Imperial Revision

Chapters

Bright New Midnight
The Queen of Grief
Imperial Mail Service
Lunar Eclipse
Decomissioned
All Extreme Opinions Consume Themselves
The State of Contingencies
The Princess of Memory
Bottle Duty
The Youngest Soldier
As Snug As Pair Bugs In a Rug
Regicide
Quivering Sun
Mail Duty
An Advice Not Given
Shadows On The Castle Walls
The Truth In Deep
State's Funeral
Freedom Is Not Free
Don't Kill A Messager
Crimson Stained Harmony
A Friendly Fracture
The Court in Moonlight
Moongroomed
Love You As A Friend.
From One Friend To Another
The Matters of Family
Moonshadow
Rehabilitation
A Soldier's Initiative
Change Of Plans
Sleepover
Once In a Blue Moon
To Fight With Thy Arms Down
Airbase Economy
The Royal Guidance Counsellor
Pinkie Prank
The Council of Three Sisters
Agressive Negotiations
Witch Hunt
Family Bonds
Little Shadows
Songs of Fire
Old Habbits Die Hard
White Roses
A Plan To Fruition
Sweet Dreams
The New Policies
The Wrongs Washed Clean
Epilogue: The Land Carries On
Somber Visit
Imperial Cult
Rare Is The Apple With No Worms
The Knight And His Lady

Bright New Midnight

Rarity smiled and took the offered hoof. Such a rare event that a lady gets a proper invitation. But Lieutenant Stormbreaker was just that kind of a pony. He danced exquisitely too! The hall exploded in claps as they finished! But then the alarm clock went off.

Rarity turned sideways in her bed and reached for the clock. The designer mare, then, decided to have a few more minutes.

“Meow.” Opalescence hopped onto the bed.

“Rats…” Rarity cursed, fending off the furry alarm clock. No turning this one off. “Opal, have mercy. Can’t you… I don’t know, catch yourself a mouse.”

But Opal was completely and utterly merciless. The Empress needed to eat.

“Ah… alright,” Rarity surrendered to the hairy tyrant and picked herself up. Duty doesn’t wait a minute.

Rarity opened one of the drawers and filled Opal’s bowl.

“There, dear. Now let me ju-”

“Rarity, you got a minute?” The door got bashed inside, knocking the rest of the sleep off Rarity. Rarity barely managed to restrain herself from saying something not pretty, “Oh, sorry. Thought you would be up by now.”

“Cloudy, just… give me ten minutes.”

“Right.” The door closed again.

Well, if it was Cloudy Dawn, then it was important. Better get started. Wasting no time, Rarity began fixing herself up. As much as she could in ten minutes, anyway.
With her mane, somewhat, in shape, the time came for the uniform.
Rarity awarded the purple jacket with a dreary look. It may be of her own design, but wearing the same thing each day for several years straight was still far from pleasant.

Rarity remembered the dress she was wearing in the dream, when even was the last time she got to wear one of those evening dresses? Ah, to Tartarus with it.
Rarity picked up a few fabric rolls and got to her sewing machine, allowing the inspiration from the dream to guide her.

Hmm… maybe not as majestic as the original, but a lot more practical instead. Well, maybe a bit too simplistic. Rarity absolutely had to do something with it later, but for now, it will do. Rarity swiftly got into her newly stitched creation and hurried to the door, remembering to give Opal the parting look.

“Rarity, finally!” Cloudy Dawn jumped to her as soon as she left her room. “You bide your time! Oh, Rarity, the uniform.”

“Cloudy, dear, let’s just not talk about that. What’s on the line?” Rarity hurried the Minister up.

“Well, first some good news: things kinda normalised after the speech yesterday. Bats are still haired up a bit, but they won’t go against her will. High Priestess… damn, what was her name?”

“Um... Dreamy Tears,” Rarity remembered.

“Right, so she gave a speech of her own urging her flock to obey Her Majesty, as they always did. I think it’s safe to assume that since the Hag orders them to accept Princess Celestia being with us again, bats will.”

“Cloudy, that’s wonderful news!” Rarity smiled.

“Don’t relax just yet. The Hag calls for you and it doesn’t look like she's in a good mood tonight.” Cloudy gestured Rarity to follow and began trotting down the palace’s corridor. “Don’t worry though, I’ll collect your pieces after she sees you like this,” Cloudy pointed at the dress with her eyes.

“Is she angry?”

“Well, maybe that too. You can never tell with her until she claws on you.
"She looks dazed. Like her mind is somewhere else. She forgot she even called for me, imagine that.”

“She was like that ever since Her Highness returned, Cloudy,” Rarity said with a sad smirk.

“Hmm...”

“How is Her Highness?”

“She smiles and waves as usual, but she rarely speaks to anyone but Princess Twilight and Her Majesty. Especially to the Guards. They are reaaally tense around her now. Well, can’t blame them. We still didn’t repair the palace after your pegasus friend raided it in her name.”

Cloudy had to stop for a moment to show her pass at the guardpost.

“She keeps awfully close too,” Cloudy continued. “Never lets Her Majesty out of sight for long. She even sleeps during daylight now. I bet Guards are thinking she somehow bewitched the Empress.”

“Actually, what time is it?” Rarity remembered she hadn’t bothered to check.

“11:23 PM” Cloudy answered, looking at her watch.

“So, they’re having breakfast now,” Rarity confidently guessed.

“They should be, if Her Majesty didn’t forget the time too.”

“Thanks, sweety, I’ll go now. Catch you later,” Rarity quickened to the dining hall. Dazed or not, the Empress called for her.

“Rarity, wait. One more thing. You think you can still make for the Royal Gallery reopening? One good thing changelings brought us is that the event had to be postponed because of the war.”

“Oh... yes,” Rarity had completely forgotten her promise, luckily Chrysalis bailed her out of that. “I’ll ask her.”

“Right, see ya.”

Rarity took off, winding through the halls and saying “hello” to the staff along the way. The new Captain appeared to be even more paranoid than the previous. Guards were supposed to be armed at all times now.
Rarity would have to protest, this just begs for an accident.

Rarity nodded to the two guards guarding the dining hall doors and slipped in. Immediately she was frozen in place by the two, unblinking eye slits.
Her Empress studied her from head to hooves. Her two Princesses quickly found Rarity too and the servants picked up on all of that. All in complete silence. Rarity sweated, this wasn’t the kind of attention she was used to.

Nightmare Moon blinked and slowly nodded to her, looking away afterwards. Rarity heard the staff starting to shuffle again: false alarm.
Princess Celestia too had nodded to her from her place at the table. Twilight waved to her.
Rarity took a deep breath and approached awaiting Twilight.

“Hi, Rarity,” the youngest Princess quietly greeted her. “Hoped I could catch you-”

“Rarity,” an insistent summon arrived from the far end of the table. Twilight gestured Rarity to obey. Rarity swiftly trotted over.

“Yes, Your Majesty?” Rarity cautiously asked. Nightmare Moon blinked several times and looked away again. “Your Majesty?”

“I need you to arrange something for me,” she slowly spoke.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Rarity instinctively made a step towards the door, but then remembered she didn’t hear the order yet.

“I and Princess Celestia will be visiting Crystal Empire in three days for the Night of Imperial Unity, arrange the travel for us. But first, find Shadow Crest in Moonlight Gardens and tell her to report to me. Go,” Nightmare Moon instructed Rarity. Oddly enough, the Empress didn’t seem interested much in her own orders.

“It will be done, Your Majesty. Is there anything else?” Rarity knew the answer, but still asked just in case.

“No, Rarity. Proceed.”

Rarity dared not to object and made it to the door, being followed by Princess Celestia’s grim look. She didn’t bother to wear the smiling mask for Rarity.

Luckily, Rarity knew exactly where in the Gardens Shadow Crest would be. The Gardens were Rarity’s favourite place in the whole palace after all.
She made a mental note to bring Fluttershy over some time. She must see the night-blooming flowers gathered from all corners of Equestria and beyond. But that had to wait.

Rarity found Shadow and, surprisingly enough, Rainbow Dash together at the memorial dedicated to the Changeling War, installed in the garden. The war itself was quick and almost painless, especially compared to the last one. Rarity shivered.

The memorial had no more than a few thousand names inscribed on it. Changelings couldn’t say the same. The occupation administration didn't have even a remote idea on the numbers yet.

“Miss Rarity!” the disguised changeling greeted her.

“Oh, hi,” Rainbow followed the example.

“Hello to you both!” Rarity warmly smiled, “Were you having a little heart to heart?”

“Well, you can say that,” Rainbow admitted. “We kinda started on the wrong hoof back there in the hive. Turns out, Shadow is alright. Though, I don’t get her love for the Hag.”

“Rainbow!” Rarity exclaimed, outraged. “Will you stop calling her that already?”

Rainbow shrugged.

“Miss Rarity, I think Mistress and Lieutenant Dash came to terms,” Shadow stepped in.

“Hah!” Rainbow smiled. “I kinda like you more with each minute spent together! Now we gotta beat this “Mistress” nonsense out of your head...”

“Shadow, Her Majesty wants to see you,” Rarity finally delivered. Shadow nodded.

“Been a pleasure Lieutenant.”

“Hey, it’s Rainbow for friends.”

“Am I?” Shadow curiously asked.

“Well, I think yeah. Just don’t hit me next time. Oh, by the way, your shapeshifting thing is cool as hay. I totally bought your Starcall impression back there, it’s was like you knew her for ages.”

“I di-”

“Shadow, go already!” Rarity hurried. “I need Rainbow for something before she gets back to her unit. Oh, actually, do you still have Applejack with you, Rainbow?”

“Eh, no. She already went back to the Acres. Guess soldiering ain’t her thing after all.”

Shadow decided not to eavesdrop any further, it wasn’t polite. Especially considering she wasn’t ordered to.

Her Mistress always waited for Shadow in her quarters, so the changeling could have no other destination. As usually, the Guards were sent away for their meeting. Shadow checked the stairway, nopony must follow her, and slipped in.

Shadow found her Mistress standing in the middle of the room, staring at the old, crackled helmet cast from blue steel. The Mistress was contemplating.
Shadow quietly closed the door and stood by it, waiting to be noticed. She didn’t mind the wait, this was one of the rare moments when she got to observe the mare she was devoted to.

She was beautiful! Perfectly black, velvet, coat; the waving mane with the woven into it, a posture even Miss Rarity can only dream of...
She didn’t even wear her crown and jewels this time. Both were stowed away on the desk… the desk, from which the crackled helmet was now slowly rising.

Like in a trance, the Empress turned her helmet around and began slowly pulling it towards her head.

“Mistress!” Shadow called. Nightmare Moon froze in place, dropping the helmet on the floor. She, then, slowly turned her head to the side to look at the intruder. “Y-you called,” Shadow hastily bowed.

“Ah... yes. My Shadow, I need you to deliver a letter for me,” Nightmare Moon gestured at the sealed envelope on the same desk.

“Certainly, Mistress. Where shall I travel?” Shadow readily asked.

“To Princess Mi Amore. Deliver the letter, conduct recon and report your findings. Cadance will be busy preparing for my visit, giving you an opening. As always, your identity must remain a secret. Disguise yourself as an imperial courier, you may procure the necessary document yourself.” Nightmare Moon, having finished instructing her agent, turned away. Shadow knew what this meant and took the letter. But she noticed her Mistress was tense.

“Mistress, is something bothering you?” Shadow humbly queried. “You know you can always tell me, Mistress. I will take care of everything. I never fail you.”

“Shadow...” Nightmare Moon picked up her helmet and placed it back on the desk. “My Shadow, why do you keep following me? Am I really this much better than your Queen?”

“Mistress, what question is this?” the changeling was confused on how to answer. “...She is not my Queen anymore, Mistress.” Shadow deeply bowed, “My loyalty is only to you now.”

“No, my Shadow. Not that.” Nightmare Moon turned back to the changeling gesturing her to rise, “Why did you choose me over her?”

“Eh… Mistress, the Queen was unworthy. Selfish and cowardly, she was unfit to rule. She brought ruin to us.”

"I was the one who killed them, Shadow," the reminder arrived.

"You did what you had to, Mistress. Our Queen attacked your land and forced your hoof."

“Hmm...” Nightmare Moon looked back at her helmet again, “And you think I still make a better sovereign?”

“I know you do, Mistress!” Shadow enthusiastically confirmed. “I saw what you do for your subjects! You are nothing like the Queen! You are wise, Mistress. Your subjects rest assured under your rule.”

“Is this so? Then why do they quiver at my approach, my Shadow? Didn’t I do enough to show my goodwill? Even those who willingly follow me dare not to look me in the eyes. Why do they not react to Celestia in the same way?”

“Mistress, Princess Celestia had a thousand years. Your subjects will see reason, eventually.” Nightmare Moon produced a long, sad, sigh.

“I hope you are right, my Shadow. Luna tells me the same thing every night, but I still find this hard to believe in.”

“Mistress, I do not understand,” Shadow admitted. “What troubles you? Why won’t your ponies see the wonders you made for them? How can they not? ...How can I help?”

Nightmare Moon, with a weary sigh, sat down on the floor,
“Come here, my Shadow,” she ordered. Shadow readily obeyed. Nightmare Moon, in a sharp move, grasped her most loyal subject, pulling her in an embrace.

“M-mistress?” Shadow felt the sudden panic overtaking her.

“Shhh...” Nightmare Moon softly whirred. “Let me just hold you for a moment. Thank you for being here for me, Shadow.”

“...Always, Mistress.”

Someone knocked on the door. Nightmare Moon sighed. The knock repeated.

“Yes?” She let her Shadow go; who immediately disguised herself as Rarity.

“Your Majesty, you have an urgent visitor!”

“Who? I have none scheduled today.”

“Queen Novo, Your Majesty. She just landed at the palace with her suite.”

“Aghh… I will be with her in a moment. Inform Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight.”

“Your Majesty,” swift steps signalled the messenger's departure. Nightmare Moon turned back to her Shadow.

“Get on with your assignment. It seems the Empress can now be dictated when she receives her visitors,” Nightmare Moon, swiftly trotted to the mirror and began vividly brushing her coat and mane.

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Shadow left her Mistress’ quarters with a wide smile.

The Queen of Grief

Thanks to Queen Novo’s unannounced arrival, Shadow could now use the chaos to her advantage. Nopony will take interest in a maid cleaning the rooms when there is such a high guest in the palace.
Shadow was confident she could convincingly play the pony she was stealing from, she had time to observe her future disguise in the past. Unlocking the door was simple enough. A minute of search revealed the spare ID.
Shadow smiled gratefully. Why else would the protocol require each staff member to have a spare ID and to have it stored inside their room at all times if not to aid her in her missions?

Having finished her first objective, Shadow now had the time to remotely procure some information. Perhaps Miss Rarity would be willing to tell her of the Crystal City layout?
But maybe she also had a little time to research this Queen now. Shadow knew she was the Queen of Hippogriffs, but this was all she knew about her. Hippogriffs were elusive and distant creatures, missing such an opportunity to study their behavior would be a huge loss. Shadow determined her next objective.

Shadow, after disguising herself as a Guard, began trotting to the throne room. Queen Novo should’ve been brought there for the public reception. On second thought…this was no ordinary visit.
Shadow turned on her heels and followed the way to Her Majesty’s tea room instead. She prefered to receive visitors there. Now, how could she eavesdrop on the private royal conversation...
Shadow stopped in her tracks in horror of what she was thinking. Eavesdropping on the Mistress! No, no, no, no! She would do no such thing! If Mistress wanted her to know what would be said, she would’ve taken her along.

Shadow took a deep breath and began walking in the opposite direction. Now to find Miss Ra-
Shadow found herself flying to the floor face down. Accompanied by the loud rustling of paper.

“Oh, sorry. Are you alright?” Princess Twilight hastily picked her up. “I didn’t look where I was going.” Shadow looked at her in confusion.

“Princess… aren’t you supposed to be with Her Highness and Her Majesty receiving Queen Novo?”

“I’ve been there, but Celestia turned me around. She told me to take care of these instead,” Twilight finished picking her papers out and prepared to continue her way. “Wait for a second, why do you...” Shadow winked at her.
“Ah, hello, Shadow,” Twilight greeted her. “It’s, actually, really good I bumped into you. Can you walk for a bit?”

“Of course, Princess,” Shadow eagerly agreed. Twilight looked around to make sure no Guard was watching, turned around and began swiftly trotting back where she came from.

“Shadow, I need a favor,” Twilight whispered. “It’s not quite legal.”

“You must have a good reason to ask.”

“I do, Shadow. I need you to listen to what Queen Novo has to say. She didn’t come here for Her Majesty, Shadow. She looks like she didn’t even know the Empress was still around after Celestia came back from the moon. She came here to talk with Celestia. This looks murky, Shadow.”

“Princess...spying on royalty is a capital crime,” Shadow reminded.

“That’s why I am asking you, Shadow. You can hide better than anyone, nopony in the staff even knows you are here. If you get caught, Her Majesty will bail you out. But you won’t get caught.”

Twilight stopped in the middle of the corridor, letting some busy maid run past her. The Princess then dropped her stack of papers and swiftly pried open a ventilation grate.

“You can shapeshift into small animals, right? Get in here and find your way to somewhere you can hear them from. They should be in the tea room, the Empress hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Princess! I can’t do this to my Mistress! If she wanted me to do this, she would’ve ordered me to!” Shadow protested.

“Shadow, you are serving her right now! Why do you think she keeps you here secretly? You are supposed to do this exact thing!” Twilight took a breath to calm down, “Look, I don’t ask you to do this for me, I ask you to do this for her! Quickly! We don’t have much time!”

Shadow took a deep breath,
“Alright, if this for the Empress.” Shadow, wasting no more time, shifted into a mouse.

“Perfect, get in. I’ll bolt it back to the wall and let you out in a few hours.” Shadow did as ordered.

The changeling continued down the ventilation until she began hearing the echo she was looking for. Shadow followed the voice.

“Novo, what do you want me to do?” Celestia sounded weary, their conversation had probably been intense.

“Celestia, damn it! Are you really going to allow this...blackguard to order you around? I know you. You won’t submit to such a pervasive creature while there is a single pony left to defend!”

“What makes you think they still need me protecting them?”

“Celestia, have you gone insane? The despot is sitting on Equestria’s throne!”

“The despot ponies chose over me, Novo! I failed them and they turned to someone else!
"Novo, I am not ungrateful. She had won, but still had the mercy to allow me to live and walk amongst my people again. She offered peace when she had little to gain from it! I will not stab her in the back for her kindness!
"Regardless, I have no more resources to wage war, Novo. She was careful. Now I can only hope I can still be of some service to her, our ponies and my sister. I have no other choice.” Shadow finally found her way towards the right room, now she could see too. “Perhaps, this is for the best,” Celestia bore the expression of sad acceptance, looking very old all of the sudden.

“Celestia, I urge you-”

Queen Novo stopped, hearing the door handle turning.

“Queen Novo,” Nightmare Moon greeted her with an official bow. In turn, the Queen gave her a fierce stare, “What brings-”

“So, here’s the mare in question. Tell me: what did you do to make even Celestia dance to your tune?”

“Your Majesty, there is no need for such hostility. Princess Celestia has volunteered to help me in day to day management, she can tell you herself.”

“She did,” the Queen looked back at the Princess. “She told me all of it. You are despicable. You killed her bravest subjects, subjugated the rest, and now you took Celestia herself for a trophy. I can’t believe this, honestly. You commanding her! Surreal! Congratulations are in order, I suppose.” Novo sarcastically smiled, “Storm King couldn’t compare to you. You look good wearing his crown. All hail the Empress.”
Nightmare Moon frowned,
“What’s that?” Novo’s smile widened, “Didn't you like me complimenting you? I bet you don’t see many ponies brave enough to say the truth these days. Well, I suppose you can’t build a tyranny without cowards. Good job on that.
"Tell me, Your Majesty, did you enjoy killing all those ponies before you had your way? Did they scream? Must be boring now.”

“Novo!” Celestia intervened. “Enough! I thought you were better than this! What purpose does your venom serve?”

“To make her suffer for what she did to you,” Novo bitterly responded. The Queen began slowly circling the Empress, like a tiger around a prey, “You know you are unworthy, don’t you? You are a petty thief. First, you stole Luna’s body, then you stole the crown. It doesn’t make you a monarch, does it? You know your own inferiority, don’t you?”

“Novo!” Celestia stood up, glaring angrily. The Queen simply chuckled.

Shadow couldn’t believe what she was seeing, no one dared to speak like this to the Empress and get away with it. This parvenu was setting herself up for something really ugly… just wait for the Mistress to have enough.

"I remember Celestia telling me about you and Luna. You are disgusting," Novo spoke each word with deliberate contempt. "She trusted you and you took advantage of her. You took advantage of everyone. Was your Empire of Poltroons worth it at least? Do you enjoy ruling your hard-won land?"

Nightmare Moon didn’t even look at Novo. A shiver ran down her spine. Was she holding back?

“Got nothing? Really? Celestia, how could you lose to this...slime? Look at her!” The Queen proceeded to laugh again, “Come on! You must have some teeth if everyone here is licking your butt!”

“That’s it, Novo! Get your face out of my sight and m...her palace! You will not insult the rightful monarch in her own home!” Celestia exploded.

“Good idea. This punching bag isn’t worth my time. Have fun obeying this filth if that’s what you want, Celestia. I’ll keep in touch in case you remember your dignity. I’ll see myself off now. Nothing more to do here.” Novo sharply slammed the door, leaving the ponies alone in the room.

As the Queen left, the Empress’ torpor faded. Princess Celestia swiftly rushed to her, catching her before she could slide to the floor. The Princess, then, immediately pressed the Empress to her chest.
Shadow was glad the door was soundproof, but she had no such luxury. For the next hour, she had to listen to her Mistress crying.

Imperial Mail Service

Shadow Crest saw her objective long before she saw the City. The spire of the Crystal Palace stretched several hundred meters in the sky, allowing it to act as a beacon to everyone stranded in the frozen north.
Shadow gave the Palace another no-nonsense look, estimating the amount of work she had to do. Must be vertical in structure, with narrow corridors and staircases: easily defendable.
Guarded by a separate Imperial Guard regiment, loyalty is uncertain. This much is true for the autonomy’s population as well.

Well, time to get started. Shadow straightened her uniform, checked her disguise with the ID and began trotting down the street. She noted the different atmosphere than in Canterlot. Almost no tension lingered in the air, even with the Empress arriving in just a few hours.
No Guards stationed on the streets. Shadow wondered how Her Highness policed the whole city with this little presence.

Maybe this is what Her Majesty wants her own city to be like? Perhaps this city will teach Shadow how to aid her. Shadow internally thanked her Mistress for this assignment.

Shadow could simply show her pass to the Guards and enter, but decided not to give away her presence just yet. There were more places she could explore this way. Sneaking behind the half-asleep Guards was simple.

Shadow climbed the steep staircase and, avoiding as many Guards as possible, began mapping the hallways. Guards were scarce inside too. Curious, if there is a whole regiment, where were they?

Eventually, Shadow stumbled upon what she presumed was Her Highness’ study. Shadow checked the door and, to her surprise, it was unlocked. A golden opportunity! Shadow checked the hallway both sides and swiftly slipped inside.
Princess Cadance must have only left moments ago, the lamp was still on. Shadow did not waste time and went straight for the desk to check on what Princess was working on.

Luck was not on her side anymore, these were some financial reports. Nothing incriminating.
Hoofsteps sounded behind the door. Shadow sharply looked around, not finding any cover. Well, there was still one more way, now hope the Princess was busy enough so not to notice.

Princess Cadance opened the door and walked back to her desk, casually humming; stopping right next to Shadow, hiding under the desk as a critter.

“Hmm...” the Princess gave away a musing hem. “Are you sure?” she addressed a… changeling?! The changeling who now looked straight down under the table, dammit...

“...I saw her entering, Princess,” the changeling looked away. “I tried following her through the Palace, but she moves too quick. I lost her almost immediately.”

“Hmm...” Cadance hemmed again. “Well, seems fine here. Nothing was stolen. Let’s ask the Guards, they may have seen her.”
Cadance left her papers alone again and moved back into the corridor, locking the door behind her. Shadow breathed out. He didn’t give her away, curious. Well, back to work.

Shadow continued looking through documents, but the Princess was careful enough. The only suspicious thing she found was the Guard reporting a sighting of an anomalous black smoke moving on its own through the city.
Shadow decided to investigate later. Shadow left the letter she was supposed to deliver on the desk and turned to the window. There was a convenient balcony she could jump down to without shedding her cover. By her estimate it should be the upper guest room. This was better than giving the Guards a target in the sky, no telling what exactly this changeling reported.

Shadow hung herself down from the window and lightly released her grip, landing on the balcony with as little noise as possible.

“Hello,” someone hailed her. “I hoped I could catch you here.” The changeling stood straight in the middle of the room, not trying to hide.
With no other means of escape, Shadow turned towards the railing, readying to use her wings.
“Please, don’t go! I didn’t tell anyone else. I didn’t tell the Princess you were up there either,” Shadow curiously looked back at him. The changeling wore no uniform.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Name’s Thorax. I… imagine you heard of me?” Thorax shuffled his hooves.

“The Queen said to shoot you on sight,” Shadow reminded, advancing at him. “What are you doing here? You serve Her Highness now?”

“Eh...well, I am trying to help.” Thorax found himself backed against the wall.

“What are you doing here?” Shadow continued her interrogation.

“I... live here?” Thorax took a deep breath, “Look, there’s really no need for this. Let’s start again. I am Thorax, what’s your name?” He tried to smile.

“Shadow Crest,” she reluctantly stepped back.

“Huh, that’s a weird name.” Thorax wistfully propped his head, “Our Queen doesn’t name us like this.”

“Haven’t you heard? She is no Queen to us now.”

“Oh, yes... It’s easy to forget, it’s always the same here.” Thorax curiously leaned forward, “Can I ask you something? Did you fight? In the war, I mean.”

“...I did,” Shadow cautiously answered.

“What is it like? I mean, when shells explode around you and bullets fly. Pharynx always told me it’s glorious.”

“I didn’t fight like that.”

“Oh! I get it! You are a spy! You sneak through the enemy lines and gather intelligence! Judging by how good you are, you must have been on the most dangerous missions! Oh! Maybe even to the palace! Did you steal documents from the Empress?” Thorax practically jumped to her.

“Eh...no…” Shadow recoiled. “Thorax, thank you for not giving me away, but I need to go.”

“Are you on a mission?” Shadow seriously nodded. “I understand...” Thorax stepped back. Suddenly he perked up, remembering something, “Oh! But if the Queen is defeated… who do you spy for? And why on Princess Cadance? She has nothing to hide.”

“I spy for Her Majesty,” Shadow blurted out. She immediately regretted doing that though…

“Oh! You serve the Empress! Oh, this is so amazing! Tell me, what’s she like? How does she rule? Is she better than the Queen? Does she have many changelings?” Shadow facehoofed herself, letting out a heavy sigh. Well, too late to back down,
“Thorax, too many questions,” Shadow surrendered.

“Oh, sorry. What she's like?” Thorax unwittingly hit Shadow’s bullseye, revitalising her.

“She is incredible!” Shadow reverently breathed out. “Imagine the most beautiful and wise pony you have ever seen with even sun and moon obeying her!
"Her coat is like perfectly polished onyx, her eyes are the deep pools and her mane has stars woven into it.
"She is kind to all her subjects, even to those who would seek to harm her. She even made peace with Princess Celestia after Princess Twilight and her friends delivered her back from the moon!
"I am so honored she would trust me enough to expose secrets for her!”

“Whoa...” Thorax breathed out. “She really sounds amazing. But if she is so nice, why would her subjects want to harm her? That isn’t nice.”

“...Sometimes ponies don’t know what’s best for them. They fear my Mistress, despite everything she does for them. It troubles her greatly.” Shadow sighed, deeply saddened.

“Are you ok?” Thorax carefully stepped closer. “You can tell me, I swear I’ll tell nopony.”

“Thorax, I wish I could help her, but…I think I failed her,” Shadow bowed her head in penance.

“...Why? You did your best, didn’t you?” Thorax stepped closer again.

“I did…but I wasn’t good enough. I always complete her mission, but I think she needed something else of me. Princess Twilight says she needs a friend.” Shadow rolled the unfamiliar word on her tongue.

“You seem nice enough to me,” Thorax tried to encourage. Shadow shook her head.

“No, it’s not that. I don't know what I did wrong. I don’t understand what I am supposed to do. I don’t even understand completely what’s happening to her. Pony ways are so weird.”

“I understand. They boggle me too, they do. Maybe Princess Cadance can help?”

“She must not learn Her Majesty sent me. This might harm Her interests,” Shadow immediately brushed the idea off. It went directly against Her Majesty's orders.

“Then… maybe I can help? Two heads are always better than one!” Thorax encouragingly smiled at his cousin. “What’s wrong with her, Shadow?”

“She...ugh...She is not like...like she used to be. Something happened and she became detached from everything. She is always deep in her thoughts.”

“Was she ever like this before?”

“No, nothing alike. She used to be energetic, always wearing a smile, ready for anything. It was inspiring, haunting even. Whenever I was tired, or hungry, I saw her image before my eyes and it helped me to keep up. Now she is just sad all the time. Sometimes she looks like she is in pain.
"Thorax, I don’t understand. Things are better than ever in the Empire. She worked to erase any trace of conflict, ponies can have everything they want. Why is no one happy?”

“Oh…this really isn't easy,” Thorax admitted. “I think we really should ask Princess-”

Shadow gasped from sudden realisation, eyes widening. “Thorax! I think she is dying!”

“What? H-how? Are you sure?” Shadow somberly nodded.

“This is the only thing that makes sense! I remember this happening to the wounded soldiers living their final moments. It hurts, then it gets hard to move, then they stop keeping focus and then they die. Thorax, she has all of the symptoms!” Shadow exclaimed.

“...Let’s not be rash. She comes to visit tonight, doesn’t she? When does she arrive?” Shadow tried to remember the time.

“She… should be here by now.” Shadow turned on her heels and galloped back to the balcony peering off the railing down on the train station. The Imperial train was indeed there.
A door has opened, allowing a Guard in the silver helmet out. The Guard stepped aside and announced the arrival. The Empress, closely followed by Princess Celestia stepped outside.
Cadance broke the protocol and rushed to Celestia, embracing her. Nightmare Moon sharply wavered, as if receiving a hit.

“Oh, dear...” Thorax sensed it too.

Lunar Eclipse

Is this what afterlife looks like? Nightmare Moon surveyed the surrounding hall. There could be no mistake, she knew this place. She used to live here. This was the scene of her two major defeats. The first one sealed for her and Luna a thousand years of suffering and the second one granted her the understanding she could not, previously, imagine. Probably, it would be better if it never did.
It made sense for her to be here now, and she was glad she got to see the Castle in the Forest once more in shape. For her, it held just the same sort of sentimental meaning as her ancient armor did.

There was something off with all of this. Nightmare Moon tried focusing on one of the tapestries; the fabric changed and shaped, obeying its Mistress. This was no death, this was a dream.
Queer, it wasn’t like this when she and Luna were on the brink of death before, the dying see no dreams. This was an induced coma; someone hadn’t let her die again.
Nightmare Moon sighed, tired of this never-ending circle. Couldn’t she even choose her death now? Though, Luna’s stupidly resilient body won’t die from a simple fall alone anyhow. It was stupid to think no one would find her lying down there.
Where was Luna though? She was supposed to be right here, with her. Did her self-proclaimed sister really die this time? Well, even fewer reasons to live then.

“Hello, sister. I’ve been expecting you,” Nightmare Moon knew the voice, though she hoped to forget it. The mare hailing her was radiant, regal and impossibly arrogant. It was her sister indeed. It also explained, exactly, whose dream this was.

“Are you here to gloat?” Nightmare asked straight. The fiery mare smiled at her.

“Dear sister, why would I do that?”

“We haven’t been apart for long enough for me to forget you. I know you would approve nothing I do.” Daybreaker pretended to take offence.

“You wound me, sister. I have no such intention! How can I? You are the Empress and I failed to take control over a single pony!”

“Where is Celestia?”

“Here, somewhere,” Daybreaker indifferently dropped. “I don’t think she will be bothering us anytime soon. She prefers being alone, at least in her dreams. I usually indulge her. Picking at her never works anyhow.
I take my time to roam around the dreams you send us, sister. Celestia isn’t the only one tired of this...partnership we have.”
Daybreaker frowned momentarily, before smiling again, “But let’s leave this bore to her own devices for now. Sister, we haven't spoken in more than a thousand years and I must say: you’ve grown!”

“You approve, I see.”

“Why, of course, I do, Nightmare! You are a genius! You played them all for total fools!” Daybreaker rapturously explained.
“I must say: you are quite an actress! You even fooled me for a while! At first, I thought you went off your rails, but the more I watched you, the more it didn’t make sense.
You are my sister! I know how you operate and suddenly I saw you being a total doormat! Since you still had the Empire under complete control, there had to be something more to this. And so I kept watching.
The more I saw, the more it bewildered me. Your subjects, those of them who matter anyway, see your weakness; but instead of rallying against you, they choose to support you more!” Nightmare Moon painfully frowned, thankfully her sister was too consumed with her own narrative to notice,
“Sister, this is ingenious! You studied them, you learned their ways and you showed them what they wanted to see! And they all bought it! I applaud you!” Daybreaker proceeded to clap her hooves,
“Novo, practically, spelt it for me but she too has no idea! This is so delightful to observe, sister! They all are your pawns and they don’t even know it! Even Celestia does your bidding now!”

“I am glad to finally earn your consent, sister,” Nightmare Moon sarcastically credited her fiery counterpart.

“Oh, sister!” Daybreaker’s smile theatrically disappeared. “Why this hostility? I know we never saw eye to eye in the past, but don’t you think those times have passed? I am no threat to you now! I can’t even make my host do what I need her to!”

“Why the flattery?” Nightmare was buying none of it. Daybreaker approvingly smiled.

“I am glad to see you haven’t lost your sharp senses, sister. You see right through me.”
Daybreaker deeply bowed, “Sister, I wish to offer you my service.” The Empress lifted her brow,
“Think about it. I can make a better henchmare than Celestia, you know this. And I am not foolish enough to rebel. Your Guard is a far cry from Celestia’s; they are soldiers, not simple security. They are capable of eliminating a single enemy. Not even mentioning Twilight with her band at your disposal and your own power.”

“And what do you want in turn?”

“Your help, sister. I need your help in getting my own body. You see, I have to admit: Celestia proved to be too much of a challenge. You don’t need to do much, you only need to make her forget about her mental fortifications for me to push her out. I’ll handle it from there.” Daybreaker smoothly lifted herself up and slowly walked up to her dear sister.
“Don’t I deserve just a little of your trust? After all, we are family. We are in the same boat.” Daybreaker offered Nightmare a hoof to shake, wearing a radiant smile.

Nightmare’s perception began to cloud, it seems her body was waking up. Daybreaker noticed it too,
“Think about it, sister,” she said instead of goodbye.

Nightmare Moon felt someone persistently shaking her. She opened her eyes, but her vision was blurry from the slumber, she had to blink a few times.

“Oh, thank the stars!” The shaking stopped, “Nightmare, how could you?”

Nightmare Moon could recognise this voice anywhere,
“L-luna?!” Nightmare Moon widened her eyes. “How is this possible?!” the Empress had to touch her to verify she wasn’t dreaming still. But she was really there, sitting just by her on the icy floor, in a cave painted in arcane circles and inscriptions.

“Sombra did this, Nightmare,” Luna explained. “He said he won’t let you harm me. Sombra intended to let you die for what you did! Nightmare, how could you?” The Princess started tearing up, “How could you?!”

Nightmare Moon quickly lifted herself up to embrace her, now material, soulmate,
“Luna, I...don't know what I was thinking! It’s just so easy to forget it’s not just about me. Luna, forgive me! I almost killed you again!”

“Nightmare, nopony will even notice me dying! You are the one here who makes the difference! Promise me you’ll never do it again!” Luna peered right into Nightmare’s eyes.

“Of course, Luna,” Nightmare Moon tried to snuggle with Luna; but the Princess resisted, continuing to peer right into Nightmare’s eyes.

“Promise!” she demanded.

“...I promise.” Nightmare Moon seriously noded, “Never again.” Luna, then, relaxed and let herself be pushed against the black chest. “Luna, I am so glad to finally touch you! I’ll find a way to repay Sombra for this!” the Empress vowed.

“Shh… Don’t think about it now.” Luna reinforced her point by hugging Nightmare stronger. I specifically asked him to leave us alone for a while.“

“What? You don’t want your coltfriend to join?” Nightmare Moon smiled.

“You tease!” Luna gave Nightmare an accusing push to the side. “You know it’s not like that anymore.”

“He really loves you though.”

“I know,” Luna sighed. “I am sorry for him. But that doesn’t mean I want to be his queen! You still remember he enslaves ponies with his magic?”

“I kinda do it too, remember?” she mockingly cackled.

“Don’t remind me of that! I want to forget.”

“Huh… I am with you on that. Okay, let’s start thinking now. Did your coltfriend tell you where he dragged us?”

“He said Shining sent the Guard to search these caves for his hideout, we should be able to… Hey! I said he’s not my coltfriend!” Nightmare grinned.

“Admit it, you want him back!”

“No I don’t!”

“Yes you do!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“No!”

“No you don’t!” Nightmare treacherously reversed her argument.

“Yes I d... dammit!” Luna mindlessly bit the bait. Victorious, Nightmare laughed. “Dammit! I hate you so much!” Luna pushed the evil queen away in frustration. Nightmare simply allowed herself to fall back on the icy floor, it was more comfortable to roll there laughing anyhow.

“You done with your childish games yet?” now grumpy Luna asked.

“Mostly! Come on, Luna! Since when are you the Princess of Earnest? When will be the next time we can have a moment like this?” Luna rolled her eyes, but nonetheless allowed herself a smirk.

“Alright, the Empress of Dumb Jokes, get back up.” Nightmare accepted the offered help and allowed Luna to put her back on her hooves, “Ok, let’s get going now. I want to see Celestia’s face.” Luna menacingly grinned.

“You’ve got a plan?” Nightmare Moon eagerly queried.

“Oh, I swear! I am up to no good!” Luna admitted. “But first we gotta get out of here, let’s go find those soldiers now.”

“Right behind you, the Princess of Mischief.”

Baron Shoes hoped he could get a peaceful assignment at the Crystal City. Canterlot may have been a lot more prestigious, but...hazardous. Getting dragged out in some wilderness to chase changelings around their hive wasn’t really glamorous. Even less so was getting drugged by Princess Twilight. She apologized but being waked on the post by his own Empress was still very humiliating.
Crystal City really was a lot more peaceful, the ageing sergeant liked it there, but even there a soldier could have no rest. The Prince kept them busy by sending them on patrols over the whole region, searching for the ghost of the dead King. How were they supposed to kill a ghost anyway? None of them have even seen the target. Well, at least he entertained them with illusions and animated ice constructs. They were fun to shoot at.

Baron tried to remember exactly who he’d already shot by now. Half a dozen yaks, probably twenty crystal ponies, Princess Cadance twice and...was it Private Wavy Shadow or someone else? Anyhow, the constructs weren’t much of a challenge, ice is easy to shatter with bullets. The things themselves were dumb as rocks. The only source of danger was their disguise, the King always enchanted them to look like something or someone else. Speaking of.

“Movement,” he whispered to his team following him.

“Block Heads?” somepony asked him.

“Who else? Looks like...two Princesses. At least the builds, horns and wings suggest so. I’ll take a shot, you get ready to blow them apart when they come.”

“Gotcha, sarge.”

Baron routinely lifted his rifle up and aimed for the smaller one’s head. The Block Heads were too dumb to hide anyhow and were almost always walking in perfect clear. Funny, their heads were turning around this time, trying to simulate the real thing, poor attempt really. What would two Princesses do all the way here, alone and without telling anyone? This was a grunt’s job! Nah, this made no sense.

“Whatcha taking so long for, sarge? Getting old?”

Baron frowned, held his breath, corrected his aim one more time and pulled the trigger. The shot echoed from the ice making it sound almost like music.
But the sound was the least of Baron’s concerns now. The supposed Block Head didn’t shatter like they usually do, instead, it fell flat...as ponies do.
The larger figure immediately bent over its companion...Block Heads never do that.
The last clue he received was the glare. He saw it before, but he didn’t see her looking at anyone like this for a very-very long time. It was no threat, his Empress never threatened. This was a promise. The soldier dropped his rifle to the icy floor, it wouldn’t help him anyhow.

“Sarge!” his troopers shouted as they saw their officer being swooped off his hooves and dragged away into the hall.
He didn’t resist, there was no point. He knew that for what he did there could only be one penance. He hoped it would be swift.

Decomissioned

“Your Highness,” someone shook Celestia in her sleep. “Your Highness,” the Princess was now certain she wasn’t dreaming. Celestia opened her eyes and looked at the Imperial Guard by her bed. She didn’t know him, probably from the Crystal Regiment.

“Could there be no knocking?” Celestia rubbed her eyes.

“I did knock, Your Highness. You are being called for, by Her Majesty.” Celestia looked at the window; it was bright outside. “This is urgent,” the Guard explained.

This was enough for the Princess of the Sun to shake off the rest of her sleep. Celestia began searching for her mane brush.

“No time,” the Guard stopped her. Celestia gave him a surprised look. What could be this urgent? “Everypony is waiting for you.”

“Let us lose no more time then,” Her Highness only took her crown.
The Guard led her in total silence, likely under the order. Celestia noticed he had a large bruise around his neck, somepony nearly choked him off with magic.
“What is this about?” Celestia tried to pry him.

“It’s better if you see for yourself. Your Highness,” the Guard said very morbidly. Celestia refrained from other questions

Inside, she immediately was greeted by Cadance and Shining’s condolencing looks. Celestia swiftly looked around the rest of the room and found Nightmare Moon, thank goodness, standing on her own in the room’s farthest corner. She refused to meet her eyes. There also were five soldiers staring at the floor and a pony on the table, covered in cloth.
Celestia knew why they called for her. She stepped to the body and began slowly taking off the cloth. First, the deep blue horn appeared, Celestia sweated. Then it was the mane, regular one, skyly blue. Celestia didn’t want to see further, but she had to make sure. Celestia, with a glassy look to her eyes, stared at her sister’s motionless face for a few long minutes; then, she simply put the cloth back and walked away. No words were needed.

“Tell nopony,” the icy cold, steady, warning arrived.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Cadance responded, managing to keep her voice from flinching. “We will prepare her for your departure. Nopony will find out.” Nightmare Moon nodded to the couple and went for the door. Celestia closely followed.

The pair left the room, Nightmare Moon didn’t know yet where she was leading Celestia, but they needed a place to talk. One turn, then another; Celestia sharply looked behind her, ensuring nopony followed and stopped, Nightmare Moon, did the same. Celestia joyfully smiled at her Empress.

“Sister!” the mare was all but bouncing from happiness. “Thank you! Upon seeing the corpse, Celestia simply shut down! She didn’t even try resisting! I just had to make a sad face so that Cadance wouldn’t notice!” Daybreaker proceeded to deeply bow, “I am at your full disposal!”

Nightmare Moon felt her mind blacking out. This was too much.

“Sister?” Daybreaker lifted herself up. The black mare was about to collapse. Daybreaker grabbed Nightmare by the shoulders,
“Sister!” she called. “This is not how an Empress should behave! Get yourself together!” Daybreaker took her hoof and gave her sister a hard slap on the face. Nightmare blinked and re-focused her sight, “There you go!” Daybreaker smiled again, stepping away from Nightmare.

“I...I’m sorry.” Nightmare Moon took a dignified posture again, “This was an exhausting endeavour.”

“You don’t have to lie to me,” Daybreaker knowingly smiled. “I know what I see. You grieve.” Nightmare Moon looked away, “Is it Luna, sister?”

“It is... sister,” Nightmare Moon admitted.

“Well, why didn’t you say so from the start? I have to say: I thought you were simply using Luna to maintain control over those who won’t recognise your strength; but if this is what you want, you’ll have the poor filly back and well! I’ll be glad to help you!” the fiend promised.
“I’ll see if there is anything useful in the Crystal City’s libraries. Don’t worry, there’s nothing impossible for someone like us, dear Nightmare!”

“Thank you, sister.”

“I am looking forward to my involvement in your future plans, Your Majesty,” Daybreaker bowed and happily trotted away. Leaving Nightmare Moon alone, mostly. There was still the King.

“You made a costly mistake,” Sombra stated, emerging from his hideout in between the walls. “Your ‘sister’ is now a threat.”

“Do you think what she promised is possible?” Nightmare Moon asked, ignoring the accusation.

“If it is, I know nothing of it. If there was a way, I would have found it by now,” The Shadow King grimly established.

“Will it stop you from looking?”

“...No.”

“You’ll have any resources you need and I will make Sparkle search every book in the Empire.”

“Deal with your kin, while you are at it.” The King was done,
“Also, search behind the corner, you had listeners,” he dropped before disappearing back into the air shaft.

Nightmare Moon turned her head to the suggested corner but noticed no one. She waited.
Obeying the silent summon a pair of Guards emerged from behind the edge.

“Have you heard everything, my Shadow?” she asked.

“Yes, Mistress,” guilty Shadow replied.

“Good,” Nightmare Moon was glad she didn’t have to explain anything. “Are you Thorax?” she asked the second changeling. “Princess Cadance told me of you.” The changeling bowed.

“Mistress, what are my orders?” Shadow asked; she made a poor job at handling herself, Nightmare noted.

“Stand down, my Shadow. I have no more labours for you,” Shadow looked her in the eyes.

“Don’t you want me to watch Princ… your sister?” Nightmare Moon managed to smile at her changeling.

“No, Shadow. I’ll handle my sister myself.”

“Then what would you have me do?” Shadow obediently asked. Poor, loyal Shadow. Nightmare Moon had to do something.

“My Shadow... there is something you need to understand.”
Nightmare Moon led the way down the corridor and pushed the first door she found, the luck was on her side this time and delivered her another guest room, with a table and chairs,
“Sit, both of you,” she ordered.

“Is this because of Princess Luna, Mistress?” Shadow did as requested.

“My Shadow, allow me to tell you a story.” Nightmare Moon sadly smiled at the sparking excitement in Thorax’s eyes,
“This story started a long time ago, long before you were born. Long before almost anyone was.
I was a very different pony back then. I was foolish, my Shadow. I did a lot of harm to Luna, Princess Celestia and their ponies.” Nightmare Moon held back the coming tears, this was not the time. “This is why they fear me now. And this is why I and Luna had to be sent away. My single-minded way brought me great sorrow, my Shadow.”

“But that was a long time ago, Mistress.” Nightmare Moon gestured Shadow to keep quiet. The changeling obeyed without a second thought.

“Ponies have a lot to fear, my Shadow. They know that easy change is just as easily reversed. I demonstrated as much. Why would they trust someone so secretive and treacherous as I? But I cannot simply explain myself to them, my Shadow. They need to see me as being in total control to allow themselves to sleep soundly, no weakness is too small to hide when it threatens my subjects wellbeing," Shadow nodded, she knew as much.
"But there is another way. Control can be achieved not only through intrigues and force, my Shadow. Simple confidence is, sometimes, all that is required. Did you pay close attention to my Princesses, my Shadow? They need not know everything about their subjects, nor they need to show their might. Do you see now?”

“I understand, Mistress.”

“Do you, now, understand why it has to be this way?”

“I do, Mistress. I will disappear,” Nightmare Moon nodded.

“Ask Princess Twilight to help you, my Shadow. She will show you the way. Go; from now on, I am no longer your Mistress, Shadow.” Shadow mechanically stood up and went for the door, Thorax tried to follow, “Thorax, stay. There is something I require of you too.”

“Of me, Your Majesty?” Thorax widened his eyes. Nightmare Moon slowly nodded.

“I have a very important mission for you.” Nightmare Moon checked the door was closed and leaned to the changeling’s ear,
“Thorax, my Shadow is in grave need of aid now, she will need much more help than Princess Twilight can provide. Now you are the only one who can help her; Princess Twilight alone won’t suffice, she doesn’t know your kind well enough to understand what Shadow needs right now.
Thorax, I trust you with this, because there is no one else: will you watch her for me?”

“I will do everything I can, Your Majesty!” Thorax solemnly promised. Nightmare Moon made the most grateful smile she could muster.

“Don’t let her go, Thorax. Make sure she will stay safe. Don’t let her dismay you, she needs you even if she doesn’t know it.” Thorax solemnly nodded, “Go, she is waiting for you.” Thorax followed the order.

To Nightmare Moon the door closing sounded like a knell. It echoed in her ears and thoughts. The now solitary Empress dropped her head on the table; she tried to cry silently, there could be no telling on how far the Crystal Palace would let the sound fly.

All Extreme Opinions Consume Themselves

“But-”

“I said: not now, Rarity.” Nightmare Moon repeated her already given verdict. Rarity was smart enough so not to persist. The Empress swiftly broke away, almost if she was fleeing, slammed the archives door behind her.

“She didn’t even listen to what I have to say!” Rarity couldn’t help but feel offended.

“Well, that’s an improvement in her attitude if I ever saw one!” Rainbow widely grinned at her.
“I can relate to her a bit right now. When you are in charge of things you can’t allow other ponies to just walk by and distract you of something important.” Rarity louringly looked at the archives door again.
“At least she ain’t looking shell-shocked anymore, right?”

“I suppose you are right, Rainbow. Better tell Dreamy.”

“Nah, she can wait a bit. Fluttershy, together with Cloudy, keeps her occupied enough so she won’t piece anything together.”

“Rainbow, this is dangerous. If she finds out we lied...”

“Then we just say we must have misinterpreted Hag’s will. Come on, let’s see what kind of trouble Twilight is in.”

“Excuse me,” a reserved address turned both mares on their heels. “I overheard a part of your discussion. Perhaps, I can be of some assistance while Her Majesty is preoccupied?” Princess Celestia politely offered. Rainbow quickly bowed, making the Princess smirk.

“Your Highness… you see, we have a little… issue on our hooves right now. This is very embarrassing, really.” Celestia knowingly smiled at Rarity.

“I take it you questioned Dreamy Tears on her faith?” Celestia stuck it right to Rarity, cutting the chase. Rarity simply nodded, grateful for being spared of the necessity to explain herself,
“I see. My little ponies, if you will let me walk with you.”

“First-floor waiting room, Your Highness,” Rainbow gave the directions. Celestia nodded.

“Princess, we promised Dreamy an audience with Her Majesty,” Rarity protested.

“Rarity, I am afraid this won’t be possible. Her Majesty has urgent business of… personal nature.” Celestia started her way to the mentioned room.

“Oh dear...this cannot end well.” The Princess smirked again.

“Have a little faith, Rarity.”

Dreamy was certainly not having much faith in the Sun Goddess. Cloudy and Fluttershy were relieved to see her, but the Priestess instantly scowled upon the door opening at Princess’ wake.

“Greetings,” Celestia smiled to all three, wasting no time, she approached the sitting ponies,
“May I?” Celestia asked Fluttershy. She promptly nodded. The Princess sat in the spare chair next to the yellow pegasus.
“Miss Dawn,” Cloudy bowed. “Miss Tears,” Dreamy grudgingly nodded.
“I am sorry, but Her Majesty could not spare the time for the meeting at this moment. I hope I would be a sufficient replacement,” Dreamy frowned and looked down. The Princess turned back at Rarity and Rainbow, still standing at the door.
“Have a seat, if you please.”

With everyone, finally have settled, it was time to work,
“Miss Tears, I imagine you have a business?”

Dreamy sighed,
“I’ve been summoned.”

“Of course!” Celestia lied without blinking, drawing everyone’s look. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be here. But you must excuse me, the Empress does not induct me in all her plans.”

“Your Highness, Her Majesty sent us to attend a ceremony-”

“We were celebrating our goddess’ generosity!” Dreamy spat out, evidently refusing to bear the sight of someone else speaking for her in front of the rival god. “She blessed a pony to see in the dark!”

“Is this so?“ Celestia looked at Fluttershy’s slitted eyes. “Miss Dreamy, I do not think I follow you. I do not recall my sister expressing her desire for you to worship Miss Fluttershy, blessed she may be or not. Perhaps you received a vision in your sleep?”

“No...”

“Queer!” Celestia musingly smirked. “Her Majesty’s ways are fascinating to witness! If she allowed you to proceed, she must have intended you to meet miss Fluttershy.” Fluttershy coyly looked at the floor, “Miss Tears, perhaps you have an idea why you were brought here?”

“I cannot hope to understand the meaning of Her plan,” Dreamy instinctively retorted.

“Hmm… No, I imagine you won’t,” the Sun Princess agreed, displaying her disappointment. “Miss Tears, what makes you think your Empress would even think of inviting you?” Rarity dropped her jaw; the Princess just gave them away. Rainbow gritted her teeth and turned her head a few degrees away, as if expecting a grenade blast. Celestia simply sneered.
“My sister has no use for the likes of you. She may tolerate you because you are her subject, but you are far from her best ones.”

“Sun Fiend would know nothing of her ways,” Dreamy hissed.

“Oh, little pony!” Celestia chuckled. “I am merely telling you what you already know! Look at the mares at your side! None of them have your devotion! But they still have much better stations than you! Why’s that?” Dreamy eyed everyone around her, stopping on Rainbow. She returned the gaze,
“You are right to take interest in Miss Dash. Why do you think my sister would keep her sworn enemy alive and well, and also this close?”

“I can speak for myself, thank you kindly,” Rainbow Dash blurted. Celestia invitingly smiled at her and gestured at the Priestess. Rainbow swallowed a sudden lump in her throat, she didn’t think this far ahead.

“...Well, I… AM, kinda, awesome.” Rainbow spelt. Celestia smiled approvingly.

“You see,” she turned back to Dreamy. “My sister knows value when she sees it. Miss Dash is a seasoned hero! While you were building your little cult, she was fighting on the frontlines! Miss Dash is useful to have at your side.” -Rainbow turned away to hide herself blushing- “How many threats have you vanquished?”

“One,” Dreamy looked at the Princess fiercely. The reference was obvious.

“There it is!” Celestia’s smile broadened. “Your fangs aren’t merely for show, I see!”

“You possess no right to insult one of Her most devoted servants!” Dreamy made away with her restraint.

“Oh, please! If you are to be considered devoted, then my sister is a mudpony.”

“You...you dare?!” Celestia shot back with another smug smile.

“She is my sister, after all!”

“I...I’ll find the way to get Her palace rid of you, filth! Even if I have to do it myself!” Dreamy went on to snarl a few more insults. "Celestia" tried her best to avoid bursting into laughter there and now, this turned out to be hilariously easy.

“Try it!” Celestia deliberately weighted her every word. Dreamy eagerly took the bait.

The Priestess sharply jumped up from her chair, immediately proceeding to leap across the table right in the smug face, mocking her. Both mares ended up on the ground, but Dreamy noticed something weird. Her opponent wasn’t resisting. She just lied there under her, sneering into her face. Dreamy’s senses screamed danger to her. Noticing her growing panic, Celestia laughed.

“Do it! You know you want to hit me!” she invited. This gave Dreamy another reason to hold back. This was a trick! A ruse! The demon played her for a fool! She almost went against the Empress’ holy law!
Dreamy sharply took off from the Princess and backed off as quickly as she could in terror of what she almost did.

“Aren’t a total idiot, are you?” Celestia's smile became less mocking.

“Y-your Highness!” shocked Rarity called to her. “What is the meaning of this?! Why would you do something so undignified?!”

“Special foals require special approaches, Rarity,” Celestia explained. “Miss Tears needed a lesson. I think she sees it too now,” Celestia gestured at the Priestess, who had her eyes shamefully glued to the floor.
“I think we both understand now why she called for you. Don’t we?”

“Yes...” Dreamy nodded several times in quick succession. “I am unworthy.”

“But you are!” Celestia quickly objected. “You are simply no goddess. Ponies make mistakes. My sister knows this better than anyone. If my sister didn’t see you worthy, she would have removed you!” Dreamy looked at the sun mare in surprise, only finding a disarming, even if smug, smile. Dreamy nodded a few times.

“Thank you.” Dreamy finally dared to bring her head up, “I see it now! I vow to be better! My Empress deserves better subjects!” Celestia approvingly smiled at her.

“I know you will! Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here! Make my sister proud to have you as her priestess!” Dreamy nodded seriously without parting her eyes from the Princess. She, then, gave the four stunned mares a grateful look and left through the door.

With a satisfied smile, Celestia shifted her attention to the subjects that were still left,
“Ruling a land is hardly about issuing orders and moving armies, my little ponies. You simply need to give small pushes in the right direction, and the subjects will fill up anything still missing in your vision themselves.”

Daybreaker enjoyed Dawn’s worshipping look. She was glad her sister asked her to take care of their subjects for a few hours. They two would get along like this just fine…

Queen… no, just Chrysalis, heard a distant clanging echo. Having opened her blurry eyes, she discovered that, fortunately, she already was facing her cell door, she did not need to waste her remaining energy on the pointless movement.

The heavy, metal, door creaked open. It sounds like the warden didn’t even bother to oil it anymore. Seeing her visitor wasn’t easy; Chrysalis only saw a blurred black blot and a second, smaller, blot beside it. Easy enough to guess. Her captor took an interest in her. Chrysalis didn’t bother to stand up, she couldn’t anyhow.

The warden swiftly took off, while Nightmare Moon walked inside her cell. She eyed the small box for a moment and then returned to Chrysalis. Chrysalis sighed -she didn’t care much anymore, one way or another she was going to die. A simple neck snap would be preferable to starving to death.

Chrysalis saw her mouth moving, but her ears failed her. Good, Chrysalis didn’t want to hear her talk again anyhow. Chrysalis closed her eyes again, Nightmare Moon could do whatever, the changeling couldn’t feel anything at this point anyway. Chrysalis could still hear the door closing down, so she would know when the torturer is gone.

“Feed,” Nightmare Moon said in her ear. No, she wasn’t stupid enough to prolong her own jail time.
“Chrysalis, feed,” Nightmare Moon insisted. Chrysalis lifted her eyes and curiously stared at the pony. She regretted she could not see her face. Chrysalis watched as the demigod lowered herself to the starving Queen. What’s this about?
“I am offering you freedom. Feed,” Nightmare Moon answered the silent question.

The State of Contingencies

Twilight dropped her head on the table with an exasperated groan, her beakers jiggled a tune. The stupid formula had bested her again. Twilight was ordered to start months ago, but the ludicrous brew stubbornly resisted her.
Sometimes the color was wrong, at other times it ended up too thick, otherwise it had lumps. There also was supposed to be a specific taste, but Twilight never dared to sip. Considering how many of the ingredients were an outright poison, Twilight struggled to imagine how it could make a cure for anything whatsoever, let alone for death. Twilight didn’t even get how a potion could cure death in the first place, but her Empress was adamant she needed it.
And since when had Her Majesty become this scared to die? Nightmare Moon always was a bit paranoid -it was natural, given her position and nature- but this was getting over the top!
Well, no matter, Her Majesty wouldn’t listen to her protests anyway. If she wanted this stupidly complicated potion, then she must need it.

Twilight emptied the cauldron again and opened the recipe on the first page. Ok… Step 1: slice -or is it dice?- mandrake root and grind it to the powdery consistency. Grinded mandrake root made paste, not powder.
Twilight sighed. On top of being complicated, the recipe also was written in changeling runes, which not even changelings themselves could read fluently anymore. Shadow graciously offered to help Twilight with translation, as much as she could anyway, but there wasn’t much she could do. Twilight was still glad to have her, it gave the changeling a way to follow her chosen purpose. In this way, she could continue serving her beloved Mistress, even if their sovereign no longer wanted her service.

Twilight was glad to help the changeling in her transition into a more peaceful life after her discharge, but poor Shadow, obviously, had nothing to do in Ponyville. Twilight offered to find her somewhere more fun, but she won’t have it. It seemed she still couldn’t take being away from the palace. Maybe this was why Nightmare Moon suddenly decided to send her away...
Twilight noted, with a measure of content, that the changeling at least took a liking to her library back home. Spike wouldn’t be handling the whole Castle alone anymore.

Twilight fished out Shadow’s charts from the paper pile on the table and began, for the thousandth time, to compare the symbols. They matched, again. Twilight banged the paper back on the table in bitter frustration.

Being tired from looking into the stupid recipe book for days straight, Twilight looked away from her table and went to get another one. Twilight had no idea where Nightmare Moon found the changeling magic books for her, they certainly were not from the hive, but Twilight was completely captivated by them. Except for this horrendous recipe book, Twilight scowled.
Thank Celestia, changelings went to adopt the alphabet some six hundred years ago, so most of their books were, actually, readable.

With a heavy sigh, Twilight made a mental note to give the archivists a piece of her mind. Someone moved the book from the shelf again; if they had to insist on archiving her research material, at least they could tell her where they were going to put them! In recent weeks this archive felt like it had a ghost moved in. Books were going missing all the time. It drove Twilight nuts, she was already itching to get this place in order herself. But for now: books. Now, if she was a ghost, where would she put the books that this Princess needed?

Twilight proceeded to search the archives for a dozen more minutes, finding nothing. Well, there was also plan B.
Twilight went to the archivist’s table to look if the staff, in a blast of incompetence, had shipped them somewhere. It wasn’t likely, but as good a guess as any.

And it paid off! The archivist had one of the books right on his table. Twilight suddenly regretted her adopted habit of chasing all staff out of the archive while she was working. One of them could’ve told her something useful. Hopefully, this is the correct one too, though knowing her luck…

Twilight concluded that she lifted her hope a bit too early. This wasn’t one of the books she was looking for. Twilight didn’t even need to open it to know: the cover was wrong. The only one of her issued books that had a brownish colour was the recipe book.
Though, after thinking about it, this book looked awfully familiar.

Twilight sprang the book open, finding the familiar runes. The Princess confusedly blinked. This wasn’t right, there was only one book like this.
Twilight rubbed her eyes, the runes did not disappear. Twilight, then, took the book and quickly went back to her own table. If she was losing her mind, she might as well double-check.
The Princess of Books broke into sweat, as she found no books at her workplace. She licked her, suddenly dry, lips and proceeded to open the book again. The runes were still there. Twilight nervously looked around, searching for any clues on who could’ve moved it.

“Anyone here?” Twilight called.

With no response arriving, Twilight continued flipping the pages. The book was fine, nopony damaged it. Well… this wasn’t the first inexplicable thing Twilight saw in her life. Better not to think about it and get back to work.

Twilight put the book back on the table and flipped it to the page she needed. Twilight eyebrows sharply went upwards. Each rune of the resurrecting concoction now was carefully signed. Someone just translated the whole passage for her.

“Eh… Thank you?” Twilight looked around again, finding nopony, “Okay , then...” Twilight tried her best to avoid thinking on how this could happen. Instead, Twilight dived into the translated recipe.

It wasn’t Mandrake after all, it was Mandrake seeds… crap. Another week of waiting, Her Majesty wouldn’t be pleased. Better find those books, she needed something to do anyhow.
Maybe not right now, though. This Princess could use a break. Twilight went ahead to write down the ingredients the ghost signed for her and ventured out to find Rarity. She needed to see her anyway sometime soon to get the ingredients she was suddenly in need of, why not now?

Twilight rarely found herself leaving the palace halls for long. The palace was sort of a research centre now. Nightmare Moon, obviously, had little interest in researchers, but the heads of her government and the remaining patrons, usually, were at least curious. Meaning you could get funding for more or less anything these days, not for free though. But it was only fair for the benefactor to be the first to reap the rewards of the science they paid for from their own pockets.

Twilight, to her own surprise, discovered that she was enjoying the palace a lot more now than she used to under Princess Celestia. Now she could literally stroll down the hallway and have a chat with the best and brightest scientists in Equestria!
The Princess did not approve the militaristic approach of their ruler, but at least the Guards didn’t allow just anypony to sneak around the palace as they used to. Twilight smiled at the memory, good old days.

She had to admit: the new Guards really looked like they could protect something. Heavily armed and picked from the most decorated veterans of the Imperial Army, they took their duty very seriously. Twilight always took care to carry her ID around at all times and so did every other staff member. That was a good sign.
They also became a lot less pushy since Captain Thunder dropped his practice of arming the Guards on the inside along with the external ones. The young alicorn was immeasurably grateful to Rarity for going all the way with this. Weapons only made everypony even more nervous than they were, soldiers already tended to be edgy enough.

Twilight, having left behind the administration wing, now entered the large ballroom; which in turn was connected to the throne room. Twilight decided to enjoy her walk for a moment more before she would enter the Imperial sanctum, where Rarity was most likely to stand at her Empress’ side.

This palace always had something to see, even if you did walk through every room ten times a day on guard duty.
The murals, for one, were dazzling. To the Empress’ credit, she wasn’t vain enough to have everything painted with just the moon and stars, those only took up the ceiling. The pictures painted on the walls were different in every room.
The ballroom, for instance, was devoted to the theme of the ocean. Here, islands brimming with greenery, with birds nesting on their cliffs, bordered a whale jumping out of the water. And on another side of the hall was a dreamy crescent moon rising from the horizon, silvering the waters beneath it, and dazzling the passing ship.
Twilight often found even Nightmare Moon herself musingly looking at the walls of her palace, marvelling at its beauty.

“Oh, there you are, darling!” Rarity called out to Twilight, coming from the same hallway the Princess left behind a few minutes ago, it seems Rarity was looking for her too. She was carrying a package in an Imperial envelope. Looks like Nightmare Moon found her a new book.

“Hi, Rarity, I’ve been just searching for you!” Twilight greeted Rarity with a smile.

“Oh, whatever can I do for you, sweety?” Rarity smiled back, though Twilight noticed she didn’t quite feel like smiling.

“I need you to find something for me again,” Rarity’s smile immediately soured.

“Oh, Twilight! Don’t tell me you need another crate of those pesky reagents again!” Twilight gave Rarity an apologizing look, Rarity hopelessly sighed,
“Alright then, let me see.” Twilight passed her list to Rarity. The unicorn mare looked through the list giving out a dreary sigh, “I would have to mail some friends, but this looks doable, darling.”

“You are the best, Rarity!”

“Was there any doubt?” Rarity chuckled. “Oh, I almost forgot! These are for you,” Rarity presented her the package and a small, partially burned, letter with the envelope.

“Eh, thanks.” Twilight took the mail, curiously eyeing the burned piece, “What happened to it?”

“I had to take it out of a fireplace, darling.” Rarity looked around to ensure nopony was listening, before whispering her explanation:
“I ran into Her Majesty while I was looking for you. She took the letter, ripped it open and, after giving it a single look, went to throw it into the fire. After that, she told me to forget I saw it. The letter is to you,” Twilight checked the envelope. The letter was from Princess Cadance.

“Didn’t she wait for it to burn?” Twilight asked, bewildered.

“She intended to, but Princess Celestia called her off. Twilight, I don’t like this. None of this,” Rarity radiated fear.

“Okay, let’s see it then...” Rarity stopped her before she could read it.

“Twilight, I don’t want to know!” Rarity bluntly told her. “Just… read it privately, alright? If Her Majesty finds out I took it out from the fire...” Rarity began shivering.

“Rarity, Rarity! Shhh...” Twilight tried to calm her friend down, “I swear to Celestia, I’ll burn it myself after I see it! Nopony will know!”

“Twilight, I know Her Majesty isn’t evil and, in her own way, she just wants us to be happy. But...she is just so horribly scary! Every time I have to interrupt her to report something, she looks at me like she wants to roll my head!” Rarity illustrated her point by drawing her hoof across her neck, “Twilight, I remember that look! I didn’t want to see it ever again!”

“Rarity, don’t panic!” Twilight pleaded. “Breath in, breath out.” Rarity took the offered advice.

“Her Highness scares me too, Twilight,” Rarity continued. Twilight threw in an understanding nod.

“You told me about Dreamy.”

“It’s not just about that. Oh, I wish it was!” Twilight crocked her eyebrow.

“What could Celestia, for the love of her, do to scare you this much?”

“It’s the look in her eyes, Twilight!” Rarity peered right into Twilight's eyes,
“I catch her sometimes watching other ponies from afar. It’s not the way I remember her watching anypony before. Twilight, she is studying us! Searching for weak spots to use!” Rarity had to take a breath again,
“When she notices me looking, she just winks at me and walks away as if nothing happened!” Rarity grabbed the Princess by the shoulders,
“Twilight, it feels like a nightmare I can’t wake up from! How things were before… it’s all gone! There’s no harmony anymore! Nopony can go where they want to, nopony is allowed to speak up! I feel like we are not even allowed to think what we will now! I can’t stop thinking about how it used to be. I know we can’t go back, but… why aren’t we allowed to dream about it at least?”

Twilight had nothing to say in response. Rarity was totally right. The atmosphere of perpetual paranoia and oppression was something everypony took notice by this moment. Even Nightmare Moon felt it and, judging by her condition, she felt it the most acutely.

“Nopony tells us anything anymore! We are only told what we need to know to do what’s required from us! Otherwise, we are just lied to! Where did we go wrong?” Rarity continued her lament.
“I don’t recognize anypony anymore! Twilight, it’s like everypony around was replaced by someone else playing their role! Like everypony is wearing a mask, and what I see through the holes chills me to the bone! Even Princess Celestia is not herself anymore! Twilight, how much time do we have before we too change beyond recognition?”

Twilight, took her terrified friend into a hug, softly hushing her. Twilight didn’t doubt Rarity’s perception, she always proved it to be sharp. But it seems that paranoia finally got to her too.

“Okay, Rarity. Tell you what. You think you have a few hours before she sends for you again?”

“There… there should be a little time, yes. Her Majesty is having her supper now.”

“Let’s talk to her, Rarity,” Twilight casually suggested. “Get Fluttershy. If someone can get Her Majesty to soften, it’s her.” Rarity considered the suggestion for a few heartbeats before nodding in agreement.

“Yes, yes. You are right, Twilight, just like you always are.” It was flattering to hear, but the Princess knew that Rarity was trying to convince herself more than anyone else,
“Her Majesty is intimidating at times, but she’s still our friend. There simply has to be something that bothers her, that she needs to get out of her chest. I’ll bring Fluttershy. I am sure we can talk it over with a little of her tea like we always did before.”

“That’s the spirit, Rarity!” Twilight smiled at her encouragingly. “We’ll figure it all up in no time, you just wait!”

“Of course we will!” Rarity smiled back. “I’ll be back in a little while, darling!” Twilight smiled and nodded again, sending Rarity off.

The unicorn enthusiastically trotted away, towards the courtyard. Leaving Twilight alone with her letter. The Princess lifted up the burned letter once again. She still had tasks left at hoof.
It caused Twilight to immediately raise her brows, the hoofwriting wasn’t Cadance’s. It was written by Nightmare Moon’s hoof and clearly addressed Princess Cadance. Could she have sent Twilight the wrong letter?

Twilight flipped the paper to the other side, finding several lines of Cadane’s writing:

'Dear Twilight
Your eyes do not deceive you. This letter is not meant for you. Her Majesty wrote it to be seen by my eyes and my eyes only as part of a contingency. It was delivered discreetly to my desk on the night of her and Princess Celestia’s arrival. I apologise for putting you in danger by sending you this, but I see it as even more dangerous to keep you in the dark. Trust nopony with what you will now learn and burn the letter after you’ve read it.

Always love you,
Cadance'

Twilight, with a chill running down her spine, flipped the paper back and peered into the calligraphic letters written in blue ink:

'Princess Mi Amore
I must stress the necessity for utter and complete secrecy. What you will be reading in a moment can and WILL lead to far-reaching consequences if made public. I trust you will understand as much.
Your dear aunt, Princess Celestia, conceals a very dangerous secret that you must be made aware of in case of an emergency. You must be able to tell Princess Celestia apart from my own kin residing in her body...'

Twilight incinerated the letter on the spot a minute later, provoking a glare from a tired unicorn janitor.

The Princess of Memory

Nightmare Moon leaned in her voluptuous armchair and closed her eyes, relaxing ever so slightly. She’d signed all orders and read all reports for now. She had a single moment for herself.
Nightmare Moon tried to remember what she was supposed to take care off, but her mind was too dizzy to focus. Was it... 3rd Armored Division's requested -for the 5th time- reassignment from the bombed-out changeling hive? Maybe she should send Rainbow Dash in there too, it should make decent revenge to all of them being annoying.
Captain Rolling Thunder flooded her desk with formal complaints on the Leauitenant's discipline and requested permission to publicly whip her. As tempting as it was, the Empress had to refuse. It went against the bargain she struck with the former rebel leader, other Elements would not approve either.
Although, unofficially, the permission to "discipline" her in less formal ways was already in effect. Which the lower ranking Guards were immensely enjoying since Nightmare Moon's departure for Crystal City. As long as they did not hurt her, they could do whatever they wanted with the troublesome pegasus in retaliation for her... "pranking".
From the other perspective, she could understand Dash's attitude. The palace would be a boring place for someone like her, especially since she had nothing to do here but wait until her Empress finds her and her company of peasants someplace they could be stationed at without causing trouble to her superiors. Here's an idea: the experimental flyers-only light infantry platoon, that would give the unorthodox Lieutenant something "awesome" enough to do. While she was away, Lieutenant Stormbreaker might even get a chance to whip their company into something resembling a troop. But this was for later, all of this was inconsequential, there had to be something more important...

With a dry, sad chuckle, she caught herself at almost asking Luna. The obsidian mare wanted to forget Luna wasn’t there and speak to her anyway. Well, add that to the schedule. Nightmare Moon dimly smirked at her own pitiful joke.
Sadly, the Empress had no time for things like this. She audibly sighed, reminding herself of the pressing matters. She needed to think over her next move. There was a threat to her rule: Daybreaker.

The obvious option was to use the Elements to bring Celestia back, as they did for Luna those years ago; but this was hardly the most optimal solution. Her sister would, obviously, expect that. This would be the very first thing she has been preparing for. This Nightmare knew better than to underestimate her own kin. Not to mention with the Princess, seemingly losing all will to resist, it would do nothing to stop Daybreaker from taking control over their body again.
It went without saying that any hostile action would provoke her sister to act. There was no telling what traps she could have prepared. Antagonising her now, without learning more about her intentions, would be unwise. Nightmare Moon did not sit on her throne for being rash. Her approach had to be more elegant.

As of now, Rarity should’ve read the letter she, without a doubt, took out of the fire. To sprung her curiosity was the whole point of burning it after all. Rarity could not live without soaking up new rumours, the more scandalous the better.

Nightmare Moon was only glad to indulge her. A correct rumor spread at the right time could prove more powerful than any weapon. Spreading Nightmare’s rumors was one of Rarity’s most useful quirks; a lot more so than her craftsmareship, even though the Empress highly valued her artistic talent. Tapestries and carpets in her palace were almost exclusively of Rarity's design, so were the uniforms of the staff. She even got the honor of designing the Empress' ball dresses. After all, there were few things in the palace nearly as delightful, as watching Rarity forget about everything, including her fear, while explaining her latest design choices. Ugh...back to reality.
Once Rarity has read the suggested letter, she would proceed to deliver it over to Twilight. From that point, the dark mare only needed to let her Princess work. Driven by fear and love for her former mentor, Twilight will form a plan she would then present to her... or maybe even execute it herself, sparing her the work.

Nightmare Moon made a note to thank Cadance for being such a wonderful avail, even if the only one she intended to help was Twilight. The Princess of Love spared the black mare of the need to tell Twilight herself, raising fewer suspicions from ever-watchful Daybreaker.
Yes, Cadance deserved more than a bit of her gratitude. Even without this letter, she deserved a hearty “thank you” simply for not causing trouble. She was the only one who never did, in fact. In recent years, the Empress had more than enough headaches as it is.
Nightmare Moon smiled at the thought of how much help to her they all, really, were without even knowing it. One day she will give her thanks to all of them.

She would thank Rarity, for always being ready to do whatever her Empress required her to and for quickly spreading the rumors she needed ponies to hear. And, of course, for always staying by her side despite ever quivering in Her Majesty's presence. Nightmare Moon could not ask for a better companion.

She would thank Twilight for being a reliable scholar and a symbol of their Empress' goodwill to every creature in the Empire. Twilight’s mere presence at the palace toned down the horror the people of Equestria felt for their ruler.
If Princess Twilight, the most devoted associate of the Sun Princess was alive and safe inside the home of the Mare of Darkness, it must mean that she wasn’t as bloodthirsty and vengeful as the legend described. Not anymore, at least.

She would thank her dear Shadow for being her most valued agent. The Empress could trust her with any mission and any secret, the changeling will never fail her.
But even if she wasn't a skilled infiltrator, Nightmare Moon would still have a lot to thank her for. The little changeling gave her a spark of hope for the future.
Shadow was the first creature to give her a taste of something she never was equipped to understand before. It even overpowered her devotion to her own Queen and race.
Shadow was trained by Chrysalis to kill the hated pony on the Equestrian throne, but Shadow refused to follow this order. She left everything behind just to serve the mare she admired! And it stayed that way. Shadow learned of her Mistress’ true nature quickly, but it did absolutely nothing to sway her loyalty. To Shadow, it made no difference what kind of creature Nightmare Moon was; to Shadow, it was enough that she was her beloved Mistress.

A changeling that loved! Loved her of all ponies! Before Shadow came to her, carrying a poison lined dagger, Nightmare Moon was merely playing a role for her ponies. It was easier to control her subjects, if they were not in constant fear for their lives.
But Shadow never displayed any fear for her, even after realising that the vulnerabilities in the palace defences were there solely to lure her in and the mare she was supposed to kill was waiting for her all along.
To Nightmare's shock, the changeling turned out to have no intentions to harm her, Shadow wasn't trying to begin with. Shadow came to her so that she could hear her Empress decree. She even accepted the name, Nightmare Moon gave her, without hesitation.
It puzzled the onyx mare for many months to come, but after observing night's most unusual servant for some time she, finally, saw what moved her loyal Shadow. Shadow had family, race, and home, but she left it all behind and chose her instead! Shadow followed her because of what she saw in her and what she saw in the ponies living in her lands, she wanted to be a part of what she had grown to love! The realisation was the most magical moment of Nightmare's life!
There could be no amount of gratitude enough to repay her Shadow for teaching her how much she craved to be loved, not feared.

Shadow deserved so much more than simply serving as a spy and assassin until her last day. Perhaps Twilight will teach her to see this too. Even if not, while away she will be safe from Daybreaker who would seek to use her if she learned of Shadow’s existence.

Celestia would need her thanks too, yes. Luna’s dear sister… Nightmare Moon felt the need to talk to her again, once at least, to thank her for her kindness and to beg for her forgiveness. She failed to safeguard Luna for her, the one person that kept her alive. If there was someone who could forgive this mare for something she would never forgive herself for, it was The Princess of the Sun. Her inspiration, her teacher, her... hope. She had so-so much to thank Celestia for.
After the thousand years of bad blood, the Princess had enough compassion to accept her enemy in her hooves, in her family even. Celestia was the one giving out mercy, not the other way around.
She didn’t step away for a moment, keenly sensing that her former rival needed her help and was willing to provide it at her own expanse. She did everything she could only to be repaid with the corpse of her own sister before her!

Nightmare Moon felt something wet on her cheek, she didn’t bother to wipe it off.
How could she be so blind? So foolish? So selfish? She had everything! She was a happy mare! She only lacked the wisdom to see it.
To Tartarus with the public opinion and foreign hostilities! What she could have... To throw it all away like that!

Nightmare Moon, with a loud knock, forcefully drove her head into the table. It hurt but she didn’t care.
Why was it Luna who had to die for her stupidity? Anyone! Anyone but Luna! It was her who was supposed to lie dead in that crypt, not Luna! Luna did nothing to deserve this! Why did it have to be Luna? Why Luna? Why Luna?!

Obeying a sudden impulse, Nightmare Moon jumped up from her seat and rushed to the far corner. There, inside an unsuspicious cupboard, lied an ancient and battered book. It was Luna's, her only remaining artefact.
Luna tried every argument she could to leave it back under the ruined Castle, but… the sentimental Nightmare did not listen. She couldn’t let this relic to rot in some crumbling dungeon.

Nightmare Moon took out the book, seating herself to lean against one of the cornering walls, she figured she might need some extra support soon. This book had many entries, all of them equally precious. These were memories, memories of the times long gone, of the simpler times, of the times when no one knew what disgusting creature she was. Memories of Luna.

'Dear diary
Tonight I heard a voice speaking in my head, (yes, again) but this time it was not a mere sign of creeping madness, at least I believe so. She is real. She proved to me so. I checked every word she told me, there could be no mistake. I couldn't know those things, I never been to these places even. I never heard of such a creature and I doubt the sister had, but I will keep this a secret for now, whatever she is, she is no threat without a body of her own.'

Yes, the darkened mare remembered. Luna, crusty as ever, if only she knew back then how wrong she was. It would've turned out different for both of them.

'Dear diary
I can’t believe what I am writing, but I think this thing in my head is… my friend. She keeps me company during the duty, she teaches me the intricacies of the world I never noticed before and she comforts me when a commoner doesn’t recognise me beside my sister. I think I no longer even need wine make life anything more than endless night watches. I have something better now.'

Only to be later stabbed in the back. Poor, naive Luna, she deserved much better friends.

'Dear diary
Tonight I finally learned her name! She always waved me off when I asked her before, but she wasn't secretive, she simply didn’t have a name. (How can you even live without a name? How do you think about yourself?) She didn’t seem to care much, but I made her choose a name anyway! She is Nightmare Moon now! A little dark, but I think it has charm. Nightmare it is!
Hello, Nightmare! I know you are reading my diary! Don't worry, you can read it whenever you want. It's not like you'll learn any secrets you don't know already.'

The entry was ended with a tiny picture of Luna, winking at her.

A large drop fell on the page.
Horrified, Nightmare Moon hastily searched for anything she could use. This precious thing could not be stained like this!
Having found a piece of fabric, she swiftly used it to sop the tear from the page. It was too late. The letters became blurry. Nightmare Moon pushed the diary shut, unwilling to risk any more damage. Unwilling to let it go, she pushed it to her chest instead. She did not need her eyes anymore, so she closed them shut too, as they were starting to hurt.

“Luna...” she muttered apologetically, starting to slowly rock back and forth. It hurt less if she moved a little, it gave her something else to focus on besides her sorrow.

This pitiful, naive, foalish diary felt like the most precious thing in the world. Letting it go was impossible, it meant to let go of Luna. She would never cease to search for a way to correct the horrible injustice she knew she was guilty of. But a part of her, the most rational one, knew that she would fail. She knew the world doesn’t work like this. Thinking about it hurt.

Nightmare Moon felt a light touch. Shivers ran through her whole body. She didn't want to know who found her, with her luck it may even be her sister. She didn't want to know.
But the touch repeated, it was more assertive this time. It felt soft, warming, Nightmare Moon knew who it was now, she opened her tear-stained eyes.

The mare ceased sobbing, even breathing. She saw… salvation. The two wells of deep cyan, slit in the middle, completely hypnotized the dark mare, like they always did. This look instilled the warm sense of tranquillity in her, making her forget about everything. To this mare, Nightmare Moon owed a lot more than simple words, but her own life, and Luna's too.

Fluttershy slowly lifted her hoof and put it on Nightmare’s paining heart, this pegasus needed no words to understand. Obeying the unspoken request, Nightmare drew the air in. Fluttershy rapidly blinked, reducing the hypnotizing effect of her slitted orbs.
Nightmare Moon noticed Fluttershy didn’t come alone. Rarity and Twilight patiently waited at the door, neither of them knew what to do or say and Rarity was openly panicking at the sight of her mighty Empress being a sobbing mess. Exactly why she couldn't let ponies see her like this. If their protector couldn't help even herself, what protection could they hope for?
Rainbow Dash also came, though she dared not to enter the sanctum. Meeting her gaze, the blue pegasus looked down apologetically and simply left, without making a sound. For once, she knew when she wasn’t welcome.
There also was someone else. Radiant and warming. Philomena, Celestia’s bird. The phoenix must have followed Fluttershy. The bird was looking down at her from the top of the wardrobe, Philomena’s look was a silent accusation, the wise bird already knew everything.

Twilight cautiously came closer to stand just behind Fluttershy,
“May I?” she asked, pointing at the diary with her eyes. Nightmare Moon looked down at her dearest treasure. Fluttershy gave her a reassuring nod.

Nightmare Moon took a deep breath and, with much effort, pried the book away from herself, allowing Twilight to take it away. Under the unsettled look of her sovereign, the young Princess looked inside, with Rarity peeking over her shoulder. Her curiosity overpowered fear, just like it always did.
Fluttershy nestled herself to Nightmare’s chest, offering her a replacement for the book. Nightmare Moon gratefully took the pegasus in her hooves, the diary no longer being her focus. Her body shuddering and tears continuing to flow.

To the hurt monarch holding another in her hooves felt like heavenly bliss. Ponies were social creatures, they were not supposed to suffer alone. Her own kind even less so, she had never even been alone before. The ancient mare allowed her eyelids to weigh themselves down. Fluttershy understood perfectly what the black mare needed from her at this moment and gave all of it. For this blessed moment, she wasn’t alone.
The yellow angel made her pain go away, even if just for the moment. Nightmare Moon didn’t even remember it could be like this. She did not remember what feeling content was like. She did not remember what living without pain felt like.

“Thank you,” she quietly whispered to her saviour, if only she could do more.

“Your Majesty, is Luna....?” Twilight didn’t dare to say the word. Nightmare Moon morbidly nodded. Rarity covered her mouth, “I...I am sorry, Your Majesty, is there something-”

“Twilight,” Rarity bumped her. “Don't talk, just... keep it quiet.” Nightmare Moon gratefully nodded, putting the unicorn's fears away completely for now. Rarity relaxed enough to sit down beside Fluttershy, if not to help at least to keep company. The Princess didn't dare to disturb the magical silence further, instead quietly looking through the pages. Then, she suddenly stopped, her eyes glittered with tears.

“I won't read this...” Twilight quietly said, giving the diary back to Nightmare. “This is yours.” The dark mare stared quietly at the treasure suspended in the pink aura, before giving Twilight a suddenly collected look.

“Twilight… I… want to share it with you. Luna would want me to.” Twilight shook her head.

“Your Majesty, I can’t have it.” Twilight insistently held out the book further, “You are the only pony who is supposed to see this.”

“Luna wouldn’t want me to hoard, Twilight. Take it… just promise you will show it only to those you trust.”

“Your Majesty…” Twilight no longer could find words to argue but did not withdraw the held out diary. The Princess of Books could not make herself take such a valuable thing away from someone who needed it.

“Ehm… Your Majesty,” Fluttershy quietly called. “Perhaps you can read it for us?” Nightmare Moon perked at the suggestion, “That way you can keep it and Twilight won't need to...” This… this was a brilliant idea! Luna would adore it!

Seeing a smile creeping on her Empress’ face, Fluttershy pulled away and prepared to listen. Rarity beamed at the pegasus.

Nightmare Moon hastily took the diary and flipped it to the beginning. Philomena produced an approving creek, but the bird’s eyes wandered elsewhere. There was another, unwelcome, listener, looking through the gap between the door and the wall. Unlike the mares inside the private study, Daybreaker wore no smile.

Bottle Duty

Master Sergeant Baron Shoes needed a drink.
Being good friends with Bright White, the owner of the only thestral bar in Canterlot, came out useful once again; the happy bat even poured him one on the house to celebrate Baron’s return to Canterlot. Baron didn’t share White’s enthusiasm.
Baron wasn’t supposed to be celebrating anything.
He was supposed to be dead.

Baron genuinely believed Her Majesty would kill him for what he did. He deserved to die for failing like that. He failed to protect his sovereign.
He never knew she and Princess Luna were completely different ponies, neither could he know they were in that damned cave, but that did nothing to diminish his fault.

He, and all his squaddies alongside him, had done a terrible crime—and they all knew it. They were grateful their Empress had not ended them immediately, but none of them could simply live on with it on their shoulders.
Baron couldn’t live a day without a drink, Firestep couldn’t sleep, Shallow Sand often had to be dragged off his post, and Wavy Shadow—one of the few thestrals in the military—probably had it the worst.

Her being religious wasn’t exactly news for anypony—almost every bat was, but even infamous-in-her-fanaticism High Priestess could envy Wavy now. It seemed like the only times when she wasn’t praying were when she was on duty, and when she was asleep. Though Baron couldn’t bet on the latter. He didn’t know the language she was praying in, it had to be some dialect from a thousand years ago, but no one needed to understand it to know what she was asking her goddess for.

They were supposed to be dead for hurting their Empress—she had executed ponies for less in past. It seemed times of justice were long gone, they all got a promotion instead of a punishment. They were the “Honor Guard” now!

The sickening humour of the situation made Baron smile while his gut was turning upside down. Apparently, to get a promotion within the Guard, you had to make suffer the very pony you were supposed to protect.

Oh, and suffer did they make her. Baron was one was of the oldest serving Guards in the whole outfit—he’d seen this mare tearing apart tanks and bunkers alike, bullets ricocheting off her own enchanted armor. He’d seen her dealing with traitors and cowards quickly and with little hesitation, always impassive and composed, always plotting and controlling.
She really looked like a goddess—invincible and ethereal, with no enemy being a threat to her.

Ha, “No enemy.”
Baron and his team of chaff managed to do something no one else managed to: to hurt a goddess.

You know it hurts when a creature like her forgets all dignity and manners and wails in anguish in front of the very insects who caused her pain. It was the single most horrifying sound Baron had ever heard.
In his decades of service, starting all the way in pre-civil war Equestrian army, he’d never heard anything that could be worse than the desperate bellows of someone losing their dear one.

Changelings were the worst. They were conditioned to pull through, but no training could help them with something like that. After seeing a bomb ripping apart half a dozen of their brothers and sisters, the rest usually broke. They no longer had the strength to continue.
Baron felt ending them was more merciful than taking them to a POW camp. It would only have had made them suffer longer.
Now, though, he had a new worst.

Not one of them dared to look the Empress in the eyes since he shot the Princess. Neither did they dare to talk to her—they no longer had the right to talk to their sovereign. Not after what they did.

But their Empress was a gracious ruler. She gave them a chance for absolution. She put them so close to herself for a reason. Her Majesty had no use for personal Guards, everypony who ever saw her in person knew as much. Baron didn’t envy any would-be assassins.
The purpose the Empress had for them was guarding her secrets. They were the only soldiers in the palace who knew about Luna. That was why they were the ones guarding her crypt. That was why they were the ones guarding Her Majesty’s tower.

Baron didn’t know what would it take for them to atone, but he knew that they would do whatever it takes. If they had to bar the entrance to the crypt with their bodies, that was what they would do. It didn’t matter if they lived or died, there was no life that had any meaning outside the service now. That was why he was there, groping the bottle. It helped to make the time pass, so he could get back to the post on the next night.

Baron grabbed another bottle from the box he and this night’s companion had bought together. He didn’t remember what he was drinking, and neither did he care. What mattered was that it helped.
Neither did he care who was the mare he was now drinking with.

He vaguely remembered her telling him she had a son somewhere in Crystal City, but Baron couldn’t remember meeting anyone who looked remotely like her, and she hadn’t said his name anyway.
None of it mattered, they both had something they didn’t want to think about, it was reason enough to share a table.
She hadn’t moved for a while now—she was probably asleep. Lucky her. He decided to check, however. Getting another pony killed wasn’t on his priority list.

He felt a weak pulse. Her breathing was shallow, and she herself was cold as a dead body. Baron wanted to call Bright White from the counter, but his mouth wasn’t obeying him. He looked around for anypony closer, for he himself might not make it all the way to the counter, but the bar was quite empty at this hour.

With his trained eye, Baron noticed something strange. There was another mare in there with them. Had he not spent this many years on guard duty, his eye would've simply slid right over.
She seemed to be looking at something under her table, but Baron could tell she was periodically glancing up at them through her mane. Her whole appearance blended in with the bar…almost like she was wearing camouflage.

Baron caught her look, and gestured—or tried to—for her to approach them. The mare gave him a look of utter contempt, which was only natural, given how he must’ve looked this late at night. Well, he needed to do something…
Placing a hoof on his companion’s muzzle, he gathered his strength and gave her a push. The pony, together with her chair, plummeted to the floor. That ought to draw somepony’s attention.

To Baron’s shock, the first one to respond was the mare herself. As soon as she hit the floor, her eyes sprung open, and she leapt to her hooves—a feat Baron would’ve considered impossible, given her state. She glared at him, her eyes completely clear and sober. Baron could offer her no explanation, and she didn’t want one anyway.

The lady already lost the interest in him and glanced around, catching the sight of their unwelcome observer. For a moment she stared in silence, probably making sure she was seeing her clearly—these two knew each other, no doubt about that. The standing mare’s face began to color red, like a teapot about to steam. Baron figured he’d better stay out.

Right on time, too. The mare, with a single, awe-inspiring leap, hurled herself to her adversary. Apparently, the other had been expecting it.
After avoiding being pinned to the ground, the other mare immediately sprinted out of the bar. Baron’s former companion, after managing to counter her inertia, followed.

Baron managed to pick up his jaw, figuring he shouldn’t be so surprised. With all of the strange nonsense happening at the palace—such as ponies being noticed in several places at the same time, while constantly disappearing then reappearing again—it would be unusual if Canterlot city was very different.
As always, Baron knew that digging into it meant getting in trouble with someone very high up, perhaps even Her Majesty herself. So, he grabbed another bottle instead.

The Youngest Soldier

The night was quiet, warm and welcoming, just like Silver Shine liked it. Weather ponies always made sure the sky was clear, letting the moon shine over the Canterlot streets, allowing its dwellers to always bask in Her grace. The citizenry, in turn, ensured the streets were always clean, the buildings maintained and all under the watchful eyes of Her Guards, making sure they all were safe and secure on the streets of Her chosen city.

He murmured thanks and a blessing to a passing stranger as she dropped a few coins in his oversized hat.
That was a kind person, she gave the change she didn’t need to someone else who could use it. It always brought a smile to his tiny face to see ponies being as generous as their ruler, even to somepony like him, a stain on Her beautiful city. He was too little to work and he and his Father needed any bits they could get. Father would surely object to the way he got the money, though.

Most generous ponies tended to be farm ponies from the local lands. They always had something to give him: a few apples, occasionally a warm loaf. Silver pitied them, for they had to toil during the day and never got a chance to see the moon in the sky. Some of them were too stubborn to embrace the nocturnal way of life, but mostly, they were just afraid to go out at night.
Timberwolves and other dangerous creatures waited for them in the hallowed dark. Perhaps the Empress would one evening declare her order for the Imperial Army to chase all the dangers out of the land! Silver wanted to be there to hear it.

Silver always loved when his father told him about Her, he used to be one Her Guards and spent a lot of time observing her. Father may have lost his leg serving Her, but he never spoke ill of her regardless. Moreover, every time he remembered his time in Her presence, he spoke with aspiration! A reason alone to ask him to tell more.

His favourite story was Her ascension to the throne of the Empire. Back then, she prefered a different name. She had her sister and her friends at her side, but she couldn’t be content knowing that any of her subjects suffered from her actions. Thestrals, her favoured tribe, exiled in their own land, hated and feared.
The Lunar Princess could not let this continue, knowing that even though her sister was opposed to the idea of reaching out to the lost tribe, Her Majesty refused to let go. She risked everything and rebelled against the Solar Princess once more and fought for the bat-winged ponies to finally have a place in Equestria again.

Though other ponies tended to be put off by their overall weirdness, Silver still liked Her thestrals; though they didn’t seem to like him much in return. Silver could understand them being a little grumpy after being contained to some stupid mountain range for a thousand years.
Their “religion,” as Father called it, made sense to him too. Princess Celestia has been methodically spreading the knowledge of her nature for the entirety of her rule specifically to avoid such cults appearing.
But thestrals knew nothing of this, it only made sense for them to think the pony who could move both sun and moon, as well as govern their dreams, was a goddess. Silver would think so himself if he didn’t know any better.

The fact that Her Majesty was rather reclusive didn’t help much either. She seldom left the palace and when she did, it was rarely for anything public.
Silver was very glad to have had a chance to see Her in person, even if it was just once, when she announced the return of Princess Celestia and their reconciliation--though that was rather unexpected too. He constantly heard other ponies grumbling about how inconsistent the Empress became in recent times, but Silver was only glad for her. He knew how bad it was to lose family.
Silver wouldn’t trade that moment for any other, to witness Her Majesty’s power when she raised and lowered the celestial spheres was one thing, but seeing Her mercy and kindness bloom for everyone to see was something totally different.

This was proof that their Empress, despite Her new fearsome guise, was no more evil or cruel than she had ever been. Despite everything the Princess of the Sun did wrong, both to Her Majesty personally and Her most devoted subjects, the younger sister still found the strength to not relish in the older one’s suffering, offering her the same kind of mercy she herself received.

Judging the time by the moon’s position in the sky, he deduced it had to be early morning by now, which meant it was time for him to return home. He heard hoofsteps coming his way, though, and decided to linger for a few more moments. From the sound of it, there were two more ponies approaching.
Maybe he’ll have a little more bits to bring home. Silver Shine pumped and smoothened again his crummy, though still soft, mane and dropped his sight down on the hat - staring was very impolite.

The hoofsteps stopped before him, just like he hoped, but no coins dropped. After waiting a moment, the foal figured they wanted him to look up at them, and started to slowly lift his eyes.
There were two ponies there, both of whom were quite tall and elegant. Silver concluded they had to be mares, and rich ones at that, judging by their jewelled shoes. One was obsidian black, while the other was alabaster white. The foal stopped his sight from ascending further, not daring to look any higher.

“You didn’t tell me you had such cute little beggars in your city, sister,” a pompous voice announced, giving a delighted chuckle. It was very different from what he remembered from the older recordings.
Well, at least he wasn’t in trouble yet…
“Eyes up, child. Your Empress took interest in you, let her see you.”
Silver did as he was ordered, looking up and right into their faces.
Princess Celestia was giving him an encouraging, although a bit haughty, smile. But Her Majesty was simply studying him, no visible emotions on her face at all.

Silver felt his heart trying to jump out of his chest. It really was them! The Princess had even talked to him! His father would kill him for showing his dirty face in front of royalty, and the fact they were ladies made the crime even worse! Silver had never wished so hard that he could bathe, what would Her Majesty think?

“What is your name, child?” she simply asked.

“...Silver Shine, Y-your Majesty.” It took him a moment to remember, which provoked another chuckle from Her Highness.

“Child, don’t just sit there! You are in the presence of royalty! Bow!” The Princess accompanied her instruction with a gesture of her hoof.

Oh, yes...how could he forget? His father would’ve already given him a cuff on the nape. The foal quickened to his hooves and bowed deeply, awaiting the next order, which didn’t arrive for a while.
Her Majesty simply eyed the coins in the hat for a long moment, then met his eye.

“Where are your parents?”

“My Father is h-here—” he pointed in the direction of his home, “—down the alleyway, Y-your Majesty.”

“Show me,” the Empress commanded. The Princess gave her sister a surprised look, but didn’t comment.

The foal jumped up and trotted quickly down the alley. The Princess giggled, making him realize he’d forgotten the night’s income, but he didn’t dare to return or even look back. Now, he had something much more important to do; without even mentioning he could bump into one of them and get his dirt on their noble fur!

Silver hastily led both royal mares half-way down the alley, then knocked on a door to his left.

“Silver, is that you?” A rugged voice growled out from behind the slab of wood.

“Y-yes, F-father.”

“Huh? Are you shivering? Is it that cold out there?”

“N-no, Father.”

The door opened. His Father’s mighty figure filled the doorway; though he was a Pegasus, he could rival the largest Earth Ponies, and him losing part of his hind leg did nothing to reduce his stature.

It was the first time Silver had ever seen his Father bending to the floor so quickly. He imagined Princess Celestia’s smile had widened, but he didn’t dare to turn around and check.

“May we enter?” the Princess asked. Her tone left no room for denying the request.

“O-of course!” The towering stallion hastened to get out of the way. Silver quickly trotted in and stationed himself by his Father’s side, as he was instructed to do in case of guests.
The regal visitors eyed the dusty hallway as if they'd found themselves in a museum or gallery. Her Highness openly shivered, making his Father frown and look down in shame. He wasn’t as good at keeping the house clean as Mother had been.
On the other hoof, Her Majesty showed no disdain, still bearing the same neutral expression. She was mostly interested in Father, rather than the scenery.

“Morning Shine?” Her Majesty called Silver’s Father by his name, and he gave a respectful bow.

“I...I am honored you remember me, Your Majesty... May I offer a seat?” He remembered his manners.
His Empress nodded to him, and he hurried to open the door behind him. Father always planned ahead, so they always stood with their backs to either the living or the dining room when receiving guests. The hallway was far too narrow for Father to comfortably walk past another pony, and pushing a guest against the wall wasn’t a good sign of hospitality.

Silver instinctively went for the light switch, but then remembered there was no power in the house and quickly backed away from it before anyone could notice. No reason to make their poverty any more obvious. Besides, it didn’t seem like either of the high mares minded the darkness.

“The house seems big for just two of you,” Princess Celestia commented.

“My wife is...” The Empress gave Silver’s Father a nod, stopping him mid-phrase.

“Thank you,” he said simply.

Father didn’t like to talk about the Mother.

Silver dutifully offered both ladies chairs by the fire. The Princess frowned at the seat, casting some spell at it before taking it. Her face immediately stretched back into a smile immediately after. Silver couldn't shake off a feeling that he was looking at a mask. She obviously didn't enjoy being here, what reason would she have to smile like this?

Her Majesty was even more reluctant than her sister, squinting her eyes at the light and grimacing. Silver saw and quickened to kill the fire.
“Don’t,” she stopped him, then proceeded to lower herself onto the presented chair.

Father brought over his own large chair, placing it before the fire. Sadly, that meant the supply was exhausted in the room, so the foal had to stand. But maybe there was a benefit to it after all.
Silver positioned himself between the fire and Her Majesty, shielding her from the direct light, which was so painful to her beautiful eyes. She blinked to readjust, nodding gratefully at him.

Silver beamed for a moment, but quickly suppressed it. He was not to grin like an imbecile in front of Her Majesty.
At least, that’s what Father would say. But to Silver, it didn’t seem as if she minded it. The Empress noticed him struggling to control his emotions, and after throwing a careful look at her sister to make sure the other mare wasn’t looking, gave him a warm, barely noticeable smirk. Silver felt himself blushing.
He noticed that unlike Princess Celestia, Her Majesty smiled not only with her lips, but with her eyes too.

“Morning,” Princess Celestia addressed Silver’s Father. “How did you injure your leg? I had no idea my sister let her Guards fight, except to defend the palace.”
The Princess didn’t appear to be very interested in the answer herself, it seemed only that she simply didn’t want the silence to establish itself.
Father looked away again. His “honorable discharge” wasn’t a story he was proud of.

“It’s my own fault, Your Highness,” he said quietly. “I stepped on a landmine.”

“When?” she pried, eyeing him sharply. Silver thought it was just so that she could look at him, rather than all the dust around.

“The Battle of The Hive.” Father gave a small nod to the Empress, “Her Majesty flattened the changeling fortifications, forcing them to hide in their tunnels. They didn’t take the mines with them.”
Her Highness gave her sister a respectful nod, apparently impressed.

“Don’t you… have any friends?” She continued. Father gave a tight smile.

“Don’t you… have any friends?” Her Highness continued. Father unevenly smiled.

“Your Highness… I am sorry, this is a hard question.” Father didn’t like this subject either. Her Highness seemed to sense whatever questions would be the most difficult for him to answer.
“We Guards are not very popular now, you see,” he continued. “The army sees us as glorified security guards who get to sit in the comfy palace while they sleep in trenches. And civilians keep their distance to anything related to Her Majesty.
“The only ones we can depend upon are other Guards, and, since recently, Thestrals; they seem to recognize us now for protecting Her Majesty.” Her Highness nodded again.

Father then turned to the Empress.
“Ma’am, if I may,” he said. Her Majesty proceeded to indicate her permission with another nod. “I never got the chance to apologize.”
He nodded at his leg. “I…I am sorry for failing you like this. You gathered us all because you needed us for a purpose…Cripples make poor soldiers.” He dropped his eyes.
“I…I… Thank you for coming tonight and letting me tell you this. I did all I could, but it wasn’t enough. Your Majesty, I am sorry.” Despite the sincerity of Father’s words, Silver didn’t notice a muscle moving on Her Majesty’s face. Was she really this cold-hearted?

“Are you a soldier or not?” Her Highness jumped at him like a wildcat. “First, you get yourself hurt over your own remissness, and now you are trying to make us sorry for you?! How dare you even to—”

“Sister, enough,” the Empress abruptly interrupted, immediately receiving a confused stare. “I imagine Corporal Shine already received more than he deserved.” Silver watched Her Highness’s eyes running all over the room before the usual smile returned to her lips.

“Yes, sister. You are entirely correct.” The Princess stood up from her chair. “I believe we’ve overstayed our welcome. We should return to the palace.”

“Yes, sister. It is time we take our leave. Thank you for your hospitality, Corporal.”

“Silver, escort the ladies, please,” Father ordered the colt. The artificial tone of his voice gave Silver chills. Princess Celestia gave Silver a dismissive glance, then chuckled and walking out of the room.

Her Majesty watched her sister leave, then swiftly turned back to Silver, squinting her eyes again because of the fire.
She took a small velvet pouch out of the depths of her flowing mane, then held it out to Silver. He eyed the pouch, unsure of what he was supposed to do or say.
The Empress pushed the pouch against his chest, making him instinctively take it with his hooves, then turned on her heels and quickly followed her sister. Silver looked at the pouch in his hooves in utter confusion, but quickly took it in his mouth and followed the royalty to the door.
Both mares already were outside when he made it to the hallway. It sounded like they were having a conversation, and somehow Silver knew he was supposed to listen in.

“What was this for, sister? I didn’t propose for us to walk together in your beautiful city just to entertain some old cripple and his beggar foal!” The Princess was much more expressive than her sister, allowing Silver to catch every bit of her irritation despite her voice never rising above a whisper.

“It is important to get to know our subjects, sister. There are not supposed to be beggars on the streets of my city. This isn’t right.”

“This old wreck isn’t supposed to even be in your city!”

“Watch your tone when speaking of my servants.”

“Your former servant! He is not useful to you any longer, get rid of him! He’s tainting your city!”

“There are other ways of clearing my city without raising unrest amongst those still useful to me, sister.”

“As you wish,” The Princess angrily snapped. “Do whatever you want with your own subjects.” Quick, sharp hoofsteps informed Silver of the Princess’ departure.

The foal proceeded to quietly push the door outward. The Empress stood a few steps away from the doorway, watching the Princess quickly retreating out of sight.
That probably was something he wasn’t supposed to think about. Silver made a step down from the perch, attracting Her Majesty’s attention.

“It’s yours...” the foal started, but knew he didn't need to continue, the Empress knew. He produced a muffled, half-apologetic, half-confused response, but still made a step to her. The Empress waved him to stop and he instantly obeyed, two of his legs still on the porch.
Satisfied, the monarch said nothing else and simply left, leaving Silver to stand on the pouch alone and try to comprehend this night he knew he would never forget. He couldn't hope to understand her motives, but she had given him a clue.
Silver carefully proceeded to put the bag he was given on the pouch and untie it. The gleam of gold was the only answer he got.

As Snug As Pair Bugs In a Rug

Spike wiped soot and ash from his face.
He swallowed nervously, taking a look over the localized inferno he had created and, eventually, put down. Spike never thought he would regret Twilight not reshuffling her books every day.
One good thing that came from her doing it was that the books didn’t have any time to collect dust, dust was very bad for lungs and made ponies—and dragons—sneeze. And of course, when dragons sneezed, they usually sneezed fire.
Fire and paper don’t mix.

Spike slumped over hopelessly,
“Twilight will kill me,” he complained to Shadow, who was just as filthy from the unexpected firefighting duty as he was.
“Sir Spike, I believe, Princess Twilight will understand enough to refrain from doing that,” the ever imperturbable Shadow readily contradicted. It did little to calm him.
Spike knew Shadow probably just didn’t understand why some books were such a big deal, he still couldn’t help but feel abashed when she didn’t know when or what she was supposed to say. It was as if she’d never talked to anypony in her life.

Well, Twilight said she was a changeling spy for Nightmare Moon, so it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if she hadn’t really. At least, not as herself. Whenever she posed as anypony else, she spoke fluently and neatly.

The very first rule Spike made with his new friend was not to use disguises inside of the Castle. Shadow mostly obeyed, but still insisted on hiding herself from strangers, to which Spike failed to find objections. Shadow was terrible in communicating when she was in her natural form, which, combined with changelings not being the most popular creatures around, could get them both in a lot of trouble with the local police.
This weird etiquette of hers too. Spike tried to make her stop calling him ‘Sir’ and not use Twilight’s title all the time, but the changeling couldn’t do it. It was like she didn’t know how to word a sentence without it.

Spike had already seriously considered teaching her to talk but, ultimately, decided against it. Whether he liked it or not, this was Shadow and it was not for him to decide what’s right or wrong with her.

If he was to stop paying attention to how weird she was, the changeling was kinda nice. She was always ready to help him with whatever he was doing, all he had to do was ask. She never caused him any trouble whatsoever, she always was polite and… surprisingly, had a sense of humor. At least, Pinkie seemed to be certain of it.
Shadow herself never laughed, but, according to Pinkie, she was hysterically good at telling jokes. Evidently, though, Shadow had no idea what Pinkie was on about.
Well, Pinkie’s sense of humor had become quite weird in recent years.

Overall, Shadow didn’t feel…right to Spike. There was something very wrong with her, like she didn’t have something vital everypony else had. She was… alien.
Not necessarily unpleasant, just incomprehensible. Almost all of her habits made no sense, often even were outright ridiculous. It wasn't all harmless either. Spike learned very quickly that with Shadow it's better not to dig, for your own good.
Once, he caught the changeling in Twilight's room going through her things. After much bickering, Spike managed to pry from her that she was taking pony scent upon herself. Yuck... Just like that, nightmares were guaranteed.
He never told Twilight, of course, and Shadow never went there again, but on that night Spike learned that it was better not to ask unnecessary questions.

The only thing Spike could really understand about her was that she enjoyed books. The changeling proved to be a very avid reader, almost rivaling Twilight at that.
Again, asking her about anything wasn’t much use; but judging by her choices, her favourites were history, detective novels—not surprisingly—and memoirs. Huh.

Almost all of her other habits made no sense, often even were outright ridiculous. It wasn't all harmless either. Spike learned very quickly that with Shadow it's better not to dig, for your own good.
Once, he caught the changeling in Twilight's room going through her things. After much bickering, Spike managed to pry from her that she was taking pony scent on herself. Yuck... He never told Twilight and Shadow never went there again, but on that night Spike learned how much better it was not to ask unnecessary questions.

Still, the changeling was weirdly forgetful. Sometimes she forgot something small, like to clean the shelves or get something from the market. "Once she had turned on the gas in the kitchen, but forgot to light it, and didn’t notice until Spike smelled it halfway across the Castle. Talk about what really doesn't mix with fire.

With a sigh, he remembered she was standing right there, by his side, this whole time without saying a word or moving an inch. Another score for the team weird.

“Shadow, you think you can go get us some brooms? We need to start clearing this mess up,” Spike made a wide gesture, then scratched the back of his head sheepishly. Though they did need to clean up, he asked more to get her to move rather than for any other reason.

“Of course, Sir Spike,” Shadow dutifully started her way to the nearest closet. It would be a little while before she came back, allowing Spike a little more time to think.

Thinking about it now, Spike believed he had finally realized something important about her. Shadow was a changeling, meaning she had to constantly lie and pretend to have her food.
Actually, he really needed to get her to tell him where she was getting her love doses. Better if he could just feed her himself, rather than having her result to stealing from others. It couldn't possibly be pleasant, but it wasn’t her fault that she needed it.

Discovering himself drifting away from his original thought, Spike quickly refocused.
So, Shadow must have evolved to quickly grasp the behaviour and speaking patterns of other creatures, but as a result, developing her own personality offered no benefit.
Made sense. Kinda.
Spike really needed to study some other changelings to either prove or discard this rather fascinating hypothesis.

The Changeling came back quicker than Spike expected, carrying the requested brooms and dustpans together with a bucket. Spike mumbled his thanks and trudged over to her to get his tools, but stopped short when he noticed Shadow was breathing heavily. Taking notice of his attention, she tried to ease out her breathing, but even she couldn’t conceal her body’s natural demand for air. She also was surprisingly clean, had she ran to the bathroom?

Spike crossed his arms and stared curiously at Shadow, trying to guess what she was just doing and what was going on in her heard. It seemed the primary way of communicating with her was non-verbal, so he had to learn to understand her without words. Her face was calm, as always, but her eyes… Spike saw… fright? Spike shook his head and grabbed the tools.

“Thank you, Shadow,” he said as casually as he could and started sweeping the ashes of the floor. Spike knew from experience that secrets usually existed for a good reason. Especially when spies are concerned.

Shadow swiftly joined him in the clearing effort. The changeling immediately dove into the work with full focus, looking happy for being spared. Spike noted to himself, with a measure of satisfaction, that he managed to, somewhat, read her emotions.

Maybe she wasn’t so alien after all, just wired differently. Everyone was weird sometimes, especially when doing something completely new. Spike knew full well from experience that every other dragon would see him as weird and even repugnant in some cases, and they at least were the same species.
Just give it some time.

Thorax opened the window to ventilate the room he shared with his half-sister. Thorax didn’t have the time to clean up yet, so he let the window open to the chilly air to keep the smell of ash from rooting in the room. It wasn’t comfortable, but that’s how it needed to be.
Lying to Sir Spike didn’t sit right with him, but this is what Shadow needed him to do; that way Thorax could cover her in front of Sir Spike when she was out on one her sweeps.
The door suddenly screeched open, Thorax turned to find Shadow already inside and closing the the door, he quickened to her.

“I am alright, Thorax,” she answered before Thorax could even ask the question and closed the door behind her.

“And… M-mother?” Thorax’s voice quivered, “You broke away, right?” Shadow’s silence was telling.

“Shadow, Her Majesty ordered us to keep quiet. Why did you have to...” Thorax tried to find a mild word, Shadow would never violate an order from Her Majesty.

Shadow didn’t wait for him to finish and walked around him heading towards the cupboard a the side from her bed. There she opened the upper drawer. Thorax looked over his sister’s shoulder at the few things she took with her from the palace. A long, pointed dagger and a vial with a turbid, brownish liquid, already one-third empty.

Shadow took the weapon out of the scabbard and examined the point, then touched the blade to her hoof; a thick drop trickled down the length of steel.
“You aren’t going to kill her, are you?” Thorax asked, slowly starting to panic. Shadow returned the dagger back to the scabbard and proceeded to routinely strap it to her waist.
“The Empress ordered us to stay quiet, Shadow! If she released Mother from the dungeon, it means she has to have a plan… right?”

“I don’t know anymore, Thorax,” Shadow confessed, continuing to stare at the closed drawer.

“…Just put it back inside. The Que—” Thorax wisely stopped before saying the trigger word “— Mother won’t try to harm us now. Her Majesty will not let her.”
He had tried, and failed, to make a convincing argument…he still knew next to nothing about how the Empress operated.

Shadow sighed deeply and turned around to look her brother in the eye,
“Thorax, this isn’t for Her Majesty. Mother and I have something we need to settle. I'll be back in a few hours. Can you just make sure Sir Spike doesn’t notice anything?”

“You are going to kill her, aren’t you?” Thorax asked hopelessly, knowing the answer.

“Thorax, I failed my Empress,”
Thorax immediately opened his mouth to object, but Shadow was quicker. “I failed Her and she sent me away. This is an exile, Thorax!”

“Shadow, it’s not--”

“I deserved this and I will bear my penance now. But there’s still one thing I can do.” She looked at him with sudden determination, “She is our Mother, Thorax. This is our responsibility. I will not allow her to harm a single other pony!”
Shadow’s tone was enough of an indication: there was no point in arguing. Thorax had nothing more to say, so he simply nodded and lowered his eyes. Shadow gave him a grateful tap on the shoulder and slipped out of the room.
Leaving Thorax alone again.
Did he just fail the Empress too? This was so utterly hopeless! He was supposed to see to it that Shadow won't get in trouble, but what could he do? Stop her? Shadow was a trained assassin!

“Creee!” a sharp sound drew Thorax’s attention to the open window. There sat a bird with vibrant, orange feathers, so bright it looked like they were glowing. The bird looking at him as if it expected something.

“Ehhh… Hello?” Thorax carefully stepped closer. “What are you doing here, friend? I have nothing to give you.”

“Creee!” the bird called again, now sounding indignant.

“Sorry?”
The bird took off from the sill and flew over the bewildered changeling’s head, proceeding to land again at the door.

“Creee!” it chirped again, giving him an impatient look.
“You want me to open it?” the still-confused Thorax asked. The bird creaked again, this time approvingly.

“Okay...” Thorax turned the handle, pushing open the door. The bird immediately slipped out of the room.

“Creee!” it called for him again from the corridor.
Thorax had pinch himself to make sure this wasn’t a dream.

Regicide

Daybreaker took a look around the devastated glade.
Before it was made to bear the full extent of her frustration, it must have been quite a beautiful and peaceful place. But now the ground was scarred and black, the circle of rocks turned to rubble and glowing from the heat it was exposed to. Half a dozen trees were broken in half, or even burned to coals.
But such was her way of “venting,” as they said in this age.

The alabaster mare took a deep breath to calm herself just a tiny bit further, then started to put out the few remaining fires. It may have been tedious, but it was certainly less so than having to explain to her sister how the Everfree Forest caught fire and burned to naught in a single d...night. And burning down a few trees was still better than venting herself on an unsuspecting Guard.

Finally having her own body and still having to pose as Celestia was beyond irritating, but that was hardly the only cause for tonight’s chafe. Life at the palace had quite a list of annoyances to it, ranging from Rainbow Dash with her unending and disrupting “pranking” to Daybreaker’s own inability to gather intelligence.
She had to give Nightmare her due, she certainly knew how to keep sensitive information from falling into the wrong hooves. No one in the palace seemed to know anything aside from the bare minimum of what was needed to complete their assigned tasks.
Twilight Sparkle had to be an exception, but trying to pry her would’ve been extremely risky. If she won’t find her out immediately, Daybreker mere attempt would be soon used against her by her sister, and she was in no position to bash heads with Nightmare right now.

What would the point be anyway? Even if her sister would allow herself to slip up so critically that Daybreaker could make a use of it, it would still only be the start of a long toil. There would still the rest of the Empire to somehow take control of. The Imperial Guard alone was already posing an insurmountable threat.
As powerful as their alicorn forms were, it still took only a single good shot to quell a coup, as Luna’s example clearly demonstrated.
Overthrowing her sister was not plausible now and even if it was, surviving the process would be even harder still.
With the fires out, it was time to head back to the city and play Celestia again. The mere thought drew a deep groan from her.

Oh, how she hated pretending to be this smug, hypocritical, pampered wh...

Obeying a sudden impulse, Daybreaker tore Celestia’s golden peytral from her chest and sent it flying over the treetops and out of view. Celestia’s crown was next on the block, Daybreaker grabbed the golden hoop and was about to make it to follow the peytral, but her rational thinking returned just in time to prevent her temperament from pushing her to another shameful display.
Daybreaker eyed the golden, jewelled headwear with utter contempt but still forced herself to put it back on her head.

Breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out.

Now to get the stupid piece of golden scrap back.

Celestia’s jewellery felt like it was sucking any measure of self-control out of her. Perhaps she could negotiate with her sister a way to have something else for her to wear.
Maybe, if she apologized for lashing at her earlier tonight, her sister would even permit easing the conspiration a bit in favour of her personal comfort. Daybreaker focused on this pleasant idea to avoid the thoughts of smashing the finery.

She proceeded to visualize what her own crown would look like. Celestia’s tasteless, golden contraption would have to go entirely. Instead, something with practical uses would be more appropriate.
Like a crownhelm. It would be enchanted, of course, to ensure proper protection. If a decent craftspony was to be found, it shouldn’t lose much in beauty compared to… the less utilitarian jewelry.

Perhaps she could even convince her sister to get one too. Her wavy silver tiara was majestic, even if it was a little more humble than what one might expect from an empress; but if Luna’s example taught Daybreaker anything it’s that a royal figure can never have enough protection.
Actually, her sister must still have that beautiful armor made of blue steel. It must be a little too uncomfortable for everyda…night use, but she did look wonderful in it! A little modification and that old helmet could still find its way onto her head to protect her own head from any incoming projectiles.
Nightmare was even wise enough to get herself a court designer. Daybreaker had seen a few of Rarity’s designs, she would do.

Well, good sister Daybreaker it is, then. Serving her sister, as she promised, wasn't by far the worst option. Perhaps through winning Nightmare's favour, she could secure for herself at least some form of a dividend.

Having finally pushed through the thicket, Daybreaker shoved aside the branches lashing at her sides and found the plate hanging on a tree right at the Forest edge.
Well, she did mean for it to go as far away as she could throw it…

The mare gave a dreary sigh and fixed the peytral back on her chest.
Next, she proceeded to leave the forest, so she would have the room needed for a running start in order to successfully take off. Daybreaker spread her wings and took a dozen meters to accumulate momentum, then leapt into the air.
The alabaster mare proceeded to leave the forest to have the room for the running start she needed to successfully take off. Spreading her wings and taking a dozen meters to accumulate momentum, Daybreaker leapt into the air.
...And barely avoided slapping back into the dirt facefirst. Quietly cursing, the mare quickly retreated back under the treeline.

She stood perfectly still and did her best to not attract any attention, hoping that the cursed bird didn’t see her. Another one of Celestia’s leftovers that wouldn’t stop clawing at her back, Philomena sat still on one of the upper branches of a lonely tree along the road to Ponyville train station.

Daybreaker felt anger filling her up again. Celestia simply couldn’t get herself a regular bird! She just had to have a phoenix!
If the damn bird hadn’t pieced everything together already, she definitely would if she saw what her supposed owner just did to the Forest.
Luckily, the phoenix didn’t bother to check on her in the palace, for now, so there could be a chance the Bearers didn’t know yet. Actually… maybe she could simply get rid of the bird.

Daybreaker grinned from ear to ear at the thought, taking a step forward. Hitting this quillmaker's dream from such a distance would be quite a feat, but she couldn’t take risks now. The bird wouldn’t suspect anything if the mare casually walked up to her, maybe she would even fly closer herself if she saw her “owner” coming her way…

The grin instantly disappeared as Daybreaker looked under the tree. There was a pony there—she couldn’t make out who exactly, but it wouldn’t be much a stretch to say it was the shy one. The one who talked to animals. No way of killing the bird, for now, her sister would not tolerate Fluttershy harmed. Daybreaker backed off into the forest again. Nothing remained to do now but watch, perhaps there was a reason for those two to be out there.

Daybreaker noticed another pony trotting out of the town and quickly approaching the tree. Both ponies proceeded to have a conversation, and curiously, Philomena herself joined in by swooping down from her high post and landing on the newly arrived pony’s back. Must be one of her friends. With Rarity and Sparkle now residing in the palace and Fluttershy’s famous antisocial tendencies, the list narrowed down by a margin.
Sadly, she couldn’t listen in on what they spoke of. Unless...

Daybreaker bit her tongue, beginning to weave a spell. Another thing she’d inherited from Celestia, and this time, it was quite helpful. This was Celestia’s secret weapon…the ability to enchant an object to act as another one of her ears.
This thing was beyond useful, as Daybreaker had discovered time and time again when the Princess of The Sun made herself aware of even the most private conversations of her enemies. But even more important, her friends.

“Can’t we just talk about it again?” a rather high pitched, but undoubtedly male voice queried in Daybreaker’s head. An unfamiliar one too, mmm...

“Cree!” Philomena approvingly screeched. Daybreaker rolled her eyes and snarled in irritation. She had almost forgotten how much she hated the bird’s voice by this point.

“You know, you don’t have to do this! Mother isn’t stupid, she won’t risk returning to the dungeon,” the male voice continued. “Let’s just go back to the Castle. She must have lashed out before she knew what she was doing. Her Majesty would not allow Mother to hurt us.”

Daybreaker mentally thanked Celestia for inventing such a useful spell. An opportunity to eavesdrop on anything related to her dear sister—let alone one of her secrets—was an unexpected, but exquisite pleasure!
There was something…wrong, though. A constant sound, like a buzz, frequented in the background. It was very subtle…barely noticeable…but still audible. It looked like Philomena had noticed it too, as she was wildly swinging her head around to the source of the sound.
And as the source became closer, the pair noticed it too. Then, the sound abruptly disappeared.

“Cree!” Philomena sounded a warning, taking flight just in time to avoid the approaching missile. Daybreaker heard two separate grunts as both ponies were pinned to the ground.

“Got you, traitorous scum!” Daybreaker's ear met with a rumbling hiss.

“Mother, please--” the stallion was immediately silenced by a loud hiss and a slap on the face, if Daybreaker interpreted the sound correctly.

“Silence, filth! Don’t you dare to speak to me! Do you have a single idea what you two have cost me?!”
Daybreaker, with no small surprise, recognized the voice; the intonation patterns and pitch confirmed it to be no other than Queen Chrysalis. She gave a dreary sigh at this new display of Nightmare’s weakness. The two of them needed to have a talk about this.

“I will enjoy choking the life out of you!” Chrysalis barked. Daybreaker produced a chuckle. Family dramas were always fun to observe.

“Mother, it doesn’t have to be like this!” the male changeling rapidly blurted before Chrysalis could strike him again.

“Oh, wonderful idea, my drone! It doesn’t have to be this quick!”
Now Daybreaker openly laughed. Chrysalis was so adorable when she was angry.
“If you will not serve your Queen as drones, then you will serve as examples!”

“Cree!” The phoenix was done listening, apparently. The bird boldly swooped down toward the Queen, clawing at her eyes. A valiant but, alas, pointless attempt. She couldn’t hurt the Queen, of course.

“Aggrrrr!” Chrysalis roared in anger and used her magic to slam the bird against the tree trunk. Daybreaker found herself liking the Queen more with each second. Though, the bird’s attempt attributed to distracting Chrysalis for the drones,

“Ugh!” the Queen gasped, equally in pain and surprise. The drones had come prepared, judging by the rasp of a blade being drawn. One of the drones must have used Chrysalis’ distraction to their advantage, by diving underneath her and tearing a long slice in the Queen’s abdomen.
“Why you little...” Chrysalis attempted to chase after her drone, but only could make a few steps before her legs failed her. The Queen whimpered pathetically, falling quiet. Changeling poison at work.

Daybreaker sighed, frowning. Changelings were allowed to roam around the country just outside Canterlot. Only natural they returned to their usual way of resolving disputes. Changelings were treacherous and opportunistic creatures, it was only a matter of time before they started sensing the pony weakness.

Changelings were hardly the largest threat to them. Nightmare, admittedly, did a very good job of subduing the ponies; but in doing so she exposed herself—both of them, in fact.
Keeping the Elements close was a wise decision, but allowing them this much freedom was next to insane! This was certain to backfire in both of their faces.

The task of convincing her sister to take out their teeth would be a daunting, but necessary, one. They may not be dangerous at the moment, but they would have more than enough time to find another reason to rebel in the future. Unless they had no way of doing so.
She and her sister absolutely needed to talk. Right now.

Quivering Sun

“Cree!” Philomena called from the open window.
The resting pony didn’t respond.
“Cree!” the bird cried out again, now directly at the sleeping mare’s face. Her eyes proceeded to flicker open, then immediately slam shut again, as the rising sun shone directly at her from the window.
Gritting her teeth and squinting heavily with a single opened eye, the Empress used her magic to drag the drapes over the window, ending the assault of cursed sunlight on her sight.

Nightmare Moon shifted her attention to the other source of light in the room. Luckily, Philomena’s own glow was dim enough for Nightmare Moon to look at the phoenix without discomfort.
“What?” she asked sharply, annoyed at the bird for waking her up.
Notes: I don’t have much to say for this one, just switching things up.

“Cree!” Philomena alarmingly answered and stretched out her leg with a tiny piece of paper tied to it.
The royal pony deeply sighed and sat upright, proceeding to untie the letter and use Philomena’s light to discern the tiny writing. With few the letters blurring before her, the Empress had to take the moment to rub her eyes clean.

'The Queen left us no choice,' the letter read.
It wasn’t signed, but there was no need.

“Cree!” Philomena answered alarmingly and stretched out her leg, which had a tiny piece of paper tied to it.
The royal pony sighed deeply and sat upright, proceeding to untie the letter and use Philomena’s light to discern the tiny writing. The letters blurred before her and the Empress had to take a moment to rub her eyes.
'The Queen left us no choice,' the letter read.
It wasn’t signed, but there was no need for a signature.

The mare looked down at the bird, who was still standing on her bed. Philomena looked quietly up at her, her stance made apparent without any word. Nightmare Moon gave a sad chuckle—she just killed another creature.
The Empress never had a single doubt that Chrysalis would end up like this when she was released from her cell; the entire world, it seemed, wanted her dead. But was there any another way?

Perhaps she could’ve had Chrysalis stay at the palace, where she couldn’t have done harm to anypony and as an added plus, be harmed herself. Maybe one night the Queen would’ve even realized the full extent of her wrongdoings. And then her Shadow wouldn’t have been forced to end her own mother’s life.
The mare felt her eyes watering again and proceeded to wipe them off. If her sister was right about anything, it was that she had grown impermissibly soft.

“Cree,” Philomena called softly to her, drawing her attention again. The bird wasn’t showing her sympathy, only asking her leave.
Nightmare Moon stood up from the bed and walked over to the draped window, Philomena following her and landing on the sill. Squinting her eyes in advance, Nightmare Moon prepared to let the bird out; but a sudden idea carried her away instead.

Leaving the bird on the sill, the Empress approached her bookshelf and ran through the titles with her eyes. Finding what she searched for, the Empress took out a thin, barely a few dozen pages large, booklet in a soft cover. She curled it up into a roll and presented it to the bird, who gave her a questioning look.

“Give this to my Shadow,” the Empress explained. The bird didn’t move an inch, her stare changing to the one of indignation. Nightmare Moon sighed.
“Please,” she added. The bird continued staring at her for a one long moment more, before finally grasping the booklet and turning away to the window. Nightmare Moon pulled the drapes away, allowing the bird access to the window.

The mare intended to pull the drapes back on as soon as the phoenix left, but Philomena would need a way to get inside, so this window would have to remain open for her. Squinting her eyes, the mare went back to bed, hoping to still get some of her day’s sleep. It was not to be.

“Your Highness, Her Majesty has not called for you,” said the Guard stationed outside.
Nightmare Moon produced a suffered moan and tucked her head under the pillow, quietly praying to the stars and sincerely hoping that her Guard would deal with this himself. The sound of the door bashed open made her twitch, proving the futility of her hopes.

“Sister,” a painfully familiar voice called to her.
“We need to have words,” Daybreaker announced, accentuating her voice with the sound of the door being pushed shut.
Nightmare gave a tired sigh and pushed the pillow off her head, glancing at her sister. Daybreaker was glaring at her, no trace of her usual smile.

“Sister, what happened to you?” Daybreaker asked straight away, but not before leaving a dramatic pause after her previous words.
“What could be your reasoning for releasing Chrysalis after you spent so many resources on containing her? Why didn’t you simply execute her where you found her?
Sister, did you intend to just let this viper roam around your realm? Just imagine what she could do if given a little time! What were you thinking?!”

“The Queen was no danger for us, sister,” Nightmare Moon explained. A weak attempt, admittedly.

“The Queen was no danger to us, sister,” Nightmare Moon explained. It was a weak attempt at explanation, admittedly.
“Who cares if she was a danger or not?!” Daybreaker immediately shot back. “She was our mortal enemy! Sister, leaving enemies to their own devices is leaving your back exposed! If it wasn’t for her own drones, she could have had free reign over your own land!” Nightmare Moon frowned deeply. So Daybreaker already knew about her Shadow as well,
“This is unacceptable, sister! Changelings are predators! They feed upon YOUR subjects! Do something!”
Well…perhaps not that it was her Shadow.

“And what is it you suggest I do, sister?” Nightmare Moon asked, accompanying her response with a long sigh. The question seemed to excite Daybreaker even more.

“I… You...” the alabaster mare gestured rapidly, finding herself too agitated to speak. She paused to take a deep breath.
“Sister, you are the Empress,” Daybreaker answered, sounding a bit calmer. “You are the one who’s supposed to tell others what to do.”

“In that case, I order you to cease,” Nightmare conjured the remnants of her authority. “Everything is precisely how I will it. I let Chrysalis out on my own consent and I did so for her service. You need not worry, she never was a threat to us,” the onyx mare made sure to deliberately accentuate each word.

“And what service could the debased Queen possibly offer to you?” Daybreaker mirrored her sister’s manners.

“Chrysalis was long rumored to hoard knowledge, sister. I have need of it.”

“Knowledge, sister?” Daybreaker’s eyes widened. “What can this leech possibly...” her eyes flashed for a split second, then settled into a long, quiet stare.
“The tomes... you made her give up her kind’s magical secrets,” the mare finally said. Nightmare Moon gave a quiet nod.
“Hmm… Changeling magic would have its uses...
But I still don’t understand why would you simply let her go if she no longer was of any use to you. You know she would’ve used any opportunity for revenge, right?”

“I am aware. It was completely irrelevant, she had no more ways of harming us.”

“But why leave a possibility?” Daybreaker pushed. “Did you have plans for her?”

“She could’ve been useful for quelling changelings if a need arose—” Daybreaker rolled her eyes, “—if she could be swayed to our cause,” Nightmare Moon concluded.

“Sister, would you please kindly refrain from trying to make a fool of me. You made extremely sure changelings will never again have a chance to rise against you. Tell me your real reasons.”

“Chrysalis is more useful alive th-”

“Sister, please!” Daybreaker waved her hooves in protest.

“Sister mine, I think you are forge-”

“Sister, I am trying to help you!” Daybreaker blasted out, leaving Nightmare startled. “I can tell something is amiss. You don’t have to lie to me…we are in this together, remember?” She conjured what she could of a disarming smile.
Nightmare Moon frowned sharply and dropped her head back onto the mattress. Doubts could be voiced about this statement.
But to Tartarus with it.

“Sister,” Nightmare Moon forcefully began, preparing to give her sister a taste of her own usual attitude. “I let her go because I gave her my word!” she angrily slashed away. She intended to stop there, she intended,
“I hated having to put her there, sister! It was repugnant! It was what she would have done to us! She would’ve put us into the furthest cell under her hive to rot for all eternity!
“I despise her! I hate everything she was! I hate having to result to exactly the same measures as she would! I hate all of this, sister!
I want to be nothing like her! I want all of the Empire to say that I have nothing in common with her! I want… I-I want...” Nightmare Moon had to stop herself before she said something damning.

Instead of responding, Daybreaker stared at her in bewilderment.

“What happened to you?” she asked, her voice completely losing its explosive quality.
The Empress dropped her eyes, the magnitude of what she had just revealed starting to weigh down on her.
“Sister, what did this filth do to you!? Did Sparkle cast something on you? Did they pour something in your wine? Tell me!” Daybreaker all but leapt toward her sister’s bed and crouched to look closer at Nightmare’s face again. Nightmare Moon silently stared back and Daybreaker’s face slowly began turning to anger again,
“Oh, this little… I promise you, Sparkle and her yes-mares will pay for this!” Daybreaker turned around, starting for the door,
“They will regret hurting my sister! Every single one of them will pay!”

“Wait!” Nightmare Moon jumped up from her bed and chased Daybreaker down with a single leap. “Sister, I swear, they did nothing to me! The only thing they do is obey orders, my orders! Would you really chastise them for being good subjects?”

“That… Lieutenant of yours would beg to disagree on being your subject,” Darkbreaker commented dryly. Nightmare Moon bowed her head sadly.

“Please,” she said as a final resort.

“S-sister... what is this?” Daybreaker stammered, a tense smile appearing on her lips instead of an angry grimace. “I am not like those bleeding-hearts, good for nothing fillies Celestia filled her palace with! You don’t have to do this for me. There is no need to grovel before your own sister!”

“Just… just leave them alone. I promise they are not a threat to any of us.”

“But…sister, how could you be this reckless?” Daybreaker asked, still showing no trace of anger, only pure confusion and…now something else too.
“Your own home is filled with vipers ready to bite you! Sparkle and her flunkies are walking by your vault every single night! What if they rebel again? They will be armed at a moment’s notice! They can send you to the moon, or who knows where, in a matter of minutes! You won’t even have time to react!”
Oh...yes...all of this made more sense now. Thank the stars, Daybreaker simply was afraid.

“Sister, they will do no such thing,” Nightmare Moon assured her, as confidently as she could with her still-quivering voice. The last thing she needed now was for her sister to do something stupid out of fear.
“But they may simply-”

“They won’t,” Nightmare forcefully shut down the argument before her sister could even start it. The Empress lifted her hoof and for the first time ever, touched Daybreaker’s shoulder in a comforting gesture,
“Sister, this not how a noble mare should behave herself. Get hold of your own fears,” she softly urged.
“We are in total control here. Our ponies are dependent on us to raise the sun and moon. If they were to banish us, this world would die.” That was not entirely true, but the monarch had nothing to lose in this gamble.

It took a moment for Daybreaker to process the message.

“Oh...” she breathed with sizable relief. “You are correct. But of course you are! I am sorry, sister. I should have more self-control.” Nightmare Moon slowly nodded and stepped back, giving her sister some room,
“But still, why wouldn’t you simply remove their teeth?” Daybreaker asked. “Taking unnecessary risks was never a habit of yours.
Is this because of Luna, sister? Did she do this to you? I have to admit, I don’t understand this change in the slightest. Last me and Celestia heard of you, the two of you couldn't bear each other! I can definitely remember us hearing you grumbling about, I quote: 'The 1000 years worth of headache,' she gave you! Exactly what did happen between you two in the few years while we were away on the moon?”

Nightmare Moon needed a minute.
Was this a moment of truth for the two of them?
For once, Daybreaker had come openly, simply looking for answers. She didn’t eavesdrop, didn’t try to sneak into her study, didn't even try to hide her intentions in any way. Daybreaker came to ask her, honestly.
For the pitiful creatures they were, this was what passed as trust. The Empress had no illusions, Daybreaker was cruel, selfish, and even bloodthirsty at times--but she was her sister, her own kind, her only real family. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t all lost yet?

Nightmare Moon felt an urge to embrace her sister there and now, and tell her everything.
She wanted to tell her sister of the wonders the Princess of the Night had shown to her, for this might be her only chance to do it. Daybreaker wasn’t Celestia, but maybe she spent enough time with the Princess of the Sun to understand how to reach out? The picture instantly brought tears to her eyes.

Upon noticing the water, Daybreaker sprung:
“Sister, I promise, you’ll have Luna back! Sparkle is almost finished with her potion, it should be only a few days now.”

“Daybreaker, I-”

“No! Don’t say anything!” Daybreaker bowed hastily and quickened to the door, “You will have your Princess back, my Empress!”

“Sister, wait! I-” But Daybreaker had already swung the door shut behind her. The onyx mare went to pursue, but after opening the door she found her sister already cutting the corner to the stairway. Daybreaker was practically running away from her.

Corporal Firestep, stationed outside, looked away. It was best to not attract any attention now. But he still maintained his periphery vision on the Empress, just in case.
He saw the Empress turn her head towards him, though he couldn’t make out what her look was suggesting. She continued staring at him for a few more seconds, then moved back inside her bedroom and slammed the door behind her. He could feel the floor vibrating from the impact.
The reaction was telling—he’d just done something wrong

Mail Duty

“Give this to Captain Rolling Thunder,” Cloudy Dawn said, taking a package from a drawer under her desk.

“Yes, ma’am,” the courier automatically replied, but Cloudy wasn’t listening, consumed with instructing him and searching through the drawers for more mail.

“Drop these in a mailbox,” she continued, unfazed, passing over a stack of letters.

“Certainly, Ma’am.”

“And this you give to Lieutenant Rainbow Dash of the Experimental Aerial Warfare unit,” she handed over a large, sealed package. “She should be in the palace, if she hasn’t departed yet. If she has, leave it in the Imperial Mail Office anyway.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“After you finish that, find Rarity and give her this,” Cloudy closed her drawers after taking out the final letter.
“You know who Rarity is, right?” Cloudy Dawn finally emerged from her desk’s depths to give the colt in purple uniform a questioning look.

“Of course, ma’am!” he stood at attention again before she could catch him slacking.

“Tell me.” The colt gave her a confused look,

“Ma’am?” he asked. Cloudy rolled her eyes and clucked her tongue.

“Who is Rarity Belle?” the Minister repeated the question.

“Her Majesty’s Royal Advisor, ma’am!” he gabbled without delay.

“And how do you find her?”

“I ask in the office, ma’am. If they can’t help me, I ask one of the Guards.”

“And if they can’t help you either?”

“I wait until they can.”

“What you are not supposed to do?”

“Wander around the palace.”

“And?”

“And bother anyone else with my questions.”

“Good,” Cloudy nodded approvingly. “Dismissed.”

“Yes, ma’am!” the colt darted out of the room. Cloudy sighed at the closed door.

As soon as Silver Shine left the office and closed the door, a wide smile stretched across his face. He had done a great deal of smiling in recent nights.
Everything started when another Imperial courier had appeared on their doorstep with a letter straight from the Imperial Personnel Department…and it had Silver’s name on it!
The letter contained the date and time of when he was to report for his new duty as a full-fledged Imperial courier. Well, almost full-fledged, tonight was his first time on the job. But he already had his set of IDs—a pair, just like the protocol required—one stored in his locker within the Imperial Communications Ministry and the other proudly clipped on this chest at all times. When he was on duty, that is, wearing it off duty would be a breach of protocol.
He was also issued the insignia that was now buttoned to the collar of his shirt—a sealed letter wrapped in thestral wings, a full moon as the background.

Being called to the Imperial service was good enough by itself just from honor and prestige alone—not to mention the pay—but it kept getting better and better! His first-ever run was going to be to the palace! Normally, only diplomats, high-ranking officials, and otherwise important ponies were allowed inside—Imperial Couriers were a lucky exception, even if they only got to walk through the courtyard to the administrative wing. That is, unless they were the select few listed as the palace staff.

As amazing as it all was, it still wasn’t everything! He also got to meet the most important and illustrious ponies in the land! Starting with Cloudy Dawn, a mare who sat at the same table with Her Majesty, now he was set to meet Rarity Belle, the Imperial Advisor! Only the Princesses and the Empress herself were outranking her, and he had already met Her Majesty!

The very idea of how lucky he was made his head spin and his hooves fly over the ground. The night was as beautiful as ever, but he had no time to admire it, he had a job to do!
After briefly stopping at the mailbox and dropping the letter stack in there (just as he was ordered!), he continued on his way, the Imperial palace in his sights.

“Courier Silver Shine!” he stretched out his hoof with his ID card to the Guard stationed at the gate. The Guard looked curiously down at him,
“I have messages for Captain Rolling Thunder and Lieutenant Rainbow Dash!” he attempted to sound confident. Not that he wasn’t, of course.

“Huh,” the Guard scratched his chin with his free forehoof, the other one gripped a rifle. “That’s new.” He proceeded to peer at the presented ID, then looked back at Silver. “Who do you say you are again?”

“Silver Shine, sir, an Imp-”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.” The Guard violently shook his free hoof, “Easy there, I only wanted your name. Shine, you say?”
Silver restricted himself to just nodding this time,
“Morning’s your dad?” Silver nodded again. The Guard smiled, “Huh, I get it now. Your old man some had strings left? Hard to write that one off, I tell you. Well, congrats, I suppose.”

“Thank you, sir!” Silver bowed slightly.

“Careful with that, you might not be as thankful in a bit,” the Guard warned, then leaned forward and continued in a hushed voice, “Look, Shine, not going to lie to you, this job isn’t a picnic. If your dad hasn’t told you, there are some rules of survival that you need to engrave on the inside of your skull.”

“Y-yes, sir!”

“First, don’t ever go, say, or do where and what you weren’t ordered to, got it?”

“Got it.” So far, it was just standard things.

“Next, always be on a lookout. Doesn’t matter what you do, keep your eyes open and your head on the swivel. You always gotta know if you are supposed to be somewhere or not, and important ponies sometimes don’t bother telling you.”

Silver quickly nodded.

“Okay, this one is very important, you never-ever cross royalty! Whether it is Her Majesty, Princess Celestia, or Princess Twilight, you stay the hay away from them unless told otherwise. They don’t usually pay attention to Couriers, unless you have a letter for them, but don’t think you can get away with eavesdropping or any other crap like that. Princess Twilight might not eviscerate you herself, but if Her Majesty or any other important mare hears about you being a nuisance, and they will hear, don’t you doubt that for one sec; you are going to wish you’ve never set hoof here. You get my meaning?”

“Y-yes, sir!”

“Okay, then the last one. This is the most important one! Keep your mouth shut. The easiest way to lose your head in this Empire is to wag your tongue on things you are not supposed to.
“In the palace you are going to see and hear a lot of things. Whatever it is you hear or see, be it a pep talk between two maids or the Captain laying out a new defensive strategy, you don’t talk about it. If you can help it, try your best to keep yourself from learning about anything at all. Curiosity will get you in trouble—in this place information is both life and deadly poison. You don’t want to know things that you aren’t supposed to know. You clear?”

“Crystal clear, sir!”

“Good, now run along. And try not to piss off anyone at the Office, you are going to be dealing a lot with them. And say hi to your dad for me. I think I still owe him a hundred bits.”

“I will, thank you, sir.” The Guard hit the intercom on the wall, mumbled a code, and the gate slowly slid open. Silver quickly slipped inside.

“Oh, wait. One more thing.” The colt halted, briefly turning back to the Guard, “You ever need anything, you run straight to Rarity. Just put her a note through the Office. Rarity will help you, just don’t forget that you owe her a favor. Okay, go now.”

Silver couldn’t lie, his resolve was shaken. With all the excitement, he’d forgotten where he was going. This was the Imperial palace, not a museum or a vacation spot! Even just thinking otherwise was a display of irresponsibility!
Luckily, his Father would never find out about how much dishonor Silver almost brought to their name. ...Hopefully he wouldn’t.

Silver hastily checked to make sure his uniform had no creases, then ventured straight to the left side of the courtyard, to the administrative wing entrance.
As expected, there was a guard post there too. The Guard cocked his brow, but didn’t question him.

Coming through the door the soldier opened for him, Silver immediately discovered a stark contrast with the still image the palace provoked when viewed from outside. Ponies coming and going to and fro in all directions, carrying stacks of papers, briefcases, tablets, and bags of every imaginable size. The air was filled with a constant rattling of multiple voices and dialects, most of which the colt had never imagined existing! This place reminded him of the Canterlot market in the harvest season, the only difference was that the trades made here mattered more than how many pumpkins a buyer got for their bits.

The hall harbored, it seemed, every kind of pony the land had to offer. There was a group of clerks quietly chittering among each other outside of their booths. A few bored-looking Guards stationed all around the hall tried not to fall asleep from the lulling hubbub. Various civilians such as earth ponies, pegasi, unicorns and even a few thestrals huddled together in numerous queues, or peered at each other from waiting benches.
Other creatures were present too. A tired-looking griffon in a classy, black suit was sorting through his papers, briefcase lying open next to him on a bench. A group of changelings in military uniforms—the very same creatures Silver’s dad had lost his leg to—waited quietly for their appointment in a corner, scanning the hall with wary caution.

The most curious creature was one that Silver had never seen or even heard of before. It had a beak and claws like the ones of a griffon, but the body of a pony...except with a vastly larger stature than was normal, towering over the other ponies around. Sadly, Silver wasn’t supposed to bother anyone with his questions.

Dodging and ducking passing bureaucrats, Silver made his way to the far side of the hall where the “Mail Reception” sign was visible. There was only a small queue of only two ponies there, so it shouldn’t take long.
First in line was a gray-coated pegasus mare who’s colored uniform cap covered her sandy mane. As Silver looked closer, he could see that the cap was the same shade as her coat.

“Miss, you are still missing the G5 form. I can’t help you until you bring me a signed form with the ‘security Approved’ stamp,” the receptionist said tiredly. Silver guessed she must have repeated this same thing more than once already.

“But this is just a regular letter! See?” the mare stretched the envelope to demonstrate it had nothing more inside. “There’s no bomb in here or anything, you don’t have to check every single letter this carefully. They are confidential, you know!”

“Miss, this is exactly why they have to be checked! To make sure they ARE confidential! I am sorry, I can’t help you until you have the G5 form. Please, don’t hold up the queue.”
The mare looked behind herself. Silver noted that her eyes were gazing, weirdly enough, in different directions.

“Oh, I'm sorry, everypony!”

“Please don’t hold up the queue!” the receptionist insistently repeated. The mare quickly stepped away, murmuring another apology.

“Next, please,” the receptionist announced, sounding relieved.

“I need this sent to Second Lieutenant Stormbreaker of the 101st Paratroopers Division.” The next in line, a sky blue pegasus mare in Khaki-colored Army uniform, dropped a large envelope on the desk.

“Do you have the G4 security form, ma’am?”

“Yeah, here is. You’ve got no idea what I had to go through to get this!” She took out a folded paper from her pocket. Silver mentally thanked the stars that couriers didn’t need to bother with that.
“Don’t you dare tell me how you 'don’t accept creased documents,’ I had nowhere else to put it!”

“Miss, more restraint, please. Your attitude helps no one here.”

“Duh! All the better reason for you to not bother me with your ridiculous bureaucratic junk!”

The receptionist only sighed,
“No miss, if you have the G4 form, you have all that is required. We will have your request processed in a few days. Can I have your name, please?”

“Rainbow Dash, Second Lieutenant, the EAW unit.” Oh…how fortunate.

“Thank you, miss Dash. Next please.”

“Ma’am, I have a delivery for you,” Silver called out to the Lieutenant.

“Huh? Where did you come from?” Her question was paired with a surprised glance. Silver didn’t know how to respond.
“Okay, don’t bother. So, someone’s wrote me a letter?”

“N-no, ma’am.” Silver dropped his bags on the floor and dove into the right one, “It’s a package.”

“Huh, no kiddin’. Let’s see it then.” After much struggle, Silver managed to drag the package out of his bag,
“Oh no, you can’t be serious!” the Lieutenant groaned, slamming her hoof into her face.

“Ma’am?” Silver asked cautiously.

“Oh, this has nothing to do with you. I just know exactly what is it you brought me.” The mare dragged her hoof down off her face.

“You do?” Silver said politely.

“Yes, you brought me my dooooom!” she drearily stretched the word out. “You have noooooo idea how much stupid paperwork it takes to establish a new unit! They send me whole stacks of papers to go through and sign, it’s so boooooooooriiiing I wanna cry! Look, can’t you just go away and be late for a week or two? ...Well, thanks for the delivery anyway.”

“Hey!” the receptionist wedged in. “You can’t just take it and go!”

“Why not?”

“There’s a procedure! What if it has contraband in it? Give it to me, we’ll forward it to you as soon as it is inspected.”

“Ugh, give me a break! Look, let me make this easier for you. Pretend you didn’t see this and I won’t tell anypony.”

“What do you mean ‘pretend’?! This is an open violation!”

“Yeah, if you’ve got a problem with that, file a complaint. Come on, let’s get clear before she detonates.” Rainbow patted Silver on the back and started away from the desk. The receptionist gave Silver a deathly glare.

“Silver Shine, Imperial Courier Service. Here’s my documents. I’ve got a delivery for Captain Thunder.” Silver hastily dropped the mail and his ID on the desk.

“Oh, don’t I enjoy filing all of your papers for you, Couriers!” the receptionist cried out in frustration. “You know, the fact that you don’t do it, doesn’t mean the files aren’t required!”

“Uh… Ma’am, I really don’t have the time, I have one more delivery tonight. Bye.” Silver retreated before the receptionist could explode again.

The Courier quickly followed Rainbow Dash on her way out of the reception hall.
“Oh, there you are. Let’s get out of here. My head already hurts from the bullcrap concentration in the air.”

The Lieutenant lead him out of the hall and further down one of the hallways to the quiet office space. Silver had to admit, the Lieutenant had a point. With all the chatter in air, it was hard to hear his own thoughts back there.

“So, do they employ foals in the Service now?” Rainbow asked him without stopping.

“I… suppose they do. I was surprised too.”

“What did you do exactly? I mean, you gotta be somehow special to be the youngest courier to ever work for the Hag.“

“Well… It was just that… Wait, work for who?!” Silver stopped in his tracks, looking at Rainbow in disbelief on what he just heard.

“Huh? What’s wrong?” Rainbow gave him a curious look.

“You just insulted your Empress in her own home!” Rainbow Dash drove her hoof into her face with a loud smack.

“Ugh...” she painfully groaned. “Don’t tell me you are in the camp ‘zealot’ too! And I was starting to like you!
Look, what’s the problem with you? Aren’t we entitled to our own opinions anymore? The Hag herself doesn’t get as much offended as you, people, do!”

“What do you m-mean she doesn’t get as offended?! She would-”

“I swear to you on my damn shoulder boards that she wouldn’t! Oh, I’ll prove it! Let’s go find her.” Rainbow Dash continued down the hallway.

“Find Her Majesty?! She didn’t call for either of us! You can’t just walk up to her like this!”

“Oh, you just watch me! I’ll find her and ask exactly how much she is bothered with me not fawning all over her!” Silver knew he had to stop her. This was going to end very poorly for both of them.

“But… why?! Are you trying to get yourself in trouble? Why would you risk over something so silly?”

“Because you are being ridiculous! Being loyal is one thing, but worshipping her? Where did you lot get the idea?
She is a pony! A pony! Not a goddess and not an idol! A lightning isn’t going to strike you if you let the “blasphemous” thoughts to be in your heads!”

“What? I don’t think she is a goddess! That’s what thestrals believe! I only think you should respect her! She is your Empress too after all!”

“Oh yeah? And who asked me if I wanted her as my Empress? In case you didn’t know, kiddo, she didn’t exactly win an election!
She just waltzed in with her army of zealots, like you, and installed her plump plot on the throne! A bit less grand than how she tries to make it out to be, ain’t it?
She never asked anyone about anything! All of us were just made to face the fact! I never wanted her around! I never wanted to even see her again!”

“That’s a lie! The throne is rightfully hers! It always was! Even Princess Celestia admits as much!”

“I don’t give a crap who admits what! She is NOT, MY, EMPRESS! She is a usurper! A criminal! A tyrant! And as long as I live will NOT call her anything el- AHHH!” Lieutenant's ear suddenly became engulfed in the light blue aura and got pulled roughly to the side.
Looking around the disgraced Lieutenant, Silver discovered an elegant unicorn mare in an airy dress quickly coming their way.

“Rainbow!” a unicorn mare chided through gritted teeth, stopping at her side. “Can’t you behave yourself for a moment?”

“But it’s tru- AHHH!” The mare pulled Rainbow’s ear again, silencing her.

“Quiet, you bile-filled, disgrace of a friend! You already said enough for the clerks to come running for me to the other side of the palace! Do you have a single idea how disruptive your behaviour is?”

“Rarity, since when I don’t get a right to have a disagreement? I was just explaining to my new pal why I don’t like the Hag. AHHH!”

“Stop calling her that!”

“Stop pulling my ear!” Rainbow tried to wrestle away, but Rarity firmly held on.

“No! You are not getting away this time!”

“And what are you going to do exactly? Confine me in my room like a filly?”

“Excellent idea, Rainbow!” Rarity started on her way back, dragging Rainbow with her.

“Nooo! Rarity, that was a—AHHH!”

“Oh, I assure you, I am completely serious, Rainbow!”

As much as Silver enjoyed the show, getting the Lieutenant punished the moment he met her probably wasn’t the best way to start in the palace.

“Miss Rarity!” Silver quickly trotted to the Unicorn, “I have a letter for you!”

“Oh, dear!” Rarity put a hoof to her mouth. “I am terribly sorry, darling! I completely forgot about you!
I am sorry that you had to sit through Rainbow’s twaddle. I am positively shocked by her foul manners in recent time.”

“I didn’t say--AHHH!”

“Quiet, you cad!” Rarity turned her attention back to Silver, offering him a smile. “Now, what was that message you had, darling?”

“Here, Miss.” Silver reached into his bags and took out the correspondence. Rarity rotated the envelope around, her expression becoming more and more intrigued.

“Who gave you this, darling?” she asked, without looking away from the sealed letter.

“Minister Cloudy Dawn, Ma’am,” Silver answered without a second thought.

“Huh, curious. Did…Miss Dawn happen to tell you where she got this from?”
Silver felt the fur on the back of his neck start to rise. Something wasn’t right.

“No, Ma’am. I am simply a courier. I only do...” Silver fell quiet, for he noticed that Rarity wasn’t listening any longer.
The illustrious mare carefully unsealed the envelope without tearing it, then lifted the inner paper out only as much as was needed to read. Silver waited patiently for the high mare to dismiss him, but she didn't.
He wasn’t sure if she even remembered that he was there, or the Lieutenant for that matter, who started to slowly creep around her to have a look on what could bemuse Rarity for this long.

“Rainbow...” she finally said. “I have an urgent matter to attend to. Would you be so kind as to show dear Silver to his tips? I am afraid I do not have any on me.”

“Sure, Mom.” The Lieutenant mockingly saluted her.

Rarity simply turned on her heels, quickening away, down the hallways from which she came, letter held closely to her chest.

They both watched her go, till she rounded the corner and disappeared.
“Come on,” Rainbow said, starting off to follow Rarity. Silver didn’t move an inch, however, and she quickly stopped, “You coming?”

“Lieutenant, the exit is the opposite way!” Silver reminded her, desperately trying to pretend he didn’t understand exactly what the mare was about to do.

“Good thing we aren’t going there. Now come on, we’re gonna lose her!”

“We can’t! You are breaking the law!” In response, Rainbow rolled her eyes.

“Look, kid. Rules are good and all, and I am sure Dawn made sure you know every single rule by heart before she let you go, but the most important part is not to just know the rules. It’s to know when to break them!”

An Advice Not Given

Rarity swiftly trotted toward the archives, having just enough dignity to not break into an outright gallop. She prayed to the stars that Twilight would be somewhere else, just this once.
Rarity would have no ways of explaining herself to her friend, for she didn’t have all the evidence yet and Twilight wouldn’t take words, even if they were very qualified words. From this point on, Twilight would just be getting in her way. Not to mention this could prove to be very dangerous… interfering with Her Majesty’s affairs always was always dangerous—very dangerous.

‘Librum De Mistica, page 105,’ the final words of the letter rang in her head. Rarity’s connections might avert the catastrophe yet, at least, if Miss Do was correct in her conclusion. Oh, how glad she was that she had sent this recipe to the explorer for Miss Do to ask around her friends!

Rarity ran up to the archives’ doors, pressing her ear to the wood. The Imperial Guard stationed outside rolled his eyes, but said nothing, long since used to the intrinsics of Rarity’s job.
After standing there for an entire minute, Rarity didn’t hear Twilight’s frustrated groans, which meant that she at least wasn’t at her desk… probably.

The unicorn took a deep breath and slipped inside, closing the door behind her.

She exhaled in relief. Twilight wasn’t there. Oh, by the stars, Moon bless her!

Rarity quickly trotted over to her dear friend’s workspace, taking a quick look. Being no alchemist, she could only discern that Twilight wasn’t quite done with her task, at least not yet. There was still a little time.

She proceeded to search for the archives section she needed. Luckily, Twilight took her time to re-arrange the archives in recent months—much to the dismay of the staff, but to her own (and this time Rarity’s) convenience. From helping Twilight arrange her library back in Ponyville, the white unicorn knew her system.

“Librum... Librum...” Rarity mumbled, running her eyes across the rows of tomes before her.

“What are you searching for, exactly?” Rarity jumped up with a scared whimper. Rainbow giggled,
“Sorry,” she apologized, despite her mirth. Rarity looked to where Rainbow’s voice was coming from, which was directly above her. She found the Pegasus stretched comfortably on the shelf’s top.

“Rainbow!” Rarity exhaled sharply. “I told you to take care of—”

“Silver? Oh, I am taking care of him! He’s right here, see?” Rainbow pushed the foal next to her on the edge. Silver refused to meet Rarity’s eyes, “Safe and sound!”

“You brought him with you?” Rarity cried out in outrage. “Do you have a single idea of how dangerous this is?” Rainbow gave her a surprised look, propping her chin on a hoof.

“Well… I suppose it can be dangerous if you don’t put Twilight’s books back where you got them.” Rainbow produced another giggle, “Damn, she even chased all the archivists out of their own archive! Looks like she’s picking after our precious Empress! The Empress of Libraries she is alright!” the pegasus proceeded to brazenly laugh.

“How were you even allowed in here? I thought you didn’t have the clearance,” Rarity asked, mostly to stop the laughing.

“Duh!” Rainbow pointed at a large window on the ceiling. “Okay, mind answering my questions now?” Rarity covered her eyes and sighed theatrically.

“Rainbow, please, this is important!”

“Hey,” Rainbow hung her head over the edge, looking at Rarity upside down. “Never said it wasn’t! Come on, Rarity, watcha doin’?”

“No, Rainbow! Don’t you want to show Silver the new prototypes you are supposed to be testing?”

“Nah, those are just schematics for now, that’s boring.”
The sound of the doors being bashed in came flying across the hall, causing all three ponies to tilt their heads,
“Oh, Twilight’s back,” the pegasus said.

“Hide!” Rarity’s panicked plea came.

“Wha--why?”

“Hide! She can’t see us!” Rarity rushed for cover, forcing Rainbow to drop the question.

Pressing against the wooden side of the shelf, Rarity pricked her ears for any incoming hoofsteps.
None followed. In fact, she heard nothing at all. No steps, no muttered curses, Rarity didn’t even hear the melodic shuffling of the pages and chiming of beakers. Something wasn’t right.
Rarity knew that peeking wasn’t wise, it might jeopardize her entire mission after all, but by the stars, the pressure was unbearable!
Slowly looking around the shelf, Rarity froze where she stood. Twilight wasn’t alone.

“Would you let me get back to work now?” Twilight asked, with a rare bitterness she only reserved for the worst enemies. Princess Celestia returned Twilight with a deathly glare.

Rarity felt her heartbeat increasing, hoof reflexively reaching for her mouth.

“How long do you need still?” the alabaster mare responded, ignoring Twilight’s attitude.

“It’s done,” she said sharply. “I only need to add the last ingredient.”
Twilight levitated the recipe book to the Princess' snout, swiftly flipping through the pages and presenting her findings to the mare. She furrowed her brows, giving Twilight a look Rarity could only interpret as a mixture between indignation and surprise. Rarity could relate.

“I swear,” the Princess spoke slowly and menacingly, making her own standing clear, "if this is some sort of a joke...”

“Like I would waste my breath joking with a thing like you,” Twilight snapped inimically.

Rarity felt a familiar, sticky, cold enveloping her spine. More acutely than ever, she felt the true horror, the fear of being kept in the dark. What is this sudden change? Twilight would never talk to her teacher like this. Unless… unless something was terribly, terribly wrong.

“Oh!” Celestia’s eyes widened, then narrowed into slits. The Princess tilted her head down to Twilight’s level, her huge stature emphasized. Twilight stared right back, with equal poison,
“The student bites back, how quaint!”

“Don’t tell me you thought you could play everypony for idiots much longer.”
For a long moment, both mares shared a glare of utter contempt.

“...Clever little insect,” the taller mare finally hissed. Twilight only smirked in response, “Celestia should’ve taught you how to pick enemies, amongst other things, Twilight.”

“She did,” Twilight gnashed deliberately in the Princess’ face.
Suddenly, the larger mare let out a whimper of pain as a tiny needle was embedded in her flank. Almost as soon as it was in, it was removed again, and Twilight promptly collected the small stream of blood. She presented her opponent with a beaker slightly painted crimson at the bottom. The reaction was almost immediate.

“You insolent, little...” The mare shook with rage.

“Ah-ah-ah!” Twilight mockingly waved the beaker in front of the snow-white snout, “I would imagine explaining to Her Majesty how you disrupted her Princess’ brewing would prove hazardous, Your Highness.” She dumped the red liquid into the cauldron, not looking away from the other mare’s face or dropping her smile.

“You are going to regret this.”

“We’ll see about that.”

For a moment the alabaster mare looked like she wanted to say… well, growl something else, but instead simply went for the door, only stopping once to give Twilight another death glare.

Twilight sighed, slowly closing her eyes, grin dissolving. Her tiredness clearly displayed, poor thing.
The young Princess quickly took hold of herself, she still had to concentrate and distill her concoction. Good.
Rarity had a task too, she may as well take Twilight’s example to heart. As terrifying as this revelation was, there still was something she had to do.

Using Twilight’s distraction, Rarity returned quietly to her search.
‘Librum De Mistica, page 105.’
The book found its way to Rarity’s hooves rather quickly, Twilight made sure it was easy to find. Hiding behind the shelf again, Rarity flipped to the required page.

The unicorn suddenly remembered she wasn't alone. She tilted her head upwards and met a concerned look. Not Rainbow’s, thankfully, no. Frankly, a foal would find no ear to pass this to, at least not one that could hurt if it was informed.
Rarity forced herself to peer back at the page.
No… no, no, no! This would be catastrophic! A bastardization of life!

Stop… breathe, this was not the time to panic. If there still was a chance to prevent this horror from stacking pony bodies, it would be surely lost in the panic.
Breath in, breath out. What could she do… Going to Twilight or Her Majesty was an option… but risky. Twilight was almost done, if Rarity was to fail, all remaining time would be lost. No, too risky, far too risky.

Rarity proceeded to carefully tear the page out of the book and tuck it under her collar.

If only she could've known sooner. But no other way now, Rarity couldn’t even say goodbye. Someone had to step in. For once, it may be someone other than Princess Celestia, or Her Majesty, they had already done enough.
For Equestria, her friends, Her Majesty, and, most of all, for Luna—the time had come for her to make sacrifices once more. For the last time, for there would be nothing more left to give away after this was over.
Perhaps on one starry night, all of them could understand why it had to be this way. “Perhaps” was the best she could hope for right now.

Shadows On The Castle Walls

Thorax dropped the last stone on the grave, his expression sad, but determined. Shadow stood at his side, impassive, as always. He blew a melancholy sigh, looking at his half-sister’s face.
“Would you like to start?” Thorax offered Shadow the book that Philomena had brought them.

“Cree!” the bird sounded encouragingly from the tree that stretched its branches over their heads.

“She is still our mother, Shadow. No matter what she did,” Thorax patiently reminded. Shadow didn’t react, not even bothering to look at him.
“Well… alright. I’ll start.” Thorax opened the book and quickly found the marked page.

He glanced at Shadow again, this time to discover her bowing her head ever so slightly. This was enough for Thorax, he barely avoided smiling at it, despite the circumstance.
The changeling had been surprised when instead of instructions, the Empress sent them a songbook of all things, but Sir Spike had explained the concept. Ponies had a wonderful tradition for funerals.
They said goodbye just like they did everything—they sang. Although they didn’t sing quite as often now, this was one of the times when they still did. Whenever somepony died, all friends and relatives would come together and sing the favorite song of the deceased. This was a way for them to commemorate their friends and to better cement the memory of them for the years to come. A happy memory was better than a sad one.

No one could tell what songs their mother had enjoyed, or if she liked any at all, so they had to choose themselves. Shadow resisted at first, but such was the Empress’ will, so she promised to sing.
Their mother may not have been a good person, but they could at least bury her like one. Thorax took good care to find an appropriate song. The label said it was an ancient thestral song they used to sing to honor Princess Luna even as she was on the moon. It was beautiful and Shadow liked it too.

Follow, follow the stars
Follow the path their light heeds
Lead us to Her paradise.

Sight, the sight of the light
There are no intentions
A dream with no care

Tomorrow is safe and warm night for everypony,
Same warm moon; safety of the stars

So follow, follow the stars,
The way of the Moon,
The direction of our Mother
The bright, light of the moon,

We shall cherish this blessing.
We shall cherish this night.
Tomorrow is the same night for everyone,
Same old moon; same old stars

All we beg for is that you
Remove her evil curse

When you feel a horrible moment,
Adding to the chain
Take a flight under the silver stars
And ask for the forgiveness of thine sins

Many moons have risen and fallen long, long before your came
So tell us which way our Mother is pointing,
And what does your blessing say?
So follow, follow the stars,

And which way our Mother points
When your time has come.

Suddenly, Thorax understood why this was so important. The changeling could feel it. The last time Thorax remembered feeling like this was right before Princess Cadence’s wedding. He was at the spearhead unit and was tasked with subduing the Royal Guard and the citizenry… he’d done neither, of course, it was nothing at all like Pharynx had said it would be, it was… wrong!
But there still was something about it that he liked - the sense of community. Right before they were rushed in on the Canterlot streets, things changed drastically for him. His entire life other changelings had laughed and picked on him for being "softshelled," but then it all suddenly stopped. They all still saw him as weak and cowardly, no doubt about that, but they were training together for the mission. They were doing something together and it counted. He was no longer Thorax the Weakling, he was Private Thorax of the 1st Infiltration Regiment.
Now it was the feeling of guilt for leaving them that he felt, even if it was the right thing to do.

Again, Thorax looked quietly down at Shadow beside him. She was impassive, as always, but she felt different now. Thorax wondered if he should even try. Shadow always preferred to keep her distance. Well… only one way to find out.

The changeling lifted his foreleg and lead it around her, then gently nuzzled at her. Shadow didn’t recoil, didn’t push him off, didn’t even flinch.
It was exactly what she needed. She even began to lean into him a little. Thorax felt himself smiling, despite the morbid occasion.

“Cree!” Philomena screeched encouragingly from her tree. The bird lightly lifted off and glided over a few dozen meters before landing on a bush further down the forest line, the innate light of her feathers making it easy to see her in the dark. Thorax knew the sign—the phoenix wanted them to follow her.

“How did she even find us?” Thorax pondered aloud, letting go of Shadow. His sibling simply shrugged and went after the bird without him or the fresh grave another look.

“It is obvious,” Shadow suddenly responded to him.

“Uuuh… Is it?”

“This is Princess Celestia’s pet phoenix, Thorax. Princess Celestia served, until recently, Her Majesty. Who else do you think could send her?”

“O-oh!” It made sense.
“The Empress sure knows very... elegant ways to keep track of everything. But… haven’t you said that Philomena didn’t come back to Her Highness after she returned? Doesn’t this technically mean that she is now Miss Fluttershy’s phoenix and doesn’t take Her Majesty’s orders? Since, you know, she lives in Miss’ cottage?”

Shadow didn’t answer him, instead opting for a quiet, recurrent sound Thorax hadn’t heard her making before. Did she just… laugh?
Now he felt like he was missing something again.

Philomena continued to quietly lead them along the tree line, then suddenly made a sharp turn and darted into the woods. Thorax stared at the spot where the phoenix had just disappeared in confusion, but snapped out of it as Shadow followed without hesitation.

“Where exactly is she leading us?” Thorax asked.

“I don’t know,” Shadow answered simply.

“Why are we following her? Maybe she just went to… do birdy things?”
Shadow laughed again, pointing out him being stupid once more. Well… Thorax was glad she enjoyed it, at least.

“This is a phoenix, Thorax,” Shadow said. “She can’t talk, but she is still as smart as any pony. If Philomena wants us to follow her somewhere, it is Her Majesty’s will.”
The way Shadow said the last bit made Thorax suddenly shudder.
He hated it when she talked like one of those thestrals he’d seen on the streets the other night. It was a little too similar to what he remembered about other changelings and their talk about Chrysalis. Before the war, that is.

“Are you sure she is Her Majesty’s friend, Shadow? I mean, did you see them together or-”
Shadow suddenly turned on her heels and marched right back at him. Thorax instinctively recoiled.

“Her Majesty revealed exactly as much as we need to know! Do not question her!” Shadow hammered right into his face, emphasizing each word with a thrust of her hoof into his chest.
Finishing her burst, she turned around again and continued following the faint glow ahead.
Sheesh… That happened. Okay, mental note: never do... that again in front of Shadow.

Philomena led both changelings deeper into the forest, waiting for them to catch up along the way. Thorax wanted to fly instead, but the bird immediately stopped and landed on the ground, giving him a stern look.
Walking it is.

The forest didn't seem quite okay either. Once Thorax had overheard Sir Spike talking with Miss Fluttershy regarding the poor health of the trees, so this wasn't quite surprising, but it still made an impression. Dead, twisted husks of trees and bushes, the reddish color of the soil, the forest clearly needed help.
It wasn't just forest too, ponies at the market stalls complained about poor harvest this season.

The phoenix continued leading them through the forest, in silence, Thorax would loved to talk, but he knew Shadow enough already to know that she was already in her “mission mode.”
Soon, Philomena suddenly stopped flying away and came to wait for them on the edge of a clearing.

“Whoa!” Thorax breathed out. The word “clearing” barely held enough significance. The view felt more like a sight from an epic he saw in Princess Twilight’s library!
The ruined castle, hidden mysteriously behind a thin veil of mist and separated with a great chasm with only a single bridge over it. The changeling’s imagination immediately soared. Who lived here? Why was it abandoned? When?

Thorax turned to ask if Shadow knew but found her staring, unblinking, at something across the chasm. Blinking his eyes, Thorax turned back to trace her look. Oh! There was a pony there!
Someone, wearing a long cloak, was moving from the bridge and to the ruined entrance!

“Who’s that?” Thorax quietly asked, not wishing for the echo in the chasm to carry his voice.

Shadow waited before answering, carefully studying the posture and movement of the tiny figure before it disappeared inside, not before taking a careful look behind her.

“Miss Rarity,” Shadow finally answered, Thorax, could even hear, surprise in her voice.

“Eh… Her Majesty’s advisor?” Shadow nodded, “Isn’t she supposed to be in Canterlot, ready to assist the Empress?”

“Yes… she is.” Shadow darted to the bridge and crossed it in a few large leaps. Leaving Thorax to stand there, with his mouth silly open with his the next question stuck in his throat. He forgot how quickly she could move when she wanted. The changeling looked at Philomena, catching her approving look.

“...Okay, spying after Miss Rarity it is then.”

Shadow had to slow down to ensure her hoofsteps wouldn’t uncover her approach. Stealth was of paramount importance—Miss Rarity wouldn’t have come here if it wasn’t the case. No one ever came to the ruins, a perfectly discreet location in the middle of the Everfree Forest, yet here was Miss Rarity herself, disregarding her usually fashionable attires for a dull cloak.
This was important.

Shadow traced the pony’s steps all the way to the doorway. A quick look inside revealed an empty hall, one in very bad condition, at that. The hall was filled with all sorts of rubble and the once-majestic colonnade was partially ruined, the roof featuring a jagged-edged gap.
Shadow heard hasty hoofsteps behind her. Good, Thorax, had finally caught up.

Shadow swiftly cantered into the room, examining it for clues. She spotted an alarmingly large spat of dried blood on the floor and some once-soaked bandages, but no trace of her target. There must be another way.

The changeling stretched her neck high into the air, making a series of short sniffs and catching the faint scent of a familiar perfume. Letting her muzzle guide her, Shadow slowly trotted over to one of the side passages.

“Shadow!” Thorax whispered, trying to be quiet with his steps. “Shadow, someone is following us! Looks like we aren’t the only ones who followed Miss Rarity here.”

“What do you mean?” Shadow mumbled, focusing on the scent.
“I saw someone flying in just as we entered.”
Shadow stopped suddenly, gritting her teeth and spinning sharply on her heel. Thorax hastily flattened himself against the wall to let her through.
Shadow heard the unmistakable clink of hoof shoes on stone even before she saw the source.
White coat, irritated frown and sharp look in the eyes - Her Majesty’s sister. For the moment she was only studying the hall, but an alicorn couldn’t be underestimated. It wouldn’t be long until she tracked down them and, eventually, Miss Rarity. Unacceptable.

Shadow patted Thorax on the shoulder to get his attention and began trotting quickly through the ruined corridor again.

“Thorax, there’s a mission for you,” she whispered. Thorax missed a step and nearly fell, Shadow stopped for a second to wait for him.

“For me?” he asked, giving her a bewildered stare.

“Yes, for you,” she hastily confirmed, continuing on her way. “I need your help in distracting Her Majesty’s sister. Her being here isn’t a good sign.”

“Didn’t she tell us to stay away from her sister? You heard her, didn’t you?”

Shadow bit her lip.

“Her Majesty doesn’t know about any of this.” Noticing her brother’s dumbfounded look, she quickly elaborated, trying to hold him from falling into an untimely stupor, “She wouldn’t let her sister close to Miss Rarity, not alone and not in the wilderness. Miss Rarity is here on her own consent.”

“She… can do that?”

“No… no, she can’t.” This indeed was highly suspicious, but Shadow proceeded to force all unnecessary thoughts out of her head, this was not the time, “Shapeshift into Miss Rarity and lead her away. You know how Miss looks.” Thorax nodded.

“Yes, I saw the pictures in the Princess’ Castle.”

“Good, don’t get caught. Return to the Castle once you lose her in the Forest.”

Thorax sighed deeply, but did as he was told. Shadow paused to quickly examine the illusion and straighten up a few mishaps—her brother wasn’t trained, after all.
Giving him one last nod and a pat on the shoulder, Shadow continued forward, leaving Thorax to wait for his objective to find him.
Shadow sincerely hoped she didn’t just sign Thorax’s death warrant, but couldn’t tolerate emotion right now. She had a mission too.

The scent of perfume led her through winding corridors—some open, some occasionally blocked by rubble, till it finally came to an abrupt stop in one of the hallways. The walls around had no doors, so either Miss Rarity had decided to take more precaution, or this place had a hidden passage. Shadow quickened to examine the surrounding walls and floor. After what seemed hundreds of years, the walls were damaged enough to reveal previously invisible gaps, allowing the passage to be easily found if one knew where to look.

Next, Shadow proceeded to try the most obvious way—pressing the stones to find a button and open it. Amazingly enough, it worked. It seemed this Castle didn’t have the most advanced security measures.

With a remarkably quiet scratch of stone, the wall lowered itself down, allowing Shadow to pass.
Behind the wall there was a stairway descending into some sort of catacombs; looked reasonable, even the palace had these, despite being built much more recently.

With a move similar to Miss Rarity’s, Shadow checked to see if anyone was following her, then ventured forth, descending into the darkness. Good thing it had never bothered her anyway.
The wall slid back in place behind her… good.

The stairs proved to be rather short, quickly concluding with what looked like a supplies storage room. There was another way further on, but Miss Rarity did not take it.
She was quietly standing in the center of the hall with a tiny spark on her horn, amongst the dirt and rubble. She wouldn’t normally be seen close to such a place. Miss Rarity was waiting for someone.
Shadow elected to press her body to the wall, reducing the chance of getting spotted if the light did somehow reach her. The natural dark carapace Shadow wore should prove more than capable of hiding her in the darkness still lingering on the stairway.

Minutes stretched on, visibly unnerving the cloaked pony. Miss Rarity began slowly pulling through the hairs of her mane, an almost unconscious motion.

“Oh, finally, there you are!” she suddenly whispered towards the other exit out of the room, her voice expressing sizable relief.

“You have been followed!” The second figure emerged from the shadow of the passageway, carrying a torch.

“The agreement was for you to come alone! Or maybe this is another one of your Mistress’ schemes to find out her enemies?” Shadow shivered, this was no pony, the voice didn’t match. Ponies also rarely harborded this much bile, even for the Empress, but it was familiar... a hippogriff.

“I did no such thing!” Rarity’s response sounded almost… forced? “It is very hard to sneak out of the palace without anyone noticing! The very stones have eyes there!”

“Don’t waste my time with your excuses! I only came because you promised benefits for my Queen. Speak your proposal, slave.” Shadow could almost feel Rarity’s frown, even through her hood.

“This isn’t just about benefits! This is about a mortal threat! A threat to everycreature, including your Queen! The only reason I would touch a venomous snake like you is because I have no other choice! If we knew what kind of ruffians you all prove to be--”

“What then?” the hippogriff chuckled. “Let the Storm King have you all as slaves?” He spat on the floor, “As if there was much difference for you, anyway. Thanks for ridding us of him, though. Now we can give you and your Empress a taste of what he got every time he tried to stick his nose on our mountain.
But I digress, a slave can choose her master, I suppose. You have this much freedom.”

Rarity took a step forward, as if intending to give the dirtbag what he deserved, but… that wouldn’t be Rarity Shadow knew. She paused and gave an audibly exasperated sigh.

“Look, this isn’t the time. I. Need. Help. And trust me, it is within your best interests to provide it!” The hippogriff proceeded to chuckle again, seeming to barely holding back from laughing aloud.

“Trust you? A willing servant of Nightmare Moon? The oppressive tyrant famous for being deceptive? Do you think us all daft?” Letting out a snarl, Rarity reached under her cloak and pulled out her ring of keys. Snatching a single key, Rarity sent it flying across the room,
“What’s this?” the hippogriff asked, catching it. “Is this a key to your heart, classy girl? I’ll pass.”

“The armory key,” Rarity hissed through clenched teeth.

“Oh, planning assassination, are we? You took much from your new owner, pet.”

“I need your muscle,” Rarity continued, ignoring the insult. “I need you to break into the palace catacombs through the specific door at the specific time.”

“You overestimate my humble abilities, my lady,” the hippogriff bowed mockingly.

“Don’t play dumb with me!” Rarity snapped again. “I know your Queen didn’t leave you here alone.
I will let you in at sunset through the caves under the Canterlot. There will be no Guards to give you trouble.”

Shadow couldn’t believe what she was hearing. A part of her wanted to jump out of her cover, run straight to Rarity and ask her a single question, the only question that mattered to her now - "Why?"

The designer mare was with the Empress longer than anypony else. Rarity was her very first subject. Rarity gave up everything for her. Her good name, her reputation, her dreams, even put on the line her friends, solely for Her Majesty and Luna. And now she was plotting to betray her?

This… this didn’t make sense! Shadow knew the Empress wasn’t good with handling ponies, that’s what Princess Twilight was for, but she took good care of her loyal subjects! She ensured they were never left wanting!
By the stars, this was a sacrilege.
Shadow’s hooves began slowly reaching for the dagger affixed on her waist, her confusion quickly replaced by anger.
Restraint. Her Majesty would want to know first. Shadow shouldn’t have let her feelings to cover her judgment. Her mission was only to inform, not think.

“What do you even want us to do?” Evidently, Shadow had missed a few lines, for the hippogriff’s tone was no longer mocking. “I need to know what kind of objective to set up.”

“I… can’t tell you.”

“So, let me get this straight—you want us to break into your palace, walk into the armory with this key, get to some door you are going to leave open, and you aren’t even going to tell me what your plan is?”

“I know how it sounds… but I, really, can’t tell you. This is dangerous.”

“Treason always is,” hippogriff commented dryly.

“It’s for your own good,” Rarity said flatly.

“Riiight... Look, in that case, I will just take my leave, I’ve got better things to do.” The hippogriff turned carelessly, trotting back the way he came from.

“Wait!” Rarity whispered loudly. “I… I have insurance!”

“Huh?”

“There is a pony… She lives on the edge of this very forest in a lonely cottage, you can’t miss it. Her name is Fluttershy.”

“I know of her. What do you suggest, exactly?” Rarity paused for a long time.

“...Take her as your insurance,” Rarity’s forced words came. “If your… people get hurt, you can… hurt one of mine.” Rarity’s head fell to the ground in utter shame.

“You must need my help really badly, don't you?”

“You don’t have a single idea.”

Shadow had had enough, she couldn’t hear this any longer. This was already more than enough for a report, and much more than she wanted to know. Shadow was just forced to watch one of the best ponies she’d knew to sank down to the very bottom. The pony who always helped everyone she could at the palace, the pony who was willing to do anything for others, the pony who was planning to murder someone Shadow cared about.

She stumbled up the stairs, mindlessly hitting the button for the wall to slide out of her way again. Shadow couldn’t bring herself to think about how she’s going to tell this to Her Majesty. Perhaps Philomena would carry another letter for her.

“There you are!” Shadow was roughly flung off her hooves and dragged across the floor to the other side of the corridor. Her instincts kicked in immediately afterwards, but it was too late. She was careless enough to get caught. There was no breaking free now, only one way remained.
Shadow reached for her dagger and with a lightning-quick swing sent it flying into her latest enemy.
The smug smile on her captor’s face only became wider as the dagger harmlessly stopped just before her.
“Cute toy!” she exclaimed, suspending Shadow in the air,
“I think I’ll take your offering!” Shadow felt her limbs being bound together with a bright gold, summoned string. Her scabbard was pulled off her body and her weapon harmlessly levitated back to it.
“Don’t you worry, my beloved subject. I won’t harm you! In fact, we are going to be best of friends before you know it! Let us just get you somewhere… safe.”

Author's Note

The song is the courtesy of MlpHero, well, most of it. If you are a fan of Sabaton and/or changelings, get a read on that blog of his.

The Truth In Deep

“Blood?” Nightmare Moon asked, musingly stirring her tea.

“It says: ‘Blood of a relative,’ Your Majesty,” Twilight patiently repeated the words written in her own report, now spread before her on the table.

“Are you suggesting my own, Twilight?” Nightmare Moon sipped on her tea.

“No, Your Majesty. Even if we run all imaginable tests and they all show you being related to Princess Luna, the potion might still not work. Changeling alchemy is a poorly understood field.” Seeing her Empress frown, Twilight swiftly added:
“But Princess Celestia’s blood should suffice. And she already gave it to me.”

“That was thoughtful of her,” Nightmare Moon dryly commented.

“O-oh… I-I am sorry, Your Majesty, I should have reported first. I was just having a breakthrough when she came to me asking-”

“Twilight,” Nightmare Moon interrupted. “Focus.”

“...Ah. ...Y-yes. Your Majesty, I have to voice my concerns. It is unwise to apply without testing.
Your Majesty, the ingredients do not make sense for a cure for anything! It’s poison! If any pony drank that, they would be dead within a minute!”

“Then, it is good that no pony alive will drink it,” Nightmare Moon coldly countered.

“Your Majesty, we don’t know what it does! And blood in the ingredients is never-”

“Have you brewed it correctly?”

“I think so, at least I see no way I cou-”

“Then we do know what it does.” Nightmare Moon made it clear that the argument was over, “Do you have the concoction with you?”

“Your Majesty, for the sake of Luna I have to object! We know next to no-”

“Twilight!” Nightmare Moon sharply gnashed. The young Princess fell completely silent, petrified under the Empress’ burning glare.
“Do. You. Have. The. Potion?” Nightmare Moon deliberately reiterated. Twilight swallowed, “Answer the question!”

“Y-yes, I have it on me.”

“Good. Take your report.” Nightmare Moon stood up and walked around the table slowly, to give Twilight time to pack her papers in her bags. Still, the young Princess struggled with fitting everything in, so the Empress was forced to stand still for a moment, a moment to think. Something needed to be said.

Eventually, she heard Twilight placing her bags onto her back, walking up to her from behind. The sovereign lowered her shoulder, giving Twilight an apologetic look from one eye.
“Twilight, I...” Nightmare Moon started as softly as she could. “I am sorry.”

“I understand, Your Majesty. We all do, even Rainbow does. We all want to see her again just as much as you do.” Twilight offered a comforting smile. Nightmare Moon smiled gratefully back at her.

Encouraged, Twilight trotted even closer and stopped at a forelegs' length to lift her eyes up at Her Majesty. Nightmare Moon, understanding the silent question, nodded, sitting down to allow her access. Twilight proceeded to cautiously extend her hooves, wrapping herself around her Empress’ grand frame.

“We have no way of testing, Twilight,” Nightmare Moon proceeded to explain. “The only way is to try it on a deceased. And if it works? What then? Do we let the supposedly dead pony walk free?”

“Why not? Won’t it be great for them to go back to their family?” Twilight finally let go and drew away.

“It isn’t that simple, Twilight. Imagine what is going to happen as soon as rumor gets out about us unlocking the secret of immortality. Every creature in this world would want a share. We would have each and every army the world has to offer knocking on our gates. Not to mention our own subjects. That would be a catastrophe.” Twilight nodded in understanding.

“Why not simply share it? Why...” Twilight hesitated, deciding if the question was appropriate.
The question made the Empress turn her eyes away.
“You don’t have to answer if you don’t...” Nightmare Moon firmly gestured for Twilight to stop, her expression becoming sternly determined, drawing Twilight’s attention.

“There is no other way,” the Empress earnestly stated. “There are… things that ponies would be happier never knowing.
“No pony needs to know what happened to Luna, even less so they need to know the true nature of their Empress.”

“There is no other way,” the Empress earnestly stated. “There are… things that ponies would be happier never knowing.
No pony needs to know what happened to Luna, even less so they need to know the true nature of their Empress,” Nightmare Moon elaborated, keeping her voice down to ensure no pony could listen in.
“Ruling a land is a great responsibility, Twilight. My every decision, even the smallest one, influences much more than just my own fate and the fate of my court. My mere word is a difference between prosperity and doom for thousands. I am not the one who will be paying for my mistakes, it is always other ponies, Twilight.
“Risks are unacceptable, everything has to be calculated and ensured. Nothing can be left to a chance when so many ponies depend on us.”

“I understand, Your Majesty,” Twilight said, mimicking Nightmare Moon’s hushed tone. “But what of the recipe? Can’t we simply publish it?”

“No. It is like you said, we don’t know what it does. Imagine if it only works properly for changelings and backfires for ponies. My Shadow cannot help us in this matter and there are no other reliable changelings in the Empire. Declassifying it now would be extremely dangerous.
“Twilight, you have to understand — all of our secrets are extremely dangerous for our ponies. This is why they MUST remain secrets. Ponies will die if we allow leaks. And their deaths will be on our hooves.”

“I… Y-yes, Your Majesty.” Twilight began to nod repeatedly.

“I… Y-yes, Your Majesty.” Twilight nodded repeatedly.
“Good, Twilight.” Nightmare Moon nodded slowly in return, “Good. Do not ever forget this.
“Twilight, for better or for worse, you are a Princess. Powerful individuals are like stones thrown into a pound, whatever you are doing, it always has repercussions for a great number of others. Your responsibility is to ensure these repercussions are positive. Princess Celestia believed in you, do not prove her wrong.”
Twilight didn’t answer for a whole minute.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” she finally said. Nightmare Moon nodded to her once more.

“Now, let us go. We have something else to take care of this night.” Nightmare Moon continued her way to the door.

“Should I call Rarity?” Twilight readily queried.

She is already here.” Nightmare Moon reached out to the door handle with her magic, sharply swinging it open. Rarity was caught behind the door, still pushing her ear to where it just was. Her cheeks were already going red.

“How…?” Twilight looked at her Empress with a mixture of bewilderment and awe. The onyx mare didn’t answer, only smiled mysteriously.

“Rarity,” she addressed the shamed advisor. “Join us.”

Nightmare Moon gracefully moved out of the tea room and turned her eyes to a thestral mare Guard stationed outside — Wavy Shadow was her name.

“Bring my sister to the catacombs,” she instructed, already returning to the usual chilly and disinterested tone she used for issuing orders. “You will find her in Rarity’s quarters. Do not let my sister get sidetracked,” the Empress finished. The bat-winged mare saluted and swiftly trotted away.

“Your Majesty...” Rarity asked as soon as the Honor Guard left sight.

“Do not quail, my sister is… searching for inspiration. She will not be disruptive to your work. In fact, it seems like you have a new admirer to your design. Consider this her way of complimenting it. Now, shall we proceed?”

“I took the liberty to station unessential Guards outside and dismissed most staff members for tonight.” Nightmare Moon nodded to her advisor.
Nightmare Moon continued down the corridor, Twilight and Rarity exchanged short, greeting looks and promptly followed.

The Empress didn’t speak to them during their way, allowing Twilight one more chance to run through her conclusions. If the mysterious benefactor was correct in their translation, the potion had to be right. She didn’t dare to sip, but everything else was right. She triple-checked before coming to the Empress.

But what if the translation wasn’t right? This potion made no sense. The recipe had no description. She never even heard of such a potion existing, not even of the way it could be made possible. There simply was no way it could work, it made no sense.

There was one more thing though, the blood. Her Alchemical Theory classes did mention blood being an ingredient in some medications, healthy blood was supposed to strengthen the body, but why did it have to be a relative? Compatibility issues, perhaps? Well, Celestia’s blood should’ve worked, unless Nightmare Moon’s sister changed the biology as a side effect of her taking over the Princess body.

Twilight was dragged out of her thoughts by the returning thestral Guard leading her Empress’ sister. The creature abruptly bowed and went to take her place at the end of their procession, curiously, not bearing her usual smile.
She noticed Twilight’s stare and met it. Twilight knew she was giving up information, doing exactly what Her Majesty had just warned her against, but Twilight didn’t care, this creature held hostage someone she loved, she would smile at her no longer.
By the way her adversary narrowed Celestia’s eyes, Twilight knew the creature understood her. For both of them, the masquerade was now over.

Her Majesty, who paid no attention to their silent bicker, lead the procession to the noticeable, armored door leading to the catacomb stairway. After Rainbow simply walked straight into the palace through the crystal caves connected to the catacombs, the security was amped up a few notches. ...More than a few notches.

Rarity approached the door, taking out a large keyring from the folds of her dress. Apparently, she’d outdone herself in secret pocket placement this time.
With practiced dexterity, Rarity quickly found the key she needed and slipped it into the lock. The door quietly creaked open.

Saying no word, Nightmare Moon ventured forth into the darkness. Rarity lit a tiny spark on the end of her horn and followed her Empress. Twilight went next, sticking closer to Rarity so that she could avoid having to light her own way. Too much light would hurt Empress’ eyes.
Nightmare Moon’s sister was next in line and the Guard went the last.

In trying to keep up with Rarity, Twilight narrowly avoided falling on her face. The stairs, abruptly starting from directly behind the door, were very steep and narrow.

Although Twilight had long since finished her transition to the nocturnal way of life, the lighting too was still an issue. In the palace the problem of light was mostly resolved with the strange, glowing stone it was constructed with; the light it gave of was dim, but enough to see where she was going and who she was talking to. Reading was harder, but still doable, even if her eyes were quick to start hurting.
Down here, in the catacombs, she could only see what little of the way Rarity lit up for her with magic. Not stumbling over and breaking her neck proved to be challenging.

The further they went, the drier and frowsy the air became. Twilight, with no small measure of worry, discovered that this air had nothing to do with the caves she once led Cadance out of. If her calculations were correct, they should have already passed them.

Finally, the stairs concluded and Twilight stepped on the flat floor, immensely glad to feel a stable surface again. Taking only a tiny breather, she trotted forward, as Rarity was already breaking away from her.

With a chance presenting itself, Twilight returned to her concerns regarding the potion. She felt the blood was the key. But there was still poison, maybe changelings were resistant? Could be, though Twilight didn’t imagine why they would. Shadow had never mentioned it, maybe she didn’t think it was relevant? She didn’t know what the potion was for, after all… or did she? Twilight felt herself overloading, there were too many possibilities and indications to account for. Far too many to make sense of now.

Twilight took a deep breath, resetting her thought train. What could make this potion work?

Twilight heard a loud stone skirr, likely another entrance, no matter. She only had to follow the light on Rarity’s horn.

Well, maybe the ingredients, if delicately dosed, made something other when combined with blood? No… Even then it was still a poison.

Rarity audibly whimpered ahead. Her light illuminated a bone protruding from an alcove, the space of which the surrounding walls were dotted with. Each one they passed had bones displayed together with jewelry.
Rarity was right to be afraid. No pony would ever find them if they happened to be trapped here. But Twilight shook off the grim thought, there was no time.

If it wasn’t the dosages, maybe it was by design? Yes, that made sense. Poison can’t harm what is already dead. But how could it “cure death?” Twilight felt herself hitting the dead end.

The walls suddenly disappeared and Twilight found herself surrounded by total darkness. It must have been some sort of a large opening. Twilight dared to light her own horn, but it did little to break the darkness. Twilight increased the brightness and heard a grunt of pain from behind herself, coupled with a curse. Must have been too much for the thestral Guard with them.
Luckily, it was enough. Twilight’s light suddenly pulled from the darkness a smooth cone on the ceiling. It wasn’t stone… more like glass, or maybe crystal.
As soon as the light hit it, it itself began to glow. First, dimly, then brighter. As soon as it became comparable to Rarity’s light ahead, Twilight heard a rumbling click and
the room abruptly lit up with a bright, pale light.

“AGHHH!” Twilight heard Wavy’s pained scream behind her. The Guard was shaking with her entire body, covering her eyes with hooves. Twilight herself felt her eyes hurting after such a sudden change, but unlike the poor thestral, her eyes weren’t this sensitive.
The Guard’s entire body was shaking, eyes covered with her hooves. Twilight herself felt her eyes hurting after such a sudden change, but unlike the poor thestral, she wasn’t so sensitive.
Squinting, Twilight searched for the Empress and found her in only marginally better shape than her Guard.
With a loud, aggravated snarl, the Empress lit up her horn. The few remaining shadows began to grow, eventually covering the entire room. Rarity produced another terrified whimper as the further effects of the spell began to manifest. The shadows, suddenly, began stretching from the walls and floor, covering with themselves over the entire space of the room, finally, dimming the light. What a fascinating display!

The Empress’ breathing was heavy and she still squinted, but she was able to proceed, heading to the far side of the hall.
There stood a pair of inscribed, stone sarcophagi, one with the symbol of the sun and one with the symbol of the Moon. Were the sisters preparing for their eventual deaths or were these merely relics? Perhaps a hint?

Wavy rushed to assist Her Empress in lifting the cover of the moon sarcophagus. Even thought the mighty alicorn effortlessly slid the cover aside, hardly needing help, the Guard did not allow herself to be dismayed, dutifully standing across the stone tomb, ready to receive the Empress’ word.

Twilight knew this was her last chance to figure this out. There was no point on thinking how it worked, instead Twilight focused on what it was supposed to do. How could it “cure death?” What do you need to be to defy death?

“Twilight,” a firm call came. Twilight responded with the surprised look.
“Twilight, the potion,” the Empress repeated impatiently. Ah… yes. Twilight looked down at the bags on her back, then opened the right one and lifted a vial out of it. This vial contained four months of her life and she didn’t even know what it did.
Not waiting for Twilight to snap out of her stupor, Nightmare Moon grasped the vial with her own magic.

There were a few creatures Twilight knew of that could avoid death. Liches, zombies… The poison added up, it was a part of the ritual to the lichdom, but this wasn’t a ritual. Ghost? No… Required a spell, not a potion. Only worse options remained.
Ghoul? The creature that required flesh and blood of the living. Almost alive, to a point. No, needed a spell, not a… Blood! What creature needed blood to live?

As the realization washed over her, Twilight felt complete, total, animalistic horror overtaking her. She opened her mouth to warn the Empress, but it was too late. Nightmare Moon had already thrown the empty vial away, its shattering sounded like a knell for them. If the old bestiaries were right, Twilight wasn’t sure if a whole company of Imperial Guards could help them now!

But she was a Princess, she had responsibilities. She couldn’t afford to quiver in fear, ponies were going to die.
Twilight took a deep breath. The transformation wasn’t instant. There still was time left, she had to convince Her Majesty to leave now, seal the door and never come back, otherwise, this place may become their tomb as well.
First, Twilight swiftly trotted over to Rarity. She had to be got out of the way first, as the most defenseless one of them.

“Rarity,” she quietly whispered, not daring to speak in full voice. She feared to wake the creature she had helped to create.
“Rarity, I just figured it out! We are in grave danger! We gotta-”

“I know, Twilight,” Rarity stunned her with the response.

“What? ...You do?”

Rarity nodded, her eyes beginning to water,
“Twilight, darling… I am sorry it came to this, but there wasn’t any other way. We went too far this time!”

“Are you plotting treason?!” a hushed accusation arrived directly into her ear.

Ignoring the fake Celestia’s interruption, Rarity continued:
“Twilight, please, try to understand. We cannot allow our Empress to sacrifice the whole of Equestria for her own personal agenda! It has to be this way!”

An obscenely loud click was heard from the space behind them. A split second later, a tiny, cylindrical-shaped object hit the floor right before them. Twilight stared in confusion at the passageway they’d arrived from, trying to discern who could have followed them. Then her brain pieced the whole picture together.

“Grenade!” Twilight managed to shout out, diving away from the device and covering her head with hooves. She saw Her Majesty’s head swing sharply to her direction and tried to shout out the warning again, but the mad device far outpaced her.

In the next moment, the room was filled with the brightest light and loudest sound Twilight had ever experienced. Now she knew how the poor thestrals felt every time somepony lit a torch!
Her ears rang, her vision blurred, and her very brain hurt from sensory overload. She moaned in pain—or at least she thought she did, she couldn’t hear herself.

Pushing herself to the ground, Twilight saw familiar, characteristic flashes dancing on the walls -- gunshots. The response didn’t take long, soon the walls lit up with white and blue flashes of lightning bolts, joined by the glowing yellow of sunrays.

Twilight was no use in a fight, even if she could remember her spells right now - her head was trying to recover from the stun grenade the attackers gifted her with. Instead of standing up again only to get shot, Twilight rolled to the wall to wait it out.

Once safely out of the firing arc, Twilight dared to take a look in who was attacking them, but the rifle flashes were far to brief to illuminate them. On the other side of the hall, the story was different. It was brightly illuminated, with numerous combat spells the sisters kept casting. Both still had to find cover, magical barriers and wards were no use against fast-moving bullets.

It was that light that allowed her to notice a cloud of black smoke lingering over Luna's sarcophagus. The smoke rapidly descended down, engulfing the coffin, then suddenly dispersed again. The sarcophagus wasn't there. Twilight had little time to ponder as a piece stone ricocheted off the wall, almost hitting her horn.

State's Funeral

The night was quiet, but cloudy. A special request had been issued to the Canterlot weather team to cover the moon tonight. This was a special occasion.

The High Priestess just finished her prayer and stepped away from the coffin, giving the noble guests a reverent look. Her Majesty specifically intended them all to only be guests.
Captain Thunder, wearing his ceremonial silvery armor, lifted his hoof up, signalling the row of Guards to prepare. Six barrels were lifted at his command. The Captain sharply dropped the lifted limb, six shots were fired. He repeated the gesture, another volley was let loose.

Twilight couldn’t lie, even considering how morbid the occasion was, the ceremony was beautiful. Wavy deserved nothing less. Twilight knew her only a little, the bat-winged mare hadn’t been the most talkative—as natural for her position—but she had enjoyed spending her free time in the archives. Something they had in similar. The archives had a collection of thestral holy books, Wavy had been drawn to those like a moth to a light. To the light which burned her in the end.
To think that it was only a week since they spent a whole hour together searching the archives for Deus Ex Noctis, an ancient tome from the times before Luna was banished. Twilight was glad to finally have an excuse to venture deeper through the rows of shelves in search of great treasures of old. It felt like it was in another life now.
Life… such a fickle thing.

It was time was to say goodbyes. The first one was to be the family, in Wavy’s case her brother. A stallion stepped forth, stopping to give them all respectful nod and a bow to Her Majesty. His name was Bright White, he had a bar somewhere in the city, from Rarity’s words at least. Twilight didn’t know if she could trust anything coming from her any longer.

Twilight proceeded to look at the pony in guilt for today’s ceremony. Rarity was appropriately grim. The unicorn had tried to run, but there was nowhere she could go. Hippogriffs couldn’t carry her away with them and without their help it was only a matter of time before Her Majesty’s vengeance caught up with her. Rarity seemed aware as much. She didn’t hide, neither did she resist; evidently the reasons why she was allowed to stand here now instead of the dungeon… or worse. Twilight wouldn’t be surprised if Rarity’s crime was answered in kind, it was becoming harder and harder to blame Her Majesty for her past brutality if this was the kind of issues she had to deal with.
How had Princess Celestia managed to handle all of this alone!?
There was no asking now, of course, the creature next to her wouldn’t let her.

To her credit, Her Majesty’s sister tried to be as little of a nuisance as possible. Just as Rarity had remarked once, she was studying them... For now nothing else.
It was the time for Twilight to begin new research—the research into ways of aiding the still alive Princess.
She needed to learn her name, for now, “Huffy” would do. Twilight imagined contently the amount of delight this name would cause the white mare.

Twilight's turn to say goodbyes had come. She quietly walked forwards and looked down into the open coffin. Wavy looked tranquil, quite unlike when she had been alive.
Her Majesty’s sister had caught Rarity sneaking out of the palace, but lost her trail and reported nothing to save face in front of this failure. As if there was anything to save. All of this could have been avoided. Wavy could be alive, Rarity wouldn’t have betrayed them and Luna wouldn’t have been stolen away by Sombra, of all ponies.

Well… it didn’t matter what that potion did now, though she’d told Her Majesty about it, of course. Nightmare Moon listened to what Twilight had to say, she even agreed with her conclusion, but decided to take absolutely no action! As if Twilight just told her about a Daring Do book. Had she known from the start and simply hadn't told them to avoid panic? Was that her plan all along? Twilight couldn't bring herself to even try to calculate the possibility at the moment.
Regardless, Luna would soon let them know if it worked. At least Huffy could simply burn the vampony to ashes, sun exposure was supposed to be lethal for them, hopefully.

Twilight patted Wavy on the shoulder one last time and went back to Her Majesty’s side. One by one all of the guests—including Huffy and Rarity—had their moment. Rarity, as expected, cried her makeup off, she knew the palace staff better than anyone else did. Huffy, on the other hoof, didn’t shed a single tear on her uncharacteristic black dress. The first one in the palace since before the Civil War that hadn’t been designed by Rarity.

There were no coincidences in this palace. Rarity wasn’t allowed to stand with them for a reason, Her Majesty put her in behind to shove in her face these very dresses, a show no one but Rarity had a chance to understand. Rarity would take the hint, Her Majesty wouldn’t have bothered otherwise.
Her Majesty will make sure every second of Rarity’s existence from now own reminded her of what she did. Nightmare Moon's vengeance didn't have to be violent for it to hurt. What was Rarity thinking, really?
She could only pity her poor friend now. After all, everything here had a meaning and Twilight was given Rarity’s usual place, to the right from Her Majesty, for a reason.

The palace didn’t seem to be affected by the funeral, apart from the rain, which tapped quietly on the windows now when every creature was safely under their roof.

It was time for dinner now, but not the one in the great hall. The quiet one, which didn’t include any officials and pledges. Those were more of a special occasion, usually, Her Majesty did not enjoy putting herself at everyone's display. This time it only included Twilight, even servants were dismissed for the moment. Her Majesty wanted to share a moment with someone she enjoyed, for once. Perhaps Twilight ought to be flattered, but being friends (if it could even be called such) with Nightmare Moon was weird. Much like with Shadow, if Spike’s letters were to be believed.
With Shadow it too was more about guessing than anything else. Well no, not outright guessing. The Empress did leave very clear signs for them. But Twilight still wished she could just tell them plainly what she wanted for them to know.

“Twilight,” Nightmare Moon suddenly said, pulling Twilight out of her thoughts. “What do I do?” her voice was low and mournful, it completely stunned Twilight.

“Empress? Are you asking me?”

“There’s no one else left,” Nightmare Moon explained. “Celestia and Luna are gone, Rarity abandoned me, my Shadow I sent away. You are the only one left. Will you too leave me, Twilight?” The young Princess found herself at the loss of words. This… was completely uncharacteristic, to the point where Twilight was forced to consider this a provocation. She usually used hints and half-tones and rarely anything this direct, let alone so private.
“I did something wrong, Twilight,” the onyx mare continued. “Why does this keep happening? What did I do to make even Rarity would turn on me?!”

“Why not ask her, Your Majesty? She does seem to be still… cooperative.” Twilight felt sour taste spreading down her throat, being forced to practice this deliberately cold-hearted language was one of the downsides of being politically engaged.

“It… isn’t this simple Twilight. Rarity cannot tell me anything I do not know already,” Twilight gave her monarch a perplexed look, to which she responded with a sad smile and a prolonged chuckle. She said nothing, waiting for Twilight to formalize her question.

“Your Majesty… forgive me for asking, but how can you know something you didn’t hear?”
Nightmare Moon still said nothing, her smile only becoming slightly wider. Twilight curiously peered into her monarch's face. Apart from her saddened smile she could see… a hint. Perhaps she didn’t need Her Majesty to answer? She waited for Twilight to make a connection.

Twilight asked herself the same question. What would it take for her to always know everything? The most obvious option was to create a spy network, but Her Majesty evidently didn’t have one, not extensive enough at least. Her only agent appeared to be Shadow, who was away at the moment, doing little to change her awareness. Her Majesty didn’t learn her intel in a common way.
If she didn’t have servants to spy for her… what else could there be?

“Twilight, do you remember how we met?” the Empress asked out of nowhere. Another hint?

“...Well, I read a prophecy in the book and tried to attract Princess Celestia’s attention,” Nightmare Moon nodded, signaling for her to continue. “Then, she sent me to Ponyville to oversee a celebration, where I met my friends… Stars, it was so simple back then. Then, after you and Luna returned, I went to study the prophecy again to find a way to stop you.”

“I remember, I watched as you explained your plan to your new friends. This is how I knew where you headed.” The detail made Twilight bite her lip uncomfortably, “What happened next, Twilight?”

“We… went through the forest and didn’t fall prey to your attempts to stop us. We found the Elements and used them to bring Luna out again.” Nightmare Moon gave her another nod,
“...That’s it.”

Nightmare Moon chuckled, shaking her head slightly,
“There’s one more episode to this story, Twilight. What happened after you defeated me?”

“We all went back to Ponyville together with Princess Celestia and Luna.”

“Good, Twilight!” the Empress congratulated. “What did Princess Celestia do?”

“Well… she… reconciled with Luna?”

“Good! Good, Twilight!” Nightmare Moon sounded almost proud. “How did she know where to find you?”

The question dumbfounded Twilight, for she’d never thought about this before… or had she? Twilight remembered an argument she had with Shadow when she first met the changeling.
Back then, Shadow had asked her why she loved Princess Celestia, but simultaneously hated Shadow’s Mistress. Shadow couldn't see the difference between the two mares. Shadow went on to compare the methods used by both high mares and found them almost identical. Twilight was quick to point out that Shadow knew very little of the way Equestria used to be, but it seems Shadow knew a lot more than Twilight liked to believe she did.

"She… sent me there...” Twilight continued. Nightmare Moon leaned forward, gesturing her to continue,
“She… knew exactly where we would go, because she put the Elements in the ruined Castle herself.”

“Precisely, Twilight!” Nightmare Moon approved with a delighted smile. “Why didn’t she simply give them to you?”

“They don’t work unless we are tied by the Magic of Friendship,” Twilight mechanically responded.

“Good! And now, Twilight, the final part of this riddle, who wrote the prophecy?” Twilight felt her shoulders sinking on their own accord. She could see now, this was incredibly simple, her own puppet strings made so apparent now.

“Princess Celestia,” Twilight gave the now obvious answer. Nightmare Moon clapped her hooves softly, but her joy dissolved immediately upon seeing what her lesson caused for her student across the table.

This revelation threatened the very foundations of her being. She had been manipulated and used as a tool for her entire life. None of it was a coincidence.
Just for how long was she in Princess’ scope? Since she entered the School For Gifted Unicorns? Maybe earlier? Celestia had been grooming Twilight to become her instrument of bringing Luna back to her side.

Twilight felt glad she was seated, as she had lost her bearings and felt her head spinning like Rainbow’s new troop transports in flight. Just… how much of her wasn’t Celestia’s doing?!

“I am sorry, Twilight, but this is our way,” she heard a whisper to her ear and felt Her Majesty’s soft embrace.
“Please, do not bear hard feelings for her, Princess Celestia only did what she had to. She did what was required for Equestria.”

Twilight felt her eyes rapidly watering,
“I… I can’t believe this! She planned my entire life for me! Did I ever had a choice at anything?!” Twilight cried out. Her Empress didn’t answer, only continuing to calmly caress her,
“Were-were you using me to?” Twilight sobbed.

“I am sorry,” the response came. “Celestia hated every second of doing this to you. I wish we didn’t have to treat you all like this, but there is no other way. Are you glad to know the truth, Twilight?”

“N-no… I-I wish I didn’t!”

“Good...” Nightmare Moon whispered. The Empress took a long breath before continuing, “Then, you understand why it has to be this way. We have a huge burden to carry, Twilight. For the sake of our ponies, we must continue. For our subjects to sleep soundly, we must stand guard. They will never know the full extent of our duties, because our hallowed duty is to protect them from such revelations.”

“Why me?”

“Because Celestia believed that you have what it takes. She always had an eye for the capable and deserving. She cared for you, Twilight. She was very fond of you.
"There is one more question left to answer this night. Twilight, now you have a choice, one that only belongs to you. I ask you now: will you help me?”

Freedom Is Not Free

Shadow’s neck burned, her legs ached and her eyes threatened to close for exhaustion, but the damnable magical chain together with the stone it was fused into refused to let her go. Her captor had broken her horn off, rendering her shapeshifting expertise useless.
But Shadow couldn’t give up, she had to warn her Mistress… if it wasn’t too late.

Shadow pulled on the chain with all her remaining strength again, hoping to at least move the rock, if not break her chain out. In a few more days she would be too weak to make the journey and there was no hope for the rescue, unless Her Majesty's sister told the Empress of her captured trophy herself. By the stars, this miserable cave could easily become her grave!

Shadow desperately pulled at her chain again, pushing with all four of her legs, but it was not to be. Eventually, her strength failed her and the changeling collapsed back to the ground, panting for air.
This was pointless. The chain wouldn’t break, the stone would not move. It was over the moment she allowed herself to get caught.

But she couldn’t give up. Shadow stubbornly got back to her hooves and pulled on the chain again. The bound around her neck cut into her, drawing from the changeling a sharp hiss. Shadow stopped to run her hoof under her collar, it was covered in her brownish blood. Looking down to her hooves, Shadow found a tiny puddle of the same liquid. No matter.
Shadow continued pulling on her chain.

“Shadow!” The changeling stopped where she stood, did someone just call for her? She carefully looked into the cavern, where the vaguely familiar voice came from. She didn’t see anyone in the dark passage, was her mind playing tricks on her from hunger?
“Shadow, your horn! Who did this to you?!” The changeling heard the same voice right next to herself, causing her to sharply recoil a few steps, her chain clanging across the floor. Turning her head to the source of the sound again, Shadow didn’t see anything… at first. In the dark of the cave, the changeling could vaguely see the outlines of a large pony.

“Princess Luna?” Shadow asked, not quite believing her ears. The shape approached her once again and Shadow noted the lack of hoof steps. This wasn’t right.

“I am here, Shadow,” the pony responded, drawing near to examine the chain. “Did… Celestia do this?”

“No, Your Highness,” Shadow responded cautiously.

“But this is Celestia’s imprint! Shadow, why did my sister put you here?” The shadowy Princess was becoming more and more anxious.

“It wasn’t Princess Celestia, Your Highness.”
Shadow proceeded to cautiously step out of hoof reach, “Your Highness, I fear Princess Celestia is no longer… herself.”

In the mournful silence that ensued neither mare moved, Shadow almost lost the Princess’ outline again. This was… abnormal, the shadows seemed to stick to her. The fact that even the Empress herself never demonstrated such an effect triggered Shadow’s sense of danger. This needed to be immediately researched.

“Princess, if I may,” Shadow respectfully addressed, with a tiny bow, “how did you find me?”

Luna stared at her for a single long moment before finally responding,
“I... sensed you here.” Luna made a few audible sniffs with her nose, “You have a particular smell.” The response only served to puzzle Shadow further, for it contradicted what she had been taught in training. Changelings didn’t smell nearly strong enough, it would alert their prey.

Shadow bowed deeply,
“I am grateful, Your Highness. Couldn’t you...” She nodded at the glittering chain.

“Oh... yes. I am sorry, I almost forgot.” The Princess momentarily lit her horn with the familiar blue aura she shared with the Empress and Shadow’s bind almost instantly disappeared in thin air, from whence it once came. Shadow reached for her neck and found no collar there. A burst of joy from being free again was quickly suppressed. Shadow had to keep a clear head, as always. Her Majesty needed to be warned.

“Your Highness, we have to return to Her Majesty.” Shadow determinedly stated, “She is in danger! Miss Rarity has given the armory keys to the hippogriffs!”

“Rarity did what?!” The silhouette recoiled in shock, “No… this has to have some explanation. Rarity would never do something like this without a dire need!”

“Your Highness, I’ve seen the deed with my own eyes! Miss Rarity conspires with Her Majesty’s enemy! Please, Your Highness! We must return to the palace!”

“...Yes, that we must. Hold on to me.” Shadow followed the command and hugged the Princess’ foreleg.
Luna lit her horn again, preparing a teleportation spell.
Pony magic always was a point of wonder and envy for changelings. Pony spellcasters could effortlessly lift the weight that otherwise took a dozen changelings to lift and this was only the banalest way of using their magic. Teleportation spells were out of reach even for the Queens.
Shadow felt the space warp around them, but the Princess suddenly stopped casting.

“Sombra,” she grunted. Shadow knew the name — the stories about the ‘Shadow King’ had reached even the changeling ears.

The cavern silently filled with smoke, until the King’s gassy outline established itself in front of them, gazing out with his two glowing eyes.

“What do you want?” the Princess asked straight away, clearly already tired of the ancient despot.

Sombra hesitantly waited,
“To say goodbye,” he pronounced, chagrined. “Would you… send this creature away for a moment?”

“Say what you will and be done with it.” The harshness of Luna's response made the ancient King chuckle sadly.

“Is this what I get from you now, my love? After I used up what I had left to reverse your cute pet’s actions? Is it not enough to earn some of your favor?”

“Did you really think I would simply forget everything you did after a single favor from you? You continue to disappoint.”

“Hmm… No, I suppose you won’t forget.” The King dropped his eyes to the ground, while Luna said nothing, “I only wanted to protect you, for once.”

“You are a fool, Sombra,” the Princess sighed. “Why couldn’t you just let it go? That way at least our sorrows would remain our own,” she continued more softly.

“Because I am a fool.” Another period of silence ensued.

“I don’t think we have anything else to say to each other.” Luna began re-casting her spell.

“There is one more thing, my love. Something you need to know.
”Luna, I had to cast another spell while you slumbered. One your friend wouldn't have let me to.

“What spell? Did you do something again?”

“I… did, my love. Tell me, what is the last thing you remember before you woke in this forest?” The unexpected question left Luna confused for a second.

“We… were in your cave.”

“I did not do that, my love.”

“What is it you didn’t do? Sombra, if you have something to say, speak plainly. We have something to attend to.”

“You are dead, my love.” The Princess recoiled a step back.

“Sombra, what are you saying? Is this some sort of a ruse?”

“There is no ruse, Luna. You are dead for five long moons now. One of the Guards shot you, mistaking you for one of the golems I built. Was there snow in Canterlot premises when you last remember?”

“You lie!” Luna yelled suddenly. Sombra simply chuckled again.

“Ask this creature then.” The King shifted his burning gaze to the changeling still quietly standing beside Luna, “Tell us, wretch, what did you see in that room inside my palace?” Shadow didn’t produce a sound, revealing information was not her prerogative, “You won’t even tell the Princess the truth about herself?”

“Sombra, stop this charade. What do you want?”

“For you to know the truth. Luna, if this tool won’t help us, I would have to demonstrate. You’ll wish you had cooperated,” The King warned Shadow.

Sombra proceeded to draw closer and hit Luna on the forehead with his horn, Luna blinked from surprise.

“I am sorry, my love,” the ancient King said before retreating back out of the cave.

“Princess, do you feel differently?” Shadow quickly asked. For a second, Luna didn’t answer,

“I… am hungry,” Luna responded, surprising herself with the answer.

“The palace staff will be glad to alleviate.”

“It’s not that kind of hunger. Shadow you smell so...” Luna suddenly sniffed the air and looked down at the changeling.

“Princess?” Shadow recoiled from Luna, who started drifting nearer.

“...rich,” Luna finished her sentence.

“Princess?!” Luna heard a distant, panicking yelp.

Don't Kill A Messager

“Sister, arrest her!” Daybreaker pointed to Nightmare’s side where Twilight huddled uneasily. "I tell you again, she is in league with that traitor! I heard them plotting against you together!"

“Sister, we do not punish our ponies for simply having associations,” the onyx mare spread her wing, covering Twilight from her sister’s burning gaze.

“But, Nightmare! How much more does it take for you to realize your folly!?” Daybreaker voiced out, widening her eyes in indignation.

“Sister, I will not suffer your ridiculous accusations any longer. We have somewhere to be,” the black mare stated with the practiced, flat tone of a judicator.

Daybreaker opened her mouth to counter, but changed her mind after receiving a glare from Nightmare. The white mare gave Nightmare a little bow and trotted away, her tail nervously twitching side to side, giving away her irritation.
Nightmare proceeded to fold her wing back to her side.

“Forgive her, Twilight,” Nightmare said after Daybreaker left their view. “My sister is very troubled.”

“I think I can tell, Your Majesty. Can I ask you something?” Nightmare Moon lifted her brow at Twilight, but did not refuse. As good as permission coming from her,
“Your Majesty, why won’t you let me get the girls and… make Princess Celestia return? We can do that, I think.”

“Twilight, I am afraid we can’t do that,” Nightmare Moon sighed. “This is a lot more complicated than just shooting rainbow beams at ponies. There is a good reason why my sister is like this.”

“Because she is a malignant parasite who stole a pony’s body? ...Oh! I am sorry, Your Majesty!” Twilight dropped her eyes to the floor, Nightmare Moon gently lifted her chin up again.

“You are right, Twilight,” the Empress admitted.
“My kind plant themselves in the minds of other creatures and feed of our hosts, eventually overtaking their body. Sadly, we do not have a choice in the matter, even less so than our hosts. We rely on others for our very existence, Twilight. Unless we can successfully subjugate another, we are forever left as prisoners with no control over our own destiny and forever trapped inside someone else’s body. My sister spent a thousand years with a pony who wanted little more than to never see her free.
“To her, Celestia is a torturer, Twilight.”

“T-torturer?! But Princess Celestia would never harm another person… unless she has to.”

“Princess Celestia absolutely had to, Twilight. My sister would go to any length to walk free from Celestia’s chains, but she never had a chance to break free. Celestia was too strong-willed. Even in her worst hours, she was still strong enough to fend off.”

“Unlike Luna?”

“Unlike Luna,” Nightmare Moon echoed sadly. “I am afraid you cannot bring Celestia back any longer. I… saw the moment Twilight. When Celestia looked at Luna’s lifeless body, something inside her snapped. I don’t think she wants to be back here.
“I can no longer sense her dreams," Nightmare Moon continued morbidly. "It seems, my sister has pushed Celestia’s consciousness to the fringes of her mind. Possibly to her earliest memories. She is where she always wanted to be, Twilight -- with Luna.”

“I... understand.” Twilight breathed out, barely holding back her tears.

“Be patient with my sister. She may be troublesome and mouthy, but in the end, she is a very sad mare. She already suffered for all her sins, Celestia made sure of this.”
Suddenly Nightmare Moon's own eyes began to water, she proceeded to dry them with her hoof,
“And when you will hear a voice in your own head, Twilight, please, do not be cruel to her. She only wants to live, just as you do, do not blame her for being forced to struggle for her right to do so. Can you promise me this much?” Twilight nodded her head lightly, earning herself a rare and grateful smile. “We shall go now, the petitioners waited long enough.”

“Your Majesty, I have one more question. Should I have a look into the nature of… you? Maybe I could...” Nightmare Moon looked away from Twilight, peering into a window instead.

“Do you seek do undermine my kind, Twilight?” The question, straight and sharp like a blade, made Twilight instantly panic.

“No! This is not--”

“Do it, Twilight.” Nightmare Moon stopped her in the same cool tone.

“W-what?”

“We are pitiful creatures, Twilight,” the onyx mare explained, turning her attention back to Twilight again. “It is better to die than to live eternally without any control over your fate. I believe this is something all of my sisters would agree with," Nightmare Moon finished with a long sigh.
"Let us go now, we have labors to finish.”

“This is not all, Your Majesty,” the Minister of War bowed cautiously. “I fear we need more numbers in Tenochtitlan Basin.” Nightmare Moon suddenly smiled over from her throne.

“Do jungle savages give Imperial garrisons trouble, General?” the Empress said, holding back laughter.

“Of course not! They simply do not have enough boots in the field to chase them all down!” Nightmare Moon glanced at Twilight, sitting at her side on a comfy chair. Twilight understood the signal and got ready to write down notes.

“Remind me, General, how come the Imperial Army found itself struggling to hold their positions in the south-eastern region in the first place? I do not recall jungle denizens declaring war on us.”

“They claim we are building fortifications over some ancient burial site,” the Minister answered without blinking an eye. “Engineering Corps discovered no remains in the vicinity neither when initially exploring the area nor enacting the earthworks.”

“Hmm...” Nightmare Moon turned her head to Twilight, “What do you think, Twilight?”

“Me?” Twilight blinked. Nightmare Moon confirmed her question with a nod. “I… Well, I don’t know. I don’t think I know enough about military matters, Your Majesty.”

“But this is not a military matter, Twilight. We are not at war as of yet.” The Princess pressed a hoof to her chin.

“Do you want me to resolve this peacefully? But… I don’t see how; if what General says is true, then it is already too late for negotiations.”

“You are correct, Twilight.” The response confused Twilight even more, “Continue.”

“I… don’t know, Empress, I am not quali--”

“Twilight,” Nightmare Moon forcefully stopped her Princess. “Please, continue your thought.” Now Twilight found herself completely dumbfounded, facing the delighted smile of her fellow royal mare. Was Nightmare Moon playing with her?

“...Well, if the negotiations are no longer an option...” Nightmare Moon nodded, “and there isn’t the option of simply moving the construction site...” another approving nod, “then the jungle dwellers have to be either demonstrated wrong in their accusations or pushed back.”

“Good, Twilight. Which option is better?”

“Well, it wouldn’t be very good to chase them out of their homes...” Twilight grabbed her head with both of her hooves, her mind working to solve the puzzle,
“Dig it up!” Twilight suddenly exclaimed, the answer seeming so obvious now. “Dig up the entire site! Dig it and leave it like that, let the locals examine it; when they find no burials, they will leave the site alone!”

“Excellent, Twilight!” Nightmare Moon congratulated, sounding satisfied.
“Well, you heard your Princess!” the black mare turned back to the rather bewildered Minister. “Assign the Experimental Aerial Warfare unit to the region, they could use some flying practice while spreading the message.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the Minister bowed again and promptly disappeared through the throne room doors.

“Now, I believe we have a changeling delegation seeking to… Twilight, what was it?”

Twilight flipped her notebook a few pages back,
“They want to negotiate Queen Chrysalis’ release, Your Majesty.”

Nightmare Moon bit her lip,
“Call them in,” she asked Sergeant Shoes, who swiftly went to the doors. Nightmare Moon used the moment to gesture Twilight to get closer,

“Twilight, there is something you need to know for this one,” the mare whispered in Twilight’s ear. “Chrysalis isn’t in my custody.”

The Guard soon returned, leading three changeling officers in uniforms, all bearing awards. A black wooden box floated behind them. The Empress peered at each one’s face. Curiously, Twilight noted, none of them looked away. Picked for their bravery?

“Your Majesty, I am Colonel Mantis,” the foremost changeling slightly bowed. “This is Captain Mayfly and Major Thysbe.” Both changelings bowed politely following their introduction,
“We are here on behalf of General Pharynx to request your permission to collect our Queen,” the Colonel declared straightforwardly.

“So I was told,” Nightmare Moon acknowledged. “Colonel, tell me: do you understand what you are asking for?”

“We do, Your Majesty. Our Queen is your sworn enemy, but I have the authorization to assure you that she will not be allowed to regain her authority. You may see to it yourself.” The officer nodded at the Sergeant, who never moved out of hooves reach from him.

“Colonel, forgive me for my curiosity, but didn’t your General declare Queen Chrysalis to be an enemy of your kind? My understanding was so that he was content with the Queen residing inside my dungeon.”

“I am afraid this is no longer acceptable, Your Majesty. We require a Queen for our reproduction cycle,” the Colonel explained without a hint of hesitation. "We scoured the remaining hives, but our Queen left no place for possible competition. She didn't leave a single royal egg."

“I see.” Nightmare Moon nodded slowly, “What are you willing to offer in exchange?” Mantis gestured Thrysbe to his side, calling the Major forth. The changeling lit his horn in the signature green and the box floated forward together with him.

Twilight leaned forward on her chair to have a better look at the container. The ebony box was not particularly richly decorated, but it was beautifully carved with the images of the stars and moon.

“Your Majesty,” the Colonel respectfully bowed again. “We present to you this tribute.” Mantis proceeded to open the box, revealing blue velvet inside. Twilight’s jaw dropped as the Colonel lifted up the most majestic piece of jewelry Twilight had ever seen in her entire life.

The changelings brought a crown! The shimmering silver band was dotted with tiny sapphires, while the upper spines were decorated with crescent and star-shaped diamonds, all concluding in a forward-most, perfectly round gem. Twilight started to count the costs of making something this incredible, but quickly realized how redundant it was. This jewel was a priceless work of art!

The changelings were not finished yet. Captain Mayfly stepped forwards next and lifted up of the box another jewel. Again, a crown but this time, it was made of pure gold. Considerably smaller and having fewer gems, it still was inscribed with numerous stars and dotted with many rubies and a single emerald right at the forehead, symbolizing that rarest moment to be seen at sundown.

Mantis gave the Imperial crown to the dazzled Baron and dove inside the box once again, this time emerging with another golden band with more rubies on it, this time heart-shaped.

Lastly, Thrysbe pulled out the last marvel. It was clearly meant for Twilight—it wasn’t grand, on par with Cadance’s, attributing to the two of them being the younger royalty at the court.
But Twilight still adored it! Her own crown was golden, just like Cadance’s and… the memory of Huffy immediately soured Twilight’s mood.

The rest of the moment’s magic was immediately swooped away by the sudden burst of Nightmare Moon’s cackle. Twilight sharply turned her head at to the side and discovered her monarch openly laughing in a way Twilight hadn’t heard her do in years. Her laugh wasn’t the soft chuckle Twilight was growing accustomed to, but the very same haunting, mocking cackle Twilight still remembered in detail from the fateful night a decade ago.
Casting a glance at Baron, he seemed to Twilight just as stunned as herself—even the changelings weren’t indifferent, shifting from hoof to hoof while Nightmare Moon continued cackling at them.

“I-I am s-sorry, e-everyone!” the onyx mare finally managed to take a hold of herself and close her fanged maw back to a more dignified measure. “You must be the bravest Pharynx had in his store.” Nightmare Moon wiped tears from her eyes and suddenly dished out one of her deathly glares; Twilight felt lump gathering in her throat and shiver running down her spine, that look never meant anything good,
“I do not recall anyone trying to bribe me this brazenly before!” The royal pony’s voice was practically swelling with indignation and anger.

Baron, still holding the jewel, rushed towards the doors to call the Guards stationed outside.

“Your General will soon learn exactly why he shouldn’t insult his betters!” Nightmare Moon rumbled, spurring up from her throne. “Twilight! Find my sister, I have a mission for her, for once her tendencies will serve a purpose. And this offense I will deal with myself!” Twilight heard the order clearly, but could make herself move, so stunning the display was. But Nightmare Moon paid her no further attention.

All three changelings immediately dropped down in bows, somehow managing not to drop the marvellous jewels on the floor,
“Your Majesty, I beg for your forgiveness! We meant no insult! General Pharynx believed tribute to be the adequate way of compensating for our Queen’s release into his own custody!”

“Did he now?” Nightmare Moon continued to rumble. “And what did he want to say with this? That I am so cheap as to sell off my loathed enemy for a few trinkets and an honest word, and a changeling's one at that?!”
Honor Guard Sergeant returned with a squad of regular Guards, already bearing rifles,
“Find a better excuse, you have one more chance!”

Something wasn’t right. Nightmare Moon had told Twilight to bring Huffy, yet didn’t react to her openly disobeying. She couldn't have missed Twilight not moving an inch, it's just wasn't like the Empress. More to it, she was threatening the officers over insulting her with trying to pay her for the Queen she didn’t even have in her dungeon anyone. Nightmare Moon was playing the changelings for fools!

“I… I beg for your forgiveness!” Mantis lamented again. “We had no understanding of this custom seen as insulting by ponies! Allow us a chance to rectify our fault! Your subjects praise you for your mercy and magnanimity!”

“Ugh! Why do you, primitives, must be this tiresome? Yes… there is something you may do to ‘rectify’ this insult. Colonel Mantis, my administration believes you still have an operational infiltration company, is this correct?“

“Yes, Your Majesty! I command thirty-six more trained infiltrators! They are ready for any mission you have for them!”

“I have an enemy, Colonel. A distant, but no less dangerous one. Have you heard of Mount Aris by any chance?”

“The Land of Hippogriffs, Your Majesty!” the Colonel responded after a second of hesitation.

“Yes, you are correct. I require your aid in acquiring intelligence, Hippogriffs won’t let any of my own agents close to their city. Find out everything about them. How many soldiers they have, how well they are trained and armed, what is the state of their fortifications. I want to know everything!” Nightmare Moon emphasized with a stomp of her hoof.

“It shall be done, Your Majesty!” Mantis immediately gabbled.

“Now get out of my sight… and leave your trinkets, I shall find uses for them.”

“I don’t know what to say, Your Majesty,” Twilight said after the changelings’ rapid departure together with the arrived Guards, leaving only Baron behind, who now held the box in his hooves. “I never thought a changeling could be this terrified.” Nightmare Moon laughed again, to Twilight’s relief, softly.

“Simpletons, like these, are very easy to scare, Twilight. Once you intimidate them enough, you can make them do whatever you want.”

Twilight glanced cautiously at Baron, who tried his best to hide in the plain sight,
“But… why?” Twilight lowered her tone, “Your Majesty, if you wanted them to gather intel for you, couldn’t you simply give a word to Pharynx?”

“Why?” Baron suddenly found the box being pulled off his grasp, engulfed in blue aura, “Look.” Nightmare Moon flung the top open, showing Twilight the magnificent jewellery again, “Twilight, these fools ended up paying me for a chance to do my bidding! I have these and a way to spy on Novo while not giving them anything in return!” Nightmare Moon delightedly explained, her fangs sticking out of her grinning mouth.

“But… Your Majesty! Why this treachery?” Twilight found her eyes suddenly tearing up. “They didn’t do anything to deserve this! They only came to get their mother back!”

The grin immediately disappeared from Nightmare Moon’s face,
“Twilight, this is politics. This is how it is done. If I won’t do what I must to achieve my goals, my enemies surely will achieve theirs! I couldn’t just tell them that I don’t have their Queen anymore!”

“Why couldn’t you?! They deserved to know!”

“She is dead,” Nightmare Moon grimly blurted.

“What?! Did you-”

“No, Twilight. I didn’t do anything to her. I let her go, where do you think that recipe book appeared from? Chrysalis bought her own freedom. Shadow was the one who made the deed on her own consent, she reported so.”

“Shadow murdered Chrysalis?!” Twilight felt her head suddenly getting a spin.

“She killed her, Twilight. Chrysalis tried to take revenge on Shadow for choosing me over her, Shadow was only defending herself.”

“Then… the changelings-”

“A dead race, yes, Twilight. Do you see now why I couldn’t simply tell them?” Nightmare Moon waved her hoof at the doors.

“Oh no!” the only thing Twilight managed to say.

“Call in the next one, whoever that is,” Nightmare Moon ordered Barom turning away from Twilight sharply.

The Guard obediently went for the door.

“I am sorry it has to be this way, Twilight.”

“Was it always this way, Your Majesty?”

“Yes, it was,” Nightmare Moon grimly confirmed.

“I am sorry, darlings, official Imperial business!” the familiar voice drew their attention to the guests again.

Baron hesitantly stepped back from the doors, letting in Rarity followed by a pony Twilight didn’t see before carrying Philomena on one of his back. Nightmare Moon immediately leaned forward. As soon as the doors were shut tightly again, Rarity hurried her guest forward.

“Your Majesty,” the stallion deeply bowed.

“Thorax, where is Shadow?” Nightmare Moon asked, sounding more worried than Twilight ever heard before.

“I don’t know, Your Majesty! I am sorry! We were… on a mission, following Miss Rarity to the ruins in the Everfree Forest,” Rarity shivered, “when Shadow noticed your sister, following closely behind. I lead her away from the ruins and lost her in the Forest but...” Nightmare Moon's eye twitched.

Crimson Stained Harmony

“Sister, I swear, I left her right here!” Daybreaker anxiously lamented. The alabaster mare cautiously covered herself with her wing as the rock she had chained the changeling to smashed against the wall with enough force to send the fragments flying and to make the floor shake,
“If I knew who this bug was I would never...” Daybreaker started another apology but instantly wished she’d kept quiet.
With a blood-chilling growl Nightmare Moon sent the remaining piece of the large rock flying right at her sister’s face, making her urgently dive out of its course. The rock shattered with an earthshaking crack, showering the mare with shards. Before the Daybreaker could catch her bearings again, she felt herself being roughly grasped around the neck and dragged upwards again, facing her sister’s burning glare.

“Where is she?!” Nightmare Moon chided right into her face, with the tone that promised her every imaginable suffering. An uneven smile crept back on Daybreaker’s face.

“I left her right here! I haven’t moved her since! I don’t know where she is now! Honestly!” Nightmare Moon’s already slit pupils narrowed into barely visible lines. Daybreaker’s smile grew even wider, another layer of cold sweat covering her body.

“There’s blood, Your Majesty,” Twilight stated grimly, ducking closer to the ground and exploring a small puddle in the cave’s center. “It’s fresh, she was here only a few hours before!”
Nightmare Moon immediately lost any interest her sister, releasing her throat and rapidly trotting over to Twilight.

Throwing a brief look at the brownish liquid, Nightmare Moon searched for Thorax with her eyes. The changeling immediately shrank under her gaze,
“Thorax, come here this instant!” she barked out the order. The changeling reluctantly obeyed, “Sniff this!”

The order stunned the changeling for a brief moment; but catching the Empress’ pupils starting to narrow again, he quickly smelled the puddle, his eyes widened,
“Oooh...”

“What-what is it?!” Nightmare Moon urgently asked.

“She is… malnourished,” Thorax stated what his mind was telling him. “Doesn’t seem to be hurt.”

Daybreaker audibly exhaled in relief.

“Twilight, do you know a tracking spell which could prove useful here?” Nightmare Moon asked her Princess.

“I… no. I am sorry, Your Majesty, I need my spellbook for this,” Twilight apologized.

The response made Nightmare Moon pace a few circles around the puddle,
“Arrrrraaaaghhh!” she growled, this time more in fear than anger.

“Your Majesty, we can still track her down using a thing of hers. Or using a dog, we could borrow Winona off Applejack!” Twilight suggested.

“I’ll go get the dog, then!” Daybreaker seized the opportunity and darted to the exit. The distinctive sound of the rifle’s bolt being pulled was her only signal to stop. Daybreaker swallowed as she knew that this was her last warning, her sister raised her all remaining Honor Guards, they wouldn’t let her cross the perimeter.

"You won't be leaving us any time soon, sister dear," Nightmare Moon half-growled, half-hissed.

“Cree!” the familiar voice called for them from the outside.

“We have hostiles!” Firestep’s voice arrived shortly after, followed by the familiar booming pops of rifles discharging. Nightmare Moon rushed towards the exit, almost knocking Twilight aside.

“Hold your fiiiire!” the Sergeant's voice broke through the gunfire, silencing it entirely.

Nightmare Moon galloped out of the cave, following with her eyes in the direction Baron’s hoof pointed her. There stood a blocky figure resembling a pony, Philomena sitting on its head.

“Check it,” she ordered. Firestep cautiously trotted forth, keeping his rifle on target. The figure did not move an inch the entire time of his approach. He tapped it with his rifle’s barrel, no response.

“One of those blockheads!” he reported back. “Made of solid rock this time.”

Nightmare Moon took her turn to approach, keeping her eyes on the golem. It didn’t show any hostility or move in any way until she could almost touch it herself. The mare lifted her brow and tapped the thing on the forehead, scarred with bullet marks. Obeying her touch, the golem returned to life and began to slowly trot away, deeper into the Forest.

“Follow it,” the Empress ordered.

“Your Majesty, where are we going? This thing could lead us anywhere, we have been marching for an hour already,” Twilight commented anxiously, catching up to her monarch and trotting beside her.

“This is one of Sombra’s constructs, Twilight. It is leading us to him.”

“King Sombra's, Your Majesty?!” Twilight asked in disbelief. “Here? Why would he help us?”

“Later.”

Twilight was left to her own guesses once again.
Twilight left the Empress’ side again, moving further down the column to find Thorax. Maybe he could shed some light on this confusing situation.

“Thorax, right?” Twilight quietly called to him, matching his pace.

“Yes, Your Highness.” The changeling threw in a tiny bow, without compromising his trot.

“Thorax, what were your orders with Shadow?” Twilight asked him straightly in a hushed tone.

“I...Your Highness, I don’t think I can say. Sorry.” Twilight bit her lip. Stupid protocols.

“Thorax, Her Majesty told me already about your mother,” Twilight tried to leverage her information. “Please, I need to know! This secrecy already caused enough catastrophes.”

Thorax looked puzzled for a second,
“Her Majesty… relieved Shadow from her duty. She told me to watch her so that she will stay in safety. I… She is hard to stop when she makes up her mind.”

This made things clearer for Twilight, but it raised more questions than it answered.

“Then, if she was told to stay out of trouble, what she was doing following Rarity? Shadow disregarding her orders doesn’t make any sense.”

“I told her this much, Your Highness. But she just won’t stop! Since Philomena found us in your Castle, Shadow was doing everything she wanted us to do. She said Philomena is Her Majesty’s messenger.”

“Wha..?” the last part made Twilight miss a step as she cast a bewildered look at the glowing bird flying over their heads. “Who told you that? Philomena isn’t even at the palace most of the time! She stays with Fluttershy since Princess Celestia was sent to the moon, Philomena didn’t come back to her even after the Princess returned!”

“I… don’t know anything more, Your Highness! I am sorry!” Thorax pleaded. “Philomena kept returning to us almost every night ever since Shadow… our mother.” Hearing Thorax swallowing the word told Twilight more than the actual word would have, the young Princess looked at him as compassionately as she could do under the circumstance. Twilight was ashamed of having to touch the wound.

“How did Chrysalis find you?”

“She chased Shadow to your Castle. Shadow had no choice,” Thorax responded mechanically.

“No, Thorax, how did she find you? Did Her Majesty just let your Queen prowl?”

“Shadow was… practicing," Thorax obediently began to answer. "She was going out for a few hours on some of the nights, while I stayed behind so that Sir Spike wouldn’t notice. On one night she returned and said she saw our mother in Canterlot. That’s all she told me, I am sorry, Your Highness!”

“Thank you, Thorax... It's enough for now.” Twilight felt like she couldn’t take any new information now, her head felt dizzy.

What had become of this land?! Wherever she looked, whatever she knew, none of it was just that!
Now it turned out that Shadow wasn’t even at her Castle like she said she was! She was running her own missions, openly disobeying Nightmare Moon! The mare Shadow jumps on any whim of!
Nightmare Moon let her worst enemy just lurk around Canterlot, King Sombra had made a lair in the Everfree Forest and now suddenly wanted to talk, this… Thorax was walking under her nose together with Shadow for Celestia knows how… no, she didn’t know either. And on top of it all, there was also a vampiric alicorn Princess lurking somewhere around! Even Celestia’s pet bird was running her own schemes now!
And Twilight would've never learned about most of this if Her Majesty's composure didn't break up enough for Twilight to get a chance to speak with someone she wasn't meant to talk with.

How much of it was real? Was ANY of it real? Who was her friend? Who’s foe? Where did this cocoon of lies and secrets end? And where did it start?
...What was she to do? What could she do?

“...Would you let me if I told you what was needed?” A distant response given by a vaguely familiar voice returned Twilight to reality.

“What did you do?” Nightmare Moon asked in turn. Twilight peered forward to the head of the procession, trying to pierce the darkness. She could make out Her Majesty’s contours and her glittering mane, but whoever she talked to she still couldn’t see, there was just… darkness. They’d found the King.

“Follow me,” Sombra commanded. Twilight could only follow the Empress.

Her Majesty followed Sombra to another cave, one of the Guards dared to light a flashlight to see where they were going. The narrow entrance quickly ended in a large opening, the light wandered around the cave before Twilight, catching some parts of the dead King’s smoke; ultimately stopping on a dark red circle adorned with runes on the floor. Twilight felt a lump coming to her throat, ...no, not this. This would be too much.

Nightmare Moon angrily hissed somewhere ahead,
“How dare-”

“Spare me. You of all creatures in the land won’t lecture me. This way she can control her hunger.” Twilight felt her hooves about to give in. The light shone to where the words came from, tearing Her Majesty’s figure out of the darkness. Twilight madly widened her eyes and covered her mouth with her hoof, her whole body shuddering. Their monarch stood over a dead body of a pony… Was this Trixie Lulamoon? Oh, poor Trixie! They were never on good terms… but… no, not like this!
“I found her in some ditch on the road,” Sombra began explaining. “I believe she was stabbed by some brigand and left for dead. She served you well before she died, or what was left of her did.”

“Where is Luna?!” Nightmare Moon hissed back at him. The king simply drifted away further into the darkness, out of the flashlight’s view. More walking…
Luckily, it was barely another few steps. The Flashlight almost immediately found their prize, both of them.

Luna sat in the center of another alcove, holding Shadow in her hooves. The changeling wasn’t moving. But even that Twilight still endured. Nightmare Moon approached Luna, her steps uneven and forced. Then it happened, Luna lifted her eyes of Shadow and stared straight at Nightmare. A silent scream. Twilight couldn’t take it anymore, a single look on Luna’s tear-soaked face, imprinted with more pain and guilt than Twilight felt in her entire life, was the last straw. She felt her legs failing her, but she did not feel herself hitting the ground. Her brain mercifully shut down before she could feel anything else.

A Friendly Fracture

“Outstanding worrk, sirr!” Nightstar clapped her hooves for Morning, emerging with a tray. Silver tried his best to not laugh, his Father, as always, looked utterly ridiculous in the apron; looking as proud as he must have been on the Infantry Academy graduation day.
Nightstar noticed his reaction and gave him a quick wink, making him blush, hopefully, Father won’t notice in the dark.

Nightstar spurred from her seat to help Morning serve the table. 3 bowls with creamy soup, a saucer with a few slices of bread, a bowl with apples and a simple water carafe; wow, Father got really quick with that balancing of his! This was quite a weight

“Zis smells pozitevely delightful, sirr!” Nightstar commented after taking a large sniff of the soup. “You must have been practising.” Silver could swear he saw his own Father’s cheeks getting just slightly darker upon hearing the mare’s cheerful praise.

“Thank you, miss,” Morning a little awkwardly bowed. “I am trying my best.”

“Of courrse you do!” Nightstar agreed, taking Father’s hoof and gently leading him to his own place at the table. After having him settled, she trotted over to the window and pushed the drapes apart, letting the moon in. The mare than returned to the table and sat down,
“A moment, if you pleaze,” the mare proceeded to close her eyes and started a quiet prayer.

Whichever star they were walking under, Silver couldn’t believe how lucky they got to have her. After the bat-winged angel appeared on their doorstep, Nightstar changed the atmosphere in the house dramatically. The floors were carefully washed and dusted in the way Silver had almost forgotten they could be, the clothes were clean and carefully folded to avoid them wrinkling (which was particularly important for Silver’s uniform jackets), even Father was more relaxed than Silver had seen him in forever.
Nightstar was a strike of golden… platinum luck!

She was amazingly nice too, much more so than other thestrals he met on the streets. If others mostly just tolerated him, seeing him as a nuisance, she seemed to genuinely enjoy her time with them. Everything about her, even that purring accent she had, felt amazingly soft. Father told him that this was one of High Priestess' hoofmaidens, so being this way was a part of her job, but Silver couldn't care less exactly where she had come from, only that she did.

“Thank you, sirrs!” Nightstar said, signalising her prayer’s conclusion. Without further ado, the mare took a taste of the soup, “Very good, sirr,” she gave her verdict, “you definitely imprroved!”
The appraisal prompted silver to have a taste himself. Father did improve! One more point to Nightstar’s score.

“Thank you, miss.” Morning instinctively answered.

“Thank you, Father,” Silver echoed. Nightstar laughed.

“My, my, you two arre so alike!”

“Thank you, miss,” Silver and his Father said together, causing Nightstar even more fun. Her laugh was contagious, so both stallions soon were giggling alongside the mare.

“Still,” the mare suddenly stopped, “we have a matterr on our hooves.”

“Imprressive,” Nightstar said, checking how clean the bowl was with a smile. “You have a talent for zis.” The mare showed Silver his own reflection in the bowl he just washed.

“It wasn’t very dirty in the first place, miss,” Silver said, trying to hide his blush. “The only thing it had in it was a little fat. Father’s soup always tends to be a little thick.”

“Why, he just wants you to get a little ‘thick’ on your bones!” Nightstar enthusiastically put the bowl down into a cupboard. “Want to help me wiz shopping now?”

“Of course, miss!” Silver readily answered. “Where are we going? I need to know what to wear.” A delighted smile appeared on Nightstar’s face in response to his serious attitude.

“Oh, you arre such a gentlecolt! No wonderr zose old mares at the Ministrry had fallen forr you!” The remark made Silver blush again. Cloudy Dawn wasn’t quite old, though.
“Go get yourr purrse, alrready, they do pay ze firrst month in advance, no?”

“Yes, miss!” Silver hopped down of the chair, he had to climb to reach the sink, and quickly went off to grab his things.

The purse was very quick and easy to find, it had its own place for many years now. Next - clothes. Canterlot streets had no snow lying around, but the air was as frigid as anywhere else. Silver grabbed his warm coat, old but sturdy, and next came his woollen hat.

“Don’t forrget ze scarrfy, Rrayon,” Nightstar said as she joined him by the door. Silver swiftly obeyed and tied one around his neck. The combination of her accent and the wording itself made Silver struggle not to laugh.
“We arre away, sirr! We’ll be back in an hourr!” the mare shouted to inform Silver’s Father and opened the door, letting Silver outside. Nighstar followed immediately after him, closing the door. For the moment after, Nightstar critically examined his simplistic attire.
“Just a...” The mare proceeded to lift the end of the scarf and flip it over his shoulder, “Zere.”

“Thank you, miss,” Silver automatically mumbled.

“Oh, don’t you whisperr to me!” Silver momentarily widened his eyes, but Nightstar was still smiling at him, soothing away any fright he could receive, “The merchants at ze stalls won’t hearr you!”

“Yes, miss,” Silver automatically responded. Nightstar’s smile soured.

“Oh, Rrayon de Lune! You arren’t on duty, zere iz no need to display yourr mannerrs on everry courrnerr.” The mare tried to talk to him, but Silver couldn’t take this anymore! Silver burst in laughter.

“I-I am sorry!” Silver tried to salvage the situation, trying to take a hold of himself with pure willpower. “Your-your-”

“My what? My accent?” The mare’s smile was suddenly back and wide enough to bare her fangs, “Yo alrredi serrtanli know ‘ow to insult e marre!” Nightstar mockingly accused him, emphasizing her accent, making Silver laugh even harder, “Wat do yo ‘eve to say in yerr difens?”

“N-no! P-plea-”

“Ow, yo’rre mal élevé little Rrayon!”

“Please! I can’t...” Silver began to feel his legs failing him.

“Yo prromisin’ me yo’ll stop bihevin’ like yo’rre on e job?”

“Yes!” Satisfied with the tortured out vow, Nightstar let him a minute to calm down, before lowering her head down and baring her fangs again in a mock threat.

“You start whispering in front of other ponies, ze accent rreturrns rrait back! Comprreznes?”

“Yes...”

“Yes, what?”

“Yes… Nightstar!” Silver smiled at the saving throw he made.

“Good,” the mare turned on her heels and began trotting out of the alley their home was in, leaving Silver stunned for a second. Just a second.

“Which ones you like more, Rrayon?”

Silver looked over the array of apples, before picking out a dozen the plumpest. The clerk dutifully put every single one Silver wanted into their bag.

“That would be three and a half bits, sir.” Silver opened his purse and counted out 3 silver and a few gold coins, he took a second to marvel at the newly minted crescents and full moon shapes.

“By the stars, did they really mint a new coin?” the clerk wondered aloud.

“Uh? What did zi sirr say?”

“It's the first time I see the new coins,” The clerk explained.

“No, beforre zis. Did you say ‘By ze starrs?’” Nightstar’s sudden interest propped Silver’s own. Just… how come everyone is saying that? The expression was a new one, as he couldn't remember himself hearing it before the Empress ascended to the throne, although his memories of his earliest years were quite foggy. The saying spread like a wildfire since then, even those who do not support the Empress have begun to adopt it.

“Well… yeah. I did,” the confused clerk answered.

“Ooooh!” Nightstar nearly jumped over the counter, making the other pony instinctively back off. “Zis iz fascinating! I never knew you venerrate your ancestors as we do! Who werre they?”

“What?” the completely dumbfounded clerk asked. “Miss...”

“Nightstarr.”

“Miss Nightstar, what do you mean? I have some… ancestors but why would you all of the sudden...”

“But sirr,” Nightstar’s smile dimmed, “you've just prrayed to zi starrs, surrely you must be referring to someone!”

“I prayed?”

“Well of course! When we call to zi starrs, we ask ourr long gone to watch overr us.” The clerk proceeded to facehoof himself, Silver bit his lip. This was awkward.

“So that’s why thestrals keep giving me weird looks when I say it!” the clerk exclaimed. “Miss Nightstar, I am so-so sorry! I just keep hearing everyone else saying this and wanted to fit in! I didn’t mean to...”

The bell behind them suddenly rang, signalizing a new customer’s arrival. Silver instinctively turned his head around…

“Rrayon, bow!” Nightstar exclaimed.

“But this is...”

“Bow!” Silver did as ordered, bowing his head so that he wouldn’t look up at the person.

“Eh… alright.” Miss Rarity evidently was as confused as Silver was, “Silver, darling, if I remember correctly you don’t need to bow to me according to the protocol.”

“That’s what I thou-”

“You know Rarity Belle!?” Nighstar nearly knocked him off his hoofs, so rapidly did she moved up to him,
“Oh! I am sorry, ma’am!” she remembered her manners a moment later.

“Well… yes, Darling,” Rarity spoke before Silver could answer. “We are acquainted; Silver sometimes brings mail to the palace and we run into each other in the Office.”

Nightstar looked like she was going to faint. SIlver smiled slightly, he knew how the bat-wing felt.

“Oh, la Lune au-dessus de nous, merci pour votre grâce!” Nightstar rapidly twittered.
“Ma’am, I am so 'onorred to meet you finally! Miss Tears took you all for herrself ze last time I had an opportunity!”

“Oh, darling. Can’t a mare buy some groceries without getting recognized these nights? What is your name?”

“Nightstarr, ma’am, I am a hoofmaiden in serrvice of Miss Tearrs.” SIlver suddenly noticed Nightstar standing at attention, were they 'on a job’ now?

“Why, I am glad to meet you, Nightstar.” Rarity finally directed her attention to the reason for her being here, “Give me some of those juicy tangerines of yours, will you, dear?” This was irregular.

“Ma’am,” Silver addressed Rarity. “If I may, don’t the palace cooks get you everything you may need?”

“I...” Rarity suspiciously hesitated before answering, “I am here for a friend. She is in the Hospital. I thought she would appreciate me doing this myself. Goodness, I almost forgot the feeling!”

The doorbell rang again,
“Rarity! What in Tartarus is taking you so long!?” Rainbow Dash, every bit as charming as always.
“Oh! Hello there, kid! How are ‘ya?” Nightstar bared her fangs in a frown upon hearing Lieutenant's greeting. They shared a tense stare, but neither did act out.

“Rainbow, can’t you show patience for once? We are going to a hospital, for Moon’s sake!” Rarity wedged in, taking the pegasus’ mare attention back.

“Yeah, like we ever do anything NOT for her sake!” the pegasus mare bitterly grunted.

“Rainbow, would you drop it already?”

“No.”

“Rainbow, when did you become this ill-mannered? I don’t remember you ever behaving this disgracefully!”

“Somewhere around the time when YOU became her unthinking tool!”

The air smelled with a brewing hooffight.

“Miss Rainbow, Miss Rarity!” Silver loudly called out, catching the attention of both mares. “Don’t you have somewhere you need to be? Your friend is waiting for you.”

Rarity’s eyes widened in shock from the realization,
“Oh, goodness! Thank you, dear!” Rarity dashed to the counter with a dumbfounded clerk still holding a basket with Rarity’s fruits. Rarity snatched it from him with her magic and dropping him a few golden moons before dashing back to the three ponies,
“Oh, Silver! Thank you so much! We are almost late as it is! The visiting hours are almost over! Let’s go, Rainbow.” The unicorn then rushed through the door outside without waiting for anyone to answer her. It must really be late.

“Hey, you wanna come?” the pegasus suddenly asked, switching her attention back to the colt.

“Me? But she is your friend!”

“And you are OUR friend! Come on, kiddo, she’d love having a crowd cheering her up!”

“Rrayon, I would question yourr choice of frtiends,” Nightstar whispered to Silver as delicately as possible.
“Miss Dash is not ze best example to follow.” Silver sighed and cast a dreary look at the pair of mares ahead of them, which again have found something to bicker about on their way.
“Rrayon, she trried to murrderr our Emprress! She iz a verry evil marre.”

“Can’t she just be confused? She doesn’t look bad to me, just stubbornly foolish.” Nightstar immediately frowned at him, “I didn’t want to meet her specifically, it’s just that I had to deliver her a letter and we had a chat,” Silver said in an apologetic tone.

“Rrayon, ponies like herr will get you in trrouble,” Nightstar warned.

“But… I can’t just… I mean, I have a job! I have to know ponies, even if they aren’t the best ones,” Nightstar took her turn to sigh.

“I know, Rrayon, just prromise to be carreful.”

“I promise to be careful,” Silver automatically repeated. Nightstar quietly smiled to him in response.

Rainbow Dash and Rarity eventually stopped bickering, and for the final stretch of the way towards the Canterlot Royal Hospital, Silver could enjoy the blissful silence, only slightly broken by the howling of the winter wind.

The building of the Royal Hospital, as Father told him when they were here for Silver’s vaccinating shots, was the oldest of all buildings in Canterlot. The Imperial palace would’ve been older… if it wasn’t shelled to the ground in the final days of the Civil War. Silver did not miss the old building, not when the new one was this much prettier, but why did it have to be shelled if Her Majesty, practically, already won?

The doctors inside knew better than to question someone as Rarity on her way, so they only had to follow her to the room in question. Having passed a staircase, Rarity led them down the spacious corridor. Silver knew which door they needed long before they reached it.

“Oh, look, an honorduche!” Rainbow commented on seeing the Guard in purple armor standing by the door. “Hey, Rarity, you wanna bet which one of them got this glorious assignment?” Rarity gave the pegasus a fierce glare. “I bet it’s Baron, only he can get this unlucky,” the Lieutenant continued, completely ignoring Rarity’s signal.
“Hey, Imp! What’s your name?”

“Corporal Fire-” the soldier mechanically echoed back.

“Ah, rats! I guess I owe you some bits, Rarity. Well, anyway, show him your clearance and let’s get this over with.” Rarity rolled her eyes and took out her ID card. However, the Corporal stopped her with a hoof.

“I am sorry, ma’am, but I can’t let you in regardless of your clearance level.”

“But… why? We simply want to visit our friend!” Rarity cried out.

“Oh, isn’t this just the most predictable twist ever, our Empress hides something again!” Rainbow Dash let loose her outrage. “Apparently we can’t just be decent ponies without her saying so anymore!”

“Rainbow, you know why it needs to be this way," Rarity immediately leapt to her Empress’ defense. "If Her Majesty doesn’t wish for anyone to disturb Shadow, then let it be so. The poor thing barely lived after all.”

“Ugh...” the pegasus mare proceeded to groan and facehoof herself. “Rarity, is there a SINGLE situation when you WON’T play white knight for her? It’s not even about her this time, we came here for Shadow, remember?”

“I am sorry, but who iz zis 'Shadow' you speak of?” Nightstar asked out of nowhere. Silver mentally thanked her for relieving him of the necessity to break the hostilities again. How could these two even call each other friends if all they do is bicker?!

“That’s Nightmare Moon’s pet!” Rainbow spat out. “But hey, you won’t hear me complaining. Shadow is like the only creature she cares about that isn’t herselfl.”
Judging by the toothy frown Nightstar could barely swallow, she regretted asking the question. That only made the pegasus pick up the pace,
“Oh wait, you didn’t hear all of the story yet!” Rainbow jumped right to the thestral mare peeling her right into the eye and making her to back off instinctively.
“But you might, actually, know the mare already! You can never tell if she’s around unless she wants you to know!”

"Rainbow! You can't say it, it is classified!"

"Rarity, honestly, can you just shut it for once? We all already know what you are going to say anyway, we all read the protocol."

"Me?!" Rarity indignantly cried out. "To your knowledge, Rainbow, I am an official pony at the court and I cannot let you break the established rules simply because you can't be bothered to obey the protocol!"

"All done?" Rainbow asked in a disinterested tone. "Anyway, so-"

"Rainbow!"

"Rarity, you are like a wind-up toy!"

"You cannot go around breaking rules just because you don't agree with them!" Rainbow's eyes widened for a second, before a sly grin appeared all over her face.

Oh-oh, challenging the Lieutenant was a grave mistake...

“Oh, you watch me!” The pegasus readily accepted, “She’s a cha-” Rainbow found herself unable to open her mouth, as the clear magical aura surrounded.

“Oh no you won’t, rough necked, graceless, foul tongued-” Rarity’s own mouth suddenly was obstructed with a timely landed hoofstrike, breaking her focus on the spell.

“Don’t you dare try to shut me up, spineless buttlick!” Rainbow spat out. But Rarity was already done with words...

A moment later, to the stunned bewilderment of both Silver, Nightstar and the Guard corporal, the two mares were already rolling on the floor, exchanging curses and strikes, both having far too much to give each other.

“Rrayon… I have to confess, I am quite dizapointed.” Nightstar quietly commented, to which Silver could only offer a nod of agreement.

The Court in Moonlight

Nightmare Moon quietly moaned. Luna immediately tried to pull away, but Nightmare Moon didn’t let her, firmly pressing Luna’s head to her neck,
“Shhh, shhh. It’s okay, it’s okay. Just a little tingle. You aren’t hurting me.” The words seemed to have their effect as Luna stopped resisting, “Now drink.” Luna quietly obeyed.

“Uh-hum-huhuhum-huhuuu-hu-huuu-hu-hum,
huu-huu-hum-huhuum-huhu-hu-hu-huuu huuum.
Huhuhu-hum-huhuhu-hum,
hum-huhuhuhum,
Huhuhu-hum-huhuhu-hum,
hum-huuu-huum-huum...”

Luna’s bite weakened, Nightmare Moon ceased her humming. Luna began pulling away again, this time Nightmare Moon let her go.

Luna looked miserable. Her chin doused in Nightmare’s blood, her teal eyes were clouded with tears. Nightmare Moon knew all too well what this broken mare felt now, centuries of sharing thoughts made this much inevitable. And so the black-coated mare wasn’t caught off guard when Luna quietly burst into tears.
Instead, she only sighed and drew Luna back to herself. No words were needed. Everything was already said a very long time ago. The bleeding was not important, it would stop, the tears would not. Tears were the only thing Luna had now, and if this was the only thing Luna had left, then tears the Mare of Darkness shall share with her.

“N-Nightmare I...” Luna cried out through tears.

“Shhh… There’s no need, Luna. Don’t say anything.”

“N-no, I w-want to say it - I am sorry!”

“You didn’t mean to. Shadow will understand.”

“I-I did mean it! She was... I was... Nightmare, I am so sorry! I should’ve listened to Sombra! He tried to tell me!”

“Shhh-shhh. Just forget about it. Shadow is okay. Doctor Sinew is with her. Remember her profile, this is exactly what changelings trained her for. Shadow is in good hooves.”

“T-thank you.”

“Quiet now. Everything is alright, everything is okay. I am right here for you, just like I always was. I’ll never let you go, again. Hold still now, we have to clear this spill off you.”

The door closed behind her with a quiet creak. Luna had to stay out of sight until Nightmare Moon could find a way to explain this to the public. She also had some griffon demanding her help and Pharynx no doubt would come after Chrysalis himself soon. Pulling the same trick twice, even on a simpleton, such as every soldier, would be unwise. Rainbow Dash was back from her assignment in the southern jungle and again needed something to do away from the palace, and Rarity needed to be kept busy with something worthy of her mindless approach, but nothing that could give her access to more secret information. And also Dawn needed to be rewarded for taking the foal in and personally instructing him. While Dreamy Tears needed to have a hint at exactly how much the Empress enjoys her attempts at fishing out the information from the courier with that leech of hers.
So much to do and this not even taking into account the orders she had to sign, together with other more mundane duties a royal needed to account for. Such a shame she couldn’t spare more than a few hours of daylight. Unlike Luna, Nightmare Moon had to sleep.

“Your Majesty.” And check up on Twilight too. Nightmare Moon looked down at her Princess, who offered her a tiny bow.

“How are you feeling, Twilight? Has your weakness passed?”

“It wasn’t weakness, Your Majesty. I was overwhelmed, too much happened in a short time.”

"You feel like you can't find your bearings anymore?" Nightmare Moon asked compassionately. "Lie and truth are no longer distinguishable to you?"

"Yes," Twilight weakly answered. Nightmare Moon noded.

"This is natural, Twilight. The greater workings of statecraft are confusing by design. They are not meant to be easily understandable, if they were - Equestria ponies would only remember their care-free and happy lives as something in distant past," Nightmare Moon delivered her lesson and continued solemnly: "Your burden is heavy, young Princess, but so is your ability. You will cope with this weight soon.
“For now, you can have a week more to rest, if you require it. My sister can take over your duties for this long, even if she would consider them beneath her.”

“No, I am okay, really. Please, let us just continue on. I… don’t want to think about this anymore.” Twilight’s attempt was in vain, this was far too important to let it slide like this.

“You wish you’d never known," Nightmare Moon pointed out. Twilight gave off a defeated sigh.

“Your Majesty, why do we have to keep this many secrets? Even with us. Why did you have to keep secrets even from Rarity? I think I am losing my direction just like she did, I don’t know where the strings end anymore. The truth and deception look the same now!”

“Subjects like Rarity are not reliable, Twilight. She is loyal, unwaveringly so, even now. But letting her know more than needed will put all of us and, most of all, Rarity herself in great danger. The very reason why she snapped as she did was her learning something she was not supposed to know. This is why you are a Princess and Rarity is not.”

“I wish I wasn’t a Princess either.”

“I believe we all have our regrets, Twilight. Come now, we have much to do.” Nightmare Moon slowly trotted past Twilight, compelling her to follow.

“You have a griffon delegate tonight, her name is Gilda.”

“I heard you are acquainted. She is Rainbow’s filly friend, correct?”

“Yes… they were together in flight school. Probably this is why they sent Gilda specifically.”

“Hmm… Griffons wanting help, especially from us, means they are desperate. Perhaps she might prove not to be a waste of our time. There’s something I require for this meeting, though. Twilight, get your notes and bring me something from my quarters. It is a large silver pendant with an equally sizeable emerald on it.”

“Eh… alright. Can I ask why?” Twilight asked, supplementing the question with a perplexed look.

“It is important to get the right message across.” Nightmare Moon gave her Princess a sly wink.

Gilda was far from an impressive sight. Feathers cleaned and fur groomed, to the extent she could manage; but the griffons didn’t manage to find her a proper dress, even for such an occasion. She also clearly had troubles keeping her eyes open, no doubt due to the sudden transition to the nocturnal way of the Empire. Nightmare Moon suppressed a snort.
Gilda eyed the jewel hanging from Nightmare Moon’s neck with intent. At least she could take a hint.

“Miss Gilda,” Nightmare Moon gave Gilda a reserved nod.

“Your Majesty,” Gilda respectfully bowed. Well, well, maybe griffons weren’t hopeless in the end.
Nightmare Moon gave Twilight next to her an expectant look.

“Miss Gilda is on a ‘grifoniitarian mission,’ Your Majesty.” Twilight frowned at the queer word.

“Is that so. Miss Gilda, I believed your kind to be independent.” Gilda flinched at the stab. So easily dismayed, it was hard to find a worthy messenger these nights. Perhaps she would avoid the simple trap the Empress presented her with.

“We... ” Nightmare Moon offered the griffon a smug smile, as Gilda discovered her few options. Gilda, no doubt, wanted to confirm the assertion, yet she could not. The griffon had only two options, to confirm and to admit to the stereotypes, or to refute and sacrifice her pride. Oh, these petty creatures always were an absolute delight to play with!
“We are not,” Gilda conceded with a pitiful sigh. “Your Majesty, we are starving. The seasons and the long nights were not kind. In my hometown of Griffinstone, the rocky cliffs render barely enough growth to sustain what little population we have, with harvests decreasing we face starvation.”
Nightmare Moon let out a satisfied coo. Considering how much pride this creature had to swallow, her plea sounded rather impressive.

“I see, and what is your request, exactly?” This Gilda would still need a few more lessons in humility before this can get anywhere.

“We need your help,” Gilda finally spat out. “We don’t ask much. We only ask for a few tons of grain in spring. We have enough to make it until spring, but we will be left with no seeds to sow.”

Nightmare Moon offered Twilight a sly look. Twilight looked back with worry.

“Ah, so it is a trades deal you have in mind. My Minister of Finances shall receive you in the next few nights. He will see how to arrange this to our mutual benefit. May your night be pleasant, Miss Gilda.”

“But… we cannot afford a deal!” Gilda was starting to get desperate. “If we could still buy what we need, our town would not have been in this situation! Your Majesty, I come to you because your subjects regard you as a magnanimous ruler, isn’t your reputation worth...” Gilda stopped mid-sentence, but Nightmare Moon’s pupils were already dangerously narrowing. The insult was already said beyond what could be have been brushed away as a misunderstanding.

“Miss Gilda, I imagine this concludes our discussion. Shall you require an escort?”

“Idiot,“ Nightmare Moon voiced her dissatisfaction, as the griffon left the throne room. “I wonder what she thought would happen with this outrageous request. Concern yourself not with this simpleton, Twilight.”

Nightmare Moon stood up from her seat and continued forth to the side exit; there was always paperwork to do.

“Your Majesty, just a moment!” Twilight called out to her, quickly catching up. “Should I order the requested cargo in advance?”

“Cargo?” Nightmare Moon cocked her eyebrow. “Oh, no, Twilight. Griffons are of no importance to us. Do not occupy yourself with non-consequential matters.”

“Non-consequential?” Twilight echoed as if assuring she heard right. “Your Majesty, griffons are facing starvation!”

“Griffons are not ponies, Twilight. We have no interest in helping them, this will prove to be a complete waste of the Empire's resources. Griffons won’t even remember this happened a few decades from now.”

“But… we can’t just leave them to their ends! Death from starvation is a slow and extremely painful one!”

“We can and we will Twilight. Not that they would die regardless of whether we help or not, they’ll simply desert that pitiful town of theirs and migrate to other griffon settlements in the region.” Twilight simply stared at Nightmare Moon in disbelief,
“Twilight, such sentimentality in our position shall put our subjects in peril. This is unacceptable.”

“Your Majesty! You are abandoning these griffons to starvation! How can you be so cold blooded?! They are not your subjects, but they are still people! Your Majesty, please!”

“Twilight, what would you prefer, the griffons or some of our ponies to die?” The question stopped the Princess in her tracks, “Have you conversed with your friend Applejack recently? She can tell you much about the state of agriculture in the Empire.”

“We… lack food?” Twilight struggled to comprehend the possibility. “But Equestria is known everywhere for our farmland! This is the reason why Gilda came to us!”

“Apparently it is no longer so, Twilight. I shall supply you with some of the income declarations, then you may compare the numbers of grain our farmers sell now to what it was several years ago. The trend is rather depressing.”

“But… why? Our farmers are stubborn in their refusal to accept you, but they work as hard as they always have! ...Don’t they?”

“Yes, Twilight, they do. Our subjects are not at fault here. It seems, the very land itself is losing fertility.”

“I… I need to look in archives if anything like this happened before.”

“Do not burden yourself, you’ll find no records. The entirety of Celestia’s library burnt down together with her old castle. But I believe I know what is at fault here. Twilight, you would have to return the Elements to the Tree once more. It draws its power not only from the jewels, Twilight. The suffering this land has endured greatly weaken the Tree, just like the spread of joy and happiness can bolster it. But I fear the second option is barred for us.”

“And what if it isn’t enough?! If the fertility rates continue dropping, we would face mass-scale famine! We must inquire further, there have to be ways of mitigating this brewing catastrophe!”

“In case if this does not resolve the issue, I fear the state of our lands shall return back to what they were before the Pillars created the Tree," Nightmare Moon predicted. "We won’t be able to support much of our current population. The alternative sources of provisions would have to be found. Seaweed, if vastly expanded in production, would offer much sustenance. Luckily we have a vast shoreline, but I am afraid the common bread shall become a delicacy.” Twilight slightly shivered.

“Griffons won’t have this option!”

“Yes, Twilight. You see now why giving them provisions shall prove to be a complete waste as they will die regardless of what we do.” This discussion started to bore the onyx mare,
“Twilight, I imagine the subject has exhausted itself. Come with me, I would have you give you something to Miss Dawn. I believe it is time you pay her another visit.”

“Your Majesty, just a moment more,” Twilight pleaded. “What if there was a way for griffons to be of benefit to us? Would that make the investment worthwhile?” Nightmare Moon sighed.

“What use can these stuck-up, beaked barbarians have, Twilight? They can barely live out in their pitiful towns, bitter and bearing a grudge for everyone around them!”

“Exactly, Your Majesty! They’ll be glad to join your cause for the promise of a better existence. You do not need to provide much either, their standards wouldn’t be high, considering where they come from.” Nightmare Moon gave away a throaty snort.

“Are you proposing to include them in the Empire now? They’d rather die than drop their pride and leave their shacks, no matter what I promise them.”

“No, not at all, Your Majesty. You only need to negotiate special business rights for our own business ponies. Their mountains have never prospected properly and we know they are rich in metals, the stories of Griffon knights in their armor had to come from somewhere!”

“Hmm... ” This, might, actually, work. Griffons would grumble, as they always do, but they’ll have no choice in the matter. If they want food, they would have to pay for it. Even to griffons, this should be honest enough. But then…
“And if there would be no lucrative resources there?”

“Then we can simply refuse them the grain. Griffons would not refuse an offer that benefits them this much.” Nightmare Moon looked down at her Princess in pride. How quickly the young one learns!

“Very well, Twilight. Your reasoning is sound. Send a word to Gilda, we shall prepare the treaty.”

“I will, Your Majesty. As soon as I return the Elements.” Nightmare Moon slightly smiled to her and nodded. But…

“And, Twilight, I am impressed. You are grasping our ways rather quickly. Perhaps I would contemplate allowing you to have authority in the palace.” The comment served to confuse the Princess rather than pamper her, however.

“Don’t I… already have some? I mean, the Guards obey me and the staff does too.”

“Oh, Twilight,” Nightmare Moon softly laughed, which only caused Twilight to sulk. “Oh, don’t be like that now! Let me show you. Corporal!” Nightmare Moon called for Firestep stationed at his post by the main doors. While the Guard cantered to her, the onyx mare took off the silver jewel adorned with an emerald of her neck and gave it over to the Guard, “Give this to Miss Gilda and you, Twilight, watch what happens after she sees it. I believe Dash's friend would know exactly what this is. Then you may tell her we decided to grant her request. You may go now.”

"Eh... Okay..." Twilight proceeded to bow.

"Oh, wait just a moment more, Twilight. I almost forgot," Nightmare Moon added. "You may write Cadance back that she can come for a visit. She asked you to query about her in yesterday's letter. It's high time she, together with your brother, came out of their self-imposed exile."

Daybreaker pulled away from the keyhole and shakily made the first few steps towards her own place, Celestia’s old tower. A terrified half-whimper half-growl escaped the confines of her chest. Daybreaker could no longer restrain her horror. Her sister was coercing with the enemy instead of her! Curse this lying changeling insect for spelling her doom!
Daybreaker’s shallow breathing and looks would give her anxiety away to anyone who could see her, but she didn’t care any longer. The only one who’s opinion mattered already made it up.

She had no Guards, unlike her sister, she had no one to protect her from the incoming vengeance. Her ascent up the stair accentualized as much; her sister did not station the Guard in her tower. Moving mostly on reflex, the white mare opened the door to her quarter and closed it behind her. Her uneven breathing was even more pronounced than usual.

“Cree!” the sudden cry made the mare jump. Even the phoenix came to mock her now!

The dimly glowing bird was standing at the sill, waiting.

“Have you come to gloat?” Daybreaker asked the bird, knowing that there’s no point in hiding any longer. “To witness my doom? Or was it you all along? I know what you’ve been up to!”

Philomena continued to stare at the mare, completely unimpressed by the accusation. Daybreaker wanted to continue, but the fragmented pieces of word bits just stuck in her throat. What could she say? So noticed Philomena too. The phoenix spread her wing and knocked a small phial off the sill. Landing on the carpet it made almost no sound to overlap the sound of flapping wings as the phoenix left.

The mare picked up the vessel the phoenix brought with her. It was a simple glassy phial with messy brownish liquid inside.

Moongroomed

The water was heated exactly to 32 degrees Celsius, scented with salts and softened with foam. There was no water on the moon, only rock, dust, and what little could be conjured into reality without spellbooks and components. The dust immediately got into the coat and would never get out without… yes, water.
Nightmare Moon learned to adore water. After forgetting how it felt, eventually rediscovering it felt magical. Even if it was Luna who was taking her first bath in a thousand years, they still both shared the sensation. It had to be among the most exquisite pleasures the world had to offer - to feel water enveloping your entire body, washing away filth and relaxing muscles. Nightmare Moon cooed and let her eyes slide closed, focusing entirely on the feeling of the liquid caressing her body.
Soon, the mare was snoring softly in the steamy air of the dimly lit bathroom.

But no rest for the wicked. A determined knock on the door soon returned the Empress to the waking world. Nightmare Moon sighed deeply.
“Yes?” she asked loudly, suppressing a yawn.

“Sister,” the response came.

“Enter,” Nightmare Moon sighed once more, not even bothering to turn and face the door.
Daybreaker closed the door behind herself and stood in silence, waiting for further permission. Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes, “Speak.”

“Sister, I wanted to say again: I am sorry,” Nightmare Moon sighed again and tilted her head. Her sister wore her usual nervous smile and the news was nothing new.

“You already told me so before. I trust there is a more significant purpose to this interruption?”

“Yes… I wanted to catch you while Sparkle is away. Sister, I wish to remind you of caution. Even with the Elements returned to the Tree, she is dangerous.”

Oh, this again. It was sad how pathetic and fearful Nightmare Moon’s own sister turned out to be,
“Sister, please, sit.” Nightmare Moon moved, with no small dissatisfaction, to a more upwards position, freeing enough space in the water for the second mare.

“In… the water, sister?”

“Yes, in the water.” Daybreaker reluctantly approached and leaned over the edge as if expecting it to be a ledge leading down to Tartarus itself,
“Your jewelry, sister,” Nightmare Moon reminded. Daybreaker obeyed slowly and reluctantly, one by one, Celestia’s jewels went off until the pearl coated mare was completely bare.
“Now, in the water.”

Daybreaker cautiously touched the water with her hoof. Finding it rather pleasant, she proceeded to slowly settle down in front of her sister, looking totally confused.
Nightmare Moon lifted the bailer, that was previously sat on marble stand together with salts and the rest of equipment.
The dark mare proceeded to dip it into the water,
“Your head, sister,” she asked. The black mare, then, proceeded to pour the water on her sisters head, as she offered it. Now with her fur thoroughly drenched, Daybreaker looked, and undoubtedly felt, pitiful and vulnerable, like a wet kitten. Nightmare Moon smiled warmly to her sister, thankful for her trust,
“I have the servants heat the water to the exact temperature,” Nightmare Moon said, still beaming. “Bathing is such a delicate procedure, after all.”

“There are boilers and taps on the market now, aren’t those more convenient?” Daybreaker played along.

“There are limits to what technology can achieve, sister. In the last thousand years, there were many scientific advancements. What took a team of workers and a day in time, can now be done in hours, or even minutes, with a quarter of the workforce equipped with the correct tools. Do you remember how many years it took to build that old Castle?”

“They still had some accents left to finish after the tenth anniversary, if my memory is not failing me.”

“Indeed, and look at this palace now,” Nightmare Moon spread her hooves. “It exceeds the Castle in both scale and grandeur and was completely finished in only a year.”

“Impressive.”

“Indeed it is. Hold still, sister.” Nightmare Moon proceeded to pour a scented, amber liquid on Daybreaker’s head before starting to rub it, bubbling the liquid,
“But, ultimately, not much changed. The most important part is still exactly the same as it always was.”

“Progress?”

“No, sister. No advanced tool, or material, or a tank, or plane, will do its purpose without its heart, without a living creature to steer it, sister.” Nightmare Moon proceeded to pour some more water on her sister’s head and began gently bubbling up her mane,
“I could have fitted my own palace with a shower unit, or a tap bath, but can it really compare?
“There is a maid in the staff tasked with heating and aromatizing the water itself, then, there is a stallion in the supplies department tasked specifically with stocking these salts, shampoos and soaps. Another stallion searches the market for the newest and most exquisite grooming supplies. An entire company exists solely to well this very water from the ancient, underground, reservoirs and deliver it here."

"Such luxury. Are there no better uses for your treasury?"

Nightmare Moon clicked her tongue,
"We are royalty, sister," she responded simply.

"Modesty has a purpose."

"Of course. Sometimes it has, but it is important to always mind out the message others would see. What our subjects and foreign guests should see are the Empire's splendor and wealth. As far as all of them concerned, we are the Empire. But this is not what I wish to show you tonight, allow me to continue my thought." Nightmare Moon splashed Daybreker more water and levitated herself another scented bottle. Nightmare Moon uncorked the container and took a deep whif,
"Extract of Gardenia," she commented. "This one is a courtesy of the palace gardeners."

"A night-blooming flower which prefers moths over bees." Nightmare Moon smiled at her sister's attempt to sound knowing.

"It attracts the gentle creatures like a fire would. Aren't my gardeners charming? They worked so hard to nurture this flower in our cool climate only for us to have this tiny phial," Nightmare Moon dipped a tiny drop of scentuous liquid on her hoof and began applying it to her own mane, not a lot, just enough for it to catch the fleeting scent for a few nights on.

Having finished pampering herself, the onyx mare dipped another drop on her hoof and stared at Daybreaker with a little coy smirk. The other mare understood the hint, and offered Nightmare her own head,
"Finally, there’s one more pony that completes the scene we have here tonight. It is I, who carefully grooms your coat and mane with the movement of her hooves, a splash of warm water and a few drops of perfume. All of us work for you to now sit here and have this most lavish experience. Can this ever compare to the ordinary shower?”

Daybreaker remained completely quiet, her wet mane covering her face,
“Doesn’t it feel good to be cared for? To know that there are others who work for your benefit?" Nightmare Moon brought her snout closer and sniffed her sister's new flowery scent.
”There is strength to be found in others," Nightmare Moon softly whispered in Daybreaker's ear. "Not just weakness. Twilight has no plans to overthrow us, sister dear. Neither had Rarity, even though her misguided attempt to protect us may suggest otherwise.
“You need not fear them. They merely want to see their people being as joyful and happy as they always were, that includes us too. The only thing you need to do is to allow them to care for you. No one here wishes to harm you, sister. So will you cast aside the shackles of fear that bind you?”

“I hate her so much,” Daybreaker blurted in response to Nightmare's soothing. “It is like eternal torture, sister, to be locked inside this un-aging body, seeing, feeling, sensing all the things it does, but being only an observer! Freedom is always so close, just to move your hooves, just one step in the direction you desire, but this flesh doesn’t obey! It isn’t yours!
“Each day I woke up and felt her thoughts stirring in our head next to my own. I saw her face in the mirror and she knew how much I hated looking at it, and so she took her time to always brush her mane to the utmost perfection, using every single opportunity to stand in front of that blasted mirror! Oh, sister, I am so glad you shattered it to dust together with the rest of her room and her Castle!” Daybreaker made a pause, ventilating,
“Sister, I hate pretending to be her! I hate wearing her attires! I hate being her! Sister, I need to do something with this. It drives me to the edge by just thinking about it! I want to have something that isn't hers!”

“Hmm..." Nightmare Moon took thought for a moment, "What would you want your mane to look like?” Daybreaker, stunned with the sudden question, took a few moments to process it.

“I… want it to look different from hers,” she managed to answer.

“Do you want a specific style? Perhaps a color? Rarity is always glad to help with the matters of style.”

“I want it to be like yours!” Daybreaker suddenly burst out, even forcing Nightmare Moon to cease her manipulations with her sister's hairs.

“I do not think the stars would fit your complexion,” Nightmare Moon chuckled, lovingly caressing her deep blue plume, too heavy with water to flow.

“Then let us make it burn like the sun!”

“Well, I suppose the sun is a star too.” Nightmare Moon smiled, igniting her horn as she got to work.

Love You As A Friend.

Twilight had to think, again. The Princess’ head was already starting to ache. Well, the fresh, chilly, winter air of the train station helped a little. Though maybe a little too much, the Princess was sure glad she decided to wear her uniform jacket for once, it helped to keep herself warm.

First, what in Tartarus was going on again? Twilight, wisely, abstained from recounting up all the things that don’t add up. The method of resolving issues as they come up would be optimal here.
Okay then, what was this deal with Gilda? The Guard did deliver the necklace as ordered, but she didn’t do anything with it! She was certainly surprised to see it, but that’s all. Well, maybe the effects took a little time to manifest, but still, what could this possibly achieve? Gilda won’t be able to sell it and buy supplies, things didn’t work like this in the Empire. Maybe the Empress wanted her to try? So many possibilities and so little clues…
Twilight decided to ask Cloudy Dawn, she might know something. Another option was to go check up on Shadow; the changeling knew the inside of Nightmare Moon’s operation well enough, the only question if Twilight would be able to make her say anything, even Huffy didn’t manage to and she seemingly tried very hard.

Twilight sighed. How did all of them end up here? Well, no point pondering it now, it’s too late now anyway. Better get back to work, maybe she could draw some more connection before Cadance arrives. Twilight picked up her pencil again.

So, starting with Rarity. Rarity is connected to: Her Majesty (obviously), Minister Cloudy Dawn, Captain Thunder (loosely), Shadow, Twilight, and the rest of their friends. Maybe there were some other unseen connections, but the important part was that Rarity didn’t seem to know the Minister of Finance and External Affairs. Did Her Majesty intentionally keep her away from the figures of power? She cannot influence them if she cannot reach them. In conclusion: Rarity is given exactly as many connections as her position of glorified errand mare required her to have. Twilight had to admit, Her Majesty’s way was elegant. Rarity would’ve probably liked it... if it wasn't meant to attach strings to her own hooves.
Twilight wrote down her conclusion and made a note to bring this up next time Her Majesty has a minute. Her Majesty should be pleased with her progress.

What of Twilight herself? The list of connections includes: Her Majesty. Huffy (even if neither of them is enjoying the acquaintance), Rarity and the rest, Cloudy Dawn, Shadow and Thorax… and this was practically all. Lacking, to say the least. Twilight noted down to ask Her Majesty if she would let Twilight accompany her to the closest cabinet meeting, introduction to the Ministers would be a good start to grow her own connections net. But until that time, perhaps it would be wise to get to know Captain Thunder. He would be the closest authority figure for her to reach. Sweet Celestia...

The sound of the train's horn reached Twilight, signaling that her fellow Princess had arrived. Twilight packed up her notes and stood up from her seat. Judging by the fact that Her Majesty did not send any Guards to welcome Cadance, this was not intended as an official visit. Well, all better, no need for nonsense formalities and protocols. The train was a completely regular one, without any royal embellishes, it was just a regular pony train. Oh, the nostalgia, Twilight could barely remember when was the last time she rode in one of these.
A door on the side opened, letting out a check-taker wearing the familiar blue-colored uniform and heavy moustache. He stepped on the platform with the practised grace and checked his clock,

“Passengers, please, prepare to board the train to Ponyville, departing in twenty minutes!” he sounded cliche in his peppy voice. Looks like the northern frost did wonders to chase any sleep left before the night shift.

“Twilly!” Twilight turned around to the source of the voice only to be immediately swallowed whole by the approaching wave of pink fur.
“Oh, it’s been so long since I saw you! You look so striking in this jacket!” Twilight felt her cheeks heating up, what would the ponies think?

“Hi, Cadance,” Twilight responded, trying to prevent her embarrassment from leaking into her sound. “Is Shining with you?”

“No, Twilly, I am alone. He had to stay and watch Flurry, you know how she is.” The reminder only served to embarrass Twilight more. She totally forgot Flurry even existed,
“How are you, Twilight? The Empress treats you well?”

“Well… kind of.” Twilight suddenly discovered how difficult this question was to answer, “I think so.”

“Are you in trouble?” Cadance started to sound worried.

“...No, not with Her Majesty at least. Cadance, I really can’t tell you right now, not here.”

“I see. Let’s get to the palace, then.” Twilight was glad to agree. The palace, suddenly, started to feel a lot safer place to be in than here.

Cadance was delicate enough to refrain from asking anything more dangerous, instead entertaining Twilight with questions about the palace life and newest Canterlot events. Luckily, Twilight had quite a list to share since the last time she saw her old foal sitter,
“They finally reopened the Royal Gallery, only took them four years.”

“Oh, who’s featured?” Cadance asked with a note of excitement.

“I… don’t know. I didn’t have the time to check it out, it was a busy few months.” Twilight shivered, remembering the potion, “You should ask Rarity, she wanted to go there since before I moved to the palace.”

“Is that...” Cadance stopped in her tracks. Twilight traced her look to a cafe on the side of the street. There, under a streetlight, was sitting -or rather sleeping- the very mare in question.

“Talk about the pony...” Twilight commented.

“Is this normal?”

“Not exactly, but ‘normality’ becomes increasingly relative these years.” Cadance gave Twilight a startled look, “What?” Cadance elected to keep silent.
Twilight pushed the sleeping unicorn.on the shoulder,
“Drunk,” Twilight concluded after sniffing the strong smell coming from the sleeper.

“Rarity is drunk?” Cadance asked in disbelief. “Does she drink now?”

“Not usually and only wine,” Twilight responded, surprising herself with how unstirred she was considering the situation. The time spent with Her Majesty did shock her enough times to do good, it seems.
“I haven’t seen her for the last few days, though,” Twilight continued in the same detached tone.

“This isn’t wine,” Cadance waved the scent away from her snout with her hoof, trying to take the conversation back on the track.

“Smells like whiskey or even rum. It looks like she wanted to get drunk as fast as possible. I see no bottles, though the staff probably cleared the table already.”

“I’ll ask them, try to get her to wake up.”

Twilight cast a dreary look down at the mare in question. Shaking her, even if that would work, is unlikely to produce an acceptable outcome. Sobering spell it is.
The incantation was relatively simple, eliminating the necessity for Twilight to fetch her spellbook.

“Ah?” Rarity responded to Twilight’s insistent pokes. “I am sorry-” Rarity yawned “-I must have taken a little nap ...Twilight?”

“Rise and shine,” Twilight dully answered.

“Oh, dear...”

“Care to explain how you ended up like this?”

“Like what, darling? Can’t a lady have a nap?”

“Drunk as a skunk,” Twilight stabbed.

“Drunk? ...Oh… yes… I remember having a couple… I think.” Rarity proceeded to nervously check if her mane was in order, which it wasn’t.

Twilight sighed,
“Rarity, what in Tartarus is going on with you?”

“I… can’t say, you know how things are.” Twilight rolled her eyes and facehoofed herself, all the while groaning.

“Do you want me to go ask Her Majesty or…?”

“I… made a mistake, Twilight.”

“I figured, you made a lot of those in recent time. Look, Rarity,-” Twilight proceeded to sit down at the chair in front of the unicorn “-get to the point already, we both know that I am going to find out everything anyway. Now you have an option to make it sound less ugly. So, how the hay did you get to the conclusion that attempting an assassination against the Empress, again, is a good idea? If it was anyone else but you, they would be six feet under by now and to Tartarus with the law.”

“I think I need a drink again,” Rarity covered her eyes.

“What got you there? You clearly didn’t like it.”

“You know what that brew does now, don’t you?”

“Uh-huh, it’s a potion of vampirism.” Rarity gave her pleading look, “You mean… you were afraid of Luna?” Twilight sighed again, “Do I need to remind you who our Empress is? Rarity, she is a literal Nightmare! Did you really think a single vampony could do anything to her? Do you remember what happened when the actual changeling army tried to stop her? And even then, she has her sister, who would’ve simply burned the vampony to ashes with the sun.”

“But Twilight, it’s not a vampony in question, it’s Luna! Could Her Majesty really hurt her?”

“Well, she doesn’t need to… wait,” the realization hit Twilight. “How did you know about the potion? I only pieced it together moments before it was administered and Her Majesty didn’t know until I told her. Who told you?”

“Well... I ran a little research, Twilight,” Rarity answered curling her mane nervously. “I wrote to a few friends with a background in ancient civilizations and, it so happened, one of them heard about this concoction. I went to the archive to doublecheck and… I may have panicked a little after that.” Rarity offered a guilty smile.

“Who did you write to? The changelings themselves have no idea what this potion was supposed to do and I asked a lot of them, believe me, I did.”

“Why, to Miss Yearling, of course.”

“What?!” Twilight’s brows suddenly reached the sky, “Isn’t her speciality ancient tombs and artifacts? She doesn’t even work with changeling-related materials!”

“Well… she did know.”

“Rarity, you are an idiot.” Twilight proceeded to facehoof herself again, “You are a complete and total idiot! I can’t believe you bought that!”

“But… darling, she was right, wasn’t she?”

“Rarity, damn you, this isn’t about if the clue was right or not, it’s about what you did with it! You did exactly what someone else wanted you to! Rarity, I can’t believe, what a complete tool you are!”

“You’ve lost me, darling.” Twilight produced another groan.

“Okay… let’s start from the beginning. You send a letter, someone else intercepts it, reads it and writes you back what you want to see. You then proceed to make exactly what that, other, person wanted you to. In result, you take all the blame, while they reap the benefits.”

“No one even knew about what I intended to do, I didn’t even tell those brutes! I swear!” Twilight had to stop her hoof from hitting her face again for the risk of it forming a bruise.

“Okay, Rarity, even more basic and a more simple situation.” Twilight opened up her bags and took out a few pencils. “Here’s you.” Twilight put down a pencil on the table, “Here’s Her Majesty and here’s her sister.” Twilight put two more pencils down together, “Here’s me.” Twilight put down the final pencil,
“Okay, now watch.” A pink aura grabbed the black painted pencil, “Her Majesty hears that Cadance wrote me a letter and sends a rumor that she knows you’ll hear,” Twilight, then, picked up Rarity’s pencil, “You go to the offices and pick it up for me. Then, Her Majesty comes to you and reads it, both to ensure this is the letter she thinks it is and to give you the idea that it is important. Then, she throws it into the fire; note that she doesn’t destroy it with her magic, because she doesn’t want to. She knows that you are going to take it from the fire, she wanted you to read it.
“Now, let’s review the situation: Point one, Her Majesty is certain that this is the letter safe for you to handle. Point two: she made sure you understand the importance of it. Point three: you are… supposed to be informed on its contents. Point four: you are going to deliver it to me. And now, point five: Her Majesty’s sister has no reasons to suspect anything, she saw the letter burning herself.
"And it all started with you hearing about the letter. Do you see now just how much she can make you do by simply letting you know about something? You never even had an idea that you were being manipulated!”

“Twilight, what was that letter even about?” Twilight let out the most passionate groan yet.

“What I am saying is that we need to find out who benefited from your actions. Okay,” Twilight packed her pencils back in the bag and stood up, “let’s go see why Cadance is taking so long.”

“Princess Cadance is here?!” Rarity widened her eyes, “Oh, sweet stars above, my mane is a total disgrace!”

“Now you are starting to act like yourself again.” Twilight smiled and made a few steps toward the cafe door, “Let’s see if Cadance is going to finish questioning the waiters anytime soon.”

“Waiters? Oh, Twilight, they won’t tell her anything, I just ordered them a bottle… or a few. They won’t know anything about palace affairs. Her Majesty always minds the spread of rumors.”

“Rumors...” Twilight echoed. “Well, she definitely found something to concern herself with.”

“Actually, Darling, before we go, can I, please, ask if you could have a word with Her Majesty?” Rarity went on to display her fairest smile, only slightly worsened by her somewhat unkempt visage.

“I think she already knows, Rarity. But you still caused the death of one of her Guards and you did, technically, lead an enemy into the palace. I think it would be a while before Her Majesty trusts you again. Now, let’s grab Cadance and fix you up a bit. Sweet Celestia, I never thought I would ever say it to you, of all ponies.”

Rarity decided to hold her tongue, for once.

From One Friend To Another

“Dash, the hay do I do?” Gilda louringly asked. “I can’t just go back and tell everyone to just wait it out. Might as well stay in this… what the hay do you call it… ah, yeah, club.”

“Yeah, say hello to our Empress. Ain’t she just a darling?” Rainbow mirrored the griffon’s tone. “Well, she gave you something for your time, at least. That’s already more than I would’ve expected her to.”

“You mean this?” Gilda reached into her bag under their table, returning with the emerald pendant, “And what I am supposed to do with this, exactly? It really looks like she’s laughing at me. I can’t sell this and even if I could I wouldn’t, and I think she knows it.”

“What’s the deal with this piece of junk? It’s just a fancy necklace.” Rainbow gulped some beer from her bottle, passing the initiative to Gilda.

“This ‘fancy necklace’ is older than your whole damn town! It was a family heirloom in Grover’s dynasty!”

Rainbow whistled,
“About… six hundred years, or so, right? Never got why you, folks, are obsessing with old things so much. I mean, if you like shiny things, you can have better ones now. Also, the Canterlot Castle is still older than your necklace by a few hundred years… or was older, anyway,” the pegasus grinned across the table.

“Dash, anyone ever told you you’re stupid?” Gilda shot back.

“Pretty often, actually,” Rainbow pointed at her eye, which was shining black even through her blue coat. “That’s Rarity’s way of saying it.”

“Hah! You got beaten up by that stuck up? Really? Damn, you got soft. Gimme that.” Gilda seized Rainbow’s bottle for herself.

“Yeah, laugh it up. You know, she’s a lot stronger than she looks. All of that running around with some nonsensical palace business must’ve been good for her.”

“The hay did you two even fight over? Can’t imagine it being anything ordinary,” Gilda put the bottle back on the table, after having had a good swig.

“Well, it did get sort of ordinary in recent years, we really don’t get along much now. Not after that stiff sold us all out. You meeting Nightmare Moon instead of Celestia is partially her doing,” Rainbow gloomily retorted.

“Would’ve never thought she is the money taking type,” Gilda scratched her chin.

“It’s not money, G. Actually, coming to think about it, I don’t know the hay did she even get out of this. Hag just keeps wiping hooves at her and Rarity keeps loving her more for it. I don’t get it, it can’t be just the privilege of licking Hag’s shoes.”

“Maybe she just likes the taste. Listen, Dash," Gilda returned back to business, "you know anyone around here who might be able to help? Twilight doesn’t look she’s interested and I don’t know anyone else here.”

“Nah, Twilight would’ve helped you if it was up to her," Rainbow waved dismissively. "Hag just keeps her to sit in the archive and research stuff, basically what Twilight always did anyway. Twilight thinks she can do some good from that position, I guess to each her own delusions. At least Twilight doesn’t lick her butt, unlike Rarity does.”

“Ain’t you are an officer in her army?”

“It wasn’t exactly voluntarily,"Rainbow grumbled. "Me and AJ tried to kill her, and she sent the two of us away to fight changelings instead. At that point resisting was pointless.”

“Well, you’re still here. She let you two go, didn’t she?”

“And what the hay am I supposed to do instead? I don’t, exactly, have any choice now either. I am not getting any other job with this kind of reputation and I don’t have AJ’s farm to live off," Rainbow grabbed back her bottle with a sharp movement.
“Also, I don’t exactly go around killing anyone for her. Now I just sit around the barracks all day, doing nothing besides signing papers and annoying her Imps, and getting paid for it. She also gave me my own unit to train as I see fit. Could be worse, I guess.”

“Imps?”

“Yeah, the Imperial Guard, those goons that stand around the palace.”

“Heh, Imps, I like that one," Gilda grinned slightly. "So, you know anyone who could help?”

“Well, you can try Cadance. Hag kinda left her alone in the Crystal Empire. I don’t think she’ll have a lot to offer you though,” Gilda sighed and dropped her head on the table.

“Your place is a real dump these years, you know that? It’s almost as bad as home.”

“Toast.” Rainbow grabbed the bottle again and finished it in a few gulps.

“Might as well try dragons or hippogriffs at this point,” Gilda continued. “Actually, I never tried seaweed before.”

”Look, G, I’ll have a word with AJ, she might have something for you. It’s all apples, but it’s something, right?” Gilda sighed again.

“I really hope your apples can grow up till the next year, otherwise we are all done for,” Gilda finished with a thud on the table.

“Yeah, you need a bit more than this one bottle with the odds like this.” The pegasus mournfully eyed the now empty bottle.

“Dash, I’ve got a job to do, I didn’t come here to drink!” Gilda flared.

“Well, let’s start with this shiny bit,” Rainbow offered. “Knowing how Hag is, she gave it to you for a reason.”

“Yeah, to laugh at me. This thing is priceless, don’t get me wrong, but I can’t do anything with it.”

“Tell me why it’s special.”

“Well, it was sort of like a part of the royal accessories, until Guto fell on his face and ruined everything. The rumor says that it could turn the winds to give speed to knight hosts and ships, but it’s just a fairy tale from Grover’s times. No one ever seen it actually doing that.”

“Well, my place at Ponyville is free if you fancy. Should be kinda dusty at this point, though.”

“Yeah, Dash, exactly. Any other ideas?”

“Honestly... I dunno,” Rainbow gave up.

“Exactly. Mind if I stay for a while? I need a little time to think about how to tell other griffons they are going to die.”
Gilda stood up from her chair.

“Well, my place at Ponyville is free if you fancy, should be kinda dusty at this point, though.”
Rainbow Dash took her turn to stand up and followed her Griffon friend out of the club. A stallion at the next table asked for his bill.

The Matters of Family

Nightmare Moon slowly stirred her tea, careful to not hit the walls of the cup and not make that abhorrent noise. Cadance was being late, a little time to consider next steps. Nightmare Moon levitated an empty paper and a pen - one of the newer inventions for improving the lives of bureaucrats. Truly, progress was a wonderful thing.

Continuing to musingly stir her tea, Nightmare Moon proceeded to start writing out her nearest objectives.

Twilight could be left to her own devices for a day or two, the Princess, seemingly, understood what Nightmare Moon hinted at, at least if her requisitioning in the last few hours were any indication.
This Gilda turned up very conveniently. Not only Twilight got an opportunity to practice her skills, but also Nightmare Moon finally got her chance to get rid of a constant source of annoyance - Rainbow Dash. As soon as Twilight finishes her preparations, EAW unit, together with Miss Dash, would have all the paperwork ready for their first deployment. Once they are all the way in Griffinstone, Rainbow Dash will no longer have an opportunity to cause trouble for the foreseeable future. She’ll also have more than enough time to play with her new toys, those rotor lifted contraptions needed field testing anyway.
As soon as Dash is out of the picture, everyone in the palace will have an easier life.

The next business that would have to be taken care of was her Shadow. The changeling obviously could not serve her in the same way, her sister made sure of it. Poor Shadow simply got caught up in royal affairs and suffered for it.
For several minutes, Nightmare Moon’s pen indecisively hung over the paper. What could be done now?

A series of knocks at the door indicated that Cadance was finally here.

“Come inside,” Nightmare Moon morbidly permitted. The Princess of Love quickly obeyed, slipping inside and casting a look over her shoulder before closing the door,
“What do you want, Cadance?” Nightmare Moon asked straight, but nonetheless pouring the second cup of rather cool tea.

Witnessing the monarch’s reaction, Cadance sighed quickly matching Nightmare Moon’s own morbid expression. Seemingly, she intended the meeting to be less straightforward.

“I need to speak with you, Your Majesty,” Cadance added a respectful bow.

“Sit.” Cadance obeyed, in recognition of the other mare’s authority, and took the offered teacup. “What is your piece?” Nightmare Moon continued.

“Your Majesty, I admit, this is not official, this is a personal issue I have to ask your help with.” Nightmare Moon wearily closed her eyes. “It has become hard not to dwell on this, even Shining grows restless. I wouldn’t come if I could ask...” Nightmare Moon sighed and rubbed her forehead.

“Cadance, what do you want?” Nightmare Moon asked again, the last ounces of her energy gone. Cadance noticed, of course she did, but decided not to ask any questions.

“This is about my family, Your Majesty.”

“Twilight is here. She can help you with everything regarding her parents,” Nightmare Moon began answering, eager to get this nuisance over with. “Your own parents never left their village. Is this all?”

“Your Majesty, it is not that. ...Not only that,” Cadance swiftly corrected herself. “I speak about my aunts.”

“Did Twilight inform you, then?”

“About Luna and your sister, yes...” Cadance cut herself short.

“What is your proposal?”

Though the question was straight, Cadance hesitated, searching for words,
“...I wish to take them with me back to the Crystal Empire.”

“My sister would not approve, Cadance,” Nightmare Moon responded, the outrageous request only affecting her composure ever so slightly.

“Your Majesty, if I may speak plainly, it is not safe for them and Twilight to remain here. I think you know as much.” The onyx mare sulked even further, indicating to Cadance that she hit the spot.

“Cadance, I think you should return to Crystal City.” The dry and menacing response chilled the pink Princess but was far from giving up.

“I know you care for them,” Cadance continued in a softer tone. “I am not taking them away from you, I only want them to be safe.”

“Cadance, what do you want with my sister?” Evidently, her charm did not work, “She would not willingly go even if it was her decision.”

“It is not only about your sister, Your Majesty. My aunt is still there!” Nightmare Moon’s lips curved downwards even more.

“Cadance, you are a fool,” she stated matter-of-factly. “Celestia is lost to you. My sister will never let her out, she hates Celestia in the way only a prisoner can hate her jailor. My sister wants to erase every memory of Celestia’s existence, nothing less would be enough for her. You will not have your aunt back by asking nicely. Cadance, for your own sake and for the sake of your family - return home and forget about your aunt, this is the only thing you can do now.”

Cadence let out a heavy sigh and looked down in her cup, her sight slowly hardening,
“And what of Luna then? Do you intend to imprison her just like Celestia? And Twilight? How dare you to bring her in your schemes! I can’t recognize her anymore! She grew so distant and cold now!” Cadance suddenly burst.
“How dare you to make her into one of your tools?! She used to be so cheerful! Everypony used to be so cheerful! You shackled every single one of us! We all are your pawns now! You can hide in this palace all you want, but you can hide nothing! Every creature in your Empire knows what you really are - petty, pathetic and pitiful creature! Every single thing you have you stole away from us!
“I tolerated you! I followed your every policy! I tried to focus on what little good you did! But I can’t lie to myself any longer! I can’t let you destroy everything that we built for the thousand years! I can’t save ponies, or even myself from slavery you impose on everyone in your reach, but I still can save somepony! If you really care about Twilight, or Luna, or Celestia, or anypony else, you’ll let them all go!”

Nightmare Moon quietly listened to Cadance throwing insults and accusations, stirring her tea. It was naive of her to believe that Cadance could bear no harsh feelings. The onyx mare went to gulp on her tea, a thought occurred to her that perhaps Rarity’s recent idea for a drinking habit was not so bad as it initially appeared, it a strong drink would certainly be useful now.

“Say something!” Cadance gnashed.

“What would you like me to say, Cadance?” Nightmare Moon innocently asked. “I could tell you what you wish to hear, but I believe you to be wise enough to prefer truth to pretty lies. I have nothing more to tell you, regardless of how much you bark at me. Although, perhaps there is one more thing: Cadance, you are absolutely right.” Cadance widened her eyes, whether on her Empress being totally unswayed by her tirade or her agreeing with it, Nightmare Moon could not tell yet,
“Tea?” Nightmare Moon offered.

Cadance did not respond. Instead, the pink alicorn Princess cowered her face and broke into tears, she still was so fragile. Cadance lost her explosive attitude, yet Nightmare Moon felt no joy for her victory; Cadance was totally right.

“I will not hide myself from you, Cadance,” Nightmare Moon said determinedly. “I am who I am, Twilight knows this as well as you do, so do Luna and Celestia. I propped Twilight to help me, it is true, but she is here on her own consent. Our situation brings her little joy, but she believes that it can be turned around, if she learns the ways of the Empire well enough.
“You may believe otherwise now, but believe when I say I wish it could be any different. I am not Celestia and Equestria is not what it used to be. It will not come back to what is was regardless of what any of us do. Our species is no longer monolithic, it is rife with divisions. Some are purely political while others are cultural, or even racial. If I am gone, who’ll stop thestrals from taking up arms against remaining Celestia’s loyalists? And what of the remaining changelings? If they are lucky, they will be simply left to die out. I am no saint, but would you believe if I say I wish we could make it all better for our ponies?“

The extended explanation did very little to calm Cadance down. Nightmare Moon blew a heavy sigh. Sometimes a mare just needed time.

A sudden ruckus outside grabbed the Empress’ attention, it sounded like two ponies ran into each other.

“The Empress has not called for you!” Baron’s stern, but strained, voice came through the door.

“I don’t give a single flying bug if she called for me or not! I am going in and you aren’t stopping me!” Nightmare Moon did not recognize the voice, but it was brazen enough to be recognized as a soldier, male too. Would it be brave or foolish to seek an audience without an invitation?
Certain that Cadance would excuse her, Nightmare Moon stood up and made her way to the door, to deal with this invader personally.
She did not make it on time.

Suddenly, the door was bashed inside, making the bewildered Empress stop in her tracks. From the open passage, looking at her, stood an undisguised changeling in officer uniform. The changeling gave her a stern look from his uncharacteristic purple eyes and even made a step towards her,
“Fina-” the changeling began to say his piece before suddenly being dragged right back out of the room by Baron’s hoof, the scramble on the floor then continued.
Nightmare Moon tilted her head to the side, more than a little intrigued.

“Sergeant, let him go,” she ordered. “I wish to hear what this creature is trying to tell me so desperately.”

“Finally!” The changeling was allowed to get back up and dust himself off.

“General Pharynx, I presume?” Nightmare Moon asked, curiously looking the officer over. He did, indeed, catch the eye; his brother could not compare. He was rather bulky, for a changeling. Of course, no match for her own towering stature, or even a large stallion, but rather impressive for his own diminutive species. His brother and Shadow looked tiny compared to him.

“And you are Nightmare Moon,” he asserted. The Guard behind him frowned on this breach of protocol, Pharynx likely didn’t even care enough to read it,
“I am going to be brief,” he suddenly switched to his professional tone. “I came to get our Queen back and you are going to return her to us.”

Baron proceeded to wildly widen his eyes, but Nightmare Moon’s look kept him from taking actions. This sudden amusement was quite welcome. Nightmare Moon wanted to answer something to match the changeling’s advance but found that she could not find words. Nightmare Moon wanted to laugh but could not make a sound. Her mind could not focus at all. At least not on anything that wasn’t her guest. What was this? What Pharynx was...

“You heard me?” Pharynx asked.

“...Yes,” Nightmare Moon answered almost unconsciously.

“Good, I’ll find myself a spot in one of your rooms. Don’t take too long.” The changeling turned away and marched back out,
“Pick up your jaw, soldier,” he grumbled when passing Baron.

Baron instinctively did as ordered, the sharp order also did wonders to push him out of his complete, wide-eyed stupor. Sergeant proceeded to blink his eyes to push the rest of the stupor out of his system. There had to be a reason for all of this, there always was a reason and a simple Guard wouldn’t have a reason to know. Baron threw in a short bow without looking at the Empress and hastened to the door. Yet, curiosity made better of him. He dared a single glance… that was his undoing. That single glance was all he needed to remember precisely what caused his jaw to drop the last time. The Empress, a timeless, ancient creature, was standing right where he last saw her, bearing a dumbstruck expression on her face, her breath quick and uneven and eyes not moving anywhere from the sight of the departing General. But Her Majesty was rather inexpressive, Princess Cadance however… her hoof was covering her mouth, no doubt open in disbelief but her eyes said it all, wide and astonished, yet with a tinge of recognition. The Princess knew exactly what just happened here.

Moonshadow

“Are you sure, Thorax?” Twilight queried in doubt. “It can’t possibly be the same pendant. How would the Empress get her hooves on it without sacking remaining Griffon castles?”

“Miss Gilda said it could control the wind in times of King Grover, Your Highness. I heard her saying it myself!” the disguised changeling retorted.
Twilight voiced her displeasure in a form of a low grumble and levitated herself a book from the depths of her archives. Thorax surprisedly blinked.

“How do you do this, Your Highness? You did not even see it,” he curiously asked.

“I don’t need to see it,” -Twilight began scrolling through the pages- “just know where it is. Then, draw a simple telekinetic matrix to set the trajectory. The only part that can be difficult is the range and angles.” Thorax blinked his eyes again but decided not to ask further. Instead he opted to simply watch as the Princess methodically flipped one page after another without touching the folio.

“Didn’t all old books perish when the old Castle was destroyed?” Thorax asked again.

“They did,” Twilight confirmed, “this one is mine.”

“Oh...”

“Okay,” Twilight, having found the page she was looking at, levitated herself an empty paper from the stack on the other side of the table and began scribing down notes, “Thorax, I’ve got another favor to ask. With Shadow in the hospital, someone would have to pull her chores. I need you to sneak into the Ministry of Finance and get me the schedule of the Minister. We need to have a meeting and I can’t just go there and ask.”

“But why?” Thorax asked in confusion. “You have enough authority, don’t you?”

“There is...” Twilight made an awkward pause, “It is more complicated than just this.”

“Is this about one of those things you can’t tell me about, Your Highness?” Thorax asked, noticeably upset. “Shadow told me to not ask about those.”

Twilight cast a worried look at him. To which Thorax tilted his head. How could one changeling be so different from another? Thorax had absolutely no idea where he was and what was his purpose here. Seemingly, just how Her Majesty intended him to be.

“Thorax, I am being tested,” Twilight admitted. “The Empress wants me to resolve Gilda’s issue covertly and without using any of my legal powers, solely with my own connections and cunning.”

A light suddenly appeared in Thorax’s eyes and his ears shot upwards,
“Oh! A test!” he excitedly exclaimed.

“Quiet, Thorax! I said covertly!” Twilight had to shut him down.

“Oh, right,” Thorax whispered back. “I am sorry, Your Highness. I’ll get you the schedule.”

“Thanks, Thorax, I owe you.”

“Can I go see Shadow after this is done, Your Highness?” he hopefully asked.

“I don’t see why you couldn’t. Just be sure to sneak past the guards and let no one know you were there,” Twilight quickly added noticing his excitement rising again.

Twilight proceeded to help the changeling to the door and let him out. She waited for around a minute to let him walk off and went outside herself. Twilight nodded to the Guard by the door and he locked the archive behind her. Time to visit the supply department and prepare for the next stage of the plan.
Twilight trotted through the winding corridors of the administrative wing, offering nods to those few bowing to her along the way, until arriving at the doors in question.

Inside Twilight was met with a collection of shelves arranged in perpendicular lines with each crate having a number and the palace wing of destination. Twilight contentedly sniffed the oily, industrial smell of the storeroom, the staff here did a much better job than in the archives - each crate was carefully arranged depending on its size, weight and destination. Twilight proceeded to correct one of the crates on the shelves and went on to search for the Quartermaster. His desk was located right next to the grated weapons storage section. According to the procedure, military equipment was first placed in this storage before the Captain of the Guard had examined it and signed the delivery blanks.

“Your Highness!” the Quartermaster hailed her from his desk, taking a break from his endless paperwork.

“Good morning, Jousting,” Twilight responded in kind, even managing to smile. Jousting Price was the kind of a pony everyone wanted to be a friend of but no one really liked.
“I won’t disturb you for long. Say, you still have anything left from this months’ crystal powder shipment? I also need you to find me a power crystal.” Jousting took his glasses off and put them down on the desk.

”Princess, I fear you are too late. Lieutenant Glimmer came earlier tonight and took the rest of the powder. She said the Guard unicorns were experimenting to improve their teleportation circles.”

“And you just let her take the entire crate?” Twilight sighed.

“Well, she had a signed order from the Captain.” Jousting dived under his desk, shuffling the papers.

“Just tell me where she is, please.”

“Well, magical experiments are forbidden on the palace grounds, so I am guessing she went to the airbase, Your Highness.”

“Okay, thank you, Jousting. And the crystal?”

“I think I have some left...” Jousting stood up from his place and ventured forth to the barred section.

As Twilight left the storage with a pulsing crystal in her bag, her mind was cursing the poor luck. Twilight had no access to the military facility and even if she did, Starlight Glimmer, of all ponies, would not be the one willing to help her. Sweet Celestia, the Guard quite was a collection of truly remarkable individuals. To simply ask the Empress would be to fail the test, so alternative means had to be employed. With a sigh, Twilight ventured to the staff wing to find the officers’ barracks.

Daybreaker dispelled her listening spell amongst the storage and lied down on her bed with a sigh,
“What you are doing, sister?” Daybreaker whispered, beginning to mechanically stroke her burning mane.
All of this was surreal to the mare. Sparkle now had more authority than even Celestia allowed her to have, despite her being openly associated with a traitor. The mare in question was not executed or exiled. Nightmare took her keys and ordered the Guard to refuse her orders, but otherwise Rarity was allowed to walk freely. This was not the way of a strong ruler, even Celestia understood this much, yet Daybreaker could not think of Nightmare as weak. Her grip was not nearly as strong as it used to be, but seeminly she was no longer required to demonstrate her strength for ponies to obey her.
The Empire seemed almost as tranquil and sleepy as the old Equestria, as delusional as this tranquillity had been. Even the recent changeling war seemed a distant memory now. Twilight Sparkle, despite being granted vast privileges, did not attempt a single hostile action against either Nightmare or Daybreaker herself. Nor did she even tried to prepare. Nightmare's expectations were seemingly correct.
Apparently, Nightmare even managed to lessen the degree of hostility the younger Princess showed towards Daybreaker, at least if their brief exchanges of looks in the hallways could be an indication. Twilight no longer looked at the other mare with hatred, but rather with disdain and even that was now slowly dissipating.
But why Sparkle? Why not her own sister?

Daybreaker anxiously rolled to the other side in Celestia’s bed, at least it wasn’t the same bed she slept in for the millennium; now she was facing the larger side of Celestia’s room with a large mirror Daybreaker still used to adorn herself every evening, having to look at her bitter enemy’s face every time she did so. Thankfully, with Nightmare gifting her this wondrous glowing mane, her visage now looked less like Celestia’s, almost enough so to bear looking at. Dyabreaker smiled to the mare in the mirror triumphantly, soon she won’t have to see her every evening and morning.
Something else Daybreaker noted with pleasure is that she no longer smiled like Celestia either, no more of that artificial, plastic grin. It was deeper, or rather more honest. In truth, Daybreaker didn’t care how different it was, just that it was, in fact, different. It did wonders to her whole appearance too. Her eyes looked different, as did her entire face.

Daybreaker lifted herself off the bed to walk closer to the mirror and peer deeper into the face. 'It doesn’t look like hers.' she could only think. Her look, her chin line, her expression, even her bearing was distinct. A different eyeshade and she would look like a completely different mare!
The discovery settled in and the mare felt a sudden burst of joy. It was like seeing the sun for the very first time, it felt liberating, like getting something she was supposed to always have had.

“Different,” Daybreaker whispered to herself, trying to feel the word. “I am different!” Daybreaker asserted to the reflection, proudly looking at the face that used to only provoke her anger.

‘Cast aside the shackles that bind you,’ her sister told her during their bath.
“Oh, Nightmare!” Daybreaker whispered in awe. Her name did not do enough honor to encompass her true grandeur!
Only now Daybreaker could understand enough to truly appreciate her sister’s wisely precious gift. Her freedom may have been granted to her by an accident, but Nightmare’s care was true.
Her tenderness was no weakness, oh no. This was Nightmare’s most powerful weapon, as Daybreaker now felt it. Nightmare softly and subtly, both through her spanning network of intrigues and her direct action, delivered Daybreaker everything she never even knew she wanted.

The alabaster mare could see now. Sparkle would never revolt, for she had no reason to. Nightmare was giving her exactly what she wanted and Sparkle paid her back with loyalty.
But she already had her own sister’s loyalty, for there would be no one else to accept it, there needed to be something else Daybreaker could offer.
Her service was not required at the moment, for Nightmare already had those she considered worthy, otherwise she would have already called for her sister. What else could Daybreaker offer back to her sister whom she owed so much?

Rehabilitation

The glow of the lightbulb, although being rather dim, still hurt her eyes after so much time spent in darkness. Holding back a hiss of pain and deciding not to alert her possible captors by movements, Shadow waited for her eyes to get accustomed to the light. What was this place?
The scent of ethanol betrayed a medical facility. A warm, although a bit rough, bed, reinforced the impression. Was she saved from her captivity? Shadow could not remember. The last thing she remembered was cutting herself on her chains and then she woke up here.

Shadow waited the next dozen minutes without movement, listening to her surroundings to identify if anyone else was in the room. Upon hearing no one, Shadow quickly lifted her head and examined her surroundings. Her bed was not the only one, but the rest were empty. No personnel were present either. Shadow herself had a dripper attached to her with an almost empty changeling blood bag hanging. Her minute wound could not cause her to lose so much blood; something dire must have happened.
A quick look in a window revealed that it was night. Annoyingly enough, the room had no clock. Shadow took the needle, pushed in between plates of her shell, and pushed her teeth hard together so not to make a sound. Shadow waited a few more seconds, keeping her breath steady, and in one quick motion dislodged the needle from between her plates, only drawing out a tiny hiss of pain. Shadow quickly examined her joint and upon making sure she was not bleeding, lifted herself off her bed. Her hooves, however, failed to support her and the changeling had to sit down in place relying on the bed for support. Evidently, she had been here long enough for her muscle to forget how to support her body.

What a disgrace! How could she bear the look of her Mistress now? Oh no! Mistress! Shadow clenched her teeth and started to stand back up again with all the haste she could muster. Perhaps it was not too late yet to warn the Mistress.

Overcoming her weakened state, Shadow got up on her shaky hooves, still holding onto the bed. Refreshing an image of a doctor in her mind, Shadow began weaving the illusion… but she could not. Shadow blinked out of surprise and mechanically reached out to check if her horn had some magic dampening ring. There was none, her horn simply wasn’t there. Suppressing a surge of panic, Shadow tried to formulate another plan. She slowly made her way to the door and put her ear to the keyhole, having to resolve to more conventional stealth. There was a guard outside, Shadow heard him yawning. Of course it would not be so easy.

“Ma’am,” the guard suddenly spoke up, startling Shadow. How… “I can’t let you in, you know why.”

“Shush, insect,” a painfully familiar hissing voice rolled down the corridor behind the door. “I will get inside regardless of whether you will it or not.”

Shadow tore her ear off the door and stumbled back to her bed, lying down and closing her eyes again. The door was opened, followed by the slow, deliberate hoofsteps, Shadow noticed the absence of the familiar clinks, produced by the shoes. A long sigh could be heard. Next Shadow felt herself being lifted off the bed, gently.

“You...” the guarded started to protest, but quickly changed his mind. Shadow was instinctively compelled to resist, the possibility of returning to the cave was terrifying. Thankfully, the millennia-old being did not even notice her attempts to move against her spell.

Shadow felt her stomach getting stretched, a sign of the teleportation spell warping space. A sharp change of atmosphere indicated the travel as complete. The air was not the moist air of a cave, but the familiarly cool one of the palace. Shadow had to resist the urge to take a peek.
Instead of the cold floor of the cave, Shadow felt the cloth of the sheets and soft pillow.

“There,” the mare sighed. “She is supposed to come to her senses during the next few hours, as Sinew predicted.”

Shadow felt joy mixed with relief. Doctor Sinew, Chrysalis’ own physician, was called on to treat her. Her Mistress saved her!

Shadow felt someone’s hoof gently touching her forehead and briefly lingering there for a few moments. The gesture confused her.

“Oh, dear Shadow...” the changeling heard a barely audible, mournful whisper. A drop had landed on her cheek.

“I… I’ll call Nightmare,” the white mare said and quickly walked away, before delicately closing the door behind her.

Shadow carefully opened one of her eyes to examine who else was in the room, she clearly was a friend. Shadow immediately opened the second eye, completely forgetting about her stealth.

“Princess Luna?” Shadow asked in sheer confusion. Shadow could barely see the silhouette in the dim light of the room.

The Lunar Princess was sitting on a small chair, just like those in the staff rooms, and covering her eyes in grief.

“Oh! You are awake!” Princess rang with excitement. “Shadow, forgive me!” she quickly fell to desperation, confusing Shadow further, “I couldn’t resist! I was so… thirsty! I didn’t want to… I should have listened to Sombra! Shadow, forgive me!”

Shadow blinked in confusion,
“Princess, what are speaking of?” Now it was Luna’s turn to look confused, “I can’t seem to remember.”

“You do not remember? Oh, oh, thank the stars! Oh, Shadow, it is so much better this way!” Luna sounded relieved, “Oh, Shadow, Nightmare will be overjoyed to see you alive and well!” Luna did little to clarify Shadow’s confusion, but the Princess obviously had her reasons. Yet there was no time for reunions.

“Princess, our Empress is in danger!” Shadow exclaimed. “Miss Rarity is plotting assassination, Princess! You must warn the Empress!”

Luna momentarily looked confused,
“Yes, I remember you saying so before, Shadow.”

“Princess, I saw her making arrangements myself! She has contacted a hippogriff reconnaissance group, and gave them her key to the palace armory! Princess, we must warn the Empress!”

Luna seemed lost in thought for a long moment,
“Shadow, when did you see this happening?”

“It feels like a few nights ago, Princess. I am sorry, I cannot say more accurately.”

“Shadow… I fear you are too late,” Luna answered after a moment of consideration. “Nightmare did not tell me what happened yet, but Rarity was all but expelled from the palace. The rumors from amongst the staff suggest that she was punished for a crime in this way. No one saw or heard anything definite and Nightmare is unharmed, but she is much colder towards Rarity. I feel Nightmare is hurt… I wish I could sense her thoughts again, Shadow.” Luna bowed her head sadly.

The confession left Shadow without a word to say. Thankfully, she needed not to answer. The door was flung open, as Nightmare Moon rushed in as an unstoppable tidal wave pushed with the gravity of her moon.

“My Shadow!” she called out, racing to the bed. “Oh, my Shadow, it is so joyous to see you again! I was such a fool to send you away!” Nightmare Moon for a moment looked like she was about to swoop Shadow right out of the snug embrace of her blanket, but stopped herself just short of it. Shadow curiously tilted her head to the side.

“Sister, I swear, your staff now think you are batty!” the white mare, now featuring a fiery plume, appeared in the doorway and slammed the door closed again. “Why did you have to sprint so disgracefully? What would your subjects think?” The high mare finally noticed Shadow peering at her. She immediately ceased her lamentations and instead horrendously winced, no doubt regretting drawing the attention to herself.

“Leave us!” Nightmare Moon sharply gnashed.

“Mistress, no,” Shadow firmly intervened, earning herself a stunned look from Nightmare Moon. Luna only widened her eyes, still saying nothing.
Shadow, unswayed, slowly climbed off the bed and equally slowly started to make her way to her former captor.

“My Shadow, you aren’t strong enough yet,” Nightmare Moon voiced her concern, but Shadow merely nodded.

The changeling stopped a few steps before the fiery mare and peered upwards at her face. The mare endured the changeling’s gaze, although she visibly recoiled ever so slightly.

“Speak up, sister. My Shadow wishes to hear what you have to say in your defense for mistreating her,” Nightmare Moon’s half-order, half-threat arrived.

“What?!” the white mare widened her eyes. “Do I have to justify myself now in front of...” A low growl escaping Nightmare Moon’s snout indicated to her the futility of the argument. The mare shifted her gaze back to Shadow, frowning deeply.

“My Princess,” Shadow suddenly bowed. “I wish to express my gratitude to you,” she proclaimed. She had no love for the mare that held her captive, but she was Mistress' only family.
“Your Highness, I disobeyed my orders and continued to conduct unsanctioned operations. My irresponsibility caused the death of Queen Chrysalis and my own injury, as well as numerous other subjects of our Empress coming under danger. I disgraced myself and I thank you for stopping me, Princess.”
Having finished her monologue, the changeling looked upwards at the mare in question, finding her too ripe with confusion to speak.
Shadow turned to Nightmare Moon, bowing even lower,
“Your Majesty, I see now how I am unworthy of calling you my Mistress. I understand why you elected to retire me. I failed you again and I await your judgement.” Shadow waited for a response, at her gesture, for she had no doubt that not a single mare could doubt her purpose, but no one in the room made a sound.
Instead, Shadow felt herself being touched and gently pulled towards the midnight black fur.

“Sister...” the white mare gave out a pleading call for her sister to not embarrass herself, but it was totally ignored.

“I do not understand, Your Majesty,” Shadow admitted, although not trying to pull away from the embrace.

“You will, my Shadow. I promise you, one night you will. Be quiet now, my Shadow, let this moment last.”

“I... suppose it is not surprising if you have grown somewhat sentimental after this many years, sister,” the fiery alicorn made a valiant attempt to sound sympathetic, although her inexperience in the matter did not allow her to enhance her initial success.
"Luna..." she spoke again, after a long moment of silence. She said nothing more, but Shadow soon felt another pony joining them.
"Good... I think I'll leave you three to yourselves now, you must have a lot to discuss..."

The silence did not last long after Her Highness left, as Her Majesty suddenly laughed aloud,
“I am so glad to have you two back!” she rapturously cried. “Oh, Twilight would be so glad to see you alive and well again!”
But Shadow was not destined to see her Mistress happy for long.
First, Luna sobbed and only a moment later the Lunar Princess break into tears. Nightmare Moon let go of Shadow, allowing her to step back to her more usual, observer position.
Nightmare Moon looked at Luna's tears and her weariness, and rue returned, what Shadow was sadly so used to seeing.

"Luna, please, try to understand," Nightmare Moon whispered, knowing well what caused Luna's sorrow without words. "I cannot help your sister, without harming mine."

"Nightmare, please! Do not leave her suffering like that!" Luna sobbed. "She can share, Daybreaker needs not to surrender."

"Do you believe the words you say, Luna?" Nightmare Moon steadily questioned. "Do you believe Celestia would share with someone she loathes enough to kill?" Luna shook her head, "She tried, Luna. She tried over and over again, almost every day for a thousand years. My sister remembers Celestia vividly, Luna. She is horrified of the very possibility of her returning. She will see as much as a request as a betrayal. Now she is willing to do all I command, as to prove that I need not banish her, but this can change.
"Luna, please, understand. This path leads to ruin for our people. They need not suffer because of us again. Luna, please, I do not wish to harm my own sister."

Luna did not respond, but finally took the offered cloth and wiped her eyes. There was not much of the city visible outside, rooftops at most, yet the Princess kept staring in the window. She stared for a long time, without moving or blinking, only her tail and mane kept moving in the ethereal wind.

“Never again,” Luna determinedly uttered. “Nightmare, my weakness was the cause for all of this to happen, my weakness caused ponies to die. My weakness was the root of our sorrows. I was like a filly, meddling with things I could not understand!" Luna bitterly dropped.
"Nightmare, you and Celestia always were so much wiser than me and I never listened closely enough to either of you." Luna made a small pause to stomp her hoof determinedly, "I vow to be better. I will tear weakness out of myself like a weed! Both you and Celestia had to sacrifice a lot to bring me back from where I foolishly stranded myself. I will never be a liability again. And I will make both of you proud to have me as your sister."

Shadow, unexpectedly, discovered herself staring at Luna in admiration, if not awe.
At this singular moment, Shadow felt herself reliving her first time seeing her Mistress, the moment that completely convinced her to abandon her ruthless cause. How could anyone harm such a creature? Luna stood there like a statue of the greatest Queen that ever lived, carved by the finest artist, awe-inspiring and eternal, radiating power and authority. Shadow marvelled at the metamorphosis, the coy and almost shy pony Her Mistress sometimes let her converse with was almost entirely gone.

“Oh, Luna, you don't need to," Shadow's Mistress evidently did not share the sentiment. "I'll take care of everything. I only want you and all of our ponies to be happier, you don't need to stretch yourself to be something you are not. Stay with me, Luna. This is the only thing I wish for.” Luna finally smiled, her long fangs on display.

“If this is what you wish for, sister, then I shall stay with you. I'll be everywhere you need me,” Luna made a few steps backwards until the moonlight no longer could reach her. “And nopony else will even know I was near,” having said that, the Lunar Princess simply vanished in the surrounding shadows leaving Shadow to wonder if she was still in the room or already departed.

A Soldier's Initiative

“I dunno,” one Guard responded to the other. “I feel like the longer she rules, the more detached she gets. You still remember the times when she watched us training? And that one time when she actually sparred with the Captain in hoof-to-hoof? It’s not just us either, she doesn’t call her Ministers these nights either. When was the last time she wanted us to do something and not just standing here? I just want her to give me an order, send me out somewhere to do something! It’s like she has forgotten we are even here! Baron and his team just took over out of nowhere and we don’t even get to fetch things for her anymore. They keep their distance from the rest of us too. It's as if they think they are better than the rest of us!”

“Baron wouldn’t tell what’s up, I guess,” another Guard wedged in.

“No he wouldn’t, none of his crew would either,” the first Guard answered.

“I think I like it this way,” the third Guard stated morbidly. “Whatever the Empress uses them for, it has to be something really ugly. Remember Wavy? She was fine one night and in a few hours she turned out dead, no one heard or saw anything. What’s worse is how quiet everything went. Her Majesty held the funeral and no one talks about her anymore, it’s like she never existed now. I asked the perimeter watch, Wavy didn’t leave the palace, neither did Her Majesty, neither one of the Princesses, Rarity nor Captain. Either they went to the caves, somehow went through the rock or...”

“...Or something was in the palace,” the second Guard finished.

“Yeah, my meaning exactly. Also, have any of you noticed how rarely do we see Rarity now?”

“She mostly hangs out in town or in her room. I heard she took up drinking after that night,” the first Guard said.

“Yeah and only Twilight hangs around Her Majesty now. Rarity was here from the very first night and now it’s all Twilight.”

“This isn’t right.”

“No, it really isn’t. Colts, I say it’s better we drop it. This whole story gives me the creeps even how it is now, without thinking about possibilities. Remember, she isn’t called Nightmare Moon for nothing, if we aren’t told something it means that this is how it has to be for our own good. Don’t try to stick your noses into something that isn’t your concern, the Empress is scary, but she has our backs just as we have hers. Have a little faith, she’ll pull through and drag us all along with her. She always does it,” the third Guard tried to raise the spirits.

“I just wish I wasn’t standing in this damn courtyard, being useless! We are soldiers, not security!” the First started again.

“And what soldiers do is obey orders. Keep sharp, eyes open, and do your job, and we all will be fine.”

“Tell that to Wavy. She’s mighty comfy in her grave, no doubt about that,” the Second morbidly blurted.

“Okay, then what do you want to do? It’s not like you are going to find out anything anyway, she guards her secrets closely from any curious moron that might come slacking along.”

“Who do you take me for? No, I have a better idea. Let’s get Captain after we are done here,” the Second suddenly spooled up.

"What, you think he knows something that we don't?" the Third asked.

"Nah, that has nothing to do with it."

“This better be good...” Suddenly a shout came flying over the perimeter wall forcing one of them to return back to his post.

“Sir Blackhoof? Are you there? I need to enter! I have an important letter!” Silver shouted up at the wall. A few moments later the gate was slowly sliding aside and letting the Guard through.

“Hi, kid. Sorry, I was called off by some slackers. How’s things?”

“Oh, they are wonderful, sir!” Silver responded with a large smile.

“How’s your dad? Still getting by?”

“Yes, sir, he started taking lessons in cooking!”

“Hah! Morning’s cooking? I wanna see that,” Blackhoof smiled.

“I’ll ask Father if I can invite you, sir.” Silver promised.

“Alright, kid, you do that. Go on now. Wouldn’t want you to be late with your delivery,” Blackhoof stepped aside to let SIlver through.

“Thank you, sir, goodbye!”

Silver swiftly went straight to the administration wing, as usual. But at this time, he was confused about how to feel. The more time he spent on this job the less he liked it.
In the past few months, he discovered the full extent of how well Blackhoof has advised him on the first time he entered through the gate. The palace was a nest of vipers! Everyone and everything in the palace reeked of secrets, intrigues and danger.

“Flank higher! Are you a soldier or a librarian! You’ve got twelve more to go, trooper!” Silver stopped upon hearing an unfamiliar voice. His brows rapidly crawled up as he discovered the source. A changeling officer drilling… Captain Thunder. Silver wasn’t acquainted with either one, but it was highly unusual for such an officer to be treated like a private in training. Something was up…

“You Silver Shine?” someone else asked him.

“Yes, sir,” Silver mechanically responded, turning around expecting to meet another Guard. It really was a Guard, but wearing Honor Guard colors. Silver resisted a reflex to bow.

“Tch,” the Guard clicked his tongue. “A foal, huh? I never believed it when I heard it.”

“I didn’t believe it myself, sir.”

“The youngest courier ever, what in Tartarus is she thinking?” the Guard asked, though Silver was having a micro panic attack over someone speaking of the Empress in such a way. Was this some new sort of a test? Noticing his confusion, the Guard sighed,
“Kid, you want a bit of a really good advice, you should run the hay out of here right now and never come back. This place is going to kill you, mark my words.” Silver slightly shivered, dropping his eyes down for a moment, “Anyway, I’ve got something for you.” The soldier reached into his bags and presented him with a letter in a fancy, purple envelope. “Here, I suggest you drop whatever you were doing and get on with this right away. I don’t think I need to tell you this, but you are dead if anyone finds out you opened it,” the Guard warned him, Silver swallowed the lump in his throat. “She trusts you for some reason and you really don’t want to disappoint her. Now run along and don't think you can get away with anything.”

A few moments later Silver found himself alone again with the letter in his hooves. The Imperial envelope left no doubt who could have written it. The letter was addressing Dreamy Tears, the High Priestess of the Moon Cult.
Despite the direct threat he was given, Silver felt a tinge of excitement over his task again. This was a sign of attention from the Empress! She did not forget him! ...But he began to doubt that her attention meant anything good.

Silver did as he was told and moved back to the gate, hoping that the High Priestess was not away this night. Sir Blackhoof gave him a weird look, for he was much too early, Silver quickly looked away.

Having passed the gate, Silver now had to venture back up the street and find his way into the lower city where the thestrals lived. Curious, if the bat-winged flock indeed were her chosen people, how come they were not given a place in the upper city, near the palace itself, together with other loyal ponies? They are not numerous enough to cause a housing problem...

“Ok, so what’s your plan, exactly?” Blackhoof asked, upon returning behind the wall again, with both other soldiers waiting for him. “I really hope you aren’t going to get us in trouble.”

“Well… to be honest, this is a bit of a gamble,” the Guard with a white patch on his nose answered. “So, the first stage is that we need to rescue the Captain from that bug-devil.”

“He-heh! I bet good old Rolling Thunder has remembered every second of bootcamp by now,” the First noted.

“Well, so I am guessing you want his authorization for something,” Blackhoof pointed out.

“Eh… Kinda, we need him, and every other Guard on board together with most of the staff.”

Blackhoof whistled,
“For something this large scale you might as well go to Her Majesty herself.”

“That’s the problem,” the Guard stated. “She can’t know.”

“What?!” the two remaining Guards cried out in unison.

“Are you nuts?! If she wished, she'd know more about us than we know ourselves!”

“No, no, she won’t! Look, she can’t know if she’s asleep!”

“You mean you want to do it all in one day?” Blackhoof asked in confusion.

“Yep, that’s why we need everyone on board.” Blackhoof and the other Guard kept staring silently in disbelief waiting for the white-nose to spill the prank.

“Bonkers, completely bonkers,” the First finally blurted.

“What are you even planning?” Blackhoof asked. ”I don’t expect you wanting to try blowing something up, or anything nearly as nasty. You wouldn’t be here if you would.”

“Nothing special,” the stallion smiled mysteriously. “Just a party.”

“A party?!”

“You gotta be pulling it.”

“None will be on board with the! The second Captain catches a sniff of this, he’s gonna make us stand watch on the perimeter wall without winter gear! We're gonna have our plots frozen off long before he’s done with us!”

“Hey, hey!” the stallion began waving his hooves to silence the others. “I swear, it won’t be like that! It’s not for us, after all, it’s for Her Majesty.”

The eerie silence ensued.

“On the other hoof... we probably should leave Captain and General alone for a while, who knows what this hellish bug will come up with for us if he sees the three of us walking around.”

“You sure she’d be up for it?” Blackhoof asked, unconvinced. “I mean, she may be the more approachable Princess, but it doesn’t mean she’s game, or that she’d even listen.”

“You’ve been out by that gate for too long, Blackhoof,” the white-patched stallion said. “This is Twilight! The Princess of Friendship! And we are trying to make friends!”

“Ugh… If you say so,” Blackhoof groaned, but not before facehoofing himself. “Why the hay did I even let you two, mooncalves, talk me into this?”

“Hey, it’s his idea. I am just as clueless about it as you are,” the First stallion reminded.

“Quit yanking there, if anyone else hears us, we are getting minced.”

“If only that wasn't happening regardless as soon as anyone notices us not being on our posts,” Blackhoof grumbled.

“Hey, we are on our post. Guess who was assigned to guard these here Archive doors tonight. You're the one who’s getting busted here, mate,” the First cheekily replied.

“Oh, that’s just great!” Blackhoof groaned again. “You two owe me big time for this, morons!”

“Hey, I said shut it! Someone’s coming.”

The three Guards stood at attention, as a remarkably grim Twilight rounded the corner, being followed by Princess Cadance, who tried to smile at them, tried…

“Is that normal?” Blackhoof asked.

“Eh… Maybe?”

“What do you mean ‘maybe’?!” Blackhoof suddenly fumed. “Were you, the inside Guard, picked for having the memory of a goldfish?”

“What I mean to say, perimeter yokel, is that I can’t tell! Princess Twilight can be grumpy for all sorts of reasons, ranging from something going wrong with her research, to something that none of us want to know about.”

“Okay, I get you, wise guy.” Blackhoof put his ear to the door, “Is Princess Cadance a part of your plan too?”

“-needed!” Blackhoof heard the final piece of Twilight’s phrase. Apparently, the Princesses were in the middle of an argument.

“Well… no, Cadance wasn’t planned for, we will have to wait until she leaves,” the Guard responded.

“Hey, shut it, this is interesting.”

“Twilight, don’t say that! You aren’t obliged to help the tyrant. Twilight, please, don’t be stubborn for once. Let me help you!” Cadance pleaded.

“Blackhoof, are you actually listening to royalty talking? Last time I checked, that was seven years in Her Majesty’s personal dungeons.”

“Well, I am already neck-deep, might as well dive,” the stallion mumbled back.

“You gonna regret that...”

“Maybe.”

“The only one you are trying to help here is yourself!” Twilight harshly snaped. “Cadance, I am where I am needed! I won’t run or hide from my responsibility as a Princess of Equestria, I am disappointed you’d even ask me to! You…” Twilight paused, “You should go back home, Cadance. It is going to be better this way for everypony.”

“Twily...” Cadance sobbed.

“I am sorry it has to be this way.”

“Okay, I had enough of this family business,” Blackhoof pried his ear off the door.

Told you, it’s not worth-“the Guard widened his eyes as Blackhoof unceremoniously pushed the doors open.

“Princess Twilight,” Blackhoof announced. “We need your help to organize a party for Nightmare Moon!”

Change Of Plans

General Pharynx sat down on a bed. Some poor fellow is sleeping elsewhere again, the General chuckled once. The guest rooms weren’t a fit for a soldier, a pampered soldier is no good. Pharynx considered staying for a few more days, to whip these capital sissys into shape. It wasn’t surprising they were this way, considering how weak their Captain was. Who put a captain in command of a regiment anyway?

A door suddenly creaked open, making Pharynx lift a brow,
“What in Tartarus do you, pony yokels… Thorax?!” The General cried in surprise.

“Hi… brother,” the changeling in the doorway shuffled his hooves.

“Oh, dammit, Thorax, where’s your damn uniform?! You are going to embarrass me again!” Pharynx quickly recovered.

“Sorry, Pharynx. I lost my uniform some time ago, sorry.” Thorax lowered his eyes. Pharynx sighed.

"Well, alright..." he gave up. "I remember you used to love doing this thing." Pharynx extended his foreleg in invitation. Thorax immediately perked up and leapt over to his brother and embraced him by the neck. Pharynx awkwardly frowned over Thorax's shoulder, "Yeah, there we go. Just like old times."

"Pharynx, I missed you so much! It was so lonely!"

"Heh! Regretted running away, did you?" Pharynx chuckled. "Told you it was a bad idea. Did ponies treat you bad?"

"No, Pharynx!" Thorax rapidly shook his head, "Princess Cadance was very welcoming."

"Ah! So that's where you've been hiding."

"Crystal Empire is a wonderful and quiet place! The ponies were friendly, I didn't even have to wear any disguises!" Thorax excitedly began his tale. "They even were nice enough to let me have some love once a few days!"

"Just like that?"

"Yes! It turns out ponies have no qualms just sharing! As long as it is not enough to hurt them."

"You are pulling it!" Pharynx mocked disbelief, just to get Thorax to talk more. General knew full well of how prone are ponies to defying expectations. To their stunned bewilderment, the Imperial Army didn't round them up in POW camps, but instead simply left them be. They did not even disarm the leftover units. More to it, they are even attempting to help restore vital infrastructure and offer them to feed off volunteers. If only it was enough.

"-so that's how I ended up in the Crystal City," Thorax concluded. Pharynx felt slightly guilty of missing the whole story.

"Okay, enough with the hugging," Pharynx said, his legs already hurting. "So you were in Crystal Empire?" General sat back on his bed.

"Yes?" Thorax uncertainly responded.

"Oh, Thorax, for the love of... eh... how the hell do the ponies say it?"

"Celestia," Thorax prompted.

"Yeah! For the love of Celestia, Thorax, can you stop being a dweeb, sit down and tell me something?" Thorax swiftly dropped on the bed next to Pharynx, waiting for his next instructions. Pharynx rolled his eyes,
"Thorax, if you were in Crystal Empire, how in Tartarus did you end up here?"

"I am on a mission!" Thorax proudly explained.

"What mission?" Pharynx asked in bewilderment.

"I can't tell you, Pharynx. It's a secret mission." Pharynx proceeded to loudly facehoof himself.

"Okay, fine," Pharynx gave up, he remembered this game too well. "Who gave you the mission? Princess Cadance? Did you come with her?"

"No, Pharynx. The Princess only arrived recently. I was here for months," Thorax then frowned for a moment, "Well, not exactly here. Her Majesty only let me live in the palace recently, I used to live in Princess Twilight's Castle, together with Sir Spike."

"Uuuh..." Pharynx stretched. This game suddenly got a lot more interesting, "Thorax, did I get you right? You said Nightmare Moon herself let you live in her palace?"

"Of course," Thorax responded, slightly confused with the question. "Who else could have?"

"Huh, yeah, really. No one else could," Pharynx propped his head. "You know her very well?"

"Well... no, not really. I only managed to talk to her a couple of times, she is always very busy with royal business. She seems kind though, even if a little... stressed."

"Kind?" Pharynx sharply turned towards his brother. "Thorax, just for the record, you know there was a war between us and her ponies, right?"

"Well, Chrysalis provoked her, didn't she? Her Majesty just did what she had to do." Pharynx cocked his brow at Thorax calling the Queen by name.

"And... Chrysalis? Have you seen her?" Thorax suddenly twitched and began violently coughing. "Choked on your own spit again?" Pharynx sighed, "Well, you need a slap anyway." Having said that, Pharynx gave his brother a heavy pat against his back.

"T-thank y-you," Thorax shakily said.

"Take a second to recover. So, what's with our Queen?"

“Our Queen is dead, Pharynx!” Thorax suddenly blasted out.

“...What?” dumbstruck Pharynx gasped. “Did this pony scum...”

“No, no, no, Pharynx! Ponies didn’t do it! It’s Shadow.”

“Who in Tartarus is that?!”

“She is… an Imperial agent. She is a changeling too.”

“Hmm… an alias… You know her?”

“I met her during one of her missions,” Thorax reluctantly nodded. “Chrysalis left us no choice, the Empress released her out of her cell and she attacked us during our stay in Ponyville.”

“What do you mean ‘us?’ So you were serious about that whole secret mission thing?” Thorax reluctantly nodded again. “Haha! I’ll be damned!" Pharynx suddenly laughed. "Well, brother, looks like you just proved us all wrong! Before anyone saw it you made a monarch’s henchling! If only it did us any good,” Pharynx's joy ended as fast as it appeared. “If our Queen is dead that means we are done for, all of us,” Pharynx stated straightly, in military fashion.

“I expected a different reaction,” Thorax carefully noted.

“What? You thought I am going to explode and strangle you, or something?” Pharynx sighed before continuing, “I kinda want to, to be honest. But what’s the point now? And... I sort of expected this to happen anyway at some point, Chrysalis had it coming for a long time, there's a lot of creatures in the world who'd see her dead. Maybe it’s better this way, at least she didn’t die from the hooves of these pony maggots,” Pharynx said bitterly and made a long pause to think/
“Gather your things, Thorax. We’ve got nothing more to do here,” Pharynx said.

“I fear this will not come to pass, General.” In the doorway now stood a mare with fiery mane and determined expression, “Your service is still required.”

Thorax jumped back to his hooves and immediately bowed deeply.

“Ma’am, I am afraid I have to decline. I must bring the news back to our people and decide on what to do next,” Pharynx recovered. “I am sure you can understand.”

“Dearest General, it is clear to me that it is you who would have to understand. You are not being asked.” The mare stepped into the tiny room.
“You,” she gave Thorax a glance. “Make yourself scarce.” Thorax mechanically made a step towards the door.

“Halt!” Pharynx ordered. “He isn’t going anywhere. You want me? It's happening on my conditions.”

The mare gave the General a long and heavy stare.

The Princess suddenly grinned to the Pharynx,
"I suppose you have the right, dearest General, if you wish to endanger your own brother by drawing him into royal matters, who am I to stop you?"

"What do you want from me?" Pharynx finally lost his patience.

"Oh, nothing special," the mare dropped dismissively. "I am sure you will understand, this is a matter of family. You see, my sister has a certain... interest in you," she proceeded to theatrically roll her eyes,
“Poor filly spent the entire night watching you bark at her Guards, not even important guests would be a reason for her to pull away.”

“Princess, is this some sort of a prank?” Pharynx asked straight.

“General, I am long past ‘pranking’ now,” the Princess dangerously lowered her voice, dropping her act immediately. “You will remain here until my sister decides otherwise.”

“And what do I get? You no longer have our Queen, you have no chips to bargain.”

“Once again, General,” the mare lit her horn, space beginning to warp inside the room, “I fear you misunderstand. You. Are. Not. Being. Asked.”

Sleepover

Nightmare Moon knew not what to feel. She so rarely ventured into the dreams of others now that she almost forgot that she could. The dreamscape was of no consequence for Equestria at large, sometimes it was a useful source of intel, but mostly just a waste of time. Her subjects did not share her opinion, believing her to be watching their dreams as a way of reading their thoughts. Quaint.

Today was an exception. For the first time, Nightmare Moon found herself eager to witness the dreams of her subjects. Her subjects, as limited as they were, were happy little ponies. Power proved so useless in the end. Well, at least it allowed her to adore the dreams of others.

Nightmare Moon watched numerous echoes of millions of creatures dreaming at this exact moment, it was time to take a pick. Naturally, she first tried to find Pharynx’s dream, but could not feel it. The General wasn’t asleep at the moment. Nightmare felt unexplainable sadness at the thought that she won’t be seeing him yet. Though here, in Dreamspace, the pull wasn’t strong, she could feel an echo. Nightmare did not know what this urge was, but found herself without the will to investigate. It was what it was.

Suddenly, Nightmare stumbled upon another she found herself drawn to. Though in a different way, it hurt to think about this one, but her thoughts still wandered to him anyway. For this feeling, she knew the name, it was called “Guilt.” Nightmare Moon laughed at the joke that Fate has played on her. She, an alicorn monarch, drawing on millennia of wisdom and venerated as a goddess, felt guilty because of a tiny and mediocre foal. Truly, Daybreaker was right to sense her weakness.

The foal was having a bad dream, at least this is what she could feel. She could not make sense of what she saw. The foal, as predictable as his simplicity would lead to believe, was simply delivering letters, just as he did while waking. Though he was being late as his tempo indicated. The foal was galloping along what looked like one of Canterlot streets, though not any single one in particular, but rather a compilation of several ones.

The foal soon reached his destination, the external office of Cloudy Down, his nominal superior. By the dream’s queer logic, her office was directly behind the front door, rather than on the second floor how it was in reality.

“Urgent… delivery… Ma’am!” Silver announced between gasps. The mare behind the desk slowly lifted her eyes on him.

“You dare to read the Imperial correspondence?” Dawn said, her voice completely flat.

“W-what?” the foal stuttered. “I-I didn’t! Look!” Silver stretched out his hoof with a purple letter. Dawn did not change in the face and made no attempt to take the letter. The foal finally looked at the letter himself and found it unsealed.
Silver immediately was thrown in panic, dropping down the letter as if it was a bomb.

“Her Majesty will get you for this,” Dawn slowly spoke.

The scene began to bore Nightmare. It would be folly to expect anything creative from a foal, let alone so simple as this particular one, but she nonetheless decided to see where this was going.

Dawn’s office began to fade, replaced by the palace courtyard. Silver was now tied to the pole.

”The former Imperial citizen, Silver Shine, is hereby stripped of all honors for treason. The sentence is, execution by a firing squad,” some unseen judicator read in a steady voice.

Nightmare Moon felt a sudden sting in her heart. So this is what foals believed her to be like? After everything she did for them?! Nightmare felt an urge to show this foal a truly nightmarish dream. There are fates far worse than simple execution…

Instead of going on with her plan, Nightmare only sighed and bowed her head to the ground. Her anger gone as quickly as it appeared.

With a swoop, she chased away the horror troubling Silver’s mind. Suddenly finding himself united, the foal looked down at his hooves and proceeded to tap across himself to find any wounds. Not finding anything, Silver then proceeded to look over his barren surroundings. He finally noticed her and his eyes widened.

“I never read your letter! I swear, I didn’t open it!” The foal rushed to her falling to the ground in a deep bow. Nightmare Moon sighed again, "I swear on my life, I never did anything I wasn't ordered to! Your advisor-"

“I know you had not, child, it was but a dream,” Nightmare Moon stopped the babbling.

“A... dream?!” Silver gasped. “But it felt so…”

“It is natural to confuse the two,” Nightmare Moon explained. "Lucid dreaming is a talent most rare, I would not expect you to develop it so early."

"I... it was... Thank you!" Silver breathed out in relief.

"Are you afraid of me?" Nightmare Moon asked straight. Her question immediately caused fur on Silver's back to visibly stand up.

Silver was caught by surprise, without knowing what kind of response was expected of him, and thrown on the verge of panic again.

Nightmare Moon had enough of playing charades,
“Have I not done enough to earn your trust, little one?!” Silver instinctively took a step back as the enormous mare in front of him suddenly lashed out. It only served to fan her anger more and it reflected on her face like a theatric mask, “Ungrateful whelp! Just like all the rest of them!” she rumbled like a thundering storm, giving the way to her pent up anger and frustration.

The display eroded the last bits of courage Silver had and his legs, moving on their own accord, carried him away. He did not care where, just away from the all-powerful alicorn that was about to smite him!
Soon, to his terror, he discovered that he was not making any distance between himself and the terrible monarch. Then it hit him, there was no escape, not in a dream. As in a solemn confirmation, Nightmare Moon reached him again in only a few steps. Silver was trapped, alone against a mare that could erase him on a whim, both in dreams and reality. Silver gave up running and did the only thing left for him; he simply dropped down, covered his eyes with his hooves and quivered in fear.

What felt like minutes later, Silver dared to open his eyes and carefully looked around only to find that he was alone again. Alone in what seemed like an infinite black void,
“Y-your Majesty! I meant no disrespect! Please, don’t be angry!” Silver called into the void. “Please, come back! I am sorry to have offended you!”

For a moment Silver waited. His reward was a single hoofstep. Silver turned around dropping in an apologetic bow. The mare did not react audibly, instead she deliberately slowly walked closer until she could almost touch him. Silver prepared himself for pain, none followed. Her Majesty simply lowered herself down to his height, bringing her head down to look him in the eyes. Silver tried to return the look without shivering.
She was still visibly angry, but, seemingly, not with him specifically,
“Am I just a bad dream for you, little one?” she slowly asked.

“No?” Silver cautiously responded. “You are real.”

Nightmare Moon slowly rolled her eyes closed and sighed,
“Come with me, little one. There is someone I wish for you to meet.” Silver got up on his hooves prepared to walk but Nightmare Moon did not move. Silver realized there’s a door right next to them now. It was a simple, black, wooden door without a handle,
“Go on, push it open,” the onyx mare encouraged him without opening her eyes. With a single moment of hesitation Silver obeyed.

Through the door immediately poured white light, making it impossible to look on the other side. Silver’s eyes quickly adapted, for the light wasn’t bright, the black void was already gone though; Silver found himself in a corridor, richly decorated with paintings, carpets and even murals. This must be the Imperial palace. Next, Silver heard a distant sound of conversation being held. Looking around, he found two ponies speaking quietly by one of the windows. One was Rarity and the second was one of the Guards Silver didn’t see yet,
“This is my Shadow, little Silver,” he heard a voice talking to him. “She is my most loyal servant. You have seen her many times before and she knows who you are; but let your eyes not deceive you, little one, she is not who she seems to be.”

“Eh… Alright…” The explanation did very little to clarify, “Shall I speak to her?”

“Yes, speak to her. But prepare yourself, my Shadow is secretive, she will only tell you what you need to know if you ask correctly. Be attentive or you will learn nothing.”

“Okay.”

“Go,” the order indicated their exchange being over for now.

Silver took a breath and approached the pair. Rarity was the first one to spot him,
“Oh, it seems you have a delivery, sweety. I’ll get you later,” Rarity spoke and quickened away; this was a dream, Silver had to remind himself.

“Courier?” the guardsmare asked him straight.

“Oh, no Ma-am. I got no delivery for you tonight. But are you Miss Shadow by any chance?” The mare lifted her brow up.

“No, I am Corporal Windmane,” she lied without blinking. “I don’t know anyone named ‘Shadow’. Who told you to find her? Perhaps they misspoke,” the mare suggested.

“I am supposed to learn something from her, Ma-am.” Silver decided that lying directly wouldn’t be wise, “It’s for Her Majesty.”

“Really now?” the mare asked. “Why would Her Majesty send you to learn things for her?”

“I don’t know,” Silver simply answered and shrugged. “She is not very open with her reasoning.”

“She isn’t,” the mare agreed. “What is it you are supposed to get a report on?”

“I don’t know,” Silver repeated. The mare eyed him for a long moment, her face completely emotionless. Silver looked down for a second and shuffled his hooves.
“What is she like to the Guard?” Silver made his move first. “It must be hard for you to keep this entire palace safe with how little she lets us know.”

“It is for our own good,” the mare answered flatly.

“But won’t it be better if we knew what we are supposed to do?”

“Don’t question her,” the mare’s voice suddenly became much lower, almost growling. “Do not ever question her! She works tirelessly each night for everyone to sleep soundly, and all she gets in return is fearful looks and whispers behind her back!” The mare took a breath and continued in a reverent voice, “Her subjects are not worthy of her, but she loves them nonetheless. She cares deeply for every one of us, and it pains her greatly when her subjects answer her with fear and hostility.”

“But she is terrifying!” Silver nudged Shadow’s speech slightly in the direction he wanted her to head, hoping that she wouldn't notice his act.

“Yes, she is intimidating, but so is every mare in power. She will not willingly harm any of her subjects. All her actions are directed towards protecting the Empire and nurturing her ponies. Can’t you see? She only wants for you all to be happy. Stop quivering before her and embrace the light of her moon. She asks nothing in return but your loyalty.”

Silver fell quiet, thinking on his next question. He just found a new meaning for the word “Fanatic,”
“Aren’t you interested to know how someone as young as me got a job here?” Silver finally settled.

“I won’t dare to question Her Majesty. If she wills you to be here, then you are needed here,” the predictable answer came.

“I see...” Silver found himself out of valid questions.

Silver heard a soft chuckle, from where he couldn’t say,
“My Shadow plays her role so well, does she not?” Silver looked up at the guardspony again. She seemed not to notice.
“Do not worry, little Silver. We are in Dreamscape, I can bend it in any way I wish. She won’t hear us.”

“Your Majesty, I don’t understand,” Silver whined. “What am I meant to learn? Your Shadow won’t tell me anything unless you order her to!”

“No, little Silver. She will not. Your task is not to make her tell you, but to gather what you need to know yourself. My Shadow is very skilled in ambiguity, but even she cannot hide everything, especially now.”

“But… how? If she won’t tell me… am I supposed to simply guess?” Silver heard a sigh.

“No, little one. Ask Shadow about her horn, you’ll see.”

“What horn?” Silver asked in bewilderment. The mare clearly was an earth pony.

“Ask what happened to it,” the Empress repeated. Silver tried and failed to wrap his mind around this.

“Ma-am,” Silver began unsurely. The mare looked at him once again, “What happened to your horn?” The question had an immediate effect. For a brief moment, Shadow’s pupils widened, for one brief moment only.

“What horn? I don’t have a horn, that’s a unicorn thing,” the mare answered. Her intonation was perfectly perplexed. The colt proceeded to stare at the mare with his eyes suspiciously squinted, she only lifted her brow in response ...Exactly like any other guard, he knew, would.
"Who told you to annoy me with stupid questions? Run along, don't you have some real work to do?" That did it, Silver saw it now. She was good, she would’ve fooled him if not that single moment before, but he saw it now. She wore her disguise almost perfectly, to the degree that she couldn’t be a pony.
Father told him about what changelings could do, but the stories did little to prepare him for how stunningly capable they were in reality! If Her Majesty didn't give him the clue, he could've walked right past Shadow every night of his life and never know who she really was!

“Ma-am, your skill is stunning!” Silver exclaimed in rapture and awe, overjoyed with himself managing to see through her masterful work, even if he had a little help. “My Father told me stories, but I never thought you are so good at this! I didn’t have a clue!”

“What are you mumbling kid?” the mare responded, still wearing her nearly immaculate impression.

“You are a changeling!” Silver set to devouring her illusion with his eyes. “I could have walked next to you each night and never know! This is amazing!”

“Are you nuts or something?!” The mare cried out.

“My Shadow, he already pierced your protective bubble.” Shadow proceeded to immediately bow to the approaching Empress. She rewarded Silver with an approving smile,
“Excellent, little one. You only needed minimal help to deduce something no other pony could, not even brilliant Twilight Sparkle.” Silver shyly dropped his eyes at the compliment. Nightmare Moon, then, turned to Shadow, “Shed this illusion, it is no longer needed.”

“As you command, Mistress.” Shadow did not even lift herself from the bow. In a flash of green light, the armored guardspony was gone, replaced with pitch-black chitin plates of her natural form. Silver couldn’t help but notice Shadow's eyes glinted sadly.

“You see, my subject, things are rarely the way they appear, no matter how solid they may seem to you,” Nightmare Moon explained. “Do not jump to conclusions before you gather any information,” she finished her lesson smiling contently.

Silver slowly nodded, her point now made clear for him. He could see how come Shadow was so devoted. Truly, the Empress must have been the wisest pony alive!

“Thank you, Your Majesty!” He followed Shadow’s example and bowed, “I am honored if you believe I, amongst all your loyal subjects, am worthy of your teaching. Your wisdom is without equal!”

The onyx mare sighed once more, her smile souring,
“Rise, my subjects,” she spoke while sitting down.

“Mistress? Are you upset?” Shadow asked, her tone worried.

“Yes, my Shadow. I am,” Nightmare Moon sounded fittingly sad. “Little Silver, tell me: how did I scare you so much for you to have nightmares about me? Do you truly believe I would hurt you for opening a letter?”

“I...” Silver didn’t want to upset his monarch, but he was certain that lying would upset her more, “Your Minister, Cloudy Dawn, told me that reading Imperial correspondence would bring your ire. Your Guards have been saying you’ll kill me. Your Majesty, forgive me for disappointing you so, I didn’t know...”

“My Guards are responsible for spreading lies about me?!” Silver instinctively recoiled as the sadness was suddenly replaced with anger. “I specifically instructed them to not use lethal force!”

“Your Majesty, don’t be harsh on them!” Silver surprised himself with this protest. “I believe they weren’t certain of your will either,” he quickly elaborated as the onyx mare’s brows began to rise at him. “It’s just...” Silver took a deep breath, “Ma-am, you rarely show yourself in public, rarely speak to anyone outside your palace, you rarely even announce any public decrees. Your Majesty, your subjects do not know who you are or what to think about you. I grew up dreaming of getting a chance to see you only once!” Silver was glad that his words did not cause a burst of rage, but he couldn’t see if he was successful or not. Nightmare Moon’s face was neutral, she seemingly was not certain how to respond.

“Mistress, I believe Sir Silver is correct,” Shadow suddenly pledged herself to his cause. “I too was at a loss why your subjects are so quail. I see it now! Your subjects do not see your true greatness because they do not know of it!” Silver wanted to give Shadow a grateful look, but she wasn’t interested in him, completely fixated on her… Mistress.
“Even your Guards, although loyal, do not know almost anything about you! Mistress, you are beautiful and kind! Do not hide yourself behind walls and protocols! Let your subjects see how amazing of a pony you are!”

Nightmare Moon stared at Silver, he tried to give her an encouraging nod, but she simply continued to stare him down, waiting for something.
Finally, she smiled again, dropped her eyes and shook her head.

“Thank you, both of you,” she spoke warmly. “But I don’t think they'll like what they see. Secrets serve a purpose. If I am to let them know me, they’ll fear me more, not less,” she sadly retorted.

“You can start with the Guard!” Silver offered. “They already adore you, even if you still scare them a little. My Father never told me a single bad thing about you, this has to count for something.”
The Empress didn’t respond for a few long moments, thinking over the possibility.

“What do you suggest, young Silver?” she finally asked.

Once In a Blue Moon

“Twilight,” Cadance quietly called to the young Princess standing in the hall with a clipboard, though in all the raucous of the preparations running around them, Twilight might have heard her poorly. “Don’t take this wrong, I adore the idea, I do, but not right now. Let’s at least put Nightmare Moon back in her reasonable mind. She is unstable and this is the worst thing a Princess can be.”

“She isn’t a Princess,” Twilight retorted without taking a look away from her clipboard.

“Your Highness, I brought Rarity as you requested.” Twilight was hailed by a maid. Twilight nodded, without looking, and scratched out a point out.

“Find Corporal Strafe Runner, he needs someone to deliver a list to the kitchen. After that, you are at their disposal,” Twilight monotonously instructed. “Rarity, I need you for the designing team, we only have a few hours before Her Majesty wakes up.”

“Twilight!” Rarity exclaimed in indignation. “With Pristine waking me up so early, I thought something happened again!”

“Twilight, listen to Rarity,” Cadance began again. “The Guards have a wonderful idea, but it’s really not the time! We have more important business to do.” Twilight sighed, lowered her clipboard and went on to rub her eyes for a little.

“Listen, you two,” Twilight said determinedly. “I didn’t plan for this either. The Guards for once decided to do something on their own, without asking anyone. They just got together and decided that they want to do something for Nightmare Moon for a change, on their own initiative. They want to show her that they love her.” Rarity widened her eyes, “We can’t just leave them out to do all of this on their own. Do you have any idea how hard it is to do something in the palace without her finding out right away? I had to go to the head maid and get her to station more maids than usual in the ballroom, then I had to somehow get all the supplies in here without Her Majesty or Honor Guard noticing and all of this in one day while she is asleep and without anyone reporting to her!
Luckily, Pinkie still has party supplies stashed all over, so I could find everything I needed without going around the city and attracting attention to myself. Now we just need to get the room ready and something nice for everyone to eat. That’s why I need you, Rarity. After you are done with the decorations, I need you to go and tell the cooks what she likes, the staff only knows that she hates sugar and that she doesn’t tolerate heavy alcohol. Any more questions?”

“Darling… I’ll help, of course, but don’t you think that it’s possible for Her Majesty to not like you hiding things from her? She is rather conscious of this sort of thing. And the Guards leaving their posts... what if something happens? Twilight, I don’t think this is a good idea at all.”

“Rarity," Twilight pouted, "you know better than that. She won't punish us for showing her some appreciation. She loves us, Rarity. It's only fair if we do something for her too."

“Twiley, you look tired all of a sudden,” the pink Princess cautiously said. “Won’t you lie down for just a moment?”

“No, Cadance,” Twilight retorted. “And I am NOT going crazy!"

"Sweety, we know you aren't," Rarity lied. "But don't you think you are going just a tiny bit overboard?" Rarity conjured a disarming smile.

Twilight facehoofed herself and groaned,
"Look, you two. Don't you think that ponies can like some other ponies? Genuinely? She is just like the rest of us, even if she tries to pretend she isn't. Look, I saw how much she really cares with my own eyes! Rarity, we both did! The Magic of Friendship worked! We only need to show her that it's okay to show how she feels to the rest of us!"

“Princess, your snacks are here,” a maid announced herself coming with a cart lined up with covered dishes.

“Oh… Good! Leave it by the serving table, we’ll sort this as soon as team ‘Laundry’ comes back with cloth for the tables,” Twilight instructed.

“Yes, Ma’am,” the maid bowed.

“Okay… where were we? Oh, right. Cadance, I need you to go get Daybreaker.”

“Who?” Cadance and Rarity asked in unison.

“Her sister,” Twilight groaned. “That’s how she calls herself.”

“Darling, you cannot possibly mean to say you are conversing with such a villain!” Rarity cried out.

“Rarity, do you still remember the times you would’ve said so about Her Majesty too?” Rarity lowered her sight in face of the argument. “Daybreaker is scared, Rarity. She believes we are planning to use the Elements on her.”

"Twilight, how can you even consider her against Celestia? She was our mentor and this is how you thank her?!" Cadance exploded from indignation.

"And what about Daybreaker herself? Do you want her to go back to being just an observer, without any control over her own fate? Is that any better? Tell me, Cadance, is it fair for someone to be denied a body of their own and to be forced to wrestle for control with someone else? Daybreaker had to fight Celestia for her very right to have a life of her own! I didn't want Celestia gone, but I will not judge Daybreaker for doing what she had to!"

“Okay, Twiley,” Cadance sighed, admitting defeat. “Why do you need her though? Won’t she run to Nightmare Moon after she sniffs us being up to something?”

“Yes, she will,” Twilight agreed. “This is exactly what we want. She’ll come straight to Her Majesty and bring her right here before she can hear any reports and find out exactly what’s going on!”

“How come Daybreaker doesn’t know yet?” Rarity queried. “She couldn’t possibly miss the ponies running across the palace carrying supplies.”

“She couldn’t, that’s why this day is so lucky!” Twilight cheerfully answered. “She isn’t paying attention to the palace this day, the Guards say she went into the dungeon and has been staying there for hours now. The dungeon has stayed empty since the time Her Majesty let Chrysalis go, I guess she’s reflecting or something.”

“She let Chrysalis go?!” Cadance’s turn was to cry out, immediately drawing eyes to them.

“Cadance!” Twilight facehooved herself again. “All of you! This isn’t your problem, carry on!”

“Twilight, I swear, the longer we talk, the more I realize that coming here was a mistake.”

“Well, what did you expect? You came here to ask me to go with you to Crystal City and hide there until Nightmare Moon is gone! I don’t leave my friends, Cadance!”

“She isn’t your friend, Twily! She uses you!”

“Cadance, can you just go get Daybreaker?” Twilight asked tiredly.

“Fine,” Cadance sighed. “If you absolutely have to do this.”

“Thanks, Cadance, I owe you one,” Twilight answered with relief.

“Anything else I can...” Cadance suddenly stopped, as the ballroom doors creaked wide open.
Twilight headbutted her clipboard with a frustrated grunt.

Nightmare Moon calmly walked inside the hall, the gathering was not surprising her in on itself. The Guards had to go somewhere if they were not at their posts. She calmly looked over the frozen staff, the Guards caught in between hanging banners and moving tables, and stopping for a moment on Twilight, Rarity and Cadance. Rarity nervously bit her hoof.

Noticing the rising tension, the onyx mare sighed and smiled, warmly yet dreamily,
“My Guards, It has come to my attention that some of you abandoned your posts this day for a gathering here,” Nightmare Moon deliberately walked to the tables lined with decorations yet to be set up.
“Pennant number 14,” she pronounced, lifting up a purple cloth. “Used on the night of the winter solstice, the night when the days start becoming longer. I do not remember holding a ball on this occasion for years now. Shall we revive the tradition, then?” she asked, continuing to hold the banner in the air. Nightmare Moon laughed as no one took the responsibility to explain the situation to her,
“My Guards, I’ve come to you today not to scold you. I am rather delighted to see you busy like this, as the matter of fact,” she proceeded to prove her point by hanging the banner on its place on the column, “Is your Captain among you?”

“Here, Your Majesty,” Rolling Thunder hailed her as he trotted to her pushing through a crowd of rank and file.

“Captain, walk by the remaining posts and bring the Guards here. Do not forget the ones off-duty too. They wouldn’t want to miss this.”

“But what of the palace defenses, Your Majesty?” Captain asked in disbelief.

“Worry not this once, Captain,” Nightmare Moon smirked at him. “I have already arranged a replacement for the outer defences. They will arrive shortly to watch the outer wall while your regiment is otherwise occupied.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” the Captain reluctantly answered, bowed and started his way out of the hall.

“Oh, and Captain,” she quickly stopped him. “Your concern for the safety of my palace is noted.”
Nightmare Moon watched with amusement as the officer took a moment to process what was said and how his entire body stretched up, “Carry on, Captain.”

Nightmare Moon then turned to three mares in charge of the preparations.

Answering the silent summon, Twilight approached, Cadance and Rarity followed in tow,
“I see you are assuming command, Twilight,” Nightmare Moon slightly nodded in the direction of the slowly recovering crowd.

“It wasn’t my idea, Your Majesty,” Her Highness excused herself. “I only tried to help Captain Thunder and his subordinates with their initiative.”

“Is that so?” Nightmare Moon sharply turned away from the trio and looked over the banners again. “What was their plan for arranging these?”

Twilight gave Rarity a pleading look, the former seamstress widened her eyes and rapidly shook her head. Twilight gave Rarity a heavy stare to which she lifted her forelegs apprehensively.

“Well then, Rarity?” Nightmare Moon asked, seeing fit to end their silent bickering.

“A-ah, I-I... purple goes nice with green,” Rarity managed to push out of herself. Rarity opened the mouth to add “Your Majesty,” but Nightmare Moon found no reason to torture her further,

“Indeed, thank you, Rarity.” To everyone's bewilderment, Nightmare Moon, herself, began lifting the banners and hooking them on the perturbing metal holders, usually too small to see.

“Okay, people!” Twilight recovered. Nightmare Moon smiled to herself, always attentive Twilight took her hint, “The break’s over, we have a lot of work to do! Chop-chop!”

The work in the room was reluctantly resumed. Meanwhile, Nightmare Moon continued arranging the banners along the walls. Doing it herself felt strange after so many years of servants doing everything for her. The feeling was so warm and nostalgic after all this time that her thoughts immediately wandered to making something herself again. Something that wasn’t political.
Nightmare Moon smiled musingly to herself upon remembering Luna trying art all those years ago. Perhaps Rarity would teach her monarch to sew? It would be so marvelous to have the time away from the throne! Even if just for a few hours at a time.

Twilight returned to giving orders and Nightmare Moon was happy to let her do the work, for now, securing herself a role of the honorary decorator.
What mattered is that her Guards must have appreciated her gesture. She tried not to stare, her gaze tended to cause discontent and she wanted her soldiers to be comfortable now, yet she still managed to notice them exchanging smiles and pats.
Nightmare Moon made a mental note to find out who came up with such an idea, for it was extremely convenient. Young Shine’s thought to let her Guards in on some bits of her plans so that their job becomes less stressful was not quite acceptable, but now she was presented with an opportunity to achieve even more by allowing her Guards to have their party. Perhaps there even was fun to be had. Nightmare wished she could have Luna alongside her now, with how much fun she used to have on Nightmare Nights, but now it was bright outside and the Lunar Princess had to hide.

“Your Majesty,” Rarity addressed her barely louder than she would be whispering. “I waited for a moment to speak to you… if you would, that is.”

Nightmare Moon hummed slightly, before turning to Twilight again,
“Your Highness, have someone to finish the banners, Rarity and I have some business to take care of.” Confident that Twilight heard her, the onyx mare put one more banner on and finally glanced at Rarity.
The unicorn was nervously biting her lip and refused to look her in the eye, which was normal considering her quail self.
“Let’s go, Rarity. We have someone to meet.” The unicorn obediently followed her.

Nightmare Moon led her out of the hall and began to leisurely trot towards the courtyard, there was one Guard that Captain would need help to reach.

“Say, Rarity, you wish to tell me that you are sorry?” Nightmare Moon said without the usual formalities, knowing exactly the reason for this interruption. Rarity missed a step.

“Yes… Your Majesty...” the unicorn stopped and turned to one of the many draped windows in the hallway, as if hoping for the sun to give her courage.
Nightmare Moon sighed and sat down next to Rarity,
“Your Majesty, I never wanted anyone to get hurt, I just... I thought… I'm such a fool!” Rarity loudly sobbed and covered her face.
Nightmare sighed again, looking down at her old and loyal friend. Like all of them, Rarity was so fragile.

“Rarity, I am not good at this,” Nightmare Moon said, trying to resist the urge to give in knowing full well what Rarity wanted. The precedent could not be allowed, “You’ve made a mistake, but you're not the one in guilt here. I am the one responsible for my subjects, you failed because I let you fail. Nothing can be done now, things are the way they have to be, I am sorry. Please, collect yourself and don't make this harder than it needs to be,” Nightmare Moon asked sternly.

“Your Majesty, please! Don’t chase me away like this! My boutique was finished as soon as the ponies knew I supported you! I have nowhere else to go!”

Nightmare Moon sighed for the third time, much heavier,
“Rarity, I understand as much. But I can’t do anything for you now. My subjects can’t have an impression that personal relationships can exempt one from being punished. I cannot make exceptions. Even Celestia had to spend time on the moon before she could be safely returned. I am sorry, I know you meant well, but It has to be this way for the sake of the ponies, Rarity. Please, understand.”

“Then let me be of use! Send me to Crystal Empire, I’ll keep an eye on Cadance for you!”

“Rarity, I cannot,” Nightmare Moon continued to hammer her point. “Cadance is very loyal, regardless of what she truly thinks of me. She makes a point of not resisting me, she wants me to leave her alone. If I send you to watch her, it would mean that loyalty cannot guarantee my favor. This would lead to dissent. Rarity, please, understand: there is nothing that can be done for you now.”
Rarity tried to find another point, but only ended up sobbing more. It was almost done. Nightmare’s thoughts wandered back to the celebration back in the hall. How was she supposed to smile to all of her Guards if she had to hurt her friend only a few minutes prior?
A sudden spike of anger pierced her mind. She wanted to curse this blasted crown and this palace for the sacrifices that had to be made for them to be worth anything. This wasn’t fair, Rarity traded everything she had away for her to have a chance to give all her people a better life. Rarity was to be celebrated, not punished for something that wasn’t even her fault! Rarity couldn’t possibly know about Sombra and the cursed potion. Nightmare Moon wanted to shout to the stars of this injustice! For something she herself was guilty of, she had to convict her friend! She wanted to, but she said nothing, continuing to bear her practiced, impassive expression and coldness in her eyes.

“Your Majesty, say your will!” Rarity was now looking at her with tears openly flowing from her eyes. “I will do anything you order me! Your subjects will see how hard I am working to earn your forgiveness! They will remember your mercy! Give me your orders! I swear, I will do anything! Living without anything left to live for is simply horrendous!”

Nightmare Moon closed her eyes shut and took a long, deep breath. Seeing Rarity’s desperation wasn’t easy,
“Rarity,” Nightmare Moon answered in a completely flat, emotionless voice. “Are you sure?”

“Anything!” Rarity immediately repeated, but Nightmare hesitated for another long moment.

“There is one thing left that you can still do. You cannot serve in the same position that you have been, but I can offer you a way to make your own living. Of course, I will never throw you on the street regardless."

"But... how? I am a designer, I don't know how to do anything else. I can't make it without you!" Rarity sobbed.

"That is not what I am suggesting," Nightmare Moon soothingly assured. "Have you caught your thoughts randomly wandering somewhere they do not normally venture?” Rarity’s sobbing has stopped for a long moment.

"Well... thoughts are whimsical things," Rarity asserted, having forgotten of her sorrow for a moment. "They wander around often."

“Indeed they do. Sometimes, though, they seem to be rather persistent. Luna would be your witness, this is how she used to feel daily.” Rarity looked puzzled by the cryptic statement.

"I am not sure I follow, Your Majesty. How can Luna help here?"

"Luna has experience with the very same matter I intend to offer you, Rarity," Nightmare Moon calmly explained. "Though she may be rather hard to reach these nights," she added. "Rarity, I wish for you to get acquainted with another one of my sisters, this time in your own head."

Rarity’s eyes widened to the point of them bulging. Nightmare Moon slowly nodded to her.

“I… It can’t be! I never...”

“There can be no doubt, Rarity,” Nightmare Moon allowed herself to gently touch Rarity on the shoulder. “I feel you both in the Dreamrealm. You aren’t alone. Seemingly, my sister learned from my mistakes, she bides her time with you, waiting for a perfect moment, knowing full-well that the element of surprise is her only chance after what happened to Luna. But fear not, Rarity. I will not let her harm you,” Nightmare Moon promptly promised. “She will not dare now.”

“Can she… hear us?” Rarity asked, still stupefied by the revelation.

“Yes, Rarity. She is fully aware of what is going on just like you are. But her perception is different. She cannot immediately react, only to analyze and plan. She can help you, Rarity, but she will not do so without receiving anything in return.”

“Do you want me to give in?” Rarity hopelessly asked.

“No, Rarity,” Nightmare Moon tried to sound reassuring. She then deliberately continued: “I say for you both to hear this: I will not allow her to rob you of the only thing you still have that is your own, no matter the premise. I ask her to help you, not to replace you. She will receive her share, but if she takes more than agreed on, I will personally scour your mind off her every trace.”

“But what am I to do even?!” Rarity cried out. “What can she help me with?! ”

“Rarity, you must learn to use your talents without my hoof directing you. My sister knows you very well, better than you know yourself and she knows how you can do better. Let her instruct you on how to act and take over the tasks you cannot accomplish yourself yet. She will not dare to deceive you knowing that I watch her. If she is wise, she’ll be grateful to you for letting her live your life with you. If not...” Nightmare let the phrase ebb. “Of course you are still free to help your other friends too and Twilight in particular.”

"I... of course, I-I will do as you say. This is just so sudden. I couldn't even imagine things were like... this."

"I understand," Nightmare Moon nodded. "I am sorry for putting you through such a shock."

"Mistress, if I do not interrupt too much." Rarity jumped at the changeling suddenly speaking next to her. "I met Sirs Silver and Shine, as you instructed, and escorted them to the hall."

"Shadow!" Rarity cried. "Don't sneak up on ponies like this! I nearly had a heart attack!"

"I am sorry, Miss Rarity. I did not want to disturb..." Nightmare Moon smiled at the coy changeling. Suddenly, she wondered how her blush would look, if the rigid chitin plates would've allowed her to blush.

"Rarity, you should get used to being constantly watched by now. Shadow is far from the only one who could 'sneak up' on you here. My Shadow, return to the hall now. We will be with you shortly."

"Yes, Mistress," Shadow bowed and promptly retreated.

"Such a darling she is," Nightmare Moon mimicked Rarity's manner.

"Shall we head back now?" Rarity asked, springing back at her hooves.

"One more moment, if you please. Rarity, I was looking to find myself something to do while I am not occupied with the court business and I wondered if you would be interested to help."

"Of course, Your Majesty!" Rarity beamed. "There are a lot of options to choose from! What would you like me to get you?"

"I'd rather not have you to get me anything just yet, Rarity," Nightmare Moon stopped her. "Instead I ask if you would consider teaching me your... seaming art." Rarity widened her eyes.

"Y-you want me to teach you to s-sew?" Rarity asked in complete disbelief.

"Why, yes, Rarity. I always enjoyed seeing your work. After all," Nightmare Moon winked, "you made half of this palace's decor yourself." Rarity continued staring at Nightmare Moon wide-eyed for another long moment before finally believing her fortune.

"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! This is the best day ever!" Rarity couldn't restrain herself from pacing, chattering like she was a filly in Ponyville again. "I have everything we need! Threads, needles, fabrics, a little bit of glue, several measuring tapes and even a new ripper!"

"Will you help then?" Nightmare Moon softly nudged Rarity back to business, though the answer was very far from inconspicuous.

"Of course, I'll help! I'll get my supplies and we can start anytime you like!"

"Thank you, Rarity," Nightmare Moon bowed her head slightly. As glad she was to see her friend happy in this way for the first time in years, there was more business to attend today. "Now, I believe, it is time we started our way back, we are being expected. In the meantime, perhaps you have any theory you'd have me know?"

To Fight With Thy Arms Down

“Luna, it is finally dusk again.” Sombra floated up to the Night Princess. Luna made no move, sitting down next to a pony on the ground. “We got all you wanted from him, he was no longer needed and you had to feed. Snap his neck or leave him to bleed out if you so choose,” Sombra reminded, his voice devoid of perceivable emotion.

“Sombra, how can you be this cold-hearted?” Luna asked out of the blue, tears standing her eyes. “This is horrible! I hate myself for having to harm others for my sustenance and you are saying I am to kill the pony who provided for me!?”

“Luna, may I remind you that this filth did not do so willingly? Or perhaps you are forgetting this is a member of the same gang you are hunting? I believed you wanted to avenge… Trixie, that was her name? A fitting punishment, wouldn’t you agree?”

“No, Sombra!” Luna cried out in indignation. “I want to seem them brought to justice, not murdered themselves! They may have blood on their hooves, but they are still royal subjects!” For a moment Sombra scoffed as if finding Luna’s sentiment entertaining, but he soon regained his composure.

“In that case, perhaps you should have tasked your little pet to start an investigation, as to my knowledge, she has not burdened herself such as of yet.”

“Nightmare has enough on her hooves as is, Sombra. I can do this myself.”

“Of course you can, Luna. You will find the petty criminals,” Sombra agreed. “And then?”

“Then they will be judged!” Luna shouted.

“Of course they will be, by you.” Luna began to open her mouth to protest again, but Sombra was way ahead of her, “You do not intend to drag them to a court yourself, now do you? This is not how justice works, My Love.
“You need evidence and even though tracking them down was trivially easy with a bit of spellcraft, I believe the word of an old stallion such as myself would not be enough for esteemed judges. So picky they are,” Sombra distastefully humped.

Luna’s eyes rolled closed, then she took a deep breath. The Princess lifted the unconscious pony trotted to the entrance of the cave they were staying in.

“Changed your mind?” Sombra asked.

“You are right, Sombra,” Luna gloomily admitted. “This is not justice, this is vengeance. This crusade was foolish. I will return to Nightmare now.”

“Why condone that creature in the first place?” Sombra asked, following Luna to the exit. “She killed more of your subjects than anyone else, yet you hate me and let her roam free?”

Luna’s mouth stretched into a grimace,
“How can you even compare, Sombra? You enslaved your own people! You forced them to die in your wars!”

“And she does none of this? Luna, she stole your identity and your crown. She is forcing your subjects to jump at her every whim. They will die for her if she tells them to. At least I was merciful enough to not leave them the illusion of choice.” Luna finally stopped as reached the entrance, casting a look at the purple, evening, sky, the stars already visibly shining.
“She is no better than I, My Love. Let me aid you, she is weak and we can cast her down easily. Free your ponies of tyranny. Was this not why you cast me down?”
Luna suddenly and sharply turned her head away from the sky and towards the woods,
“We can even purge that parasite from Celestia’s body,” Sombra whispered directly into Luna’s ear. Luna showed no interest, being completely fixated on some distant sound only she could hear.

A moment later Sombra was forced to test limits of his own flight, as Luna darted away carrying the unconscious pony away with her.

“And what if the Guard reacts?” a question reached him. “They seem serious.” Sombra stopped, as he lost Luna’s trail by now, but she was close enough for him to feel content. Sombra began listening instead.

“Ye ‘ought to spend less time in ye woods, me tellin’ ya. Hag’s ain’t like ‘dat. She won’t let her goons hurt us.”

“Since when do you know what she’s like AJ? I thought she ruined your life or something.”

“She sure as hay did. Imma just tellin’ ye what I saw with mah own two eyes.”

“So, you are saying we can just walk up to the front gate and no one’s goin’ to touch us? Sounds a bit too damn good to be true, AJ. It’s Nightmare Moon we are talking ‘bout here.”

“Ah know it’s Hag, dummy!”

“Then what’s about it? Don’t say she starting to grow on you.”

“Oh, hay no! I ain’t getting any friendlier with her till I’m on mah deathbed! Look, I am just sayin’ how things are, ‘kay? I dunno why the change, but she seems to be aversed to violence now, or something. No matter what ruckus Rainbow does in the palace, she just gets a spank and that’s all. She ain’t going to jail anypony for just asking nicely, ‘kay?”

“Well, damn, sounds like Celestia’s been getting through to her, or something.”

“Hey, it’s Luna, remember? She just got a bit antsy again, she’ll come back around, eventually.”

“She’s ain’t no Luna!” AJ could be heard violently slapping her hoof on some hard piece of wood. “Nightmare Moon has nothin’ to do with her, she’s like a different pony inside Luna’s head or somethin’ like that.”

“Not sayin’ you are lying, AJ, but that’s horsecrap. You got one bit of evidence?”

“Ah dunno how any of ‘dat works mahself,” AJ admitted. “I’m just tellin’ ya what Twilight said.”

“You mean the same Twilight who now lives at the palace? She sounds like a legitimate source alright.”

“Don’t ye dare to slander mah friends! Twilight tries to make life better for everypony, ‘dat includes ye slackers!”

“Everypony, stop fighting! We aren’t here for that! We are supposed to plan a protest! We can put our issues with each other aside for a cause, can we?”

“As long as ‘dis glob keeps his mouth shut.”

“So, what’s your plan, Starcall?”

“Simple, we only need to get ponies to come. They’ll figure it out on their own. This is going to be the hard part, though. Canterlot itself isn’t a good place to look for support. We can count for a few ponies in Ponyville and some others could take the train from elsewhere, but otherwise, I am out of ideas.”

“This is an opportunity, My Love,” Sombra whispered into the darkness, knowing full well that Luna could hear him.

Airbase Economy

Rainbow Dash was bored. Well, it was a little better than usual, at least she was on the airfield and being bored on the airfield is by default cooler than being bored in the palace. She also was about to get another cubic ton of paperwork to sign, as this was a testing night.

“Swirling Wings,” Rainbow yawned. “You gonna finish checking any time soon? I just wanna know if I can take a nap or no.”

“Almost done, Lieutenant,” the stallion in the cockpit responded.

“Well, give me a rundown before I fall asleep.”

“Well, engine looks nominal, I replaced the oil again so it should run extra smooth. The fuel tank has no leaks, fuel line is fine too. Both rotors are oiled up and spin correctly, though the main shaft was starting to rust, so I had to get the techs to replace it.”

“Well, at least they had something to do instead of just sitting on this box and waiting for this damn check-up to finish. By the way, you found out why it shakes so much now?”

“Apparently that was the rotor rust, Lieutenant. I noticed it spinning a bit unevenly. It should be fine now.”

“Instruments all working fine? You fixed that horizon ball? I don’t wanna see it spinning on us again.”

“I replaced the whole panel, Lieutenant. If that won’t fix it, I am out of ideas.”

“Just finish the check-up,” Rainbow brushed off.

“I am just about to be done, Ma’am.”

With a monumental metal rumbling, the hangar door slide open,
“Attention, EAW! Prepare for an unscheduled inspection!” the base colonel’s voice reached them.

“Tch,” Rainbow snorted, hopping down from her box seat. “That’s the second time in the last few months, we sure damn popular here, aren’t we?”

“Where’s the rest of your unit, Lieutenant?” another stallion in the senior officer’s uniform asked.

“In barracks, Sir,” Rainbow dully spoke back. “Should I line them up?”

“Now, Lieutenant, I believe this is quite convenient, we shall see how quickly they are to dress. The normal is sixty seconds, is it not?” Rainbow Dash sighed, “Now then, let us introduce ourselves. This is General Breech Slider, Her Majesty’s Minister of War, if you are still unacquainted. I am Air Marshal Trail Blazer and with Colonel Torque Bender you are already acquainted.”

“Since when are we an aviation crew? We are testers, we are supposed to be answering to the Logistics Corps,” Rainbow asked, just so she won’t have to stand quietly and listen to some more speeches.

“As long as you are occupying space on the Imperial airbase, you are under the Air Force jurisdiction, Lieutenant. Now would you be so kind to demonstrate to the Minister what his financing went to?”

Rainbow proceeded to drag her hoof across her face and walked over to her aircraft,
“This is Manehatten Aviation Model Number One,” she talked through without even trying to hide her boredom. “MA-1 for short. It achieves vertical flight using rotating blades. It’s is fully capable of both vertical take-off and landing, and can achieve two hundred and fifty kilometres per hour of horizontal velocity. Maximum take-off weight is about four thousand kilos, including fuel and the vehicle itself. It is designed for logistical purposes but includes two 7,62 caliber machine guns by the doors of the passenger compartment. On this specific vehicle, they currently are not installed. Shall we arrange a showcase flight?”

“And the cost?” the Minister asked.

“Four million bits.”

“Hmm, one and a half more than an M48 and for a fancy utility aircraft.”

“A revolutionary aircraft at that,” the Colonel added.

“Revolutionary or not, it is expensive and only marginally more flexible than a heavy transport plane and four times as costly.” Colonel proceeded to spread his hooves, conceding to the argument,
“Whatever, really. If Rich would finance your testing further, you can do whatever you want. By the way, where’s he? He’s been gone for over half an hour now.”

“Mister Rich asked me where he could find the water closet and did not return,” the base's Colonel answered.

“Lieutenant, would you be so kind to find him for us? After all, you are the fastest flier alive, are you not? In the meantime, your esteemed technician shall acquaint us with the mechanics,” the Major cut in.

“Sir yes sir,” Rainbow sighed and headed to the hangar doors.

Rainbow Dash sighed again and spread her wings to fly over to the control tower, she couldn’t imagine a puke this high up would use the restrooms in barracks.

Nightmare Moon really knew how to pick her officials. Rainbow took this time to think while lazily flapping past the lined up bombers. Filthy Rich - the Minister of Finance. Who would’ve thought? At this point Rainbow Dash was seriously considering ditching all this endless nonsense and getting Apple Jack to find her some work on the farm. There were no Wonderbolts anymore. They disbanded rather than to fly for the tyrant’s amusement. Spitfire was a private trainer now, Soarin was in Las Pegasus doing… something, Blaze was in Arabia, flying for the local royalty, and the rest of the crew was scattered comparatively all around the world. Just like that Rainbow’s dream scattered to the wind, while Nightmare Moon likely did not even notice their gesture. Even if she did, she never reacted.
The blue pegasus hated how unmoveable she was. Rainbow tried to get her attention ever since the Civil War ended, but even attacking her palace directly only led to her writing a single letter. A SINGLE letter! She ruined Rainbow’s whole life and did not even see fit to grant her more than a single letter of her attention! Rainbow deserved a chance to say… no, shout into her face how much she hated the self-appointed 'Empress’! But even if she got a chance, both of them would know she’d be lying. Rainbow wanted to hate the tyrant, but she couldn’t make herself anymore. Nightmare Moon was a lot to be blamed for, that did not change, but the truth was that Rainbow was tired. Tired of following orders, tired of feeling like a fool all the time, tired of losing friends, tired of all of it. She didn’t even have the strength to be angry anymore, just frustrated.
If the mare wanted to be as nice as she says, why not just get down and do it? Starting with actually letting the ponies decide if they want her or not. Although considering how many were brainwashed dumbos nowadays, the elections would be redundant. But her stopping terrorizing everypony would be a nice alternative. After all, Celestia was so beloved by everypony because she treated everycreature warmly. Nightmare Moon was the opposite, she was cold and detached, if you were lucky. Making matters worse, Rainbow knew she was pretending to be that way. It was always playing pretend with her.

“That’ll be at least sixty million bits just to start up. It will be years until we can return the investment.” That would be Rich, apparently caught up with money again. Rainbow should’ve guessed. The voice seemingly came from behind the tower, rather than from inside it, so Rainbow lazily started circling it around, “But considering we shall have the land very cheaply, assuming your plan works, we can get the investment back much sooner. I believe this can be arranged, Princess.”

“Excellent, Mister Rich,” Twilight Sparkle’s voice answered him, making Rainbow cock her brow curiously and making her ears perk up. “I see you never lost your knack for seeing commercial opportunities. Expect requests for subsidies to start arriving within a month.”

“Speaking of this, yes. Princess, I dare ask how can you make people as stubborn and greedy as griffons to possibly accept selling their land at such a… price.”

“Rather simply, Mister Rich. As you are aware, we are currently experiencing a rather poor time for agriculture, with harvests falling throughout the Empire. Griffons are not exempt of this predicament either, in fact, they are having it much worse. A few days ago we even received a griffon diplomat from Griffinstone asking for aid.”

“They must be desperate if they would even consider asking us to help.”

“They are, Mister Rich, and they will have their food, for a price.” Rainbow’s eyes shot wide, scarcely believing what she just heard.
This was a new low. As treacherous as Nightmare Moon was, she never before sank so low as to rob someone blind in exchange for their life! Rainbow barely managed to restrain herself from flying out there right now and punching Rich into his smug face for even considering doing something this repugnant!

“Oh, an elegant plan!” Rich approved. “They need us much more than we need them, so essentially we can drive any bargain we wish! Would you, please, be so generous as to forward my admiration to the Empress?”

“I will, Mister Rich. One last thing, I trust I don’t have to explain that you must not compromise the secrecy for the time being.”

“Of course. Until we meet again, Princess.”

“Have a good night, Mister Rich.”

With their meeting concluded, Rainbow prepared to drag Rich back to the hangar, to get this over with as soon as possible. She needed to have a talk with Gilda soon. Very soon.

Twilight closed her book with an audible slap, terminating her connection to the magical drawing she used to communicate with Rich. She then contently hummed and scratched a line out of her checklist.

“So, how did it go, Your Highness? Did Sir Minister approve? Of your plan?” Thorax eagerly asked.

“Mind finally telling me what in Tartarus IS your plan?” Gilda impatiently called. “And who this creep is?”

“Oh, my name is Thorax! It is good to meet you, Miss Gilda!” the Changeling pleasantly answered.

“Right… So, what are we doing, exactly?”

“Did you bring the amulet as I asked you to?” Twilight levitated herself another book from her usual table at the archives centre.

“Yeah,” Gilda reached for the jewel in her bag. “Here is- hey!” Twilight snatched the amulet from Gilda’s claw and quickly examined it one last time.

“Uh-hum,” Twilight scratched out another line and put the amulet into the centre of her chalk-white circle on the floor, crystal powder and power crystal already in place too.

“Twilight, I swear!” Gilda flared. “Take a break from your stupid books and answer my question!”

“Shhh!” Thorax hushed. “Let the Princess focus.” Although he only irritated the griffon more.

“The hay! Twilight, say something!”

Twilight tiredly rubbed her eyes, some creatures have no patience at all,
“I am recharging the amulet for you, Gilda. Would you like the transference spell formula too?” she sarcastically asked.

“What?” Gilda looked genuinely surprised. “You mean, you take this folktale about the wind amulet seriously?”

“Yes, Gilda, I do. Now, will you give me a moment to work, please?” Twilight shot back in annoyance.

With the matter settled, Twilight began weaving her spell.
The Princess lit her horn and shot a tiny beam of energy at the crystal to provoke the reaction. The dust on the circle began to softly glow accompanied by the more brightly shining crystal.
Minutes passed and the emerald on the jewel began to dimly glow too.

“Now what?” Gilda finally asked.

“Now we wait until the crystal dims.”

“No, I mean after that. What is this about?” Gilda insisted on asking the question again. “You said you could help with our food issue, I don’t get how this helps.” Twilight sighed in annoyance.

“Gilda, can’t you just wait for a little? You’ll get what you need in the end, that’s what I promised you.”

“Is that why you called for me, Princess?” Thorax asked excitedly. “Do you want me to assist Miss Gilda? Pharynx says you’d want my help again soon enough.”

“Who’s Pharynx?” Gilda asked.

“Oh, he’s my brother, Miss. He is here, in the palace. He came to Her Majesty to-”

“Thorax, quiet!” Twilight grabbed Thorax’s jaw and forced him to close his mouth. “You can’t just go around wagging your tongue like that. You are going to get yourself and all of us in trouble!”

“Uhmm-mmm!” Twilight let his jaw go. “But I thought miss Gilda was allowed to hear! She is here, after all,” Thorax said apologetically.

“Hear what?”

”Hear nothing. Thorax, I called you for a specific purpose and I am going to explain it later, now we have Miss Gilda’s problem to solve.”

“Is this the time you finally tell me the plan? This is starting to get old,” Gilda grumbled.

“Okay, fine!” Twilight gave up. “Look, Gilda, the matter is like this: I managed to get Her Majesty to agree some help to your people, but it isn’t free. We need you to negotiate mining rights for Equestrian companies, the money you receive will be your way of buying the seeds you need.”

“And why couldn’t you… wait, what?!” Gilda suddenly widened her eyes in shock.

“And that’s why I didn’t tell you,” Twilight sighed.

“You want me to tell griffons that they are now selling their ancestral land for food?!” Gilda showed no signs of stopping in her indignation, hopping straight off her chair and starting to pace around the room.

“Gilda, I am offering you a way to survive, for Celestia’s sake! You do not have the population to mine all of your resources yourselves anyway! Your own village is only a hundred griffons at most!”

“This isn’t about how many there are of us, Twilight!” Gilda gave the mare a burning stare. “These stupid mountains are what our ancestors were fighting for generations! Trading it away for crumbs off a pony’s table is a spit on their graves! Griffons will never accept this!”

“Gilda, be reasonable!” Twilight pleaded. “You need food! You are going to starve!”

“You’d be surprised how many griffons would choose to starve over dishonoring ourselves this much,“ Gilda grumbled back grimly.

“Okay, I am done!” Twilight exploded and finally dropped her book back on the table. “You want to die? Go straight ahead! Maybe Nightmare Moon is right about you! She told me from the start that I shouldn’t bother! I went through all the trouble of getting the deal set up for you, I even came up with a way for you to convince your elders, but I am not going to stand here telling you that you shouldn’t leave your own people to die! If your worthless pride matters to you so much you are willing to let others die for its sake, then have at it!” Twilight gestured a mock invitation. “Go back to your hamlet in the middle of nowhere and tell them that you were offered a way to save them but you refused!” Twilight emphasized by accusingly pointing at Gilda with her hoof.

“You-”

“This is the deal you are getting, Gilda. Take it or leave it!”

Twilight expected the stubborn griffon to go on round two, but Gilda simply stared at her, Twilight stared back asserting her dominating position in that way instead,
“You’ve changed,” Gilda stated matter-of-factly. “Magic of Friendship, right?”

“Don’t presume to understand,” Twilight spat back.

“Hmph, sure. How can I understand?" Gilda's voice was now flat. "What would you have me do, Your Highness?” Edges of Twilight’s mouth still curved slightly at her victory.

The Royal Guidance Counsellor

“Okay...” Rarity took a deep breath. “Let’s try again. Darling, please, speak to me,” Rarity prepared to sense some else’s will to move her body, as Her Majesty described.

A minute passed. Rarity could only sense the methodical clicking of the clock on the wall of her room and a distant chattering of the staff and guests of the palace.
“Why don’t you speak back?!” Rarity cried in frustration. Her attempts to contact the creature inside her head already made hours fly.

But frustration was hardly the larger part of the emotion she felt. If the prospect of someone waiting for an opportunity to steal her body away from her was frightening, then having to willingly let it do so was almost more than Rarity could comprehend without giving into a panic. The unicorn struggled valiantly to ensure her fear would not sway her intention, but she was impossibly far from Nightmare Moon’s coldbloodedness. Oh, how much she’d appreciated the tiniest grain of it now.

Rarity tried time and time again to compel her unwilling new “friend” to cooperate with her, but the creature seemingly refused to respond, in fact, Rarity did not even feel it try once.

Rarity took another breath and lowered herself onto a chair next to a tiny table for a rest,
“What is it I am doing wrong?” she asked aloud, hoping for an answer. Still, there was silence, “Just give me a sign that you are there. That I am not a victim of a sick prank,” Rarity pleaded. “Please,” Rarity whispered. And yet still, Rarity’s pleas were answered with silence.

Rarity didn’t know what to think. Did her Majesty just find another way to make her life miserable for what the poor unicorn did to her? Rarity refused to believe that, for she knew better. But what is she doing wrong then? Perhaps… she simply did not want to talk?

“Dear, I only want to be friends with you! You know that I do!” Rarity spoke to herself again. “Her Majesty, your sister, wants to know you! Don’t you want to be treated the same as Luna?” Rarity tried the carrot approach. “No reason to be shy, Darling. Just say a word.”

Silence.

“Well, alright, Darling,” Rarity gave up. “Think a little bit.”
Rarity sighed in disappointment and stood up from her table, then approached her tiny workshop. Quickly forgetting about her recent failure, Rarity’s face bloomed in a joyful smile. ‘Soon you will be in use again!’ Rarity thought happily while loving stroking her trusty stitching machine. But for now, Rarity had other tasks. Unexpectedly, Her Majesty’s request opened Rarity’s eyes to the brighter side of her situation. She now had much more time to pursue her other interests. Cloudy, poor darling, waited months for their morning together in the royal gallery! And when was the last time she could have a cup of tea with dear Fluttershy? Or Spikey-Wikey...
Oh, so much to do and Rarity now had time to do all of it! And she could do even more as soon as her new friend accepts her offer!

Someone knocked on Rarity’s door,
“It’s open!” she sang.

"Are you busy?" Luna asked propping her head inside.

"Luna!" Rarity joyfully exclaimed, forgetting conspiracy for the moment. "For you, Darling, I am always available!"

Luna gladly smiled and stepped inside,
"I am glad to see you retaining your good spirits."

"Oh, Luna, dear, let me just tell you! I and Her Majesty will be sewing together!" Rarity cried.

"Nightmare let you talk her into finding a hobby?" Luna matched Rarity's excitement.

"Actually, she came to me herself! This is why it is so wonderful!"

"Oh, I can't wait to see her fiddling with strings!" Luna dreamed aloud.

"And how she knits her first fabric!" Rarity added.

"And how she fails to put a string in a needle for the first whole hour!"

"You think she is going to swear?" Rarity suddenly asked.

"Oh," Luna toothily smiled in anticipation. "Like a sailor! You haven't seen her getting really frustrated yet!"

"Can she even feel that way?" Rarity doubted.

"Ask her about the time when I made her draw! That was the most precious moment, ever!" Luna squealed in delight. "I never heard anyone swearing so hard before! By the time it was done, we were covered in paint and made every servant passing us red as a pomegranate! Celestia almost went ahead with her threat to wash my mouth with soap! I swear to you, Rarity, she almost did that!"

"What stopped her?" Rarity asked, wanting to hear the ending of the story.

"She dropped the soap and slipped on it!" Luna burst. "She told everypony she slipped on the iced-over stairs and spent the whole day in her chambers! Even Nightmare thinks to this very night that it really was ice!"

"How? Didn't you both see Princess Celestia slipping?" Rarity asked, visibly confused.

"Well, Celestia sat us in the tub and then went to get the soap while Nightmare was telling me everything she thought about my ideas, so when Celestia fell over, like an undersized tree, she didn't connect the dots! I'd swear to you on my deathbed, Rarity, Nightmare has the worst pottymouth of anypony I ever knew!" Luna finished barely restraining herself enough to speak.

"I missed our time together, Luna," Rarity softly said, having, at last, contained her laughter.

"Likewise, Rarity. I missed us getting together. These hectic weeks didn't allow me to catch you alone."

"Oh, Sweety, don't even say it!" Rarity pouted. "It was horrendous! Luna, I never felt so lost, scared and broken in my life!" Rarity threatened to wash her makeup away.

"Oh, Rarity," Luna stepped closer to embrace her old friend. "Nightmare can be very harsh went it concerns the matters of security."

"Luna, I feel so stupid!" Rarity lamented.

"What happened?" Luna asked as softly as she could.

"I tried to help Twilight to find out what that potion meant to do, the poor filly barely had enough time to sleep with how much work she had. I wrote a letter to a friend who could have known something and I got a letter back at short notice detailing the effects and the exact tome at the library I could refer to. I was the only one who knew what it was, Luna, and I panicked!" Rarity hid her face in shame.

"Rarity, don't be harsh on yourself," Luna reassuringly stroked the other mare's mane. "Everyone makes mistakes, even Nightmare does."

"I should've told Twilight everything before I acted!"

"Who did you write to?" Luna tried to get Rarity off her morbid thoughts.

"I... I don't know, the letter must've been intercepted. Miss Yearling could not have known so much. I don't know anyone who would know so much about changeling alchemy. Not even Shadow knows anyone who could help."

Ancient, forgotten alchemy potion, intercepted letter, making Rarity panic... and her waking in a moist cave. In Luna's head it suddenly clicked,
"Sombra," she grunted.

"What?" Rarity asked, lifting her eyes again.

"It's him! Sombra was the one who wronged you, Rarity!"

"But why would he? He has nothing to gain from my misfortune," Rarity questioned.

"He used you as a distraction!" Luna spat her contempt. "He wanted to make sure he could get me away from Nightmare before she could know what the potion does. I'd wager he was the one who found the recipe too. Treacherous asp!" Luna angrily chided.

"But... why? He did not do anything to you... did he?" Rarity attempted to recoil, but Luna didn't let her.

"No, no, Rarity. I wouldn't hurt you, or anypony else, I swear," Luna promptly assured. "Sombra did not trust Nightmare to go through with his plan if he told her."

"He wanted to help you so badly?" Rarity cautiously asked.

"Yes," Luna sighed. "Rarity, I have a secret. There's more to his tale than simply an evil sorcerer, who enslaved his own people, Celestia suppressed the rest. Rarity, the reason why Sombra was left to wander the waste instead of simply executed or sent to Tartarus forever is that I begged Celestia to not do so. Rarity, I used to love him," Luna explained sadly.

"Oh... Luna, Sweety, I am so sorry for making you brush through this again. It must had been terrible, to lose a dear one like that!"

"It was, Rarity. It was, and it is my fault! Sombra could not stomach the idea of losing me one day, the curse of alicorn immortality!" Luna stomped with her hoof. "To be a Princess means to forever remain alone, Rarity. Either that or watch the ponies you care for die, over and over, and over again! Celestia tried to tell me how it will be, but I didn't listen and only made it worse! Sombra overheard us talking and went mad trying to find a way to trick fate. It eventually drove him to pursue forbidden arts. When I saw him next time, he already was someone different! All because of me!" Luna wept.

"Luna, I am so sorry!" Rarity quickly joined her in tears. "I couldn't even imagine!"

"Rarity, It hurt so much I wanted to die! I wanted to die more than I wanted anything else! Nightmare used the opportunity to take it from there. She saved me!" Luna buried her face in Rarity's pristine fur. "Why does it always have to be this way with me? What did I do to earn this curse?"

"Luna, dear, don't say that," Rarity managed to keep some semblance of control of herself. "Everyone loves you here! We'll always be here for you! All of us would be glad to help you with anything!"

"The only thing I caused was ponies to die! It would've been better for everypony if I never returned! Sombra killed ponies to save me, Rarity! He uses them as if they were a resource! I feel so ashamed of myself!"

"Luna, don't blame yourself. You never asked him to do these things," Rarity continued to soothe the larger mare, even if there was little hope.

"I need to do something, Rarity! I am staining those ponies' sacrifice with these tears! But I don't know how to do anything else! Rarity, I am so- so useless! And now I can't even step into daylight without it burning my flesh! I cannot even guard the Dreamrealm - the dead don't sleep!"

"Sweety, perhaps you just need someone who could show you the way?" Rarity offered.

"Who? Nightmare won't let me close to statecraft and would be right to do so. I cannot lead her warriors, for I cannot let other ponies know of me. There's nothing I can do for her!" Luna despaired.

"Well, perhaps you could do something for someone else?" Rarity's mind suddenly glowed with an idea. "Luna, you had so much experience with the things nopony even knew of! You don't need to suffer over your woes, dear, turn them towards doing good instead!"

"To... give advice?" Luna unsurely asked.

"Why, yes, Luna!" Rarity confirmed. "Call it unofficial guidance counsellor, like those we have at schools. I even know someone who could use your help first of all."

"Trully?" Luna hopefully asked.

"Yes, dear. Promise me one thing though."

"Of course, Rarity!"

"Be brave."

Pinkie Prank

“Okay...” Rarity took a deep breath. “Let’s try again. Darling, please, speak to me,” Rarity prepared to sense some else’s will to move her body, as Her Majesty described.

A minute passed, Rarity could only sense the methodical clicking of the clock on the wall of her room and a distant chattering of the staff and guests of the palace.
“Why don’t you speak back?!” Rarity cried in frustration, her attempts to contact the creature inside her head already made hours fly.

Rarity tried time and time again to compel her unwilling new “friend” to cooperate with her, but the creature seemingly refused to respond, in fact, Rarity did not even feel it try once.

Rarity took another breath and lowered herself onto a chair next to a tiny table for a rest,
“What is it I am doing wrong?” she asked aloud, hoping for an answer. Still, there was silence, “Just give me a sign that you are there. That I am not a target of a sick prank,” Rarity pleaded. “Please,” Rarity whispered. And yet still, Rarity’s pleas were answered with silence.

“Dear, I only want to be friends with you! You know that I do!” Rarity spoke to herself again. “Her Majesty, your sister, wants to know you! Don’t you want to be treated the same as Lunat?” Rarity tried the carrot approach. “No reason to be shy, Darling. Just say a word.”

Silence.

Someone knocked on Rarity’s door,
“Oh, come in, Darling! It’s open!” she cheerfully invited. Rarity’s smile though was almost immediately soured.

“Lady,” General Pharynx politely bowed, although not quite smiling back. Rarity only stared back in bewilderment at this most unexpected guest, “May I enter?” the changeling asked. Rarity reflexively noded. The officer uneasily stepped inside, evidently not being glad to be in her presence himself. Pharynx threw a look around her room, stopping for a moment on her tailoring equipment, he approvingly nodded and returned his attention back to Rarity who was slowly regaining her ability to speak.

“Ah, what can I do for you, sir?” Rarity cautiously asked.

“You have a good room, ma’am. No unnecessary gloss here. Your Empress should consider building more of these to relocate the rest of the garrison, living in a dormitory is good for morale comparing to barracks,” Pharynx commented.

“I shall convey your idea to her,” Rarity mechanically responded.

Pharynx closed his eyes and shook his head,
“Ma’am, I have a favor to ask,” he straightly asked. “I asked around the palace and the staff regarded you as a pony they speak to when they need help. Yesterday, me and my brother were detained when attempting to leave the palace, I’ve been told that Your Empress still requires my presence. I can take a hint.”

At this point Rarity’s confusion and a degree of disdain turned towards curiosity,
“Why, certainly, General,” Rarity gestured to the table with seats. “Would you like tea, or coffee?”

“I do not think this is a good idea, ma’am, I am sorry.”

“Oh...” Rarity internally facehoofed herself for letting herself forget what sustenance does Changeling kind consume. “Well, alright then, sir. How may I assist you?” Rarity tried to smile.

Pharynx nodded gratefully at her gesture,
“Ma’am, I need your help in organizing our long term residence. Especially… feeding,” the changeling General lowered his voice. “I do not expect Your Empress to take kindly to us doing it ourselves.”

Rarity heavily sighed at the request,
“I’ll arrange something for you,” Rarity tiredly answered. Pharynx blinked from surprise.

“Just like that? Without even putting any conditions forward?” Pharynx voiced doubt.

“General,” Rarity sighed again. “We all have our purpose here. Mine isn’t to ask for anything.”

“I appreciate it,” Pharynx took off his formal hat and bowed, as much as the table before him permitted.
The uneasy silence ensued. Pharynx didn’t know what else to say, he didn’t expect this to be so simple. He had to just ask, surreal,
“So...” it didn’t feel right to Pharynx to end their acquaintance on him asking for a favor. “I heard you have other changelings here? My brother says her name is Shadow.”

“I am not sure if I can tell you,” Rarity politely answered.

“Well, she isn’t much of a secret. Soldiers chat about her. I heard them talking about her broken horn.”

“I suppose, you are correct,” Rarity agreed. “Truly, I do not know a lot about her. She appeared here sometime during the war and became Her Majesty’s favored agent. Recently she has sustained an injury, so Her Majesty permanently stationed her at the palace,” Pharynx nodded

“Just appeared?”

“Well...” Rarity stumbled. “Yes, just appeared.”

“Well, alright,” Pharynx decided not to pressure, he knew when someone couldn’t say something. “How’re her relationships with everyone? Is she treated nicely?”

“Well, of course. Her Majesty looks after her servants. Guards and the staff do keep their eyes on her, naturally, but they do not mistreat her,” Rarity sighed sadly.

“Is there something you’d like to add?” Pharynx took the hint.

“Well… the poor thing just seems so lonely,” Rarity lamented. “She has me and Twilight, and Her Majesty, and Thorax, but it still must be very hard to be so far away from home. Other ponies stay away from her, which is just tragic with how much of a dear Shadow really is.”

“Well...” Pharynx found himself at a slight loss at this sudden confession. “I can put her back in contact with her siblings back in the hives… if they still there.”

“As nice as that would be, Shadow wouldn’t like the idea, General. She is quite adamant about severing her ties to the rest of her kind. She doesn’t take too kindly others mentioning her kinship,” Pharynx was left scratching his head. The more he learned about this mysterious drone, the more he wanted to meet her. There was something vaguely familiar about all of this though.

“And my brother? Does she treat him that way too? He mentioned himself being on good terms with her.”

“Well no, I don’t think so. She seemed to be rather cordial with him, although I did not have an opportunity to speak with him myself yet. It is surprising, I admit, Shadow is rather… reclusive. She prefers to stay away from others, except for us and Her Majesty. Shadow is rather fixated on her “Mistress.” Pharynx had to scratch the “runaway drone” theory out, this one notion already meant that Shadow didn’t rebel against Chrysalis as his brother did. Far to much respect for authority.
“General, if I may,” Rarity seized the opportunity. “How are you doing these nights? It must be awful there, living in the ruins,” Rarity noted with genuine care.

“We do not quite live in the ruins, Ma’am. Our infrastructure is in a sorry state but we still have an extensive underground tunnel network. Not a comfortable existence, but we manage,” Pharynx said with a hint of pride. “I must admit, our situation is better than I expected. The Imperial Engineering Corps, together with some volunteers, help to restore water and electricity supply. It’s still too early to talk about rebuilding the industry, but in a few months we’ll have most communications operational. In a year or two, we might even start being useful again.”

“How so?”

“Well, we may have lost our queen and much of our population, but we are not entirely worthless. We have much expertise when it comes to military production. Mark my words, on one night the Imperial Military will be armed with weapons made by changelings. And they will be damn good ones too,” Pharynx promised.

“Ah, why thank you, sir,” Rarity resisted an urge to swallow at the thought of ponies raining shells on other creatures with changeling weaponry, “but don't you have more… your own business to attend to? I imagine a state without a monarch would be struggling.”

“Ha!” Pharynx laughed. “I don’t think this is happening, Ma’am. We’ve lost, to the victor go the spoils. Maybe it’s better this way, maybe Thorax was right about everything after all. Guess we’ll see.”

“Well, Her Majesty does take good care of her loyal subjects, General. You are in good hooves.”

“That’s what I’m counting on, Ma’am.”

“Rarity.”

“Rarity,” Pharynx nodded, agreeing. “And how are you doing now? With your monarch such a far cry from ours, it must be nice around here here, the palace is also a much nicer place than a trench I imagine.”

“Well, yes, it is rather nice here. Much nicer than I expected myself, frankly. We all feared the worst when Her Majesty returned for the third time.”

“Third time? I am sorry, we did not quite pay attention to the pony doings.” Rarity widened her eyes and pressed her hoof to her lips, realising what she almost said. Pharynx disappointedly shook his head.
“I don’t know what to think about your Empress, if I am honest. I am torn between admiration for how she reigns and pity for how pathetic she is in everything else. Luna? Is that her real name? How insecure she had to be to change her name just to be more intimidating. How did Celestia lose to someone like this? Did her years really make her so soft that she had no will left to resist? Was she simply tired? And, to our great shame, our queen proved to be even worse. She let her ambitions and lust for revenge cloud her better judgment. And we all paid for it,” Pharynx said grimly. “I wonder, is Cadance the same? And Celestia? Twilight?” Pharynx shook his head acknowledging the futility of the question. “How come good people are ruled by weaklings?”

“Well...” Rarity was taken back by Pharynx’s outburst. “Her Majesty is not a ‘weakling,’ sir. I mean, can’t a mare indulge herself sometimes? She is not a machine exactly.”

“None of us are, Rarity. If she can no longer do as she required, she should retire. A land cannot afford its monarch being weak,” Pharynx ominously concluded.

“General!” Rarity raised her voice. “I will hear no more of this! Our Empress is a munificent and kind pony who protects and provides for everyone who needs it and everyone who’d ask! She is not weak just because she has feelings! I’d rather be reigned by a creature, than by an automaton!” Rarity’s proclamation was soured as Pharynx laughed.

“Yes, I suppose she is not,” he finally answered. “Tell me: how did you come into her service? I have heard ponies were reluctant to accept her, to say the least.”

“The war was none of her fault!” Rarity blasted out.

“But hardly answers my question,” Pharynx retorded.

“Well…” Rarity propped her forehead with both of her forelegs. “I was aiding Princess Luna, as she used to call herself, with implementing certain reforms to resolve a thousand year long divide between our people. To shorten the story, I’ll say that things did not go where the Princess expected them to.”

“Hmph...” Pharynx snorted. “As if they ever do.”

“Ponies lashed out at each other in fear and the Princess was out of options to resolve the situation without having to resort to violence. Princess Celestia refused to partake, denying the army the order to intervene, but by doing so she provoked a mutiny. Many of the soldiers refused to idly watch, they tore the insignia’s off their uniforms and demanded Her Majesty to give them the order Princess Celestia won’t.” Pharynx tilted his head slightly, “Rather than letting armed and agitated soldiers to do as they will, Her Majesty decided to lead them instead.”

“So she’s just a victim of circumstance?” Pharynx concluded. “Rarity, I am sorry for being blunt, but I’m not buying this. She went from horribly failing a reform string to all of this?” Pharynx spread his hooves at the room. “I also hear she is nothing short of a genius in military strategy and political stewardship. This isn’t a change that can happen overnight, or even in a year.” Rarity bit her lip, but Pharynx sensed the weak spot in this ‘Empress’ armor’. “I heard from the Guards, there is a very certain pegasus lieutenant here that seems to be willing to share her perspective,” Pharynx emphasised his intention by standing up from the table.

“No!” Rarity jumped up, following him. “I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you! Just don’t ask her!”

“What? You’re afraid she’ll give me the bad light?”

“Well… yes, exactly,” Rarity admitted. “Rainbow has absolutely no concern for delicacy.”

“Shall we?”

“I did not lie to you, General. The story is the truth, just not the entirety of it. There are certain… delicate facts to it.”

“You’ll hear no doubt from me on this one,” Pharynx commented.

“Yes… well...”

“Let us start from the important part, how exactly famously timid Luna became so... imperious?”

“She… always had in her,” Rarity suddenly smiled nervously. “We all were quite surprised,” Pharynx narrowed his eyes.

“Indeed? I could never have guessed from what we could hear, or rather not hear, if I may put it so. One might almost say Princess Luna and the current Empress are two different ponies,” Rarity madly widened her eyes, her mind immediately racing to find a possible rebuttal.
Pharynx toothly smiled, content with the reaction he provoked,
“So that’s how it is then. She assumed Luna’s identity and took her claim for herself, clever,” Pharynx propped his chin with his foreleg in thought. “Perhaps I misjudged her afterall, a mare that can make her whole race believe her being the Princess she herself murdered is remarkable, a worthy adversary! No shame in losing to someone so skilled at deception and subterfuge!” To Rarity’s surprise the changeling’s admiration sounded quite genuine, maybe this wasn’t such a poor situation to be in.

“So, you do not intend to use it against us?” Rarity carefully asked.

“Oh, I will most definitely make use of this knowledge, be certain. But rest assured, fair lady, I won’t harm your Empress as long as she treats us well, her secret is safe with me. There is no point in starting hostilities when we have so much to gain from working together,” the changeling’s mood suddenly soured again. “For as long as she treats us well and for as long as there’s anyone left to appreciate the partnership,” he spoke gloomily.

The Council of Three Sisters

“Another rebellion then,” Nightmare Moon gloomily summed up. “Baron!”

The stallion at the door rushed to the royal table, “Your Majesty,” the Guard promptly bowed.

“Dispatch a squad to fetch Miss Applejack. I believe we’d have something to discuss.”

“No, Nightmare,” Luna, seated next to her, touched the dark mare’s foreleg. “It’s not what they aim at! What they plan is peaceful! They just want to be heard!”

“Well… We can safely ignore them then. Yes, Nightmare?” Daybreaker nervously smiled from across the table, the memories of their last talk still fresh.

“What is it exactly they plan to do, Luna?” Nightmare Moon asked, her attitude unchanged.

“They wish to have a peaceful gathering in Canterlot to voice their concerns. They wish to make clear that they threaten no one.”

“Are you sure there are no violent splinter factions of these… dissenters?”

“I don’t think they are even organized yet,” Luna shook her head.

“Hmm…” Nightmare Moon quietly contemplated for the next minute. “Baron, delay the previous order. Tell Roling to dispatch someone to observe their preparations. They are permitted to assist if asked. Dismissed.”

“At once, Your Majesty!” Sergeant sharply saluted and went for the door.

“You… wish to help them to organize their meeting?” Daybreaker asked in confusion. “Do they serve your purpose somehow?”

“No,” Nightmare Moon slashed. The black mare then sharply stood up from her seat and went for the window.
With the sun down again she could see Canterlot, her city, without the light hurting her. Her eyes, quietly ventured along the numerous streets, lit with posts only bright enough for day-loving ponies to see their way.
“Luna, where do they plan to gather?”

“They want you to hear them, Nightmare. They will be where you can see them,” Luna avoided the straight answer.

“The main gate,” Nightmare sighed, eyeing the lonely Guard standing on the outer side of the metal gates. “What are their demands?”

“They didn’t speak of them. I think they didn’t formulate them yet.”

“So be it then, I shall hear what they have to say firsthoof.”

Daybreaker briefly widened her eyes,
“Sister, you can’t be saying you intend to bow to this… rabble! These are the same ponies who attempted to slay you! They are unworthy of you!” she protested.
“Let me face them! I shall carry your will to the rebellious dregs!”

“I believe you have already done enough ‘carrying my will’ at this point, sister,” Nightmare Moon bitterly reminded.

“But I already told you! I am sorry!” Daybreaker spoke apologetically, her explosive attitude immediately evaporating. “I simply wished to be useful to you!” Daybreaker said with genuine chagrin.
“How could I know that you would have changelings in your employ? You do not share with me your plans. I believed you only had… Shadow, is it? I already told you: I knew nothing of the General. I believed your interest meant that you wished to study him more. I did not harm either him or his brother! I only detained them before you could make the decisions on whether to let them go or not!”
Nightmare Moon turned away from the window again and slowly walked to her sister until she could almost touch her,
“Sister, if I cannot see, how can I oblige you?” Daybreaker said, trying to catch Nightmare Moon's eyes.

Against her expectations, Nightmare Moon discovered herself easing up. Daybreaker was right. Blaming her for being foolishly ignorant, when it hardly was her fault, would be shifting the blame. But the truth, as always, wasn’t satisfying. The truth was that Nightmare had no purpose to task her sister with.
The regal mare glanced over at Luna, who calmly waited for her to say her decree. Suddenly, Nightmare could see why Celestia had such an issue to pay attention to her little sister’s needs. Nightmare Moon proceeded to give the situation a sad laugh.

“Nightmare?” Daybreaker cautiously asked.

“It is funny, really,” Nightmare explained. “How similar we have all grown. A Princess or an Empress, in the end, we have the same problems.”

“Eh… as you say, sister,” Daybreaker communicated her confusion.

“Luna, you mentioned that you tracked down the group that murdered Miss Lulanoon?”

“Yes… I and Sombra caught one of the gang members and he told us where to find the rest of them. I locked him in one of the cells in the dungeon.”

“Did you feed off him?”

“Yes, but his life is not in danger. Nightmare, I wish for them to be trialled by law, do not send Guards after them. I want justice, not revenge," Luna determinedly proclaimed. "Let the police track them down and gather evidence.”

“It will take months, Luna,” Nightmare Moon joylessly stated. “The wheels of law are slow to move.”

“I do not care, Nightmare. This is the only right way to do it and I will see it to the end,” Luna finished with a clap on the wooden surface on the table.

“So be it. I shall order a list of capable prosecutors to lead the investigation. I believe you will find there some familiar names you can trust.” Luna sat down into her chair again, satisfied with the offer.

“Thank you,” Luna managed to smile despite the morbid occasion, “sister.”

“Luna,” Nightmare Moon couldn’t help but smile back, “this is silly.”

“Why? We already look the same, I even have fangs, just like you do,” Luna playfully demonstrated her long canines. “Well, maybe only slightly bigger.
“You’ve been with me for even longer than Celestia was-” Daybrkeaker across the table frowned at the mentioning of the solar mare “-and you always had time for me, unlike her. As far as I am concerned, you are my sister.”

“Oh, poor Starswirl, he didn’t teach you to be this way, Luna,” Nightmare Moon giggled.

“No, he didn’t,” Luna proudly confirmed. “I never listened to anything he said.”

“He must have disappeared out of shame for seeing you behaving like a filly. An old stallion can only take so much, after all.”

“Oh, actually,” Luna suddenly turned her head towards Daybreaker, “I meant to ask. Celestia always refused to tell me where our old teacher went. She kept telling me that he won’t be coming back. Did she even know?” Daybreaker’s eyes immediately darted over to Nightmare for instructions, but the onyx mare turned her head away refusing the contact.

“Ah...” Caught off guard by Luna’s sudden interest in her, Daybreaker stumbled.
“Yes...” Daybreaker finally pushed out a response. “Well, the wizard, along with his merry band, went to deal with… Stygian, was that the name? They spoke of him betraying them and attempting to syphon their power away. It seems that Stygian not only attempted to do that, but also found some… other sinister force to aid him. I fear I cannot tell you anything else, Starswirl was deliberately vague.”

“Curious. It seems that the Pillars did indeed succeed,” Nightmare Moon commented. “But I can scarcely believe all six of them perishing in the battle. Sister, couldn’t you possibly tell where their resting place ould be?”

“You wish to recover their weapons, sister?”

“I wish to recover their remains,” Nightmare corrected. “It is disgraceful to let our heroes bones lie scattered in the wilderness, they deserve a proper tomb.”

“Starswirl specifically instructed Celestia to never try to find them, sister. He spoke of mortal danger,” Daybreaker warned, the slight notion of wariness apparent in her voice.

“It has been over a thousand years, Stygian is long since dead regardless of what happened,” Nightmare Moon dismissed the notion.

“Well… Starswirl did not say where to find them, but he did speak of a place to be found in case if they fail. He also instructed Celestia to bring one artefact for each of the pillar. I believe we can find some in their former homes, can we not?”

“Well, not every one of them had a permanent dwelling, Rockhoof prefered sleeping under the stars, -” Luna slightly blushed “-while Misty Mane’s home she left behind in her homeland. It will be a wild goose-chase to search for her home in a land we know next to nothing about, if it even exists to this day. Starswirl should be easy, I believe Twilight can help us with finding a thing of his. Others we would have to research extensively with Twilight otherwise occupied.”

“Sister, I have to protest,” Daybreaker had enough. “We are royalty, not archaeologists, this is not worthy of our time! Order your servants to tend to this.”

“Sister, there are matters that cannot be left to commoners,” Nightmare Moon firmly declined. “This is a strictly royal business and attracting common subjects will only lead to unnecessary leaks.”

“Nightmare,” Luna again softly touched her named sister. “You always baffle me when you speak of ‘commoners’. You sound dismissing but I know that this isn’t how you think of our subjects.”

“Luna,” Nightmare Moon sighed. “I differentiate us from our subjects because we are different from them. They have no understanding of the intricate and subtle art of statecraft. When ruling a land, one cannot let anyone dabble in royal matters, for they will inevitably make critical and costly mistakes for all of us. Our subjects are not meant to do our work, Luna. They have myriads of daily issues to resolve. They do not have either time nor knowledge on how to act without direct supervision. This is precisely the reason why Celestia never allowed you close to any real politics. To be a successful ruler, Luna, it is vital to understand the difference between a royal and a commoner, and why the latter cannot be allowed to dabble in the matters of state.”

“And when she gave me a chance I ruined everything,” Luna morbidly summed up, making Nightmare Moon immediately sulk too.

“Luna, I am sorry,” Nightmare offered her Princess a comforting hug.

“Don’t be,” Luna answered, accepting the embrace. “Who could blame you for using an opportunity? I was the one to fail everypony. I should have let you be the one to do it from the beginning. You would’ve done it right and no one would’ve died.
“...And I wouldn’t have lost my sister,” Luna added, barely restraining herself from crying again. Nightmare Moon started soothingly caressing her sister’s mane, “Thank you for not abandoning me after you got what you wanted.”

"Oh, Luna, how could I? You were the only creature in the entire world to not flee in my wake," Nightmare Moon comforted the blue mare. "You were always beloved and cherished. Never let yourself forget."

Nightmare Moon could see the moment when Daybreaker could take no more of this, her face stretching as she rapidly stormed out of the room, swinging the door closed behind her.

"Do not pay her mind, Luna. She will see, eventually," Nightmare Moon calmly assured her named sister.

"Nightmare, I meant to consult with you over an issue concerning her," Luna asked. "Nightmare, do you think that I can do something to ease our sister's burdens?"

Nightmare shot Luna a surprised look,
"Truly?"

"I've been long dwelling on what I could do to help. I cannot help you to rule, but I can still help our ponies with their struggles. Daybreaker’s needs seem to be most gruelling."

"This is very kind of you, Luna," Nightmare Moon smiled graciously. "But I do not think she would accept. She is still much too quail to trust Celestia's sister."

"And what about your sister?" Luna smirked back.

"Oh, come here, silly goat!" Nightmare Moon pulled Luna into an even tighter embrace.

"Nooo, Nightmare! I am serious!" Luna laughed, trying to gently break free from Nightmare Moon's grip. "Let me try, I can do it."

"I have no such doubt, Luna. But I am worried how Daybreaker will take this," Nightmare Moon finally let Luna go, settling down in concern.

"Does she see me as a threat?" Luna asked, sudden realisation washing over her. "Is this why she cannot bear watching us together?"

"She sees everyone as a threat, Luna," Nightmare Moon bleakly confirmed. "The horrifying truth of our nature, is that for our own life we must steal another's. My sister knows what ponies think of her and she is in the right to expect them to hate her. This is why secrecy is so important."

"I see... Then... how do I help her?"

"Try just being with her to begin," Nightmare Moon proposed. "My sister doesn't trust easily, but if she gets used to you being close it would make things easier."

"She needs a friend," Luna assented.

"It would help," Nightmare confirmed.

Before Luna could respond, someone knocked on the door. Nightmare Moon waited a moment to let Luna hide herself back in the shadow,
"Yes?"

The door opened with a quiet creak letting in a tiny changeling in uniform holding a folder. The tiny creature quietly offered the folder to Nightmare Moon to take. The onyx mare took the folder and the changeling proceeded to swiftly make his retreat without a word.

"I don't know her," Luna's voice stated as soon as the door was safely closed.

"I don't either, she is in Major Mayfly's employ. She comes from time to time to update my intel," Nightmare Moon responded. "Luna, would you, please, go start searching something on the Pillars whereabouts?" she said, reading the folder markings.

"And this is?" Luna asked instead, clearly meaning the folder.

"A tribute," Nightmare Moon answered.

Agressive Negotiations

“There, done!” Twilight happily snatched the paper sticking out of the typewriter.

“Twilight, are you sure this is a good idea?” Rainbow Dash asked again. “As Gilda puts it, it doesn’t look like it.”

“Ughh...” Twilight’s mood immediately soured. “Rainbow, please, don’t start. You have no idea how many things Gilda already said to me on this.”

“Well, you are trying to sell away a part of her home, so I can’t imagine her being very fond of your plan,” Rainbow idly rose from her seat at the Twilight’s library table.

“This is what it takes, Rainbow! We aren’t a charity, we can’t just go around giving everyone everything they want!”

“Hey-ey-ey-ey-ey, don’t heat up,” Rainbow raised her hooves in a conciliatory gesture. “I am not saying you are wrong. If this is the price Hag charges, then we aren’t, exactly, in a position to haggle. At least they are getting what they need in the end.”

Twilight sighed with relief,
“They do, Rainbow. It’s just the matter of making them accept the offer now.”

“Any chance we can give them a better offer?” Rainbow asked without much hope. “Actually, why Hag even bothers? If she wanted their land, she could’ve just taken it. It’s not like Griffons can resist. No point pretending it’s fair.”

“Rainbow, you think too bad of her!” Twilight scowled at the question. “Let’s find Gilda, we need to walk her through this,” Twilight said while carefully packing the treaty together with the now glowing amulet into one of her bags. “And thanks for understanding. I appreciate the support,” Twilight managed a tired smile.

“Don’t sweat it, Twilight. That’s what friends are for, after all,” Rainbow gave the Princess a mock salute. The gesture made Twilight smile wider, “A mare has to do what she has to do. You didn’t ask to be here, but you are still trying your best to help everyone you can reach.”

“You are an awesome friend, Rainbow.”

“Wasn’t it obvious?” the blue pegasus smiled smugly.

The two ponies were soon walking through the pathways of the palace. Rainbow noted Twilight was receiving warm greetings and even bows from the staff and guards now. Well, at least she was getting the appreciation she deserved again.

“Your Highness, a moment,” a familiar creaking voice hailed them when turning yet another corner.

“Hey there!” Rainbow welcomed the approaching changeling. “Long time no see, Shadow. You had us all mighty scared. Anyway, good to see you again.”

“The feeling is mutual, Lieutenant,” Shadow nodded. “Your Highness, Empress sends you a word on your tutelage, it is scheduled for tomorrow.”

“She sent you just to tell me this?” Twilight asked in disbelief. Shadow nodded simply, “Oh, Shadow, she must have wanted you to have a break. In the last week, you almost never left her side.”

“What ‘tutelage’?” Rainbow asked bewildered, reeling the conversation back.

“Ugh… Rainbow, don’t ask,” Twilight brought her hoof to her eyes. “Her Majesty is wise, but even she sometimes isn’t reasonable.”

“Care to explain?”

“She wants me to learn dancing, Rainbow!” Twilight sighed.

“You?! Dan- Ha-ha-ha!” Rainbow snickered. “I... I wanna see that!”

“Yeah, laugh it up, hyena,” Twilight grimly shot back.

“Count on it!”

“Your Highness, from what I could gather, dancing is rather pleasant,” Shadow commented.

“Yeah, Twilight! Chin up!” Rainbow mockingly cheered.

“Are you done?” Twilight asked the grinning pegasus.

“Mostly,” Rainbow wiped her eye. “Okay, honestly now. It doesn’t sound like the worst thing to happen. I mean she could’ve sent you to learn shooting or something.”

Twilight sighed again,
“I suppose you’re right.”

“Why are you so much against the idea anyway? It’s fun to move your hooves once in a while. I know I love to.”

“Your dancing is not quite bad, Princess,” Shadow remarked. “The Captain looked rather pleased.”

“Wait, you danced with...” Rainbow reached for her chin trying to hold herself back from another burst of laughter. Twilight facehoofed herself in response.

“Let’s just go,” Twilight asked in exasperation. “Gilda is waiting for us.”

“Or maybe we should go visit your new coltfriend instead? It’s on the way.”

“Rainbow!”

“Okay, okay, shutting up now!”

“Oh, really?” Gilda asked, not even bothering to hide her disinterest, but Thorax didn’t even notice.

“Really! I just noticed her sneaking around Princess Cadance’s castle and tried to catch up to her and she disappeared in thin air! She is so amazingly good at hiding!” Thorax excitedly chirped. “I then went to tell the Princess and then we went straight for her study and I smelled her right there! Hiding in the plain sight! Princess didn’t notice a thing!”

Gilda rammed her forehead into a conveniently placed bag on the table in her room. Thorax was meant to watch her, she figured, but the griffon was getting an increasing feeling of this being elaborate torture.
The little guy was very, VERY, friendly, but he just couldn’t shut up for one second! Gilda wasn’t the one to hide sentiments, but just telling him to stop only bought her a precious moment before Thorax could find something else to ramble on about and it always came back to his other changeling friend. Gilda felt like she got to know her better than herself in the last few hours. Was he forbidden to talk about this to anyone else or something?

“...then Sir Spike said: ‘Twilight is going to kill me!’ and he sent me to get brooms and while I was away, Shadow came back, and we switched again,” Thorax continued babbling completely oblivious to Gilda’s distress. Well, maybe she could sleep on a little, it wasn’t like Thorax was going to notice any time soon.

“Thorax, care to tell me something about your home?” Gilda asked, surprising herself with how desperate she was to hear literally anything else.

“My… home?” the changeling echoed back as if surprised at the question.

“Yeah, you have a lot of siblings don’t you?”

“Well… yes. But I am mostly out of contact with them now.”

“Tell me what it is like to live in a hive,” Gilda asked. All better than hearing a story about Shadow for the thousandth time.

“Well...” Thorax stammered. “It was alright.” Short. Apparently, Gilda finally hit something interesting.

“I don’t imagine it being easy for you with what I heard about your Queen. Can’t imagine my mom wanting me to fight anyone, that crusty old chick,” Gilda nostalgically smiled.

“I never fought anyone,” Thorax was quick to contradict.

“No surprises there.”

“My brother always wanted me to be a soldier but I could never hurt anyone.”

“Why?”

“It was wrong,” Thorax dropped his eyes as if being ashamed of saying that.

“Your brother didn’t like you thinking that way?” Gilda guessed.

“I never told him, I just left.”

“And ponies took you in?”

“Princess Cadance did,” Thorax curtly nodded. “She is very nice.”

“Huh...” Thorax’s stories actually made a lot more sense to Gilda now. That other changeling must be the only one of his own kind he saw in many years. Gilda even felt sorry for the little guy.
“So you met Shadow and Nightmare Moon just let you come along, that simple?” Gilda asked to get him off sad memories.

“Of course!” Thorax said as if it was the most obvious thing ever. “Shadow is my friend, why won’t Her Majesty let us spend time together? She is too kind to do that.”

“Yeah.” To Gilda Thorax’s perspective made little sense.

The door finally opened, bringing the end to their exchange.

“Shadow!” Thorax excitedly sprang from his seat. The changeling mare barely made it through the door before finding herself in Thorax’s clutches.
The second changeling looked vastly more beaten by life than Thorax was and that already was enough to provoke Gilda’s respect. Her chitin was crackled and scarred, horn broken off, this was someone who’s been around.
Her reaction to Thorax’s affection was restrained,
“Oh...” Thorax noticed as well. “I forgot you do not like these, sorry.”

“Gilda,” Twilight pushed into the room past the pair. “This is Shadow Crest, she is-”

“I know,” Gilda quickly stopped the Princess before she could go explaining. “Hi, Rainbow.”

“Hi,” the pegasus replied.

“So, to business,” Gilda said, not wishing to draw this out any longer. “Any particular reason why we need her?” Gilda nodded at Shadow.

“Her Majesty wishes to observe,” Twilight dryly responded.

“Fair enough. Let’s get this over with. You brought the treaty?” Twilight silently put the paper in front of Gilda. “Smashing. Got a pen? …Or a quil?”

“Gilda, you aren’t meant to sign it yet. This is just a draft,” Twilight informed with a sigh.

“Then why in Tartarus did you even bring it?” Gilda outraged in her seat. ”It’s not like you care about what I have to say about all of this.”

Twilight lifted her hooves over to her face and gave it a few long, soothing, rubs,
“Gilda, this is a part of the procedure,” Twilight explained, gathering every ounce of her patience. “The representatives must talk through the conditions.”

“Hey, G,” Rainbow started, “don’t be like that. Twilight is trying to help you. It isn’t her fault that Hag always wants something in return.”

“Yeah, suuure,” Gilda stretched. “To each her own delusions, right, Dash?”

“Wait, you saying something?” Rainbow narrowed her eyes.

“Oh, you bet I do. I got lots to say now. About all of you, ponies,” Gilda’s fuse burned fast.

“Don’t start it,” Rainbow asked without much hope. Twilight covered her face again, quietly praying to avoid snapping at the insufferable griffon again.

“I am not the one who started it, Dash! I thought I could trust you! You told me that your friend there wants to help me, not use me! And when you learned about what she’s going to do, you went along with it!”

“I… G, this is the only way,” Rainbow valiantly attempted to defuse the situation, demonstrating the pinnacle of her restraint. “We all would like it to be different; trust me, we would. But this is how it is. What Hag says - goes, like it or not.”

“Gilda, we aren’t a charity. We need to keep our own people fed too,” Twilight leapt to support. “You aren’t the only ones on the hunger threshold. Be reasonable and accept what you can have.”

Finding no support in ponies, Gilda’s eye wandered toward the pair of changelings, quietly watching the scene together,
“And you? Hag killed your kin! Why do you let her drop her buttocks on you?!”

“Miss Gilda, you are sorely mistaken,” Shadow said matter-of-factly in an entirely emotionless voice. That only served to enrage the griffon further.

“What’s wrong with you all?!” she cried. “She destroyed your lives, all of you! How can you just drop on your knees and bow?! You wanted to be a Wonderbolt!” Gilda addressed Rainbow directly. “You trained for it your entire life! Now you train her soldiers!” Gilda’s lunge had an immediate effect. Both ponies immediately turned away, “Say something!” the griffon demanded.

“You needn’t say that,” Rainbow grimly stated.

“It’s true!”

“Yeah, it is. Wanna know what’s also true? You are gonna die without us.” Gilda snorted in response.

“Yeah, make your threats, you ain’t scaring me,” Gilda folded her claws over her chest.

“Not threatening, just saying that if it weren’t for Twilight, you’d be on your way home with nothing at all,” Rainbow mimicked the gesture in her own seat.

“Easy to be generous when you are the top dog,” Gilda stubbornly continued.

Rainbow gave a long sigh,
“You know, G, I think I am getting it now,” Rainbow spoke unusually calmly. “I get why Hag sees you as not worth saving.”

“Rainbow, that’s enough. Let’s get back to work, we wasted enough time as is,” Twilight already sounded drained.

“You did good, Twilight,” Rainbow bumped the Princess on the shoulder, once Gilda went back to her room. “Don’t let G get to you, she’ll come around eventually.”

“Yes… you did very nicely, Your Highness,” Thorax lent his support from the other side of the table.

Instead of simply thanking both, Twilight went ahead to bury her face in Rainbow’s fluff.

“Well, okay, whichever way you want it,” Rainbow hugged Twilight in return.

“Her Majesty makes this look so easy,” Twilight quietly complained.

“Yeah, that’s what a thousand-year-old life gets you. You know, if it makes it easier for you, I think I am starting to get her,” Rainbow admitted. “I’d look like a despot too if I had to force people to do what’s good for them when they don’t want to.”

“Seriously?” Twilight dubiously asked.

“Yeah, just don’t ask me to make it friendly with her.” Rainbow managed to make something resembling a smile. “So, now what?”

“Now we have to draw the treaty itself. Filthy Rich will influence mining concerns for us, just need to choose which ones,” Twilight tiredly answered. “Sweet Celestia, why does this have to be so difficult?”

“When you are doing something right, it’s always difficult.”

“Well, I guess you are right, thanks Rainbow,” Twilight moved away from her friend and back to the patiently waiting changelings.
“Okay. Thorax, Shadow, you can go now. I’ll find you if I need your help again. Oh, and Shadow, tell Her Majesty of our progress, she’ll want to know.”

“At once, Your Highness,” Shadow was glad to obey, as always.

“So… you aren’t upset?” Thorax whispered to the other changeling. He was cautious this time and waited until they would clear from the busier area of the palace, wouldn't want to get anyone hurt again...

“No, Thorax,” Shadow shook her head a little to emphasize. “It wasn’t your fault. I was foolish to believe Mistress’ sister could be so easily deceived. An insult even.” Shadow finished climbing the steer stairway to the Empress' tower and waited for Thorax to make the last few steps.

"Oh... Well, alright. Should I wait for you here, or can I go inside with you?" At this moment Thorax finally reached Shadow... and Princess Cadance standing next to a door to Her Majesty's quarters, in solitude. His half-sister and the Princess were having a staring match,
"Hello, Princess! It is good to see you again!" he gladly greeted and quickly trotted over to her, accidentally breaking the mares duel.

"Hello, Thorax," she answered without her usual cheer. "Who is your friend?"

"Oh, this is Shadow, Princess. She serves Her Majesty." Shadow approached and bowed as the procedure required her.

"Are you here for Her Majesty too?" Thorax asked hopefully. "We can go to her together!"

"Yes, Thorax, I am. But Her Majesty doesn't receive any visitors at the moment. She told me herself," Cadance quickly added.

"Oh, Shadow is not a visitor, Princess. Her Highness, Twilight Sparkle sent a message." Seemingly, Shadow was comfortable letting Thorax explain in her stead and instead moved straight to the door.

"No!" Cadance sharply grunted, covering the door with a pink, shining shield of her magic. "She was very specific, no visitors." Cadance chided. Shadow deliberately slowly stepped away from the door and stared at Cadance again, the pink Princess returning her the look. Neither of them had a drip of warmth to share with the other.

"Where is the Honor Guard?" Shadow suddenly asked. "There is always one outside to greet visitors and go fetching on demand."

"Inside," Cadance was unusually short. A poor liar.

Shadow sharply dived headfirst to the floor, rounding her back to rolling straight into Cadance's legs. Caught by surprise, the Princess reared to avoid the collision, only lessening the number of legs Shadow had to take care off. Straightening her body, Shadow reached Cadance's back legs and slide through them, Cadance immediately dropped on the floor her legs forming a star shape. Nearly avoiding the weight of a much larger mare crashing on top of her, Shadow was not slowed in the slightest. The changeling nimbly rolled back on her hooves.

"Shadow, what are you doing?!" Thorax cried, shocked by his sister's unprovoked attack.

Shadow ignored his protest entirely focusing on finishing off the traitor-princess. The changeling started with a hard strike on the back of her head, her head connecting with the floor only stunning her further. Shadow, then, firmly pressed her hoof to Cadance's neck. After a few seconds, Cadance stopped moving entirely, her eyes rolling closed.

"Did you just..?" Thorax covered his mouth in horror.

"Thorax," Shadow dashed straight towards him. "Thorax, calm yourself, she lives.-"Thorax sighed relieved"-I need your help, call the Guards. There's at least one at the stairway bed. Tell them the Empress is in danger. Can you do this for me?" Shadow peered straight into his brother's eyes, not allowing him to back off without a response.
It took him some seconds, but Thorax eventually nodded rapidly.
"Go, quickly," Shadow firmly ordered, shifting her attention towards the door.

First, Shadow tried simply opening it, but it was locked. Listening did little, Her Majesty usually put wards to prevent others from listening on when she was in her private space. A quick search of unconscious Cadance awarded Shadow with no key. Oh, how the changeling wished she could shapeshift.
With no other option left, Shadow resorted to kicking the lock. The doors in the palace were all carved works of art and it pained Shadow to destroy it, but remorse would not stop her from coming to the Mistress' aid, not again.

With the final powerful kick, the lock made a pitched ding and the door creaked open. Shadow swiftly rushed inside, prepared to meet whoever would dare to harm her Mistress.

Witch Hunt

“Applejack! Applejack!” Nightstar shouted for what seemed to her the thousandth time, but the forest remained silent once again. Except for the sound of the blizzard picking up.
“Zis iz a lost coze,” she complained. “We’ve been searching for yourr frriend for hours. My throat hurts and I am chilled to ze bone! We have to turn back, orr we freeze here!”

“Oh my. You must be catching a cold,” Fluttershy worried aloud.

“Girls, focus!” Pinkie sharply barked an order. “We have a friend to find and we are NOT leaving until we have her back.”

Nightstar blew at her hooves and tried to spread the warmth along her chilled sides. If it weren’t for Pinkie, they would have been back home already. The cheerful, if not completely sane, prank-loving mare was gone. The transformation was bizarre, if not outright chilling.

“Pinkie, we need to go back! Who knows what iz going to answerr ourr calls in herre?” Nighstar pleaded.

As if obeying the mare’s summon, a howl came flying from amongst the trees. The sound was returned from several other directions.

“Of course!” Nighstar slapped herself on the face, smothering it with snow. “That sounds about right at the moment! Fluttershy, I don’t suppose you can talk to Timberwolves too?”

“N-no, I c-can’t. T-timberwolves are n-not animals, t-they are m-m-monsters!” Fluttershy whimpered.

One by one the green glowing dots began appearing throughout the trees, pushing all three ponies back to back.

“Okay, I am done,” Nighstar grunted. “Flutters, grab her!” The yellow pegasus grasped one of Pinkie’s foreleg while the thestral had another. “Now lift!”

“Put me back down! I’ll show those Timbermeanies the definition of a proper howling!” Pinkie protested as the ground started to fly away from her.

“No way, Pinkie! We aren’t finding Applejack if we're dead!” Nigthstar shot back, shutting down the argument before it began. “We are going back! Fluttershy, flap your wings.”

“Try-ing!” Fluttershy was audibly strained. The frail pegasus struggled to fly with additional weight.

“Hold her, it won’t be far!” Nighstar promised and flapped her own wings harder to compensate for the weaker pegasus.

Flying back to Ponyville with cargo was challenging and took longer, the blizzard soon arrived in full force barely allowing the trio enough time to get inside Fluttershy’s home again. All three, cold and coughing.

“Aghhh! Grogar’s hairy..!” Nightstar swore in exasperation. “I forgot about the meeting, Dreamy is going to murder me!” Nighstar went on attempting to re-ignite the fire to warm herself.

“Oh, my! I am so terribly sorry to have put you in trouble!” Fluttershy immediately apologized.

“Ooo!” Pinkie cooed with excitement.

“No, they won’t be burning me on the pyre,” Nightstar sighed, tired of Pinkie’s humor.

“I’ll make us some hot chocolate, to help us warm up a little,” Fluttershy suggested.

“Oh, Flutters, you are the best.”

The fire soon started to crackle again, starting to warm the room. Nighstar also noted Philomena being absent at the time.
Nighstar’s brief moment of relief soon fleeted away leaving her with the morbid anticipation of the punishment she was going to recieve once she was back in the city.

“Hey, hey! No need to sulk, Nighty, we’ll find AJ later! She’s a big girl, no mossy-old Timberwolf can get to her!” Pinkie dropped next to her by the fire.

“It’s not your friend that I am worried about!” Nighstar pouted, having enough of the pink nuisance. “My mistress will punish me for disappearing! Even more so after I couldn’t tell her where I went!”

“Your mistress? Oh, you are just like Shadow!” Pinkie pointed out, entirely unfazed by thestral's attitude.

“Who in Tartarus that is even?!” Nightstar blasted in frustration. “Is there any time at all when you talk any sense?”

“Oh, that’s Nightmare Moon’s changeling. Rainbow said she takes scouting waaaaaaay too seriously!”

Pinkie’s explanation instantly cooled Nighstar’s temper,
“A changeling?”

“Yeah, she had been living in Twilight’s Castle for a while. A really funny gal she is! She can tell you ANYTHING with a straight face! AJ hates her though, she was never the type for comedy. ‘Dat missy is nothin’ but trouble, m' tellin’ ya!’” Pinkie gave her best impression of the farmer.

“No, no!” Nighstar rapidly waved her hooves. “You said the Empress sent her here to live? Herself!?”

“Hmm? Yep,” Pinkie said, looking entirely disinterested in this part. “Keeps saying: Mistress this and Mistress that.”

“But… how?! Changelings are her enemies! You are lying! You are pulling one of your pranks!” It had to be so, because if she wasn’t…

To Nighstar’s great relief, Pinkie burst into laughter.

Finally, Fluttershy has returned, saving Nighstar from any more jokes coming her way,
“Here you are!” she happily smiled, passing cups to the ponies by the fire.

“You gave me the best idea for a prank ever!” Pinkie declared.

“Oh no, not again,” Nighstar mumbled.

“Pinkie, maybe save it for later,” Fluttershy stepped in Nighstar’s defense. “We all are a little too tired for more jokes.”

Pinkie suddenly looked confused,
“What jokes? I didn’t make any yet.”

“For Her stary sky’s sake, you keep doing your stupid jokes ever since you came!” Nightstar flared.

Pinkie shook her head,
“No, I didn’t!”

“Yes, you did! You just told me that the goddess employs her sworn enemies as her servants! Even we, her most devout, have to earn a great honor!” Nighstar reverently stated.

“You mean Shadow? Pff-ha-ha-ha! That was no joke, silly!” Pinkie giggled. “She really does work for Nightmare Moon! She says so herself! Fluttershy, tell her!”

Upon hearing her name called out Fluttershy instantly shrank,
“Well… it is true?” Fluttershy whispered.

“It can’t be,” Nighstar refused to believe again. “This… you must be mistaken.”

“Nope, she’s as much a changeling as we are ponies,” Pinkie confirmed once again. “We can ask Spike! Or Applejack, once she’s back. And Rarity too!”

“Ah… that would take a little travel,” Fluttershy cautiously objected.

“Oh, my bad,” Pinkie shrugged without losing her smile.

The idea was… unusual, the High Priestess would most certainly not approve, but not as world-shattering as Nightstar originally thought. Fluttershy knew the goddess personally, she would not insult her by lying so.
Actually, it didn’t sound so weird at all.

“Well, of course!” she slapped herself on the face, being embarrassed to even have had doubts, to begin with.

“Already planning a witch hunt?” Pinkie pinched her again, but Nightastar just waved it off.

“That changeling is in her service because she earned it!” Nighstar declared.

“As Rainbow would have said: Duh!” Pinkie made a perfect parody.

“The Moon, in her glory, offered changelings a place among her subjects! It is only natural that some of them would rise!” Nighstar inspiredly continued. Pinkie opened her mouth again but Fluttershy nudged her on the ribs before she could say anything else.
“I have to tell the others! We should hold a glorious celebration for our queen’s mercy!”

“Won't you stay at least for a little bit? There’s a blizzard outside,” Fluttershy asked, worried.

Nighstar looked at the clock and determinedly shook her head,
“It’s almost dawn, I have to tell the Priestess before the sun rises, or we would have to wait for the next gathering.”
Nightstar finished her drink and quickly went to get her things,
“Thank you for this revelation! I think Dreamy would thank you on behalf of the whole congregation too! Goodbye to you both!”

“Sure, see ya!” Pinkie waved.

“Stay safe,” Fluttershy asked instead of saying her goodbyes. Nighstar only nodded with a smile and stepped back into the storm.

“Do you think Dreamy is going to lynch her, or just kick her out?” Pinkie excitedly asked once the door closed.

Family Bonds

Luna swiftly moved though palace corridors, stepping from shadow to shadow and slipping past the completely oblivious Guards, servants, and maids, attending to their numerous tasks. At first, it weighed on her having to hide from her own subjects, but her duties as the Lunar Princess had taught her how to manage alone. She even had more interactions now. Nightmare, Rarity, Twilight, and Shadow were always available for her whenever she felt lonely. She also could spend time watching ponies in their waking hours, not just in dreams, though Luna still missed her dream walking. She always adored her time with others, especially with the little ones. She spent many joyous hours playing with foals in their dreams. Adults were a joy to be with too, sometimes she just watched them having a happy dream, at other times she had a pleasant talk. On rare occasions, particularly brave and salacious stallions even tried courting her in the Dreamrealm! Oh, how much Luna missed the feeling of being wanted. Did Nightmare ever feel that way? Could she even feel love at all? Nightmare and her sisters were completely unknown variables, sadly. Although Twilight would have an absolute blast if she could have time to run a research on how they feel emotions.

Sneaking out into the gardens, situated behind the palace, Luna finally caught up with her other sister, though she would likely have doubts on that word. Daybreaker did not go smashing anything, unlike Luna suspected, and instead was simply throwing stones into the fish pond, curiously, it was Celestia’s favorite place to be alone during her latest painfully short stay in the palace. Gardeners still prudently cleared off from the fiery mare’s vicinity.

“Daybreaker,” Luna quietly announced herself, not wishing to startle the mare. “I wondered if I could get a chance to have a word.” Daybreaker turned her eyes towards her, Luna noticed her now having slitted pupils, just a Nightmare had. Daybreaker’s look was not angry, or scared, just surprised,
“Don’t you find the nightvision spell a bit hard on the eyes when the moon is full?” Luna asked.

“Uh...” Daybreaker nervously looked around, wanting to make sure there was no one else watching them amongst the trees and bushes.

“I am alone, Nightmare is back in her tower, preparing to raise the sun. We have a little time,” Luna drew Daybreaker’s attention to herself again. “Can I sit with you?”

“I suppose...” Daybreaker was already shifting from surprise to suspicion. Luna paid her shifting attitude no mind and sat down at her side.

“I am glad you took the garden to your liking,” Luna pleasantly started. “How do you like it now, after it was made anew?”

“...I never had a taste for flora, I fear,” Daybreaker answered flatly, not quite seeing where Luna was going.

“You seem to like it here,” Luna readily contradicted.

“It’s quiet here,” Daybreaker shrugged. “And the air is fresh.”

“Oh, yes!” Luna excitedly chirped. “The air is just wonderful here, all thanks to the elevation. Canterlot is a large city, but it does not smell foul, unlike New-Manehattan for instance. The winds in mountains always bring such freshness.”

“It is also warmer here than in the rest of the city,” Daybreaker added. “Even though it’s winter, the water doesn’t freeze on the palace grounds,” she gestured at the pond.

“Nightmare thought of everything,” Luna summed up.

“She did, always so prudent she is,” Daybreaker said almost sweetly. Luna smiled - a good sign. Daybreaker must have already calmed after getting aggravated earlier.

“You know, Daybreaker,” Luna decided to go straight. Daybreaker looked like she would appreciate it, “I’ve been wondering how should I get on with this-”

“Let me stop you there, Luna. She isn’t coming back, I am sorry,” Daybreaker was exact and firm, she likely thought of this before.

“Peace, Daybreaker,” Luna quickly shook her head. “It’s not this, I would not ask you to. It… isn’t your fault that you were not born with your own body, I am sorry,” Luna silently prayed for Daybreaker to not lash out.

To her great relief, Daybreaker seemed to believe her and relax,
“I am sorry, Luna,” she peered back into the pond. “Nightmare must have spoken with you already.”

“She did,” Luna confirmed. “I miss my sister very much, Daybreaker... but I understand. I am just sorry it has to be so tragic,” Luna felt her heart sinking again, it was always hard to think about her sister now.

“...Me too,” Daybrekaer unexpectedly grumbled. “I am… sorry to have stormed out like that earlier tonight. It’s just... hard to...” Daybreaker let the phrase ebb.

Luna was pleasantly surprised at how they were progressing. She feared that Daybreaker would be defensive, or wouldn’t talk to her at all, but it seemed this troubled mare was quite benign, towards her at least. It was refreshing to see this side of her.

“I understand,” Luna assured. “You know, Nightmare would adore it if we could be friends,” Luna looked down at the pool herself, not wishing to push Daybreaker with her peering.

“I suppose she would,” Daybreaker quickly answered, her voice betraying her unusual enthusiasm. “I wondered myself if I could…”

“...You could what? I am not sure I see your meaning.” Daybreaker was shy. Luna came to the only conclusion that made sense, and not the one she expected to draw, to be sure. Weirdly.

“Luna, I...” Daybreaker took a deep breath, “Luna, I always envied you!” Daybreaker blasted out, her face getting redder by the minute. ...Could she be sodden?
“I always envied Nightmare for having you as her host..-”Luna drew closer and sniffed, as Daybreaker kept speaking. The smell of alcohol was faint”-Luna, you are a treasure to be cherished.”

This whole discussion was suddenly making much more sense to Luna now. Celestia always was very staunchly opposed to any alcohol whatsoever, thinking it a disgrace in the making, so Daybreaker being a bit afflicted from a few wine glasses would make sense, not that Luna wasn’t flattered with her words all the same.

“Do you wish I was your host instead?” Luna asked to get Daybreaker to speak more.

“Oh, by your moon, I do!” Daybreaker forcefully landed another stone into the water with a loud splash, “Luna, why do you and Celestia have to be so different? I wish she was more like you. You treated Nightmare as your friend, while Celestia refused to even speak to me, that old bitch! Luna, do you have any idea what it is like when your host, the only creature you’ll ever have contact with, treats you like a curse due to no fault of your own! Celestia tried everything she could to get rid of me, Luna, and when she failed, she simply tried to silence me and forget I exist! Then she tried to break me! She tried to turn me into sobbing failure!
“It was like this for hundreds of years, Luna! All the way until Nightmare came knocking on her door for the second time! Then she finally started talking back!” Daybreaker was reaching a new height of hatred it seemed. “She started talking to me, asking for my advice on how to deal with my own sister!”

“Did you help?” Luna asked with genuine interest.

“I… did,” Daybreaker’s shoulders sank. “Celestia is a coward, Luna. When Nightmare turned her own soldiers against her, Celestia was at loss. It was the first time in a thousand years I saw her not knowing how to act. Nightmare hit her in the place where it hurt most!” Daybreaker’s voice now overflowed with admiration. “But Celestia promised me she’d treat me like a friend if I help. She knew what I wanted, Luna. I seized even dreaming about having my own body, but… I still hoped her endless sneering at me would stop one day.”

“I don’t blame you. You did what you could to help yourself,” Luna cautiously touched the drunk mare’s shoulder. This was turning out to be a lot more than Luna could ever fear it would be…

“Yes, I did!” Daybreaker suddenly jumped on her hooves, as if Luna’s touch hurt her. “Luna, I am a coward! I sold out my own sister to my jailor! Oh, I am so glad that my sister is so much stronger than either of us was, Luna. I whispered to her all the secrets I knew about Nightmare and it still did nothing to help!”

“Does Nightmare know?” Luna approached Daybreaker again, but keeping at a distance to avoid that reaction again.

“Of course she does,” Daybreaker said without a shadow of a doubt. “She knows everything about us, Luna. But she never even mentioned it to me! I swear, by her moon, I couldn’t have asked for a better sister!”

Luna was now at the loss of words. As arrogant and spiteful she was, this mare was not vile after all. Nightmare’s care found great appreciation in her, slowly chipping away at her centuries of pain and anger. Something even Celestia could not achieve. Perhaps Nightmare indeed was the greater monarch?
It made Luna wonder; what if Sombra too only needed a little care?

“Daybreaker,” Luna addressed the mare again after a moment of consideration. “I’ve seen how you reacted to me and Nightmare back there. I wondered if you would...” Luna ended the phrase, not knowing how Daybreaker would react. “May I?” she asked instead.

Daybreaker didn’t say anything in return, but she did not move away as Luna made a few cautious steps forward until she could touch her again. Daybreaker quivered as Luna brought one of her hooves around the white mare’s neck and brought her own neck and chest to touch the other mare.
For a moment longer, Daybreaker quivered in Luna’s gentle embrace, not knowing how to react, struggling to believe it was even happening.

“You know, with how busy Celestia always was, I always felt left out and I always dreamed of having one more sister. Nightmare was that sister to me. She kept caring for me even after she had what she wanted. I don’t blame her for what she had to do. My only regret is that it took me so many years to see this,” Luna solemnly paused. “Would you be a sister to me too, Daybreaker?”

At that moment Daybreaker’s pupils visibly started to shrink, her mind focusing again. Luna internally cursed her rashness. Next, Daybreaker made a gentle effort to distance again, Luna let her go, not wishing to offend the mare.

“Luna, thank you for treating me so nicely,” Daybreaker spoke her piece. “But you are… early, perhaps?” Daybreaker clearly meant to say something else, but held her tongue. Being that close with Celestia’s sister of all creatures, would be a bit too much yet.

“It is alright if you think so,” Luna was quick to assure. “I already had much more than I hoped to have an hour ago. Thank you for being so open with me.”

“Cree!” an almost painfully familiar sound rang in the air.

“How long have you been listening?!” Daybreaker was instantly back to her usual attitude.

The phoenix smugly tilted her beak upwards, leaving the snowhite mare to guess.

“Oh, you stupid featherbrush! I wish Nightmare wasn’t such a bleedheart!” Daybreaker didn’t leave the bird unanswered.

“Wait!” Luna swiftly moved closer to the idly sitting bird. “Philomena, wouldn’t come here just to mock you, would she?”

“Hmph!”

“Philomena, do you have a message for us?” Luna asked the bird herself.

“Cree!” the bird cried affirmatively.

“How so?” Luna continued.

“Cree,” the bird cried again and took off, flying into the air and flying circles off the mountain side.

“She wants us to follow her,” Luna said with certainty.

“Do you mean you can understand her cries?!” Daybreaker asked in astonishment.

“Philomena is intelligent, Day. She knows we don’t understand her actual words and thus she communicates with gestures and by shifting her tonality to copy the moods present in our own speech. On a basic level she is easy to understand,” Luna explained and spread her wings, getting ready to follow the bird in the air.

“Do you mean to actually follow her, Luna? It is almost dawn!” Daybreaker protested.

“She wants both of us to follow, Day. Otherwise she wouldn’t let you see her,” Luna corrected.

“Luna, you will die!” Daybreaker cried, starting to panic from the thought of Nightmare’s rage alone.

“Then you’d better come along and make sure I don’t,” Luna teased.

Little Shadows

Shadow rolled into the room like a wrecking ball going loose, ready to protect her Mistress from whatever danger she was in… but she saw inside made her pause.

Mistress wasn’t in danger, at least not in immediate. She was, in fact, more than alright if her senses did not fool her.
Shadow did not know how to react and simply stared. Nightmare Moon was visibly embraced holding her slender hoof out to another changeling sitting across her desk, holding it with a look of total bliss on his face. Nightmare Moon’s eyes immediately darted to her but it took her guest a few more moments to realise that her focus has shifted and trace her look. As soon as he found her, his eyes shot so wide they were threatening to roll out.

Gena?!“ he struggled. At this moment Shadow shamefully covered her face, finding no courage to look at her Mistress.
She knew General Pharynx, he was a celebrity before she set out on her mission, but she still hoped that he wouldn’t remember her. ...Or that he wouldn’t come looking. This was rapidly shaping into a massive embarrassment.

“Mistress, I am terribly, terribly, sorry for the General!” finally she mustered the courage to speak to her Mistress, trotting closer so that she wouldn’t have speak to her across the room disgracefully.
“Please, forgive me for you having to get involved, if you would let me, I’ll bring the General out and deal with this issue myself,” she spoke not daring to raise her eyesight.

“Gena, is that really you?” Pharynx rapidly recovered but Shadow didn’t even look at him. “Gena, we thought you died!”

Desperate to hear the order, Shadow elected to take the initiative. Grabbing the General by the shoulder she dragged him off the chair and roughly pushed him towards the door.

“Gena, wait! This isn’t-”

“That is not my name and stop calling me that,” Shadow coldly spoke to him. Pharynx stared back at her in confusion but at least that kept him silent as she pushed him back outside.

The sound coming from the staircase alerted them both to the approaching Guards, Thorax took long enough to get anyone to come.

“There they are!” shouted the first one coming up the stairs. “Arrest the intruders!”

Shadow didn't even think of resisting, but she was glad the Guards on the inside weren’t issued any weapons.

“They murdered a Princess!” one of the Guards cried. Soon enough they were quickly surrounded by a mob of soldiers, giving them both menacing looks.

“Wait! The Princess is alright, she is just asleep!” Thorax cried from somewhere behind them. “Please don’t hurt my brother!”

One soldier peeked into Her Majesty’s room but instantly recoiled back as their grandiose ruler stepped out into the hallway to her subjects. Her prior exasperation replaced with exhaustion.

She eyed unconscious Cadance, no doubt completely aware of what did she do,
“Take her to a spare bedroom and leave her to rest for a while, I don’t want to see her,” Nightmare Moon ordered. Mistress always knew.

“And the changelings, Ma’am?” one of the soldiers asked, not quite sure how to make sense of the situation. Nightmare Moon gave the same tired look to all three of them.

“Yes, I suppose it is high time,” she slowly spoke. “This is Shadow,” she softly touched her changeling. “She is a warrior, just like you, my soldiers. She is my confidant and your comrade.”

The uneasy grumble ran across the soldiers,
“A changeling, Lady?” one asked.

“A changeling, yes,” Nightmare Moon confirmed. “A changeling that saved me tonight from a manipulation by one of my Princesses.” Nightmare Moon gestured at the pink alicorn. Pharynx suddenly sulked.
“But do forgive her, for she has a very good reason to do so. Cadance only tries to protect her family, see. Sometimes we can do the wrong things for good reasons, my soldiers, it would not be just to punish her harshly. Leave her to rest, I shall speak to her later.”

The sonorous silence ensued none of the soldiers sure what to make of this sudden, uncharacteristic, openness of their monarch.

“Do you have orders for us too, Mistress?” Shadow wasn’t quite content simply waiting at this time.

“Yes, My Shadow. I believe you and General Pharynx have something you need to amend to. The rest of you, you may go.” Nightmare Moon then stepped back inside her room, stopping for the brief moment to cast a spell. The lock, that Shadow broke moments before, effortlessly became whole again and re-entered the doorframe.

“Whoa,” Thorax gasped.

Soldiers were still confused, but they needed not the second order. Four of them picked the sleeping Princess and departed down the stairs with the rest of them orderly following behind.
Meanwhile, Nightmare Moon not having a proper table for all of them to sit around, simply summoned one from elsewhere in the palace, bewildering Thorax further. Four chairs then appeared to accompany the table.

“My Lady!” Pharynx finally woke up. “There is no need to-”

“General, please, cease before you embarrass both of us even more.” Nightmare Moon sat down on her own chair, “Now, all of you, sit down,” she continued more calmly. “I believe this warrants an explanation.”

“Your Majesty, why would Princess...” Thorax lost his patience, both other changelings simultaneously turned and slapped Thorax on both of his cheeks. He should not speak when the Empress speaks.

“To answer your question, Thorax, Princess Cadance wished to influence me enough to permit her to take Princess Twilight and my sister to the Crystal Empire with her. She believes they are in danger when out of her reach.”

“But… they are not!” Thorax shook his head to emphasize.

“That depends, Thorax. Cadance may be far away, but she keenly watches both me and her family.”

“But your sister is not family to the Princess, Your Majesty,” Thorax quickly poked a hole.

“Indeed she is not, my most curious, Thorax,” Nightmare Moon graciously smiled at him. “But that is for another time, I fear. Now we have an urgent matter to discuss. Your brother, sadly, was charmed by Princess Cadance and used as a tool,” she slowly gestured at the large changeling.

“My Lady!” Pharynx jumped up, “I assure you, I was most genuine.”

“Dearest General, while your attention is flattering, I must insist. Princess Cadance exercises a form of mind control, influencing emotions. General, I fear your feelings are influenced.” Shadow would not dare to question Mistress… but she sensed in the back of her head that Mistress did not quite like saying that, even if she was stating facts. It seems, Princess was at least partially successful. Mistress’ current smell was familiar to any changeling. The smell was making Shadow remember that it was a few days the last she dined, but Shadow would not insult her Mistress so much as to show her predatory nature. Though Thorax beside her lacked the training and would have to be closely watched. Her half-brother was already blowing air through his nose to clear it off the scent.
“My Shadow,” Nightmare Moon then addressed her directly. “I would like you to now explain how does the General know you.”

General wanted to stand up again but a single glare was enough to stop him.

“Mistress, must we speak before others?” Shadow avoided the question, causing Nightmare Moon’s eyes to slightly widen. “I do not understand this sudden neglect for secrecy, Mistress,” Shadow added.

Nightmare Moon sat quietly for some time but honored her Shadow's question in the end,
“My Shadow, I tire of playing these endless charades,” Nightmare Moon admitted with a sigh. “If my followers would not follow me even if they knew more of me I have no need for them. I saw that your counsel was wise, My Shadow. It could be better if my subjects knew more of me.”

Shadow uneasily fidgeted on her seat,
“I bow to your wisdom.”

“Now, shall you answer my question?” Shadow nervously glanced over to her brothers. Thorax expressed his support with a tiny nod and a small smile. Pharynx was entirely consumed with Mistress herself, not paying her any attention, probably it was better this way.

“We are acquainted,” Shadow began, carefully choosing her words. “I was assigned to review General Pharynx in context of his actions during the Queen’s attempted infiltration of Canterlot royalty. General Pharynx is the closest kin to the known deserter and dissenter Thorax, prisoner number 8876, sentenced to execution by a firing squad for attempting to incite a mutiny,” Shadow spoke emotionlessly as if reading a file. “I questioned General Pharynx on the subject of his brother and discovered him manipulating the prisoner transfer to let the subject escape.”

“Like so?” Nightmare Moon glanced over to the General.

“The General is known for his bluntness in private conversations, Mistress.”

“A respectable quality. Continue.”

“The General… was persuasive enough for me to keep the knowledge private, I told the Queen the General was not guilty.”

“So this is how Pharynx knew...” Thorax quietly mumbled.

“Quite-quite. My Shadow is lying to her Queen,” Nightmare Moon almost purred, delighting in Shadow sharing her secret. “What was the General's argument?”

Shadow covered her face in embarrassment once again,
“Mistress… could we please not go there?” she timidly asked.

“Is it so hard for you, My Shadow?” Nightmare Moon leaned a little forward.

“It is in the past, Mistress. I do not wish to remember. My act was shameful. I am no longer that changeling, Mistress. She was someone else.”

Upon hearing that Pharynx suddenly snapped out of his obsession and looked at Shadow across the table in disbelief,
“So this is how it is now? You know, they’ve been asking about you. I told them you’ve died heroically, upholding your duty, how all of us should.” Pharynx loudly snorted, “Now though I don’t know what I am going to tell them. Should I tell them that you turned your back on them? That you see them as ‘shameful’ now?” Shadow again covered her face refusing to show her eyes to anyone.

“Pharynx, what are you even talking about? Who are ‘they’? Shadow’s broodmates?” Thorax asked, sparing Nightmare Moon.

“Her drones, you big grub, that’s who!” Pharynx exploded. “I told her that I would expose her in turn if she exposed me! That’s why she covered for me!” Pharynx blasted out entirely forgetting where he was.
“When she came asking, I started digging through the files I could find on her. Most of them were confidential, but I pulled a few favors and got copies. Didn’t find anything, so I started digging in nursery records instead and there I struck gold. Turns out that about at a time when this oh-so-loyal two-face was growing up, there were a number of underdeveloped hatchlings alongside her, all female. Sounds like a weird coincidence doesn’t it? I went to check consumption records and what do ya know, turns out there weren’t any extra hatchlings to feed noted in the records from the time, but a small part of shipments was disappearing without a trace while this two-face was going through infiltration training! I saw the graduation papers, top of her class. I think I know where her drive to be the best came from! But that’s not a definite proof yet so detective Pharynx wasn’t done either!
“I looked up the names of those hatchlings and where they landed. Turns out good genes are infectious, all the girls did well for themselves. One was an officer in the Queen’s guard, another was a logistics expert; one was an operative, like her mother; and another one was a tank commander. Bet if drones could produce males, her sons would be Queen’s bed warmers," Pharynx spitefully remarked.
“I went around to meet all of them to see if it really was a coincidence, the special op didn’t budge, but her sister told me everything with a little pressure and a few names. She admitted that Gena was the one caring for them. Then I simply waited for Gena to be done with her investigation and offered her a fair deal. I even promised to look after them should anything happen to her, didn’t want an enemy like her. And I did as I promised when she didn’t come back.
“I dug out where she was sent to and I figured Chrysalis finally caught up on her favorite drone breaking the law. Girls stayed strong, wanted to make their mother proud. Turns out Gena was a coward in the end, unworthy of her own hatchlings,” Pharynx morbidly finished.

By the time Pharynx was done Thorax was covering his mouth in horror at what he just unleashed with a single poorly placed question and even more so how hard it hit Shadow next to him. The changeling mare has sunk in her seat as if trying to compress into a dot and disappear. Her forelegs still firmly pressed to her face, too ashamed of herself to look at anyone at all, let alone the beloved Mistress.

“My dear Shadow, forgive me!” Nightmare Moon was the first one to break the silence with her plea. “I should not have pushed.”

“Oh dear…” Thorax regained his speech next. “Shadow, why didn’t you say anything? Her Majesty would have… oh...”

“Shadow, do you wish to be alone?” Nightmare Moon leaned closer, slightly lifting herself off the chair.

“No, Mistress,” Shadow said quietly but determinedly. “I would never want to be away from you,” she lifted her eyes off the floor and finally looked up again. “Mistress, I am sorry you had to hear this. I shamed myself and dishonored you.”

“Damn right you did,” Pharynx grumbled.

“Silence!” Nightmare sharply snarled. “My Shadow, do not say so. You did no such thing. I would never scold you for caring for your children, no one can.”

“Hmph!” Pharynx humped, evidently the charm has almost entirely dissipated.

“Queen knew, Mistress,” Shadow admitted. “She didn’t want any competition. She said she’d let them be if I volunteered for the assassination attempt. Mistress, I am so-rry!” Shadow’s voice cracked.

Nightmare Moon was amazed. If Shadow could cry, she would be doing so right now. Her dear-dear Shadow, always unwavering no matter what comes to her, was nearly broken by mentioning of her hatchlings alone. Poor-dear Shadow.

“Pharynx, what happened to them?” Nightmare Moon asked swiftly. She did not want to subject Shadow to more pain, but she needed to know.

“Well… Reidyi never went close to the frontline, she did some logistics organizing in the 6th Armored Division. After the war ended, I took her with me to help with rebuilding the central hive a bit. She is impressively cheerful, all things considered.” Shadow visibly relaxed, relieved to hear the good news.
“Grossa is harder. She always kept to herself, being trained to be more independent and all that. She didn’t take us losing very well. Doesn’t talk to me, thinking me betraying them by not letting them all die. We all know the type. Still has a lot of fight in her, that one,” Pharynx went silent.

“And Ornata and Laeta? How are they?!” Shadow asked Pharynx directly.

“Uhm...” Pharynx frowned. “Ornata served with the Queen’s guard. Was at the hive’s fall. She fought to the bitter end, died with honor buying the Queen more time. We found her in the tunnels together with the rest of her platoon, all having lethal burns. Magical lightning, my guess,” Pharynx huffed with his nose, remembering the smell. Nightmare Moon had to hold onto her composure, this wasn’t going in a good direction.

Shadow sat silently for a full minute until finally slowly nodding. Accepting the loss with dignity.

“Laeta… uhh...” Pharynx stopped, searching for words.

“Say it,” Shadow ordered firmly.

“Laeta was in one of the tanks dug into the trenches outside the hive, they made a makeshift pillbox out of her vehicle.” Pharynx tried to stop again but Shadow’s unblinking gaze made him sure that he would have to speak or else… “Her tank got hit by some kind of a heat spell. The hull melted into liquid… then the ammunition exploded from the heat… there was nothing to bury.”

Shadow sank again without saying a word, her eyes rolling closed. Nightmare Moon circled around the table and gently put her hooves on the changeling’s shoulders as a sign of support. Loyal Shadow would not dare to blame her, of course, although she had no doubt that Shadow knew exactly who cast the spells. Nightmare Moon was not particularly proud of her destructive ability. Most of it came from her many years of gathering exotic spells rather than her raw skill, but it was more than enough to lay waste to a fortified line. The modern armaments help the commoners to come closer to the power of a mage but merely coming close to wielding the forces of nature was often not quite enough. Not to mention more esoteric disciplines, like space manipulation. There was no material in the entire world that could withstand being caught between closing portals.
Changeling magic was very limited in comparison, sadly. Illusions and shapeshifting were their only innate abilities, few gifted ones could also master telekinetic spells as well but not more than that. Perhaps this was why Chrysalis despised ponykind so much?
Nightmare Moon found one more regret.

“My Shadow, do you wish them to be brought before you?” Nightmare quietly whispered so to disturb her dearest Shadow too much. Shadow would not blame her, of course not. She would always say that she did what a good monarch had to do, and Nightmare Moon tried to think so too, but the truth was not escapable - she killed two of Shadow’s dear daughters with her own hooves.
She could remember them trying to stop her, the sound of shrapnel and bullets hitting enchanted plates of her armor, and harmlessly bouncing off. The sound of battle, the song of war. There was little glory, they never stood any chance.

“No, Mistress,” Shadow quietly answered.

“You make a poor attempt at deception, dear Shadow,” Nightmare Moon attempted to smile. “You do not have to sever yourself from your past for me, My Shadow, I will not hold you lower. It is wrong to separate yourself from your family, My Shadow, do not maim yourself for nothing.”

“You are right, of course you are right, Mistress,” Shadow nodded, even if without her usual eagerness.

“Pharynx!” Nightmare Moon sharply called. “Depart this instant and bring both of My Shadow’s daughters to her. You will not linger.”

“Hey, I… Eh… Yes, Ma’am,” Pharynx changed his mind mid-sentence. Correctly judging the Empress' patience being much to thin at the moment.

“Thorax, go to Cadance. Make sure she does not lash out when she is awake. Tell her that I will see her,” Nightmare Moon spoke much more softly to the more cordial brother.

“Yes, Ma’am!” Thorax repeated after Pharynx. “...Is she in trouble?” he asked after a moment of hesitation.

“No, Thorax,” Nightmare Moon shot a glance to Pharynx, waiting by the door. The soldier grunted in irritation but obeyed and cleared out of the room, swinging the door closed, “This may be hard to understand, but the Princess tried to help me more than get what she wanted from me,” she explained.

“Uhh… How?” Thorax tilted his head to the side. “Your Majesty, I don’t understand any of this! It is not like her to charm someone like this.”

“Thorax, this is not something one like you would understand. Only ponies have this, you see,” Nightmare Moon tried gently, although there was no nice way to say a thing like this truly.

“Oh...” Thorax visibly sank. “Alright… I’ll go see the Princess then.” Thorax then obediently followed his brother away.

“Your friend is such a darling, my dear,” Nightmare spoke gently to the last changeling in the room. “I am so glad you could find him to be to your liking. Even you need to have friends.”

“Princess Twilight's example is inspiring, Mistress. And Thorax is… simple enough to not cause any harm,” Shadow found the word.

“That he is, My Shadow,” Nightmare Moon slowly nodded in agreement. "Thorax is loyal to you, hold on to him now. Him and your daughters."

Songs of Fire

“You hear of ancient Pillars
And legions of the ancient world.
While others speak of knightly griffons
And grander warriors of old.

In all the world before us
There’s no one to compare
to the tow-row-row-row- and the tow-row-row
to the faithful Lunar Guards!

And when we are commanded
we’ll see Her will is done!
Our Captain will salute us
and wave us to move out.

And when the siege is over,
we do the town repairs.
The ponies cry ‘Huzzah, friends! Here come the Lunar Guards!
Here come the Guards, my friends, they know no doubt or fear.’

May Empress and her Captain live happy all their years
To the tow-row-row-row and the tow-row-row of the faithful Lunar Guard.”

“Laaaaaame! Ours was better!” The cry was answered by both whistles and booos.
“Ar-ti-lle-ry! Ar-ti-lle-ry!” the whistlers started chanting.

“Ey-ey-ey-ey-ey-ey-ey!” Blackhoof shouted the group down. “You had your turn already! We won’t be getting the winner until we hear the marines and airbornes!”

“And armor!”

“And armor!” Blackhoof parroted.

“Since when do fish sing?” someone from the artillery crowd asked, receiving approving laughs.

“Always could, never heard of whales?” someone else responded.

“Whales? Damn, never thought mares could be so honest about their weight!”

“Ey-ey-ey-ey! Stop fighting everyone!” Blackhoof waved his hooves to get everyone’s attention again. “We are here singing, not throwing crap around! Alright, Cleartide, get ready next!”

Blackhoof then stood back from the microphone, letting another group of stallions start assembling.

“Dammit, another one of your bright ideas,” he loudly whispered to the white marked stallion behind their improvised stage.

“What, no fan of music?” he asked back sarcastically.

“It’s real great that you got someone to lend us the equipment and somehow get Torque Bender on board with this, but the hay are we doing this for? They weren’t all assembled here to drink tea and sing, you know?”

“Always the doubter,” the stallion sighed. “Look, how do you think I got all of them together so fast and why nobody ever said anything? They are sitting here with nothing to do until their transport comes flying. When soldiers have nothing to do, ‘accidents’ start happening. Better we make them entertain themselves than if they find something to do on their own. You still remember that story Rockslide keeps telling about how he was spinning a grenade by its ring out of boredom? Imagine what Rainbow could do with this many bored ponies walking around?”

“Ah, damn. Guess you are right. By the way, where is she?”

“I hear one of hers talking about getting their MAs pre-flight checked. There’s like… a dozen of them here so EAW have a ton of work now.”

“When was that?”

“Around four hours ago.”

“Huh, should be done by now. I wonder why they were told to prep all of their vehicles at once? Sounds like an op prep.”

“Yeah, only that we aren’t exactly on a frontline. We aren’t invading anyone from over here.”

“Then… why?”

“Well, guess we’d have to wait and see. Ain’t no much time left, all these troopers ain’t here for nothing. This isn’t a regular rotation, too many branches and equipment in one place.”

“I really hope you are wrong on this one. I don’t like to think on exactly who they are going to be fighting over here. Anyway, the marines are about to finish.”

As Blackhoof went back to the stage to invite the next competitors, a shadow slipped the other way.

Daybreaker nervously paced, glancing at the moon to make sure it isn’t being lowered yet.

“Cree,” Philomena quietly cried at her from the top of a hangar. Daybreaker was hiding behind.

“You stupid bird!” Daybreaker blurted in frustration. “Nightmare will lynch me if she finds out I let anything happen to her! Was this your plan from the start?!” Philomena paid her absolutely no mind while calmly preening her wing. “I swear, if anything happens to Luna, we are going to check exactly how fireproof you are!” the mare hissed.

“Day, would you stop fighting poor Philomena already?” Luna called to her from somewhere nearby, as hard to see as ever.

“Oh, Luna, thank sister’s moon, you are back!” Daybreaker sighed. “We have to return! We only have a few minutes left! Come, I’ll weave the teleport spell!”

“Wait, Day,” Luna’s alarmed voice made Daybreaker pause. “Philomena was right, something is amiss here. These soldiers aren’t just singing. They are fueling up their vehicles and arming weapons, they are preparing for war! I’ve seen the Imperial Guard unicorns drawing a large teleportation circle across the airstrip!”

Daybreaker took a deep breath,
“Luna, whatever they are doing, they wouldn’t be doing it if Nightmare didn’t want it. We can go back and ask her.”

“No, Day! Not yet! We have to stop this! Let’s sabotage the circle. They can’t leave without it!”

“Do you mean to say that you intend to interfere with Nightmare’s plan?!” Daybreaker leaned forward so much she almost fell over. “Luna, how can you even say this?!”

“I am only saying we should hear Nightmare before it happens! A new war is not a mistake any of us can afford. What if she doesn’t know? Or her orders were misunderstood? She never spoke of any of this!”

“Luna, please, do not make a mistake that all of us will regret. It’s almost dawn, we don’t have any time left, please, let’s simply return,” Daybreaker tried to reason calmly.

“Hey! Anyone’s there?” Both mares froze as a patrol’s voice came flying. “This is a military facility, we are authorized to use force!”

Daybreaker was not going to see that happening. The fiery mare grasped Luna by the neck and began weaving the teleportation spell.

“No!” Luna pushed Daybreaker, effortlessly sending her rolling on the ground as if she weighed nothing at all. “Day, I spoke a vow! I...” Luna suddenly cut herself off as the night suddenly became darker, the moon just crossed the horizon. Daybreaker closed her eyes, not prepared to watch the horror that the dawn would unleash.

Nothing… no screams, no sounds of panic. Daybreaker opened one of her eyes and found Luna’s vague silhouette still in the darkness of the night, hugging the hangar wall. The sun simply wasn’t being raised. ...Did Nightmare find out?

“Anyone’s here?” the patrolling soldier finally made his way over the angle, weirdly enough he was from the palace guard.
“Eh… mornin’, ma’am,” to his credit he didn’t take more than a second to remember his formalities in the face of a Princess lying in the grass around a hangar at a military airbase.

Daybreaker swiftly propped herself to prevent this embarrassment from continuing.

“I w-wished to know why the Imperial Guards were sent elsewhere,” she excused herself, to the soldier’s bewilderment.

“Ehh… Alright, ma’am. Would you like me to call my lieutenant?” Once again his training did not fail him.

“Spell it briefly,” Daybreaker commanded.

“Well, can’t say much to you myself, Your Highness. Our platoon was voluntold to oversee the operation here. We have representatives from all branches of the army. Even marines are here. The unicorns are drawing something on the strip, no guesses what’s it for. Some wackos threw together an improvised concert to pass the time while me just stuck in patrol. That’s more or less everything. Anything else I can assist you with, Your Highness?”

“Wasn’t the sun supposed to be raised?”

“Her Majesty wants the taskforce to depart under cover of darkness.”

“I wish to see.”

“Well, you can have a good enough view from here, Your Highness.” The soldier stepped back from the hangar’s angle, inviting Daybreaker to walk closer.

The airstrip was buzzing with activity now, soldiers lining in columns together with their platoon members, driving their supply trucks and armored vehicles behind them. There was a straggler who preferred to jump in the back of one of the trucks.

“Rarity!” the voice from the invisible mare next to them dragged Daybreaker from her analysis. The soldier outright jumped.

“Who-” he started.

“Luna, no!” Daybreaker proved quicker. “They will see you!”

“But Rarity...”

“Luna, no!” Daybreaker stamped her hoof. “We will return to Nightmare and then she will decide what to do,” Daybreaker deliberately slowly staked every word. She cringed, remembering there was a Guard overhearing, but there was no choice now.

“But I vowed to never stand beside and watch! They… they won’t see me. It will be just a moment.”

“Luna, no!” Daybreaker protested once again as a remarkably dark shadow slipped from her side. “Wait! I-I’ll come with you! Make them look the other way!”

“The quicker I get to Rarity and get her out of that truck, the faster we’ll be gone from here, Day. I’ll move quicker alone through the shadows.”

“But what if she is there for a reason?! Luna, I beg you! Don’t do something all of us would regret!”

“You won’t,” Luna said and darted away, leaving Daybreaker to stand and watch. Daybreaker leaned against the wall and allowed herself to slide to the ground, no longer caring for grace.

“I won’t presume to know anything… But can I help in any way at all?” the soldier asked.

“It is out of your hooves now,” Daybreaker hopelessly said. “Gather other Guards and go. And pray that you will still have somewhere to go in a few minutes.”

The soldier swallowed in a sudden lump in his throat and moved to follow his orders. Then, there was a high pitched cry. Silence. A round of conflicting orders and arguing: “Arrest the intruder!”, “This is a changeling trick, it has to be!”, “This is treason! You won’t dare to fire on our Empress!” lastly loud and clear: “Fire!” immediately followed by “Cease!”

“This is a military facility!”, “Someone kidnapped the Lady!” Then mutual accusations: “You are commiting treason!”, “I’ll see that the General has your head for this!”.

The morning sun finally creeped out over the horizon as Daybreaker’s heart sank. All words were now drowned by the thunder of gunfire.

Old Habbits Die Hard

As the nights go, this was an unusually quiet one. This was the last night of Winter, so ponies were busy with household issues. With the blizzard raging outside Canterlot, clearing off the snow before it melts and turns the land into a mudbath would be an issue tomorrow. But ponies could already taking the insulation off the windows, putting away winter clothes. Tonight was still a bit cold though. So Silver decided not to stay outside for longer than needed, so he slit his own key into the lock to finally get home.

“Silver?” Father hailed him from somewhere inside. “Early tonight.”

“Miss Dawn said I can go early if I get the month’s papers in order quickly,” Silver explained.

“Alright, settle down. I almost have this Flaminche done.”

Upon mentioning of the dish, Silver immediately smiled from ear to ear. Even though she wasn’t coming any longer, Nighstar never stopped helping. Father has been reaching new culinary heights ever since she taught him his way around the kitchen.

Silver took his coat and ‘scarfy’ off, hanging them next to his father’s. Then, as Father told him, Silver ventured to the dining room and sat down. The table was clean, although Silver doubted Father could get all the dust. Without Nighstar’s help, clearing the whole house would be hard. Silver suddenly caught himself wishing he had a sister.

In a few minutes, Father appeared from the kitchen carrying a creamy looking cake.

“This thing is popular with our new friends,” he said, putting it down on the table. “Got a recipe from one of the ladies when I was out for groceries. Ah, forgot the knives.” Father went back to the kitchen, leaving Silver one-on-one with the ‘Flamiche.’ Well, from up close, it looked more like a casserole than a cake.
Father quickly returned with a knife clutched between his teeth by the handle.

“Here, a grownup slice,” he said, putting half of the casserole on Silver’s plate.

“Huh...Weird,” Silver doubted that enormous slice would even fit into his stomach, though that wasn’t what he meant.

“What’s that?”

“I never noticed myself growing up,” Silver answered. “I feel just as tiny as I always was.”

“It’s always like this, Silver,” Morning sighed, pausing to cut a piece off his own slice. “You never notice, just one day you figure out that you are an adult. Always feels too soon.”

“Was it like this for you too?” Silver bit off a portion, ‘Flamiche’ really was creamy.

“Well… yeah. You remember your Grandparents right?”

“Grandpa Glister and Granny Rainy. They don’t come a lot.”

“Yeah, they don’t.” A silence followed. Both stallions just eating quietly, “So, what I was saying. They didn’t really approve of me joining the army. It wasn’t so dangerous at all back then, it’s just that they wanted me to be, you won’t believe it, a damn dentist.”

“A.. dentist? But your cutie mark has nothing to do with it,” Silver wondered aloud.

“Well, they didn’t think so,” Father grumbled. “Parents sometimes can act real stupid, Silver. Such minuscule things as cutie marks don’t stop them at times. They usually meant that you found something you are supposed to do, but if you wanted to do something else, no one would have stopped you.”

“So what did you do?” Silver edged on his chair.

“Hah! What do you think? Signed anyway,” Father smiled. “Had an awful lot of fights before that though. Had to learn how to earn my money a bit earlier than colts usually did. Adolescence ain’t no fun when you can’t buy yourself your own stuff. Spent a lot of time on the street too, didn’t want another lecture. The moment I was legal, I signed as a private and was out of the damn place.”

“Didn’t you miss your parents? Can’t imagine how I wouldn’t.”

“Well, I did. A little. Trust me, son. You wouldn’t have missed living with them under one roof much either.” Morning poked Flamiche with a fork, “Like it?”

“It tastes like a regular casserole, just creamy.”

“Yeah, not much different,” Morning agreed.

“Should I join the army too?” Silver asked out of curiosity. “You keep saying how great it was, so I thought.”

“No,” Morning shook his head. “Military isn’t for you, Silver.”

“But why?”

“You are more like your mother, than me. Your thing is other ponies. You are good at making connections. You just started working a few months ago, and you already met half the court. Me? Her Majesty never even spoke to me even though I got to see her almost every night.”

“Really? Weren’t you an exterior Guard?” Silver already learned enough about the Guard structure to know that the exterior Guards rarely get posted inside.

“I wasn’t always,” Father explained. “I was assigned to the exterior in the latter years. Before that happened, I was usually on patrol around the central corridor, Her Majesty often passed me by on her way somewhere else. Seldomly, I even had a post in a room she was working in.”

“And she never talked to you? I thought she sends Guards with tasks all the time.”

“Well, I never got lucky. Back then it was mostly Rarity who ran errands for her. Honestly, I prefer it that way rather than fetching something from archives or finding someone she needs to see.”

“What was it like to watch her working?”

“Inspiring. Every night, all night, she was giving orders, writing laws, and receiving officials. Never seen her tired or sad once, a paragon of confidence and energy she was,” Morning himself smiled at the memory. “I think she was happier back then,” he finally said.

“And now?”

“To be honest, she didn’t look like that anymore,” Morning sighed. “She still smiles, but much more rarely, and it isn’t the same. She rarely smiled genuinely even back in a day but when she did, I swear, it was the most beautiful smile in the world. You couldn’t even say why she smiled, but you could never forget it. She shined like her moon!” Father’s excitement waned in an instant,
“And now… she's dimmed. She looks exhausted, her steps are heavy. Something happened, and it weighs down on her.”

“She said she wishes her subjects weren’t afraid of her,” Silver suggested.

“Said so herself?”

“In a dream, yes.”

“Huh, so she comes to talk to you in dreams? Wow, you are already doing better than I could even dream of when I was at your age.”

“Wasn’t Princess Celestia more open? I heard older ponies saying you could go to the Castle and talk to her, just like that.”

“Well, it’s true. Back in the day, you didn’t have to wait years to just steal a glimpse of her. Celestia was… warm. Yeah, that’s the word. ‘My little ponies’ she addressed us. She isn’t like this anymore either. Something went very wrong somewhere.
“Well, anyway. Turn the radio on, will you? Let’s see if we could catch a tune.”

Silver obediently flipped the switch and began turning the handle.

“...Canterlot… ...monetizing… ...newest symphony...” the voices on the radio flew by like passing cars.

“Hey, turn it back, they were talking about us.”

Silver turned the handle the other way,
“...The latest reports suggest a real battle raging on the local airbase. An unusually large gathering of troops went from singing together to an all-out war seemingly instantly,” the dictor read flatly. “We recommend all our listeners in the area to leave the vicinity as quickly as possible and report to your local authorities for questioning. Stay tuned for our special correspondent, Lens Flare, to hear more.”

The dictor fell silent, the air seemingly quiet for now. Both stallions kept completely silent, frozen by what they just heard.

“Silver, did I hear right?” Father asked. “She said THE Canterlot airbase just turned on itself?!”

“Y-yes?” Silver wasn’t sure himself.

Morning took off from his seat and raced for his coat,
“Silver, grab something warm and our documents. I have to get something really quick, I’ll be right back,” he ordered.

“Y-yes, Father,” Silver could only say before Morning slammed the door shut.

Silver quickened to the cupboard where the family papers were stored. He laid out their passports and other valuable papers, as he was taught in case of emergency. He then got his old school bag to put them in. Shortly after, his Father returned, holding another bag on his back and some firearm hanging from his neck on a sling.

“Silver, we have to get out of here,” he grimly said. “It doesn’t look good out there, I’ve seen thestrals with rifles knocking on doors around the corner.” Silver returned him a bewildered look.

“Why? The air base is further up the mountain.”

“Thestrals aren’t like the rest of us, Silver. Before you were born, they were the first who supported Her Majesty’s claim. They’ll spring to defend her at the first sign of danger. There’s no time for this, Silver. We have to get to the palace, the Guards will protect us. For now, there aren't any riots or street fighting, but that will soon change.”

Silver nodded and followed Father out of the house, grabbing his coat again. Sun was already dawning outside as the sky was bright, but the city was still shadowy. It was weird to be out at dawn.

“Father,” Silver suddenly saw another issue. “If thestrals just want to protect Her Majesty, why do we have to run? We serve Her with pride, they won’t hurt us, will they?”

“Ughmmm...” Morning grunted unpleasantly. “Silver, the worst thing there is about life is that things rarely ever come out as we intend them to,” he said ushering his son further up the alley, away from the streets. “The news of the Army fighting amongst themselves is bad enough; armed, grim-faced fanatics, knocking on their doors, is enough to make the city panic.”

Silver asked no further questions and simply walked where his Father directed him to. Soon enough, to his horror, the yells, cries of breaking glass and wood, became their constant followers. Soon enough, shots started.

“Wait,” Morning whispered and dragged him back behind another corner they were rounding. Someone was talking.

“Why is nopony doing anything?!” a mare was voicing her indignation in a back alley. “They are rummaging through our homes!”

“Not everyone’s,” a more calm voice recorded. “They are only coming to ponies who are-”

“Known for speaking out against Her policies, I figured out. This looks like a purge, River. We have to do something!”

“Like what? Call the police?”

“They are too far away, the upper city isn’t supposed to need any patrols, remember? The palace guards won’t help unless the Empress orders them to.”

“Well, she will! We just have to wait until they prepare.”

“Who says she didn’t sanction this herself? Looks a bit too convenient, doesn’t it? Can you honestly say that it isn’t?” the loud silence followed. “Exactly. Now go get your rifle, we won’t sit idly while these bat-winged dirtbags hurt our friends!”

“I… fine, only for when things get bad,” the voice agreed. “Tell everyone who won’t help to stay home.”

Morning and Silver waited for a few more moments to ensure the pair was gone,
“Okay, we go now,” morning whispered. “We are almost out of time.”

Silver obeyed more on reflex, his mind attempting to process how easy that unknown pony agreed not only to break the law, but also to kill their fellow citizens if it comes to that. But most of all, how derogatively they spoke of the Imperial authority… of his Father. This was wrong.
Now he only hoped that the firearm swinging on his Father’s shoulders wouldn’t be needed.

Keeping away from the streets was wise. Soon they were surrounded by the sounds of struggle and were forced to move from cover to cover through alleyways, but with each dash to cover they were getting closer and closer to the palace, and none of the ponies would dare to bring arms to the palace walls. When they finally reached the gates, the sounds of fighting were a distant reminder. Thanks to Father’s quick reaction, they were out without a hitch. Father reached for the intercom beside the gate, but before he could say anything the gate opened on its own accord, and the Guard soldiers began orderly marching out, each armed and clothed in combat attire instead of their usual ceremonial armor. One of the soldiers turned his head to the side and noticed them.

“Hostile!” he shouted. The soldiers were instantly spurred and Silver found himself in the sights of dozens of rifles at once. W-was that dream coming through?

“Drop your weapon! On the ground!” the sharp orders came and Silver obeyed instantly. Father dropped his firearm, it made a metallic click upon hitting the cobbles beneath, and followed Silver.

“Hey! Hey! Wait!” Someone else shouted. “I know the colt, he’s a courier in the Mail Service! I’ve seen him sometimes asking around to find Rarity!”

“And that’s Morning!” another one called out.

“Yeah! That’s me! Would never have thought it would take you so little time to forget how I look,” despite the circumstance, Father sounded glad to see his old friends again.

“You shouldn’t have brought that thing here.” One of the soldiers picked up the weapon, “Where the hay did you even find this? This ain’t some hunting rifle you got here.”

“It’s from the stash we found in the caves. I took one for myself since no one would’ve known how many there were. Happy? Can we get up now?” Morning asked.

“You’re lucky you didn’t run into someone new. Get your plots through the gate and into the guard room. Someone will want to see you soon.”

Upon hearing the reassuring words, Silver decided to do just that. His Father needed a little help getting up with only the three hooves of his, but soon enough, they were safely inside the room. The place was comparatively nice, at least better than he would’ve imagined. It was crammed, but it was warm and had a table to sit at. It even had a window that could catch the rising sun. This must be where the gate controls are.

“Well, here’s some interesting experience for you, if nothing else,” Father said, surprisingly cheerful.

“It was… something,” Silver answered, not quite sure what he was supposed to say.

“Well, alright. Get comfy, we will be here a while. I wish they would let us have a radio here. Gate shifts always were the most boring ones. You either had to stand all night outside or sit here doing nothing except for flipping the switch. A radio would make the whole experience infinitely better.”

“Why couldn’t you just bring your own?” Silver gladly accepted the change of subject.

“It’s against the rules for some reason. The only radios we are supposed to have here are military. I never got why, but electronics, in general, seem to be out of favor in the palace. The lighting is either from magical fires or from that weird glowing stone that the hallways are lined with. Radios are a no-no. And vehicles, in general, are forbidden to enter the upper city, so we have no motor pool here either. That’s probably one thing I miss from the Army, you didn’t need to walk much unless you had to.”

“Is it some security rule?”

“Maybe, but my guess is that Her Majesty simply doesn’t trust the new technology. She is over a thousand years old after all. Last I heard, she still writes with a quill.” Father turned to the window and looked straight at the rising sun, “When you get by for this long, you can afford to be a little old-fashioned,” he said musingly. Silver suddenly got a feeling. It was a weird one, like when you know someone isn’t telling you something. Could his Father be hiding something?

“Father? I meet a lot of other Guards in the palace,” Silver started, deciding to go with his gut feeling, and drawing Morning's sight back to him. “They don’t talk about Her Majesty the way you do. I heard them whispering, or even disrespecting her, if only once. The only one I heard talking like that about her is Shadow, her changeling.”

“Talking how?”

“Well… when Shadow talks about her, she looks like she sees past you, looking somewhere else as if she talks to herself more than she talks to you,” Silver explained.

“Hmm...” Morning huffed and looked in the window again. “You grew so quickly, Silver,” he said without a hint of a smile. “I think I know exactly what you are talking about,” he sighed heavily. “But you still aren’t old enough to understand,” he cut.

“But I noticed, didn’t I? Doesn’t it mean that I am old enough?”

“No, Silver,” Morning shook his head. “A short version for now. Sometimes, when you meet someone very special in your life, you like them so much you can’t think about anything else for a long time. If you are lucky, you can hope that one night that other person could feel this way for you too, and maybe you could even be together. You’ll understand when you grow older, but start thinking now about this: Most of the time you don’t get lucky.”

“Ugh-”

“Don’t take me wrong, the day your mother died was the worst day of my life. When the doctor told me the news, I cried! But your mother, lying in the bed, a dripper needle in her neck, smiled at me. That, Silver, was the most beautiful thing I ever saw in my whole life. I served in the royal guard my whole life, and there never was a thing brought before a monarch that could compare to that smile.” Morning made a pause to wipe his wet face off,
“She whispered for me to come closer and hold her hoof, and then she said: ‘Remember me, Morning. Remember and don’t wear this frown for me.’ Your mother always was wise and generous.”

“Just like the Empress,” Silver added.

“Yeah, just like her,” Father sighed. “A stallion can have dreams, Silver. Even if they are impossible.”

Silver didn’t know what to say. Father never before confided so in his presence. Father loved the Empress! This was unexpected, shocking even. He could have expected it from a young stallion, but hardly from an old veteran like him. His Father was, indeed, pretty old.

“Maybe you should tell her?” Silver cautiously proposed.

“Her Majesty?” Morning snorted. “You know this isn’t how palace security works. They won’t even allow me to see her. Besides, she is much too busy to listen to every other old fool to… Oh crap...”

Suddenly, the lighting in the tiny room changed from the shallow orange to dim red. Silver snapped his eyes to the window. The sun was gone, replaced with the blood-red moon.

White Roses

“How dare you! You! My warriors, my soldiers!” the thundering voice instantly stopped any background squabbles in an instant. “How dare you to disgrace yourselves, your people and your Empress with this honorless infighting! How many of your fellow soldiers died just now?! Canterlot, MY city is in riot because of YOUR actions! KNEEL! BEG FOR ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED BECAUSE OF YOU TO FORGIVE YOUR TRANSGRESSION!”

The recorder playback was mercifully turned off, but the sheer rage in that speech was enough to make ponies who heard the recording to involuntarily bow.
Stiff silence was now in full command of the esteemed gathering. The stallions and mares in expensive garments, otherwise holding much power, would not dare to produce a single sound, so weary they were of their monarch’s reaction.
Nightmare Moon trailed her narrow gaze across every face in the room, all giving her the same silent cry for mercy, before she finally reached the four others, who clearly were not dressed for a council meeting. First, and most appropriately dressed, was Rolling Thunder, the Captan of the Imperial Guard. The second was Colonel Torque Bender, his uniform tattered and his face covered in cuts and bruises. The third was Rainbow Dash, her looks included dirt and soot all over her blue fur. The final guest was Dreamy Tears, the High Priestess of the Moon Cult, dressed in a somewhat faded shirt and trousers, akin to those Rainbow were in, but black in color.
These four guests of the council reacted to their ruler’s gaze each uniquely. The Captain endured looking in the slitted portals and even smuggled a display of worry in his response. The Colonel openly shook, giving his panic and horror away at the perspective of what his punishment would be for allowing such hideous incident to occur on the installation entrusted to him. Rainbow Dash boldly matched the intensity of the look, but evidently not surprising her captor. Finally, the Priestess, refused to look her monarch, why, her goddess, in the eyes.

“Play it again,” the ice-cold order was sounded. Cloudy Dawn promptly rewinded the tape.

“The infighting on the military airbase just outside Canterlot has finally ceased. Our special correspondent, Lens Flare, managed to interview one of the participants. The soldier had to say this: ‘There was this weird, blurry something rushing to one of the trucks. It stopped, took someone out and ran away. Then somepony began firing at it, others began calling them traitors. It quickly escalated from there.’ You heard it yourself, it seems like the war on the airbase is nothing more but a misunderstanding. We have scattered reports that the Empress herself provoked it. This is-”

“Stop,” Cloudy Dawn obediently pressed the ‘Stop’ key. “Captain, please elaborate. How are your subordinates, my Guards, have found themselves embroiled in a mutiny, of all things?”

The subtle threat in the question made the Captain shuffle uneasily,
“Your Majesty, it seems they found themselves in the same misunderstanding as the rest of your soldiers. They claim that a changeling disguised as yourself kidnapped Lady Rarity. They and a few others attempted to stop them but other troopers intervened. In the confusion, it came to shots.”

“Is that so? Captain, if Miss Rarity indeed was kidnapped, how come she is here now?”

“Here?” The Captain cautiously looked the room over to be sure. “Your Majesty, I don’t seem too...” the officer has fallen silent as the royal mare raised her hoof.

“Rarity, come inside, please, and invite my sister as well.” The side door opened, letting in the two mares in question. Both mares had the same dull bearing,
“As you may observe, Rarity is here and well. In honor of your past impeccable service, I shall not inquire further, Captain. Should you make another mistake like this and I shall find someone more qualified. Did I speak plainly enough?”

“Of course, Your Majesty!” Rolling quickly bowed his head.

“Very well. Now, Colonel Torque Bender.” The old stallion gulped as the slitted eyes burrowed into him, “In all your years of service today must have been your greatest disgrace. I shall personally look into your involvement. You shall be stripped of your rank and your command shall be transferred to a more deserving. For now you may go and prepare for your discharge and pray that I find it not be your doing. Attract any more of my attention to your own peril,” Nightmare Moon spoke her sentence.

The old officer quickly stood up from his place, bowed and rapidly left the room through the double doors leading to the hallway.

“Now, Miss Tears,” Nightmare Moon shifted her attention to her next victim. “I believe it is time for your organization to go through an audit. Your kind shall no longer have leaders that would incite riots.”

“What?!” Dreamy cried. “But… But… Your Majesty, we thought your city was about to get attacked! I only rounded up those who might pose a threat! Riots were never our intention!”

“Miss Tears, allow me to speak plainly,” Nightmare Moon stood up from her own voluptuous seat and took a few steps back, before sharply pulling on the drapes, allowing the sunlight to poor inside.

“Aghhhhhh!” Dreamy screamed in pain and pressed her hooves to her hurt eyes.

“Your. Cult. Is. A. Blight. On. My. Land,” Nightmare Moon spoke every word emphasising it with a ringing sound of her shoes as she approached the blinded thestral, entirely ignoring the light herself. “You cause divisions and strife where would be none otherwise! You intimidate my subjects! You see yourself in the right to police my city! I shall tolerate your insidious presence no longer! You will dismantle your hierarchy and demolish your places of worship, and burn your texts, I want to see no reminder of them ever existing! All of you who won't make yourselves useful to my city shall be evicted!”

“But we only followed the ancient writings you left us before your exile! It is written that we must protect your sacred order! Were we wrong to interpret them this way?! Give us one more chance, I swear I-”

“Stop,” Nightmare Moon spoke, her voice suddenly becoming tired and disinterested. She then pulled the drapes to keep the light away again and sat down in her armchair, closing her eyes, “Rarity, would you, please, help Miss Tears?”

Rarity hesitated for a long moment before following the order, “Let’s go, Darling,” she said and gently ushered Dreamy through the doors.

Nightmare Moon sighed,
“Now, we must deal with this crisis. Firstly, I need another task force assembled. They have to be sent out promptly. Minister, please, gather the troops required and prepare them for departure. Miss Dawn, I would need you to prepare a report on the general state of mind of the common citizens, focusing on Canterlot.”

As the last of her ministers left through the main doors back into the corridor, Nightmare Moon let out a deep sight and let he back to finally rest on the armchair’s back. The mountain of reports that was left before her, of course, wasn’t going anywhere, but at least there was a moment of rest for her. If only.

“So I heard right,” Rainbow Dash did not sound surprised. “You were planning to start a war. So, care to explain now? I waited nicely for all your buttlicks to leave, didn't I?”

“Is Luna safely down in the crypt?” Nightmare Moon ignored the pegasus, drawing an irritated grunt from her.

“Yes, Nightmare. Luna is safe... please, don’t be harsh on her. She merely tried to be helpful, this is all. I should have watched better,” Daybreaker managed a weak smile.

“Sister, clarify, what exactly were you two doing?” Nightmare Moon asked with a sigh. “I hope you realize the kind of predicament we are in.”

“I… do, sister. I cannot say anything else but to assure you that both I and Luna are very sorry.”

“Yeah, yeah, of course, you are," Rainbow blurted.

“Quiet, worm!” Daybreaker harshly hissed. “Be grateful that my sister allows you to listen!”

“Sister, please, tell me what you two were doing,” Nightmare Moon returned her sister to the subject, not wishing to see another pointless bickering match.

“Celestia’s damnable phoenix led us there, Nightmare. Luna saw the bird and decided that she came to show her something, I couldn’t stop her so I followed instead. We witnessed the preparations held on the base and Luna spotted Rarity attempting to hide amongst the soldiers’ supplies they had loaded in their vehicles. Nightmare, I swear, I tried to stop her! I tried reasoning, taking her away with my spells, I even tried begging! Luna simply could not be moved! She went alone and soldiers saw her, and…” Daybreaker cut off, but Nightmare needed not to torture her sister further.

“Thank you, sister,” Nightmare nodded calmly. “For trying to prevent this disaster. I believe I know the precise reason why Rarity was there. For today - rest. I will speak to you later.”

“Of course, Nightmare,” Daybreaker readily bowed. “I… I will try to have some sleep now.” Daybreaker then went for the door but turned back to look at Nightmare once again, “Please, try to have some rest yourself as well. Managing this… situation must be exhausting.” Upon receiving another nod, Daybreaker left.

“I don’t understand. Don’t you want me gone and be done with as soon as possible? I don’t understand why am I even here,” Rainbow said.

“Miss Dash, I am not prone to sacrificing my responsibility to emotions,” Nightmare Moon stated flatly. “If you are required to hear this for the benefit of my subjects then I shall tolerate you.”

“Your subjects, eh?” Rainbow crossed her hooves.

“Yes, my subjects. It is my responsibility to keep them safe but today I am forced to resolve the situation that I could not see coming and it requires your help, Miss Dash.”

“So you want my help? Fine, I’ll bite,” Rainbow deliberately put both of her hind legs at the council table. “What is it you want me to do?”

“I want you to speak to your friend Applejack and convey to her all you just heard. To the letter.”

“Just like that? So you feed us this info exactly why?”

“Because if you don’t receive the information from the source you may get the wrong version and put both yourselves and other ponies in danger. I am sure you know exactly what I speak of.”

“I am not buying this. You won’t care what she thinks. Is she planning another revolt or something?” Rainbow paused for a long, heavy sigh. “I swear, she is too stubborn for her own good.”

“I am glad that we agree on this, Miss Dash. It has come to my knowledge that your friend is once again brewing dissent. She seems determined to start a civil disobedience action. I require you to make sure that this is where she stops,” Nightmare Moon coldly briefed.

“So, either I agree or my friends get hurt?” Rainbow clarified straightly.

“Correct,” Nightmare Moon grimly affirmed. “You can either help me to end this possible threat before it matures, or you can wait until I would have to sign her death warrants.”

“Nah,” Rainbow waved off. “We both know you wouldn’t do it. Broken tools have no use, do they?”

Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes,
“Your ignorance becomes troubling, Miss Dash. This is not what I called upon you for.”

“Who are you kidding here?” Rainbow was now losing interest herself. “Everyone knows that you don’t have the gut to make good on that threat. The most you’ll do to them is send them somewhere you won’t be seeing them.”

“Bullets, Miss Dash, don’t always conform to my desires,” Nightmare Moon spoke with growing annoyance. “If they intend to do violence, I would have to respond. You know as much all too well, I suspect. Therefore if you would not prefer any of your insufferably uncompromising acquaintances finding their way to their resting place, I suggest you cooperate.”

“So, let me get this straight. You want me to lie to my friends' faces, for your sake, then ditch them as soon as I know what they are up to and run back to you?” Rainbow drew an underscore in the air. “Can’t say I am surprised, to be honest.”

“Now, shall you comply, or should I use other means?” Nightmare Moon questioned, eager to be done with the matter.

“Hmm… Nah, I think I am good,” Rainbow smiled at her.

“Ughrrrrrr...” Nightmare Moon half-groaned half-growled. “What is your price?”

“Stop pretending,” Rainbow simply responded. “Stop lying and pretending like you don’t care about others and that you think them beneath you.”

“I don’t imagine you have any idea what you are demanding.”

“Do I?” Rainbow looked at Nightmare Moon lazily with a single eye. “You know Silver? Of course you do, the little colt you brought in to save him from poverty, like he's a stray cat.” Nightmare Moon heavily sighed in response, preparing for a long speech.
“You didn’t think nobody would piece it all together, did you? We had a few chats, he told me how he met you on the street, asking for change, and how the next thing was him getting a job he couldn’t even dream of a day before. You just saw a talent, eh? Or how Cloudy personally talks him through everything so that he won’t even get an opportunity to get in trouble? I think she made him learn the plan of the palace better than his own house.
“How about his dad? You got him crippled and he’d still take a bullet for you if you just asked, but naaaah, you just ditched him! And Dreamy and her folks? They literally have a creep altar dedicated to you! If you went to their meeting just once and told them clearly what you wanted them to do, they’d be the happiest bunch of weirdos since Pinkie. Instead, you mince Dreamy when she only wanted to be helpful. If you actually cared enough to talk to them, we wouldn't be in this mess!
“You want somepony to like you? Well, here's a good chance to start looking for that. Who knows, if you stop pretending to be a Wendigo queen all the time, AJ might even stop hating you so much.
“These are my conditions: I’ll help you with your problem, but you will stop treating everypony as beneath you. That way we can all be better off.”

Nightmare Moon waited for the pegasus to finish with newfound patience, before silently turning around and walking out of the room without a word. As annoying as the pegasus was, perhaps she had a point. For another time perhaps. Still, Dash will do as she was told, in this Nightmare Moon was certain.

For now, more urgent business waited. She regretted having to bring Twilight up from her rest, but the Princess had to finish her business with griffons as fast as possible, for Nightmare Moon had need of her. Nightmare Moon already signed her contract in advance, allowing Twilight to review them for the last time. She would send a word soon. Nightmare Moon also noted that Twilight mostly sent Thorax to do tasks for her, it seems the Young Princess was recognizing the merit of having a secret agent just for her own use. Though it would be folly to expect her to understand just yet how truly necessary it is.
But as of yet the word did not come and Nightmare still hasn’t spoken to Rarity personally.

“Barom,” she addressed the Honor Guard currently on duty with her. “Where would Rarity go immediately after she escorted Dreamy out of the gates?”

The soldier gave her a surprised look,
“Ehm… Judging by the recent events, she’d want to be alone and rest for a while. Correct, Your Majesty?” Nightmare Moon frowned, he thought she was checking his awareness. Her own was rapidly evaporating, it seemed. “Should I fetch her for you?” he asked, once he saw that there would be no answer.

“No, I wish for a walk,” Nightmare Moon said, making her first step. Baron obediently followed. “How are your soldiers, Baron?” Nightmare Moon suddenly asked.

“They are ready for your orders, Ma’am,” Baron mechanically answered.

“Do they fare better? None of their dear were harmed in riots?”

“From what I know, none of us have anyone in Canterlot, Your Majesty,” Baron was visibly confused by the sudden interest. “Well, except for Wavy that is, she had a brother here.”

“You know him,” Nightmare Moon nodded.

“Wavy made us all hit his bar once, it went on from there. White Hooves gives discounts to all Guards, it’s kind of our place now.” Nightmare Moon made a mental note to visit some time, her soldiers would enjoy spending time with her in less formal demeanor, “Oh, also. I entirely forgot,” Baron suddenly perked up. “Slingshot asked me to tell him when he can catch you, I think he has some personal business with you. I told him to come after the council meeting. I hope I did not go above my station too much.”

“We are in the state of emergency. There is little time for personal issues,” Nightmare Moon coldly spoke.

“I am sorry, Your Majesty. I should have told him so,” Baron promptly excused himself.

“Hmgh...” Nightmare Moon huffed. “I shall see him. If he decides to show his face after all.”

“Then we should maybe wait for him, he should be coming any second,” Baron assured. Nightmare Moon huffed in irritation again and stopped but did not say anything, “So… uhh… How is your… uh...” Baron tried to bridge the awkwardness, “...day?” He instantly regretted trying. Under her gloomy look he wished he could turn into an ant and hide between the floor tiles, like one of her changelings.

“Wonderful,” she sighed, humoring him nonetheless. “I raised the sun and laid to rest for only mere moments before I was woken again by a message of my own city in a state of riot and my soldiers slaughtering each other. I had to fly out myself to stop violence! Since morning I have spent listening to more nonsensical excuses and pleas than in the last decade whole. I also must call my Princess off her own projects to curate a mundane administrative matter simply because my subjects cannot manage without direct oversight! Commoners are entirely useless when there is no one watching them.”

“Perhaps your sister would help?” Baron cautiously offered. “I didn’t say anything,” he quickly apologized upon receiving another thunderous glare.

Soon, a corporal came running, panting heavily from the long way. A package dangling from his side,
“T… Terribly sorry for making you wait, My Lady,” he breathed out.

“Save it. What is it you want?” she spoke, visibly annoyed. The soldier quickly began unfolding the package. With the paper giving way, stallion held out a bouquet of white flowers.

For a brief moment Nightmare Moon stared at the stallion and his present, not quite sure what was the meaning, but the next instant she burst laughing. Immediately all eyes of passing servants and guests were upon them the stallion sank while Nightmare Moon continued to laugh her eyes rolling closed trying to hold tears in.

“Why thank you!” She finally took the flowers and took a long sniff, “Ah! White roses! I swear, soldiers choosing flowers is just the most hilarious thing!” she proceeded to laugh a bit more. “Young love!” she cried. Other ponies finally picked up this simply being one of the rare moments of mirth their mistress had and started relaxing, some even chuckled a little themselves.
“Next time when you decide to bring a mare flowers, do bother to learn what each flower actually means,” Nightmare Moon soon took a hold of herself. “White roses mean ‘young love,’ they are meant for young pairs. While it is flattering, I am more than a thousand years older than you. White roses are not quite appropriate,” she explained with a smile. “But I am flattered! I don’t even remember when a noble stallion gifted me flowers the last time!”

“Eh… My Lady, the flowers aren’t mine,” the soldier awkwardly answered. “They are from a friend, I owed him a favor, see.”

“Ah! A romantic approach!” Nightmare Moon purred. “Who is this your ‘friend’?”

“Can’t say Ma’am,” the stallion shook his head. “I promised to not tell you. He was very shy, you see.”

“Well then, you may tell your dear friend that I quite appreciate his gallant attention,” Nightmare Moon smiled back. “Although his taste in flowers desperately needs work. Go now.” The soldier quickly obeyed, while the monarch continued her own way.
“Ah!” she took another whiff of the flowers. “Such gentlecolts!” she remarked with a smile. Her mood vastly improved.

A Plan To Fruition

Nightstar waited nervously flipping her scarf around her shoulder. The Priestess was set to return soon and Nightstar had to be ready for any assignments she might have received. Hopefully, she would not remember Nightstar’s frivolous disappearance, hopefully. In the current situation, being invited before the Moon could not mean anything good.

Dreamy might even use her as an exit for all her frustration, built up over the years, and that would be quite an eruption indeed. Warriors, soldiers, much less bureaucrats could stop dreamy on one of her bad days. But she was her personal maid and she was meant to endure things like that. Oh, the life of nobility. She envied the simplicity of young Silver’s so much.
While Nightstar herself was hard to be considered of noble origin, she served someone who could be, even if unusually. In Equestria at large, clergy never had a major influence, but Nigshtar’s bet-winged kind was not a part of Equestria at large for over a thousand years, and that is a very long time. Enough for cultures to change enough to be unrecognizable. Faith was what allowed them to endure in isolation, it was only natural that priests were synonymous to nobility. In Canterlot though, it was different. The High Priestess would have enormous sway back amongst her own people, but here ponies had a different kind of authority and did not take kindly to her attempting to replace it. Neither did the Empress herself. Dreamy did not merely go against her Empress, but against her goddess as well. Her wrath would likely be akin to both. What will become of them now?

Nightstar knew she was about to find out as the Priestess finally walked into the church. She was alone, her retinue was gone. So was her confidence. Her ears were flopping lifelessly, her step was slow and uneasy, her eyes were glued to the floor,
“Mistress!” Nightstar rushed to her. “Can I do anything for you? Prepare your altar? Maybe-”

“Go home, Nightstar,” Dreamy stopped her in her tracks.

“...W-what happened?” Nightstar asked in shock.

“The Moon needs us no longer. She ordered me to destroy everything. To demolish the church, to burn the texts and to dismantle the hierarchy. Those of us who can find no job in the city will be resettled,” Dreamy explained without even looking up. “Her soldiers will see to it that we do not have anything hidden. They will arrive within an hour, as soon as they have any to spare from policing the city.”

Nighstar was left without words, suddenly her own news no longer mattered. This was the end. The very night when she was needed most Nighstar was not at her place. But this was Her decree.

“If I can do anything at all...” Nighstar offered bleakly. Dreamy simply shook her head.

“Just go,” Dreamy grimly repeated.

Nighstar instinctively obeyed. What came next was a blur, and not only because the cursed glowing orb in the sky hurt her sensitive eyes. Her mind completely blank, devoid of intelligent thought. Nighstar simply didn’t know what to do, or even think at that matter. Her life just abruptly ended. It didn’t matter now what she would do.
It was no secret that common ponies despised them. Without Her protection, they would be repulsed and would have to return back to the mountains and live off crumbs.

Eventually, Nighstar sat down on someone’s porch in an alley. She didn’t remember how did she get here, or even where she was. Nightstar simply sat there, waiting for something, anything, to happen. She wasn’t quite sure what was that she waited to happen. For some miracle, maybe. The miracle that would never come again.

Cloudy Dawn was glad to see the light of day once in a while. In the last decade, there were precious few days when she did not have to work using lamps. Bizarrely, day and night have effectively switched their purpose. The darkness of the night no longer was the place for dark deeds, well unless they were sanctioned. But in the light of day the watchful slitted eyes grew blind and all sorts of business could be carried out. This is what Cloudy was doing right now, as the matter of fact. The emergency council meeting has concluded and the time was for Cloudy to meet someone else. This time a friend. Maybe it was too strong of a word. An acquaintance, ...a partner? An ally. A very unlikely one, but allies were very hard to come by these days.
Cloudy always had a meeting after submitting her report at the end of each month. That way she could provide to her ally the latest intel for her to act on. And it was quite impressive what she could do with just a tiny snippet of information. She rolled the entire city belly up and in just one short morning! Too bad that for her success some had to die. The thought made Cloudy feel unsettled.

“Cree!” Philomena hailed, silently landing on the open window.

“Oh, hello,” Cloudy absentmindedly greeted. “Just thinking. Nightmare Moon has been working on her public relationships recently. Her Guards threw a party for her all on their own. She danced with the Captain. Imagine that happening a year ago. Surreal, I know.” Philomeans quietly creaked. “Give her a year, a few months, weeks and she’ll make it straight with the rest of us. Tch,” Cloudy clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Guess it’s go-time, isn’t it? It’s now or never. A few more days and there’ll be no chance in the world she’ll ever step down. Amazing, we’ve been preparing for all these years, observing her, searching for patterns, building relationships, all for this moment,” Cloudy solemnly spoke. “I sometimes wonder: are we even doing the right thing? I mean, what if we actually make her do it? To step down. Then what? Who’s going to take her place? Celestia is gone, Hag’s sister won’t release her no matter what we do.” Cloudy considered for a long moment then nodded. “I guess I can respect that much about her. To live without a choice is not worth living at all.” Cloudy deeply sighed,
“Alright, let’s do it, and let the ponies choose what they are going to do themselves. After all, this is what freedom is all about, itsn’t it? Making our own choices,” Cloudy straightened up in her chair and focused on Philomena.
“So, you’ve been to bat-wings? Found someone willing to listen?” Philomena affirmatively creaked. “Alright, so we are doing it with them after all. Ironic, really. So, I get this one all set up then I get them in contact with Applejack, they’ll figure it out from there, right?” Philomena again creaked approvingly.
“Right then. Let’s get to it. Just let me grab something really quick,” Cloudy stood from her chair and moved over to the other side of her office, to an elaborate wooden cupboard and several China pieces inside. Cloudy reached for one of the bowls and retrieved a long cigar.
Philomena slightly tilted her head.

“Hey, don’t look at me like that. I always wanted to try one of these. You know, like those business ponies and big shots in the government. It’s like one of those things you want to do before you die. ...Oh, sorry, I forgot it doesn’t apply. Well, anyway, let’s go.”

Cloudy followed the bird outside, tucking the cigar in her pocket. The gray coated mare took a deep breath of spring air. Truly, a wonderful time to die!

The phoenix lead her out of the upper city and down to the lower part, where lived the less privileged classes of society. From the streets, the bird led her down the gloomy alleways and then Cloudy finally saw who they were meant to meet - a lonely thestral mare, motionlessly sulking on someone’s porch.

“Nightstar,” Cloudy nodded and pulled out her cigar again. “Ah, damn. I forgot the light. Can you help?” Philomena cast an offended look down at the pony. “Come on! Don’t be like that! We won’t be seeing each other again until it’s all over, if at all. You really want to say goodbye like this?‘
Philomena stared at her for a long moment, before finally relenting and sharply rubbing her wings together, dropping out a single burning feather,
“Thanks,” cloudy said, finally lighting her cigar. The cigar smoke was not like something the regular smoke was like. It wasn’t coarse and purgent, but soft and even sweet. Cloudy spent a minute tasting it before speaking again,
“You know, I think I finally get it. Big and important ponies always have something they keep doing all the time. Someone smokes cigars, others drink some exotic stuff that always tastes like crap, someone parties with the worst imaginable ponies. I get why they all do it now. When you have something that you really hate in your life, you think less of what kind of a person you are. Well, I guess it’s time I joined the high society,” Cloudy spit the cigar on the ground and stepped at the burning tip. “I’ll be seeing you someday.”

With those last goodbye, Cloudy trotted forth to the entirely oblivious thestral mare,
“Hi,” Cloudy simply greeted, stepping closer. The thestral blinked her eyes and looked over at Cloudy, her eyes had a slight hint of recognition, “You are Nighstar, right? I’ve seen you with Dreamy.” The mare still kept peering into Cloudy, trying to remember her. “I am Cloudy Dawn, I've been visiting your church from time to time,” Cloudy helped her out.

“Oh… Sister Cloudy. I… I remember,” Nightstar nodded.

“Hey,” Cloudy said gently, sitting next to the mare. “I heard what happened. I just wanted to say I am sorry, the Moon was very harsh with you. If I can help in any way...”

Nightstar didn’t answer for almost a whole minute, her mind sluggish from its time in limbo,
“Oh!” Nighstar’s eyes went wide. “We… We will be exiled again! Without her protection, other ponies will not tolerate us!” Nightstar cried with the mixture of fear and anguish.

“I am sorry, Nightstar,” Cloudy compassionately spoke. “But this is the price you have to pay for you transgression against the Moon.”

“But… we only tried to help!” Nightstar cried.

“Yes. But this is how she ruled, we cannot disobey the orders of our sacred Majesty. Even if she does not rule all of us equally. I see how the High Priestess came to this decision. She believed she’ll be treated the same as the day-loving ponies,” Nightstar was stuck with a perplexed expression on her face.
“Oh, I am sorry, nobody must have told you about the changelings. The Moon’s favor is so fleeting,” Cloudy continued to slowly lead the poor mare to the point Cloudy wanted her to make.

“Actually… I heard that she employs a changeling spy. Someone she calls ‘Shadow’. She must have done something proving her worthiness.”

Nightstar was surprised by this development, it seems thestrals were not entirely oblivious about the internal doings of the palace after all,
“Oh, Shadow is not the only changeling in the palace,” Cloudy easily subverted this minor setback. “She was the only one for a while, but their number quickly grew and now they threaten to outnumber the ponies in the court. Very few creatures have personal access to the Moon and two of them are changelings. Shadow and this new drone by the name Thorax. Ponies in general seem to be falling out of favor with her. But you got it the worst, by far. I think she just waited for a good excuse to give you a buck out of her sight.”

“No!” Nightstar violently shook her head. “We are her chosen people! She always cared for us! She led us out of our exile and championed our rights!”

Cloudy leniently smiled,
“Dear, I fear this is simply not true. Not anymore. As soon as the war was over, she never spoke of you again at a council meeting. No directives, no edicts, not even a mention. She simply threw you out of the picture entirely. Didn’t you ever find it queer that she never again visited your church, or even spoke to a single thestral? Or that she gave you the furthest place in the city to build on? Unlike her other supporters, you live in the lower city, together with workers and clerks.” Nightstar did not respond, “It is quite obvious to everyone in the court that you long since fallen out of her favor, Nighstar. You must have displeased her greatly somehow.”

“...But what did we do?!” Nightstar cried. “We always did as she ordered us! We always were loyal to her cause no matter what it took! There is no one more loyal than us!”

“I believe loyalty alone is not enough for her,” Cloudy sadly shook her head, feeling genuine pity to the naive mare she was about to turn into her tool. “Maybe you will learn one night and regain her favor once more.”

“But how?! She just exiled us over again! If she won’t let us prove ourselves, how can we ever regain her favor?!”

“Well… Perhaps this is your opportunity?” Nightstar gave Cloudy a bewildered stare. “What I am saying is maybe she is testing you. If you are worthy of her. She just treated you unjustly. It isn’t common for her to punish her subjects so harshly for acting in an emergency. Maybe she wishes to see if your devotion remains steadfast in the times of crisis?”

For a long time Nightstar sat quietly, contemplating the unorthodox explanation,
“Then… what do we do?” she asked in confusion.

“The Moon wants to see her subjects united and living in harmony with each other. There is a particular group that wishes to have a gathering at the palace gates and speak to her. They hope that this is the bravery she wishes for us to display. Instead of running in fear, we should come to her and listen to her words. To ask what will be our penance and to accept it not with despair but with pride! Perhaps this is not the punishment she intended after all, but a great honor! Perhaps a mission to the away lands, to show others her glory so that they too may join us in her blessing, or maybe she wishes for us to found a new, glorious city of churches in her name alone! There is no need to despair, for our goddess is not the one of rage, but the one of justice and mercy in equal measure. In every move, look and deed there is a great design. If she makes us struggle, it is only so that we may grow stronger to build an even grander future!” As Cloudy preached, Nighstar kept listening with more and more wide-eyed amazement. As Cloudy hoped, the thestral mare was just desperate enough to eat up any presented hope she was treated to.
“Now, do as she ordered you to do. Then spread the word. Tomorrow night the moment of your glory comes!”

As Nightstar hurried away to spread the new gospel, Nightstar wearily stood up and walked out back to the street. Just like Nightstar, she had no time to rest. Nor did she have any time to feel guilt for what she just did. Poor, naive fools.

Cloudy was now to find one more pony for her work to be done. Normally, she wouldn’t be selling at this hour, but considering that more or less everyone was awake today in the city, she might make an exception.
Cloudy went along the streets of the lower city, passing an occasional car and smelling the engine fumes with delight. This was so familiar and dear after the stuck-up freshness of the upper city. At heart, Cloudy always was that city filly, and a city means industry. Air that does not smell of smoke, fish, or chemicals always made her feel out of her place. Cloudy savored the taste of burned gasoline as long as it lasted, eventually finding a young mare on the street with a stack of newspapers beside her.

“Read all about it! Over a dozen casualties and over a hundred wounded! The horrifying infighting incident!” the mare shouted to the passing ponies. Cloudy smiled at the sight, recalling her own youthful years,
“Oh! Lady Cloudy!” the mare called to her. Cloudy frowned at the title and how this neo-feudal tradition of addressing ponies was working its way into every crevice of society. ‘Sirs’ and ‘Ladies’ were slowly replacing simply ‘hello.’

“Good afternoon, Inky,” Cloudy greeted in a reserved manner. “How’s Fuze?”

“Oh, he’s back at the 7th avenue, say Inky sent you at the door.”

“Thanks, see you around, Inky.” Upon waving her goodbye, Cloudy went straight to the nearby alley and knocked on the specific door 7 times, “Inky sent me.”

The door opened up slightly and a stallion looked out at her,
“Get in,” he nodded.

“AJ’s here?” Cloudy pushed inside.

“Yeah, see her in the backroom.”

“Thanks,” Cloudy went straight where she was directed, past a few ponies playing cards.

Applejack, missing her usual hat, was sitting alone by a table crowded with letters, bulletins and postmarks. Her look was unusually focused,
“I see you are hard at work already,” Cloudy smiled at her.

“Uhm?” Applejack raised her eyes to look at her visitor. “Ah, ‘dats you.”

“So, any successes?”

“Some. Got me some hundreds, maybe a thousand folks that ‘ought to come. Ye?”

“I got you maybe another thousand and a half. You met a lot of thestrals?”

“Bats? Ain’t many. ‘Dem lot ain’t friendly much, Especially to us.” Then it clicked to her, “Wait. Ye meanin’ to say ye made ‘em to sign up?!”

“Yup. Them’s feelin’ a bit down after Hag bucked em’ out of the town. Got them to question it for once, instead just doing as told.”

“Damn, Sugarcube, ye know how to get things done!” Applejack stood up and went to give Cloudy one of her suffocating affections, Cloudy reflexively recoiled. “Ye said ye’ll help and ye did help! Also,” to Cloudy’s relief, Applejack stopped, entirely forgetting about giving Cloudy her thanks upclose, “we got a friend back with us, Rainbow, ye know ‘er. She brought some of her army folks, them’s got some questions to ask too.”

“Rainbow?” Cloudy scratched her musingly. “AJ, hate to break it for ya, but she’s a spy.” Applejack instantly started frowning,
“Just sayin’ how things are. It’s not her fault that Hag has her on a leash. My guess ‘dat she wants her to see what we are up to and tell ‘er ‘dat we ain’t dangerous. Can’t say I can judge her, not after what happened in the mornin’.”

“So she wants to know where we are to crack down on us?”

“No, don’t think so, AJ. She the kind of person that just wants to know everythin’ ‘bout everyone.”

“So? Da hay we do know?! We can’t just throw Rainbow in da cell, like she does!” Applejack just dropped down on her chair and propper her head.

“Me sayin’ just let her do her thing. Nothin’ bad in Hag just knowin’. She already knows about you doin’ something anyway, won’t make much difference. Actually, ya know what?” a sudden idea spiked her mind. Not her best idea, but sometimes a mare just has to follow where her heart leads...

“What?”

“Just tell her I was here, I’ll take it from there.”

“Ya sure ‘bout ‘dat, Sugarcube? No tellin’ what Hag would do if she finds out ye helpin’ us.”

“Trust me,” Cloudy confidently said, not quite being confident herself. "You just gave me an idea."

Sweet Dreams

Nightmare Moon pushed the large stone block aside, the one that was blocking off the crypt to any visitors, and moved inside.
The darkness did not trouble her, but she could still not find her dear friend she came to see.

“Luna,” she called gently. “I need to see that you are unharmed. Please, come out.”

“Why were those soldiers there, Nightmare?!” The onyx mare felt a sudden burst of air washing over her, Luna’s speed would be terrifying to a lesser pony. “Where were they going?! Nightmare, I thought you seized warmongering! I thought you grew better than this!” Luna sounded more hurt than angry, which was probably the reason she was still speaking to her.

“Luna, it is more complex than this. I am not starting a war, I am helping to resolve it,” Nightmare Moon said very slowly. “I intend to send troops to help others to retake what is theirs. I do not intend to take anything for myself.”

“Who?!”

“Queen Novo, Luna. She seems to have a continuing issue with Storm King’s empire. Their leader is gone but they attempt to desperately hold onto their holdings. Queen Novo is attempting to win her mountain back for her own kind,” Nightmare Moon patiently explained.

“See, my Love? She speaks exactly as I predicted,” Nightmare Moon winced at the sound of the Shadow King’s voice. “She is throwing away the lives of your subjects to her own benefit!”

“Quiet, Sombra!“ Luna gnashed. “Nightmare, what gain do you have in this? You never do anything that doesn’t benefit you in some way!”

“My gain is to normalise our relationships with one of our few remaining kin, Luna. Hippogriffs are the closest relatives to the ponykind. I do not wish for us and Queen Novo to be enemies and her predicament is a good opportunity for us to secure her gratitude, even if begrudged. Queen Novo may be stubborn, but she is honorable.”

“Nightmare,” Luna sounded almost offended, “Novo humiliated you! She laughed at you in your hardest time! How can you say she is honorable?! She did nothing but harm to us!”

“Luna,” Nightmare gently touched the other mare’s shoulder, ignoring Sombra’s quiet rumbling. “A Princess does not allow emotion to sway her purpose. If her people require her to step over her own feelings, then this is what she will do. Our ponies would wish for nothing else but to remain close with their kin. Twilight’s wondrous victory allowed Novo to attempt to win back her home that was for so long occupied. Our soldiers would be volunteering in scores if they knew the purpose, but it must remain secret for now. The perspective of war would frighten our subjects. Politics are the matter of nobility, not the common ponies.”

“If you care about this much of the matters of nobility, then you should not dabble in them yourself!” Sombra bitterly spat out. “You have no right to rule! You sit on the throne you have no claim to! You have not a drop of royal blood in you, you are not even common! You are nothing! Even the body you stole! Forsake the throne!”

“To whose favor, Shadow King?” Nightmare Moon innocently asked. “Would you like to see my sister to rule instead? She most certainly won’t tolerate your venom, I fear.”

“Your ‘sister’ has no more claim than you do! Luna is the only rightful ruler, if you value the noble right, you shall relinquish the crown.”

“Nightmare, you have to speak to Rarity if you have not already,” Luna was anxious to move on from the harsh subject. “She… told me of her newest issue. It seems that our newest sister attempted to flee, as Rarity describes it.”

“She refuses to communicate, Luna,” Nightmare Moon sighed. “If she would not speak to either me or Rarity, I cannot understand her peril.”

“Such mundane issues bore me,” Sombra took word again. “You are the Queen of Nightmares, are you not? If she would not speak willingly, then make her. Catch her in her sleep and make her regret this escape attempt.”

Nightmare Moon had to admit, Sombra may have quite vile manners, but sometimes he spewed valid ideas.

“Come inside, Darling,” Rarity heavily sighed, tired from having to work with no sleep all day. “I am sorry if I look a little messy. I am sure you can understand...” The door creaked upon, “Oh… Y-your Majesty.” Rarity sank down in her seat even further. “I did as you asked. Dreamy is away.” Nightmare Moon nodded and stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. She then carefully sat next to Rarity on the bed. Her weight inadvertently caused the smaller, white mare to slide closer to her.
Nightmare Moon put her hoof at Rarity’s shoulder, there was no need for words,
“I don’t understand,” Rarity complained quietly. “Why won’t she answer me? I can’t feel her, I can’t know what her motives are. I don’t know anything about her! She simply took the lead and directed me to that dreadful place! Thankfully, Luna was there to help me from never seeing anyone I care for again! Why would she do something like this?”

“This is what I came here to find out, Rarity. I believe I found a way for us to communicate with my wayward sister.”

Rarity sighed heavily, “What do you require me to do?” she asked determinedly.

“You, Rarity, I require to lay down and rest. I shall cast sleep on you and speak to my sister why you both dream. She won’t be able to hide from me any longer when we are face-to-face. As for you - rest, few deserve rest more than you do, dear Rarity.”

“Your Majesty,” Rarity gently hugged one of the black forelegs with her hooves. “Thank you, but I cannot lay here resting while ponies need my help! Shadow needs me to help her, she cannot feed herself without outside help any longer without her magic. Poor Twilight needs me to get a note from Vanhoover Archive for her Pillars project, always so overworked she is. Brittle Spark urgently needs help with dishes, one of her cooks shattered the whole cart of them. Then I also have to-”

“Shhh…” Nightmare Moon gently hissed. “It is alright Rarity, it can wait for just one day. Rest and know that I am proud to have you with me.”

Rarity opened her mouth to protest but only managed to yawn under the effect of Nightmare Moon’s spell. The next moment the mare’s body became limp and her eyes rolled closed.
Nightmare Moon could not help but smile gently at Rarity snoring quietly and her body slowly sliding down her black side. These little happy moments are worth all the work in the world.

Nightmare Moon allowed herself to enjoy the moment a little longer, but eventually, the time came to do as she intended. She gently put Rarity’s body down in bed, resting her head on the pillow, and covered her dear friend with a blanket. Allowing herself another wistful smile, she weaved the incantation and plunged herself in Rarity’s dreams.

Sensing two dreamers being separate, Nightmare Moon sighed in slight relief. At least her sister did not attempt to hide once again, reducing them both annoyance.
Her sister chose a faraway place of Rarity’s dream, allowing her to enjoy it without interference.
To Nightmare’s surprise, she found herself not in Ponyville, not even in the palace, but the palace dungeon. Finding her sister would be no issue, she could sense her in one of the cells here. With the growing sense of discontent Nightmare Moon approached the bars. Inside was indeed her sister, or how she visualized herself looking at least. Pristine black coat, the mane of flowing ether and the stature to look Nightmare Moon in the eye. Was her sister trying to copy her, or was this their natural look perhaps?

“Do you see this as a fitting place for our meeting, dear sister?” she called out in a voice uncannily close to Rarity’s own. “Alas, we cannot enjoy the same blissful ignorance in our dreams, now can we?”

“I came to negotiate, sister,” Nightmare Moon declared.

“So you say to my host, but spare me.” The other mare dismissively flicked her hoof. “You do not negotiate, you dominate. Your ability at it is quite impressive as well. The mere association with you leads to you slowly replacing your victims’ goals and motives with your own until they become your willing tool. I would very like to avoid sharing my poor host’s fate, but it seems like I longer have a choice. I have elected to choose my own cage if you don’t mind, of course.”

Nightmare Moon was taken abash by this sudden confession. Could her own sister despise her?!
“Sister, you misunderstand my intention,” Nightmare Moon attempted to start again. “I came to speak to you about how we would make peace. You are clearly distressed somehow and this puts Rarity in danger. I do not intend to enslave you in any way, only for us and you to reach an agreement.”

“Fine, I won’t attempt to escape and in turn, you shall leave me alone,” the mare spoke coldly. “I wish not to partake in your tyranny.”

“My… tyranny?” Nightmare Moon repeated in astonishment. This was the very first time someone dared to speak to her this way.

“Why, of course!” the mare confirmed as if saying the most obvious thing in existence. “You have built a system that is designed to oppress dissenters and funnel all power to you. This Empire quite literally cannot survive without you, if you are gone for more than a few days, it will collapse into the very same civil conflict that you have started and to this very day did not resolve.” A proud smile appeared on her features, “You and Daybreaker may be the eldest of our kin, but the young are very far from foolish and blind you take us for. It only takes patience and desire to see to avoid the illusions you built for us, ’commoners’. It seems that more and more of your subjects are starting to see this too. Now then, shall you be taking your leave?”

“Sister,” Nightmare Moon valiantly resisted the shock flowing over her. “I do not understand your hostility. Our kind should not be enemies to each other. All of our sisters can live in harmony with their hosts, we don’t have to kill our hosts and steal their lives.”

“Oh, I believe you, my generous sister,” she rolled the word. “I am already taking this same idea into practice. I wish no harm to my dear host, Rarity. Something I arrived at upon seeing your experience. Sometimes the best survival tactics are simply to never let them notice us,” she explained.
“Rarity is such a wonderful pony, Nightmare. I am sure you are aware as much yourself. She had everything. A craft she loves, the friends all others would only dream of and everyone’s adoration. It would be dreadfully cruel to steal it all away from her, would it not? I am not cruel, I don’t wish for her body. I am content to enjoy her life with her, not independently of her. Grateful for what I have, instead of trying to steal something that does not belong to me.
“But, of course, such trivial things won’t stop someone like you. Oh, no. You do not have time to care for the wellbeing of a single pony.* You have an entire Empire to tend to! Soldiers don’t come from nowhere and weapons do not get produced without factory workers. Neither do loyal servants come up on their own; they need to be molded. You had a need and Rarity was a perfect candidate to sate it, always ready to give, she is. You gain a useful tool while at the same time you deny your opposition the simple way to defeat you. Double gain! Sadly, not for dear Rarity,” the mare spoke in a steady voice, provoking in Nightmare’s imagination a vision of an unstoppable rock crashing downhill, right on her head.
“I wonder, do you even keep track of everything you do to her? You made her leave her dream behind, to forsake her family.* You destroyed her good name and drew a wedge between her and the ponies that made her happy, all so that she could serve your purpose. Do you have any idea what she felt like when she discovered that she wasn’t aiding Luna to save the bat-wings from centuries of suffering and bitter resentment, but instead she was aiding you to blow this old would open again only for you to use chaos for your gains? The poor mare cried for days for the terror that she helped unleash! She lamented the lost paradise that Celestia built and you destroyed! She cried for her ruined life, her severed friendships, her dreams gone forever, all because of you! Luckily for you, a mind knows many ways of protecting itself. Rarity soon pushed her concerns away and focused on the only thing that you did not take away. She focused on giving to her people. In between fulfilling your wishes, she was running around your palace, aiding anyone she could reach. She spared Twilight the pain of adapting to her new life. She aided the staff with their issues so that they didn’t need to face you. She directed the little influence she had towards helping your subjects in need. She dived in service to escape the pain you inflicted upon her, Nightmare! You did this to your every subject! You made all of them to serve your cause!
“Rarity would never say something like this, but I am not her. Nightmare, you are despicable. I am glad that you began to see exactly what you did already and that your consciousness eats at you, you deserve to suffer a thousand more than that!”

Nightmare Moon stood frozen as the other mare glared at her with a hatred she did not know could exist within just one creature. Her own kind hated her! Hated her for what she did to her host! And she knew exactly where to hit in vengeance. The sudden truth forced upon her by her own sister hit her like a lightning bolt.
Nightmare refused to take any more. She turned away from the cell and galloped away, soon she was out again, in Rarity’s room. The white mare still peacefully sleeping in her bed. Nightmare reached to her with a shaking hoof, but dropped it halfway. Her tears flowed like a waterfall.

The New Policies

Twilight quickly worked with her pen, scribing down orders for construction materials to be sent to the rubbled changeling lands. For whatever reason, this task could not be left to a clerk and fell down upon her shoulders. Luckily it only took a day to finish and she was about to finish the late evening. Now only to report and she could finally have a few hours of sleep, before she is needed again.
Finishing her report, Twilight rolled it up and put them into her trusty bags. The last edition of the griffon treaty followed and lastly her own list of propositions.
Giving a slight yawn and starting to hum a melody to herself, Twilight walked to the door and into the hallway.

“Twilight, wait up!” Twilight gave another yawn and turned around to the blue pegasus quickly catching up to her. “You going to Hag?” Rainbow asked.

“Uh-hum,” Twilight responded without too much interest.

“Great, I wanted to catch you before you do that. Mind getting my piece to her too?”

“Rainbow, do your own damn work!” Twilight dropped flatly. “I just finished writing down my own report and now you want me to shoulder yours too!”

“Hey-hey! Chill!” Rainbow raised hooves in surrender. “I just thought I could get out of having to talk to her. Can we at least go together?”

“Alright, Rainbow, but I am reporting first. Can’t wait to hit the hay.”

Both mares strode onward in silence. According to the schedule, Nightmare Moon was in her throne room now. In her typical fashion, Rainbow took the freedom to reach for the door first. The pegasus froze.

“Damn,” she breathed out. Rainbow made a little space allowing Twilight to stand beside her, “She looks like she didn’t sleep for a week,” she nodded at the monarch hunched over on her throne.

“Crap,” Twilight facehooved herself. “Well, let’s go. If it is our problem, she’ll tell us.
“Your Majesty, I am here with the report,” Twilight said mundanely, taking out her papers and coming closer. Nightmare Moon turned her head slightly looking at her with one eye for a moment, then straightening herself.
“I would like to start with my report on the building materials order. Twenty-five tons of still from Mareland, One hundred tons of- ”

“Did Miss Gilda depart satisfied?” Nightmare Moon interrupted Twilight’s stream, causing her to lose her bearing.

“Aaaahh… I have it here somewhere,” Twilight begin to fiddle with her papers.

“Gilda is fine, she resisted a lot, but Twilight made her agree. She is on her way back to Griffinstone now,” Rainbow leapt to rescue.

“Good...” Nightmare Moon seemingly lost interest, moving her sight back on the floor before her throne. Both ponies fiddled nervously before the regal mare spoke again, “Twilight, do you understand your responsibility now?”

“My responsibility?” Twilight cluelessly asked. “Are you still speaking about Miss Gilda, Your Majesty?”

“Uhmm… Then you have failed,” Nightmare Moon spoke definitely.

“Y-your Majesty, I don’t seem to-”

“Twilight, I hoped that you would realize what is it exactly you were doing. A Princess cannot be blind to what consequences her actions cause,” Nightmare Moon wearingly stood up and approached Twilight, towering over her and glaring down at the suddenly very tiny pony.
“This,” she pointed with her hoof at the paper Twilight was holding, “is much more than merely a trade deal,” her voice quickly exposed her disappointment.

“But… You approved it!” Twilight gasped in shock.

“Of course. Your plan did no harm to us, only to Gilda’s people. They will live on, you have achieved as much. But what would become of them now? Gilda was right to resist, for you were pressuring her to sell her people off in our slavery. Have you for a single moment contemplated what would happen when the Imperial companies will come to dominate the region as you intended? Griffons are in the state of economic collapse, Twilight. It is not only food that they lack, but any sort of prosperity at all. The mines will pay proper wages, the ones that can be used to buy Equestrian goods. Why would they toil their rough soil if they can simply buy what they need? In a generation, there will be no farming left at all. From that point onwards, Griffons will not be able to survive without the mines. What if the concerns decide to cut the expenses? Let’s say to lower the wages. In the Empire itself, the workers could simply find another job. In Griffinstone there is no other job. The Griffons shall toil endlessly underground, helping the ponies to mine their own riches and ferry them away and if they don’t they face hungry death once again. They cannot ask any help, for they are not a part of the Empire and do not have any rights in our legal sphere. Neither they can simply start their own business, for the concerns will ensure they do not have the means.” Having finished her lecture, Nightmare Moon walked away from the awestruck Twilight back to her throne,
“They are yours now, whether they will it or not. It is clear to me that you are not ready to be a Princess yet. You have much to learn. I hope that managing your new subjects will prove more educational to you.”

“M-my subjects?!”

“Why, of course, Twilight. It was your plan that brought them in compliance. By all means, they are your subjects now. It is time you learned to make plans past the superficial goals.”

“But… you… I...” Twilight attempted to find the words. “Why… couldn’t you simply tell me my mistake?” the purple alicorn finally said with her voice trembling.

“Not everything in this world can be learned from another, Twilight,” Nightmare Moon answered much gentler. “There are things that require you to witness them understand. You put Gilda’s kin in a sad position. But they need not remain in it forever. The part of learning is witnessing the consequences of your actions. Your call was poor, now learn what it takes to make it right and never make it again.”

“I… I understand,” Twilight surrendered.

“What?!” Rainbow’s temper ran short. “She just used you as her doormat!”

“Quiet, Rainbow! Before you embarrass me even more!” Twilight hissed at her. “Royal matters are not your concern! Be grateful that you are allowed to even listen!”

“Wha...” Rainbow’s eyes went wide.

“You heard me! Learn to be quiet!” Twilight stomped her hoof with authority.

“Control yourself, Twilight. This is your friend you are speaking to,” Nightmare Moon cautioned. The uneasy silence ensued, until Twilight finally turned around and marched out of the throne room through the same door on the side they entered.

“You need to stop doing that,” Rainbow spoke unusually calmly as if stating the obvious fact. “You are trying to do good. I get it, I do. But it’s just like you just told Twilight, mind the consequences. You ain’t just teaching her to be a good Princess to the ponies, you are twisting her into your copy. I don’t think this is what you want,” Rainbow finished gloomily. “By the way, I’ve been to Applejack. She has a policy on being strictly non-violent. But you’d have to worry about a lot more ponies than you might think. Also, Cloudy is leaking her information, you might want to do something about that,” Finishing her short report, Rainbow followed Twilight out of the room, leaving Nightmare alone to contemplate her options.
The blue pegasus was more right than she could imagine. This had to stop. All of this. Her real domain was not the Empire, nor even the Dreamscape. In reality Nightmare Moon was the Empress of deceit. Her entire reign is one endless lie. A lie is a sticky thing, though. She is long since trapped in it like a moth in a web. The truth would be lethal to the measure of stability she brought. Was the truth worth to risk with the lives of ponies?
The questions for another time, perhaps. For now, Nightmare Moon had urgent business. Cloudy Dawn was exceptionally loyal to her over many years, even though she was not overly happy with her. It seems that she finally made her decision. Well, in honor of her many years of service it would be fit to honor her with one last audience and to give her a word to say before she has to depart.

Nightmare Moon left her throne room through the main entrance, the carved doors obeying her without question.

“You are dismissed for the night,” she said to one of her Honor Guards, hardly remembering who was on duty tonight. “Tell the others to have some sleep.”

Not waiting for a response, or looking in his direction she moved on. She knew that her most trusted would not fail her, unlike the others frequently did.

“Sister!” the familiar voice called to her. “Cadance waits for-”

“Later,” Nightmare Moon stopped her, once again without even looking.

The Empress decided not to use teleportation spells. It has been too long since she walked the streets of her city for the last time. She drifted too far away from the needs of her subjects.

Her Guards respectfully bowed in her approach. But she heard no compliments for her appearance tonight, she must have looked exhausted.

It felt like an eternity until she reached the main doors. For the moment Nightmare Moon stoped and marvelled for a moment at the work of art that it was. She remembered the day when the carpenter presented her with sketches. The glorious gate was carved with cohorts of warriors in armor, bearing banners with crescent moon and thestrals flying above amongst the dots of stars. She could even recognize the faces of her Guards, a touch that she appreciated. They deserved to be remembered.

Nightmare Moon opened the doors and moved into the courtyard. She took a breath of night’s air, it tasted like the most delicious thing she ever had. Why didn’t she ever notice how wonderful the air is in this city? Spreading her wings, Nightmare Moon soared in the aid, no one would dare to tell her to land, much less to shoot at her. Not in her own home.
She enjoyed the air currents on her face and passing through her feathers. Her short by necessity flight ended on an old plaza. There stood proudly the stone carved Celestia, on her pedestal, gazing impassively at the city. This statue was the only remaining Celestia’s depiction in the city, she kept this one out of respect. The artist’s name was long since lost to the archives, if it even was recorded in the first place, but the stone endured everything, just like Celestia herself has endured millenia. In the end, the statue proved stronger in their competition, outliving its inspiration. Perhaps in future centuries Daybreaker would outlive her pain and allow Luna to have her sister back. But it would be long after everyone forgets Celestia’s name. Only the statue will remain.

Nightmare Moon made her way to one of the houses surrounding the statue and pushed the door open without hesitation. It was open, the mistress was home. Ignoring the empty secretary desc on the first floor, Nightmare Moon went straight for the stairs and approached Cloudy Dawn’s personal office. The door opened without a hitch.

“Ah, I wondered if Rainbow would make it on time,” Cloudy said without a tiniest note of surprise. “Welcome, Your Majesty. Would you like some tea? I just had the teapot steam.”

“Yes, please,” Nightmare Moon responded politely, mostly out of habitt. “I did not expect such a warm reception.”

“A host does not receive guests empty handed, especially so esteemed,” Cloudy explained, swiftly fetching the teapot from the electric stove and a pair of porcelain cups. “Please, Your Majesty, sit down.”

Nightmare Moon obliged, sitting down on the chair before the desk. It was rather tiny for her, but she spoke nothing of it.

Cloudy soon put a steaming cup before her,
“Careful, hot,” she warned.

“Thank you,” Nightmare Moon played along. “Miss Dash was indeed quicker than I imagined she would be. She was less than ecstatic about her task.”

“I imagine, how did you make her agree?” Cloudy musingly asked. “Oh, I am sorry, this is an inappropriate question!” she quickly excused herself. “We just so rarely meet alone.”

“Quite rarely, yes,” Nightmare Moon nodded. “I imagine you would have many questions.”

“Actually, quite the opposite, Your Majesty.” Cloudy proceeded to try the tea. “Ughmm… still hot,” she remarked. “I wanted to speak to you instead, see. There’s just so few ways to get your attention, much less to lure you out of your palace, where there are so many ears.”

“So it is an assasination attempt you are planning? I expected more of you.” Nightmare Moon picked her own cup and blew the steam of taking the sip afterwards. “Good tea,” she approved.

“Not at all, Your Majesty. Everyone knows that trying to do so would only lead to the inevitable demise of everyone involved. I only wish to speak without unwelcome listeners. I imagine your sister would be quite distressed if she heard us. By the way, I adore her new mane, so dashing! Totally unlike Celestia. Her eternal multi-color was getting bland, I have to say.”

Nightmare Moon frowned, the amount of information this mare gathered was far from comfortable.

“Very well,” Nightmare Moon agreed. “You sacrificed your standing in my government to get this opportunity. I shall honor your request of a private audience.”

“Thank you!” Cloudy smiled. “It would look rather disgraceful if I was to simply ‘fall on my face’ as Rainbow would have said.”

“I imagine this would have something to do with the current discontent?” Nightmare Moon decided to get to business.

“Why, yes, Your Majesty. I have to confess, I’ve been leaking information to a fair number of individuals over the years. I am pleased to report that it seems my work was not in vain, as some were saying to me. But yesterday’s incident increased the discontent amongst your citizens higher than I could in all these years. It is humbling, really.”

“I take it you understand that this demonstration they are preparing will not lead to the collapse of the state. Commoners sometimes need to ‘blow steam,’ to march around and shout their troubles for the world to hear.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. But you are no doubt aware that this only applies to isolated cases. I managed to channel thestrals’ anguish over your recent decision into something productive, see. They will now march together with your other subjects, asking for answers. There are even a few disgruntled military personnel who expressed an interest. Your decision to not suppress them made it so the rally calls could be sent openly. But they will remember this with gratitude, I reckon.”

“Perhaps. This is your plan then? A ‘revolution’?”

“Not quite, Your Majesty. See, I don’t have any quarrel with you personally. In fact, you strike me in awe!” Cloudy admitted. “It is no wonder that thestrals believe you a goddess! Your wisdom and intelligence can only be compared to Princess Celestia! Your magical prowess indeed can only be described as divine, everyone who ever witnessed you in battle will forever walk humbled. You lift vehicles weighting dozens of tons as effortlessly as I would lift this cup, your lighting can devastate entire lines of your enemies and your tremor spells can demolish even the most powerful walls! But what impresses me the most is your boundless understanding of your fellow ponies! You can say exactly what a pony would do even before they themselves know! It is as if you know your subjects better than they know themselves!”

“As flattering as your praise, Miss Dawn-”

“I am getting there, Your Majesty, grant me a moment more!” Cloudy promised. “My point is that you are amazing, but your use of your abilities is not. Your subjects are terrified of upsetting you, or of attracting your attention at all. You use this fear to make them comply to your rule. You lie to strengthen your rule and spin webs of intrigue to protect your lies. Does Luna approve of you lying and pretending you are one and the same?”
Nightmare Moon emitted a low growl upon hearing the name of her named sister.
“Your Majesty, you are better than this. You demonstrate it every day! I believe you are! You treat those around you with kindness, it saddens you when ponies fear you! You released most of your earlier, repressive policies, you even allow your Guards to show you their appreciation informally. They adore you! One of them brought you flowers, for goodness’ sake! Go just one step further, don’t oppress your subjects! Step away and let them decide for themselves! You will have an enormous number of ponies remembering you forever, you will be a hero for them! You did not start on the correct way, but you did the right thing in the end!”
Cloudy stopped, panting for air from her passionate speech.

“And if I refuse you’ll leak out me and Luna being separate,” Nightmare Moon asserted coldly. “If I jail you, your dissenter friends will say it is me suppressing the truth. I have nothing to sway you away of your course, and I have no means of stopping you from spreading the information. Good attempt, Miss Dawn,” Nightmare Moon nodded approvingly. “Since you know so much about my affairs, perhaps you know what late Queen Chrysalis did wrong?” Nightmare Moon stood up from her chair.
“The poor Queen believed she had a drop on me.” Nightmare Moon effortlessly liftend the pony in the air by her neck,
“I cannot let you threaten the stability of our land. If there is no other way, then I shall do what I must. Goodbye, Miss Dawn.”

Nightmare Moon tightened her grip to crush the pony’s neck and give her a quick death. If there was no way to appease the mobs, then she shall show them an example.
Just before the doomed mare’s bones began to shatter, asound distracted Nightmare Moon. Someone dropped something soft on the floor behind her.
Behind her stood a foal in Mail Service uniform, his jaw dropped, eyes staring at her in horror. The sight made an immediate effect. The squeezing abruptly stopped just short from breaking Cloudy’s neck, but the grip was not released.
Nightmare Moon did not know what to say or do. She was caught in the act. Eventually, Nightmare Moon recovered enough to do something. She still did not know what to say, but she attempted to smile and reach out gently to the foal. But the gesture only caused him to panic, leaving Nightmare Moon to watch as the foal she found herself so attached to fled away. She finally remembered about the mare that was still choking in her grasp and promptly released her. Cloudy dropped on the floor with the sound a heavy bag would make, she was desperately gasping for air.

Nightmare Moon began nervously pacing, trying desperately to find an acceptable alternative to what she was about to do. This was not the way, this was exactly what Dawn wanted her to do. To destroy the image she was building. To make her subjects turn on her.
There was no way of preventing it from leaking out now. Even if she were to get rid of Dawn now, there is no telling who she told this already. The fallout will follow, either way, the only thing she could do now is to soften the impact. Or perhaps…
A sudden idea hit her, what if she did not just prepare for the fallout but instead prevented it from being used against her instead of letting others do that and stir the populus to their intended conclusion? This was a gamble, no doubt about that, but this could potentially yield the best possible conclusion.
She could still crack down on the dissenters. But no, after all, there was something Dawn was right about. She was better than this.

Nightmare Moon left the office knowing exactly what she had to do.

The Wrongs Washed Clean

“Perhaps we can do this afterward. Mistress? Your subjects are waiting outside,” Shadow tried to stall.

“There might not be an ‘afterward,’ my Shadow,” Nightmare Moon solemnly said. “I understand that you are ashamed of breaking the law, but a mother must not shun her foals. They are innocent of whatever sins you believe you committed, they deserve to have a mother.”

Shadow has fallen silent, but her spirit did not raise. How would Tibia and Grossa even see her now? What if they have seen her as a coward for abandoning them? Maybe they won’t even look at her? Maybe…
Nightmare Moon opened the door, leading to one of the cozy waiting rooms in the palace. Mistress then stopped, waiting for Shadow to slip inside. The changeling mare uneasily obeyed.

The first thing Shadow saw, or rather heard, inside was Thorax. Her half-brother was already aware,
“And then she said...” Thorax stopped midsentence as he realized that they were no longer alone. All eyes were on Shadow now, it was uncomfortable. Shadow quickly found both of her daughters standing awkwardly in the middle, neither knowing how to behave in such a place.

Shadow instantly recognized Grossa’s broad-shouldered silhouette, her daughter still had her chitin youthfully gleaming in the dimmest of lights emanating from the walls, even though she was not much younger than Shadow herself. She already had a few scars too. Her gaze was calm and collected, despite the unusual scenery. Exactly as it should be.

Tibia, by her side, was overshadowed by her sister’s large frame, but what she lacked in body she compensated in attitude. She nearly leapt forward as soon as Shadow saw her, only stopping herself at the last moment, remembering her training. Her eyes, though, did not hold back her joy, Shadow could see them twinkling slightly.

Both of the changelings were wearing black uniform shirts, their chests glittering with accolades. They both looked so beautiful!

Slowly and silently, Shadow moved forward. The younger changelings reflexively straightened themselves, as if receiving an officer. Shadow did not know what she was meant to say or do. This was not something she was trained to do. Shadow wanted, needed, to do something!
Her body started trembling from inner pressure to act… but she didn’t know what to do!
Luckily, Tibia never quite scored high in discipline training or in patience. The younger changeling suddenly and sharply lurched forward and grasped Shadow by her neck. Something she probably picked up from the pony soldiers. Grossa rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

Shadow’s first instinct was to resist, but as soon as she raised her hooves to push Tibia away, she felt herself relaxing into the embrace.

“Both of you are so beautiful!” Shadow finally let herself go, reciprocating to her daughter.

“We missed you,” Tibia stated simply.

“Let our mother go, Tibia,” Grossa sighed. “You are embarrassing us.”

Tibia hesitantly obeyed and let Shadow go. Though Shadow had other plans. Grabbing Tibia, Shadow dragged her to wide-eyed Grossa and embraced them both, smothering them against herself and each other. The sisters gave each other a weird look, then Tibia hugged Shadow in return and used her other hoof to embrace her sister too. Grossa gave in at last. With a heavy sigh, she reciprocated the gesture.

Nightmare Moon beamed at the sight, even in her situation, when her ponies were standing at the walls of her home, the sight before Nightmare Moon filled her with joy. The changeling before her meant the world to her. Nightmare Moon may have been failing to bring her subjects at large happiness, but tonight the trend could change. If she could bring happiness to one of her subjects, why couldn’t she do the same for all others?
Nightmare Moon glanced to the brothers standing together out of sight, trying not to ruin the moment. Nightmare Moon suddenly got an idea regarding the larger one, a cheeky smile graced her features.

“General,” she called, starting to stride towards the pair. “Attention!” Pharynx sharply turned towards her and stuck his chest out, waiting to hear his orders as a good soldier should. “I believe I have to congratulate you for such swiftness. You managed to bring My Shadow’s daughters in under two nights!”

Pharynx swelled with pride at the praise of a monarch,
“It wasn’t easy, Ma’am, I had to get a flight from a-” Catching Pharynx while he was distracted with his own talk, Nightmare Moon lurched forward like a snake, pressing her lips to the General’s. His eyes shot wide and his ears began flicking like wind vanes in a storm.

Nightmare Moon soon ended her kiss, to look at the effects of her doing. The changeling looked dazed and unsteady at his hooves, as well as gasping for air.
“Eegheeh...” Pharynx tried to speak without much luck. He then suddenly began leaning to the side, losing his balance. He made a few wobbly steps and collapsed on his side, “Hic!”

Nightmare Moon covered her mouth and chuckled, “Isn’t your brother just adorable, Thorax?” she addressed the bewildered brother.

“Maybe not the word I would use, Your Majesty,” Thorax answered, shyly avoiding looking at.

Nightmare Moon gifted him with a smile and turned her attention back to Shadow. Both of her daughters were eyeing her intently and curiously, in Grossa’s case, also with open hunger. Shadow quickly picked up on her larger daughter’s interest. Her reaction was immediate. Sharply hitting Grossa on her cheek, Shadow made her daughter cease.

“Don’t you dare to look at Mistress like that,” Shadow menacingly hissed at her bewildered daughter, any tenderness instantly gone.

“M-mistress?” for a moment, Grossa lost her calm demeanor.

“Shadow, stop,” Nightmare Moon intervened, gently putting her silvered shoe on Shadow’s shoulder. “We must go now. I require you for what comes next.”

Shadow blinked a few times before responding,
“At once, Mistress.”

Nightmare Moon gently led Shadow to the door and only looked back once at the end. Grossa eyed her now with open hostility.

Nightmare Moon stopped just outside and closed the door gently. The time was short, but the crowds could wait for just a few more minutes. Shadow stood silently with her eyes glued to the floor.

“Shadow, please,” Nightmare Moon began gently. “You are not guilty of your daughter lacking a little in self restrain. You were not with her for long enough to properly teach her,” Nightmare Moon comforted her dear Shadow, uncaring for who might hear them, in her palace she no longer had to hide her feelings.

Shadow slowly turned around and hugged Nightmare Moon’s foreleg without looking up at her,
“Thank you,” Shadow half-whispered. “Mistress, thank you for making me face them again. I needed to see both of them again.”

“Of course, dear Shadow,” Nightmare Moon sat down and embraced her changeling in return with her free leg. “A mother must not be estranged from her foals.”

“I… I think I understand, finally...” Shadow made a long pause. “Mistress, do you have foals?” The sudden question struck Nightmare Moon like lightning shooting up her spine. The little changeling, so clueless in the social workings of ponies, somehow found a spot, not even Luna could know about. She felt herself trembling and her eyes starting to water.
“I believe you do, Mistress,” Shadow continued, pressing herself harder into her Mistress’ embrace.

Daybreaker nervously paced around the room, the clock on the wall just hit four at night. Nightmare still hasn’t arrived. Others in the room were starting to get nervous too. Honor Guards, summoned in their entirety, shuffled their legs nervously. Twilight was peeking at the clock every twenty seconds. Luna, as she wished by those in the room, tried to stay away from the windows, so that the ponies on the outside would not see her, and occupied herself with inventing the most creative way to refill a pen. Rarity was ceaselessly trotting around the room, checking if anyone needed anything, yet everyone in their own turn declined her offer every time. Finally, Cadance simply stood apart from everyone, staring at the floor, her posture an admittance of defeat. Daybreaker fearfully looked at the balcony Nightmare was supposed to be standing at, pegasi could land there too easily...

Finally, the door swung open, letting both Nightmare and her changeling inside. Daybreaker immediately rushed to her,
“Oh sister, where have you been?! The crowds will soon start rioting! Oh dear, your mane looks like a drape, just give me a moment,” Daybreaker quickly summoned a brush.

“Sister, no,” Nightmare Moon stopped her imperiously. “You are correct, there is no time. Sister, the time has come for us to bring this sad tale to the end.”

“What do you mean, sister? You cannot possibly mean to say...”

“Daybreaker,” Nightmare Moon grasped her sister by the shoulders. “Put your trust in me. Our people deserve better, our sisters deserve better, all of us deserve better. I will not suffer this tyranny anymore, from now on, our ponies will be free to make their own choices. ...And they shall never again live in fear of us.”

“I… sister have you gone mad?” Daybreaker weekly tried to protest. “We will lose power, sister.”

“So be it then. If they wish that I am to remain only to raise the sun and moon and allow the ponies to govern themselves. But be at ease, for this choice is for the better. The only one that I can still make. Trust in me one more time, dear sister, everything will be well.”

“If… If you say this is how it has to be, then I trust you. You always know the best course of action,” Daybreaker spoke, mostly for her own comfort. “Sister, wait. I wished to have a moment with your Shadow as well before you do your speech, that is.”
Nightmare Moon cocked her brow but stepped away nonetheless,
“I wanted to give you something,” Daybreaker addressed the changeling, presenting her with a sheath with a blade in it, “This is yours.”

Nightmare Moon quietly smiled, coming from Daybreaker, this was as good as an apology. Shadow hesitated for a moment before taking the offering,
“Thank you, Princess,” she bowed slightly. Daybreaker unevenly smiled and stepped away again.

Nightmare Moon eyed her retinue, seeing their spirits not much higher than poor Daybreaker’s. Well, she could spare just one more moment for each one of them. The mob has waited for this long, it could wait for a single moment more. Shadow quietly touched her as a show of support and trotted to stand next to Daybreaker to cement their relationship further, truly, Shadow has learned much subtlety in more ways than one.

Firstly, Nightmare Moon elected to see to her other sister,
“Nightmare,” she greeted her, nodding shortly.

“How do you feel, Luna?”

“Better than I thought I would, actually,” Luna brushed her mane off to the side. “To all his venom, Sombra keeps me company during day hours. We spend time remembering the old days. Well, at least when he isn’t going on a rant about you, that is. You seem to impress him.”

“Well, let us hope that one night he learns to express that in a proper way,” Nightmare Moon smiled lightly.

“Go already, Nightmare. Those ponies won’t wait forever,” Luna pointed with her chin at the balcony.

“Do me a favor, Luna. Stay close, I may need to call on you tonight.”

“Ughm… Nightmare, do you intend one of your cover-ups? I am not going to help you with that,” Luna’s attitude changed instantaneously.

“No, Luna. Just trust me,” Nightmare Moon asked gently. “I swear, this is nothing you would view as reprehensible. I hope that I would not need to call upon you, but please, just in case.”

“Fine,” Luna sighed. “As long as this isn’t something dishonorable. I’ll wait for you to wave.”

“Thank you, Luna. I swear-”

“Go already,” Luna sighed again. Nightmare Moon dared not to object.

“Rarity,” Nightmare then headed to her other friend. “Are you feeling better?”

“Better, Your Majesty, thank you. I hope you found the answer you were looking for,” Rarity weakly smiled.

“Did she trouble you again?”

“No… It is back to normal, it seems like. I can’t feel her or hear her thoughts as you describe. Maybe she simply doesn’t want to communicate?”

“Yes, Rarity,” Nightmare Moon bowed her head slightly. “This is what it seems like.”

“Oh dear, she gave you a hard time, didn’t she? Such a disgrace! Let me apologize on her behalf, I am sure the poor darling is simply stressed out.”

“No, Rarity,” Nightmare Moon shook her head lightly and sighed. “We just don’t see eye to eye, she simply wants to be left alone. As sad as that is, sometimes we cannot find an understanding.”

Oh, Darling, don’t say that! You are wonderful! I am sure she will come around eventually!” As grim as the occasion was, Nightmare Moon still smiled at Rarity’s hearty cheer.

“Rarity, did anyone ever tell you how lovely you are?” Nightmare Moon suddenly pulled Rarity in a gentle hug.

“Oh… Darling, you know I am always here for you!”

“Yes, Rarity. You are here for everyone,” Nightmare Moon gently nuzzled Rarity on the forehead. “Thank you, for everything.”

Leaving flattered Rarity, Nightmare Moon then moved on to Twilight. She didn’t look too good, Nightmare had to note, wishing there was a better way to teach this, but politics could only be taught with experience.

“Am I really this blind?” Twilight broke the silence, her voice entirely emotionless. “Why didn’t you just tell me? It… it could’ve been different.”

“Twilight, the first thing you must understand, for when your time to rule would come, is that sacrifices must be made. Vision, you can only learn from experience. You would have to practice and you will make a lot of mistakes before you are competent. There are no books that can teach you to make good judgment calls. For now, you aren’t ready. But there will be a time you will be ready.”

“I understand, Your Majesty. But why couldn’t you simply correct me? Griffons didn’t deserve this.”

“Because, Twilight, you did offer them the best possible option. They may be dependent on us now, but this will still be a great boon for them. In their stubborn foolishness, they cannot see it yet, but industry brings not only long shifts and tiny wages. Their hamlets would soon transform to be proper towns. WIthout much polish, true, but towns nonetheless. Your only mistake was that you do not take into account the entire picture.” Nightmare touched her Princess on the shoulder reassuringly, “Forgive me if I was harsh and do not tear yourself up too much over it. Remember: you are talented and wise, your time will come, it is simply not yet upon us.”

“My Lady, I am sorry to interrupt you, but your subjects are preparing to storm the palace, in a few minutes the Guard would have to disperse them,” the Sergeant quietly reported.

“Thank you, Baron. I believe we have a little time then.” Nightmare Moon moved to the short row of her most trusted soldiers. She eyed each one intently, most did not dare to meet her gaze. “You’ve run the security of my tower exceptionally, Baron,” she congratulated. “You all did. Your loyalty has allowed others in the palace to sleep more soundly, they would never know how much you all did for them, but we do,” Nightmare Moon made a wide gesture. “I release you of your debt. You may retire or return to your former unit, if you wish. Know, however, that no matter what you choose, I was honored to have your service, my most reliable of companions.”

This time, all eyes were on her. Some stared in disbelief, others in amazement, Baron himself though, only with gratitude,
“I don’t know what to say, Your Majesty...”

“You don’t need to say anything,” Nightmare Moon put her hoof at his shoulder. “Take care, I hope to see all of you again.”

Lastly, the time came for Cadance. Nightmare Moon left her for the last specifically, this would be the second hardest discussion she would have to hold tonight,
“Cadance,” Nightmare Moon addressed the pink princess quietly. She quickly lifted her eyes, which did soundly focused on her. Good, after the treatment slightly overzealous put her though she might have gotten a severe concussion. This would have to be held private, just between the two of them, so Nightmare Moon only spoke with a third of her voice.
“Cadance, I apologize,” Nightmare Moon said simply, between them there was never any need for anything else, Cadance always understood. Cadance blinked her eyes in response.
“I have judged poorly,” Nightmare Moon continued. “While you were right. I should not have ever done this to you, or your family. I understand your anger now. If Twilight or either of my sisters would wish so, they may go with you. I won’t interfere any longer. I hope one day you can forgive me for what I did. If not, know that I am sorry. Goodbye, Cadance.”

Having her final message delivered, the time has come. Nightmare Moon nodded lightly to Luna, and the mare joined her,
“Stand here, please,” Nightmare Moon gestured to the shadow just outside the doors leading onto the platform. “You will know what to do.”

“Alright, Nightmare,” Luna nodded. Nightmare Moon made a step to the balcony, but Luna, in lightning motion, embraced her by the neck, causing Nightmare to twitch instinctively. Luna simply stood there, burying her snout in Nightmare’s fur and holding her tightly,
“Be careful, sister,” she quietly said, finally letting go. Smiling in return, Nightmare Moon ventured forth.

She did not make special preparations, did not put on any unusual jewels or a dress, that would send the wrong message. Nightmare Moon wished for the ponies to see her as if they came to her during a simple session of night court, to seek her favor, to ask her aid with an issue. Though commoners were rarely allowed to come into her throne room, perhaps tonight was the time to change that.

Stepping out on the marble balcony, she spread her wings above her, to make herself more visible. The promenade and the square before the palace were full of ponies, some were chanting, though they quickly grew silent upon seeing her. At a glance, Nightmare Moon estimated them to be a few thousand, not too many, but more than enough to completely overwhelm her Guards below. Her soldiers stood in a half-circle before the gates, keeping the crowd away. She, personally, forbad issuing them with arms and combat attires. Standing before the crowds with no means to defend themselves was stressful, but there was no other way, she would not suffer bloodshed between her subjects at her own doorstep.
The crowd seemed to have all kinds of subjects. Mostly Canterlot citizens, workers and clerks of the lower city. Some were local farmers, clearly unhappy with reduced harvests. There were even a couple of soldiers.
Thestrals were down there too, although they stood separate from anyone else. Nightmare Moon noted that they had a change of leadership, instead of Dreamy, it was her maid now standing in the High Priestess' robes. Well, at least she is known to be more mild and accepting. Maybe they deserved a second chance after all.
Applejack was there too, right in front of the action with a megaphone hanging from her neck. Quaint, an invention to mimic the Royal Canterlot Voice. Another new invention she spotted in the midst of the gathering is something only a few could see in a newspaper article. A video camera, a wondrous device that allowed one to capture moving pictures. Truly, tonight shall be remembered. For better or for worse.

All eyes were on her now, but she wrote no speech. She wanted to sound natural. So, she said what her mind was suggesting to her,
“My subjects,” her voice carried along the promenade better than it would with any megaphone, “even though some of you would not say so of themselves. Tonight this does not matter. Rich or poor, loyal or not, no matter who you served before, tonight you all stand here before me as one. You came to demand answers for your questions, for explanations, and here I stand before you, for all of you to see, answering your demand for knowledge.” Nightmare Moon heard hoofsteps starting behind her, her sister started pacing again no doubt.

A sudden, high pitched noise reached her from the square,
“How ‘bout ye stop talkin’ hot air and actually ask what the questions are?” the distorted, but nonetheless familiar voice sounded out. “Ye thinkin’ so much ‘bout yerself don’t ya? Knowin’ exactly what we need to know!”

Nightmare Moon heavily sighed, of course it would not be so easy,
“Very well,” Nightmare Moon spoke evenly. “Speak then, Applejack of Apple Acres. What is it you desire to hear?”

There was a little shuffle as Applejack quickly asked those around her for any good questions,
“First of all, what’s goin’ on with our crops? Everyone ‘ere had an awful harvest this year! We can’t go one like dis’!”

“I am aware of your plight,” Nightmare Moon confirmed. “Sadly, there is little I can do at the moment. The land is seemingly losing its fertility worldwide, not just in the Empire. However, the possible cause was pinpointed and resolved. If it would not end the crisis, my treasury shall compensate any losses in the next season. You will also be offered grants to farm less demanding crops.”

“What cause? What in tarnation did you do?!”

“I may not disclose the details, otherwise the likes of Queen Chrysalis may exploit them, but to you, Miss Applejack, I would say that you already know the answer. As you have encountered it yourself together with your friends.
“Now, if you would let me. I know what it is you wish for the most. You wish for your lives to return to what they were before. Before the Empire, before me. Some of you are loyal and happy, but I would be lying if I said that I am. I would be lying if I said I could replace what Celestia was to you all. Forgive me, if you can, dear subjects,” Nightmare Moon then quietly bowed her head, giving the ponies below a little time to process what she just said. The murmurs ran throughout the crowd, but nobody would dare to speak out loud, her authority still respected,
“I was not a good Empress to you, my subjects. Instead of taking after Princess Celestia, I ruled you with fear!” she loudly proclaimed. “I have not been good to you, my subjects,” she repeated. “But I shall continue this no longer,” the nervous hoofsteps behind her resumed, but Nightmare Moon had no time to attend to her sister right now. “No longer you shall be cowering before the one who is meant to serve your livelihood! You deserve so much better than this! From now on, I shall no longer keep you in the dark of the workings of the court! I am not the monarch you deserved, but I shall do my best for you! If after this night you would wish so, I would step down gladly!”

“Nightmare, what are you doing?!” Daybreaker loudly whispered in panic. “Have you gone mad?!”

The crowd indeed was getting agitated, but for the moment Nightmare Moon had to ignore her sister’s concern for now,
“To start, I have a truth for you, my subjects. One that I have been hiding for a very long time.” With that, she turned to Luna, still standing in the shadow of the room,
“It is time now, Luna,” Nightmare Moon nodded, smiling almost happily. “No more hiding from your own people. Come, let them see your beauty in the moonlight again.”

“Nightmare, n-no!” Daybreaker called. “You are bringing about our end! You cannot do this to m… us!” Daybreaker was visibly desperate.

“It has to be this way, sister,” Nightmare Moon calmly said. “Our people suffer, it has to end, and this is the only way. I have to give them back what I stole,” Nightmare Moon said and Daybreaker’s eyes shot wide. Poor choice of words.

“You… I… I can’t believe this!” Daybreaker broke eye contact and looked down at her shaking hooves. “I trusted you! I thought I...”

“Sister, I am sorry,” Nightmare Moon said gently, stepping closer, deciding to give her dear sister the attention she so desperately needed. “Mayhaps I chose-ugh!” Nightmare Moon saw a bright flash before feeling something pinching her in the shoulder. Shadow, still standing next to Daybreaker, desperately reached behind her to check her weapon… but it wasn’t there. Poor Shadow, oh how cruelly ironic it ended for her...
Nightmare Moon slowly looked down at her shoulder. A very familiar thin dagger was sticking out, it wasn’t lodged deep just barely enough to stick. It wasn’t meant to harm her, but it no longer mattered. Nightmare Moon, of course, knew about the poison, yet, somehow it did not bother her. Looking at that dagger sticking from her and a small trickle of her own blood made her feel strangely tranquil.

She finally looked again at Daybreaker, her previous faze was gone, hooves covering her chin, her eyes expressing absolute horror at what she just did. There was no need to say anything to her, not anymore.

Nightmare Moon returned the weapon to Shadow without looking while turning away and back to Luna. The Lunar Princess was stuck somewhere between horror and rage, her eyes dashing to Daybreaker trying to decide if she wanted to turn her head off or rush to Nightmare instead.

“Have I ever told you, dear sister, how beautiful you would be in an evening dress?” Nightmare Moon asked Luna out of nowhere. “You have such petite features, long legs, and just enough of bulk to look absolutely dazzling in one of Rarity’s gowns. A silver chain adoring your mane maybe, a pair of earrings with sapphires,” Nightmare Moon said, looking at Luna with a wistful smile, confusing her enough for her to forget about her anger for a moment. “You are so beautiful, Luna. Don’t forget that.” With those words, Nightmare Moon stepped back outside, her subjects would not see her as a coward to run away from them. She looked over their confused faces with a gentle smile of contentedness. She gave her city a look, marveling at the roofs, silvered by the moonshine and warmly glowing windows. Marveling at It all became so much easier now…

Her vision then bluerred. She vaguely heard her Shadow’s voice in a commanding tone. Dear Shadow, always the first to react.

Epilogue: The Land Carries On

The bleak, stone table was dimly illuminated by yellow orbs, hanging down from the tree roots. The six mares sat quietly in their cutie-marked chairs, all staring at the modest, silver tiara in the table's centre. They had a very important business to discuss, but nobody knew how to begin.

“Is this really happening?” Rarity broke the silence in a quivering voice. “Can she really be dead?”

“I can scarcely believe this isn’t some ruse either,” Twilight stated grimly.

“Can’t you, like, brew that stuff again and bring her back? Since when dying is a problem for her?” Rainbow asked.

“No,” Twilight shook her head. “There is no body. As soon as it happened, her body broke down back into the magic energy it was composed of.”

“Yup, saw it meself,” Applejack confirmed. “One moment she trots ‘round and talks, next she falls down and disappears in thin air. Bat folks went barmy.”

“Oh dear… What happened?” Fluttershy covered her face.

“She wanted to atone for the wrongs she did, to stop pretending and let the rest of us see what she is really like and decide for ourselves if we want her to rule us. Her sister panicked and stabbed her with a poisonous stiletto,” Twilight grimly recounted. “Shadow took the blame.”

“Dat changeling missy? Dat lying spit?”

“AJ, for the thousandth’ time, Shadow is not like that,” Rainbow sighed. “She is nice, she is just loyal to a fault. If Nightmare Moon told her to lie, she would; if she told her to kill, she would. Don't blame her for following orders,” Applejack huffed loudly in response.

“She is in the dungeon, no one knows what to do now,” Twilight continued. “Everyone who ever seen her together with Nightmare Moon knows that she would never do that.”

“And… Daybreaker? That’s her name, right?” Rainbow asked.

“Crushed. She is in her tower, Baron volunteered to stand guard at her door and keep an eye on her. If her state when she went in there is any indication, she won’t be useful for a few days at the very least.”

Pinkie suddenly laughed aloud,
“This is the greatest prank ever! Stabbed by her own sister at the moment when she finally found a way from the problem she herself created!”

“The hay are you talking ‘bout? Pinkie, laughing at the dead ain’t good, even if it’s Hag.”

“Didn’t any of you notice? Oh, I love explaining jokes!” Pinkie wasn’t dismayed in a slightest. “Ever since Celestia was back, Nightmare Moon felt like total namby-pumby. She figured out exactly why everypony didn't like her so much and it huruuurt, let me tell you! Must have taken her helluvan effort to pull herself together again! Guess it bothered her enough to give up her authority.”

“How do you… You know what, don’t answer that,” Twilight rubbed her tired eyes. “Okay, everyone, we need to figure out what to do now. Any suggestions?”

“Well, Daybreaker would be the most obvious heir,” Rarity suggested. “Poor darling must be positively devastated!”

“Ugh...” Rainbow face hooved herself. “Really? Rarity, she literally murdered Nightmare Moon before your eyes, and now you pity her? For real?”

“Rainbow, dear, show some compassion! Daybreaker is rather mean spirited, but imagine how would you feel if you caused the death of your own sister! This is a dreadful position to be in!”

“How ‘bout Luna then?” Applejack suggested. “You said she’s around.”

“Well no... she isn’t anymore,” Twilight awkwardly answered. “She is gone. Nobody saw her since. We don’t know where she is or what she’s doing. Looking for her isn’t going to work, we won’t see her unless she wants us to see her. She can be on the other side of the planet by now if she wanted to.”

“Well, we need Daybreaker anyway, right? Someone has to raise the sun and moon,” Rainbow said.

“Daybreaker can’t rule. Nightmare Moon specifically said that she cannot be let close to the throne. Provided she would even agree after what she did,” Twilight declined.

“Then… the only one remaining is you, Twilight!” Rarity gasped. “She taught you, didn’t she?”

“I am not ready,” Twilight shook her head. “She said so herself. We have to find someone else. Maybe one of the ministers.”

“Excluding Cloudy,” Rainbow wedged in. “She’s a traitor.”

“Traitor to who, us or her?”

“To the state.”

“Oh, so dat’s how it is now, ain’t it, Rainbow?”

“Ah, girls please-please don’t start!” Fluttershy tried her best to avoid the fight.

“No, Twilight, it has to be you!” Rarity persisted. “You are the one who she taught specifically in case something happened.”

“Rarity, I can’t! She said it herself, I am not ready! She even showed me exactly how would I fail!”

“But, Twilight, there isn’t anyone better than you! She taught you herself! Remember how she used to say: 'A Princess has responsibilities!' You have to, Twilight!”

“I… Let’s have a vote,” Twilight proposed. ”Who is for me to take over temporarily?” To Twilight’s despair, 5 hooves were held up. "No-no-no! Girls, I-I can't! I am going to make everything even worse! I cannot rule!" previously restrained panic was no breaking out as if she was a punctured water barrel.

"Then get help, darling," Rarity suggested. "There are many ponies in the Empire who would gladly help you."

“I am going to need a new cabinet… reports from all around the Empire… Have to sort through her files... Oh, dear, how am I going to do this?! What will become of us!”

“Just like in the old times! Classic Twilighting,” Pinkie chuckled.

“Hey! That’s right!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Just like old times! Let’s do it all together! Twilight knows a bit about that political thing, Rarity is good at managing the palace, I can do the military bit, AJ can manage agriculture, Fluttershy can help with healthcare, and Pinkie can do public relations or something. That’s a lot of the seats taken! Let’s throw elections for everyone we are missing!”

“That… can work, I guess. Well, it won’t be worse than having no one at all,” Twilight mused. “We still need someone to talk to Daybreaker though, we can’t raise the sun and moon without her. She’d have a few things to say too.”

“It’s settled den,” Applejack stated definitely. “You are goin’ to take over. Should we just call ye Empress and bow now?

“AJ, don’t start. It’s Twilight, remember?” Rainbow wedged in.

“Ain’t ya forgetting somepony else?”

“AJ, Daybreaker would not agree to let Celestia go,” Twilight sighed.

“Ain’t seein’ us asking. We got the Elements in the Tree, ye?”

“No!” Twilight hit the table with a mighty thud. “Daybreaker deserves to live too, I won’t do the same thing to her as she was forced to do to Celestia!”

“Can’t we just talk to her maybe?” Fluttershy’s whisper was barely audible. "If she is Moon's sister she can't be too bad..."

“Well… maybe. In a while, we could convince her, I hope. With some guarantees… and a lot of patience.”

“The poor darling isn’t evil, she’s just afraid,” Rarity came to support.

“Well, everyone. For better or for worse, we’ve got our plan,” Twilight said without a hint of joy. “I just can’t believe it. Nightmare Moon is gone and I am about to step in her shoes. I… I thought we finally figured it out, how to fix everything. I thought that it all is going to be alright, now this… Why does this keep happening? What was this all for?” Twilight’s eyes were rapidly watering.

“Poor darling! It wasn’t supposed to end like this! She was trying so hard!” Rarity blew her nose in her own hoofkerchief for the lack of anything else.

“Y-yeah, she had a good thing going. Damn, never thought I was going to tear up because of her,” Rainbow began wiping her eyes before any drops could escape.

One by one, they all quietly began sobbing, each for her own reason, and only Pinkie Pie kept wearing an unnaturaly wide smile across her face.

Author's Note

It is that time again, dear reader. We are here again. Oh, but it has been so long, a full year, in fact. Although this whole work did turn out larger than intended in the end.
But I suppose, I did achieve what I intended. What this was all about is only one question, really: What does it take to make an evildoer likeable? One thing, really. To humanize her. Villains too are people in the end, not entirely in our specific case, but nonetheless. But I do get a little sidetracked. What I intend to convey here for the last is a humble piece of advice: Do be mindful of who you sympathize with. A villain is not necessary needs to be a horrible monster, they can be very likeable and often indistinguishable from heroes.

But I suppose I am already taking too much attention by abusing my notes here, am I not. With this, I thank you for your time and attention, dear reader, and do request that you not forget me for just a little while. I do have more stories for you yet.
And I do have to admit, sometimes a hero dying, in the end, is too far from a happy ending for my taste too. Of course, your comments are always appreciated. Let us have a discussion, shall we?

Somber Visit

“Your Majesty?” Cadance pulled Nightmare Moon out of her thoughts. The Empress stared at her Princess in a mute inquiry,
“Your Majesty, how was your travel?” Cadance repeated her question.

“Oh...I am sorry, I must have drifted away.” Nightmare Moon tried to remember the train, “I suppose, Rarity did well organizing our departure, thank you, Your Highness.” Сadance widened her eyes.

“Oh, Cadance! The train was wonderful!” Celestia rapidly intervened. “Thank you for providing it!”

“...Yes, thank you,” Nightmare Moon tried to soften her flub.

“Agh... Luna!” Nightmare Moon internally addressed her host. “Couldn’t you tell me what she was asking? The only thing I now lack is insulting Cadance, of all ponies.”

“...I am sorry. I wasn’t paying attention either. You and my sister always have been handling it yourselves.” Luna sighed, “Sorry for being useless again.”

“...Sorry, Luna.”

“It’s alright. I understand.”

“No, I mean it, sorry. I am the Empress after all.”

“Your Majesty?” Cadance asked again.

“Crap...”

“Cadance, leave Her Majesty be for now!” Celestia rescued her once again. “Don’t you see she has a matter to contemplate?”

“But, aunty...” Celestia slowly and very deliberately shook her head, “I...see. Your Majesty, shall you join us for the supper?”

“Thank you, Princess, but I think I’ll head for my room now. The travel was quite exhausting.” Cadance gave a nod.

“Of course, Your Majesty. Have a pleasant stay.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Nightmare Moon walked behind the corner, before sighing relief.

“Luna, can you remind me to thank your sister for bailing me out of this? She has been nothing but help.” Nightmare Moon quickened to her room. She could use some rest indeed.

“Nightmare, you've been doing great. I know how you feel.” Nightmare Moon smiled lightly.

“You know from experience, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I know. Don't worry, you'll pull through. My sister will watch over you 'till you do.”

“Thanks, Luna. You are very far from useless, you know?”

“Always here for you.”

Nightmare Moon snaked through the empty hallways, eventually arriving at the guest quarters. Cadance, of course, provided her very best room.
The Empress decided not to head to the dream realm just yet. Instead, she ventured straight for the balcony. What a dreamy place, she thought, leaning on the railing. It reminded her of Canterlot, before the Changeling War. Back then most of the ponies still prefered daylight, with only her servants and thestrals following the night.
Perhaps she could find solace amongst her bat-winged flock? Thestrals were elusive even at night, but followed her without question or doubt. She was their goddess after all. Perhaps even a friend?

“Hello, My Love,” someone whispered right into Nightmare’s ear, causing her to recoil dramatically. “Don't fear, I can't harm you even if I tried now.”

“Sombra.” Luna guessed. The King's gassy form floated over to Nightmare's face in confirmation.

“I was wondering if you would come to see me again sometime. I must say, I like your new seeming. Black always suited you, Luna. You also took a new name, I hear? You are Nightmare Moon now. It serves its purpose, but you always will be Luna for me. My Love, I have a request, one you would enjoy fulfilling...” Sombra's now quite material face began approaching,

“Sombra, wait, I am no-” The King didn’t allow her to finish, covering her mouth.
Nightmare Moon desperately tried to pull away, but there was no place she could escape to where the King’s form won’t follow her. She quickly surrendered vain attempts of escaping Shadow King's affection.

“No, you are not Luna,” the King confidently affirmed, having pulled away. The King immediately changed the tone: “Who are you? And why do you wear her face?”

“She is here,” Nightmare Moon astoundedly touched her temple.

“Ah...I understand now.” Sombra knowingly smiled, “I’ve met your kind before. She was lovely. Tried to fool me into letting her take over my body. I showed her what a real Nightmare looks like. When I was done with her, I only had to evict her from my head and watch her crawl to the nearest wall so she could crack her own head.” The Empress shivered, no reason not to believe, “I think I had her buried somewhere here. Just to commemorate our time together.” The King smiled again at the memory.

Nightmare Moon felt the gas running over her back, she was surrounded.

“Now tell me: how a pathetic body snatcher, such as you, could defeat someone like Luna in the battle over her own body? Has My Love fallen so weak? Hmm… No, I don’t believe this. She lets you roam around like this, doesn’t she?”
Nightmare immediately flinched, Sombra chuckled, “What could you possibly offer to gain her favour like this? You have nothing. Not even a body to call your own. Did she take pity on you, perhaps? This would sound like her. How adorable, My Love has found herself a pet!
You are no Empress. You control nothing. Hardly even...oh”-The shadow sniffed the air-"I smell fear! What can you possibly be afraid of..."
The King drifted closer, peering into Nightmare’s eyes,
“Curious,” the King murmured. “You aren’t afraid of me. You are not even afraid of death at this point. Indeed, why would you fear to lose your life if it is empty? Maybe you are...” Nightmare Moon quivered, the King burst in laughter. Nightmare Moon dropped her look to the floor, forfeiting any attempts to save her dignity.

“Really now?” The King managed to calm down somewhat, “A Nightmare is afraid of being left out? No wonder Luna took you to her liking, you are adorable!
“Boggles me. Why do they let you order them around? You can't force them. Well, I suppose they can choose their own rulers now. I think I'll leave you two alone now, you must have something to discuss there. I will be close though, watching. And you do taste good, I must say...” With another chuckle the King poured down from the balcony, finally leaving the humiliated mare alone.

Nightmare Moon leaned heavily on the railing, breathing shallow and quivering with the entire body. Even a long-dead king knew everything about her. Yes, she was no Empress.
Luna guessed what comes next,
“Nightmare, listen! You don’t want to do this!” ButNightmare Moon didn’t even hear her, in a single move she hopped over the railing, plummeting down to the ground.
“Wings! Nightmare, wings! Please!” Luna screamed in panic, the sound of bones breaking shortly silencing her.

Imperial Cult

Cloudy Dawn bit her lip, as she tried to reach down her tight pocket to reach her clock,
“Ahh!” she creaked. “Rarity, I gotta go.”

“Already? Sweety, you just sat down!” Vexed, Rarity stopped stirring her tea. “Can’t you stay for a single cup at least?”

“No, Rarity. No way I can.” Cloudy picked up her bags, “Sorry.”

“Well, tell me at least what’s so urgent!” Rarity stood up from her place and followed Cloudy to the door.

“Dreamy Tears,” Cloudy explained, exiting Rarity’s room. “It’s the usual boring stuff, really. You know how it is.”

“Is it Full Moon tonight? I thought it came in a week or so,” visibly confused, Rarity expressed.

“No, it’s not that. They found a ‘Chosen’” -Cloudy gestured to Rarity her scepticism- ”Dreamy sent an official invitation to the Imperial Office asking for someone to witness their ‘Chosen’, and it’s my turn tonight to deal with their nonsense.”

“Who’s the Chosen? I never heard of thestrals referring to anyone like that before.”

“Beats me,” Cloudy shrugged. “Dreamy didn’t specify in the letter. Whoever it is, they are about to have their night ruined,” Cloudy giggled.

“Mind if I come?” Rarity offered.

“Please. Being bored to death is more fun together. Actually, since we are gathering a crowd, isn’t your Rainbow friend still around? I heard she had a fight with Thunder over her transfer.”

“Captain Thunder told her she can’t transfer until the Empress returns,” Rarity confirmed.

“Another nonsense regulation?”

“Not this time, Cloudy. It seems Her Majesty didn’t specify the time Rainbow will serve in the palace. So, legally, Rainbow needs to be dismissed first.”

“And the Empress is away. Awesome! I bet Rainbow is ecstatic. Let’s take her with us, the more the merrier. If anything I heard about her is true, she should be bored to the point of doing anything by now.” Rarity, evidently, enjoyed the idea.

“Last I heard, she was stirring trouble in the courtyard.”

“That’s convenient. Right along our way. Let’s do Thunder a favor and get her off his back for a few hours.”

Rainbow really was in the courtyard, tied up and hanging down from a lamp post. Rarity giggled.

“Yeah, laugh it up,” Rainbow louringly blurted.

“Lieutenant Dash?” Cloudy had troubles containing her own laughter. The Imperial Guard didn’t tolerate her nearly as well as she hoped, it seems. Rainbow sighed.

“Yes! The Imps tied me up and yes, they hung me here! Anything else you would like to know?” It seemed like Rainbow already had to explain it more than a few times.

“What did you do?” Cloudy asked out of genuine curiosity. This had to be something really good.

“Tried to flip a patrol with a tripwire. They noticed it. Get me down already!” Rarity began undoing the knot but Cloudy stopped her.

“Lieutenant, do you promise to tell us about it if we let you down?” Cloudy shamelessly pushed her advantage.

“Fine! I’ll tell you ALL about it! Just don’t leave me hanging here for every passing pony to laugh at!”

“I am a little tempted, to be tightly honest with you, dear!” Rarity continued undoing the knot. Soon the pegasus slipped out of the rope and dropped down to the ground with a dull grunt. Rainbow quickly picked herself up off her hurting plot.

“Can we, please, go off to somewhere now?” she hastily suggested.

“Excellent idea, Rainbow! We would be delighted to have you at Miss Tears’ ceremony!” Rarity enthusiastically continued to the gate.

“Tears? You mean that stiff from the Cathedral? Don’t tell me you got into that religious nonsense!”

“Don't you have even a little bit of faith, Rainbow?” Rarity teased.

“Okay, seriously, don’t scare me. You know the Hag isn’t a god...right?” Rainbow, really, sounded a bit scared. Rarity noted a new way to prank the seemingly fearless mare.

“Dreamy just wants us to be there tonight, Rainbow.” The Lieutenant breathed out her relief, “She says they found a Chosen.”

“Chosen for what?”

“That’s what we intend to find out, Rainbow.”

“Sssure...whatever. I suppose I can stick around for a while. Simply being bored is a lot better than being bored while also hanging from the lamp post.”

“That’s the spirit, Lieutenant!” Cloudy gladly approved.

After showing their IDs, the trio made their way through the gate and ventured down the moonlit streets, eventually, finding their way to the Darkness Cathedral in the lower city. The crescent-shaped building was hardly godlike in nature or finery, but this was the centre of the religious life in the city. A crowd of around a hundred bat-wings has already gathered, waiting for the High Priestess to lead them.

“I don’t understand this,” Rainbow admitted. “If they like their Hag so much, why won’t they do something useful for her? The Imperial Guard is terribly understaffed for the day shift, to name one.”

“That’s… a bit more complex than this, Lieutenant. Let’s not talk about it now, Dreamy is waiting for us.
“And, please, try to refrain from speaking ill of Her Majesty. Thestrals seriously can’t take it.”

Cloudy, with the expertise of a newsmare, pushed her way with Rarity in tow, wings spared Rainbow the need to bother. The ponies made sure to keep some distance from the entrance; no one wanted to taint Her temple by stepping in uninvited. Now only to wait for Sister Dreamy. She didn’t keep them waiting for long, appearing from the church in a snow-white mantle, accompanied by her priests in black robes, carrying moon icons. Dreamy gestured her priests to proceed and trotted over to the waiting guests.

“Sister Cloudy!” she warmly greeted the Imperial Minister. “We are honored to have you tonight!”

“Likewise, Your Excellence,” Cloudy respectfully bowed. “Allow me to introduce Miss Rarity Belle, Her Majesty’s personal advisor.” Cloudy barely avoided frowning from the subtle mock concealed in the official title.

“I am honored to finally meet you, Miss Rarity!” The High Priestess proceeded to bow her own head, “We all are blessed to have one of Her closest associates being our witness.”

“You are most kind, Your Excellence,” Rarity bowed in return.

The time had come for Rainbow. She needed no introduction. Every bat knew her. Both mares stared at each other in silence for a while, before the defeated Priestess sighed and gave the “demon” a short nod.

“Miss Dash,” she coldly greeted. Rainbow nodded in return. Satisfied with this much, the thestral gestured the guests to follow her to the head of the forming procession. She spoke no more words.

“Hah, I like her.” Rainbow deeply smiled, getting two surprised looks.

“Well, she surely doesn’t like you much, Lieutenant. Alright, let’s not make this worse and keep quiet.” No objections were voiced.

The procession soon left Canterlot entirely and marched down the mountain in silence, which was sacred; as Cloudy Dawn whispered to fascinated Rarity and the bored officer. She still received a few disapproving looks, but nothing more.
The nocturnal ponies were patient people, which they grudgingly demonstrated once more as Rarity had to disperse some of the holy darkness to see where they were going. She took care for the light not to be bright; slitted eyes couldn’t take much light without starting to pain.
Dreamy Tears led the way towards Ponyville, to everypony’s surprise. Rarity and Rainbow gave their quiet greeting to the familiar faces on the streets. Their procession proceeded towards the far edge of the town and stopped in front of the Everfree Forest. A single cottage, separated with a river, was at their wake.

“Uhm… Are we supposed to camp here, or what?” Rainbow whispered to Cloudy.

“Wait one, Lieutenant.” Cloudy trotted over to exchange a word with Dreamy.

“Ah, hay. Would be quicker to ask Fluttershy, she knows everything around anyhow.” Before Rarity could protest, Rainbow took off to the cottage.

“Hey, Fluttershy!” Rainbow knocked on the door. “You ain’t sleeping yet?”

The door quietly opened and Rainbow could vaguely make out the yellow pegasus inside.

“Uhm… Hi, Rainbow,” Fluttershy stepped aside to allow her in.

“I am just for a sec. Do you know who we supposed to be seeing here? That crowd over there” -Rainbow pointed across the river- ”is looking for some ‘Chosen’, you've got any idea who that can be?“

“Eh...”

“I mean, they wouldn’t go ALL the way here from Canterlot for nothing!” Rainbow continued. “Though, gotta admit: I wouldn’t be surprised. They are praying to the Hag! I mean like she’s the centre of the universe!
“Why won't they just check the facts before accepting them? They call me a ‘demon’, for Celestia's sake! They go to the other side of the street when they see me!
“Trying to kill the Hag wasn't my nicest move, I admit, but it doesn't make me an evil thing from another dimension or something!”

“Rainbow...” Fluttershy whispered, but the blue pegasus, having finally found someone to share her frustration with, wouldn’t be stopped.

“Just how much more ridiculous can this get? They just gather up and stare at the moon for a few hours straight! They don’t do anything useful, they don’t have fun, they don’t even talk! It’s just creepy! No wonder nopony ever liked them!”

“Rainbow!” Rarity’s disappointment was very apparent, but the Priestess next to her was hardly disappointed or much surprised. She said nothing and simply floated past the blasphemous infidel straight to the open doorway.

“Forgive me for allowing this insult to reach your ears, Great One.” Dreamy bowed to Fluttershy’s hooves. Rainbow dropped her jaw to the ground,
“I shouldn’t have allowed an Enemy of The Moon to follow us here.”

“Uhh… It’s… okay,” Fluttershy herself, clearly, had no idea what was going on.

“You are just as generous as the Goddess,” Dreamy said without lifting her eyes up at the pegasus.

“Ah… Can you get back up, please?” Fluttershy cautiously asked. Dreamy immediately obeyed.

“You?!” Rainbow finally managed to pick her jaw up. “I...I don’t get it! Why the-”

“Quiet!” The High Priestess lost her temper, “You stand in the presence of a saint! You will not insult her any more than you already had!”

“This is bollocks!” Rainbow outraged. “Fluttershy, tell her!”

“Eh… What is going on?”

“...My deepest sorries, Great One,” Dreamy bowed again. “It was careless of me. We came here tonight to celebrate your divine mark. I should have sent a message.”

“Oh, dear.” Fluttershy rubbed her forehead, “What is your name?”

“Dreamy Tears. I am the modest leader of the Canterlot flock, Great One.”

“Dreamy, there must have been a mistake somewhere. I am not a saint. I don’t even know what you are talking about, really.”

“But you bear her mark! I see it in your eyes!” Fluttershy blinked her eyes in surprise.

"My...eyes?"

“Hold on!” Rainbow intervened, “Rarity, can you come here for a sec? I need a little help.”

“Don’t you dare to insult the Chosen with your cursed light!” Dreamy stamped her hoof.

“It’s okay, Dreamy. They just want to look,” Fluttershy herself stepped closer to Rarity, for the twinkle on her horn to light her face up. Fluttershy’s pupils were slitted, just like Dreamy’s. Cloudy gasped.

“See?” Dreamy victoriously grinned. “Moon’s blessing!”

“I can’t believe this!” Rainbow facehoofed herself, proceeding to uncontrollably laugh, “This is too good!” Dreamy began shaking with anger.

“Dreamy, wait!” Fluttershy asked.

“But… She is insulting you!”

“...No, Dreamy. Can we just talk about all of this, please?” Fluttershy pleaded.

“As you wish, Great One,” Dreamy bowed.

“Dreamy, someone made terribly big fools out you all!” Rainbow swept water from her eyes. “This isn’t a blessing! This is a spell! We’ve got a unicorn colt in 101st who can do this!”

“How can you even compare?! This is the gift from the Moon!” Dreamy reverently pointed in the sky, “Our Empress blessed one of Her subjects with night sight, so she can experience the wonders of the night to her fullest extent!” Rainbow looked at Fluttershy. She nodded in confirmation.

“Okay, I admit, it’s kinda nice of her. But this doesn’t make Fluttershy a living icon for her!”

“That’s the sign of Her attention!” Dreamy did not let in. Rainbow facehoofed herself again.

“Turns out I am a Chosen too!” Rainbow exclaimed. “I got the most of her attention here! She personally wrote my name into the ranks! I also managed to get her to stop mind-controlling ponies to make them fight for her! And she didn’t even kill me for it! I just have to be special!”

“Rainbow, a bit more modesty, if you will,” Rarity reminded.

“Look, Dreamy,” Rainbow erased the mock from her tone. “It happens, alright? We all get to be wrong sometimes. Besides, you all want to do your weird standing congregations? Then do it!” Rainbow conciliatory bumped Dreamy on the shoulder, earning a sharp look, “You wanna be weird? Why the hay not? You should’ve seen how weird Twilight was back in a day!” Rainbow continued, pretending to have noticed nothing.

“This is blasphemy! How dare you to question the Goddess!?” Rainbow sighed.

“Can’t you just snap out of it for a sec? I am trying to be nice, alright?”

“Dreamy, sweety, is Princess Celestia a goddess too?” Rarity cautiously asked.

“...Yes, she is. She’s the goddess of your cursed daylight!” Dreamy spitefully responded.

“What makes her a goddess, sweety?”

“She controls the Celestial Light,” Dreamy stated without delay. “She is undying, unaging and all-knowing! Just like our Empress! How can she be something other than a god?” Dreamy watched the four mares exchanging powerless looks.

"Your Excellency," Cloudy, professionally levelheaded, began her salvage operation. "What would you say if Rarity could organize an audience for you, so you could see for yourself?"

"If the Moon wanted to see me, she would have called for me. Nopony can make the Goddess see anyone," Dreamy declined, Cloudy couldn't help but feel a note of remorse.

"Oh, you should see what Rarity can do!" Rainbow blew the trumpet, earning everyone's attention. "What? It's true!"

"Your Excellency, why would the Goddess send the three of us to you tonight if she didn't want to see you?" Cloudy used her cunning.

"Nopony-" Rarity immediately gave Rainbow an insistent pinch. The pegasus took the hint.

"Wouldn't it be blasphemous to consider Her Majesty overlooking Lieutenant's...effect?" Cloudy continued her point. "She sent us to you for a reason. What else can it be?"

"This is... an unexpected perspective," the Priestess admitted.

"Her Majesty wants to see you, Sister," Cloudy Dawn concluded her treachery.

Rare Is The Apple With No Worms

Rarity stopped under the familiar wooden arch, extending a hoof to get a feeling of it once again. The hard, wooden frame, slightly colored white with this year’s first snow, felt so familiarly appealing, provoking a strong sense of nostalgia.How long had it been now?

Giving the old arch a loving pat, Rarity ventured forth to the red farmhouse. Its lights were still lit, it was good that she went early in the evening.
Taking a look around, Rarity noticed the farm was slowly giving way to neglect. The Apple family didn't have enough ponypower without Granny Smith and Applebloom. Where had that filly ended up even? Well, maybe it was better she didn’t know, like with Sweetie Belle. Rarity’s saddened smile found its way to her face again… well, at least it was better than crying again.

Seeing nothing else to stall on, Rarity knocked on the front door.

“Commin’!” Rarity heard a familiar voice flying through the door. Well, if Applejack says it…
“Heya there! Bit of a late time for a visit.” ...she means it.

“Hello, darling!” Rarity heartily greeted the farmpony.

“Did she finally give ya a leave? Come ‘ere!” Before Rarity could react, she found herself tightly grappled across her chest. Luckily, she decided not to wear anything more than a woven scarf this once, otherwise it would’ve been completely ruined by AJ’s affection, “Ya know that ya’re mah favorite collaborationist! Ya really should come ‘round more often!”

“Oh, AJ! You know just the word for a greeting!” Rarity tried and failed to contain her grin, trying to squirm out of AJ’s grip.

“Just sayin’ how things are. Come on in! Drop yarself down in the kitchen, I’ve been just cookin’. Good ol’ bowl of some hot stuff is just what ya need to get the night’s cold out of yer system.” Rarity couldn’t lie that did sound appealing, the night’s air already became quite chilling.

“Will your brother be joining us, Applejack?” Rarity asked, carefully folding her scarf.

“Big Mac? Nah, he’s ain’t even in the town. Don’t ya worry, we’ve got this ‘ole house just for ourselves,” Applejack tried to sound casual, but she was a poor liar.
“Anyway, how’s Twilight? Haven’t heard much from her since she moved to that palace of yers.”

“Oh, Twilight is great! She finally got the recognition she deserves! Darling worked so hard to prove herself to everyone ever since we met her and it finally came back to her!”

“So, she’s loving it?”

“Well… not entirely, she doesn’t enjoy being watched all the time and having to constantly follow the protocol. What surprised me is that she actually loved the palace!” Rarity gasped, a sudden idea popping into her head.
“Oh, Applejack, you should come and see it someday! The palace is absolutely gorgeous! The Empress made the very walls into the works of glorious art! Oh, and how delightful it would be to bring Fluttershy to the gardens!” A realization stopped Rarity from going further through the palace’s majestic features.
“Darling, I am sorry! You must be feeling awfully left out here on your own!”

“It ain’t so bad. Pinkie still swings by time to time. Fluttershy used to do that too, before she got ‘dose weird eyes of hers, she mostly comes out at night now.”

“And what about Spikey? You cannot possibly suggest that such a gentledrake could leave you all by yourself!”

“Well, he used to come over too, but now he’s got that changeling Twilight sent his way. Guess he’s havin’ his hooves full with her.
Wouldn’t be surprised if he has to keep an eye on her sleepin’. With that folk you gotta watch every move.”

“Applejack!” Rarity scolded. “Just where did this come from? Shadow is our friend!”

“Ain’t no friend of mah she is! She can’t even look ya in the eye while talking to ya. Hay, she’s weird even for a changeling, never talks to ya unless you say somethin’ first, wouldn’t ever turn her back on ya and watches yer every move as if she expects ya to leap on her! That missy is bad people, I’m tellin’ ya.”

Applejack began clanging with spoons, signaling to Rarity that her promised food was ready now. And indeed, Applejack soon brought her a steamy bowl of creamy liquid.

Rarity breathed in the sweet vapor,
“Oh, darling! It’s been so long!” Rarity smiled at the good memories.

“Told ya. Ye all should come ‘round more often.” Applejack grinned back and went to get her own bowl.

Rarity used this opening to get a mouthful of Apple family’s soup. The soft, creamy, a little spicy taste was exactly how Rarity remembered it, at least some things never changed.

“Hey! Slow down a little, Sugarcube!” Applejack laughed at Rarity as she hungrily lapped at the pottage.
“Dere ain’t ‘nough soup for dat kind of speed! Say, Sugar, how’s ya doin’ lately? Hag’s not bossin’ ya ‘round too much?” having finished her question, Applejack began settling down.

“Ehh...” Rarity stumbled. “Let’s leave that for later. Say, darling, don’t you have some of that whiskey of yours?” Applejack’s eyebrows instantly reached for the stars, “If you do not have some wine, that is.” They both would need a drink before she could talk on this subject.

Applejack stared at Rarity with bewilderment, the likes of which she rarely saw even at the palace galas,
“I… don’t think I have,” Applejack mumbled. “Ah, ‘ere we are.” The farm pony extracted a bottle full of amber liquid,
“When Rarity is up for drinkin’ whiskey, ya know it’s gonna be good. Well, ‘ere you are, Sugarcube.” Applejack put the bottle before Rarity together with a glass.

Rarity took a deep breath, before uncorking the bottle and pouring herself a drink,
“Your health,” Rarity quickly gulped the alcohol. The liquid tasted like horsecrap, but it would do the work.

“Well, I be damned! Rarity’s drinkin’ whiskey!” Applejack stared at Rarity with bewilderment, the likes of which she rarely saw even at the palace galas, “Hold yer horses, I ain’t goin’ to miss out on dis.” The orange pony darted away for a moment to grab another glass for herself,
“Okay, I wanna know everytin’ ‘bout dis! Spill up!”

“Just a moment...” Rarity decided to down another glass, just in case. “Ohh… Dear, this is some strong liquor!”

“Ya bet it is! Hits like a truck!”

“Yes… I believe that is how ponies say it is.” Perhaps whiskey wasn’t the best choice for a lady after all.
“Well, Applejack. You see… the thing is, I am not exactly on a leave,” Rarity started. Oh dear, this was going to be a long discussion. Applejack proceeded to pour herself some liquor and, following Rarity’s example, gulped it all in one go.

“Ya mean the Hag sent ya ‘ere or somethin’?” Applejack asked slowly. “Sounds like her, never come askin’ herself. So what is it she wants dis time?” Applejack’s mood was now officially soured, well, still more to come.

“She didn’t send me, Applejack. I am here on my own accord, I do have… some free time as of recently and I decided to catch up with my personal issues.” It wasn’t like she had anything better to do now, or ever.

“She bucked ya out,” Applejack punched out of nowhere.

“Well… not precisely that, I still have my title and my room, and all…”

“Rarity, ya got it all written on yer face. The Hag bucked ya out of yer spot. Ya know, even if I ain’t dealing with yer politics things, I can still add 2 and 2 together.’”

“Well, I believe you can, but AJ, she really didn’t… ‘buck me out’!”

“I’m callin’ horsecrap, Rarity! If she didn’t, what the hay ya doin’ ‘ere? Ya ain’t wearin’ yer uniform, ya ain’t lookin’ like ya’re already late somewhere and ya drinkin’ whiskey for the love of Celestia! What else can it be?”

“Well, it is connected with her. But I swear by the stars, Applejack, she didn’t do anything of the like! I just… don’t have many labors anymore. And I didn’t wear my uniform for a while,” Rarity added, finding herself short on excuses.

“How ‘bout ya stop runnin’ circles and tell me then! I ain’t likin’ dis ‘ere guessin’ games, Sugarcube!”

Rarity, drank some more of her drink,
“As I was saying, I am not on leave. I just do not have many duties anymore.”

“Dats it?” Applejack was clearly unimpressed.

“Well… mostly… yes.”

Applejack waited before responding,
“...Rarity, don’t ya trust me?” The very sound of the question swilled a wave of indignation in Rarity.

"Darling, just what sort of question is this? I knew you for longer than anyone else in town! If someone here is worthy of trust it is the Apple family! It was always this way!”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

For a while, both ponies sat quietly, staring at their almost empty bottle, neither knowing what to say.

“Rarity, what do ya want with me?” AJ finally asked, her tone growing cold.

“I… wanted to check up on you. That all, I swear!”

“Well, I say yer mission is done. Ya know where the door is, tell Twilight I said ‘Howdy’.” The farm pony stood up from her chair, finished off the bottle without even bothering to use the glass and began clearing the table.

“Applejack,” Rarity called, sounding shocked. “What’s wrong?”

“Rarity, stop,” Applejack shot back. “Just… go. It’ve been betta if ya haven’t been ‘ere. Don’t make anythin’ worse.”

“AJ! You can’t be saying this! I just wanted to make it up to you for all the years I couldn’t!”

“Then why can’t ya tell me what the hay is yer problem?!” Applejack exploded. “Ya came to mah home, eatin’ mah food and drinkin’ mah whiskey, making me smiley faces and lyin’ to mah face!” Applejack forcefully dropped her hoof on the wood, making the table screech and wobble
“Get the hay out mah house before I drag ya out mahself!”

“Applejack, I am sorry! Darling, can’t we just start over again?”

“So ya could tell me ‘nother lie? Gotta give it to ya, Rarity. Ya make a good lapdog, Winona should take some notes.”

“Lapdog?!” Rarity jumped upwards from her chair. “Applejack, you’ve become a complete and utter ruffian! This is no way to treat your oldest of friends!”

“Ain’t no friend of mine ya are! Ya sold us all out!” The farm pony forcefully poked Rarity on the chest, “Ya know, I’m thinkin’ I owe yer Hag a hearty thanks. If it wasn’t for her commin’ ‘round again, I wouldn’t know what kind of a slick ya really are! Sellin’ out yer friends for a warm spot!
“Tell ya what, if ya think her a better friend than us lot, ya go back to her! Maybe if ya lick her shoes a bit better, she’ll let ya get right back to it.”

Applejack glared fiercely at the other mare, happy with the way her thrust turned out. Now the ball was on Rarity’s side. She held the stare for a whole three seconds.

The mare dropped disgracefully back on her haunches and covered her face with both of her free hooves.

“Oh, hay nah! You ain’t playin’ this trick on me!” Applejack grabbed Rarity by one of her hooves and began dragging her to the door, “Ain’t no working on me again, missy!
“Dere, have yer fancy scarf and get back to yer owner.”

“A-applejack, just give me a moment! I didn’t mean to-”

“Just a tiny bit too late, see ya.” Before Rarity could find her bearings, the door was already slammed behind her.

Rarity was left to bear the cool, winter wind; her tears only served to make the cold worse.

Rarity didn’t remember much of her journey when she stumbled on her own old doorstep. Rarity reached for her keyring—it only had few left, the sign of trust lost.
In a mechanical motion, Rarity rotated the key in the lock and the door obediently creaked open.

Rarity dragged hooves across the floor and climbed to her old room; it still had her bed, even if dusty. Rarity didn’t care about such details, too exhausted and overcome with grief to do so. The distantly familiar feeling of her pillows only made her eyes water more.

The worst part of this horrendous situation was it she had no one left to turn to! Her Majesty made her an unspoken exile! Rarity was essentially done for.
Going back to the fashion business was not an option with her type of reputation. What else could she do?! Her entire life was all centred around building up her name, which was now worth less than a single bit; more so, it was harmful to be associated with!
This was the end of Rarity Belle! Unsung and unlamented.
Not even her goal went accomplished! Luna’s body was stolen away at the last moment, making the situation worse than ever! Her Majesty and her sister at least stood a chance of containing this… terror and now it was loose somewhere in the land! A disaster! A total disaster!

Rarity’s grim pondering was suddenly interrupted by a knock to the window, stunning her for a moment. Was she hearing things? But… no! There was the glowing bird outside!

“W-what are you doing here, s-sweetie?” Rarity left the pillowed confines of her bed and approached the window to let the phoenix in. The bird casually hopped through the opened frame and over onto Rarity’s nightstand. Philomena then simply stood there, confusing Rarity further.
Her question was soon answered with a buzzing sound outside the window. Soon, Rarity discovered a familiar, bug-like creature trying to crawl through her window.

“Miss Rarity,” Shadow greeted her, trying to push through the opening.

“Shadow? What are you doing?” Rarity’s prior worries were by no means swooped away, but the sheer ridiculousness of the situation still took her priority,
“You could have just taken the door, darling.”

“Her Majesty’s phoenix led me here, Miss,” Shadow responded dryly, as blunt as ever.

“I think she wouldn’t have minded if you just walked in. Wait… Her Majesty’s phoenix?” Rarity glanced over at the bird, who produced a pitched, chittering sound in response; it sounded awfully like laughter to Rarity’s ear.

Shadow finally managed to push herself through the window and landed face first onto the carpet. Unusually clumsy for her.

“Ah… Shadow, what are you doing here? I believe Twilight sent you to stay in her Castle until Her Majesty needed your help again.” Shadow suddenly looked over to Philomena. The phoenix quietly stared back, then finally looked away. The changeling’s eyes immediately darted back to Rarity.

“Miss Rarity, your aid is required.” The request made Rarity’s brows to rise. Her aid?

“Whatever can I do for you, sweetie?” Rarity asked uncertainly.

“Miss, I’ll tell you on the way, but we need to be back in Canterlot… Miss, I won’t pretend anymore. I am not Shadow!” Rarity’s eyes proceeded to widen. Another changeling in service… posing as Shadow in Ponyville?! Just… how many layers did Her Majesty’s plans have?!

“Hold on for a moment, dear. If you are not Shadow… where is she?”

“This is exactly why we need to be in Canterlot. Miss Rarity, please, I’ll explain on the way,” the changeling hurried her up. “I have a serious charge to make and I need help in seeing Her Majesty, quietly.”

“Charge against who?!” Rarity herself was already sentenced, after all.

“It is against Her Majesty’s sister, Miss.”

The Knight And His Lady

As Nightmare Moon crossed the doors to the hall once more, she found it full of ponies, all seemingly waiting for her. Guards standing in formation and Maids shyly herding together behind them. Twilight hastily hiding away her endless check-lists and calculations. Even Rarity coyly smiled at her side.

“First Guard regiment! Atten-tion!” the Captain shouted his command. The Guards, with drilled reflex, clapped their hooves against the floor and raised their chins to the ceiling,
“First platoon! Preseeeent arms!” monumental shuffling ensued as rifles were brought to the right side vertically. “Groooooound arms!” The Guards proceeded to lower the weapons to the floor with the same monumental clatter. The Captain skipped the officers’ saber salute, but considering the haste...
“To the front sa-lute! Sound the royal greeting!” the Captain called his next order.

“Hail, Lady-Marshal!” the hall rang with voices.

“First regiment of the Imperial Guard is lined up in Lady-Marshal’s honor!” the Captain finished.

Dead silence ensued. Nightmare Moon eyed the rows of her soldiers with curiosity. This was so obvious! She must have gotten far too submerged in Imperial affairs if she could be so unattentive. This wasn’t an underground party her Guards wanted to have without her knowing, the celebration was for her!

“Regimental orchestra! Perform the Imperial fanfare!” the Captain commanded, moving to the next part of the show. The orchestra began to play the composition as ordered. Nightmare Moon heard it dozens of times, even though her public appearances were scarce amongst the years, but this time… oh, it sounded new!
She never even thought of restricting the initiative her servants may show officially, but they were usually too quiet to dare add anything to her orders. This is why this whole performance was so special.

The brass humming, accompanied by the solemn percussion ended in a minute, once more leaving dead silence in its wake. It was her turn to speak, if only she’d known what to say.

Suddenly the silence was broken by the collective gasp of ponies present. Nightmare Moon lifted her foreleg and touched her cheek, picking the drop up on her shinning shoe.

The Captain, dutiful as always, rushed to her,
“Your Majesty, I apologize for upsetting you so! I should have never permitted-” Nightmare Moon simply laughed at the notion.

“Oh, Captain!” Nightmare chucked and wiped her second eye.”Dear Rolling Thunder, why would you imagine I would be upset? You, all of you, just made this old mare feel as if she was a young filly, getting her first taste of attention.”

“Well… you aren’t old at all, Your Majesty,” the Captain stammered for a second, unsure of what the normally authoritative mare meant calling him informally, by name.

“Why, that’s charming of you to say so.” The black mare gave him a warm smile only slightly spoiled by her sharp fangs, “Would such a gentlecolt grace the lady with a dance as well?” her smile narrowing into a coquettish grin.
Roling lost his jaw and his cheeks rapidly reddened. Somepony proceeded to blow him an encouraging whistle,
“You cannot possibly suggest that an officer of the Guard would not know how to dance?” the mare teased. She proceeded to wink at Rarity, who readily cantered away to the band to give them the details on the song.

Nightmare Moon offered her hoof to Rolling which he reluctantly took.

The orchestra started playing, signaling to the pair to start the waltz. Nightmare Moon was a large mare and one might believe the dance would look comical. That would’ve been true if Nightmare Moon was an ordinary large mare. The crowd held in amazement as their monarch demonstrated her grace once more, following the Captain’s every movement like a shadow produced by candlelight. Always dexterous enough to not bump into a much smaller stallion, but also careful enough to somehow not overshadow him despite her size. In waltz, it is always the male who needed to lead, and Nightmare Moon, of course, would not humiliate her loyal subject by taking the lead away from him.

Shortly, with little nudges from Rarity, other Guards began inviting maids to a dance of their own. Simple soldiers did not study in an academy, leaving their dancing skills sub-par, but what they lacked in studies, they compensated in enthusiasm. Although the Head Maid herself had barely avoided her hoof getting stepped on, she was still delighted to spin around the hall with a lucky private.

With the ponies dispersing all over the hall, Nightmare Moon could finally have a look at who else was present. Contently, she noted Twilight allowing herself a break from her endless notes, although not quite enough to let herself accept one of the extended hooves. Poor filly must have never received a dancing class! This was completely unacceptable! Luckily, Rarity more than compensated, she danced exquisitely!
The first guests Nightmare Moon managed to spot was the Shine clan, having a chat with some of Morning’s friends; Shadow shyly standing closeby, visibly uncomfortable without her disguise under so many gazes.
But where was Cadance? She couldn’t be seen anywhere in the hall. Nightmare Moon forcibly stopped her mind from connecting any dots, she was not to care about such things on this occasion, it would diminish the value.

Letting her Captain another smile, Nightmare Moon cautiously let him go, stopping their dance. He gave away a forlorn sigh, but obeyed her desire,
“You were wonderful, Rolling,” she commended. "Quite a gentlecolt you are, especially for a soldier."

"My pleasure, Your Majesty!" the Captain bowed. "I am honored that you would-"

"Rolling!" Nightmare Moon giggled. "Can't you relax sometimes? This is not an official ball, you need not be this stiff now."

"I... he-he... it's just a habit, sorry," the Captain brushed off, but Nightmare felt his weakness already. She proceeded to take a step to her Captain and bowed her head to his ear.

"Rolling, if you do yourself good and relax today, I'll make a dance with the Captain of The Guard a tradition for every ball," she whispered teasingly to the stallion's ear, making it perk excitedly. She then proceeded to draw away to examine the results of her play.
A delightful rosy blush was once again spreading through his cheeks,
"Carry on, Rolling," Nightmare Moon said while walking past him deliberately close and even letting her magical tail touch his side ever so lightly. Time to see how her other Princess was doing.

“Your Majesty,” Twilight threw in a tiny bow and a smile, as Nightmare Moon approached her.

“Twilight, I must say, you are still full of surprises! Shadow alerted me of your gathering, but I had no clue even as I saw it.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Twilight bowed again, “But this wasn’t my idea, all I did is help.”

“So you say, my most humble Twilight. Say, where is Cadance? I thought she is staying with you.”

“She went to find your sister, Your Majesty. We believed she shouldn’t be left out of this either, but it seems Cadance is having issues.”

“Hmm…” Nightmare Moon glanced musingly at the hall’s doors. This was curious, did Cadance somehow get lost in the palace? Or perhaps Daybreaker was causing trouble again?
“They’ll return, eventually.” Regardless, it could be dealt with later. “Twilight, you should let yourself relax more. Stallions would kill to have you for a dance.”

The lavender Princess frowned,
“I’d rather avoid unnecessary humiliation,” she dryly responded.

“Why, you are too harsh to yourself. I would not believe Celestia did not teach you to dance.”

“Well, she did but… well, I skipped the lessons whenever I could, I always preferred more… academic studying,” Twilight confessed.

“I see.” The answer was hardly surprising, but it was disappointing nonetheless, “I shall make an arrangement for you to have a few more lessons.” Twilight let go a hopeless sigh and gave her Empress a pleading look, “A Princess must know how to dance, Twilight. It is very important,” Nightmare Moon lectured, her tone leaving no room for arguments.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Twilight dully announced her surrender.

“Twilight, don’t despair. Dancing is fun!” Nightmare Moon tried to cheer the depressed Princess. “Here’s my decree to you:” -Nightmare Moon pointed to the now lonely captain standing awkwardly at one of the tables- “give Rolling another dance. It is not customary for a high-ranking officer to walk without a pair at a ball.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Twilight sighed again.

Content with the answer, Nightmare Moon left Twilight to her own misery and moved on to other creatures present.

“Mistress, I did as you ordered, but Sir Morning seemed a little wary to see me,” Shadow reported.

“Forgive him, Shadow. Sir Morning could not expect to see you at his doorstep, undisguised,” Nightmare Moon proceeded to cast a look at the group chatting fervently at the next table. “I am sure he is quite happy he did see you,” she smiled.

“Mistress, I don’t understand,” Shadow started her usual tune. “This is a violation of protocol chapter eleven point five.”

“My Shadow.” Nightmare Moon affectionately patted the changeling on her head, “Protocol can be suspended for just one day. Rules exist to regulate the everynight conduct, not to restrict initiative. Initiative is a boon, Shadow.”

“But this contradicts your own orders!” Shadow stubbornly retorted. Nightmare Moon sighed.

“My Shadow, sometimes following orders is not the best course of action,” she answered.

“This is what Princess Twilight told me, I thought this was a correct course of action. Yet, I only caused harm! Both to you and myself,” Shadow whispered the last.

“Don’t say that, you had no part in my sister’s paranoia. She had no business being there, or taking any action without my sanction.”

“Did she not use her… initiative like you said we all should? Mistress, I don’t understand! Your decrees seem to contradict each other!” Nightmare Moon began distinguishing notes of desperation in Shadow’s voice.

“Shadow, mistakes are sometimes unavoidable, everyone makes them. Do not blame my sister for not being perfectly aware of what is required of her, or yourself.”

“But… If everyone of us can make mistakes, why wouldn’t you simply issue us more direct orders, Mistress?”

“Because I too can make mistakes, my Shadow,” Nightmare Moon quietly admitted.

The seemingly obvious fact has put the poor changeling in a stupor. Nightmare Moon softly touched the speechless changeling on the shoulder,
“Why?” Shadow managed to ask. Nightmare Moon slowly shook her head, even Mistress could not know everything.

Nightmare Moon noticed the hall suddenly falling quiet. The reason for the change was quite obvious. Daybreaker was making a valiant attempt to move through the hall as casually as she could. Cadance followed her like a prison guard, noticeably pale, yet determined. All good things must end. Nightmare Moon frowned.