Farewell to the Moon

Crescent watched their old butler, Regal, effortlessly pull the nurse pony onto his back before making to leave the ballroom. Crescent’s sister glanced at him, putting a hoof on his shoulder.

“It’s going to be okay, big brother.” Amethyst said, her magenta eyes full of sadness. Her voice shook a bit as she spoke. “We’ll get through this.”

“So many have died already.” Crescent replied, his voice flat and emotionless. He watched Regal’s disappearing form before speaking again. “And I just added to that number.”

“Crescent.” His sister said, grabbing his muzzle with her hoof. “You’re still alive, and that is what is important at the moment. That also means you must have changed like the rest of us.”

“Changed..?”

“Yes, changed.” Amethyst sat back for a moment and sighed, brushing her mane out of her face.. “Father has a few ideas on what happened, and he hasn’t told us what he thinks. You know the way Regal is, so he’s already shared his theory. A few days after the moon crashed into Equestria, we all got tremendously ill. You were traveling at the time and didn’t return to Equestria till a few days ago so when you became ill, they put you in the hospital, am I right?”

Crescent looked at her with a raised eyebrow, his eyes betraying nothing. “That’s right… And you’re saying you might know the reason I look the way I do now?”

Amethyst began to walk in the direction their butler had headed. “Regal can explain it far better than I can.”

Crescent walked in silence, his thoughts turning inward. Why had he drank the nurse's blood? Why had he enjoyed it? It was barbaric, something from a nightmare. It was a tale told by ponies to scare their children into behaving. But why had something from myth and legend resemble his condition?

Amethyst pushed open the garden door and followed the hoof prints of Regal out where the rosebushes were scarce. There were three graves dug and two were already filled with fresh dirt. Crescent looked at the third, and felt the guilt wrench at his heart.

“Because of the sickness,” his sister explain. “We’ve been given permission to bury our own loved ones because of how many have died. I don’t think father will mind us burying her as well.”

She nodded to Regal, who began to lower the nurse, who was now wrapped in a white sheet, into the grave, being careful not to bump her on the way down.

“No.”

Amethyst and Regal both looked at Crescent in surprise. “What?”

“Don’t bury her here.” Crescent replied, his voice shaking. “It was my fault she died and she needs to be returned to her family. Regal, I need you to take her back to the hospital and leave her there in my room, but you can’t be seen. Can you do that?”

“Of course, sir.” Regal bowed his head, his spectacles glinting in the moonlight. He picked up the nurse again, slung her on his back, and with a low bow, vanished into the night.

“What’s wrong with you?!” She snapped, hitting his shoulder hard. He barely felt the impact and glanced at her, puzzled.

“I don’t understand…”

“Why would you return her body? Now all of the ponies there will think you killed somepony you didn’t know and everypony will be looking for you. You’ll be a wanted pony!”

“At the very least, my conscience will be clearer. I couldn’t let a fellow pony just be lost in a back garden.” He raised his head and stared at the moon, his yellow eyes reflecting the image. “Who in our family died?”

Amethyst hesitated before answering. “Ruby and Mother.”

It hurt to hear that. On the outside, he didn’t show a reaction due to his years of emotional control, but on the inside, it felt like something had been torn out. He glanced at his younger sister and without being prompted, she sat next to him and embraced him. They sat like that for awhile, observing the stars.

“Come on.” She said softly in his ear. Her breath tickled and he flicked his ear in annoyance. “You need to eat.”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to…” He muttered, following her inside and into their extravagant kitchen. Observing it with keen distaste, Crescent glanced over all the unnecessary bits being spent on trivialities and comforts. He preferred things to be simple and functioning, rather than to show off how much money he had. The only thing that usually showed his rich background was the way he spoke.

“Crescent, you need to eat something.” Amethyst murmured, pushing a bowl of hot soup towards him. He shoved the bowl away, eyes flashing in anger.

“You said something about abilities?” He asked, fighting the urge to vomit from the smell of the carrot soup. Taking a deep breath, Crescent tried to grasp at the knowledge being offered to him in order to ignore his present condition.

“Well, Regal thinks that the moon has, or had, ancient magic inside of it, sealed away when the ponies of old raised it for the first time. So when whoever caused the moon to crash into Equestria, the impact made all that magic break free, and let itself out to attach to all of the ponies here in this land.”

“That’s it?” He asked, standing up. “That’s his brilliant theory?”

“It’s not much, sir. But, it’s better than nothing.” A voice edged with wisdom carried its way into the room as the old butler entered. Crescent noticed that after all these years, Regal still had that smooth arrogance about him when he spoke.

“As for the reports beginning to pour into the castle of the princesses, it’d be safe to assume that your own abilities, Master Crescent, are not that far out of the ordinary.”

“Reports?” Crescent glanced at his sister, who looked just as surprised. The old butler smiled, stepping closer.

“Your father may be retired from the Royal Guard, young sir, but I assure you he still has many connections to them. Apparently, your own abilities manifesting was just the first documented here in Canterlot, but not the first throughout Equestria. The whole royal message service is a bit out of control at the moment so letters are taking longer than normal to reach Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”

“Wait…” Crescent spoke, raising a hoof. “Documented? Do you mean my coat and mane changing colors?”

“No, sir. That is only a part of it.” Regal adjusted his bowtie and glasses before continuing. “The actual report is that you vanished without a trace, so you are also capable of teleportation, which is unheard of in earth ponies.”

Crescent looked down at his hooves, thinking furiously. Teleportation? Drinking blood? What does this mean? he thought, a headache beginning to form.

“Master Crescent, you have had a very stressing night, I do believe you need some sleep.”

“No, he doesn’t.” A deep voice said clearly, snuffing out the words of the elderly butler. A silvery-white stallion, bigger than Crescent, entered the room, the cutie mark of a shield on his flank. Amethyst seemed to shrink behind her brother, his presence immediately silencing the two siblings, and Crescent felt that old anger beginning to appear.

“Where have you been? A disaster like this strikes and it takes you three weeks to return home?! Do you not even care that our family has been hit so hard?!” Silver Shield demanded, although retired, his old guard intimidation tone came forward, scaring Amethyst and angering Crescent further. “After all this time, I would expect you to have grown up a little.”

“I’ve been away, I didn’t even hear about the moon until a few days ago when I got back to Equestria.” Crescent snapped, his tone harsher than he meant to use. “I don’t know why I bothered, seeing as you haven’t changed from when I left.”

“You will not speak to me that way!”

“My mother is dead, as well as my brother, and you want to lecture me on not being around and on proper etiquette? You care about our family more than the rest of Equestria? We are lucky so many of us are still alive! Some of the cities were entirely destroyed and you are so hung up on your damn pride that you can’t accept that I’m back and it’s not because of you!”

Silver remained silent as Crescent continued. “When I found out what happened, I came for my family. My sister, my brother, and my mother were the reason I returned. Not you.”

After that, the kitchen was silent for a few minutes, Regal looking back and forth between the two stallions. Silver sighed and leaned on the counter, suddenly seeming much older. “Your mother died because she refused to leave the house. I tried to convince her to go and get treated but she wanted to stay and die in her home. Your brother… your brother killed himself out of fear that the world was ending, nothing more. All that’s left is the three of us, and I can’t let old grudges remain if we are to stay together.”

Crescent’s eyes narrowed at his answer and he didn’t answer. Why the sudden change in mood? Silver sensed his hesitation and looked at his eldest son.

“Son, please. I can’t be left here alone. Please grant an old stallion this?”

Glancing at his sister, Crescent motioned towards the door. Amethyst nodded and walked out followed shortly by Regal, who looked worried at the expressions on their faces. As soon as the door closed, Silver spoke up.

“You can’t blame me for every-”

“I’m taking Amethyst far away from here. She needs to be safe from all the madness that is sure to descend upon this land.” Crescent cut him off. “I need to make sure she’s safe and I’m sure you’ll be called out of retirement to help restore order.”

Silver sat back on his haunches, his eyes closed. “You have no idea how the balance of power is changing because of this magic. Your sister can move things without touching them, Regal can disappear faster than a shadow, and I heard you can traverse great distances in less than a moment.”

Crescent scowled. “I’m not interested in using whatever gifts fate has given me. I‘m just concerned with Amethyst’s safety.”

Silver chuckled. “You always were soft and didn‘t care for what you given from at birth. You were a miserable excuse for a son.”

“Your opinion doesn’t change the fact that Amethyst is not staying here.” Crescent thought he saw something flicker across his fathers face before it was quelled. It had been so quick… Maybe he had imagined it, but for a second, it had seemed like there was a demon glaring across the kitchen.

“I’ll say it one time: you and Amethyst are staying in this building.”

“You can’t force us to stay. If you’ll recall, the last time we fought, I left you bleeding on the ballroom floor.” Crescent growled at his father, who was smiling faintly. “We’re leaving Equestria, tonight.”

“You’re not even curious what kind of power I gained?” His father had grown deathly quiet and had stood up again. His eyes were glowing faintly, and he was smirking in a self satisfied way. “Or are you afraid of what you might find?”

“I could care less.” Crescent went to walk past him when a blow from behind sent him flying through the kitchen door. The wood splinters fell around him as he rolled to a stop, his back aching from the blow. Groaning, he pushed himself back to his feet as Silver stepped through the wreckage into the ballroom. His father was still wearing that disgusting smirk.

“You’re still just a foal to me. Now, with this power granted to me, I shall help reshape Equestria as it should be.”

Crescent glanced up where Amethyst and Regal were gazing over the railing in shock. He shrugged and shifted his attention back to his father. Faint silvery white tendrils of magic were swirling lazily around Silver, his eyes glowing brightly.

“Do you feel so confident now, child?” Silver hissed, the wreckage shifting slightly.

Crescent felt only confusion. He hadn’t challenged his father! True, his father was arrogant and quick to anger but this change was far too drastic even for him. What was this sudden shift in mood?

“Father, I don’t know what you think I meant, but I have no intention of fighting you. I‘m not here to stop whatever plans you have for the fate of Equestria. Amethyst and I have to get away from here.” Crescent said tentatively. His father paused, the energy settling down slowly. Breathing a sigh of relief, he took a step towards him. “You just need to accept that this is for our safety. For all of us.”

“Amethyst stays here.” The magic tendrils reformed and the aura grew larger than before. An almost manic look appeared on Silver’s face. Crescent gulped, backing up. “She’s essential to the future of Equestria.”

“Father, snap out of it!” Amethyst yelled, moving to descend the stairs, though she was stopped by their butler. Silver looked at her, his eyes full of fury. “There’s no reason for any of this!”

“He’s not taking you from me. I lost your mother and brother because of my carelessness, but I’m figuring out how to control it. It won’t be long before everypony kneels at our family’s feet.” Silver turned his attention back to Crescent. “You will either leave here without Amethyst, or I will end your existence, my son.”

“You’d kill your own son? Over trying to ensure her safety?!” Crescent yelled, completely lost at his father’s behavior. “And what are you talking about with Ruby and my mother? Your carelessness?”

Silver’s face contorted into something terrifying and a lash of energy surged forth at him. Crescent didn’t have time to think, only to act. He dove to the side, rolling out of the way. The magical lash still cut deep into his back leg, severing the tendon almost dropping Crescent to his belly. He glanced back and briefly examined the crimson gash, blood running down his leg.

“Stop this!” Amethyst cried, trying to break free from Regal’s grip. The old butler had to restrain her to keep her from going downstairs. She was putting up a good fight to escape, but Crescent didn’t want her getting hurt.

“Father…” Crescent forced himself to his feet again, the wound on his leg knitting itself back together but he felt his stomach rumble slightly, telling him he was hungry. “Please stop this.”

“There are no words left.” Silver replied coldly, the wisps of energy dancing wildly. “Unless you leave, you will either die, or have to kill me.”

Crescent looked back up at Amethyst. “You remember where Midnight is?”

She stopped her fighting, and looked at him with fear in her eyes. “Y-yes…”

“Go get her, please.” Amethyst hesitated and nodded, turning and going back up the stairs. Regal watched from his position as the two stallions faced each other.  Crescent looked back at his father, who was glowering. “I’m sure you’ll spare me a few moments before she returns?”

“Seems like a fair last request.” Silver began to walk to the right, his eyes meeting Crescent’s.

“What were you talking about, carelessness?” Crescent was thinking furiously, trying to find a way to end this without violence. “What did you mean?”

Silver laughed, the sound echoing. “They were a mere means to an end. They had a sizable amount of magic attached to them, but I wanted it. So I tore it free from their bodies and added it to my own. Unfortunately, this same magic was also keeping them alive.”

“You what?!”  Crescent stopped his own pacing, his mind in shock. “You…killed them?”

“Unintentionally.” Silver spoke without emotion, his blue eyes on his son’s golden yellow ones. “I don’t care if you approve or not; you’ll be dead soon and it won’t matter.”

Crescent stared in disbelief at the stallion in front of him. The same stallion who had once served Princess Celestia was now acting like he was a God, and that other ponies lives were nothing more than a sacrifice to increase his own power.

But you’re no better… he thought. You killed that nurse and drank her blood… Does this make me the same as him? No, it was accidental. His was all in the name of gain. We’re not the same…I may not be innocent but I’m no demon…

Crescent looked up as Amethyst came running down the stairs, a long object floating alongside her. She was stopped by Regal, but tossed it down to her brother over the railing. As it descended towards him, Crescent caught it and examined the sword he held. He drew the blade and examined the steel for a moment before tossing the sheath away. Leaning the long handle against his shoulder and wrapping the same foreleg around it , Crescent felt a part of him click back into place and let a slow breath escape him.

“Regal, please get Amethyst out of here. You know where to go. I’ll be there after I’m done here.”

“Of course, Master Crescent.” Regal went to grab Amethyst, but she shook herself free. She looked at her brother, her magenta colored eyes meeting his.

“Promise me you’ll come for me?”

Crescent nodded, his eyes calm. “Of course.”

Before he even turned back, he heard the rush of oncoming energy and reacted instinctively, keeping the blade in his grip. While most ponies had preferred carrying a blade with their mouth, he had practiced a rather unorthodox method of wielding it using with his actual forelegs. The only problem with this method was the way it was gripped, and so he had to move in an entire different way than before to keep the blade from hitting the ground.

His father laughed at his movements before Crescent was back on all three legs, the other holding the flat of the blade against his shoulder.. As the lashes of energy continued in ever increasing form, Crescent felt as if the waves of energy were getting slower and instead of dodging them, he instead focused on getting within striking distance to end this battle .

Silver’s eyes flashed with fear as Crescent jumped over a particularly low burst of energy and used the momentum from the jump to turn the movement into a strike. Growling, he aimed a web of energy where it was absolutely impossible to dodge. This time, he launched them as fast as he could, wanting to end this game. He grinned, already savoring his victory.

Crescent saw the web racing towards him and his eyes focused on the floor behind Silver. Desire to be there flooded his being, and suddenly the pressure he felt before was there again. But this time, it wasn’t as painful, or even annoying. It vanished almost instantly and he noticed he was back on the ground. Turning his head, he saw the magical web slice through the air he had just occupied.

As his father turned, Crescent slashed. The blade sliced through the muscles in his back legs as easily if they weren’t there, and brought him instantly to his knees. Silver cried out in pain, the magical aura flaring wildly before dissipating. Silver looked up at his son, who was looking down at him with a mixture of pity and revulsion.

“I should probably kill you for what you’ve done. What you might do. What you plan to do.” Crescent said, crimson tears running silently down his blade. “I have to know. For the short while it lasted… was it worth it? The power?”

Silver snarled at him, all civility abandoned. He tried to push himself up before the cold steel was pressed against his throat. Crescent’s eyes narrowed, the handle in his teeth muffling his next statement: “Answer me.”

“Power is always worth it.” Silver spat, the words slightly muffled from the pressure on his throat. Crescent growled and raised the blade. The white stallion’s eyes shone with defiance at the action.

“Power for the sake of power is never worth it.”