Wings of The Night

by Night--Mist

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Luna, Drama, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Mystery, Twilight Sparkle, Twilight Velvet, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, Alternate Universe
Length: 3919

Luna discovers something Celestia has kept secret, and now, that secret will reveal itself to Equestria.

Equestria has been at peace ever since the defeat of Nightmare Moon and the chaotic forces that came before her. With Celestia's sister, Luna, now back and all old threats now kept in check, the land is in a peaceful harmony.

But that harmony came at a price that not even Luna was made aware....... until now.

Celestia has kept a secret that she has told no pony but one, and now that secret is about to step out of the shadows and into the light.

Published 2016-09-24 00:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-07-23 10:03:19 UTC

A Nightmare or a Vision?

It had been so long since Luna had given herself a good rest. After forgiving herself for the terror she caused of Nightmare Moon, her mind was at peace, thanks to her friends among the Element bearers and others who resided in Ponyville. For many weeks now, she had been able to have fantastic dreams few mortal ponies couldn't even imagine themselves.

With all the threats that had made their way to Equestria in recent years now under control and kept in check, Luna felt she and Celestia could finally rest easy. But something seemed to be troubling Celestia. Recently, Twilight Velvet Sparkle, mother of Princess Twilight Sparkle, had been giving Celestia a lot of heat. Somehow, this unicorn was able to keep her conversations with the Princess of Day private, at least with hearing, but not so much with ponies seeing it.

Then again, Luna wasn't surprised. She was the same mare who had defeated Tirek the first time 1000 years ago, and was the only immortal unicorn to have been known to exist. Even as a Grandmother, age seemed to elude her, thanks to her immortality. Now Luna saw where Princess Twilight and Prince Shining Armor got their fighting spirits. But even with being friends with this great mare, not even Luna could pry it out of either mare of what was being talked about among the two.

As night fell upon the land of Equestria, Luna made her way to the balcony window and raised her respected part of the heavens. One thing that overjoyed her was that ponies were still out and about at these late hours to look at her beautiful night sky. She'd be lying if she didn't feel that her night outdid her sister's day sometimes, at least in the artistic way. Luna still had respect for her sister's day, because she understood why they needed it. But with the debates Tia was getting into lately, the sun seemed to brighten up a bit til she calmed herself.

As Luna set the spell to have her Moon move across the heavens, she yawned, and headed towards her bed. But as she did, a chill ran down her spine, as if something had just set itself in motion. Luna walked it off, since this didn't bother her too much. She soon set her royal attire on her nightstand and glided onto her bed. Once she was underneath the covers, she relaxed her eyes, and entered the world of dreams.

While she could easily combine her dream with that of another pony, tonight, she felt that she would ease her mind. She had cast a spell of her own creation to detect if any of the charges of Equestria were having troubled dreams. None showed any signs.

As she entered dreamland though, the realm was anything but peaceful. As she landed on what seemed to be soil that lie on the boarders of their land. The atmosphere felt very offset to any sign of happiness. And for good reason too. Not too far away, Luna spotted something. Something she hadn't seen since the founding of Equestria. Meeting Tents, and a huge number of them. This seemed to be something big. Knowing she was in the dream realm, she got a closer inspection. When she got there, she saw something that puzzled her. These were ponies. They weren't some other foreign beings that Twilight had started to make friendly relations with.

But these weren't just ponies. No, they were a special breed. A breed that had not been seen at a number this great since before Tia banished her. And a race she had respected when she reigned along side her sister 1000 years ago.

She felt some seemed familiar, but she couldn't place where. One thing that did trouble her though, was that these ponies didn't seem to have the word friendship on their mind. They were in full battle dress, excluding their helmets. They were prepared for war. But who they were preparing to go to war with, she did not know. So she listened in.

"So, after careful consideration, and what our scouts have revealed, I'm afraid we have little choice, but to force our way in. I wouldn't be suggesting this if we had another way, but it must be done. But if anypony has any suggestions, please, bring it to my attention now," Said a mare.

Her voice felt familiar to Luna, but she knew not how. Silence fell upon the group. The mare then continued, "Then we shall set out in one week, ready our troops. Get the mothers and the children to safety. If any of you wish to not partake in this, I can fully understand, and I will not hold it against any of you."

"We would not be here if we felt we weren't ready for something like this Ma'am. We're with you every trot of the way," Said a stallion.

The mare nodded. As the group dispersed, Luna heard the mare say, "Princess Luna..... Velvet.... I hope you understand why we are doing this."

At that, Luna's dream ended. She woke with a start. Was that real? Or was her mind playing tricks on her? How was it some of the faces she saw seemed familiar? Could there be a deeper connection that Luna wasn't fully aware of yet? Did Velvet know something? Why were these ponies she saw preparing for a coming battle? What had Celestia not been telling her?

As these Questions lingered, Luna knew the only way she would know for sure, is if she had a private audience with Twilight Velvet Sparkle when the daytime started, since she knew Celestia had a nack for keeping secrets from time to time. With that Luna fell back asleep, getting a good night's rest in before her visit with the immortal unicorn.

Author's Note

First chapter done. Hope you enjoyed. I thought I'd try a different story that would explain one thing in the series thus far, but hopefully Hasbro will completely botch it with a future episode they come out with in the future.

Hope you have fun reading the chapter and *stardust to the face.* *cough* *cough* Foal Down. *I fall asleep on my favorite pillow.*

Luna: Always has to make late night stories.

Artemis: Well, he is a night crawler, but can you blame him dear?

Luna: Not really. *nuzzles me and carries me to the lunar crib.*

Why They Are Coming

Some hours after Celestia and Luna had risen and set their parts of the heavens, Luna informed her sister that she would be away for the day, for she had to take care of something. Celestia had insisted on coming with her, more for the sake to escape a day of palace life, but Luna said this was something she wished to do by herself. Celestia, though annoyed she couldn't come with, respected her sisters wishes, for she did not want to cause her sister to feel inferior again, knowing that it had been such that had been a promising factor in transforming her sister into the dark mare she had been the last time, and was not intent and letting that happen again.

Celestia did decide to cancel all meetings today anyways, and made some time to go and see her former student Twilight in Ponyville, via teleportation, since it was the best way for her to travel, and the distance required little effort of her magic anyways. Of course, this meant Prince Blueblood would be left in charge til one of the two royal sisters, or his cousin or Twilight returned to the Castle, as was his right by birth. Luna's thought of Blueblood taking charge for a week would have been unsettling in her mind, but she would let a day, even if it wasn't a full day, slide, since they had done it before without severe consequences, only upsetting a few of Equestria's common charges at most.

She soon put her focus back making her way to see her friend Velvet. As she cantered up to the door, she felt that chill she had felt the night before move down her spine again. This was a little unnerving for her, but she needed to see Velvet now. She soon knocked on the door, and it was answered by her good friend. She was about to say her hellos when Velvet grabbed her hoof and pulled her inside as if she was trying to move Luna out of the path of a tumbling boulder.

"My apologies your highness. But I couldn't keep the door open long," Velvet said with nervousness.

"What? Why? Belay that, I'll ask about that in a little while dear. But I came here to speak with you," Luna replied.

"I had assumed as much when I saw you at the door, Princess Luna, but what about?" Velvet asked.

"It's about your spat you had with my sister the other day. I know you want to keep it private, but I need to know what you two were discussing. I had a dream last night that I feel may be connected to this conversation," Luna informed her, determined to get answers.

"Wait! You had the dream about them as well?" Velvet inquired.

"The bat ponies, yes. But you are avoiding the subject, tell me what this argument between you and my sister was about," Luna demanded.

Velvet sighed as she and Luna sat down on the couch, "Alright your highness. As you know, 1000 years ago, I went by Twilight Velvet Clover, but I was more commonly known as Clover the Clever in that particular age. I haven't even told Twilight or Shining this yet. Anyways, not long after Princess Celestia had to imprison you in the moon when you went dark, something terrible happened."

Luna had her ears focused forward as she listened in and Velvet continued, "The Bat Ponies were all of the sudden, being ousted. Everypony was treating them as if they were a threat to Equestria's way of life. That they were ponies only loyal to you. While it is true many of them looked up to you more then they did Celestia, I know that they would seek Celestia's advice if need be. But the word had reached the hierarchies of the nobles, and they had been easily influenced that the bat ponies were planning to lay siege to the land of Equestria and follow through with Nightmare Moon's plan to bring about eternal night. One of my good friends, and Firefly's cousin, Lynnette, had come to the capital that had resided near your old castle at the time, to reason with them. She requested to see Princess Celestia herself, knowing many of them were strong followers of Celestia more then they were of you, before the event of the Solar eclipse."

"Lynnette. Oh that bat pony did have a stubbornness about her, but she was a very good friend. I wish I hadn't lost control of my emotions so long ago. She probably hated me for that outburst that sent me away," Luna lamented, and began to tear up.

Velvet placed a hoof on her, "Princess, it was not your fault. Most of the bat ponies never even set foot in the capital before the event, mostly due to the attitudes of the no good nobles of the time that made them want to stay away from there. And it is the nobles' fault for what happened to you in my humble opinion. But to continue, the nobles had told her straight forward that Princess Celestia had no need for bat pony kind. Celestia was in too much grief to even stop what happened next. The nobles decreed that all bat ponies be exiled, and that any who attempted to return, would be thrown in the dungeon if they tried. Lynnette knew she was out matched. She couldn't just attack the nobles on the spot, for this would only gain them support from the already uneasy charges of Equestria, she felt it even might convince Celestia herself that bat ponies were under Nightmare Moon's spell. So, she left with her charges of the bat pony race, but not before she came to see me," Velvet said.

"She came to see you. What did she tell you before she left," Luna asked, insistant on finding out why so few bat ponies had returned to Equestria.

"She told me of the nobles treachery. And she also had stated she had seen why you had gone dark, and didn't blame you for any of it, and I whole heartily agreed. I was disgusted, and wanted to help her, but I would have been banished as well, and Celestia needed support she wouldn't be getting from the hierarchies. So, I did one last thing for her. I granted her the gift of immortality, as well as Firefly. Both left Equestria, and I never heard from them again in that era of our history. They vowed one day they would return, one way or another. When I started to see tiny little groups of bat ponies here again, I felt that they had come back. But I soon came to find out that things hadn't changed. Ponies of Equestria still see them as a threat, and Celestia has done nothing to settle the ponies fears down. I argued with her, saying she needed to lift the banishment of the bat ponies. They had never been a threat to begin with. Celestia agrees they are no threat, but to just let the bat ponies back in..... she feels that she, and you, would loose the trust of our subjects. Sometimes, I wish she would see what happens beyond the walls of Canterlot, but the opinions of the ponies here in Canterlot weigh on her decision heavily. She feels that this will invoke civil unrest Princess Luna," Velvet said.

"That's absurd. How could she think such a thing?" Luna spat. She was surprised to know Firefly and Lynette were still around. It was a shame Velvet's other friends didn't fair the same, but Velvet could only do so much. Applejack had definitely taken after her great-great grandmother, Applejack the first.

"That's what I said. But she won't listen to reason," Velvet replied.

Luna then sighed, "Then I fear that the nightmare is too great to be ignored. I need to inform my sister immediately of what is to come. If we don't find a solution, our friends will certainly be on their way with a show of force. And I don't think our guard is prepared for such a battle."

"I agree. I hope that Celestia listens. This will not end well if we don't find a solution," Velvet urged.

Luna gave her good friend a hug, which surprised the immortal unicorn, but she returned the gesture, and soon, Luna teleported out, having now understood why Velvet was hesitant to open her door. If word hadn't already spread through Equestira and reached Canterlot yet, it soon would. Luna wasn't sure if her dream from the night before was of that day, or if the bat ponies and Firefly and her cousin Lynette were already on the move into Equestria.

Author's Note

End of Chapter two. Wow that took a while. Sorry I took so long to release a second chapter for this story. Had to get the scene to fit right. Hope you all enjoyed it.

Let me know what you think in the comments below and I'll *Stardust to the face.* Sweepy time. *I collapse by Mama Luna's keyboard.*

Autumn: Hehehe, oopsy. Me tought it was sneeze powdew.

Shadowmane: Mama Woona and Mama Nyx not gonna be happy when they see dis.

Luna: Indeed we won't.

Peanut Butter: Uh ohs.

Nyx: We know that Nighty needs a nap to keep up his energy, but that was not a fair thing to do little ones.

Tornado: Sowwy Mamas.

Luna: Well, there's only one thing to do. *Luna sets me in my crib close to he Lunar bed.*

Nyx: *Sets a mute spell on my ears.* Belly blast time. *She and Luna start to belly blast all the Children of the Night that wanted to prank their tiniest brother.*

A Conversation of Sisters

Luna made haste to the throne room. It had been blocked for any teleportation spells to be used to get in or out so that random ponies and/or threats didn't just waltz right in, even Discord himself could not use teleportation to pick on the Princesses. Soon she came to the doors, the guards at the door tried to announce her entry, but she was in such a rush, they didn't even finish their sentence as she rushed past them.

Celestia was at the throne already, having returned from her visit with Twilight Sparkle, taking care of some paperwork that involved request of what were mostly Nobles wanting more privileges then they deserved. Her head shot up as she heard her sister galloping in. "Sister, what seems to be the matter. You're usually never in a rush like this," Celestia joked with a hint of worry in her voice.

"Sister, there's something we need to discuss. Something between only you and me," Luna stated as she came to a halt at her sisters throne.

Celestia, a little flustered at her sister's demand, hesitated for a moment. She soon cleared her throat, and nodded to all other ponies in attendance, Royal Guard and Staff alike, which gave them all the signal to leave the throne room. They did not hesitate, and soon left, closing the doors behind them. Luna soon cast a sound proof spell upon the room and locked the doors before sitting in her chair next to Celestia's. "Luna, what is so important, that you were so adamant to speak with me?" Celestia inquired.

"Tia, I want you to be completely honest with me. Did you let nobles banish all Bat Ponies from Equestria?" Luna demanded.

"Wh-Where did you hear that information?" Celestia asked in return.

"It doesn't matter where I heard it from Celestia. You are avoiding my question. Did you, or did you not allow the nobles 1000 years ago to banish all Bat Ponies from Equestria?" Luna spat.

Celestia sighed, "Yes I did. But I was not in support of them, I swear. You have to understand, I was in grief over loosing you when they did so."

"Tia, I could care less if you were too drunk off of cider to be aware of what was going on. I only wanted to know the truth. And I also want to know is why you didn't do anything to stop it after you recovered?" Luna inquired.

"Lulu, do you think it's that easy, that I can just abolish such a law that is put into effect? Do you understand the repercussions that would arise? Almost every single noble was in support of their banishment. Velvet wasn't, but it mattered little when the final multiple dictated that all Bat Ponies be banished. And my word would have meant very little at the time of it's passing, because they would have all claimed I was not in my right state of mind. And they had convinced a good portion of the population that Bat Ponies were in support of Nightmare Moon's plan to cover Equestira in Eternal Darkness. To try and abolish the banishment, once they felt I was fit to rule again, it would have made all our charges lose faith in my leadership, and they would think I had been tainted by Nightmare Moon. I just couldn't lift the banishment they had made," Celestia argued.

"And this was 1000 years ago sister. Those ponies of that age are long gone. All except Velvet Sparkle and a few others. So why not lift the old banishment now?" Luna requested.

"Luna, you don't understand. The Bat Ponies have become unstable, vicious. If I were to lift their banishment now, it would spread chaos. Rumors have begun to spread these days that the Bat Ponies have been raiding small towns just past the borders of Equestria. They are causing so much unrest, that I can not let them back in. They're banishment will not be lifted," Celestia insisted.

"Tia, how can you be so narrow minded? What about the families who have Bat Pony relations here in Equestria? Are they to be banished as well?" Luna inquired.

"Of course not. They did not ask to be born Bat Pony in this day and age. They just were, and I know they are being raised to know better then to treat other ponies with violence. They are fine to stay. But the ones who are causing unrest will remain banished," Celesita stated coldly.

"Tia. What has gotten into you? Are you so caught up in not having your name tainted by a single act that you would keep an entire race of ponies away from their ancestral homeland just because the nobles of the era 1000 years ago had such strong opinions about Bat Ponies? Does your image mean so much to you, you would execute an innocent Bat Pony for entering these lands just to keep your good name?" Luna asked.

"Luna, if I let them back in, more unrest will ensue. Nobles will start to question not just my right, but your right to govern our great nation of Equestria. And if they get enough ponies to rally behind them, there will certainly be conflict that could potentially lead to our removal from the throne, and the nation would descend into chaos, can you imagine what effect that may have on Discord? I'm sorry Lulu, but I cannot let the Bat Ponies outside of Equestria back in," Celestia insisted for the third time.

Luna was astonished. How could her own sister be so blind? She was buying into the lies of others who want to keep Bat Ponies out at all costs. She knew some nobles still had strong opinions about Bat Ponies, but they were few in number and of very little influence in today's parliament.

If the Bat Ponies were being seen in small towns that were just beyond Equestria's border, it was more then likely they were trying to gain support for their cause. Not attacking without just cause. She knew Bat Ponies far better then her own sister still in the 1000 years she had been away it seemed. Luna sighed, "If that is how you see things dear sister, there is one more thing. I came to tell you, that something is coming, that may be beyond my control."

She began to trot down the stares, and opened the throne room doors, and lifted her sound barrier spell. As she walked out of the throne room, hanging her head in disappointment, Celestia was processing her words of warning, eye twitching. When Luna felt she was clear enough, she cast another teleportation spell to seek the help of another mare she knew she could trust.

Author's Note

Oh boy, looks like things are about to heat up. What will happen next? Who knows. You'll have to wait til I release my next chapter.

Please leave a comment below to let me know what you thought of this chapter.

P.S. Yes, I did use a line from Exodus: Of Gods and Kings.