The Legend of "The Darkside of the Moon"

One thing one her mind during the trip to the laboratory, "Is Twilight back after so long?" The black government SUV barely had stopped when Secretary of Defence Sunset Shimmer steps out and speed walks to the door. A heavy set, balding man with a white lab coat is waiting at the door with two armed guards with him.

Sunset Shimmer does away with niceties and asks, "What are their names?"

"We don't know," Doctor Corduroy answers while lowering his hand back to his side.

"Let's get going then," Sunset urges impatiently.

"Right this way, Madame Secretary."

"You, uhm," Virga coughs and clears his throat, "really didn't need to show me how to use the restroom, Shade."

"Says the guy who was going to piss in the sink," Shade huffs.

"BORED!" Diamond exclaims, throwing her arms in the air and flinging herself to the ground.

"Does Miss Shade need to put you to sleep like she put Miss Dinky to sleep?" Nettleglum says to Diamond.

Diamond looks over at the unconscious blonde haired girl a few feet away from her then turns her head to see a grinning Shade. "Maybe next time," Diamond sighs.

Virga takes up studying the obelisk in the middle of the metal platform to pass the time. He is far from being a scholar by any means but the pictures on it resemble Ancient Equestrian. He glances to the side as Shade examines the obelisk.

"What do you make of it?" Virga questions after a moment of silence.

"It is sufficiently obelisk shape," Shade nods her head.

Virga, after the ten hours of being with Shade, waits patiently for Shade to answer his question.

Shade smirks, "It is Egyptian." Shade kneels next to the obelisk and licks the monument. She savors the flavor and stands up. "White limestone. Ten thousand years Before Common Era. That would place it around the time the first pyramid of Giza was first constructed. It reads, 'To honor the Gods'… no, 'For the honor of the Gods. They blessed us with their mercy, wisdom, and compassion. For that, we are eternally grateful.'"

"What 'Gods?'"

Shade walks around to the other side of the obelisk and continues translating the hieroglyphs, "'We give the highest praise and honor to,'" Shade scrunched her face, "I've never seen half of these glyphs. But considering where we came from, the 'Gods' must have been ancients from Equus."

"That brings up many more questions," Nettleglum inputs as she walks over to Shade to inspect the obelisk.

Shade points to a hieroglyph that resembles a rainbow surrounded by darkness. "I have seen that cutie mark before," Shade comments and points to a second glyph that is a black shield with a white seven point star, "This one, as well."

"I have never seen them," Nettleglum admits.

"I would be surprised if you had. They belonged to the first Tricorns: Aurora Borealis and Gallant Night, respectively."

"Intriguing," Nettleglum hums.

Doctor Bloom sighs. She stares into the mirror with vacant honey eyes. The sink faucet runs. Knocks on the bathroom door snap her out of her stupor.

"You alright, Nightshade?"

Nightshade turns off the faucet and runs her hands through her long red hair. She slaps her cheeks before answering, "I'll be out soon."

She opens the door and Morning Highlight is there to greet her with a smile and bright green eyes.

"What are you still doing here?" Nightshade asks and walks around him to her bed to retrieve her lab coat.

Morning Highlight chuckles, "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine. Thank you." She puts on her lab coat and tries to add authority to her meek voice, "Now, please leave, Doctor Highlight."

"If that's what you want." He waits for her to say something back but she walks over to her bedside table and turns to look at him sternly. "Director Corduroy invited the Secretary of Defense. She should be here shortly," he informs his colleague as he leaves out the door.

Nightshade releases her breath she had held subconsciously. She picks up the communicator from the table and speaks into the mouthpiece, "Call: Father."

Sunset Shimmer hears her rapid footsteps echo off the walls of the hallway. She takes to following the guards and leaves the wheezing Director behind. She has no time to waste; she wants answers and she wants them now.

A door opens and the guards stop to raise their guns. Doctor Bloom squeaks and holds her hands up. The guards lower their weapons and continue forward. Sunset pays no attention to the pale woman. Nightshade follows after the guards. A few minutes later and the guards stop at laboratory eighteen doors. Nightshade excuses herself through the group to use her ID to open the twin sliding doors.

The commotion at the door draws Shade's attention. She walks from behind the obelisk to see guards, an important looking woman, and her twin walking down the steps toward the platform. She descends down the five steps of the platform and waits for the entourage.

Sunset Shimmer stops in front of the woman with a lab coat and turns around to look at the similar woman behind her.

"You are from Equestria, right?" Sunset asks the black haired woman before her.

Shade leans forward and sniffs the flame haired woman. "As are you," Shade says.

"Why are you here?"

"You are not the President," Shade stares while crossing her arms across her chest.

"The President's job is not to deal with beings from an alternate universe," Sunset replies.

"No. It would be the Secretary of State's job. You seem more like a Secretary of War or Science."

"I am the Secretary of Defense Sunset Shimmer. Who are you and why are you here?" Sunset demands.

"I am the Darkside of the Moon. Maybe you have heard of me?" Shade raised a brow.

"'The Darkside of the Moon' is nothing but an old pony's tail," Sunset scoffs.

Shade glares into the green eyes of Sunset. "I will play nice— for now. Officially, I am Nightshade Toxin, Commander of the Servants of Shadow. I am an envoy of Princess Luna on a mission to secure a stolen artifact."

"Which artifact was stolen?"

"A dangerous one. That is all you need to know."

"If it is so dangerous, why was it not secured properly?"

"Because Princess Luna's lard ass of a sunbutt sister thought she could protect it best—under her bed," Shade huffs.

Sunset cracks a smile. "She is pretty arrogant. Do you at least have any leads on the artifact?"

"Somewhere in the Perseus Veil."

Sunset's smile disappears, "That is not good."

"Of course not. Why would this be easy?" Shade throws her hands up and let them smack her sides.

A loud long yawn makes them turn their heads to see Diamond yawning, "I'm hungry!"

"That is Corporal Dancer. The guy is Captain Virga, the woman is Adjutant Nettleglum, and the sleeping teenager is Corporal Doo," Shade introduces her squad to Sunset.

"Let me get you all better accommodations and some food," Sunset nods. "Let's walk and talk, shall we?"