered carefully, unsure how Yin would take the idea.

“W-Would it be terrible of me to hope she is?” Yin whispered, a few tears slipping down her cheeks. “I respected her so much,” she quietly sobbed as a white hoof stroked her mane tenderly. “She was so kind to me. It hurts to think that her kindness was a façade. Did…did she ever really care? Or was I just an object of lust for her?”

“I think she genuinely liked and respected you,” Celestia assured quietly. “We theorized the taint twists and warps existing feelings into something dark. However, if we are right, it would mean she had strong feelings for you,” Celestia admitted, not liking the sting it gave her to do so. “Perhaps they were buried so deep she did not realize, but they must have been there.” Sighing, Yin curled up tighter.

“I never really noticed, but looking back…or maybe I just didn’t want to admit it to myself. She did dote on me more than anyone else in her court…it’s just, she was like this idol I looked up to, you know? The sort of being you aspired to be like, knowing you would never get there. But you still tried, and when she praised you for all you hard work, it was all worth it. It’s uncomfortable thinking that…well, that she wanted me that way when I just wanted her recognition and respect.” Humming in understanding, Celestia draped one wing over Yin comfortingly.

“We’ll figure it out. But first, we need to get you all fixed up. How are you feeling?” Celestia asked.

“Like I just finished one of father’s famous ‘ninth hell’ drills with lead-cored iron weights on,” Yin joked thinly, “but mostly alright. I just…feel so weak. Like I’m swimming deep underwater; everything just feels heavy.” She sighed tiredly. “Even breathing is kind of hard.”

“Oh, Yin… I wish you hadn’t tackled that tengu,” Celestia murmured sadly. “I’m thankful you did, but…well, the doctor said the strain of healing those wounds has weakened your body a great deal. You have to take it easy from here on out, alright?” at her noncommittal hum, Celestia tightened her feathered grip. “I mean it. Don’t leave the castle, and don’t strain yourself. You run the risk of shortening what little time you have left, and we need all the time we can get to find a cure. Promise?” she pressed, her voice insistent.

“I promise, Tia.” Yin turned and met her gaze warmly. “I’ll even let Hazuki spy on me for you, if you let me play every now and again. Deal?” Smiling, Yin cocked her head as best as she could in an effort to appear charming.

“Deal,” Celestia grinned. “Now get some sleep. I’m tired too, you know.” Sticking out her tongue playfully, Yin settled back down and contentedly drifted off to sleep, while Princess Celestia quickly penned a letter to her daughter before joining her in slumber.

Author's Note

Well, here you go. I know it's shorter than a few previous chapters, but to make up for it, here's a picture of Lady Hazuki! Still working on my cover art, unfortunately, but should have it done soon. (supposing I quit getting distracted by ponyfics) I'll post a link to a pic of Yin next chapter.