The Dark Apprentice

It struck Celestia like a bolt of lightning.

Nothing about her immediate surroundings changed. The fire still crackled merrily in the hearth, lighting her study with a warm glow. The rows upon rows of choice books that lined her bookshelf still sat, collecting dust. The cushion she sat on didn’t burst into flames or explode. Nothing dramatic occurred.

Except Celestia felt it, the magic, familiar magic, with every fibre of her being. Unicorn senses honed for millennia cried out at the vast expenditure of power that couldn’t be very far away at all. She didn’t cry out and throw herself to her hooves, but rather marked her page in the book she’d been reading and set it off to one side.

For a moment it was difficult to believe. But no, the signs were all accounted for. Luna had been especially secretive lately, and had moved to the tallest tower available, away from prying eyes. Celestia had thought—had hoped, that her sister would wait longer than this. She’d always known the time would come, but she’d expected it to come decades from now. Why was Luna acting so soon?

“A new Dark Apprentice,” Celestia whispered. Her sister had been among ponykind for so little a time, and already she’d made her choice and committed herself to the role of mistress and mentor. And Luna would not abandon the old traditions the way Celestia had. This pony, this new Dark Apprentice, would be blessed.

She rose and rang for an attendant, and a stallion was there within less than a minute to see to her needs. Even at midnight, the palace staff were at her beck and call. Only ever a single wall’s width away.

“Princess?” he asked.

Celestia nodded to him as he entered. “I need you to fetch somepony and have them meet me here.”

The request was odd, but the stallion was good enough at his job that if he was surprised at all it didn’t show on his face. “I need only a name, Princess.”

Celestia considered telling him to fetch Twilight Sparkle. The mare was, after all, directly involved in whatever came next, regardless of what that would be. But no. Twilight was far away in Ponyville, and the time to tell her would come soon enough.

“Bring me Shining Armor,” she said. “The Captain of the Royal Guard.”

* * *

“Princess,” Shining bowed with military perfection despite his ragged mane and bleary eyes. “I came as soon as I could.”

Celestia sighed. “I’m sorry I woke you,” she said. But I needed to talk to somepony about this. “Something has come up. It concerns your sister.”

Shining Armor immediately grew more alert, and he shed any regard for protocol. “Is she hurt?”

Celestia shook her head. “No, no, she’s fine, as far as I know. It’s nothing like that. It’s...” Celestia sighed again. “Do you know Twilight’s position? Her job title, in a word?”

Shining Armor tilted his head. “Twiley has a job? I thought she was a student.”

Celestia nodded. “She is. ‘The Faithful Student.’ It’s a position that has existed since Luna and I first came to rule Equestria. It exists outside of the military, outside of the government, outside of any organized system we use today. She doesn’t know that it’s a real title.”

“Wait,” Shining Armor said. His eyes flashed. “You made my sister take up a set of responsibilities without telling her?”

“Yes and no,” Celestia said. “You see, I haven’t recognized a Faithful Student in centuries. It’s been so long I’ve ignored the old traditions, forgone the blessing, and bestowed no extra duties on Twilight. I taught her, she learned, and when Equestria needed her, she rose to its defense like the hero she is. She fulfilled all her duties in spirit. That was enough.”

Shining Armor seemed to guess where Celestia was headed. “Until now,” he said.

Celestia turned to stare at the fire. “There was a parallel to the Faithful Student. Just as Luna is my counterpart, so the Dark Apprentice is the Faithful Student’s. Luna chose a new Dark Apprentice twenty minutes ago. I don’t know who.”

Shining Armor was silent. A log collapsed, sending out a shower of sparks. Celestia tried to think of how she’d approach what she had to say next. “The Dark Apprentice and the Faithful Student have never failed to have some kind of relationship with one another. They’ve shared scholarly pursuits, lifelong friendships, and even murderous hatred for one another in the past. Like it or not, Twilight will be coming into contact with this pony—and this pony will no doubt be one of the most capable individuals in all of Equestria. They always are. Just look at your sister.”

“Murderous hatred?” Shining Armor asked with an edge in his voice. “You’re saying Twilight is in danger?”

“Not at all,” Celestia said quickly, turning back to face him. “Luna and I are on good terms, better than ever. She’d never allow such a thing.”

“Well... then with all do respect, Princess... why am I here? Why aren’t you telling Twilight? Do you want me to find out who they are?”

Celestia nodded. It was a question she’d been expecting. “No,” she said. “Secrecy is Luna’s way. It would subvert her authority for me to ask a pony that we both hold equal command over to pry into her affairs. I’m not here to ask anything of you as my captain, Shining Armor, I’m here to warn you, as Twilight’s brother.”

“Warn me about what?” Shining Armor asked. “I thought you said Twilight wasn’t in any danger?”

Celestia turned back to the fire. She’d have to handle this delicately. “Her life, no. Her innocence, however...”

“Wait,” Shining Armor said, “what?”

“Part of Luna’s godly domain is lovemaking, or sex, or whatever you wish to call it. As such, the Dark Apprentice is typically well... trained,” she finished lamely. “And the Dark Apprentice always meets the Faithful Student in some fashion...”

“So you’re saying my sister is in danger of being seduced by a supernatural pony in service to your sister, the goddess of sex?”

“Yes,” Celestia said. “I understand that as her older brother you may feel the need to protect her from a pony who might use her carelessly. Maybe you feel as though nothing should be done, but I felt obligated to warn you.”

“Carelessly?” Shining Armor asked.

Celestia nodded, deciding for once to damn etiquette in favor of driving her point home. “Poor Twilight won’t stand a chance, I’m afraid. Luna always picks a bit of a whore.”