Elben Tränen - The Tears of the Elf Ponies

Chapters

Prologue: To Birth a Nightmare - Gehirnwäsche
Chapter 1: To Endure a Thousand Winters - Ewigkeit
Chapter 2: To Trust an Elf - Unschuld
Chapter 3: To Salvage Instead of Savage - Lebensrettend

Prologue: To Birth a Nightmare - Gehirnwäsche

The little Unicorn filly watched, terrified, as the Lunar Guards pushed her parents into the dark room. The three of them had been forced from their home hours before by soldiers wearing silver armor. The ponies around town had spat on her parents; called them filth, called them traitors. They were blindfolded and taken here, wherever here was, and all brought to this room, together.

The little filly was far too young to grasp what was happening. She could only understand that something was horribly, horribly wrong.

Her mother was crying while her father stared back at the guards at the door; standing proud, like he always did. The sight was enough to lessen the filly's worry greatly. She loved her father very much. He never failed to make her smile when she had a bad day. He was always there, watching over her and her mother. He would protect them, she knew. The filly hurried to her mother's side, nudging her with her head.

"Momma? What's happening? Where are we?" she asked. Her mother didn't give her an answer, but shook her head. She just hugged her close, crying into her mane. The filly began to shake as fear sank it's claws back into her small heart. Her mother always knew what was happening. She knew everything.

"These are the ones who did betray Us?" The voice from the door was acidic, filled with an eternity of anger, and born from the lips of a creature of pure solitude; forever alone in a world filled with others. The filly peeked out from under her mother's forelegs, gazing upon the Dread Princess herself: Nightmare Moon.

Fear, unlike anything the filly imagine could exist, gripped her. She felt a wetness leak down her trembling hind-leg as the Princess of the Night glided into the room on silent hooves, staring at them as if they were insects waiting to be crushed. The filly noticed her father trembling, even as he continued to stand tall against the looming Dread Princess.

"Thou art the scum that delivered unto Our Sister the location of the Forward Eclipse Lancers?" Nightmare Moon scoffed, leaning close to the filly's father. He started to back away, but Nightmare Moon's tail swung behind him, blocking his exit. "We cannot believe such an insignificant cur didst manage to cause the decimation of an entire force of My troops. What filth thou art."

Her father gulped so loudly the filly heard it over her mother's crying. His strong facade began to crumble, terror creeping into his eyes. "W-we... We do not fear You, Princess. W-We will do what we must, to save Equestria."

Nightmare Moon smiled a cold, cruel smile. "Thou dost not fear Us? Thy Queen?" Her eyes swept over the filly and her weeping mother. "We could have been more deceived, traitor. Thy family seemest quite... distraught." Nightmare Moon's head didn't turn back towards the stallion, but Her eyes did, gazing at him balefully.

"We knew what the consequences would be. We accept them, in the name of the true Princess of Equestria." The filly blinked as her father spoke, smiling a little. Celestia was her hero. Just hearing about Her made her feel a little more safe. Her father always told her that Celestia would protect them, no matter what. She would keep them all safe, forever. At least, she was pretty sure he had.

The shift was subtle, so subtle that the little filly wouldn't have seen it, even if she'd been watching. The mere mention of Celestia sent a quiver of calm, calculated rage through the Princess's entire body. "Thou knewst the consequences? Hah!"

The little Unicorn squeaked as Nightmare Moon barked out a laugh, the Princess's magic wrapping around her and forcing her from her mother's hooves. She flailed, shouting for her mother. "Thou didst prepare to lose all thou hast for Our Sister?"

The foal was dragged before Nightmare Moon. Her mother screamed, trying to get to her child, but found herself being held at bay by a faint magical shield.

The stallion broke, regret and true terror entering his eyes for the first time. "No... No, don't hurt her... She hath done thee and thine no injury!"

Nightmare Moon raised an eyebrow, turning from the foal to regard the terrified stallion. "Thou needst not worry about thine innocent child." At first, the stallion relaxed, but his tension returned when he saw the fury in Nightmare Moon's eyes. "Her little eyes shall witness much in the eons to come. Once the power of the Nightmares hast prolonged her life, she will be the perfect blade to sever Our Sister's head. But We believe the young one shall first witness thy fate. We believe 'twill prove... educational."

The little Unicorn didn't understand. She screamed and flailed, trying to get away from the Dread Mare, but it was impossible. She was too small; too weak.

Nightmare Moon smirked, showing off a few of her razor-sharp teeth. "Thou shalt not live to see the light of Our own moon. Neither shall thy beloved. This is thine ending. Thy punishment is death." The filly tried to blink, but found her eyes held open by the magic levitating her. She was turned to face her parents. "Now, My child, witness the folly of betrayal."

Her mother perished first. The blast of magic took her in the side, clearing through her body and striking the wall her with a loud detonation. The hole in her body quickly filled with loose intestines, rushing to close the gap. She fell to the ground, gurgling through blood as it filled her throat, trying to crawl towards Nightmare Moon, towards her daughter. Her tear filled eyes pushed beyond the threshold of pain and into sweet insensibility. She died very slowly. She died very poorly. She died without any purpose at all. The back half of the room was painted a dripping, oozing red behind the soon-to-be corpse.

The filly screamed, wanting to close her eyes. "Momma! Momma!" She pawed her hooves at the air, but nothing happened. "Momma!"

Her father was next. He was shaking all over in fear and hate, staring at his dying wife; the stallion snarled, and rounded on the Princess. He threw everything he had into the magical blast he fired at the Dread Princess, but Nightmare Moon almost disdainfully knocked the spell aside with a flick of her horn.

"Sleep for eternity, thou worthless wretch." Nightmare Moon's return spell struck the filly's father squarely on the tip of his horn, shooting down it's length with a flash of blue energy. The stallion had a brief moment to widen his eyes before his head exploded, showering the Dread Mare and her tiny prisoner in fragments of bones, blood and grey matter. His body collapsed, blood spilling from the bloody stump where his head had been.

The filly had screamed her throat raw. She cried wildly, her mind breaking under the pressure of what she'd just seen. Slowly, she was turned to stare into the eyes of the Princess. "Thou hast seen, child; this is the fate of traitors. Do not find thine heart lacking in Our eyes. From this day forth, thou art Our child of pain and suffering; Schänder. Thou shalt remember no more, nor less."

The filly was finally free to close her eyes, but found they were locked open wide, tears pouring from them as shock settled in. She didn't feel the spell wash over her, wiping her mind of happy memories and drowning her in sleep.

~~~

Schänder had relived that night over and over again; this time was no different. Even sleeping, she wept for her parents and for herself. She couldn't remember their names, or even what happened before they were taken by the soldiers. All she remembered were that they were her parents, and they died for their indiscretion.

She was not a filly any longer; in the last two years, the experiments of Nightmare Moon, the magical mutation of her body, had scarred the child physically where her memories alone destroyed her mentally. She learned early that Nightmare Moon owned her, body and soul. Any disobedience was swiftly and painfully punished. She was given the promised immortality, at the cost of her equinity. Once the transformation was complete, Schänder was forced to sleep between bouts of experimentation, lest she destroy everything around her with her new-found abilities.

Schänder was the first of a new breed of pony; hopefully the only one of her kind that would ever exist. She bore three horns, two growing from a hardened carapace that grew outward from her primary horn, jutting out from the back of her head. Her magic was long gone, burned away by the experiments run on her. Now, she was told, she was magic's antithesis, the death of magic everywhere. She was a magical nullifier and she had been made for one purpose alone; kill Princess Celestia.

~~~

Schänder had no idea how long she slept, dreaming endlessly of the night her parents died and of the experiments that flayed her skin and warped her bones. Agony was her eternal companion and rage bubbled in her every pore. She was still small, but weak no longer. She wanted to destroy something. She wanted to kill somepony. She didn't care what. She didn't care who.

The cold snap of reality overtook her and Schänder opened her eyes. She was where she always was when she awoke; within her isolated chamber underneath the Castle of the Two Sisters. However, this time, there were no minions of her Dread Mistress to greet her. The lack of their bindings made Schänder hesitant. Nightmare Moon would often test her like this, seeing if she would attempt to flee. The punishment for such actions was always most unpleasant.

Sitting, Schänder awaited the arrival of her Mistress, staring blankly at the door to the room. Hours passed; Schänder began to worry. Was something the matter? Did her Mistress need her? She walked to the door, pushing it open slowly with a hoof.

The hallway was empty, abandoned. Weapons were strewn on the ground, left where they were thrown in haste. Schänder examined a spear with an idle curiosity, before starting off down the hall. Everywhere Schänder looked, there were signs of a hasty retreat, but not anytime recently. The castle must have been abandoned days, maybe even weeks ago, if the rotted food lying around here and there was any clue.

Schänder had grown since her last awakening. Last she could recall, she had been little more than a filly, but now she was a full-grown mare. Nightmare Moon had ensured her that her body would continue to age, until it reached it's physical peak. While a younger her might have been confused by that, she had been forced to understand. She had learned that understanding what the Princess meant was vital; misunderstandings were punished almost as severely as outright betrayal. She walked the halls, a small pony in an empty world.

Slowly, a smile crept onto her lips. She was alone in this foul place, this place that made her what she was. She had no chains wrapped around her. No promises of agony, should she resist. She was free. If only for now, she was free. These ponies were evil, tormenting her. Her Mistress had shown her what to do to evil ponies.

She focused her mind, clearing away all else and let the rage suffuse her. Her powers, her Limbs, reared up from her back. They were normally invisible to all but her, Limbs of the mind, each bearing a set of five digits. The ten 'Limbs' connected to her back with long tendrils, all transparent, and could stretch out to two meters.

She had learned many other things in her two years of study, experimentation and training; some things she just seemed to know. Her Limbs could vibrate at high speed, allowing them to manipulate the world around them, at her discretion. If she wished, she could use the limbs to lift objects, gently rupture a blood vessel in somepony's head or violently sever limbs. She could cut through wood, stone and some metals using her Limbs, a feat that impressed her Mistress of the Night greatly. But, the primary purpose of her Limbs was simple; they negated any magic they came in contact with. From barriers to magical blasts, Schänder could unmake any magic she encountered.

She let out a low sigh, several limbs picking up spears, the ceremonial weapon of the Night Guard, levitating them around her. With a grunt and snarl, she closed the digits on her Limbs, crushing the weapons into balls of worthless metal and wood. Never again would she feel the sting of steel in her flesh. She swore that to herself right then. She smiled, knocking the scrap metal out of her way as she continued down the hall, towards the experimentation hall and the exit.

Schänder had learned much. Much indeed; things her Dread Mistress didn't even know. For instance, she had learned how to warp the brain chemistry of those who studied her. With hours and hours of gentle probing, she could render a pony into a gibbering mess.

She even learned, despite her keepers best efforts, that she could in fact make more of her kind. The experiments, though successful, had bore unnatural fruit. Her Limbs did something to ponies they touched; rewiring the magic that fueled their bodies and making it impossible for them to bear magical offspring. All of their foals would be just like her, whatever she was... monsters, maybe?

Out of fear for her Mistress, Schänder had only done this once, then never again. Nightmare Moon wanted her to be the only one of her kind, and she would obey, no matter how lonely she was.

Venting her anger as she walked, Schänder crushed weapons, broke walls and generally destroyed anything that looked valuable. Her mind flashed over all the atrocities, all the horrors, done to her by these evil ponies. Nightmare Moon had wanted her broken. She was destroyed mentally and physically, but emotionally she was still alive enough to hate. No boundaries were too far for the Princess of the Night. She trembled, remembering what those stallions and mares did... The torturous experiments... The horrifying pain... Things beyond pain, beyond feeling, digging deep into her very soul... Hooves on her head... A coat pressed forcefully to her own...

She shouted, her Limbs firing out in random directions, crashing through walls and supports. She would find them. All of them. They could run, but they'd never hide from her. They would die, slowly, painfully, for what they did to her. And her Mistress would be pleased; she would make an example of those who wronged her, just as her Mistress did. She would surely reward her. She laughed to herself as she pushed open the final doors.

The light burned Schänder's eyes. She shielded her face with a hoof as she stepped out into the open, the sunlight warming her coat. It took the little filly several seconds to realize what this meant. She snapped her head up, nearly staring right at the sun before getting a hold of herself. The sun was up. That could only mean one thing...

Schänder collapsed, feeling tears gather in her eyes. Nightmare Moon was defeated. Her Mistress was gone. Everything that had been done to her, all the pain and suffering and torment... and she'd been useless. She wept, putting her head in her hooves. All those experiments had been for nothing! She'd suffered for absolutely nothing!

She threw her head back, screaming at the celestial body above her. She was beyond words, beyond coherency. She just screamed, like a wild animal or a madpony. She screamed, tears running down her face, for what must have been hours.

For a time, she wondered if this had finally, truly broken her, and pushed her over the edge into true insanity.

However, with some time, rage calmed to burning embers and Schänder forced herself to stand. No, she was still ponderously sane. She shook her head and grit her teeth. She still had a goal, a purpose. She would avenge her Mistress. She would still kill the Protector who had failed to protect her and her family.

~~~

It had been several days since her flight from her nightmarish imprisonment. Schänder looked down at the pony she'd killed, feeling cold and empty.

She'd hurt him, as she had been hurt, displaying her power and control. His organs had been punctured, his limbs broken and spirit crushed. She tasted his misery, basked in his sweet red blood, listened to his screams, and never once did she get the thrill she was promised. With a sigh, she gave him the mercy she was never permitted.

The crack of his neck sent a shiver up Schänder's spine. It was a very final sound; one that made her remember her own bones breaking. She wasn't sure if she liked it or not.

Climbing off the corpse, Schänder walked through his house. The stallion had been a loner, an outcast. From what she'd seen, he had been quite terrible in life, a cruel pony with no love for others. He had deserved no less than what she'd given him. Finding his kitchen, Schänder opened the fridge, using her Limbs to draw out food. She couldn't remember eating anything but the food they served her in her confinement. She was eager to taste something other than blood and sweat and fear.

The sound outside didn't distract Schänder from her task of preparing her meal. She had no idea how to cook, but she was sure she could figure it out. Dicing the food with her Limbs, she licked her lips in anticipation.

The blast of energy caught Schänder off guard. She flew across the room, smashing into a cabinet, shattering the wood. When she was finally able to open her eyes, she saw what she had both wished for and feared; Princess Celestia had come to her.

"A mere child? What hath Our Sister done to thee...?" The Princess stepped closer. Schänder snarled, throwing her Limbs out in defiance. They stopped only inches from Celestia, at the end of their tethers, vibrating with enough force that they could be physically seen and heard.

Celestia's eyes went wide and she teleported back several feet, staring at Schänder from across the room.

"Thou need not be afraid, dram one. We do not wish to harm thee." Celestia bowed her head slightly. "We heeded the call of our subjects. They did report strange happenings in the area. Trees hath fallen of their own accord and strange prints were discovered in the dirt. Wast this thy doing, child?"

Celestia's voice was nothing like that of her Dread Mistress. For the first time, Schänder felt no malice in the voice of a Princess. She actually felt at peace... How could this be the voice of her foe? She withdrew her Limbs, she stood cautiously, braced for some kind of trick. She gave her head a small nod, eyes flicking to the room behind the Princess, where the dead stallion lay. Celestia followed her eyes, frowning.

"Is there more thou wisheth to tell Us?" Celestia looked back to Schänder, making the little pony shiver. This was her enemy! How could she make her feel this way? She looked down and away from the Princess, shame making her meek.

Schänder kicked her hoof and looked back to the Princess, opening her mouth. Celestia recoil slightly, mortified. Schänder had no tongue. The Princess would have no way of knowing, but that had been Schänder's punishment for failing to address the Dread Mistress as such.

Celestia recovered quickly, staring in silence for a few moments, before turning and walking into the opposite room. After only several seconds, she returned, a pained look on her face. "We cannot believe Our Own Sister would stoop so low as to warp the mind and body of a youth so viciously. While We cannot condone what hath happened on this dark day, We know thou art not of sound mind, meaning the fault is not entirely thy own. And, if We may ask, what art those strange protrusions We did see thee extend?"

Schänder - seeing no reason to hide her Limbs - manifested the invisible extensions once more, keeping them close but making them visible through intense vibration.

The Princess stared, keeping her distance. They were like nothing she had ever seen before, and Celestia had seen much in her long life. They gave off a faint humming notable even at a distance, at least when they could be seen. Perhaps they were a new breed of magic? Experimentally, she tried to probe at one of the Limbs with a spell of detection.

Schänder screamed suddenly, a strange mental shock shooting through her horns. She felt a trickle of warmth flow down from her nose. She couldn't breathe out of one nostril and the other smelt the coppery tang of blood.

"Oh no! Are thou well?" Celestia took a step forward, but stopped herself when Schänder nodded. "We apologize... However, it is as We thought. Our Sister spake of a failed experiment during Our confrontation... It seemeth to Us that thy power is that experiment; a magic nullifier, helpless to Alicorn magic. It is too strong for your powers to erase." Celestia approached more liberally now, a barrier flickering up around her, snug to her body. "Child, thou wilt come with Us. Thou no longer need fear the ire of Our Sister. She is gone now."

Schänder stared at Celestia, unsure. She backed away slightly, her Limbs vanishing. In her eyes, Celestia saw questions; why hadn't she saved her sooner? Why save her now?

Celestia paused mid-step, a look of shock and pain appearing on her face. The Princess couldn't face those eyes, silently accusing her of failing. For she had failed, clearly. She wished for nothing more than to be a benevolent ruler, and yet her sister rested in a prison on the moon and now, here before her, was a child, stripped of her equinity and made into a weapon.

Celestia closed her eyes and lowered her head, tears falling to the floor. She took a deep breath to steady herself and looked back to Schänder. "Oh child, Our regret knoweth no bounds. Believe Us at when We say, if We hadst known and hadst the power, We would have ceased our sister's decent long ago. We are truly sorry. I am truly sorry."

Schänder tilted her head to the side, blinking. Her stare was quizzical, but Celestia couldn't see it.

Celestia shook her head and smiled, opening her eyes again. In them, Schänder saw genuine remorse, as well as a love that was beyond her comprehension. Likewise, Celestia saw the question in Schänder's eyes.

"Child, dear child, We have every reason to cry. We hath wronged thee in many ways. And so, We will offer what We can. Come with Us, and live a happier life. Cast off thy chains of hate and be born anew." Celestia reached out a hoof, pulling Schänder close to her. It was a warm gesture that Schänder vaguely remembered as a hug. She'd never felt one before, that she could remember.

Slowly, she put her hooves around Celestia. Her Limbs joined in the embrace, resting limply on the fringes of her shield. They were visible as faint wavering lights on Celestia's barrier, pressing against the only force able to hold them back.

One Limb broke away, drifting towards the wall. Amplifying her Limb, Schänder began to write.

Celestia lifted her head from the embrace, looking over to the wall curiously. "Schänder... Thy name is Schänder..."

For the first time in all that she could recall, Schänder felt tears mark her face that weren't caused by pain or suffering. She pulled Celestia as close as possible, feeling emotions she had forgotten how to feel wash over her. She was free now, even from herself.

Finally, she was free.

Chapter 1: To Endure a Thousand Winters - Ewigkeit

Life within Canterlot Castle fascinated Schänder. The guards were informed to show her the utmost respect, and even if they talked behind her back, Schänder didn't care. She was free.

Princess Celestia visited often, teaching her about the world and all that was around her. She took to calling Schänder an Elf Pony, noting that her extra horns made her resemble an age-old mythological race with long, pointed ears. Schänder, for her part, was glad to please Celestia. She took to calling her 'Auntie' in her writings and looked forward to every moment spent in her presence.

But that wasn't all life in the castle entailed. Celestia was curious about what had been done to Schänder and while her tests were never intrusive or violent, like her Mother's, they always made Schänder uneasy. The scientists would poke and prod, have her slice and pummel various materials with her Limbs, among other things. They once tried firing a small metal sphere beside her head, telling her to catch it.

That had been the first incident.

Schänder didn't remember what happened. She hadn't liked the experiment, and had made that known as best as she could. It reminded her of a similar test Nightmare Moon had performed, firing large weights at her body, using fear and pain to push her to her limits. However, despite her protests, they had begun the experiment.

They never found the right eye from the lead scientist. It was assumed to have been crushed when his corpse collapsed to the side, a ball-sized hole going clean through his head. Schänder had stood over his corpse for about an hour while the scientists retrieved Celestia and informed her of what happened.

"Child... Why hast thou done this?" Celestia said, calmly. She turned Schänder away from the corpse by force, after the mare didn't respond. Schänder's eyes were wide, locked in a blank stare. At least, that was what they told her once she came to.

It was decided to avoid any similar experiments to the ones Nightmare Moon had performed from then on. It was then, they truly began to see the cruelty imposed on the innocent little filly Schänder had once been. She had been beaten to unconsciousness to see if the Limbs could continue to act after she was unable to think. Once, one of her rear horns was chopped off to test what would happen. It was deemed, rather quickly, that reapplying it would be preferential than letting Nightmare Moon's secret weapon die.

The scientists, despite their curiosity, remained silent on all of these topics. They had seen what she had done to the last pony who upset her.

And so, the years passed...

Schänder jumped up from where she was sitting when Celestia entered the room, making a happy little sound. Decades had turned to centuries which had given way to the dawn of a new millennium and beyond. The two had become close, but nothing had fixed Schänder's damaged mind; a fact Celestia lamented daily. Hundreds of ponies, innocent scientists, had died over the many years of study thanks to uncontrollable bursts of insanity.

Over time, Schänder had grown to know these ponies, but her blackouts removed all of her inhibitions. More than once, Celestia had needed to contain her. And now, more than ever, Schänder regretted ever drop of blood she'd shed. She wanted to kill evil ponies, not the ponies she knew to be good, ponies who only wanted to know what she was so they could help her.

She had watched ponies age and die; their children filling their places only to die as well. For ten generations, she clung to Celestia as a bastion of eternity, the one static thing in this life of death. Celestia had taken to her in equal measure; without Luna by her side any longer, Celestia had only Schänder, who was still a well-kept secret, living beneath the castle.

There had been... complications, however.

After about six hundred years of solitude, Schänder had made a grave mistake; she had 'altered' several scientists, making them bear Elf Pony offspring. Ashamed, she neglected to tell the Princess until it was too late. Six foals were born, each bearing the unusual chitin plate and two extra horns.

Of the six, four survived their first year. Of those four, three were either killed or, preferably, recovered by Celestia when their powers inevitably got out of control.

The last one was never found.

Now, four hundred years later, Elf Ponies are believed to be a local urban myth all over Equestria. Unable to contain sightings of the tri-horned ponies, Celestia instead aimed to discredit those who stood as witnesses, putting out fires wherever they began. She didn't want news of this race - a race that could and would eventually unmake magic, if left unchecked - become public knowledge.

And so, Celestia lied to her people. She kidnapped foals from their homes, erasing their parent's memories of them. She even had to kill, when the foals were too dangerous. She hated this turn of events, but she never let Schänder see her hatred, at least after her initial anger. She understood the loneliness of being of a rare breed. She at least had Luna by her side at one time... And now, she did once again.

"Hello Schänder." Celestia smiled as she sat, a common ritual for the two. "Are you ready for today's lessons?"

Schänder replied with an enthusiastic nod, sitting down in front of the Princess. She had begun to act almost foalish around Celestia after the first few years, making it harder to see her as a monster. Around everypony else, she was either cold and emotionless, or heated and filled with rage. It seemed there was no other side of her, until you saw her in Celestia's presence.

"Good... But first, I brought you more pictures, if you'd like." Celestia levitated out her gift; pictures of beautiful waterfalls and cities filled with ponies. Schänder would stare at the pictures for hours, even having gone so far as to cover her entire wall with photos Celestia had given her over the years. "These are from Ponyville, where my student departed to some time ago."

Schänder's Limb wrote in the floor, a dirt layer that could easily be smoothed out. 'Your student... Not Sunset Shimmer, but... Twilight Sparkle, yes?' Schänder wrote, not looking up from the photo. Her Limbs were fast when they wrote, digging into the soil with an accuracy that became disturbing when you realized the primary use of the weaponized extensions.

"Indeed... You've a very strong memory, Schänder." Celestia watched as the mare shifted a picture off to the side, finished with it, moving to stare at the next.

'I learned to not forget, Auntie. Forgetting means pain.' Celestia winced as she read the message, carved into the floor so casually. Messages like this, remnants of her sister's indoctrination, were still violently burned into Schänder's mind. She was improving, but...

"Schänder... We need to speak about something. I've been keeping something from you, but I feel it might have been... Unfair of me to do so." Schänder looked up to Celestia, her gaze becoming curious. "Know that I kept it from you, for your own protection, Schänder..." Celestia took a deep breath. "Nightmare Moon returned several years ago. She was defeated, more soundly this time, by my apprentice and her friends."

Schänder's eyes lost their glimmer of childlike glee. The cold, emotionless shell threw itself up and Celestia hesitated to go on. However, she knew she had to. She had kept the secret far too long. It was time.

"She was changed by a weapon you may not remember; the Elements of Harmony. She was returned to her natural form and the Nightmares were banished from her mind. I have my sister back once again, Schänder. Princess Luna is back to her old self."

Schänder simply stared, blank. Celestia began to grow uncomfortable under that stare, filled with neither anger, nor joy. It was like she felt nothing at all. A loud sound made Celestia snap her head to the side. A head-sized print from one of Schänder's Limbs was pounded into the stone wall. When Celestia looked back, alarmed, a single tear had betrayed Schänder's internal conflict. Another sound, the pictures covering her wall shredding as lines, like a massive invisible claw, ripped down them.

"Schänder! Stop it!" Celestia rose, but felt a sharp sting on her face. She had risen into one of the Limbs, which smashed into the wall behind her. Schänder continued to stare, but some sensibility returned to her eyes.

'Auntie? Why? How could you do this to me?' The words carved themselves into the back wall, over top of the pictures Schänder had collected and cherished.

"Schänder stop this, this instant!" Celestia felt blood run down the side of her face. It was a shallow cut, but face wounds always bled an unfortunate amount. "I have given you many chances, because you were never yourself when you shed blood. How can I not give the same to my sister?"

'Because she's evil!' The words were written large, the word evil frayed and warped from the sheer force behind each slash that wrote it. Her Limbs appearing in a torrent of lashing shapes around her, carving fresh words into all the walls. 'She deserves to be destroyed! Utterly! Completely! Perish! Die!' The walls bore the assault, the Limbs giving Celestia a wide berth from now on. 'You will bring her here so I can end her! The final phrase slashed itself violently into the floor at Celestia's hooves.

Celestia frowned, standing to her full regal height. "And you are to make this demand, Schänder?" Celestia's glare forced some of Schänder's rage to wilt. She stepped back, the Limbs fading away. "She is my sister. Her mind was not her own and I don't blame her for what was done. I have forgiven her, Schänder. I would like you to do the same." Slowly, her face melted into a warm, lovely smile. "We could be a family, Schänder. The three of us."

Too little too late, did Celestia realize her poor choice of words. Pain flooded Schänder's face and she snarled, the Limbs returning to visibility. 'I would sooner die than call her any part of my family! If you will not bring her here, then I will find her!' The words were filled with untold rage and hate, the emotions showing in the slant and emphasis on words.

"You will not, Schänder." Celestia stood firm, but she felt herself being torn in two. She had grown to love this haunted, damaged mare as her own child. And now, seeing this, she saw her error. She charged her magic on her horn, shaking her head. "I am sorry... But I will not allow you to harm my sister, Schänder. You will stay down here... Where you are safe. So she is safe. I'm so very sorry..."

Schänder snarled and rushed forward. She was able to take two steps, before striking the barrier Celestia had placed up only seconds before she'd spoken. She had always refrained from trapping Schänder whenever possible, but now was a time when she had no choice. She turned, trotting from the room, ignoring Schänder's silent pleas, and wailing cried. She was confident Schänder wouldn't disobey her.

With a flicker of magic, she shut the door and sighed.

"I am so sorry, child..."

Even after all these years, Schänder still dreamed the same dream, reliving her first memory; her last moments of innocence. She pretended it didn't bother her to see it all. She lied herself and said she was disillusioned, but she still cried. This time, however, she was calm and level headed. She stared at the dream effigy of Nightmare Moon, gritting her teeth. Here in the realm of sleep, she kept her tongue and her voice. She used them to great effect, within her own dreams.

"I've seen you in my nightmares for as long as I can remember. Never once did I consider you could be free. If you've any spine, come to me now and let us settle this." She said the words out loud, a ghost in her own nightmare, watching her younger self suffer.

She was met with silence. Snarling, she whipped her head this way and that, searching. "You can't hide! Not even here! I will find you and I will unmake you! Show yourself, you dreamwalking cur!"

The dream around her faded, a new sensation washing over her. She grinned wildly as darkness coalesced into a pony-shaped form. "How long have you watched me?" She paced around the Princess as shadows melted away, revealing her.

"Who are you, that calls through the veil of slumber?"

The voice was different, lacking the same ethereal edge to it, but the speaker was unmistakably the same. Schänder would never forget that voice.

The dreamer gave a mocking bow, making it as exaggerated as she could. "If it doth pleaseth thee, mine name is of little import. It is thine that I have sought out and thateth is all that mattereth, thou filth-ridden wench."

Luna's eyes widened, her mouth hanging open. She stuttered, not used to such treatment, then flared up, her body enlarging and her eyes glowing white. "Who dares!?" She blared, towering over Schänder.

Schänder merely tipped her head and grinned, a manic and pleased grin. She had gotten under the Dread Mare's skin so easily, it was funny. "Have you forgotten me already, Mother Dearest?" Luna blinked at that, looking both confused and shocked. "Think back a thousand years. Turn those gears in your mind, long coated with dust, and remember! I will not allow you to forget what you did to me!"

Luna's eyes lost their glow, her eyes becoming introspective. Slowly, realization dawned in her face.

"The lost child..." She shrunk back down to normal size, shaking her head. "I-I... By Equestria, I did not know you still lived." Luna took one step forward, then hesitated. "Are you well?"

Schänder just had to laugh at that. She gripped her gut, feeling a tang of pain in her lungs as she nearly choked on her own laughter. It was not the laugh of a sane pony. "Am I well? Are you moronic? Do you bear even a shred of sensibility in that head full of stars, Dread Mother?"

Luna took a step back, shaking her head. "That name is behind me. I are Nightmare Moon no more."

"And you think that undoes all the damage? You believe truly, that this exonerates you of all your sins? You do not remember me? Allow me to help you, my Mother!" With a thought, the Nightmares returned, just as Nightmare Moon pulled her from her mother's protective hooves. "This was when you stole my childhood." Luna twitched as she watched herself blast a hole in Schänder's mother. "This was when you stole my innocence." As Schänder's father died, Luna stepped back, becoming violently ill. It seemed that, thanks to her powers as a Dreamwalker, Luna could feel sickness in this place. Schänder hoped she felt pain too.

"Shall I go on?" Luna's eyes were terrified, mortified, but Schänder continued. She displayed all of her trials, every experiment performed on her. In the dream, Luna witnessed every action she ever took against Schänder; every cut in flesh she commanded, every broken bone she ordered for. At some point, Luna had begun crying, babbling for Schänder to stop, but the tainted mare wouldn't.

Luna, for her part, was gripped by the horror of this. She truly hadn't remembered much of her time as Nightmare Moon, but this...? She'd never imagined horrors like this had occurred, at her word. By her own hooves. She was paralyzed, unable to flee to another dream, unable to look away, as she committed one unspeakable act to another on the filly, who's life she had stolen.

Schänder watched her, a disappointed look on her face. As the final memory faded back into Schänder's psyche, she trotted across the blank space, a void of emptiness, stopping to stare down at the weeping Princess. "You are pathetic. You allowed yourself to be defeated, you forced me to wait one-thousand years to look upon you again and then you disgrace the memory of my parents by becoming a blathering weakling."

Schänder spoke with a dispassionate monotone, walking around the slowly-recovering Luna. "I have decided; I will not kill you, Princess. Instead, I will unwind you. I will take away everything you love, just as you have from me. No matter the cost, I will destroy everything you hold dear. And then, when you are wrapped in misery and hate, I will give you one final gift..."

Schänder leaned down, inches from Luna's face. "Now. Run, Mother. Run, and know that I'm coming for you. I give you this head start; use it wisely."

Luna, trembling, evaporated into a cloud of starry smoke, vanishing into another dream. Schänder looked around the empty black void in her mind; a place where she believed her heart to reside, and let out a slow, relaxing sigh. She pushed aside Celestia's words, denying them in their entirety. While she loved Celestia like family, she refused to let Luna escape her punishment.

"I am death."

The guards outside Schänder's room were shocked when the mare threw her bed through the door. Never once had Schänder ever made an attempt to escape, so nopony had ever reinforced the walls or doors. The barriers Celestia had placed were more a suggestion than an actual restraint. All Schänder had needed to do was dig under them, and she was easily able to bypass the defenses. She could walk out the door whenever she needed.

She did not, however. The guards on either side of her door, nervous and uncertain, peeked into the room. The first was lucky, he was struck with a flying stone, which dented his helmet and knocked him unconscious. The second was struck with a Limb, sending him flying into the opposite wall. Schänder had learned enough restraint over the years to keep from killing with her Limbs, but sometimes, she struck harder than she intended. Stopping to only ensure the guard was still alive - which he was, thankfully - Schänder charged down the halls, turning this way and that. She most everything there was to know about the lower levels of the Castle. She had been given free reign to wander, up until now.

More guards rushed to stop her, a general alarm going up through the whole castle. Bolts were fired at her from down the hall from powerful crossbows, pitiful projectiles that she simply swatted away with her ten Limbs. She batted ponies aside when they got too close, brandishing steel or magic. By herself, Schänder cleared though what had to be a total of four or five cohorts of soldiers. Deep down, she knew she could eradicate the entire legion.

Too caught up in her thoughts, too distracted by the adrenaline of combat, Schänder didn't hear the soldier. He had stood down a hallway, waiting for her to pass, and then fired at her from behind. With a fleshy thunk, the pointed bolt lodged itself into Schänder's flank, making her scream in pain.

"I got her!" The guard shouted, but paused, realization dawning. He may have hurt her, but she wasn't down and his crossbow wasn't loaded. And now she was mad.

In fact, Schänder was worse than mad. Pain seared through her mind like a wildfire through dry brush. Her vision reddened and she lost control once more. She turned to stare back at the guard with a blank, empty stare, no longer feeling the pain. She thought of nothing but of the kill.

"N-Now wait a mi-" The guard started to say, but stopped, suddenly trembling all over. Then, all at once, his stomach tore open, as if two blades had been pushed into him and pulled in opposite directions. Organs flew outwards as the guard was torn in two, each half striking an opposite wall.

"Gerald!" Another guard down the hall shouted, bringing up his crossbow. "You monster!"

Others joined in, firing bolts and spells in desperation. Schänder simply turned, catching all the projectiles that flew her way, not simply redirecting them anymore. Spells vanished as she tilted her head to the side, staring at the soldiers as if wondering why they even tried, or maybe why they weren't running. Slowly, all the bolts turned in the air, facing back at the soldiers, who quickly grasped the situation.

They turned to run, ducking down halls or diving into doorways. A goodly number, however, were too afraid to think rationally. They were the Royal Guard, a ceremonial troop. They had only seen combat several times, and never against something like this.

They were easy targets. The rain of metal struck, piercing through armor and flesh, filling the hallway with screams. Schänder slowly advanced, not showing an ounce of impatience. She wasn't a pony, she was a force of nature; unstoppable, invincible. Wounded soliders stared up at her, terrified, as they tried to drag themselves away.

With a glance, if even that, Schänder ended them in a spectacular fashion, tearing their heads from their bodies and tossing them ahead, as warnings to those who dared approach.

She was coming. They would die.

Celestia kept her horn level as she led her men down the hall. Schänder had escaped her floor of the Castle, but she was lost now, wandering the halls aimlessly. She was a danger; she had killed so many already. Had she been wrong to leave her alive all these years?

The Princess of the Sun had prayed some shred of equinity still lingered in the little pony. She had kept her alive, in hopes of making amends to her; one of the greatest atrocities to ever stem from the Eclipse War. Her guards kept well back, by her own orders. She knew they would be useless in this battle, but the show of strength would bolster her men in the future...

... She would be unable to keep Schänder here any longer. The guards would never accept her, after this. They would fear her or hate her for killing their comrades. Perhaps it would be better if something more drastic was done.

Celestia held up a hoof, stalling her men, as she walked around the next corner. Not seeing the Elf Pony, Celestia motioned them onward.

Would she have to kill Schänder? After so many years, could she bring herself to do that? She remembered the face of the mutilated pony Schänder had killed the day Celestia had found her. But she also remembered the smile, that pure and genuine smile she gave whenever Celestia entered a room. Yes, the trust had been slow in coming, but now Celestia would rest in Schänder's presence with no shield to guard her. She believed in the little mare, despite it all.

Another corner. She repeated the process with her men, stopping mid-step as she rounded the corner. The twitching form of Schänder was laying in the middle of the hall, soaked completely blood, a pool of the thick, crimson liquid spreading around her. Celestia could hear her weeping, even from here. The Princess steeled herself and took aim. She wouldn't give Schänder a chance to even feel the pain. Celestia had killed many Elf Ponies since Schänder arrived in the castle; another mistake she had made in regards to this mare before.

Magic gathered on her horn and Celestia bit her lip. She was not some innocent child. Schänder had killed numerous guards today, guards who's only wrong was being in the wrong place at the wrong time. She had to do this; something had to change.

Celestia felt her blood freeze. Schänder had rolled over, and was looking at Celestia with miserable, pain-filled eyes. She had a crossbow bolt in her flank. From where Celestia stood, she could see that it impaired the use of her leg. She must have continued walking, even after being shot, and ground the projectile through her muscles.

Celestia trembled, feeling the energy reach it's peak. A well aimed spell now would go so far as to disintegrate Schänder. No more pain. No more killing. Celestia bit her lip hard enough to draw a drop of blood.

She released the spell.

Healing magic washed over Schänder, making her shiver. The bolt was forced out by the power of the spell, her wound knitting closed. Schänder trembled, both in fear and relaxation as the pain settled. She rolled again, turning away from Celestia, still shivering.

'How many? The words slowly, shakily, slashed themselves into the wall. Celestia looked over, frowning.

"We've found a total of forty-three dead. Get up."

Schänder obeyed mechanically. She stared at Celestia, eyes wide. 'You were going to kill me?' The words slashed into the ground between them.

Celestia let her shame show. "I considered it, child. What happened today was inexcusable. I locked you in your room to prevent a situation just as this, but you ignored my words and forced your way out. By all standards, I should have you killed or exiled..."

Schänder lowered her head. She could see regret and suffering burn into the mare's face. Agony and guilt made tears come to her eyes and Celestia had to resist the urge to rush over and comfort her.

She simply watched as Schänder trembled, biting her lip. She had seen this before, when Schänder apologized about spreading her kind. She had never done it again, so far as Celestia knew, and held true remorse about bringing trouble onto Celestia's head. "You will no longer be permitted to stay in the castle, Schänder."

The mare snapped her head up, looking terrified.

Celestia continued. "My apprentice in Ponyville is studying the Magic of Friendship. She recently came into the power of the Alicorn. You will stay with her..." Celestia sighed, turning to look down the hall at the guards. "Well away from the castle..."

Schänder lowered her head again, closing her eyes and crying.

The Princess of the Sun sighed and leaned her head down and approached the crying pony. "Yes, Schänder; today you disappointed me, but this is not the end of the world. You are still precious to me and I send you away for your own safety, not as punishment." She leaned back, frowning. "However, I will have to forbid you from coming back here. I will visit you in Ponyville when time permits."

Schänder wiped away her tears and looked up to Celestia, giving a small nod. She wouldn't allow this to happen again...

"My apprentice has a castle all her own, one without guards. I expect you to respect her, as you would me." Celestia helped Schänder up with a hoof, smiling as she saw a glimmer of curiosity in Schänder's eyes. This would be the first time in over seven-hundred years that Schänder went outside. And this time, it wouldn't be just onto a balcony; she would be out in the world. Grief still wracked her, but Celestia was happy to see a shimmer of hope in her little friend's eyes.

"Come, let's go pack your things..." Celestia lead Schänder around the corner, back towards her men. Ten crossbows snapped up all at once, aimed at the Elf Pony. Schänder's ears folded back and she leaned behind Celestia, who gave a motion for them to stand down. Reluctantly, the soldiers obeyed.

Side by side, a Princess and a defiler walked through the halls of a castle, pretending like the world was a much less miserable place.

Chapter 2: To Trust an Elf - Unschuld

Under cover of night, Schänder was brought to Ponyville. The Elf Pony refused to look at the stars or moon, either staring forward or looking over the side of the chariot Celestia was delivering her on. She had been so wrapped up in the ugly memories of darker days that she had forgotten how beautiful the world was. Bats flitted around the chariot, curious but cautious. Reaching out with her limb, she caught one, being as gentle as possible as she drew it close to examine it.

"Schänder, let the poor beast go..." Celestia's voice made Schänder look up from the squirming bat. Pouting, she released that bat, which flew off hastily to rejoin its family. "You will be on your best behavior for Twilight, won't you?"

For the tenth time, Schänder nodded to that same question. She didn't fault the Princess for being worried; after the incident, even she was having trouble trusting herself.

"Good..." Celestia sighed, looking ahead towards the jagged structure in the distance; the Castle of Friendship. Touching down at it's utmost balcony, Celestia stepped off from the vehicle. Schänder followed closely, keeping right beside her Auntie. This place reminded her of home, back below Canterlot, only emptier, quieter. She preferred it that way, in truth, but she couldn't help but expect something to suddenly and drastically change.

Through the halls, the two walked, before they arrived at a large, open chamber. High above were the roots of a tree, growing from the ceiling. Schänder's eyes widened and her mouth fell open as she gazed at the beautiful sight. Crystallized memories hung from it's many limbs, shimmering with the light of magic. Schänder had seen magic in her life; defensive, supportive and offensive. Never once had she seen magic being used for art like this.

Celestia smiled, giving Schänder a light tap with her wing. The mare blinked and lowered her head to the round table in the center of the room. There, seven chairs sat, all around a large, rounded table. In each chair sat a different pony, except for one, wherein sat a small dragon. Standing off to the side was another pony, who watched Schänder with nervous eyes. All of them stared at her with a mixture of fear and hope, a look Schänder had seen on Celestia's face many times.

She tried to smile, but it probably looked forced. She wasn't used to dealing with others.

"Twilight. Everyone." Celestia lowered her head in greeting. Schänder jumped and rushed to do the same, bowing lower than her Auntie. She wasn't a Princess. She was pretty sure that meant she was supposed to bow lower.

"Celestia, it's great to see you!" The voice was closer than Schänder had expected. When she raised her head, the Alicorn from across the room was in front of them. Schänder jumped, startled, and slammed the ground with her Limbs, propelling her back against the wall. It was as if an invisible force had swiftly pushed her away from the newcomer. A pair of large prints were crushed into the floor, each bearing the unique five-digit appearance of her Limbs.

"Schänder!" Celestia turned, but the Alicorn, presumably Twilight Sparkle, waved her down.

"I must have scared her. Sorry, I got excited and didn't think to announce myself when I teleported." The Princess of Friendship looked down to the prints on the floor, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "You were right, Celestia... They do vaguely resemble the claws of Griffons and Dragons. But they don't taper to a point... Why would they be so blunted?"

"They rely on vibration, not sharpness." Celestia answered swiftly, giving Schänder a smile. "This will be a new challenge for you, Twilight. Schänder has never had much social interaction with anypony besides myself in over one-thousand years... I don't believe I did her mind any favors by limiting her so..."

Schänder tilted her head, seeing a sad expression on Celestia's face. Inching back to where she was before, she leaned into the Dawn Princess, melting her worry into a smile. "She's very loving though, once she gets to know you."

Twilight watched, clinical and curious. "She has no Cutie Mark."

This was something Schänder herself had never understood. Celestia had taught her the concept of Cutie Marks, but she had never received one such mark.

"As long as I've known, she's never had one. I've many theories as to why, but no evidence. Perhaps you can find some answers where I failed, Twilight." Celestia put a wing around Schänder, pushing her forward so she was closer to Twilight. "Schänder, meet Twilight Sparkle. She and her friends will be taking care of you from now on. Treat them as you would treat me, as I love them all dearly."

Schänder looked back to Celestia, then to Twilight and her friends. She tilted her head, studying them.

"Awfully quiet, isn't she?" Rarity asked, a little hesitantly.

"Schänder is unable to speak. She has other means of communication." Celestia paused, then chuckled. "You will need help to repair walls and floors, I'm afraid."

Twilight tilted her head in curiosity, but her question was answered before she could ask it.

'Are you afraid of me?'

The words carved themselves into the ground in front of Twilight, who jumped at the sound of cracking stone. She stared down at the words, then looked to Schänder, who was staring back with wide, expectant eyes.

"Why would I be afraid of you? We've only just been introduced." Twilight offered her a smile, one that warmed Schänder's heart. She had never truly grasped friendship; with Celestia it was more akin to a kinship, rather than an ordinary friendship. She took a tentative step towards Twilight and, under the watchful eyes of Celestia, manifested one of her Limbs, holding it palm up to Twilight. This was a ceremony her and Celestia had performed many times; a sign of trust.

"Whoa!" The loud exclamation made Schänder jump again, her head darting over to the table and her Limb vanishing. The rainbow-maned pony hovered off her seat, staring at her Limb, wide eyed. "That was so cool! What was that?"

"Calm down, Rainbow Dash. You're frightening her." Twilight spoke calmly, looking back to Schänder. She had already recovered and was holding her Limb out once more. Twilight had been instructed already on what to do if Schänder did this. Carefully, she placed her hoof flat on the vibrating digit, feeling it tremble under her. The faint hum of it's intense shaking made Twilight's teeth chatter in her skull. Then, it all stopped as the Limb vanished. Twilight's hoof fell the small distance to the ground, landing with a soft click.

"It seems I may take my leave. I know she's in good hands." Celestia smiled and gave Twilight a hug, before looking to Schänder. She opened her wings, the Elf Pony closing the distance, hugging her tightly. Celestia could feel her Limbs, wrapped around her in a loving embrace. It was a special kind of hug; one only Schänder could ever give.

"Be safe, little one. Do not harm anypony else, ever again. Live peacefully, please. For me."

Schänder leaned back, blinking. She recalled her words, spoken to Luna several nights ago. She felt guilt twist her gut, but she nodded, knowing she would break that promise eventually. As Celestia took her leave, Schänder watched from the door to the Map Room, feeling very lonely, suddenly. She started to follow her Auntie, but felt a light tug on her tail.

"You can't, you know..." Twilight said softly, shaking her head. "She brought you here so you would be safe. Everpony here already knows about you and accepts you. You don't need to be alone anymore."

Schänder wasn't sure how to feel. She smiled and nodded, thinking that response appropriate. This time, the smile was more genuine.

"She's really as old as Celestia?" Pinkie Pie was there before Twilight could blink. The pink pony walked around Schänder with a jokingly speculative look on her face. "She looks super young. Not saying Celestia looks old or anything! She's well aged! Like chocolate!" She shouted down the hall, just in case.

"The Princess told me she was subject to experiments. She stopped aging about our age." Twilight pulled Pinkie back with magic. Schänder was slowly backing away from the excitable pony.

"So she's our age then?" Fluttershy drifted over, peering at Schänder from under her hair. She seemed shocked to see a pony just as afraid of things as she was.

"Not exactly..."

"Well what is it? An' what's with them horns? Three of 'em?" Applejack joined in, gathering around.

"Well, you see-"

"Hey, show me that freaky limb thing again!" Rainbow darted in, cutting Twilight off.

"Girls, st-"

"Hello darling, my name is Rarity. A pleasure." Rarity joined the crowd, keeping a polite distance and offering an introduction. She was determined to be civilized, even if the others were acting rowdy.

Schänder's eyes darted from pony to pony, sweat beading on her head. Fluttershy had noticed and was joining with Twilight to try to get the other ponies back, but Rainbow Dash and Applejack were excited about meeting a new friend. This was to say nothing of Pinkie, who Twilight was having to physically and magically restrain.

Something clicked in Schänder, just enough to weaken her restraint. She cried out, a primal sound of fear, her Limbs lashing out from her body. She wanted space. She needed them to go away.

Silence filled the room. There were several Limb prints buried into the walls, and a thin patch of blood on the floor. Flutterhy trembled on the ground, a hoof to a shallow cut on her face. Instantly, the others were there, standing between Schänder and Fluttershy, looking prepared to fight.

The Elf Pony backed away, shaking her head.

She hadn't meant for that to happen. She had already broken her promise. She was dangerous. She killed without meaning to kill. Tears filled her eyes.

She was a monster, wasn't she?

"Schänder, wait!" Twilight shouted as the three-horned pony ran off down the halls, crying. She had no idea where she was going. She wasn't sure if she cared anymore.

~~~

"Two minutes with the Princess's friend, and we scared her away..." Rainbow Dash sighed out as she drifted through the castle halls beside Applejack. "We screwed up, didn't we?"

"Yeah, I feel right awful... I been around Fluttershy enough that I should'a noticed we were pushin' too hard." Applejack agreed with Rainbow, shaking her head. "Think Twilight's mad at us?"

"Probably. But we'll make it up to her by finding... However you say her name, and bringing her back, safe and sound." Rainbow flipped once in the air, getting herself hyped up.

"What makes you so sure she went this way?"

"Huh? I've been following you." Rainbow Dash blinked, looking at Applejack in confusion. Applejack groaned, smacking her face with her hoof.

"Well, ain't that just-" Applejack paused, her ear flicking. Rainbow stopped, staring at Applejack.

"What? Why'd you-"

"Shhh." Applejack closed her eyes, her ear flicking again. "I hear cryin'."

Rainbow perked up instantly. "Which way?" The Pegasus looked braced to fly off without warning, but Applejack grabbed her tail.

"Slow 'n steady, Rainbow. We don't wanna spook her again."

~~~

Schänder sniffed, wiping her eyes. It didn't accomplish much; she was still crying. She looked down at the hallway, her Limbs holding her up in the air by pressing on opposite walls. Schänder liked being up high when she was sad; something about it made her feel... bigger. She watched as Twilight's friends, Rainbow Dash and the one with the hat, passed below. She started to leave, her Limbs crawling her along the walls, but she stopped when she overheard what they were saying.

They were... blaming themselves? But she had hurt their friend; an innocent pony.

Why were they looking for her? They were ready to fight her only minutes before. Schänder decided that these ponies were strange...

The two stopped, talking among themselves. Schänder sniffed again, needing to give her eyes another wipe to clear away tears. When she looked down again, the pair of ponies were looking straight at her, Rainbow's jaw dropped in amazement. They likely hadn't expected to see her floating in the middle of the air.

With a squeaking sound, Schänder pushed off the walls at an angle, launching herself along the hallway with alarming speed. Rainbow followed, flapping furiously to keep up as limb-prints smashed into the walls, accelerating Schänder even more.

"Hey! Stop, alright! We're sorry!" Rainbow shouted, trying to be heard over the sound of cracking stone the walls made when the Limbs struck.

Schänder heard her, but pretended she didn't. They didn't need a friend like her, a violent monster that hurts innocents. The scientists who didn't listen to her had gotten their punishments, but those soldiers had done nothing to her. The one who harmed her had died, but all those others? And now this pony, who had been trying to help her? How could she justify this?

She slammed hard off a wall, throwing herself through one of the large, stained glass windows. She couldn't stay here. She had to run.

Outside, she was met by a sudden wall of magical force, stopping her in her tracks. She nearly screamed, thinking Celestia had come back and knew what she'd done, but the aura wasn't familiar. She looked up to see Twilight, looking down at her from atop the barrier. Suddenly, the energy slowly condensed, wrapping around her. Schänder was forced back into the castle as the bubble grew smaller and smaller.

Twilight, sweating and panting from exertion, flew in the broken window just as Applejack arrived. Rainbow was already hovering in the air around where Schänder was being contained; the bubble stopping it's shrinkage once it reached the walls of the hallway, holding Schänder in.

"There you are..." Twilight said, panting. "We were worried about you."

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" Rainbow said through the bubble, landing in front of Twilight. The Princess leaned around her with a slightly amused, slightly irritated expression. "I got overly excited. You're just... so cool!"

Schänder tilted her head. What was cool about being like her? Different, violent, and broken. Not cool.

"Rainbow Dash, it was crowding her that scared her off in the first place. Calm down; you're almost as bad as Pinkie." Twilight chuckled, walking around the Pegasus. "Schänder, Fluttershy is okay. She says she doesn't blame you and to come back."

Schänder felt something stir in her. It was a strange feeling, a small warmth deep in her chest. She lowered her head and placed a hoof there, as if she could feel it physically. When she looked back up, Twilight was walking into the barrier. Schänder took a step back, expecting some kind of punishment, but Twilight did something she hadn't ever expected.

She held out her hoof, exactly as Schänder had with her Limb when they'd been introduced. The mare's smile was genuine and Schänder felt the warmth grow. Gingerly, she made her Limb appear, placing it on top of Twilight's upturned hoof.

"Friends?" Twilight tipped her head down, lifting her eyes to keep eye contact with Schänder.

The Elf Pony hesitated only a second before nodding. She felt tears roll down her cheeks. Her first friend, besides Celestia.

"Good..." With a sigh of relief, Twilight dropped the barrier. "Then let me show you to your room."

~~~

Twilight let out a relieved breath once Schänder was resting peacefully in her chambers. She returned to her own chambers, shutting the door behind her with a flick of magic. She looked to her trembling hoof, trying to shake off the sensation she'd felt in Schänder's presence. She had done well hiding it at the time, but...

She had lied to Schänder's first question; she was, in fact, afraid of her.

Fourty-three soldiers dead in her attempted escape. Countless scientists, killed for making poor choices in experimentation. A burning, violent hatred for Princess Luna. And to top it all off, she was an Elf Pony, a urban legend come to life. Twilight was terrified of Schänder's potential for violence. And yet, when Schänder had agreed to be her friend, Twilight saw eyes not unlike those her other friends had. Shouldn't they be colder; the eyes of a monster?

Twilight lowered her hoof and walked towards her bed, looking over to Spike as he slumbered in the corner. She would need to protect her friends, but not make it obvious to Schänder that she was doing so. To an extent, she would need to trust that the Elf Pony was serious in her deceleration of friendship. Twilight had experience reforming those who knew little of friendship and it's magic, but never had the creature in question been so dangerous. Discord held risks, but he could undo anything he did with a snap of his fingers. Death was far more final.

Flopping onto her bed, Twilight stared up at the ceiling and considered how to build a prison that Schänder would willingly accept.

Chapter 3: To Salvage Instead of Savage - Lebensrettend

Princess Luna stared off the balcony, her eyes reflecting the light of the moon as she raised it into the sky. Her sister, standing behind her, stood in silence until her work was complete.

Once the moon was held high and Luna's magic faded, her sister walked to her side, frowning. "Luna, please tell me you didn't..."

"She threatened me sister. Threatened you. I have no other choice. I will defend myself and that which I love, by any means necessary." Luna turned, closing her eyes. "I have fought long and hard to forgive myself. I faced my nightmares and drove them back. The Tantabus' shadow haunts me no longer." She opened her eyes partially, staring into the shadowed room. Her sister couldn't see her eyes, couldn't see the terror lurking in them. "Now, only her shadow remains cast over me..."

"If you'd just left it to me, Luna, you wouldn't need to ever see her again." Celestia trotted over, stomping her hoof loudly. "Now tell me, who are they and when will they attack. I must warn Twilight and Schänder. I will not lose any of those I hold dear; not you, not her. Do you understand?"

Luna looked over, eyes wide. She let her surprise fade, then shook her head. "They are a unit I put together to combat Elf Ponies, after I learned they were still roaming around Equestria. Like you, dear sister, I have been silencing that which would destroy our magic. And, in doing so, I keep your hooves, as well as mine, clean."

Celestia took a step back, pained. "I... I haven't been forced to kill an Elf Pony in many years, Luna. I grant them sanctuary in villages well away from other ponies."

"A foolish act of kindness, sister... One of your havens has already been exterminated."

Celestia felt anger boil into her heart. "Luna, you-"

"I did what I must, sister." Luna interrupted, walking back towards Celestia. "You never could make the hard choices. You're kind and benevolent, remember? I am the one who must do the more... deplorable things." Luna shook her head, sighing. "The Elf Ponies have no chains in your havens. They are free to come and go, infecting Equestria. There is a reason I named Schänder what I did. In the Lunar tongue, Schänder meant Defiler, sister. Schänder will bring about the death of magic itself, if left to wander. Had I not been defeated by you all those years ago, I would have killed her once she'd served her purpose. She is too dangerous to let live."

Celestia was speechless. She was still furious at Luna for killing those ponies she had promised safety, but she couldn't refute her sister's logic, as much as she wanted to; Elf Ponies were a genuine danger to the entirety of magic.

"When will they attack, Luna?" Celestia sighed out, her tone that of defeat. "I won't ask again."

"And if I refuse?" Luna looked over to her sister with a smile. "I won't, however... Because it doesn't matter." She looked back out into the night, admiring the moon and stars. "I wouldn't have told you if there was anything you could do. If it matters any, they have been given orders to be careful to not harm your pupil or her friends. However, the unit struck yesterday. I am merely waiting for a report."

~~~

Schänder stared up at the sky from her place high in Twilight's castle. She had taken a love to being in high places. She had spent so long underground, buried away from the world, that now she wanted to see as much of it at once as possible. She placed her hooves up on the windowsill, taking a deep breath of fresh air. The sun was just beginning to set, a sight she found almost as beautiful as it's rising.

"Hey. I brought you dinner." The mare blinked, turning around. Twilight's dragon, Spike, was in the doorway, holding a small tray of food. He still looked at her hesitantly, as if she was dangerous. Which, she supposed, she was.

She used a Limb, lifting the meal from Spike's claws, setting it on a nearby table. She gave him a smile and nod, silently showing her thanks.

"You really can't talk, huh?" This wasn't the first time the dragon had attempted conversation with her. Normally, he would chat for a time, get nervous about being around her, and leave politely. Schänder was glad for the company, regardless. She shook her head from side to side, climbing up onto the bed near her food.

"How come? Why didn't you just get your tongue put back in with magic?" Spike climbed up onto the bed with her, sitting across from her. Schänder noticed the distance he kept, but didn't let it bother her.

'Lost parts cannot be added again by magic. Too complex.' Schänder wrote onto the wall behind her, just big enough for Spike to read. When they had first met, the dragon had been frightened by how harshly she had slashed her words into the wall. She had since learned to have a gentler touch around him.

"Oh. Sorry." Spike rubbed his arm, looking to her tray nearby. "You gonna eat?"

Schänder smiled and drifted the tray between them. The meal was simple, a handful of veggies, along with a daisy sandwich and some ice cream for dessert. Schänder split the veggies, keeping the sandwich and offering Spike the ice cream, which he heartily took to.

"Hey, thanks!" He scooped in a big spoonful, making Schänder tilt her head. He was eating dessert before dinner? What a strange creature. Schänder turned, looking out the window again, watching the moon rise. It was Luna's time; a fact that made Schänder furious. She swore vengeance on the Dread Princess, but here she was, pampered in a castle, rather than seeking revenge. She sighed, stamping out those feelings of rebellion. She had seen what anger did to her. She hadn't liked it. Time passed with the only sound being Spike, noisily eating the ice cream. Schänder gave a small sigh, keeping her eyes on the moon.

'Spike, why do I frighten you?' Schänder wrote into the wall without turning from the glowing satellite. It was the first time she had ever directly approached the topic of the dragon's fear. A long silence filled the room and Schänder closed her eyes. 'It's okay. You don't need to' A choking sound make Schänder cut off abruptly. She whipped her head around, staring, wide eyed, as Spike grabbed at his throat, his eyes wide in terror.

Schänder screamed, slamming her Limbs against the walls, making as much noise as she possibly could. She moved Spike off the bed, just as his choking stopped. He still gripped at his throat, eyes wide, seemingly unable to breathe. Schänder laid him down on the floor just as Twilight burst in, her eyes snapping to the baby dragon.

"Spike!" Schänder felt herself pushed away with magic, her eyes going to the Princess. Twilight was staring at her with narrowed, cautious eyes. "What did you do?"

The accusatory tone made Schänder flinch, her ears folding back. She didn't hesitate to explain to Twilight, slashing the words swiftly into the floor. Twilight read, looking over to the dragon. She moved to his side, examining his symptoms with a clinical air. The dragon was unconscious now, foam leaking from the corner of his mouth. His body still spasmed, his muscles contracting violently as they tried to deny the intrusion into his body.

"He's been poisoned..." Twilight muttered, fear creeping into her eyes. "It's bad. Really bad. Spike, hang on... Spike!" Twilight gave the dragon a light shake, but she had no idea what to do. Fear hit her like a truck. Tears welled in her eyes and she collapsed. "Spike, no! Don't do this to me!"

Schänder moved closer, looking down at Spike. It must have been in the ice cream. She closed her eyes, focusing on her Limbs.

Spike twitched, a small reaction to the large procedure Schänder was about to perform. Solidifying only a part of her Limb was complicated. Doing it inside another creature, near impossible. However, Schänder had practiced; it was one of the few tests Celestia's scientists had performed that she had actually enjoyed. She had learned to use her abilities to help ponies.

She shifted the dragon's insides, bringing the bile in his stomach up and loosening his throat forcefully. Spike let out an impulsive gasp as his airway cleared, taking in a massive breath through his unconscious state. Schänder rolled him over, pushing the bile up out from his stomach, taking the poisoned food with it. She scoured his intestines as well, just to be safe.

Spike's throat filled for a moment, before the bile rushed out, spilling onto the ground opposite Twilight. The Princess snapped her head up at the sudden evacuation, then looked over to Schänder. "Are you...?"

Schänder ignored her unspoken question. She still had work to do. Using multiple limbs, she began to stimulate Spike's organs, such as ensuring his lungs received air. As she was about to move on to helping his heart along, the organ suddenly slowed to a stop.

Panicked, Schänder nearly sliced a valve in her haste to wrap a Limb around his heart. She gently squeezed, pumping his heart for him, stimulating the flow of blood until the organ began to work of its own accord again. Sighing in relief, she helped his heart maintain it's pace as she began to filter his blood, a complex process for which she needed to open up cuts under Spike's scales to begin.

Over the course of several grueling minutes, Schänder filtered the old blood out, making way for the new. If Spike were conscious, he would have felt his limbs going numb one at a time as Schänder filtered out his blood, before returning them to semi-normal status. She began to massage his muscles, trying to work the poisoned blood out of his system, expelling as much of it from his body as she could. All ten Limbs went to work, aiding the ailing dragon in many different ways.

It was a long, arduous procedure; Schänder felt herself nearly slip and injure the dragon more than once. When dealing with somepony's insides, even the slightest error could prove fatal. It was, she grimly admitted, much easier to kill than to heal. Maybe that was why it came so naturally to her.

Finally, she was confident she had cleared away most of the poison. It wasn't all of it - not even she could perform miracles - but she had hope that Spike's natural immune system would be able to take things from here. She looked up to Twilight, who was sitting on her haunches, watching Schänder in stoic silence. Schänder offered the Princess a smile and nudged her head towards Spike.

Twilight seemed to understand, moving to the dragon's side. She began checking him over for any of the small cuts Schänder had made to filter out the bad blood, healing them one by one. The dragon was still trembling and running a very high fever, but the situation wasn't nearly as grave.

Schänder suddenly realized how exhausted she was. The procedure had taken all of her concentration. She had needed every ounce of her awareness to control her limbs with the precision needed to fix the damage to the baby dragon. She felt her legs tremble, but before she fell, Twilight was there, supporting her with a wing.

Schänder looked over, meeting the Princess's stare. Twilight was silent, guilt filling her gaze. She helped Schänder to her bed, gently levitating her up. As Schänder relaxed, Twilight moved Spike to the bed as well, laying him somewhere more comfortable for the time being.

"I owe you an apology, Schänder." Twilight sat down again, her expression serious. "I immediately accused you of doing something to Spike; that in itself was wrong enough. But I also lied to you when we first met." Schänder's ears pricked, but she didn't respond, letting Twilight continue. "I was terrified of you. Celestia had told me what happened below her castle and I was scared you would do the same thing here, in Ponyville."

Schänder's ears folded back, her gut twisting. She looked down to the bed silently, but Twilight kept going. "However, I was mistaken in that fear. Or, at least, misguided." Twilight looked over to Spike, smiling warmly. "You probably saved Spike's life today... Even after I accused you of harming him. You've no idea how much this means to me, Schänder." Twilight smiled, returning her eyes to the Elf Pony. "Before, I told you I was your friend out of fear. Now, I say it with confidence and no guilt in my heart. Thank you, Schänder. I see now why Celestia cherishes you so much."

Schänder felt her heart lighten. She smiled, maybe even blushed, growing slightly bashful. No one but Celestia had ever praised her. Never thanked her or told her they cherished her. She felt wanted again; a feeling that filled her with joy. However, Twilight continued still.

"However, since you didn't poison Spike, we need to wonder who did..." Twilight trotted over to Schänder's food tray, which was spilled over the opposite side of the bed from where the Elf Pony and dragon were resting. "I'm confident that poison wasn't meant for Spike, Schänder. Somepony is trying to kill you."

~~~

Spike groaned as he woke the next night, his whole body aching. It was just before sunrise, filling the room with predawn light. All around him were his friends, some asleep and others keeping vigil. Twilight, looking like she hadn't slept in days, gasped when she saw his eyes open. "Spike! Spike's awake!"

Everypony began to gather; waking up or dropping whatever they were doing to go to the little dragon.

"What... happened to me?" Spike asked, only vaguely remembering the burning pain in his gut and the terror of not being able to breathe.

"Somepony was trying to poison Schänder, but got you instead." Twilight said softly, her brow drawn together with worry. "Are you feeling okay? Schänder was concerned you suffered some brain damage... You were gone for a while there, Spike..."

"Gone...? You mean..." Twilight nodded gravely.

"Schänder said your heart stopped beating for a minute or so... She was worried about you."

"Schänder was?" Spike asked curiously. Twilight nodded, nudging her head over to the window. Schänder was there, staring out at the rising sun with a smile on her face.

"Dear, stop being so melodramatic and come on over. I'm sure Spike would love to thank you for saving his life." Rarity said, looking over to the Elf Pony.

"Yeah, seriously! You're a hero now, Schänder." Rainbow drifted just off the ground, smirking. "How does it feel?"

Schänder didn't answer, just watching the sun rise with a gentle smile. She sighed, leaning herself against the edge of the windowsill, taking the pressure off her side. Spike went to talk, but jumped when a force touched his side. Invisible Limbs tucked in his blankets, making sure he was comfortable.

"Thank you, Schänder... I'm sorry for being scared of you. You're a really nice pony." Spike said, closing his eyes. "Thank you so much."

Schänder felt a warmth spread in her. She'd never been told she was a good pony, not even by Celestia. Even if her Auntie had never said it out loud, Schänder knew she was an abomination; the progenitor of a race that shouldn't be. Could she really be a good pony?

Looking into the distance, she stared towards the faint Pull she felt at the back of her mind. She had always wondered what that feeling meant and now she understood. Out there, somewhere, others of her kind were looking at this same sunset. Somewhere, out there, they were being Pulled to her as well. They were linked through their Limbs, bound together by the power of their minds. Schänder wondered to herself if they felt the same way about themselves.

Did they wish to be more than monsters?

~~~

Luna ground her teeth, staring at the Captain of the Anti-Elf unit. "So, not only did you fail to kill Schänder, you nearly killed the Princess's baby dragon instead?" The Captain had the good sense to lower his eyes, adopting a posture of regret.

"I'm sorry, Your Royal Highness. We-"

"Your Majesty." Luna corrected. The Captain looked confused for a moment, before Luna took a step forward. "When We are alone with you, you are to address Us as Your Royal Majesty, fool!"

The Captain quickly recovered. "Y-Yes, Your Royal Majesty." His subordinate in the corner shifted, moving forward and offering a roll of parchment, wrapped in a magic aura. The Captain accepted this, offering it to Luna with his head bowed. "We failed with poison, but other methods still are available. With your permission, we would like to use some of your power and deal with this Elf personally."

The Princess levitated the scroll up, examining it silently. After she was finished, she rolled it up again. "This is not per your usual norm, Captain. Who developed this plan?"

The subordinate, a unicorn Luna knew as Crimson Fire, stepped forward, bowing his head. "It was my idea, Your Royal Majesty. I felt a more direct approach was needed to deal with the progenitor of those foul monsters."

Luna tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. "You harbor a particular dislike for the Elf Ponies, it seems."

"Yes, Your Royal Majesty. I was... affected by one of them when I was only a colt. My first foal turned out to be one of those... things." He spat the word, snarling. "My wife died giving birth to it. I tried to give it a chance, but the beast was just so... wrong." Crim's eyes grew steely. "It lived in the Haven our unit destroyed last week. I personally saw to it that the monster payed for killing my wife."

Luna took all this in with a silent, solemn nod. "Very good... You are promoted." She looked back to the Captain, who was opening his mouth to speak. With a shimmering of her horn and a slightly raised eyebrow, she displaced a part of the stallion's brain. The Captain twitched violently where he stood, began to drool on himself, and toppled to the side. He convulsed for several seconds before growing still.

"Congratulations, Captain Crim. We admire your forward strategy. All this cowardly poisoning and back-alley murder never sat well with Us. Our enemies should lament their decision to stand against Us before death takes them." Luna walked around the corpse of the former Captain, nodding her head to Crim. "While We understand that Schänder is no weak adversary, We will not tolerate repeated failures. Your ex-Captain's fate will seem pleasant compared to what will befall you if you should accept this trial and fail Us. We give you this chance to step down now; accept and you will make an oath to serve Us well."

Crim nodded without hesitation. "I accept, Your Royal Majesty. I won't let you down."

Luna smiled, stepping back. She had been ready to incinerate Crim, had he refused. "Very good. We look forward to your service, Captain Crim. You may go." Luna looked down to the corpse, sighing. "And get one of your new troops to clean up this mess." Luna turned, departing. She needed to pass through several hidden passages before she found herself anywhere she traversed regularly. Sighing, she quickly let the mask slide back on; the facade of the dutiful younger sister to the False Princess of Equestria.