Moonrise, Moonset

Blaze Storm raced down the halls of Canterlot Castle. His hoof guards got stuck in the vine carpet that engulfed the whole city as he dashed to the Royal Chamber. He was out of breath when he reached the two guards at the door. They gave him strange look but lifted their spears and watched him with deep glares from their glowing red eyes as he walked into the hall.

The grand chamber of the castle was a steeple of vines and twisted plants that festered and grew into the walls in the eternal darkness. They coated everything but the windows in their wrath letting only the moonlight through the blue-tinted black glass windows. Pale and pulsing blue lights floated in orbs above Blaze's head, shining down from the top of the room where the ravenous vines met the black marble that coated everything else.

At the far end of the room, a deep blue velvet carpet led up the throne of Princess Night. That whole half of the room was shrouded in shadow and seemed to be more engulfed in darkness than the whole land's darkness combined. Outside, the black bells tolled 12 times. Signifying the night's curfew. Blaze could see frightened ponies turning off all of their lights and scampering into the safety that their homes provided them. Safety from the Guard of Red Eyes. The Lunar Guard.

Suddenly, the black haze parted, and blue mist enclosed the chamber in secrecy. Then, Nightmare Moon was visible. Sitting proudly on her throne and governing her land of fear and darkness with a dazzlingly haunting smile. Her sharp teeth were bared in her pitch black muzzle. The coat could have been soft and silky, but instead, the black was full of fear and dread. Her wickedly strong wings were folded by her long black legs. Her armor was the most shimmering silver, though it and her helmet seemed to radiate terror. Her mane ebbed and flowed around her constantly and it cast dark shadows of stars upon her dark deep eyes.

Blaze bowed before her. "Your majesty."

"What is it you want of me Mr.Storm?" The princesses voice cut at him like knives. "I have been anxiously awaiting a status report." Her eyes shot daggers to two ponies standing by the windows looking for the report pony to fly in. They quaked in fear.

"It is a progress report of sorts," Blaze responded, suddenly feeling uncomfortable

"Well," Nightmare raised a purple eyebrow. Blaze started to quake a bit.

"I, uh, received a report earlier today from a concerned civilian in Ponyville. They, um, were in line to receive rations over at the Loaf and they, uh, told me some, uh, well they told Private Eggwash who referred it to me when he returned from distributions. He, uh, said that the civilian was concerned about seeing someponies on the Southern borders of the town doing, uh-"

"They were not receiving rations?" Nightmare inquired. Blaze nodded.

"He said that he didn't recognize any of them and, uh,"

"If they do not come to pick up rations, that is their own fault. Why is this so concerning?"

"Well, your majesty. There was a possibly a weakened changeling with them." Nightmare seemed to mull this over for a moment.

"Strange." She muttered to herself. "Is this all?"

"No, your eminence. You see, uh, I'm not quite sure but, um, your sister-" Nightmare Moon's eyes dilated and she snapped to attention in an instant. Her mane flared.

"What about my sister?" She growled.

"Your sister was with them." Blaze finished so quietly it was a squeak. But it was enough for Nightmare.

Her temper rose with her mane. She leaped to her feet and growled commands to guards standing around the room and kept grumbling to herself, keeping the blue flames dancing in her eyes.

In all of the chaos, the two ponies by the window slipped out of the room unnoticed. They raced through the vine-torn city and skidded to the outskirts of it. Their bodies started to change as the vines jolted them around corners and onto dingy sidestreets. When they reached an abandoned alley, they dropped their armor and let their forms take them over. Then, they lifted up a Ponyhole cover and slipped down into a pipe.

In the quiet desolation of the war-torn city, two changelings celebrated the return of the Princess of the Sun.