What was the fight all about?
It had happened so long ago that Moonlight Raven wondered if there was even a point to it anymore.
Sunshine Smiles had been her only friend due to her half Bat Pony heritage (which was why her eyes were slitted). Contrary to what others thought, Princess Celestia had tried to make life better for their kind by properly integrating them into equestrian society… but no matter how hard the Princess tried, the prejudice against Bat Ponies continued, hardly thanks to the corrupt nobles among other things.
Many were to work for low wages… which forced them to get multiple jobs just to make ends meet… or worse, sell their bodies…
There were even various instances where they were kicked out of establishments that didn't want their kind around… or certain families were relegated to cheap and unsafe neighborhood.
While there were a fair amount of ponies that accepted them, the negatives outweighed the positives to the point where it felt like they were never truly allowed to be seen as a part of Equestria.
It was honestly a wonder why the bat Ponies didn't rebel sooner.
When Nightmare Moon returned, She sought out the various colonies hidden across Equestria. She offered them a world where their kind wouldn't be seen as lesser beings, but the masters of their own fate. A world where those who dwelled in the dark would never have to fear the light.
Some of the bay ponies were hesitant, with a fair amount of them not wanting to believe that treachery was the only option, but Nightmare Moon swayed them with the promise of a better life for not only them, but their families, children, and the descendants.
"Princess Celestia, for all her so-called "kindness", is weak when it comes to challenging the methods of her own subjects!" Nightmare Moon had shouted, even going as far as to list off how the nobles had more say on how their kind were treated than their own ruler. "To get anything done in this world, you must force these changes to occur! No bartering, no bargaining, and no letting those who would see us wipe off the face of Equestria decide our fate!"
At that very moment, their choice was obvious.
A part of Raven flinched at the bitter memories of the look of hurt and betrayal on her best friend's face the moment she'd told Sunshine that she was joining Nightmare Moon. It hurt hard to turn her back on for friends like this, especially since Sunshine and her family were the only ones that treated Raven's family like they were actual decent ponies.
The survival of her family came first, and she couldn't risk leaving her fate in the hooves of those who would gladly persecute her over her species alone.
And if Nightmare's story was true, then Princess Celestia was no better, banishing her sister out of fear of her growing power.
Staring down at her spear, Raven sighed as the battle against her best friend played in her mind over and over again. Sunshine had definitely grown stronger since their last duel years ago, even adding a few new moves to her arsonal that Raven hadn't seen before. Before now a part of her had wondered just how much the two of them had changed over the years, and their most recent battle seemed to speak more to them than words ever did…
…until it all ended because of an interference.
Growing, she tossed her spear into the ground of her tent. 'How dare that lowly worm interrupt our fight. Still… could I have killed Sunshine if I had the chance? Would she have killed me?' Raven thought with a sigh before shaking her head in irritation, trying to rationalize her actions. 'This is war. I've killed many Ponies since it all started, and Sunshine has no doubt killed many as well.' She mentally reprimanded herself. Grated,vRaven had never killed anypony she personally knew, they were all just faces, one after another.
Some haunted her dreams.
Others she didn't even remember upon skewering their faces with her spear.
But the idea of her killing Sunshine? It was almost too much for her stomach to handle.
Again, she tried to think about the fight they had the day she threw her lot in with Nightmare Moon.
There was yelling.
Tears.
Arguments.
Promises broken…
…but that was all she could remember. Aside from the self-assurance that she wouldn't ever see Sunshine again, especially since the odds of them meeting on the battlefield were too great.
'I guess fate has a cruel sense of humor…' Raven thought as she walked out of her tent. It was just about dusk, and already a good portion of the troops were either resting or carefully scouting their surroundings. They had been running for two days straight since the attack from the Canterlot Guardians, mainly in fear of more guards pursuing them.
A few of the younger recruits saluted her or bowed in respect. Raven knew they were bowing to her only because of her rank as a Shadowbolt, Nightmare Moon's personally best unicorn assassination squad. They knew nothing about her in general, nor did they wish to, as Shadowbolts were seen with an awe of respect yet also a hint of fear.
Although she was not nearly as feared as Nightmare Moon's most loyal and terrorizing soldier: Rarity.
The stories of what she did made even Raven shiver.
Still a part of her was glad to have power and those who respect it. For years, she'd been looked down upon because of her Bat Pony heritage. Unable to get anything but part-time jobs, low income, names behind her back, and second hand treatment. And yet, she held on and managed to pull through thanks to having something more precious than power: a friend.
Sunshine would yell, threaten, or even beat up those who hurt her best friend. Her family name was worth much back in Canterlot, and none wanted to mess with the Smiles family. With Sunshine, Raven was treated better, but only because Sunshine was there. It made her grateful to her best friend, but Raven couldn't help but wish she could have gained power on her own.
Nightmare Moon gave her the chance to become powerful, and after many trials she was one of the best assassins and fighters in the League of Nightmares. And yet… she didn't have a single friend to share that success with, all of her fellow comrades were loners, and those below her in rank were afraid of her. So she only had herself, and her spear, to train. It was a lonely life, but Raven kept telling herself that if she could help end the war, that was all that mattered…
Then she saw Sunshine Smiles.
Her only friend in her entire life. The one pony she actually cared more about than anypony else in the world.
And now, she was her enemy.
Moving through the camp, Raven found her hooves guiding her to the edge of the eastern border of their grounds where Sunshine was being held prisoner. Two guards with spears stood in place beside a steel cage where Sunshine, stripped of her armor and weapons, lay there with an inhibitor ring around her horn. Upon seeing Raven, the two guards saluted while Sunshine just glared before turning away.
'Can't blame her…' Thought Raven with a sigh. 'Why am I even here?'
"Something I can help you with, Ma'am?" Asked one of the guards.
"I want to speak to the prisoner. Alone." Raven replied in a stern tone.
Both regards were taken aback by this request and shared an easy look. "Uh… M-Ma'am, are you sure that's wise?"
Raven glared at them both, her slitted eyes making the two flinch as they took a step back. "Are you questioning my orders? Or, more importantly, are you questioning my ability to take care of myself?"
"N-no, Ma'am. Of course not! We'll leave you be." And with that, both guards quickly trotted away, occasionally glancing over their shoulders to make sure she wasn't glaring at them.
Raven waited until she was sure they were at the very least out of earshot before putting up a silencing spell around her and Sunshine, not wanting anypony else to listen in on them. Glancing at her friend, Raven couldn't help but wince at the leg wound Smiles got two days ago. While it had been properly treated, it was clear she wasn't going to be running anytime soon.
"Are you being treated well?" Raven asked, her tone softening a little.
"I'm still breathing, if that's what you mean." The Unicorn replied sarcastically. "Aside from a few backhoofed comments and insults, nopony's been stupid enough to mess with me."
"If anypony does, I'll have their heads." Raven growled, right before calming herself and sitting down, Raven sighed and asked. "Do you need a drink, or something to eat?"
"Why? For my last meal before you execute me tomorrow?" Sunshine snapped, glaring at the mare she once called her friend.
"Nopony's going to harm you! I convinced them you are worth more alive than dead!" Raven fired back. "For Faust's sake, Sunshine, I'm trying to keep you alive here!"
"I'd rather have died." Sunshine scoffed, much to Raven's shock. "I don't have any information that'll be useful to you, nor am I going to turn my back on my Princess and country. So you might as well just end me right now and save me the trouble."
Raven just stood there, staring at her friend who looked as brave and defiant as she did all those years ago. "You… you're serious..."
Despite her injuries, Sunshine staggered to her feet, standing tall and proud. "I am prepared to die for Equestria and the Celestial Alliance, just as Guardians are."
"... as am I for my Queen and Country," Replied Raven, lowering her head to the point where the shadow of her mane obscured her eyes. "You've truly grown stronger."
"...as have you." The Guardian smiled softly. "I wish we could have finished our duel."
"Me too…" The Shadowbolt sighed. "Do you remember our fight?"
"...the one we had before you joined Nightmare Moon?" Asked Sunshine, frowning as that bitter memory resurfaced. "To be honest... I barely can remember it."
"That makes two of us…" Raven chuckled sadly.
There was a long silence between the two Unicorns, the only sound being the wind, howling in the sky.
"...I wish this whole damn war never happened." The Shadowbolt muttered, unable to look Sunshine in the eyes. "I wish… I wish we were still friends."
"As do I Raven…" Replied the Guardian, sighing sadly. "But that was then. This is now. Now we're enemies... and if you can't kill me now, I'll have to fight and kill you to escape… and I'd rather die now than be publicly executed."
"Is that… what you really want?" Sighed Raven as she got up and turned away. "There is nothing I can do to convince you otherwise?"
Sunshine sadly shook her head. "I'm not asking this as a soldier… I'm asking this as a friend."
"...do you have any last wishes before tomorrow morning?" Raven asked, biting her lip.
"May I wear my armor? I want to wear it when I die. So my mother and father can greet me like a soldier." Sunshine, smiling sadly as she laid back down. "Also, a burial. Nothing fancy, I just don't want my body to be eaten by wildlife."
"...I'll see to it." Raven nodded as she walked away, ending the silencing spell and heading back to her tent.
As she marched past her fellow guards, everything around her seemed to be more… muted, as if the world around her had practically shut down to the point where all that was left were her and her thoughts.
Moonlight desperately tried to mentally prepare herself, going over various methods on how to give Sunshine a quick death, if only to make sure her old friend wouldn't suffer long. But every time she replayed the scenario in her head, each stab became weaker and slower than next, her heart growing heavy with each outcome.
She was really going to do it.
She was going to kill her best friend tomorrow morning.
'Sunshine requested it. Heck she basically demanded it' Raven mentally added in an attempt to reassure herself… but she didn't know if she could do it.
Could she really kill her best friend?
For her Queen?
For her country?
There was no answer as she finally entered her tent, her horn glowing as she cast the silencing spell once more before laying down on her sleeping bag…
…and finally letting her tears fall.
Dawn had come. After being allowed to put on her armor, four of the guards chained Sunshine up as she was escorted away from the camp with Raven, also dressed in full armor, right behind them. Sunshine continued to mutter prayers to Princess Celestia while everypony else ignored her. Finally, when they were far enough, Raven ordered them to stop.
Pointing to a tree nearby, the guards dragged Sunshine to it, before tying her up to it. The inhibitor ring was still on her horn, preventing her from using any magic to escape.
Making sure her chest was exposed, Raven levitated her spear and pointed directly at the lower chest where her liver would be. "In the name of Queen Nightmare Moon, the true ruler of Equestria. I, Moonlight Raven, sentence you to death. Do you have any last words?"
Sunshine took a deep breath as she closed her eyes. "It is always darkest before the dawn."
All was silent for a split second before Moonlight rushed forward with her dark spear raised. Sunshine gasped as it made contact with her barrel, piercing her skin, blood began to trickle through before Raven removed her red tipped spear. Gasping for breath, Sunshine let out one last cry before going limp, her eyes closed as her bloody wound continued to spill.
Moonlight turned to the guards. "Go patrol the grounds, I'll bury the body."
The guards simply saluted before leaving.
Waiting until they're out of earshot, the Shadow Balls cast another silencing spell before using her spear to slice the chains, freeing the body. However, instead of flopping to the ground like any other corpse. Sunshine opened her eyes and caught herself before shaking her head as the illusion wore off. "Cutting it close, weren't you? I swear, I felt it poke my skin."
"At least you're alive," replied Moonlight, smirking as Sunshine used her telekinesis to remove her chest armor. Once it was off, the Unicorn pulled out a now bloody soaked wool bag that was dripping with blood.
"Sheesh, how many animals did you kill to get this much blood?" Sunshine asked, eying the bag curiously.
"Let's just say the fox population is gonna be a bit lower this year." Replied Raven as he took back her spear and headed in the same direction as the guards. "From what I can recall, the quickest and safest route to Ponyville is through the eastern side of the Everfree Forest, the animals there aren't nearly as vicious and only come out at night." She explained as she walked away. "Now get moving, I need to rejoin the group."
"Wait, Raven!" replied Sunshine as he pulled her best friend's tail. "Come with me! You doing this proves that you're still good! Don't continue to fight for Nightmare Moon! Fight for Princess Celestia! Fight with me!"
Moonlight Raven closed her eyes and didn't reply for a bit before saying. "Sunshine... you see Queen Nightmare Moon as evil, but I do not. She's given ponies like me a chance to truly live the lives we desire at long last. I can't give that up. Nor can I turn back on my vow." She stared at Sunshine. "I spared you this time... because I'm not ready to say goodbye to my best friend... however..." She raised her spear and pointed it at Sunshine. "The next time we face each other... I will have no choice but to kill you. So come at me with everything that you've got if it happens."
Sunshine frowned, but lowered her head. "I will... but I promise you, Raven." She glared back. "I will see that this war ends and we'll be friends again. I know that you'll see the truth one day."
With that said, the two friends nodded and turned away, returning in the respective directions that lead to home. However, while neither looked back at the other, both said a simple sentence in each other's hearts:
"Goodbye, my friend."
Author's Note
Moonlight Raven; The Assassin
(Source)
Bio (By Osipush):
Moonlight and Sunshine Smiles were best friends before Nightmare Moon's return. But Nightmare quarreled them and set them against each other. Moonlight joined the ranks of Shadowbolts, a troop of assassins.
The events of this chapter take place after Reunited on the Battlefield, and will lead into the Legion of Wildlife chapter: Turning Sorrow Into Strength.
