Author's Note

Chapter Eleven, as promised!
The plot thickens and soon you're all in for some surprises!

Warnings in here: Mostly none, just some light blood description.

Unexpected Resistance (Luna)

Chapter Eleven: Unexpected Resistance (Luna POV)

“Please, my little night, talk with me,” I begged her once more as she sat silent on my bed, staring into the distance.

There was silence for a few more minutes until Midnight looked into my eyes, fear and rage clearly evident in them. “I lost control. I can’t even remember what I did to him. He insulted her… he insulted Sunset,” she stopped and sobbed and I quickly laid a wing around her, holding her against me. “He was supposed to be her father and said such bad things about her!”

“My little night, listen to me,” I said, raising her muzzle with a hoof. Before I continued, I gave her a soft kiss, a kiss that erased—thankfully—most of the fear from her eyes. “He said those things to hurt you, to get under your skin, my dear. Trust me that you are a wonderful mare, and Sunset was as well, from what I know.”

She gave me a small, but sincere smile. “I know that. That’s why it hurt so much more hearing him saying all those things. He hates you pretty much, and the bat ponies as well.”

I sighed and lay completely down, pulling her with me. She nuzzled gently into my side as I sighed. “Some ponies can’t forget the past, my little night. They think I am mad, and that I will turn to Nightmare Moon again. That I will lose control again.” I stopped and gave her a gentle squeeze. “That won’t happen again.”

Won’t it?

You can only mock my thoughts, so it is true.

I shook my head and smiled at Midnight. “Besides, I have a beautiful consort at my side.” I chuckled loud as she blushed furiously. “Don’t be ashamed, I hold you in high regards.”

“I know that, but I don’t know if I deserve it,” she said after a few seconds. “Would Sunset be proud of me?”

I didn’t even have to think about that, because I remembered too well.

***

“Hello, Sunset Streak,” I said softly at the gasping mare in front of me.

“What is wrong? Where am I? Where are the others?”

“Please, calm down, Sunset Streak. You are in the dreamscape. I extracted your magical essence to bring you to life for a short time again, although it is limited.”

“Why did you do that?” she asked me with a tilted head.

My heart clenched at the thought. “Because Midnight Flow needs to tell you farewell, or she won’t let go and live a horrible life.”

“Midnight…” Sunset whispered, tears coming into her eyes. “How is she?”

“She is doing well… despite her wish to be relieved from this world. She wants nothing more than to be at your side.”

“She promised me she’d always continue to fight!”

“Little one, her heart is broken at this moment. That incident killed you instantly and she had no chance to say goodbye,” I smiled sadly. “No chance to get a last kiss from the mare she loves more than everything.”

“I can understand that,” she answered and looked down. “Life is unfair.”

“Life is hardly fair,” I chuckled.

Sunset joined in but her expression turned quickly somber. “We wanted to create a family. Asking you for the stuff you gave the general and her wife. I guess I won’t ever have foals now.”

“Actually, there is a chance,” I whispered.

"What?!”

“Sunset, before we continue, I need to tell you a few things. What I do here is a deep, personal grip of your magic. I take the essence and filter it through a vision to create this, you’re the real you in the dreamscape. Before I continue to do anything, I would like your blessing to go ahead.”

Sunset sat down and looked up into the sky, seconds passing by before her expression turned into a sincere smile. “I trust you. I trust that you will do what is best for Midnight.”

“I hold her dear, indeed,” I chuckled before getting serious. “After we are done here I will direct your essence to Midnight, so you can visit her. You won’t have much time, but it is a chance. Enough to say proper farewell. I,” I stopped, choking on what I was about to say.

Tia would banish us again for what we are about to do.

"You can still have foals, with my help."

“How so?” Sunset asked, genuinely interested.

“We can save some of your magical essence to withstand the years or even centuries. It is dark magic as it takes a split part of your soul,” I stopped as she cringed visible. “But if I were to put that essence into a potion like the one I gave Night Watch, the foal produced would have your genes.”

“Can you truly do this?”

“If you wished for it, I could,” I bowed my head.

“Please, then do so,” Sunset smiled. “But do me two favours.”

“If I can fulfill them.”

“Don’t tell Midnight until the foal is due.”

I was surprised, but nodded my consent. “And the second?”

“Give Midnight that foal from me,” she paused and smiled, putting a hoof upon my chest. “I can see it here. You truly care for Midnight.”

Yes, I was lost for words, staring at her in surprise. “W-what?”

"You heard me,” she chuckled. “Now, as I believe we don’t have much time left?”

I was still at the same spot with the same expression, but her words took me back into reality. “Yes. If I transfer you to Midnight now you have enough time to say farewell.”

Sunset embraced me, hugging me tightly. A gesture I returned after a second of hesitation.

“Oh, and one thing,” she stopped me before I could send her over.

“Yes?”

“If Midnight marries at some point or gets a foal, whichever may come first.... There is a safe box in the Canterlot bank, number Twelve. The passcode is Midnight. Give her the contents please.”

“I will,” I said, bowing. “It was a honor to meet the pony that stole her heart. Now, go to her. You will know when the dream begins to fade.”

Sunset shot me a last, sincere smile and gave me a nod before I sent the dream and her essence to Midnight.

“I hope you enjoy it, my little night,” I said softly before continuing on the dreamscape, chasing away the nightmares of my subjects.

***

“I think she is,” I said with a small smile. “She loves you with all of her heart.”

“You say that as if she’s still here,” Midnight sniffed.

“Because she is,” I replied and planted a small kiss on her chest. “In here. Our beloved ones are always with us, no matter how long they are gone.”

She smiled at me. “You sound like you’ve got experience?”

“My dear Midnight. I’m thousands of years old. I lost many ponies I loved and even more I simply cherished. At first you’ll grieve and scream and weep. But after some time, you learn that you can always carry those ponies in your heart and smile if you think about them.”

“I never took you to be so wise,” she mocked me.

I poked her flank. “I wouldn’t be fit as a princess if I hadn’t learned something over thousands of years.” I stopped and frowned. “Or learned from my mistakes.”

Your mistakes will always haunt you! All those dead ponies!

Shaking my head, I gave Midnight a small smile. “I still think a lot about the past. But with ponies like you on my side, there will only be a bright future.”

Just continue lying to yourself and that foal.

“Can I ask you a rather personal question?”

I tilted my head in amusement. “We’ve shared lips, bed and fluids. What makes you think you could ask me a personal question?”

"Very funny,” Midnight snorted before stopping. “Do you remember anything from your time as Nightmare Moon.”

No

"Yes. Everything,” I whispered. “All the flames. The pain my moon brought. The pleading look in those eyes before I ended their life.”

“I’m sorry for asking,” Midnight winced.

“Don’t be, my little night,” I smiled and nuzzled her. “Time will heal all wounds.”

Aaand another lie.

“Now rest, a new day awaits tomorrow.”

Midnight nodded and shifted around, making her comfortable. She cuddled deeply into my side before laying her head over my neck, sighing peacefully.

“Goodnight, Luna.”

“Goodnight, my little Night,” I whispered back and soon found my own sleep coming to take me.

***

“You are a truly good liar, Luna. How long do you think you can withstand me?”

I growled at the black alicorn in front of me who mocked, even dared me. “I can withstand you forever! I know what I did by letting you take over. Never again!”

“My dear Luna. I’m you! You cannot abandon me! You can’t forget me! At some point, I will be powerful enough to take over again, and this time I shall not spare our dear sister or all those ponies.”

“Stay away from my sister, Nightmare!” I screamed, rage burning in me. “I won’t let you touch her!”

“Well,” she drawled back, “Then how about I visit that new love of yours?”

Nightmare suddenly took a step back as I closed in, my voice booming in anger. “If you do so much as bring her a single bad dream, I will shatter your part into pieces!”

“FOOL! You wouldn’t do that! You would give up immortality for a mortal?”

“You are a fool if you haven’t learned yet!” I screamed back. “You took use of old grief to take over once, but it won’t happen again. My friends, my beloved ones, they will protect me! You have no more power than to mock my mind and dreams!”

Nightmare turned around, smiling a last time at me. “We will see about that.”

***

“Luna!”

I groaned as I opened my eyes, just to see Blue Moon standing next to my bed, a sad expression on her face.

It was enough to wake me up. “What happened?”

“We… we found Grey Plate.”

“That is good news! Why are you so sad?”

“They waited for us,” she continued. “He had help from the Royal Guard.”

“What happened?” I growled.

“Two of us are dead, Grey Plate fled.”

I howled and jumped out of my bed, waking Midnight in the process. “What is going on?”

“Some minor problems, my little Night,” I replied, trying to stay calm. “Go back to sleep, I have to deal with it, but I will be back to join you soon.”

She looked sceptical at me, but laid her head back down. It wasn’t even long before her soft snores filled the air once more and I simply had to smile.

“Blue Moon. You should be in your chambers,” I said as soon as we were out of my chambers. “Don’t even try to argue with me,” I quickly glared her down. “You are due in not so many weeks from now. Please, be safe. For Night Watch.”

She looked down at the ground. “It’s not easy to do nothing. I want to fight.”

“And you will,” I said and lifted her muzzle. “But your little filly comes first.”

“I know, Luna.” She placed a hoof on her stomach and sighed. “I will go back to my chambers. They are waiting for you in the throne room.”

I watched her until she walked around the edge before I waved one of my guards to me. “I want you to double the guards in front of the general’s chambers and in the corridor as well. Double the guards in front of my door as well, just to be safe.”

The mare saluted and quickly galloped off to carry out my orders while I made my way to the throne room. Arriving, it was truly an unique sight, seeing Red Wave and Night Watch covered in blood, waiting for me. “Report.”

“We found Grey Plate in the outer districts of Canterlot. He fled as soon as he caught a glimpse of us, fleeing through the southern parks,” Night started, before shuddering. “It was a small massacre."

“Grey Plate led us into a trap,” Red Wave quickly continued. “Ten ponies, clad in the golden armour of the royal guard waited for us. We were outnumbered, but won. We lost three of our night guards, only Rose, Night and me survived.”

“Where is Summer Rose now?” I asked.

They both swallowed before Night spoke up. “In medical treatment. While Night and I were engaged in another corner, two royals pinned her down and…” she lost her words.

“They cut her wings off, my princess,” Wave continued weekly, wincing as if she could feel the pain.

I was shocked. Not so much on the death of three of my guards, but more upon the torture Rose was treated with. It was painful, imagining my wings cut off. It was something I wouldn’t wish to anypony. “Will she get well?”

“We… don’t know,” Night gulped. “When she woke up, she begged us to kill her.”

“I see,” I replied, already noting a visit in my mental checklist. “Who is dead?”

“Strawberry Ice, Northern Light and Sonar are dead,” Wave replied before looking up, anger evident in her eyes. “We have to talk to your sister! They attacked us openly, so she can’t close her eyes anymore!”

Strawberry… why? Steeling myself, I sighed and sat down, rubbing my temples. “I’m afraid my sister is convinced of her guards loyalty, and that they would never harm anypony without reason. She won’t listen to any of us.”

“But princess!” Wave started, but I cut her off.

“See to your wounds and then rest. It is time that I take the matters fully into my hooves,” I growled. “I will not tolerate-” I was cut short by the doors bursting open and a thestral rushing in before coming to a halt in front of me, panting heavily.

“Princess! We have a problem!”

“What is it, Burst?” I asked, groaning mentally that there would be even more problems.

“We lost contact with the outpost near Ponyville. The last magic message said something from the royal guards betraying us and going after the Princess of Friendship!”

“Why did we have a outpost at Ponyville?” Red Wave asked cautiously.

“To protect Twilight Sparkle and her friends,” I replied, before turning to Night Watch. “General, collect our best troops and meet me outside the Castle. The royal guard just started a war.”

They will regret ever threatening my family and friends.