Fallen Angel

They say that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I used to believe I understood this, world leaders on Earth always seemed up to shady things, but everyone knew that yet never stopped them. Yet it was only my coming to Equestria that really affirmed the quote to me.

Princess Luna, once the co-ruler of Equestria, had been corrupted by the bitterness that her night was unappreciated, but I now knew that it was just part of a wider problem. Her powers had assisted in the corruption of her mind, the abilities she had taken for granted had been her downfall.

In the past five years, I had been gradually trained and equipped to be Equestria's hidden defence. The few members of Celestia's Royal Guard I had interacted with had reacted with hostility at first, but gradually our relationships evolved into either friendships or professional respect. Foremost amongst them was Captain Shining Armour, he was my "handler" and instructed me on operations in pony society. He had taught me more about Equestrian customs than even Princess Celestia, and me and him were good friends even outside the office, not that I ever really left aside from on missions.

The only ponies I ever really interacted with outside of work were the Princess, her butler and Shining Armour and his family. Every month or so Shining and his mother and father would visit the Canterlot Palace and would play cards and just relax with myself and the Princess.

"So," Shining began, only slightly tipsy, "I heard little Twily's in Ponyville." His body swayed on his chair, like a slow centrifuge.

"Indeed," Princess Celestia sipped from a teacup that everyone knew full well was full of red wine, unlike Shining, however, she could handle her liquor, "she has one last task to accomplish for me."

If I didn't know Celestia I'd have thought that was very sinister. She then pulled out a bottle of vintage whiskey, placing it onto the table and giving me a very satisfied looking smirk.

"Special day?" I asked, only slightly hesitant.

"Somewhat," she answered, popping the bottle open and and pouring out a glass for everyone except me. I cast a confused look her way and all I got was a mouthed reply: 'I'll tell you after'. I shrugged, best enjoy the evening anyways. I continued drinking from my bottle of cider and laughed the hours away.

As Shining and his family left, Celestia came to me.

"I am sorry you couldn't enjoy the drink with us, but I have a vital mission for you tonight."

I nodded, "what is it you require?"

"Tonight is the night, Gideon, the night she returns," I knew instantly of whom she spoke: Nightmare Moon, "I need you to go to Ponyville and ensure that Twilight Sparkle and her newfound friends are unharmed during the course of their recovery of the Elements of Harmony, you are to ensure that no outside force can influence the Element's location and use, Twilight and her friends must be allowed to do this alone. Are your orders clear?"

"Yes ma'am," it was all formalities at this point, Princess Celestia would officially present me with orders, and I would accept as an agent of Equestria, "for Equestria, it shall be done." I had added that part, it seemed only natural.

Celestia nodded, and I left at once to gather my equipment.

A black cloak, custom-crafted armour allowing for mobility and protection, a crossbow and enchanted bolts and an enchanted gladius. I had performed such protective operations before, they were simple in reality: stick to the shadows, do not attack anything unless it drew too close, and even then incapacitate rather than kill. This time would be different, however, from what I knew about Nightmare Moon she would likely send some sort of magical constructs after my charges. Thus explaining my choice of armament. Everything I had was enchanted for stealth, boots with runes that would silence my every step, a cloak that would mask my sounds and smell.

I slipped on my belt, covered in various magical artefacts and rune sigils I was capable of using with the magical battery packs made specially for me. I left through the back passage of the room, travelling through a network of caves before arriving at the Canterlot Railway Station, so far undetected by anyone. I slipped beneath the train just departing, clinging to the chassis of the furthest front passenger car. It was an uncomfortable ride, granted, but one I had gotten used to.

When I arrived the hour was drawing late, I had not much time to get to a position before the time Celestia had informed me Nightmare Moon would return. I saw the final preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, oh how shocked would they be when their party was cut short. I traversed the streets in silence, before scrambling up the town hall building, aided by my enchanted gloves, which stuck to the walls better than any claws or glue.

I passed through an unlocked trapdoor in the ceiling, so that I was now in the rafters of the quaint building, a welcome change from the opulence of Canterlot's palace district. There were several dozen ponies below, and I recognised my charges immediately. Six ponies, so different yet so alike, I recognised instantly Twilight Sparkle, Shining's little sister, I would not fail my friend by allowing his sister to come to harm. A beige pony, the Mayor I gathered, stepped up to give a speech, "any minute now," I muttered, eyes scanning the room.

There were about a half dozen Royal Guards there, fat load of good they'd do, I groaned internally. For all of Shining's merits, the ponies under his command were often as smart as a brick wall but fell like wet tissue paper, the fact that Shining had still been capable of winning campaigns despite his forces' total incompetency said something of the stallion's stratagems. I'd always disliked the guard, not all of them mind, some were good soldiers and worked well, but the rank and file were often noble fools only in the job for the status they were provided.

Then came the mayor's speech, I couldn't care less for the contents, so blocked them out entirely, my eyes continued their search of the room, before I fixed on a glowing blue mist moving into the room.

Nightmare!

I rose from my position, crossbow loaded and ready in an instant, gladius on standby. I was in full hunter mode now, I noticed how every movement slowed and could feel the adrenaline coursing through me, it was an incredible feeling, and one I had felt many a time before.

Nightmare materialised from the fog, a large pony, around my height give or take an inch, she was, in a word, magnificent. But also, I knew, very very dangerous.

Still, I couldn't help but be captivated by her, her mane was majestic, twinkling with what I could see were various stars and Equestrian constellations. Her armour was also graceful yet powerful looking, like a true warrior leader. I shook off these thoughts, "cut away these useless things, get your head in the game", I muttered the mind clearing spell, the only one I was capable of performing after extensive training from Celestia. My mind was instantly clearer, no thoughts clouded my judgement or the planning of my next actions, everything unrelated to the task at hand was filed away for later.

"Oh, my beloved subjects. It's been so long since I've seen your precious little sun-loving faces," Nightmare Moon's voice was incredible, it carried such gravitas that even I could not help but be in awe over it.

One of Twilight's friend, the rainbow maned mare pegasus Rainbow Dash, tried to fly to fight her, "appreciate your willingness, kid. But stand down, let the professional handle this," I muttered internally, expectantly looking to the Royal Guards, who I would be very disappointed with if they failed to disappoint.

"Why, am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?"

More murmuring down below, I was no bat, I couldn't hear that far, especially with all of the background noise.

"Does my crown no longer count, now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?" Nightmare seemed genuinely confused now, me too friend, me too.

I saw Twilight speaking to the giant pony, she must be standing up for herself. Good for her.

"Well well well, a pony who remembers me. Then you also know why I'm here..." Oh this can't be good.

"Remember this day little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth...the night...will last... forever!"

Then everything went to hell.

The Guards had performed admirably, that is providing an amusing spectacle as they threw themselves at the alicorn and got hit with bolts of lightning. "Nice job, idiots."

Nightmare Moon had retreated, somewhat, from what I could gather she was now in the Everfree, and Twilight and her friends were going to go and find her. The group had spent a while inside the carved out tree that was Twilight's library and temporary home, they had emerged with a sense of direction, somewhat anyways. The Castle of the Two Sisters, former home of Luna and Celestia before the Nightmare, that would be the most likely place she would head. Twilight seemed to realise this too, although I was somewhat surprised she even knew of the castle, and led her friends into the forest.

I followed close behind, sticking to the cover of the forest and ensuring that the Everfree's many creatures could not harm the group.

I silenced a cockatrice, slicing it's throat and burying it's head in a mound of dirt. Little was actually capable of harming me here, but it doesn't hurt to be cautious, especially when nobody actually knows you're here.

I continued slinking through the forest, keeping a close eye on the group, until a rumbling cut me off my stride and sent me tumbling into a ditch. I pulled myself from the ditch, scrambling as the dirt began to break off from the walls of the ditch in my hands. I heard from behind a growling noise, a pack of timberwolves emerged from the forest, eyes glowing maliciously.

I drew my sword, ready to fight, until I realised the timberwolves' intentions. One came to me, a cub, no larger than my arm, and started rubbing against me. It made the most pathetic sounds, almost as though it was crying. I lifted it carefully, seeing the sharp implement in it's underbelly; it looked somewhat like a piece razor wire, that explained the poor wolf's pain. With utmost care and speed, I removed the shard of wire, brushed off the wound, and released the young timberwolf back to it's pack.

They continued to approach, and I felt sure they would attack, before the largest of their number bowed it's head to me, then turned and left, back into the forest from whence they had come.

I was in shock, timberwolves were friendly now? It was certainly not the strangest of things to happen that night, but it could be considered the most unexpected. But I had not the time, I had to rejoin Twilight's group and ensure they go to their destination safely.

Only problem was: they were gone.

I took me ten minutes of aimless wandering through the forest to gather my bearings and formulate a plan. I would head to the Castle of the Two Sisters, there I would work to ensure Twilight and her friends were able to reach the element safely.

When I finally arrive at the castle, all I see is a blanket of thick fog on the other end of the gorge surrounding it. My crossing is made easy by my various enchantments, allowing me to glide across the fog as though it were flooring.

There, encompassed by the fog, stand four pegasi, I recognise one: Rainbow Dash. The other three appear like the Wonderbolts, Equestria's stunt squadron, except their suits are darker. The pegasi appeared to be conversing, before Rainbow Dash turned and began fixing up the bridge across the gorge.

One of the other pegasi unsheathes a blade, and readies to strike Rainbow's unprotected neck. I rise to the challenge, catching it's knife with my gladius and casting down the first pegasi, who simply collapses into a purple mist, followed by it's fellows. Before Dash can notice me, I shroud myself in the fog, appearing as nothing more than a silhouette of a rock through it.

Twilight and her friends cross the bridge and make their way inside the castle. Job well done.

I decided it best to scale the castle, make my own way inside. I had no trust for the machinations of the dark mare I had seen earlier, so better to be safe than sorry.

As I climb the main tower, I hear shouts coming from within, there is a slight sobbing and then a triumphant shout:

"The element of... magic!"

The resulting flash partially blinds me, and I am left climbing with only one eye open, which is quite a feat. With the sunrise at my back I enter the tower, crossbow and gladius in hand and rush to meet the Nightmare.

Only there is another.

An alicorn, unmistakably Princess Luna, much smaller than Nightmare Moon, sits on her knees before Twilight's group, all now bearing magical necklaces that I can only assume are the Elements of Harmony. I aim my crossbow to her head, yet my arm wavers, I cannot bring myself to execute someone, not even one who I knew could be evil. I lowered my crossbow and sighed.

With the sunrise behind me came Princess Celestia, I gave her a simple nod stood back as she conversed with Twilight.

I ignored the conversation, more fixated on the night princess in the centre of the room, had not moments ago she been Nightmare Moon? Most evil creature in Equestria. Now she was but a wounded child, redeemed by magic. Celestia called her name, and she let out a gasp, she must have thought Celestia would end her there.

"We were meant to rule together, little sister."

The Princesses had reconciled, or were atleast on their way to. Twilight and her friends had been protected and the Elements of Harmony had new bearers. Plus, I had made friends with some timberwolves. Today had been a good day.

"Princess?"

"Yes, Twilight?"

"Who's that?" The lavender unicorn pointed her hoof to me, an expression of confusion on her face.

Princess Celestia looked to me, almost in disappointment, and encouraged me to answer for myself.

"Gideon," I said simply, "I'm Celestia's...friend."

That seemed to placate her, with Luna's return certainly helping to distract. I slipped out through the tower's window as soon as no one was looking, and began my walk back to Canterlot. Content in a job well done.