The Everfree Chronicles: Altered Chances

Three Hours Later

I just realized that all of these cards that we are playing with have mares on them in sultry and hot poses along with the random stallion doing the same pose...mare cards I don't cover up, stallion cards I cover it with my hoof. Grinning from my hooves holding my cards up, I see a Spitfire Ace of Spades, a Surprise Queen of Clubs, Soarin King of Diamonds, Echo Jack of Hearts, and finally Nurse Tenderheart Nine of Diamonds. Showing them my well drew hoof I hear the sounds of moans and groans as the others throw their bad hooves of cards onto the table in defeat.

"And I do believe those bits are mine." I said while floating over a large pile of bits over to my side of the table along with a pile of chips. I turn my gaze back to the guards as each of them take off the last of their leg-guards and tossed them over to me, my face forming into a grin as I levitate the thrown leg pieces into my already growing pile of guard armor, a neat pile of six pairs of leggings. Myself on the otherhoof still wearing my entire armor set except for my helmet which I lost to the mare captain, she seemed happy that she took it away from me, not sure why though...

"Oh sweet Celestia...you got to be kidding me...

"Oh fucking Tartarus..."

"Your enjoying this aren't you Lunar Shield..."

"You have no idea, I never knew you guys were this bad at poker...maybe if you were good as me than maybe you could win hehe, these bits are all mine!" I said with a grin that said 'I am better than you and I know it'.

As I shuffled the cards back into the deck and passed them out I noticed that the mare's horn flashed a bit and her cards gave off a faint pink glow before going back to normal. 'So this mare wants to cheat well two can play at that game than.'

"So what are you fine fellows and lovely lass gonna take off next when I win this hoof, your chest plate or your helmets? Whatever you think of to lose just take it off and now, lets see who has the better hoof." Knowing the mare cheated I decided to let her cheat but instead distract her, and by distract her I mean by using my magic to give her a real good time.

Grinning boldly while tossing them there cards, getting a Princess Luna of Queen of Spades, not sure how they got a picture of her laying down on a bed wearing purple socks with stars on them but still this card I am going to be keeping. Passing more cards out to the others I get a Big Mac Three of Spades which was immediately covered up by a Trixie Three of Hearts, wearing sky blue stockings with her cape and her hat being held in her hooves, a Nurse Redheart Queen of Diamonds, and lastly a Ditzy Doo Three of Clubs. Some of the other stallions of the group were smiling and grinning at their cards, most likely not because of the great hand, but more likely because of the mares on it...or the stallion on it, whatever floats their boat.

Turning my gaze to the captain, otherwise known as Captain Starbolt, and to me she is a crazy unicorn mare that loves to mess with others, well it is my turn to mess with her, in more than one way hehe. "So Captain Starbolt, how is your hooves faring? Anything good that can beat my good luck streak or are you about to lose the last of your gear so we can all see you in all of your glory? *wink*"

"Since you say that you are going to win this round why won't you make this more interesting by betting all the armor you are wearing and half your bits, unless you are a coward and are afraid to lose it all in one fell swoop! I am going to get my armor back along with my fellow guards."

"Good luck with that Captain Fine Flank, and when I win I want you to give me a victory dance, and don't forget to wear that special socks that you are hiding in that hooflocker of yours, and if you think you can skip out on that than you can also forget about that secre-" before a hoof was shoved into my mouth by Starbolt, her face blushing madly that can now be clearly seen past the red coat of hers, funny thing how I was making all of that up and it turned out to be true, seems like this mare was hiding something that she didn't want to get let out.

"Oh yea Private Shortie (Ouch low blow) well when I win I want you to give me and all of these guards a private dance of our own, and you must be wearing my socks, if you chicken out than I will just tell the rest of the royal guard on how you ate half of our ice cream rations." Oh you are a real bitch...how dare you say that out loud...do you have any idea how hard it was for me to extract that particular piece of information out from the real Lunar Shield's head...I guess he really did steal half of the royal guards ice cream rations...sucks to be him.

"Oh...it...is...ON!" I shouted while taking off all of my armor, my helmet, chestplate, neckplate, leg guards, even the most useless piece of armor that half of the royal guard has to offer, a tail guard, to ensure that your tail doesn't get cut off by accident and also acts like a blunt paddle when used right. Tossing all of my removed armor onto the table and placing half of my pile of bits, somewhere around 3,000 bits into the middle along with my armor, glaring the entire time at all of the others at the table, expecting one of them to pull a fast one and magically change their cards to get the upper hoof against me.

"Three Three's and a Pair." I said grinning with a slight hint of smug in it, thinking I just won myself a free lapdance by the captain, to bad I forgot that there was better hooves than mine.

"Read it and weep, Royal Flush. Now I do believe your armor and 1,500 bits are mine, and pretty colt, you go but on my frillies while me and the other stallions get ready to make this your last day as a royal guard. Boys get the camera's,chips and beer! This is gonna be awesome! said Starbolt as she threw her cards down onto the table and levitating my hard earned bits and my armor over to her side.

As I got hold of her cards, the images on them faded and turned back into their original forms, those cards were not enough for a royal flush, hell all of those combined didn't even make anything, nothing but random cards, a nine, a three, a two, a six and an ace, nothing could have even came close to a royal flush.

"Fine Flank don't even think about taking my bits and armor! Look at the table boys and see that your lovely captain was cheating under the table, seems like somepony was scared to lose their dignity, should have backed out while you still can. Well boys, keep getting those goodies of yours while I sit back and watch, not even going to bother with my armor, I'm getting the whole show!" I said gloating at her while taking my bits and armor back, the other stallions at the table look at the cards that are back to normal than at her, than back at the cards than to her, giving one last look at the false cards before sighing sadly and in defeat they all slowly shuffle to their belongings, the guard Stone Wall brings back a bowl filled with chips and salsa, another brought over the camera's, while I took all my bits and placed them within my small bag that I enchanted earlier with a small temporary portal that allow it to hold more contents without making it burst as long as the contents are not sharp or jagged.

Moving a chair over to the table and placing a spear perfectly placed in the middle of it, I re-arrange the other chairs farther from the table and brought over the another table from across the room over to the octagon shaped poker table that Stone Wall managed to sneak in. After a while I finished making my little strip of tables for Starbolt who by the way from my current angle on the floor, looks hot in her orange socks with fire embedded into it, the way her mane flows across her shoulds was enough to make me grin and the other stallions to whistle at her, she in return glared at all of them making a one of them cringe from the sight and look away. Coward.

"Lets get this over with before a group of guards comes by to relieve us of duty until our next shift comes up..." grumbling incoherent words that are not meant for the weak willed or for the faint of heart, she walks slightly with a pop in her step as she walks by everypony in the room, one of them slaps her flank which she gives him a bone shattering buck to the jaw, breaking it and knocking him unconscious, seems like she is really displeased with this. Eh not my fault.

"Oh why the sad face lovely Starbolt, turn that frown upside down! And by your looks alone you can probably give any stallion a run for their bits, hell maybe even give a few pegasi a bad case of the stiffies if they see you like this. As for me well hehe, I smell the faint traces of ozone in this room hehe." I said smuggly as I sit down onto my chair and turn to face Starbolt as she mounts the stage giving me a soul-piercing glare the entire time, wanting to rip my heart out and show it to me before I die. Well good luck with that one baby.

As Starbolt slowly approachs me from the otherside of the tables I give her my evil grin, not the same grin that the real Lunar Shield gives but my own evil grin, the same grin that I used when I was about to strike down those six mares back in the Everfree Forest before they all fell down that cliffside. Giving her my signature grin I simply raise my head and float a small bag of bits over the stage and let it stay there for the time being, returning my gaze back to the mare before me I get a good nice, long look at her, a look that to me said 'I want you...to give me the best dance you can before I send these pictures of you all over the different guard posts of the castle', and that she did.

"Your enjoying this aren't you...you sick bastard." Starbotl said while giving a small twirl around the pole earning a few whistles from the guards before she glares at all of them, marking my turn to speak before things go from 'enjoyable but crowded' to 'perfect pairs night'.

"You have no idea sweetie hehe and guards that is your cue to leave before she decieds to kills everypony in here with a rusty spoon and a bow tie. So please get your sorry flanks in gear and leave the mare to her slightly temporary job."

"When this is over I am going to murder you...toss your body into the lake, and say it was an accident, mark my words you will not be enjoying this night you bastard. she threatningly said while flicking her tail across my face, her face says she wants to rip my spine out and mount over the fire place but those cute dark green eyes of hers says she is enjoying it, I better give her my response with a heart-felt action on my own term.

"Keep telling yourself that, I am sure that you won't be enjoying it now but later on this night, you gonna be loving it, that much I will ensure." I said while giving her tail a light tug with my magic, earning a slight whine from Starbolt than in response a light buck in the jaw, didn't hurt much but I guess she didn't see that coming. Worth it.

As the little dance went on I decided to kick it up a notch by making that bag I levitated earlier to start raining bits all over the stage and onto Stabolt. Small gold coins start falling onto the stage and as they fall I can tell that she is enjoying this, maybe a family member of hers or somepony she knows of does this for a living down at one of those saucy bars down in the older parts of Canterlot, either way I am getting a grand show for free!

During the entire dance I heard a couple of knocks that went unnoticed until a few loud ones can be heard, until when I turned my head back just in time to get my head next to her plot...dat plot! Only two things came to mind when that happened, 1. I can now sleep a happy stallion for having my face in someponies warm plot, and 2. Why didn't I lock the door? Just as my thoughts came to an abrupt end Starbolt was looking at me with a sly look on her face as she wiggled her plot closer to my face brushing against it, and in that sly look was 'gotcha!' but unfortunately my fun time was coming to an end as Ocean Tide and Seymour walk in as I threw a hoof full of bits into the air with my horn wavering from ozone leaking out of it. The looks on my comrades faces.....priceless.

"Wrong place wrong time......"

Later That Night...

"...What? I can't get a lapdance by the captain of the Solar Guard while making it rain bits in the room? So what if I spent about 500 bits on her and so what if you saw me with my face in her plot, it was rather that or completely blow my cover and make this entire castle alerted to our presence...sweet Luna you never let me have any fun..." I said pouting while putting on my guard armor quickly as Greaves was busy laughing like a mad man and Sapphire was busy yelling at me for messing around with guards. In all totally worth it.

"We are never going to let this down dude! I mean come on while we were distracting Captain Shining Ass Hat you were going to get laid by one of the captains of the guard! And spending our hard earned bits in the process! Come on dude! At least you could have waited until I got there! Greaves was obviously butt hurt that I didn't wait for him to show up, not my fault that he wanted a show along with getting his face full of plot...and I did not know that he wanted a show also.

"I still can't believe you did that...you couldn't have stayed out of trouble but noooo you just had to go start some...well we should be glad that she is keeping this quiet from everypony else...but now I have to be careful around you Lunar...can't seem to trust you now." oh great...lady problems...perfect.

"All of this, all that you just saw was part of the plan, I now have something to use as leverage against Captain Starbolt and the rest of her group of guards, also those bits I earned from the gambling, that will go to us and besides will be needing money soon otherwise when the time comes we will be short on funds...now be quiet or go home, my patience are near its end because of that tyrant and our reduced queen's endless questions...so many pointless stupid questions..." I said grumbling at them in disdain. 'Who are they to judge me? It was by my power and my mind that kept them from rotting in the fire pits of Tartarus, they should be thankful for that and more, if it wasn't for me than they all would be suffering a grim fate, I just gave them a second chance...if they keep getting in my way or question my motives...they will know my wrath.'

"Really now? And what leverage do you have besides having your muzzle all up in her plot? All that will do will just get her fired and dishonorably discharged from the royal guard, but she also has enough evidence against you to do the same, even worse is that we wasted enough time with the enemy that our illusion spells will wear off and reveal ourselves to them. So whatever we gotta do we better do it fast."

'For once she is right, we gotta move fast and quietly, otherwise our cover will be blown, will have a castle on high alert for three of Equestria's most wanted criminals, and will have to face a royally (pun intended) pissed off princess with a most likely just as equally pissed off princess. I hate it when she is right about these things...'

"Alright than. Ocean, Seymour, you two go to the Royal Archives, Star Swirl the Bearded Section, and stay there, I have to get something real quick, I need to get the key for the vault and there is only one place that has it and it is currently being watched by somepony, so whatever you do, do not get caught, do not blow your cover and for bucks sakes, don't damage any of the books while you read them..." I said before doing a complete 180* and galloped off towards the Lunar Wing of the palace, Sapphire and Greaves both give each other confused looks and shrug, slightly picking up the pace from a simple trot and pad to half-ass galloping and running.

Royal Archives, Star Swirl the Bearded Section, Midnight

"So tell me again why we are waiting for Lunar Shield in the worlds biggest place for nerds? I mean sure all of these books are priceless and irreplaceable but come on, he could of just asked us to wait in the lobby of the bookroom, I read only one book just one! And it was about how Star Swirl found out about the elements of harmony...and now I wish I remember where I placed that book..."

"Oh come now it is just a book! It's not like that book was made of gold and the paper was made of the finest silver available at the time, how important could that book be? And besides he told us to wait in this section for a reason, he wouldn't have asked us to be here unless he planned on us getting caught when the magic wears off. Another thing I have to ask him is how did he manage to get that mare to strip herself of her armor and poll dance in front of him? What is he the love whisperer?" his little comment earned him a rough hoof to the gut, slightly knocking the wind out of him.

As those two were talking in the excluded section of the library, Feather Touch, a pegasus maid, was tending to the library and was dusting all the bookshelves and books, not once missing a single speck of dust or cobweb, always looking closely at the books and the shelves to ensure the destruction of the dust of evil and grime, also known as someponies food crumbs that was left behind while reading. As she turns the corner to continue her quest of eliminating dust and cobwebs from the ancient books, she accidentally bumps into Greaves as he turned around to hold his ribs from the gutshot he took from Sapphire, and in that moment in time both Feather and Greaves had only one thought in their little heads.

'Oh sweet Celestia not again...'

'Is it me or did somepony hear my prayers about wanting to hug something adorable?'

When the two collided Greaves rolled over ontop of Feather and was hugging he while Feather was busy trying not to lock up from the sudden embrace and scream for assistance, or yell that she was about to be raped. But as the two are hugging each other they both notice that both of them are blushing and are not even looking at each other, Sapphire was busy with her mouth open and her jaw on the floor from the two of them holding each other in a warm embrace. What happened next made Sapphire laugh so hard that her helmet fell off. The sounds of two pairs of wings launching out like spring loaded traps.

FWOOSH

FWOOSH

"BWAAHAHAHAHAHA WING BONERS! Oh sweet Celestia this is rich! I can't believe you two would do such a bold thing in a private place! For shame Seymour put those two boys away before the lass here gets any very bold ideas and plans to take you away! Oh if only Lunar Shield was here this would be priceless!"

In unison both of them spoke at the same time with their faces red from both embaressment and shame.

"Shut up Ocean Tide!"

"This isn't what it looks like!"

The sounds of somepony laughing her ass off could be heard throughout the archives before it was abruptly cut off by the sounds of somepony jumping ontop of said pony than the sounds of somepony getting strangled was heard followed by something being knocked over and something heavy whacking somepony upside the head before one last thud could be heard than there was silence.

"Well he be alright?"

"Yea lass he will be fine, he will just need to catch a quick shut-eye before we do anything else, he has been up for the past three days with no sleep ever since we left the castle for an expedition. So no worries he is gonna be alright, maybe not when he wakes up since I did hit him very hard with my hoof upside the head but then again his head is to thick to break with just a hoof, maybe with a frying pan...but eh I bet you like him more than you are letting on now right?" she said while giving her a smirk before gently rubbing Greaves on the back making his wings shot back out, obviously being a wing-tease to him while he is drifting off in the void of the unconscious land.

"Oh...good...wait what!?! No no no I do not like him like that...he justs...he looks like this one gryphon that I like...he looks almost exactly like him except for the color of fur on his chest and his eyes...if it was the same then...he would look exactly like Greaves..."

'oh shit...she can see the resemblence'

"Greaves? You mean that one gryphon that got hanged a few days ago? You two were an item? Well i'll be...never knew that a maid would fall for an exiled gryphon prince, nice catch though."

"How did you know he was a prince? Greaves only told me that bit of information because he trusted me enough to say it...what else did he tell you? Was he keeping you on the side lines? Was he cheating on me with you? Tell me now!" shouted Feather Touch, she was absolutely furious that Sapphire Bloom knew that Greaves was a prince but was even more furious that he did not tell her about anything they did together. Relying on quick thinking she says something rather foolish and stupid as a reaction.

"Well I was the one guarding his cell the days he was held captive by us, I was not aware of any crimes that he have committed but during his stay he told me who he was, and how he came to be here but left out the charges pressed up against him, so don't worry lass I didn't take him away from you, and besides it should be you that I should be looking out for, you could become a liability to Equestria if anypony found out that you dated the enemy...those gryphons are ruthless when it comes to getting what they want, and our lands is what they want, so if you tell them anything I will throw you into the nearest dark cell I can find and throw away the key!"

'Oh Sweet Celestia this is gonna be a long day...'

Lunar Wing, Princess Luna's Royal Bedchambers, Midnight

"I knew coming in here alone was a bad idea...sneaking past guards easy, breaking into a locked room that is protected by magic easy, looking through a mare's drawers hoping to find the key to a secret vault...impossible." I said while openning another drawer and pulled out Luna's royal regalia, quickly looked around before neatly folding it and stuffing it into the small bag that I had enchanted earlier that week. Inside of that bag was around 2,500 bits, a sweetroll, a loaf of bread(stolen), a silver candle holder(also stolen) six sets of Royal Solar Guard armor(might be stolen since I won them in a bet), two orange socks that belonged to Starbolt(still warm and stolen), one Princess Luna Queen of Diamonds poker card(stolen), and lastly one Playmare Magazine with the Wonderbolt's Captain Spitfire on the cover(stole it from Stone Wall when he wasn't looking).

"Okay maybe taking that magazine might have been not such a good idea...it is starting to distract me...eh forget i'll give it to Greaves when we get back to the castle, he is just gonna love this, maybe even ruin it on the first night!"

Laughing at my own little bad joke I shake my head with disgust against myself I go back to searching for the key for the so called 'Black Vault' that rests under the Royal Archives, well that was what the crazy servants kept talking about in their downtime at Pony Joe's Donut House, I also heard that those sevants are crazy by the way they take their jobs at the castle a little to over zealous, that or they are just crazy because of all the stress the job comes with.

Turning my head to look at the drawer to my left I see that it has a brush on it, a brush that I am very familiar with because that brush was the very same one back at the Everfree Castle...with the same magical aura that I placed upon it when I turned 12, the first day I became Nightmare Moon's attendent and personnel servant. How did Luna even get this brush?

'What is this doing here?!? I thought that I had this secure and locked away in my private chest under the floor in my room! How did she find it? I thought that this would never be used again...'

Staring at the brush in utter confusion I forget to thoroughly look around to make sure that there was nopony present in the room, that included the princess herself.....

"What art thou doing in my room. Speak quickly guard before I hath thines head on a platter!" Princess Luna shouted as she walked out of the room next to me, and the appearent sound of water dripping out of a faucet was all to real to listen to...I walked into Princess Luna's room while she was taking a bath. Her form was still dripping wet from the water in the bath she took but her mane and tail, while etheral were somehow sticking to her coat, a mystery that will forever elude me, but to the task at hoof, not getting throne in jail or worse, face the gallows again but this time with my horn removed and die for real this time.

"Tell me now Nightshade or thou will face the ultimate punishment for breaking into My room! Tell me now!"

"I came here...*sigh* I can't lie to you my love, I came here looking for the key that leads to the Black Vault. I want my love back and I will stop at nothing to achieve that goal, I don't care if it leads me to my own demise but that is my own choice and I will carry it through till the end. So Princess...please tell me where the key is so I can return you to your true glory and rule Equestria...I will not ask you again because if I must...than it will not be the stallion that you fell in love with that will be in control, but the monster that was created by Ponyville."

"We are sorry Nightshade but We can not tell thou where the key is...so please leave us now, I will not ask thou a second time..." Luna said solemnly before preparing herself into a defensive stance, her horn pointing at me.

"Those that you call the darkness is your salvation through destruction, you have the attention of those that are infinitly your greater...I will defeat you even when you are in your weakened condition for you have failed in your goal to conquering Equestria together, theirfore we will find another way." my voice said litterally dripping with inky venom falling from my mouth before the darkness of the room consumes my body and transforms it into an alicorn of a smaller stature, a body created by shadows and darkness, a body that is now nothing more than pure hatred of all things alive.

Moments later the sounds of something crashing onto the ground followed by the sounds of a potted plant breaking, a loud yelp was later followed by another clatter of ceramic bits hiting the floor before silence filled the room as two Lunar Guards bash the door down and can ownly witness as a black beast dripping with shadows glare at the two intruding guards, exposing its fangs of pure darkness before fading into the floor and disappearing, leaving behind Princess Luna withering on the floor in pain and muttering incoherent words.

"Somepony get the medical staff over here now and somepony alert Princess Celestia that Princess Luna was attacked by an assassin...get every guard on high alert and seal off the city, do not let this assassin get away..."

Royal Archives, Starswirl the Bearded Section, 15 Minutes Later

"And that was how I found my fondess to chocolate." Sapphire said to Feather Touch as she was dusting a random book, seemingly not paying much attention to the fake Solar Guard as she was pre-occupied with cleaning the archives of dust and cobwebs until a dark blob formed on the floor and rose from the ground until it formed into a rough shape of a pony with a bent horn that looked like a nearly straight 'S' with two liquid like bat wings, both wings fading from view and the horn going back to a normal unicorn's horn as I reappeared in my true Eternal Guard armor.

My sudden appearence scared Feather Touch and when she saw my armor she almost screamed for help before I shoved my hoof into her mouth and knocked her out with a sedative spell that I had set up before I left for this castle. ""Sapphire Bloom, Greaves, you two go back to the Everfree Forest now before the city is sealed and shielded, our cover has been blown by Luna herself, she does not wish to be herself so we must go with the ritual...I will meet you back home so go now!" I shouted still giving off a cold sickly aura around myself, waking up Greaves and saying what I just said the quick and short way 'Shit has hit the fan and you two get your fat asses in gear and leave me behind'.

Before any of them tried to reject my plan I smack both of them hard in the flank, immediately they took to the air and flew out the windows and flied as fast and as hard as they possibly can towards the Everfree Forest, and just as they got over the palace walls my illusion spell faded off of them and our true cover was blown.

"What the Tartarus? I thought they were dead three days ago? All guards capture those bastards before they escape death again! On the double!" shouted a particular guardspony standing near the balcony of the royal guard barracks, my eyes fell upon him as he looked from where my friends exited from and looked right at me, and began a stare-off between us, our eyes not wavering in the twilight of the dawn until the faint rays of light broke out onto the skies forcing me to look away and retreat into the safety of the archives and to the entrance to the Black Vault, my destination and my salvation. The same guard that I was staring at galloped down the wooden stairs and out towards the palace with a small detachment of equestrian soldiers following him. As soon as the guardspony entered the archives it was eerie silent, the tall white unicorn looked around, he was wearing steel armor that was missing several parts that was worn by traditional guards, no leg protecters or helmets, his triple toned shades of blue mane was longer than standard regulations of the guards and as he strode into the archives the guards that was already there stood at attention. The guard in question was none other than Twilight Sparkle's older brother...Knight Shining Armor.

'Time to step up the plan...these guards will regret getting in my way.'

Hiding in the darkness of the archive I laid out faint traces of magical energy throughout the area, leaving those traces to be easily detected by the unicorn guards and by Shining Armor himself, said energy was all linked to hidden glyph's each of them ready to activate on my command. The guards along with Shining Armor separate and spread out searching for me, all of the guards pull out their weapons from their respectable sheaths and get into a defensive stance, ready for me to pop up, but they won't get that pleasure just yet.

"Everypony listen up, get your weapons ready and if you hear anything tell your partner about it and tell anypony else about it, we can not let this last one get away, by the looks that he gave me he was a unicorn and have most likely used a spell on them to evade easy detection by the newest guards, but whatever you do, do not engage this particular unicorn head on, wait for reinforcements to arrive, we do not know how powerful or how much magic he has stored up. yelled Shining Armor to all of the guards under his command.

Almost on cue a creepy voice was heard in the archive, the voice was dripping with venom and hatred that was long thought has never existed since the time of Discord's rule over Equestria before he was overthrown.

"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

"How I Wonder What You Are"

"Up Above The World So High,"

"Like A Diamond In The Sky"

My voice suddenly being heard saying an old ponies rhyme was enough to quickly unsettle the nerves of the newest of the royal guards and send one of them into a nervous breakdown which he had to be slapped to snap out of it by his partner.

"When The Blazing Sun Is Gone,"

"When The Nothing Shines Upon."

"Then You Show Your Little Light,"

"Twinkle Twinkle All The Night."

As I kept singing the foal rhyme, more and more of the guards start to slowly shuffle back to the center of the archives, Shining Armor himself snorting in anger that his guards are scared of a single unicorn chanting a rhyme that he has heard when he was just a little colt. But to the rest of the guards a single unicorn that was back from the dead that has infiltrated the royal palace with only a gryphon and a pegasus as back up means they came here as spies or came here as assassins, either options were both trouble for them.

"Then The Traveler In The Dark,"

"Thanks You For Your Little Spark,"

"He Could Not See Which Way To Go,"

"If You Did Not Twinkle So!"

Just as the verse ended I roared from my hiding spot from on top of the hourglass in the middle of the room and tackle Shining Armor onto the floor knocking him off balance and onto a royal guard, knocking him out from his head hitting the stone floor suddenly. As quickly as I came I faded from sight as my body turned into globs of darkness and shifted into the dark crevices of the bookshelves and vanish. My voice returning to the room as the guards scramble to form a phalanx around their fallen captain and fellow guard.

"In The Dark Blue Sky You Keep,"

"And Often Through My Curtains Peep,"

"For You Never Shut Your Eyes,"

"'Till The Sun Is In The Sky!"

The darkness slowly started to fill the room as the magic that I left behind started to take effect, turning the sparse magic trails into actual black smoke that started to fill the room, slowly creeping towards sources of light and snuffing them out, candles and open lanterns quickly being extinguished, closed forms of light fending off the darkness revealing twisted broken forms of ponies, gryphon's, zebra's, even a dragon's form was seen by the guards. The twisted forms moving freely in the darkness but as soon as one entered an area with a source of sunlight, it slowly started to fall apart revealing nothing but magical tendrils and bones until fading from existence completely.

"Nothing but shadows and false images! This unicorn is just trying to scare us! We can easily beat him! Come on Everypony! Use your magelight spell so we can fend off this madness!" Just as he said that, a dark tendril of pure black magic reaches out from the darkest corner of the archives, grabbing the guard by the throat and yanked him into the darkness, only the sounds of a muffled scream was heard before it went silent with dread and fear. Moments later the guard slowly crawled out of the darkness but his armor was partially melted and whatever fur was exposed was burnt off and his hooves were cracked and chipped from whatever beatdown he has received, blabbering incoherent words and with his final breath died as black clouds of magic left his open mouth drifting back towards the others.

"As Your Bright and Tiny Spark,"

"Lights The Traveler In The Dark."

"Though I Know Not What You Are,"

"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star..."

The last verse of the rhyme ended and the darkness slowly began to retreat back into the darkest corners of the archives, taking with them the magic that was lingering in the air and from the freightened guards, the darkness siphoning off of them as they huddled close to each other for protection from the beasts that was created from nothing but hatred, anger, and the darkness of ones heart.

"Is Everypony alright?" shouted Shining Armor as he slowly stood up from the floor, his body aching in pain from my surprise attack that left him with a dis-located shoulder and a painful headache. I wasn't prepared enough to fully tear off that leg, guess I gotta try harder next chance I get.

"Yea...most of us are alright, but Stone Wall is gone...when the darkness came out it grabbed him by the throat and dragged him in...we only heard his screams of pain and anguish before he crawled out...talking nonsense before dying...whatever that unicorn is it is not natural...we might be dealing with somepony that is using chaos magic...a pony that was a disciple of Discord..." said a guard that was obviously beyond scared-shitless at this point, even saying 'disciple of Discord' was enough proof that he fucking lost it.

"Do you know how much of what you just said was a load of horseapples?" said another guard, a mare by the looks and sounds of it, pretty little thing, green coat, orange mane with red stripes running down its length, her cutie mark was what looked like a few carrots but was in front of a banner of a larger carrot, my guess she was some sort of carrot farmer or something.

"Yea dude, really now a 'disciple of Discord'? You do know that he is still a statue out in the gardens and he won't be getting out any time soon, so whatever you just said did not make any sense." another guard said, a steel grey pegasus with a crossed cutlass over a wooden shield cutie mark. His voice filled with both fear for his life but caution about the darkness, he might prove as a useful spy if I can get to him.

"Really now....a disciple of Discord....I am not sure...if I should call...out horseapples on that....or give you a...reward for trying so hard. But anyways...good luck in trying to....stop me in my plans...foolish royal guards....the night shall last forever....and when Tartarus is full...the dead shall walk amongst...the living...." the dead corpse of Stone Wall spoke up from his position on the floor, his eyes glazed over black, his jaw moving up and down ever slightly from its half open position. The corpse slowly rose off the ground and sauntered over towards the living guards, who in turn raise their weapons at the deceased pony, fearing for the worst.

"Heed my words fools...the darkness shall cross this land....like a creeping plague that never ends....the night shall rule over this land....and only the moon shall be in the sky....soon all will love the glow...and embrace its cold loving embrace...now run and cower foals...because the night will last forever!" the corpse of Stone Wall spoke with our combined voice, leaving nothing out of it, two voices acting as one for a host with no will of its own. The corpse started laughing on its own will now, finally free from my temporary control and being brought back to life only to have his faint flickering flame snuffed out as he lets out a ragged cough before dying from the wounds and from the manipulation that I have done to his body.

In that moment of silence the darkness quickly returned back from the corners long enough to distract the guards to allow me to open the archives concealed doors, granting me access to the infamous 'Black Vault'.

Canterlot Archives, Black Vault, Twilight Apex of Dawn

The doors behind me seal shut as I stepped past the colossal midnight black doors, closing tightly behind with an ear piercing hissing sound as the double doors sealed up any and all traces of its existence only to leave behind nothing more than the night sky behind me, the stars on the walls and ceiling twinkling brightly at me, glowing a dull silver blue to illuminate the room. The entire room was cold as ice as my very breath itself formed a fog of warmth before being devoured by the bone freezing coldness of the room, the room itself releasing the cold in waves, chilling me to the bones as I moved deeper and deeper into the vault, looking at the artifacts that was left inside that was told to be to dangerous to be allowed to be seen by the common eyes.

The beauty of the room was beyond belief, the eternal night sky was all I can see in any direction, even looking behind me was nothing more than darkness with the sparkling lights of the stars, acting as my source of light and a guide in the black void of the vault. Trotting quickly down the path that is being illuminated by solar crystals on the floor, counter-acting the blissful darkness with its bright light, creating a pathway of solar light and lunar darkness, the perfect twilight of day and night.

"Now...where the flying hell is it! I mean first I barely find the stupid vault doors, then I find all of these worthless relics that I can not use without the proper magic, and now solar light in the void! Why must that sun tyrant ruin this perfect realm! Damn her to Tartarus...I need to find that armor...those shreds and armor is all I need to bring her back from the deep void...I will not stop till it is found." my darkened voice now nothing more than echo of its former tone, each word sounding like a deep growl with another of its kind speaking at the same time, double voice.

Looking at each artifact made me realize that once Nightmare Moon has returned she might know of what each of these do and will be extremely helpful when we go on the march to overthrow Celestia...if only I could tell if these are magically trapped. Turning my gaze from a mini-statue of an alicorn standing up at attention looking into the deep void of the room, not sure what this will do to me but I am willing to bet it is cursed in some way or form, and after a good time of my mind arguing with myself.

'Just take it and go, whats the worst that can happen?'

'Maybe this thing will turn us into an alicorn or turn us into a statue and we end up like Discord.'

'Ahh you are no fun...fine just take the strange looking gems, place them in a separate swag-bag and move on, honestly am I like the common-sense part of us?'

'No, you are the common-sense when dealing with common things, I am the common-sense when dealing with things that will rather grant us immortality or turn us inside-out and set us on fire in the process...in fact being set on fire right now will be bad since we do not know a water spell to put us out and no water in here means we will be nothing but ashes if anypony finds us...which is relevently impossible in here...'

'So no stealing of precious loot that might be cursed? No taking of royal swag?'

'No, we will steal some, just after we got the armor of Nightmare Moon, once we have it we will steal everything in sight as quickly as possible.'

'YES!'

After the mental battle was won in my favor of stealing from a royal pain in the flank I finally came across the very back of the vault, a large jet black ponyquin wearing a chest plate, comprised of grayish purple metal, with a turquoise crescent moon set in its center, horseshoes to match the chest piece, and an armored plate for the back of her neck. The final piece of armor, a helmet made of the same metal as the chest piece rests snuggly on the fake horn of the ponyquin's head. The armor of Nightmare Moon, resting peacefully on the fake alicorn and yet still has that aura of cold fear radiating from it, the remnants of her powerful magic. In all of its beauty it was right there, resting peacefully and yet it gave me the feeling of wanting to be free, wanting to get out of the coldness of the void I heard whispers in my head, whispers of freedom and promises of revenge against the ponies that destoryed my perfect world.

A whisper that I absorbed into myself, a promise to destroy is a promise to take lightly.

"Welcome...home...Nightshade..." the gentle whisper said into my ear, a calm whisper that promised everything that will be alright in the end of our conquest.

"Glad to be home, now lets get you back to our castle." I said back, grinning evilly before putting my armor away back into my enchanted bag, setting said bag down before taking off piece by piece the royal armor, and placing those piece onto myself.

"Now we are together....forever...make us whole again..." said the whisper, but this time this whisper was more soothing and seductive, and with each addition of the armor to my body it only got louder till it drowned out the noise of the crickets in the night and the chirping of the lunar birds.

Finally attaching the last of the royal armor, I know look like a near exact copy of Nightmare Moon except for height, wings, mane and correct eye color, other than I look just like her, and the strange part was that the armor fit just right, not even sure how but the feeling of ancient and powerful magic flowing through me was enough to make me aware that the vault door has opened up.

"Time to greet our guests..."

"Time to greet our guests..."

All Tartarus is about to break loose.