The Light Shine Group

by Enderwinner

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Luna, Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Adventure
Length: 5589

With a growing changeling threat, Princess Luna forms a group of ponies to think outside the box

Heartshine, Ponyville's resident heartmender, is excited to get a visit from her friend Light Shine. However, her friend comes with a request: to form a group of ponies that work for the princesses in order to work as a think tank to figure out new ways to combat the changeling threat. The Light Shine Group is soon sent across Equestria, investigating changeling behaviour and attacks, all the while searching for ways to keep their home safe.

Published 2012-06-16 05:54:02 UTC
Last updated 2012-06-16 05:54:02 UTC

Gathering the Group

I really shouldn’t be writing this part; I’m not even a writer! But Ivy insisted that somepony needed to tell the whole story, and she wasn’t there at the beginning. So I guess that job falls on me, Heartshine. Well... here goes I guess
______________________________________________________________________________

“Does that feel better, little one?” I asked, gently running a hoof through my young patient’s mane.

Dinky Doo nodded. “Thank you, Miss Heartshine. I feel a whole lot better now,” she said, smiling. “I think I can go back to class now.”

The young unicorn had been sent to me by Cheerilee after being teased in class by the resident bully, Diamond Tiara.

“I’m just glad you feel better, love,” I said, walking her to the door of Nurse Redheart’s clinic. I grabbed a bright coupon from the counter. “Here, stop by Sugarcube Corner on your way back and get yourself a treat.”

The little unicorn’s eyes lit up. “Oh! Thank you!” She said excitedly. “Are you sure it’s ok?”

I nodded. “We ran out of lolly pops a bit ago, so that’ll have to do for now. Just tell Mrs. Cake that I sent you, ok?” I finished with a wink.

The little unicorn scrambled out the door, leaving me alone by the door. Come on, girl. Let this one go, too.

I walked back to the break room and sighed. I pulled my front right hoof close to my chest and closed my eyes. Inside, I searched for the feelings of hurt and embarrassment that I’d taken in from Dinky, and drew them to my hoof. I held little Dinky’s feelings close, and found myself less willing to let these feelings go than I had with others.

But... but I needed to remember to let these feelings go. One of the most difficult part of being a heartmender was learning to let go of the feelings of others. The painful ones were paradoxically the easiest and the hardest things to get rid of. I’ve heard of heartmenders nearly killing themselves because they took on too much pain from another. I’m usually fairly careful about being sure to not take on too much. Usually.

Calling on a bit of inner strength, I felt a brightness emanating from my hoof. Those watching would have seen me gingerly pull a bit of light from my chest. I let the light sit on my upraised hoof a moment, sighed, and gently blew the bits of inner magic out the door.

A soft clopping step told me that Nurse Redheart, my boss was watching me.

“Are you alright, Heartshine?” She asked, as she always does after each session.

“Oh, I’m fine. I’ve been remembering to not hold onto things as much as I did in when I first started in Ponyville.” I said, smiling softly. “Thank you, though, for asking.” I answered, sighing. “I just wish that Filthy Rich would let me talk to Diamond Tiara. All of the fillies and colts I see in here often talk about being bullied by Silver Spoon and her.”

Redheart smirked. “Well, if you could get Filthy Rich to do anything, I’d be surprised. I think the only person he really fears in ponyville is Granny Smith.”

I smirked back. “Yeah... that’d take a bit more work than I’m ready to get into.” I admitted. “In fact...”

I trailed off as a familiar feeling tugged at the edges of my senses. Heartmenders live to heal the wounds of the soul, but some are often able to detect their friends and family in rather unusual ways. I knew that feeling well, and got a little excited.

“Um, I have to leave early, is that ok?” I ask, trying my best to not grin from ear to ear.

Redheart laughed. “Go on. I know you’ve been waiting all day for him.”

I gave her a sheepish grin, then hurried my yellow flank out of the door. I looked around, and gave myself a bit of a run before I took to the air. I may not be an accomplished flyer like Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts, but I hold my own. Once in the air, I closed my eyes and began to look for that ‘feeling.’ One of those connections happened to be in town today. I smiled as I sensed myself getting closer to him. This stallion always felt like the warmth you feel when laying down in a sunbeam. It’s a really lovely feeling, and I knew that it meant that a certain someone was nearby.

Ducking over toward the market, I saw him. Light Shine didn’t see me at first, but I circled the light brown earth pony and landed softly beside him.

“Heartshine!” he exclaimed, pulling me into a hug. “It’s so good to see you!”

I smiled. “It’s good to see you, too, Light Shine! What’re you doing here in Ponyville? I thought you took on that advisory job in Canterlot?”

Light Shine chuckled. “Oh you. What, I can’t come visit?”

Light Shine and I knew each other from when I’d lived in Canterlot. I didn’t really enjoy the city life, but on a particularly unpleasant day, this blond stallion appeared like a ray of sunshine and asked if he could buy me a cup of coffee. Just because, he’d said.

“I didn’t say that, silly,” I replied. “But something in your letter made it sound like you weren’t exactly taking a vacation.”

Light Shine scratched the back of his mane, looking sheepish. “Yeah, well, you see, I didn’t exactly come here alone...” he said, his bright tenor voice trailing off.

I looked around, puzzled. “Who’d you bring with you?” I asked, glancing about for somepony I didn’t know. I almost missed the slight breeze that washed over me. Almost.

“Don’t forget about me, little Ember,” a husky Baritone voice breathed into my ear.

I jumped a little bit as Wisp materialised. The ebony unicorn’s unearthly green eyes sparkled with mischief as a variety of gasps greeted his sudden appearance. While he wasn’t able to see the looks of awe, Wisp smiled nonetheless.

“Wisp!” I exclaimed, giving him a hug. He looked a bit uncomfortable, as he always did when I glomped him. Served him right for startling me like that!

I really like Wisp. He’s had a hard life, most of which I know little about. But he was a very special pony to me. I don’t think he would have revealed himself to me if he noticed me looking for him. It was on a dark night in Canterlot, and I was almost home when I felt... something near by. If Light Shine is a sunbeam, Wisp is a small ember burning in the dark. Apparently he thought that was funny, which is where the nickname came from. To this day, I don’t know why he decided to walk me home, but I’ve been glad to call him a friend ever since.

Which made it all the more unusual to see him with Light Shine.

“I didn’t think you two knew each other,” I started, dropping a few bits for an apple from Applejack’s cart. “What brings you both here?”

Light Shine glanced over at Wisp. “You probably shouldn’t do the teleport thing you do here,” he cautioned.

Wisp sighed and held out a hoof. I extended my wing so he’d have something to guide him. I suppose I should mention that Wisp is blind, but, by some twist of magic, he can see when he’s teleporting. But it makes walking down the street normally a bit of a trick for him.

“Thank you, Ember,” he said breathily as we walked down main street toward the park.

“I’ve been contacted by the Princess,” Light Shine started, leading us toward the fountain. The bubbling made it difficult to hear, but I had a feeling it also made it hard for us to be overheard. “She asked me to help her deal with the changeling threat. After their bold attack on Princess Cadence and Shining Armour’s wedding, she’s concerned that they may come at us again. She requested that I put a group together that would, ideally, think outside the box, if you will.”

“So you thought of Wisp and came here to see me?” I asked.

Wisp cleared his throat. “Light Shine did not explain very well the circumstances of our meeting. When he said that the princess came to him, he meant his princess, Princess Celestia. I was given the same task by my princess, the Lady Luna.” He explained. There was something in Wisp’s emphasis on ‘Lady Luna’ that bothered me, but I didn’t really have time to explore it. Not, at least, with Light Shine there.

Light Shine, for his part, looked a tad uncomfortable at Wisp’s admission of who had summoned who.

“The point is,” he started. “We were asked to work together to find a way to counter the changelings. To my surprise, we both knew you, and we’d like you to come work with us.”

I felt myself shrink a little bit as Light Shine finished his explanation. Pulling my wings in and laying my ears back, I frowned. “I don’t know...” I started. “I mean... Heartmender is right there in Canterlot. Wouldn’t he be a better choice?” I asked, looking down at the ground.

“Your brother has a very busy schedule at the hospital. I don’t think they’d be willing to lose him for a group that, technically, doesn’t exist.” Light Shine explained. “Not that Ponyville isn’t important!” He added, hastily. “But I want a heartmender in this group, and there’s none better than you.”

I was about to protest when I felt a hoof on my flank. Blushing, I turned my head to see Wisp with his hoof right on my cutie mark. “You see through to the truth of things. Never forget that, little Ember,” he said, removing his hoof; revealing the heart filled with stars that was my cutie mark.

“... you two came here together and didn’t want to take no for an answer, did you?”

Light Shine tried to look as innocent as possible. “Well, I don’t want to bully you into anything you aren’t willing to do,” he replied, honestly. “Though the both of us coming here might not have been a coincidence.”

“It was merely the Princess’ suggestion,” Wisp added stoically, his form wavering slightly as he phased in and out of... wherever he went when he was teleporting.

I sighed. “If I do this, I’m going to need a replacement for the clinic. I don’t want to leave Ponyville hanging...”

“Already done.” Wisp stated, matter’o’factly. “She’ll arrive here from Appleloosa tomorrow.”

I raised an eyebrow in Wisp’s direction. “You know, that was a tad presumptuous of you to assume that I’d take the job.” I gave Light Shine a similar look. “Just saying.”

Light Shine patted my head. “Let’s just say I had a feeling you’d do the right thing. Do you want some help retrieving your things? We’re due back in Canterlot this evening...”
______________________________________________________________________________

Heartshine looked up from the scroll she’d been writing in, and brushed a bit of blue and red mane out of her dark blue eyes.

“What do you think of this, Ivy?” she asked, picking up the scroll in her teeth and walking it over to a tall, mahogany writing desk.

Ivy Scroll levitated the scroll onto her desk and was silent a moment. Heartshine settle on her back legs while she waited for the Light Shine group’s secretary to read over her work. The lanky white mare absently twisted her seafoam green hair in her hoof as she read. She looked up and smiled at the young mare sitting behind her.

“And you said you couldn’t write!” Ivy said, eliciting a blush from Heartshine. “See, now we have a record of what happened before I met you.” She added, speaking in the light tones of her family’s Newhoof Upon Tyne accent.

Heartshine shrugged. “Well... I just didn’t think it was important because it only happened two days ago.”

Ivy’s magenta eyes lit up as she smiled. “Everypony’s story is important! How else would anypony learn?” She asked.

Heartshine considered the white unicorn’s question. “I guess you’re right. And you would know, considering that writing is your special talent, right?”

Ivy got up from the writing desk’s matching chair and arched her back, stretching. “So they tell me,” she said whimsically. “At least, that’s what my publicist likes to remind me of when I’m late turning in the chapter of my next book,” she added, rolling her eyes.

Heartshine chuckled politely and followed the tall unicorn out of her office. Standing next to Ivy always made Heartshine feel a little bit small compared to the lanky unicorn. Heartshine wasn’t terribly small for a pegasus, but a quiet corner of her mind always suggested that she looked somewhat filly-ish when standing beside Ivy, Light Shine, or Wisp. The fact that the other ponies had a good 3 years or so of age on her didn’t help matters any.

“Was it nice to grow up in Canterlot?” Heartshine asked conversationally.

It didn’t take her heartmending talents to notice the changes in Ivy’s demeanor.

“It was... nice,” Ivy replied stiffly.

Heartshine’s ears folded down. “Oh, sorry...” She said, biting her lip.

Ivy smiled wryly as she walked to the window of the office’s hall. She looked out over the spires of the Equestrian capitol and shook her head.

“Don’t fret, Heartshine. You’re being you,” Ivy said, resting her head on her hooves. “It’s just... kind of a long story. One I’m not ready to tell just yet.”

Heartshine gingerly placed a hoof on the older mare’s shoulder. “That’s alright,” she said with a smile. “I don’t need to be in everypony’s business.”

Ivy laughed brightly. “A heartmender who isn’t in everypony’s business! That’ll be the day.” She patted Heartshine’s hoof. “You’re sweet, Heartshine. Naive, but sweet. I expect you’ll be in my head and heart eventually. You’re a heartmender! That’s what you do. To expect anything less of you would be an insult to your life’s author. Now, let’s make sure those colts are playing nicely.”

Heartshine tried to hide her disappointment at her being shut out by Ivy. She knew in her head that not everypony was going to be as open with her as Wisp and Light Shine were, but the realisation still stung a bit. But... Ivy had said she just wasn’t ready to tell her story yet. Maybe later. Smiling at that thought, Heartshine dutifully trotted after Ivy.
______________________________________________________________________________

Light Shine glanced up from a pile of papers as the two mares entered his office.

“Ladies,” he greeted, standing up from behind his desk. “I was just about to start going over the dossiers of the new recruits the Princess sent over. Would you like to join me?”

Ivy levitated a quill, inkwell, and sheaf of paper to herself. “Ready as ever, Light Shine!”

Heartshine quietly followed the older ponies to a pair of couches and curled up in one corner. She watched as Ivy and Lightshine began talking about possible additions to their special group. The two ponies made an excellent team, Heartshine observed. Ivy really seemed to brighten and open up around Light Shine.

Then again, Heartshine mused. Most ponies do that around Light. His special talent is instilling hope and reassurance in ponies.

“Um, not to interrupt,” Heartshine started softly. Light Shine and Ivy looked up from the file they were looking at. “But wasn’t Wisp going to be here?” She asked.

Light Shine shook his head. “Wisp has a meeting with Princess Luna later this evening. He left a note saying he’d catch up with us tomorrow.”

Heartshine frowned as she glanced up at the clock. At half-past 7, it wasn’t too late just yet. Why would Wisp...?

Light Shine cocked his head to the side at Heartshine’s frown. “Is everything all right, Heartshine?”

“I just don’t want to be doing things behind Wisp’s back,” Heartshine admitted. “I thought Princess Luna asked him to help...”

Ivy set down her quill and papers on a low table that sat between the couches and gave Light Shine a sidelong glance. “We aren’t working behind Wisp’s back, dear,” She said, smiling reassuringly. “From what I can tell of him, Wisp does his own thing. Besides,” she added, chuckling. “I distinctly remember him telling me once that he... hated dealing with paperwork.”

Heartshine smiled, imagining the gruff unicorn saying just that.

“I don’t want to take control of the group, Heartshine,” Light Shine quickly added. “But with Wisp being blind...” He trailed off, and pointed to the rather sizeable stack of papers on his desk.

Heartshine nodded. “Ok, I just wanted to make sure nopony was left out.”

Light Shine and Ivy exchanged glances and smiled. “Wisp will be here when we interview new ponies. Don’t worry about that.”

With that, Light Shine and Ivy went back to their files. Heartshine tried to look interested as the pair discussed the merits and drawbacks to adding somepony new to the group, but found herself distracted and feeling not particularly useful. Maybe papers weren’t her thing either. Light Shine and Ivy tried to include her in their conversation, but Hearthshine noted that she kind of needed to meet anypony new to get a read on them. Glancing up at the clock, she quietly excused herself and headed for her new home.
______________________________________________________________________________

Wisp stood uncomfortably in a receiving room in one of the older portions of Canterlot Castle. To the Night Guards standing watch, he appeared to be partially translucent as he phased himself in and out of the shadow realm in order to see. As he waited, he mentally traced the magical leylines that transected the room. He checked the room again for any bits of magic that seemed out of place. Finding none, he refocused on the blades he kept hidden in the shadow realm, just out of phase with reality, but close enough for him to grab at moment’s notice.

Despite two years passing since his return from exile in shadow realm, Wisp still felt extremely uneasy in the palace. The guard’s faces and names had changed dramatically during that time, and a new captain had been assigned to the Night Guard. In the old days, Wisp knew that he would have been horribly put off to be replaced. But given the circumstances of his exile and return, he didn’t quite know what to think.

And then there was the Princess. Luna had returned to her normal self, but always bore a look of uneasiness and shame when she spoke with him. Wisp was not entirely comfortable around the Princess, either, as she tended to bring back memories of a horrible night. One in which he’d refused a direct order from her for the first time in years of faithful service, and was punished with exile to the shadow realm. That night, Luna had changed so very...

The opening of the receiving room’s door brought Wisp’s attention back to the present. He turned and bowed as Luna entered the small room.

Luna turned to the pair of Night Guards at the door. “Leave us.” She commanded. The pair nodded, and closed the door behind them as they left.

As the doors softly closed, the Princess looked at her former guard captain. The stallion’s black coat was crisscrossed with white lines: something that hadn’t been there before she’d exiled him. To most, those lines were naturally occurring highlights that added to Wisp’s natural handsomeness. But Luna knew better. Those white lines were scars caused by the creatures that inhabited the shadow realm.

“We... I... felt that you and I should have words,” Luna said, descending the small set of stairs to the receiving room’s recessed floor.

Wisp stiffened slightly, but said nothing, choosing instead to merely nod.

Luna looked over the tall stallion, then spoke. “My sister has taken on a student who has been studying the magic of friendship.” She stated simply. “I feel that this is may be a field of study in which both of us need to commit some time to.”

Wisp tilted his head slightly to one side. “I find it ironic, Princess, that you would suggest this to me. You know as well as I do that all of my friends are long dead.”

Wisp’s reply came out as a statement of face, but Luna still flinched visibly. Pain flashed briefly behind her eyes, but the Princess managed to keep her composure. “Do not insult us, Wisp.” She cautioned. “I did not say that to bring up old wounds. I have noted that you have spent some time with the heartmender, Heartshine.”

“She is a filly who sometimes needs protection. Nothing more.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “Then why did you suggest her to Lightshine?”

Wisp stopped phasing, and turned his sightless green eyes in the Princess’ direction. “The stallion wanted a heartmender. I simply offered the best I knew to be available,” he said.

Luna shook her head, knowing the ebony unicorn would not see the simple gesture. “Then I have a new assignment for you.” She stated, walking toward the double doors that led to a balcony that stood off of the receiving room. “As you work with the Light Shine group to counter the changeling threat, make some friends.”

Wisp sighed and followed his princess through the doors. He and Luna stood silently together as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon. As he allowed himself to phase, he notice Luna watching him.

“You still haven’t answered me,” she said, looking toward the southern horizon.

Wisp sighed. “As always, I shall do as my lady says,” he replied.

Luna shook her head. “I do not ask this of you lightly, Wisp,” she admitted. “But I feel that there are some wounds that you need to have addressed. Making friends may help you reach a place where... Are you ignoring me?”

Wisp’s ears were turned away from the princess, and he had turned, looking toward the west. There’d been the slightest wrinkle in the magical leylines that ran around the castle.

“We’re being watched.” He reported, glancing over the castle. Allowing himself to fully phase into the shadow realm, Wisp narrowed his eyes to look for that wrinkle. Maybe it was nothing, or maybe...

THERE!

One of the unicorn day guards was the source of the magical eddy. Almost like...

In a flash, Wisp started warping down the side of the castle toward the guard. As usual, his prey didn’t see him coming. It took several short hops to get down to the courtyard, and as he approached his target, Wisp summoned the twin Tantō blades to him from the depths of the shadows. The steel gifts from a filly he knew from Yonaguni Island leapt to his hoofs as he approached his quarry. He phased out of the shadow realm nearly on top of the unicorn guard, blades at the mare’s throat.

“I wouldn’t move if you want to live,” he rasped. The guard stiffened, but remained still. Wisp looked up toward the balcony where Luna stood. “I’d call your guards, Princess. I believe I’ve captured a-” In the split second between phasing in and out of reality, the guard spun and kicked Wisp hard in the ribs, sending him skidding across the courtyard.

The mare’s armour faded away, revealing the desiccated-looking flesh of a changeling. The beast bared its fangs at Wisp and hissed.

Wisp grunted as he took in a breath. The amount of effort involved meant only one thing: at least one of his ribs were broken. Summoning his blades, he began phasing about the courtyard, searching for his target.

Phase. Gasp. Pain. Phase. Gasp. Pain.

The changeling darted toward the castle wall, disappearing behind the barricades. Without thinking, Wisp concentrated on the top of the wall, and teleported the 300 feet to the top. What had been minor discomfort while breathing twisted into pure agony as the side effects of the teleport set in. Wisp became very aware of the warm liquid flowing from his side. Stupid spell casting rebound...

The guards on the wall seemed startled by his sudden appearance.

“Scan each other,” Wisp rasped. “I was following a change-” Another wave of pain overtook him, causing the ebony unicorn to collapse to one side.

“ENOUGH!” A voice boomed from overhead. Wisp felt a coolness settle over him as Princess Luna cast a detection spell over the guards of the wall. The sounds of a scuffle suggested that the spy had been detected. Wisp smirked contentedly through the pain, and sent his blades back to the shadows.

A series of loud clanks occurred as spears along the wall aimed at a new arrival.

“Wisp!” Heartshine called, ignoring the guards and racing to her friend.

‘Foolish filly,’ Wisp thought before drifting into unconsciousness.
______________________________________________________________________________

Heartshine had nearly reached her new home on the outskirts of Canterlot when she’s felt Wisp’s pain.

“Wisp.” She whispered, taking a running leap into the air. She knew he’d been meeting with the Princess, and bolted toward the castle. As the wind rushed through her mane, she felt another stab of pain: this one much more intense than the last. Flapping her wings with all her might, Heartshine darted toward the castle walls.

She was vaguely away of a struggle going on with the guards, but her eyes focussed on the downed unicorn.

“WISP!” She cried, racing to his side. Spears clanked to the barricades at her call, but Heartshine ignored them, slowing to a stop beside her friend.

Wisp lay in a small pool of blood, the source of which was a deep wound on his side.

“Horsefeathers!” Heartshine hissed, realising she didn’t have her medical bag with her. Turning, her nose met the spear of one of the guards. She glared at the white unicorn stallion. “Don’t stand there pointing that thing at me, call a healer!”

Another guard, a tall, dark blue pegasus, shoved her overzealous comrade out of the way and deposited a roll of bandages at Heartshine’s hooves.

“I’m a combat medic, but I could use some help,” the dark blue mare said.

Heartshine nodded, grabbing the bandages with her teeth. She looked at the male guard. “Oi, pointy! Lift him!” She ordered.

“Yes ma’am,” the unicorn replied. His horn glowed, and Wisp was gently raised off the ground.

Heartshine began to quickly wrap her friend’s injured side. The wound didn’t look that bad, but it was very deep. Wisp’s breathing seemed to be laboured as well, which worried her. As she reached the end of her roll of bandages, she noticed that the other roll was being applied with magic. Blue magic, to be exact.

Shaking her head, Heartshine gently applied pressure to the bandages with her hooves. This resulted in waves of pain emanating from Wisp, which physically nauseated the light yellow filly. Swallowing, Heartshine began to pull the pain from Wisp.

The guards gasped as Heartshine began to softly glow as the inner magic of her heart mending abilities overtook her. Heartshine herself gasped as she touched Wisp’s heart. So much pain, and much of it was very, very old. She pulled the bitter agony of the present wound away, knowing that, at the very least, this wound would be less painful for her friend when he woke. She knew she shouldn’t, but Heartshine’s curiosity nearly got the better of her as she started to probe the pain in Wisp’s consciousness.

A gentle hoof on her back, right between her wings, brought Heartshine back to the present. Or rather, the feeling involved with being touched that way did. It reminded her of her mother’s comforting touch that she’d often felt as a filly when she was frightened.

“I would leave that for the moment, little one,” a soft, feminine voice said. “Now don’t forget to let go. The healers are here now.”

A brown earth pony stallion’s smile greeted her as Heartshine opened her eyes.

“We’ll take good care of him,” the stallion said. “Good work wrapping him up for us.” The stallion bowed slightly to someone behind Heartshine. “Princess.”

Heartshine’s eyes widened as she realised whose hoof might be on her back. Pulling her wings in and shrinking down, Heartshine turned to face Princess Luna.

“Princess!” She said, bowing. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t...”

Luna held up a hoof. “You were very brave to do what you did. But don’t forget to let go.” She said sternly.

Heartshine nodded, and closed her eyes once again. It wasn’t hard to pull Wisp’s pain out, but she shuddered as the familiar ball of light emerged from her chest and dissipated into the night air. Physical pain always felt different form emotional pain, and even had it’s own taste.

Heartshine stuck her tongue out in disgust, eliciting a giggle from Luna.

“Something the matter?” The princess asked.

Heartshine looked sheepish. “Erm... well, each emotion has it’s feel, and some have tastes. Physical pain always tastes like grapefruit,” she explained. “And I always thought grapefruit was what happened when trees threw up.”

Several of the guards chuckled at the heartmender’s reply, and the Princess smiled. “A... honest answer, if I’ve ever heard one. Follow me, my little pony,” Luna ordered, spreading her wings and flying toward the balcony where she and Wisp had met only moments before. Heartshine dutifully followed, landing softly behind the Princess of the night.

“I knew that there was a reason Wisp selected you for the Light Shine group,” Luna said, walking into the receiving room. “I am glad to say that he chose well.”

Heartshine nodded her head in thanks. “You are too kind, Princess. I... I just knew he needed help and was hurt.”

Luna smiled. “Well, Wisp is quite lucky to have friends such as yourself. He and I were speaking about that before this... unpleasantness occurred,” the princess said diplomatically.

Heartshine nodded, unsure of what to say in response. “You were speaking of friends?” She asked.

Luna brushed a stray bit of gossamer mane out of her eyes. “Yes. My sister says that I need to study the magic of friendship, and I suggested that Wisp follow a similar path.” she explained. “I do not wish for hate to overtake me again...” the princess added, trailing off.

Heartshine padded over to the princess and gingerly patted the alicorn’s hoof with her own.

The princess looked surprised. “You... try to comfort me?” She asked.

Heartshine folded her ears back and looked away. “Oh, I’m sorry... it’s just... I don’t like to see anypony hurting.”

Luna sat on her haunches and placed a hoof over Heartshine’s. “Thank you.” She said simply. “It is good to be reminded that not all fear me for what I once was.” She admitted, looking at the small yellow hoof in between her own two dark blue hooves.

“Princess?”

Luna looked up into Heartshine’s cerulean eyes. “Yes?”

“Don’t let who you were cloud who you could be,” Heartshine said honestly. “You have a loving heart: one that is deeply wounded. I know you’ll never be Nightmare Moon again.”

The princess said nothing as the examined the small pegasus before her. It had been a long time since one of her subjects had been so open with her. Perhaps this was what Wisp saw in the young heartmender.

“I thank you for your honesty, Heartshine.” The princess said, standing. “Now, it is getting late, and you must be exhausted.”

Heartshine nodded. “Thank you princess. You’re right. I should head home.”

Luna chuckled. “Nonsense. I know how sensitive you heartmenders can be. You’re staying here tonight. Follow me.” She commanded.

The doors to the receiving room opened, and Heartshine followed the princess out into the pink marble halls of the castle. The princess walked to a small staircase, and quietly followed the steps up into the tower. Heartshine noted that few ponies appeared to use this wing of the castle, but an immediate sense of calm washed over her as they reached a door at the top of the stairs.

The princess opened the door for her, and motioned for Heartshine to enter the room. The room within was extremely simple, with light green walls and a small canopy bed. Several windows that faced west and east dominated much of the room, but the room’s defining feature was the large painting of a willow tree that lay on the wall next to the bed.

As Heartshine took in the room, she realised that she could no longer feel the various emotions that always plagued her consciousness when she was in the city.

Luna smiled as the heartmender looked at her. “This room belonged to the first royal heartmender, Winter Willow.” She explained, levitating a portrait from an ornate dresser. “Sister put a spell on the room which blocked outside emotions, giving Winter Willow some peace.”

Heartshine examined the portrait of a light green pegasus mare with willow like braids in her green hair. The mare was smiling as she stood next to a dour looking earth pony stallion as a foal played at her hooves. She had a kind look to her, and Heartshine smiled in thanks to her princess.

“Thank you,” she said, bowing. “I definitely feel at peace here.”

Luna nodded, turning to leave. “Rest well, Heartshine.” the princess said, closing the door softly behind her.
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