Watching Tamer change back to a pony, was someone that deeply disturbed Azure. The sight of those claws just sinking back into the hooves. The fur shorting, and the sharp teeth disappearing, not something she thinks she could get used to.

"We're lucky it's not a full moon." Tamer says to Azure.

"Why is that?" She asks.

"In the light of a full moon, a lycan's true form awakes. So terrible, even Celestia herself, shakes. Teeth and claws sharper, eyes glowing red. If you have not seen, you know not of dread." Zecora tells her.

"Oh." Is all Azure manages to respond.

"We are here, palace of princesses." Zecora tells the two. "Let's go and see what help Luna possesses."

With a nod, Azure was following her. Tamer behind. They passed many guards Bat-ponies, but none cared. They most likely knew Zecora, and knew why she was here.

"So." Azure starts, looking over to the stallion next to her. "Why is your name 'Tamer'"? She asks him.

"I'd tame every Beautiful mare I met. With the crack of a whip." He says, smirking.

"So.... You where a Clopstar?" She says, puzzled.

"No, I'm joking. I worked for a traveling circus. I was the manticore tamer. Until this." He tells her, holding up his right foreleg. In it, Azure could make out scars. Teeth scars.

"Oh..." She says sadly. They walk in silence until Zecora stops at a door, knocking.

"What do you want? I'm sleeping!" A voice tells, then the door opens moments later.

Azure notices emediatly who it was. Princess Celestia. She, along with Tamer, bowed. With a giggle, Zecora tells them to get up, and they do.

"I need your sister." Zecora tells Celestia.

"Oh, well. I have no idea where she runs off to. I could get a guard to track her down." Celestia says, waving over a guard. After telling the guard to find her sister, Celestia speaks to Zecora again.

"Why do you need my sister?" She asks.

"Lycanthrope." Was her only response.

"Oh, you poor dear." Celestia says, walking over to Azure. "You need a hug? It's rumored I have the best hugs." She tells Azure.

"No, i-" but no use, Azure's words are muffled by Celestia's fur. Forearms wrapped around her neck, she gives into the royal comfort. And it lasted long enough to cheer her up. Pulling away from Azure, Celestia nods to a guard.

"He'll take you to my sister."

Azure followed the guard. Tamer and Zecora in tow.

"Princess Luna is out doing her Nightmare night scares." The guard tells them as they walk down a cobblestone street. "Every year, she dresses up as Nightmare Moon, and scares those on the street."

"I've never been out on a nightmare night. I've always been in a tent, or in that dammed cave." Tamer says to Azure. She didn't respond. Nopony said anything else for the rest of the walk.

The three of them walk into a plaza. Fillies and colts running around, chasing eachother.

"Luna will be here soon." The guard tells them, then walks back the direction they came. So, they waited.

Hour passed.

"Is this a joke!?" Azure turns to Zecora.

"No! THIS IS NO JOKE, AZURE AURA!" A disimbodied voice yells, causing Azure to shriek and jump behind Tamer. A couple seconds later, a purple and black smoke cloud appears, then disappears as quick as it came. In it's wake, was a slender legged pony. Black of mane, and sharp teeth smiling at them. It was Nightmare Moon.

Yelping again, Azure hid more behind Tamer. Gaining a laugh from Nightmare, Zecora, and Tamer. In another flash of smoke, Nightmare turned to Luna.

"Do not be frightened, Azure Aura. I am here to help." Luna tells her. She walks over to Zecora and speaks again.

"Why are you here, Zecora?" She asks.

"Azure has been bitten by a lycan." Zecora says.

"Yea, sorry." Tamer says, turning to Luna. Azure stops hiding behind him and walks over to Luna.

"Anything you can do, Princess?" Azure says, her eyes filled with worry.

"I am afraid not, Azure Aura. For Lycanthropy has no cure." Luna says, bowing her head.

"If we are to discuss this more, let's go talk behind a closed door." Zecora tells Luna. With a nod, Luna yells then to follow her, and there's more walking.

Opening the door to an abandoned theatre, Luna let the three of them in. Closing the door behind her, Luna lit up her horn, lighting the place up. As Azure looked around, she could see other ponies here and there.

"This, Azure Aura, is the home of lycans. Those who want help with their condition, or just want somepony to play with, come here." She says. Like it was on cue, a female lycan, about as old as Azure, walks up, happily panting.

"Hi Tamer! You back to play?!" She asks, her tounge stuck out happily.

"Sorry Rosy. Not today. New member." He says, pointing to Azure. "Don't tell anypony just yet, Kay?" He asks.

"Okay!" She says, then walks of, her tail wagging somewhat.

"Follow me." Luna says, gesturing for Azure. She complies. Following, she looks around. Once they reach the stage, only Luna and Azure climb up. Tamer and Zecora sit in seats in the front row.

"Everypony! Please, settle down!" Luna yells. Azure is astounded by the amount of obedience everypony has. They all stopped screwing around and walked to a seat. After they where all satisfied by who was where, They all sat.

"This, is Azure Aura." Luna says, with a couple of 'hello Azure' here and there. "Please make her feel welcome." Luna continues, then walks of the stage, Azure in tow. She walked off the stage, and two other lycans walked up to her.

"Hi!" The first one says, a female. "I'm Rosy, you came in with Tamer, right?" She asks, her tale wagging.

"Uhh. Yes." Was her answer.

"So..... Your his mate?" She asks, getting a bit closer.

"And you are?" Azure asks the other lycan, quickly changing the subject.

"I'm Angelica." She responds. "Let me guess, you've never changed?"

"C-changed?"

"Yea, changed. Forms. From pony to lycan."

"Oh." Azure realizes. "No, i-im afraid it'll hurt."

"Well." Rosy butts in. "If you don't change by will before this next full moon. It'll hurt a hell of a lot more." She tells Azure.

"Yea, so c'mon, do it now. With your new friends!" Angelica says, her tail wagging.

"Here? In front of everyone?" Nervously, Azure starts to back up.

"Good point. Let's go backstage." Rosy tells her. Then starts walking towards a door aside the stage.

"C'MON!" Angelica says, her tail wagging. She grabs one of Azure's forehooves with hers and pulls her.

They make it backstage. Angelica pushes Azure gently.

"It's okay, just close your eyes. And focus on the voice in the back of your head. Answer to it, and you'll change." Rosy tells her.

"Okay." She says. Then closes her eyes, and thinks.

She hears something. It's sounds like somepony is dragging out their s. She listens to it. And it grows louder louder.

'let me out, let me play.'

'hello?' she thinks, hoping to talk to it.

'I'm so bored, let me play, let me out.'

'why do you want to play?'

'I can help, you won't be weak, you will be strong!' it tells her

'show me!' she tells it. But there is no response.

Then, she feels a warmth knot in her core. It grows and grows. Soon, it's burning.

'stop fighting! Let it flow! Let me be free!' the voice tells her. And she gives in.

The burning shoots to every limb of her body. Her whole body, burning. And an involentary howl escapes her. The burning, she can feel it in every hair, every whisker. She knows her fur is growing. Then needles escape her hooves. The pierce through the hoof and grab onto the floor below her. Soon, the burning moves to her teeth, and they grow and sharpen. Causing her to wince. She feels her tail shoot out and change, gruffer and longer.

She's left panting, but she soon realized it's not over yet. She's bombarded by loud sounds, she can hear her friends breath. Then smell hits her like a brick. Everything, the old floorboard, the mold. Even the sweat she's giving off. Panting, she opens her eyes. Noticing it brighter. 'it affects my sight aswell' she tells herself.

"So?" Rosy asks.

Azure can't respond, she's panting to hard. She had to focus her breath to calm.

"I-I...... I'm good." She manages to get out.

"Yay! Puppy's all broke in!" Angelica says.

'happy happy!! Roll over! Get a tummy rub!' the voice tells Azure. And she does, she had to.

"Awww puppy want a tummy rub?" Rosy asks, watching Azure roll over. After Angelica does so, Rosy speaks again.

"Well, come on, let's go meet the family." Azure listens and walks with them.

"Why do I have sudden urges to do things? Like roll over?" Azure asks.

"I dunno, but we all get them." Angelica says.

They walk out to the theatre and look around. But before they can do anything, the door swings open and light floods in.

"Everyone! Get out!" Luna yells from the stage, but before Azure can run, she hears a loud 'BANG!" And feels an emptiness in her chest. She looks down and see blood pooling at her paw-hoovez. A couple of other bangs and other lycans drop. Soon, she blacks out.

Author's Note

I'm not trying to hard with Zecora, right?

Yay! Book one done! Look out for book two soon!
Just Another War