Chapter 5: Setting in stone

Zecora was not fond of finding a dead animal in front of her path, well that was until it started breathing very slowly. She realised it wasn’t any creature she had ever seen before and it was dying.

“You will not die today, for you will see another day,” Zecora said, thinking of a way to pick up the animal without injuring the creature further. She poked the creature to see if had a conscious but was met with a groan. “What to do” Zecora thought, she then realised that she had a potion that she had just made before for floating for the little foals. She turned the creature over and poured the concoction into the stranger’s mouth, it gasped in pain and the body floated up enough for Zecora to move underneath and carry it towards her hut.

I gasped in pain to find myself in a house of some sort. I groaned sitting up right to feel massive amounts of pain in my chest area and legs, “Damn you Celestia!” I said, finding a strange animal in front of me, it was like a horse but with stripes.

“I am Zecora, and you are?” Zecora said taking in a deep look at me.

“Silver,” I said.

“You have 3 broken ribs, a spear wound and a mild concussion, thanks to which now I am your physician,” Zecora said.

“Thank you Zecora,” I said, acknowledging my wounds and the realisation that she spoke in some sought of rhyme.

“There is no need for thanking me, I am just a humble zebra in helping thee,” Zecora said, “Drink this, it will make you full of bliss,” handing a bottle of orange liquid, I stared at it as if it was poison but then decided that I would be better to drink, “If she wanted me dead, I would have been” and drank the liquid. It did not smell of oranges sadly, as I fell to unconscious.

Waking up again it was roughly dusk by the looks of it, with my head spinning a bit I saw Zecora placing herbs and plants inside a cauldron. “She’s an alchemist, that explains all the potions and stuff” I stood up from the hay bed and walked out the front door to get some fresh air, the smell of the liquid brewing was unbearable. Taking deep breaths, I looked to the sun to feel a soft warm sensation, understanding that the sun here was much different than back from where I came from.

“Where are you going, it is not safe for the foraging,” Zecora said.

“Just getting some fresh air, the potion remedy reeks,” I said.

“You also seem all better, it almost seems like you want to flutter,” Zecora pointed out.

“Your remedy really helped, thank you!” I said, “I wish I could repay you, all I have are these coins, they are not the same,”

“That is fine, I always help those in need as that is how I am define,” Zecora said, my stomach rumbled, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Now it is time to forage,” I said, bringing out my rifle, “I’ll be back in a bit,” leaving Zecora with her mouth wide open.

The night was cold, it was almost like a harsh winter came through, “Is it even Summer now? Time has been going so fast I don’t even know if it is the same time back where I am from,” I stared into the sky, there were less stars in the sky as if Luna hastily did it almost seeing a sadness in the sky like she was weeping. “I have always loved the night, not just to hide myself but it’s beauty and the wonders it can show like the aurora” I sighed at the state of the sky, “I hope Luna is alright, it is not right to face the wrath when I should be held responsible,” sitting myself down on the branch I was on.

The wind howled, and I felt it to the bones, Luna was right, my cloak was getting dirty and there were two holes around the shoulder area, “I will fix these later, but now I need food.” After some time, I still could not find any critters to eat and I didn’t sense anything to eat either which was annoying as I always have meat to eat. “I might have to go back it’s getting late” I thought when I heard rustling behind me. holding my rifle and aiming at the bushes, the rustling sound continued until an egg came out. The egg rolled towards me, which confused me as it was big, much bigger than a normal chicken egg and I was hungry and couldn’t wait to boil it.

I checked behind the bushes to find a wolf gnawing on what appeared to be a rabbit. “It must have been saving the egg for later, I should leave it alone, I’m not ready to fight again” I thought stepping backwards when the most cliché thing could happen, I stepped on a stick, making the wolf turn towards me. Its teeth bared, blood running down it maw, I took a stance ready for the incoming attack. The eyes of the wolf never laid off of me as it circled around me, “Animal Instincts, it's staring at me, measuring the potential of an enemy I am, one single look away and it will attack,” I thought trying to keep eye contact but the night was getting to me and I closed my eyes for a split second.

The wolf pounced at me rearing its jaws towards my throat, knocking me down and gnashing down at me as I held it back with my left forearm across it’s throat, but I pushed the blade right into the cranium with my right hand, the wolf freezing instantly and collapsed on me. Sighing as I started skinning the beast and was already heading back to Zecora’s Hut with an egg and a wolf on my back. I knocked on the door to find an annoyed Zecora.

“You have been gone, for all this time when it's almost dawn,” Zecora said, then eyes wide with all the blood on me, “What beast did you fight, to give you such a night?” while staring at the large egg I had.

“How big is your pot?” I asked, anxious to eat and not caring about the blood on me.

“It is big enough, to fit all kinds of stuff,” Zecora sighed.

“Lead the way,” I said as she walked back inside realising I wasn’t even listening.

“Here you are, let's hope you don’t get a scar,” Zecora pouted pointing to her pot with boiling water. I pretended to not hear the zebra whining about safety in the forest when I placed the wolf on the table, knocking some potions and scaring Zecora. I placed the egg in the cauldron. I shut my eyes landing on the bed when suddenly the cauldron exploded and a very surprised Zecora landed right next to me from the explosion.

“That’s no normal egg,” Zecora said as the smoke cleared away to reveal a blue baby dragon climbing out of the cauldron.

“Are you serious, there are dragons?!” I yelled in the sky waving my fist, “What next a freaking hydra?”

Zecora opened her mouth about to say something but decided to close it, as I neared the baby dragon. The dragon had a sleek body, its colour of light blue crystallized like scale and its beady eyes eyeing me as I came closer, seeing a reflection of myself in its eyes as it made a humming sound. It tried flying towards me but before it touched the floor I caught it with my reflexes. It was no bigger than my palm and it hugged my hand in a loving way, rubbing its head around my thumb.

“It likes you, just as it is blue,” Zecora said from afar, the dragon then bit me. I held it grimacing in pain when I felt weird inside me as the dragon turned a great deep red like blood before yawning and laid in my palm purring in a way. “Strange, it turned deep red as if it bit me, something has changed inside me” I thought as I felt my head swarm with drowsiness and I headed to the bed to rest placing my new pet down on my pillow. “I think I will name it Shards” I whispered as I smiled at the perfect name I had just thought of, slowly letting myself drift to sleep.

Waking up a few hours later, I found myself feeling the scratching of a dragon paw. I turned my head to come to face with Shards my new dragon pet.

“Aren’t you a cute one,” I said, pulling myself out of bed and it clambered up to my shoulders, “I’m going to call you Shards,” Shards turned the colour yellow, as it licked me on the face. “So, it uses colours for emotions” as it changed back to its light blue form. Zecora was nowhere to be found as I went to the table which held the wolf. I looked at the pot in which Shards just came out of when I felt Shards dig into my shoulders as it stared at the wolf. Shards leapt of me and landed next the wolf and started digging, making a giant mess as it tore through the meat of the wolf.

Personally I would have grimaced at the sight as it reminded me of my German Shepard I used to have named Bear as he actually knocked down one surprisingly when I was younger, but when the little dragon popped his head out of the carcass and brought a piece of meat for me and tilted his head waiting for approval I couldn’t help but smile. I took the piece of meat and Shards lit up a great yellow as it jumped around, I took the giant cauldron out from its place and recovered the remains of Shards’ egg shell. I nudged it towards Shards and it surprisingly did a little back flip and started eating its shell.

My eyes widened in shock as it ate as crystals started shifting as Shards grew. “Weird, it grows when it eats its same element,” I thought, looking for something to start the fire again, Shards must have sensed me somehow and leapt down from the table and breathed a blue fire towards the wood lighting it instantly.”Impressive”as I looked around for a pan when Shards started coughing and breathed fire towards the floor only for a crystal shard to land right next to my finger almost like a pencil but thicker.

“Thanks, Shard” I smiled as it tried flying back towards the table only for me to pick it up and place it back to the wolf that is was eating, “Don’t wolf it all down,” I said jokingly when Zecora spoke behind me.

“That was a terribly pun, almost as bad as a nun,” Zecora said poking me in the back, scaring me half to death.

“Don’t sneak up on me like that,” I said, poking a piece of wolf with my new crystal stick and held it above the fire.

“Oh no, is the Assassin scared of being known,” Zecora smirked, I was about to open my mouth to say something but was surprised for Zecora to hold my mouth with a hoof.

“I know you are an assassin, it’s written all over your weapons” Zecora said, “But I have judged you to be safe as I see inside you a kind-hearted soul who is loving towards creatures,”

“I just realised something: you don’t rhyme all the time, how come you never said anything?” I asked.

“Because you never asked,” Zecora smirked and started moving towards the door “I am off to collect some herbs and plants, and some ants,” leaving me to wonder whether she actually rhymes all the time or if it was just in my head.

A day ago:

*Start Dyathon-Love is alive*

Celestia barged into her room, ready to blow again until she saw her sister crying. “I almost forgot about her” rushing towards Luna as her wings unfurled and hugged her. When Luna pushed Celestia away, she knew something wasn’t right.

“You know sister we are connected, and I can hear almost every thought,” Luna sniffled, “You just called me a her and you almost forgot me is that right?”

“I didn’t mean to,” Celestia apologised, “I’m just angry at Silver that is all,”

“Silver, this is what it’s about. What does he have to do with anything?” Luna cried out.

“Everything sister, he manipulated thee, he was about to kill thee and would have done so if I wasn’t there to save thee,” Celestia said.

“He did not manipulate me sister,” Luna said, “What have you done with him?”

“Nothing, he managed to escape my grasp and he has horrendous weapons, killed all 12 of my finest knights with…”

“I don’t care of your knights, what did you do with Silver?” Luna repeated.

“One knight managed to throw a spear into his shoulder, that was all, we will be searching for him at the crack of dawn,” Celestia said, “And why does it matter sister if Silver is dead or not, is it because you are deeply in love with him that you are clouded in your thoughts, that you cannot see truly that he is evil, ”

“No, it is not love, I am not in love with him, I acted out of instinct,” Luna pouted, “maybe you want to hear it from my side of the story first because he is innocent, I am sure of it,”

“Fine sister, but there is evidence to support the fact that he would have killed you without a doubt,” Celestia said sternly and then Luna recounted the whole story.

“It seems to me it was all a ruse, to let your guard down so Silver could strike thee,” Celestia said sitting next to Luna, “Did you know Blueblood was killed,”

“No, I did not sister, but what does this have to do with Silver,” Luna said.

“He was murdered in his home, with the same way that Silver kills, a blade in the throat and he was of high status, noble,” Celestia said.

“So, thou are saying that since Silver is an assassin and that since this Unicorn Blueblood was killed with a stab to the throat that it was Silver?” Luna demanded angrily, “What kind of logic is that, I could stab thee to the throat the same way, this has nothing to do with Silver,”

“Thou would stab me?” Celestia questioned in shocked, moving away from Luna.

“What I am trying to say sister, is that Silver would not kill me, he is so kind-hearted to those that he trusts and loves, you have heard of the orphan colt,” Luna said.

“Yes, I have and have already assigned Radiant Hope to look after him in the meantime while she studies magic and I heard that Silver walked him to a well that is all,” Celestia said.

“Well if you were to actually talk to the orphan, you would have known that the colt was about to bullied for his bits, but Silver intervened,” Luna said.

“I did not know that,” Celestia said astonished, “But it does not explain the death of Blueblood, and why you did not tell me of these meeting with Silver. What importance does it have that you have to hide it from me?”

“Yes, it always has to do with you sister, always the hotshot, me, me, me,” Luna said, emphasising the “me” with a hoof in the chest, “I am done with knowing about you, everypony adores your sky like there is no tomorrow, the sun, that brings warmth to everyone, whereas for me, my sky is neglected every single night” as tears rolled down Luna’s eyes, her body colour changing into a dark, night shade of black, her eyes flickered in colour, “And only Silver and my guards appreciated my beauty, and I feel empty every single night as I put in effort to make the sky as beautiful as I can but no. You only lift up the measly sun and there the sky is done for you, my efforts go nowhere and now I am stuck here only for me to look at my own starry sky hoping,”

“And what do you want me to do sister, make all the nobles praise you?” Celestia retorted.

“Don’t even get started on those pesky Nobles, they are not even needed in the society we have now, it only leads to corruption, such as Blueblood, he was a thorn in your side always pestering you about which action you should take during your meetings,” Luna cried.

“So, what are you suggesting sister? We kill every noble there is, oh maybe we make sure you get a sacrifice to you every single night as you aren’t treated fairly for your doings,” Celestia snapped staring down at Luna who was cowering. Luna shocked at what her reaction on what Celestia said, a small bit of her was telling her to say yes and it was growing louder as her form flickered. Darkness seeped through her body as the lights in the room dimmed as if the world was ending, the magic in the lights being absorbed in the darkness.

“NO,” Luna cried out, “I do not want to,” as she saw the hallways of death of multiple noble ponies and the last one was of her sister. Tears fell from her face as she vanished to her own room, leaving a stunned Celestia wondering about her sisters new flickering form.

“NO, NO, NO!” Luna cried as the voice in her head grew louder telling her to kill and to gain the throne, “I WILL DO NO SUCH THINGS,” and hid under her blanket like a scared filly crying. Celestia barged in and found Luna under the blankets.

“Oh Luna,” Celestia said, comforting her in a hug.

“Leave me sister I am too dangerous, I am not thinking right,” Luna said.

“It’s alright sister I am here, we can deal with this together,” Celestia said.

“I SAID LEAVE ME!” Luna exploded.

“Alright Sister, I thought you would need some help and in need of encouragement but if thou want to push me away, then fine by me,” Celestia sighed, hugging Luna one more time, “If thee need anything dear, thee just call me, remember that sister” leaving a sniffling Luna to rest.

*End Song*

After the wolf was cleaned by Shards, cleaning up was a breeze and the carcass was removed by placing the bones outside. Shards clambered up and perched onto my shoulders, he (I’m presuming now) was dirty, and I came to realise maybe it would be a good time to clean ourselves. Shutting the door, I came to realise that I did not know where any lake was and climbed a tree and checked around with Shards on my shoulder. An hour later and I found a lake east of Zecora’s house where the running water was cool at the touch, Shards turned purple and leapt away from my shoulder to hide in a bush.

“He seems scared of the water” “Shards, don’t be scared, it’s just a bit of water, nothing is going to hurt you,” I said nearing the bush as I found Shards’ tail sticking out of the ground. “It digs when scared, its so adorable, I wish Ash was here to see it, she would have loved it except I am in a land of ponies and dragons and most probably other mythical creatures” I sighed and pulled Shards out of the hole by the tail and he flashed a bright red as if in anger but when he saw me he relaxed and changed back into a blue hue of colour. He whined shaking its head as if to say he didn’t want to go into the water, and I patted him down his blue crystal spine for him to purr, “You don’t have to be afraid, you can have courage and still have fear,” I said placing him on the ground as he neared the water seeming to understand what I meant.

He bared his crystal teeth but slowly edged closer until he was at the very edge of the bank, he then leapt into to the water. It washed off the majority of the blood and I decided to go take off my clothes to wash and to clean myself. I let my mind go as I remembered the echoes of Celestia’s words about Blueblood as the blood triggered my memories. I hated Blueblood from the first moments I heard about him, Blueblood from what I heard from snooping around the streets was a rich noble that did nothing but pester Celestia, but word on the street was that there was a hit on Radiant Hope for reasons by him because the crystal ponies were not needed in the society.

Blueblood was sitting in his comfy luxury chair in his office in the castle as if he owned the whole world and decided that today he would celebrate his influence on the sun court in the morning. He opened his door and bumped right into Radiant Hope and knocked her down.

“Sorry Mister,” Radiant Hope apologized tears falling down her face learning about the destruction of the Crystal Empire.

“Blueblood and watch where you are going,” Blueblood said rudely and trotted away disgusted at Radiant Hope not knowing who he was. As he continued down the hallway he met Celestia walking to the dining hall and asked.

“Who was that pony I bumped into?” Blueblood commanded.

“That was Radiant Hope, she’s from the Crystal Empire and has had hard times learning that her whole country disappeared because of King Sombra,” Celestia said, Blueblood zoned out at ‘Crystal Empire’, “The crystal empire, are you serious I just had a meeting with them last week or so and didn’t comply with the trade, who needs them anyway my kingdom is far of better without them anyway, didn’t abide to any form of trade or anything that strengthened us as an alliance,” Blueblood thought, “A nuisance to our society, I’ll place a hit on her so that there is no remembrance of the Crystal Empire by the time I am dead,” And trotted down the hallway out to the outskirts of the castle and whispered to one of the Solar knights, Blueblood had always talked to her when placing hits.

“I want a hit on Radiant Hope for 2000 bits in hand, and want them to meet me at my office at 2:00PM sharp,” Blueblood said, placing a bag of bits into the knight’s satchel which was on the floor, and left to go back to his office, and currently by the looks of the sun it appeared to be roughly noon and headed back inside on his way with a bottle of fresh liquor, good old strength whisky. It was technically illegal, but Blueblood had his ways, involving a lot of money. Sitting down back in his chair he drank 4 shots before succumbing to the influence of alcohol and resting his eyes.

Silver on the other hand had spied the knight moving throughout the city, it made Silver question the motives of the knight as it trotted cautiously down an alley that lead to a dead end as if she was hiding something, and finally made the end but she simply knocked on the wall and a sliding bit of metal appeared, and eyes were in place instead. Silver activated his eagle vision and spied multiple ponies from Unicorns, Pegasi and regular ponies, playing games of poker. The knight whispered to the sliding part.

“There is a hit on Radiant Hope for 2000 bits in hand by Blueblood and wants the meeting at his office at 2:00pm sharp” The knight said, “Are any of you interested?”

“Let me talk to the group first,” a gruff voice said sliding the metal piece back in place. Silver decided to intervene and landed right next to the knight holding his blade towards the throat of the pony.

“Repeat what you said, and don’t make any cries for help,” Silver said sternly staring down at the knight, his grey eyes pierced through the very soul of the knight and made her shiver as the visor fell. She repeated what was said, and Silver pointed at her chest and said, “After you are done here, go home to your family and resign you are not worthy to be called a knight, a true knight fights for the honour of the princesses, if not I will find you and I will kill you,” she then looked away realising that he was right, she wanted to be a knight in the first place to rid the criminals but when she graduated she just became a knight guard and she sighed.

“I can change if you want, I need my job to raise my family,” she pleaded, but she was all alone only speaking to herself but felt like she was being watched and decided just to wait for the response of the mercenaries. The eyes popped out again.

“One will come in 5 minutes,” the eyes said, “Also he wants 750 bits upfront,”

“Tell that to the boss, I was just the messenger,” the knight said.

“Was?” the eyes said but found out the knight just left trotting away hoping she will never have to talk to Blueblood again.

Silver heard everything and was happy that she wanted to change and decided to check on her later and waited for the mercenary to come through. 5 minutes later and the whole metal door opened to reveal a dark green pony with a dark purple mane. He made it around the corner when Silver landed on top of him breaking his hind legs bones, he was about to scream in pain when his throat was slashed, and his body was hung outside the metal frame and Silver knocked the metal gates. Silver zipped upwards just in time for the metal slide to reveal the dead face terrifying everypony in the safe-houses. Silver then waited for them to open the door and when that happened all hell broke loose.

There were 8 ponies in there from Silver’s eagle vision and they never stood a chance. Silver landed on the door pony breaking the neck instantly and casually popped a shrapnel grenade in his rifle, knowing fully well that he had to take out the unicorns as they posed the greatest threats, then the Pegasi because they can escape the fastest and the normal regular ponies for last. But it would be much easier to just kill them all at once rather than getting hurt in the process and he shot the shrapnel grenade and closed the door. One gory moment later, Silver opened the door to find the whole room was mutilated.

“What a sickening sight, all mercenary ponies,” Silver sighed moving both dead ponies back inside, so no one could find them and closed the door.

Blueblood was woken up by one of his personal guards to find out that no one had came and it was nearing 5 on the clock, he sighed and decided to wait anyway knowing full well that ponies would want the hit. And arrived at his house it was when he realised that his bedroom door was opened and unlocked which gave him much concern as he always locked it before he left for work. He opened the door to find nothing out of ordinary until his door was shut and locked, he found a weird bipedal creature holding out a sword, the glinting steel terrifying Blueblood as it was a bit too close to his throat.

“Ah, so you must be here for the hit I am guessing,” Blueblood said casually trying not to wet himself as he suddenly hallucinated a demon with angel wings.

“Yes, yes, I am,” Silver said, casually putting the sword back in its hilt.

“Yes, I believe Radiant Hope deserves to die, as the crystal ponies are a nuisance to the society as they have nothing for…” Blueblood said when Silver quicker than Blueblood could comprehend was a blade in his throat.

“I mean that the hit is for you,” Silver said, as Blueblood’s eyes were in shock. His eyes rolled back, and thump could be heard later as Silver left the room not bothering to hide the body as he knew sooner or later the Blueblood would be found out either way.

I was slowly brought back from my flashbacks to find out Shards had disappeared, I’ve been standing there for quite some time the water was dripping from my body the cold air bringing me back to my senses as I found Shards acting like a shark swimming underneath with his tail in the air and leapt at me but with a fish in his mouth and placed it on a pile he had made on the shore and handed me two fish on a crystal stick it was.

“Thank you, Shards,” I said genuinely and rubbed his head, he purred in content and flapped his wings around, my eagle vision kicked in to find Zecora peering from a bush, “I wonder how long she’s been there staring at me” and decided to keep to myself as I was finished cleaning up. Getting dressed I realised that Zecora had already left, probably wondering what took so long as it was approaching dusk. My cloak was washed, and I had let it dry in the sun when I took a dip, and it was now warm and comfy after Shard’s breathed a little fire around me. “Wow, Shards has a lot of self-control”

Walking back with Shards’ little bounty, I sneezed, and I swear to some mystical being in the sky that I sneezed out sparks, and my eyes didn’t lie as the sparks slowly drifted down and I had no idea what it meant, and I looked at Shards. He looked back at me and sort of shrugged his shoulders.

“Oh well,” I shrugged questioning about my human biology might have changed into something completely different, and we arrived back at Zecora’s house.

“I am surprised Celestia hasn’t sent her knights yet to find me” when I heard the flapping of wings. I shut the front door, dropping the crystals with the fish and hid inside the nearest room calling Shards to come with me.

“Silver are you alright, it looks like you had just a fright?” Zecora asked from the other side of the door. Silence was all I answered when there was a knocking from outside of the door.

“Please open the door Madam Zecora, we are Celestia’s knights and are looking for a bipedal like creature that has escaped,” A voice said outside.

“The knights, that bite,” Zecora whispered kicking the crystal behind her as she prepared to open the door, I looked behind me to look for a place to hid and found myself in a bedroom with a window and a stand. “A Window, perfect” and opened it and let Shards hop in my pocket of bullet ammunition.

“May we search all your rooms, Madam?” The unicorn knight asked

“Um…would you like some tea, for those who are free” Zecora said.

“That is not we asked for and we will be searching your rooms now,” the unicorn knight said.

“Ok…k” Zecora said.

“Well luckily, I’m outside now” I thought and waited hearing tables being overturned and cupboards being opened. “Are the knights that stupid to be looking inside cupboards?”

“Thank you for letting us look through your house Madam Zecora, you are free to do what you please,” the same unicorn said.

“Well let’s hope you find the criminal, it might get physical” Zecora said, and closed the door on them. The bedroom door opened for Zecora to stare in shock at my whereabouts, and I appeared behind her as I went around the back and gave Zecora a fright.

“Why did you do that…” Zecora pouted, about to rhyme.

“Payback,” I said sticking out my tongue and taking out Shards, he was sleeping and was cuddled around a bullet. I placed him on my bed, “I will be leaving soon, I have overstayed my welcome here and since I am healed enough I should be leaving,”

“Do you have any place to go though? You aren’t from around here, so I presume you have nowhere to go” Zecora asked.

“No, I can’t do this it is against my nature to do so, I am staying only one more night and leaving,” I sighed, knowing that I should leave anyway as they knights will find me sooner or later, “The knights will keep coming back here and it may be time to face the crimes that I have done,”

Zecora was silent and didn’t say anything and left to her bedroom, I sighed and went to my bed lying down and closed my eyes as the moon starting to shine through my room.

Luna had fallen asleep after crying the rest of the night and the day, which concerned Celestia as her loving sister felt like she was becoming dangerous and Celestia had no idea on the new flickering form of her sister. In the end Celestia promised that she would visit Luna as often as she could during her breaks and couldn’t eat breakfast, lunch or dinner knowing that her sister needed the comfort. But every time she came to Luna’s bedroom she only heard whimpers from her sister, and the occasional twist and turn. Celestia wished she could help by traveling through the dreamland but Luna never taught her the magic to enter dreams nor had the capability to do so as her attributes ere with the sun. This concerned Celestia even further as Celestia could only whisper words of encouragement.

*Start Distant Journey-Peter Roe*

Luna was having terrible nightmares scaring her utterly as usually her own subconscious would be shielded from nightmares, but it was that moment of snapping from the argument that caused a new voice to talk to her constantly, telling her to kill and to create an eternal night. The nightmares were so terrifying, dead pony bodies littered across the hallway and a cult of dark hooded ponies spouting out words she could not understand as if they were summoning someone or something. But it was when the dead ponies started talking and moving that she woke up. Terror filled her eyes and the sweat all over her body glistened as she suddenly realised that she was safe.

She found her sister Celestia slumped on a chair tired. Luna smiled knowing that her Sister did love her indeed and that without her, she would be all alone in this. It was then that the voice started calling to her again egging her on to kill Celestia right there, where she was most vulnerable, her throat, ready for the blood to drip down onto the carpet.

“I WILL NOT,” Luna cried out tears dripping down her face as she had no idea what was going on, her mind almost shattering from the voice screaming at her to do it and she flew out to the Everfree forest leaving a confused Celestia. Celestia got up from her chair a bit dazed from the loud scream of her sister but she knew that she needed to follow.

Silver woke up to find his heart thumping, he started sweating profusely as if fear had taken a hold of him and was channelling through his entire body. It had only been 5 minutes or so since he laid in his hay bed as his eyes glowed a great light blue as if he heard Luna cry out in pain, before becoming the normal stormy grey. He stared at the sky through the window, seeing a bland night as if someone else did it entirely, knowing that Luna was hurt either physically or mentally. Silver had this tingling feeling about it as if he was connected to Luna almost like a bond.

He decided to go find out if Luna was alright as the cry sounded very close. Silver crept out of bed when suddenly Shards yawned cutely and looked up to see his master going somewhere. He happily jumped up and flew a few feet to Silver’s shoulder, the wings flapped tremendously trying to stay aloft and waited contently as Silver started traversing through the forest. But the cries softened as he neared a clearing the sounds of whimpering could be heard but determining where the sound was coming from was hard. The heavy thumping inside of him stopped as the fear suddenly vanished, Silver slumped on a familiar looking branched oak tree and stared off at the moon, entrancing him as the moon shone down on the earth.

*0:58*

Luna had been cantering through the forest, her legs trembling and tired, the fear slowly residing and the voice slowly stopping. She neared a clearing not knowing that Silver was slumped on a high branch nearby, the moon was shining brightly on her as if it was searching for her. She stared at the moon and the voice finally stopped and brought herself to calmness and tranquillity. This made her mind clear and she could finally think for herself. The smell of the forest and the sudden quietness let her mind flow thinking about the past events with her sister and the arguments.

Silver was perched staring right into the moon so hypnotised, it was only with Shards’ digging in the shoulder that Silver managed to snap out as he came to realise that the night was growing cold and the sounds of the bugs had stopped. Silence worried him until he heard someone crying out his name. The distant almost distraught calling, the sounds of someone calling to him,

Luna worried about the voice inside of her, it was as familiar to her as if it was her own voice, Luna suddenly felt afraid realising that she herself would become a monster if the voice suddenly took reign of her. That this monster would hurt everyone around her and wouldn’t stop till all the blood was shed, Luna shivered at the thought and stared at the moon wishing for guidance and for strength.

It was then she realised that Silver would come and look for her if she started killing and would end her life without even thinking about it. She started crying not knowing what to do and wished someone was there to comfort her. It was when she looked up to find something glinting in the tree. She neared closer cautiously, it was a dagger, and she looked upon the words that was etched in the trees below, she realised that it was about Silver’s love Ash, the words etched across the smooth bark the written words of the blood sweat and tears that Silver felt during that day touched Luna’s heart as she realised the area she was standing on was like a burial. It was from this she could feel a thumping. From down below the Apple of Eden still sparked with power and with Luna standing very close by the leaking magic was absorbed by the Eden and it transported Luna to a flashback of Silver’s memory.

*1:45*

The tragedy unfolded as Luna realised Silver’s past was full of death and betrayal. Luna felt lost in Silver’s memories as it was much different than what she expected, she never realised that Silver’s kind could be so evil. She saw Ash for the first time and was astounded by her beauty even though they were different species, Luna realising one of the reasons for Silver loving Ash but it all changed when the fight with his brother Reign had started.

It was grimacing to watch as she felt so helpless for someone so close to you willing to kill you. Luna realised that was what her sister must have felt when she talked about the stabbing of the throat. It saddened her as the fight continued getting more intense. The revealing of the Black Cross had stunned Luna wishing to intervene, then Silver killing Reign in a quick blade strike to the throat brought sadness to Luna’s eyes as Silver didn’t try to save Reign first. It was very intense, but it became most intense when the shot rang, Luna stared at the weapon in fear as Ash clutched her chest, shattering Silver’s heart.

The anguished cries of Silver and Ash telling him to promise to forget her changed her view on Silver completely and realised that he needed the comfort and was so full of killing as his rage consumed him. Luna realised the whole truth of Silver and his kindness towards her and as Ash died it brought tears to Luna’s eyes as she imagined the times that Silver had spent with her only for her to die by the enemy hands. *2:35* The scene faded away as Silver held a strange apple shape in his hand and stabbed it with his hidden blade slowly bringing her back into existence at the burial. *End Song*

I could pick out the voice to be Zecora’s, as she cried out my name. I climbed down jumping halfway and found Zecora running down a pathway, “She looks like she has been crying” as Zecora stopped right in front of me.

“I thought you left me, already,” Zecora whispered.

“No, I haven’t yet,” I replied, “It’s alright Zecora, I can take care of myself, Shards is also here to protect me,” as Shards yawned and flapped down to the small pocket of ammunition.

“I know I can’t force you to stay, but where else would you lay,” Zecora said, “I don’t want to see you suffer knowing that I could have helped you,”

Zecora wanted Silver to stay not only because he had nowhere else to go, it was also the fact that she felt lonely, every single day of her life. She would make potions, sell them and then come back home by herself. It was a sad life for her, living day by day doing the same thing over and over, and it brightened up when Silver came along, especially with the baby crystal dragon. The feelings towards him had grown every single day as they spent time together and with the baby dragon It was almost like having a family.

I sighed, looking at her, the silence, no wind or any sounds as I thought about it. “I have nowhere else to go,” I looked at her and smiled.

“I’ll stay, as long as you like,” I said.

“Thank you, Silver,” Zecora said, hugging me, immediately blushing ever so slightly at it. It was then that Zecora slightly leaned over to me and gave me a kiss on the lips. I froze there stunned as I did not know what to do. It then hit me that Zecora liked me, it would explain everything about her spying on me and the reason of why she wanted me to stay. But I slowly pushed her away, tears started brimming in her eyes as I held her shoulders.

It was that moment that Luna noticed a rugged pathway down towards the left of the tree and decided to move away from the site of the monument, she almost felt bad for being in that area as if it was like desecrating the site. As she thought about the death of Ash, she looked ahead to see Silver.

“Silver,” Luna cried out, galloping towards him in a rush about to hug him knowing everything about the death of Ash and wanted to comfort him when she saw another pony, “No, not a pony, a zebra, Zecora?” Zecora had hugged Silver but the last straw was drawn when Zecora kissed him, it caused something to snap inside of Luna, the bonds of jealousy were created latching on to Luna hurting her and entrapping herself into her own mind, tears swelled in her eyes and dripped downwards.

Luna felt herself fall and the darkness surrounded her, her mind blanking as something forced the reigns from her. The stars in the sky started to twinkle and caused Silver to look up as they fell towards Luna casting her, the stars surrounded her and was soon absorbed into the mane. The shadows surrounding her darkened, making her float. The shadows slowly seeped its way into the skin Luna changing her completely, her eyes closed during all this. The transformation was complete as Nightmare Moon had finally risen from the depths of Luna’s mind the alter ego of the jealousy and bitterness free at last and she slowly rose. Taking new breaths almost as if it was a newborn foal, she flexed her wings and she stood high opening her eyes, the bright light hue seeing the world around her and stared down towards Silver, smiling sadistically.

“Poor Zecora,” Nightmare Moon cackled with power.

*Start I Will Return-Alliance*

Silver shook his head as the stars distracted him from Zecora, she was whimpering when suddenly a crack could be heard from Silver’s chest, and out sprouted a horn, painted with his blood, impaling the right lung and breaking 2 ribs. Silver cried out in pain, the pain intensifying, only to look down to find a horn. Silver started to slowly lose conscious, the lack of oxygen affecting his brain and he told Zecora to run.

“I’m not done with you yet,” Nightmare Moon laughed as she saw Zecora sprint away and then looked at Silver body who was on her horn blocking her magic to affect Zecora.

“Who…are…you?” Silver wheezed, his insides feeling like they were on fire.

“Why I am your worst Nightmare,” Nightmare Moon stated as her horn began to glow with power, Silver feeling something different inside of him like dark magic making his body twist and turn inside screaming in agony, the excruciating pain amplified as he felt his body almost rupture on itself.

“Nightmare…” Silver cried.

“Moon,” Nightmare Moon laughed, and bowed down for Silver to slide down her horn, making Silver grunt in pain and fall to the floor. The wound gushing out blood making Nightmare Moon squeal in delight about to lick the blood, but Shards felt this pain and woke up angrily huffing a great red hue. Flapping his wings tremendously he saw his master was wounded badly and breathed out fire closing the back wound crystals forming as a bandage. Nightmare Moon was amused by this, and laughed at its struggled to save Silver, Silver with all his determination flipped himself around to face Shards.

“Shards run away while you still can,” Silver groaned trying to stay conscious so that Nightmare Moon wouldn’t hurt Shards. He would have listened to his master, but he knew better and breathed fire again enclosing the front wound. “Thank you, Shards, now go!”

“Yes, why don’t you go,” Nightmare Moon cracked, “I’m still having fun with your master,” this angered Shards and breathed shards of crystal towards Nightmare Moon, she placed up a shield and simply flicked him away with her horns magic sending Shards out of Everfree forest, “The eternal night still comes,” she cackled, “And you are getting front row seats, my beloved Silver,” and vanished to the Castle.

Zecora bumped into Celestia as she galloped and informed the Princess of the terrible news about Silver and the new Alicorn but what made it worse was the sudden explosive sounds from the castle.

“Go now and hide,” Celestia warned.

“Where are you Sister!” Nightmare Moon screamed making the villager ponies terrified as waves of explosive bolts destroyed the houses tearing up the ground.

“I am here!” Celestia appeared protecting the villagers as debris shook the ground, and crashed against her barrier, “And I am not your sister,”

“I am Nightmare Moon, creator of the endless nights,” Nightmare Moon bellowed creating a dark beam, as it rose and aimed directly towards the sky.

“We shall see about that,” Celestia said, charging her beam and firing it directly towards Nightmare Moon, the beam hissing towards her but Nightmare simply fired the dark beam and it collided. *1:24* The beams colliding created a powerful shockwave as the debris shook, the castle started falling apart, the foundations breaking apart. So many memories broken, and the villager ponies cowered in fear seeing everything that they lived for destroyed as the beams cracked with energy. The night vs the day, the sun vs the moon and the good vs the bad, that is what everyone saw as each beam sizzled with power as lighting sprouted from the beams and sparks flew setting alight the houses. The strength of both Alicorns equal in strength as the beams never faltered, the world around them breaking apart.

“Why are you doing this Luna?” Celestia cried out, looking for hope in reasoning.

“Why Luna is dead, and I have taken her place as rightful heir to the night and destroyer of Celestia,” Nightmare said.

“Not if I can help it,” Celestia said, her powers slowly diminishing, as Nightmares seemed to grow more, the beams used to hold midway but now was slowly pushing towards Celestia. Silver slowly groaned and manage to upright himself to see Celestia and Nightmare Moon fighting, the ringing of the word Luna is dead angered Silver as he realised that truthfully, he had been missing Luna deeply from the last time they have seen each other wondering all this time if she was alright. Silver with all his will power grunting through the pain knowing he had to end this fight. He could see clearly that Celestia was losing badly and that Nightmare was gaining more power as if the night sky was giving her power. He took a step forward only to groan in pain, his father words echoing, “pain is only in the mind” knowing he had to do something or everyone would die, the steps caused Nightmare Moon to crane her head to see him.

“Oh, so I see my pet is up,” Nightmare said, “You know I did something special inside of you,”

“What did you do?” Silver cried out the pain amplifying every step he took towards Nightmare.

“You see, it's for me to know and you to find out,” Nightmare laughed, and her smile was wiped of when Celestia flashed with a golden light holding the elements of harmony.

“You wouldn’t dare sister,” Nightmare Moon said, “I still am Luna, take my body and your sister will be gone with me,”

“And that is a risk I am willing to take,” Celestia said, as she eyed Silver nodding her head, Silver managed to get the idea in his head somehow even with the pain. Silver calmed his mind and leapt at Nightmare Moon with all his might grunting heavily as he collided, causing the beam to disconnect and wounding Nightmare with the beam searing her fur.

“You insolent fool, you should be grateful for what I did,” Nightmare Moon growled.

Silver did not respond and held her with all his strength remaining around her neck and yelled “NOW”, Celestia responding invoking the ancient magic within the elements of Harmony and the rainbow spirit activated. It travelled towards both towards Silver and Nightmare Moon.

“No, I gave you immortality so that you can rule, side by side with me,” Nightmare cried but Silver did not respond as his strength was failing, the elements rushed forward hitting both of them. Nightmare Moon cried in intense pain as Celestia moved towards them both, the connection to the night cut, and Silver started to freeze up as he felt his limbs freezing like concrete drying. *2:41*

“Nightmare Moon, for the destruction of the castle and the village and the attempted murder of Silver, you are now banished to the moon forever,” Celestia boomed tears filling her eyes knowing that it was the only way to save Luna for now.

“No…” Luna voice cried out, stunning Celestia as she outstretched her hoof towards Celestia, but as Celestia was about to take Luna’s hoof she disappeared. *End Song*

Silver was turning to stone; his mind was becoming blank as Celestia stared at him. The state he was in was not good, as Celestia was in so much pain and anguish from the tears falling from her eyes, the anger was evident. But what stunned Silver was Celestia hugged Silver as she let everything out, her torment gushing out in the forms of tears, the warm tears touched the Silver and as stone started forming around Silver but as Silver was about to say something important his mind blanked.

Celestia looked down at Silver’s frozen form and sighed not knowing on what to do, the villagers all confused where they looked at the creature that was frozen in stone much like Discord. She knew she had to calm the citizens or a riot could start. She was lost in her ways, advisors were corrupted, and she and the citizens had nowhere to go. “Canterlot, that is the only place we can go,” the castle had been going under construction for quite some time from back when Starswirl the Bearded had vanished without a trace and was almost finished, interior wise it wasn’t finished but that can be fixed by the villagers.

It was a perfect idea for the time being an announced it to everyone, she sent messages to all other surrounding cities such as Fillydelphia, Las Pegasus and Cloudsdale about the destruction of the castle and told of the movement that would happen. She didn’t state the reason wishing to keep it secret and she knew she had to blot out Silver from the history books later as it would cause so many more questions that she did not want to answer as she herself didn’t have any answers herself.

After 10 minutes going through with everything, it was all sorted, she calmed herself down, taking deep breaths. The stress was just bearable from before as multiple villagers kept asking questions shouting them at the same time. By the end of it she had sent her knights forwards with the villagers to Canterlot as she wanted to think about the turns of events that had happened. It had caused the greatest grief to her to send her sister to the moon, and as she stared at the moon hoping to see a glimmer of Luna it was met with clouds. It started to rain heavily, and the burning smell started to dissipate, Celestia sat on the wet floor her mind in confusion on who to trust as she saw something glint in the ruins.

Silver’s pendant still intact and a painting torn in the middle, one side with a smiling Celestia and one side with a sleeping Luna in a bunny suit meaning that Luna’s room was destroyed. It brought tears to her as she lifted the painting out of the wreck, the paint slowly dripping and ruining the painting she realised the destruction had taken a heavy toll on everyone but more so on herself. Sections of the castle still stood intact but it saddened Celestia as she stood looking back at the fun times throughout the castle as it had so many secrets, hideouts, passages and traps.

The castle was left by both Luna and Celestia Parents, but they had disappeared without a trace. The will written stated that the castle was left to Luna and Celestia to rule and it was with Starswirl being a guardian if anything were to happen to them. She felt useless in this world and for the first time, she had to rule the kingdom by herself. But as she walked away holding Silver’s pendant she found one thing lying between the rubble a diary. Like herself Celestia always had a personal diary but with this, Luna’s diary was special as it was the one she had given to her for her first birthday. Celestia was heartbroken her will to live crumbling, the smoke cleared and the rain cleared up and there it was the moon that shined so bright as if a sign.

“Luna!”

Author's Note

As you have read my massive chapter, (it just keeps getting exponentially bigger) there maybe some concerns that you have with the story as this is trying to be as original as the timeline of the show can get.

Zecora: Zecora is alive during this time because she ages twice as slow as normal ponies as being a Zebra and also she’s an alchemist, I’m pretty sure she would of found out a way to slow her aging down.
Shards:
That is what I exactly imagined for it to look like No Joke, I literally was thinking about this for quite some time about Shards as he is important but I found this image and I was so happy as now whoever reads this can see what he looks like LOL (Also remember Shards is pretty small)
Blueblood: Now this jerk is just an ancestor of the one in the show, (that’s all I have to say)
So thanks for reading my story, where will this take us next, I will see you in the next chapter