Night of Dreamsby HopeChaptersChapter 1. FriendsChapter 2. The Deep NightChapter 3. IsolationChapter 4. RequiemChapter 1. FriendsNight of Dreams Ch 1. Friends Twilight awoke to the hissing of rain against the leaves and windows of the library, a gentle wind rustling the branches and making the building breathe as if it was alive. Which, upon second thought, It sort of was. Twilight loved the Library. It was her home and passion all in one. In a quick motion she got up and made up her bed sheets, her horn glowing as she used her magic. Once the job was done she trotted to the stairs, leaving behind a neatly set bed that appeared unused, besides a faint glow and sparkle fading from the fabric. Everything was set for today's meeting with the Mayor about some new books Twilight wanted to order, and they had planned the meeting for some time in the afternoon, but now she would have to wait until the shower of rain had passed. It was just like the weather team to do something unexpected like this. She paused for a moment before heading downstairs to smile at the balled up blanket that hid Spike. She was proud of him, scared of the responsibility he represented, but always warmed by his presence, as a constant help and friend. Plus he helped with the library, which was an added bonus Her thoughts drifted to her other friends as she made breakfast and resumed reading her book where she had left off the previous night, chapter 12 of Trial Transportation and Teleportation. Applejack had been busy harvesting the apple trees before the rainy season to make sure they wouldn't be damaged, Rarity was trying to keep up on her orders for winter clothing and blankets whilst making time for her winter shopping spree. Pinkie Pie was working on a great party for the upcoming winter season, Fluttershy was caring for a bunch of animals who had come down with colds, and finally Rainbow Dash was keeping the rain from turning into a full blown monsoon. For a pony who was the pride of the weather team, she really needed to be more attentive on the job. All in all, Twilight hadn't had time to hang out with her friends in several days, and all the cleaning and chatting with spike was getting repetitive. <ΩΩΩ> A few hours later, Spike got up, hungry for a jewel or two. The pair ate breakfast together, managed some light reading and then tidied up the library in silence, except for a few moments where they offered normal greetings and short conversation. All was well, even if they didn't talk excitedly, they were in sync. <ΩΩΩ> The mayor arrived just after the rain broke, and the trio had a short lunch, chatting about town affairs, gardens, books, and local politics. The last subject seemed to more trouble than it was worth to Twilight , but Mayor seemed thoroughly interested. After half an hour of light small talk they managed to reach an agreement, and Twilight got the permits she needed to purchase new books for the library. Shortly after the Mayor left, Spike coughed up a scroll, which appeared out of thin air in a burst of green flame. Snatching it out of midair, he coughed a few times to clear his throat before going to get a drink of water. Twilight waited patiently for him. “I never see it coming!” he remarked before unfurling it, “It's so annoying sometimes!” Twilight rolled her eyes. “It's Princess Celestia, Checking to see if Princess Luna is in Ponyville.” Spike said, with a tone of confusion. “Are you sure she isn't telling us that Luna is on her way?” Twilight asked, trotting around to get a better view of the letter. “I'm sure, she is asking if Luna is here, I suppose we could check, it wouldn't hurt.” Spike replied, rolling up the scroll and looking out the door. “I don't see anyone running in fear. And a princess turning up anywhere is a big event, somepony would have said something at the least” The dragon scratched his chin “But the rain could be blocking out the screams of fear...” he muttered “Cut that out spike.” Twilight chastised him. “I think we made some real progress last time she was in town.” “Before or after she banned nightmare night?” <ΩΩΩ> After searching the town magically and by hoof, Twilight reluctantly had to send a letter back to the Princess, informing her that her sister was nowhere to be found. Which confused Twilight quite a bit. “Why wouldn't Luna tell her own sister of her where-abouts?” she pondered aloud. “Maybe she needed some time alone, I know a single house can get cramped after a week or two.” Spike retorted, earning himself a pillow to the back of the head. “They have a whole castle, and I've never seen them upset at each other since Luna's return.” Twilight settled herself back into her book, but was having trouble focusing on the text. Lunas disappearance was bad enough, but if Celestia herself was worried, then things had to bad. <ΩΩΩ> “No message yet?” she asked Spike a bit later, for at least the third time. “You'd be the second to kn-” And with that he burped another scroll, rolling his eyes. “Darn it!” He unrolled it and his concern showed like a beacon to Twilight, who rushed over. “I, Princess Celestia, Request the presence of Twilight sparkle and all of her close friends at the Canterlot Castle at their soonest convenience.” They read in sync, Spike following it up with “Something must really be wrong. How soon do you think you can get to Canterlot?” Twilight tapped the book she had been reading. “This will tire me out but I can get us all there this evening. I'll go get the others.” Before Spike even had time to reply, Twilight was off, rounding up her friends and getting them to promise to meet her at the library with traveling packs and supplies. <ΩΩΩ> By the time they had all arrived, Twilight was already panting with exhaustion, a purple door stood in the middle of the room, closed but shimmering with power. “Ya'll sure ya'll be able to hold the door up for us all to get through?” Applejack asked, worried at Twilight's already exhausted appearance. “We could always catch the next train.” Fluttershy suggested in her timid voice “That is...erm...if you don't mind...” “It would take too much time, the Princess asked us to the castle as soon as possible, I think it has something to do with Luna. That is why I came looking for her earlier.” Twilight took a breather, sipping some water. “If everypony is ready, we should go." Focusing her magic, Twilight unlocked and opened the shimmering door they stood before, and within the door frame a fuzzy image of the royal throne room appeared. One by one, every one of her friends, and of course Spike, filed through the door, and she went last, the portal vanishing with a pop and shower of sparks, Rarity was closest to her when she arrived, and moved to prop Twilight up on the other side. "We're here." Rainbow dash said triumphantly, as the Princess strode out of a side door and greeted the troupe. "Thank you for coming at such short notice, will you be ok Twilight?" Celestia asked, a look of worry on her face. "I'll be fine, princess." Twilight replied in an upbeat voice. Everything would be okay, now that the Princess could tell them what was going on. <ΩΩΩ> Everything was not, in fact, okay. Luna had gone missing, no notice and no letter. Celestia had shown up on the royal balcony to raise the sun, and Luna had not been there. For a while, Celestia waited, hoping her lost sister would return, but so far she had not heard from luna at all. She was worried that something might have happened, and even more frightening, she was having trouble keeping the sun up, as it was setting early already, when it should only be time for dinner. All of this was explained in calm tones, but an undercurrent of panic ran through the group. Last time they had known where Nightmare Moon was, and what to do, now Luna, or Nightmare, was nowhere to be found. "The elements of harmony, I must ask each of you to carry once more." Celestia said, concern filling her features. "But where should we go? We must search all of Equestria!" Rarity said, looking exhausted at the thought. "Each of you will be searching a different part of Equatria, with as many guards as I can spare. Rainbow dash, you will be searching the skies over the major cities, with the wonderbolts." Rainbow Dash had to restrain herself from celebrating. "Ok cool, yeah." she said, playing it off as a cough. "Rarity, you will be searching Canterlot and managing the public image, to keep ponies from panicking when... if I am unable to raise the sun." Rarity bowed, happy she wouldn't have to search the mountains stone by stone. "Fluttershy, you will be searching the Everfree forest and the mountains." Before Fluttershy's squeek of terror escaped her, Celestia continued. "Along with a full contingent of guards." Fluttershy smiled shyly and bowed as well. "Thank you." Celestia nodded back. "Applejack, you will be traveling to Applelosa and Manehatten, looking for any sign of my dear sister." Applejack bowed as well, looking quite determined. Celestia turned to pinkie pie. "Pinkie, you will be preparing a welcome home party for Luna, for when we find her." A moment of happiness, and a carefree smile crossed Celestias face before turning to the last of the group. "Besides those places, there is nowhere else Luna would have an attachment to, except for ponyville, where she originally returned from the moon." Princess Celestia turned to finally Twilight. "I want you to go back to Ponyville, take Spike, and please, let me know if Luna has been there." "You can count on me." Twilight said, before sheepishly bowing to the floor. "I don't think I can do the transport spell again... could you arrange a train?" Celestia nodded. "I'll have a train ready in an hour. Rarity, if i could talk to you about how we are going to calm the citizens." Rarity and Celestia went off to a very posh room with other important ponies, and left the other five friends to talk among themselves. "The Wonderbolts guys!" was the first comment, of course from Rainbow Dash. "Ah know, at least ill be able ta see mah relatives again, this is bad though. Plants cant grow without sunlight, Y'all, this is really bad." Applejack said, extremely worried. Twilight stayed silent while the rest of the group chatted about weather, crops, and how cold it was going to get, all she could think was a question. That Spike generously asked for her. "Why cant the Princess track her sister with magic?" The little dragon piped up. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "I'm sure shes not allowed to. They're like, sisters seriously." Spike shook his head. "Normally Celestia could have sent us all back, instead of using trains. We've seen her just 'poof' from place to place before” An awkward silence fell, finally broken as Twilight began walking towards the room that held the small meeting going on. The rest of the group stayed behind, looking quite confused. The beat of her steps sounded like a clock counting down to Twilight, and the possible answers in her head scared her. Finally she opened the door and peered in. "Yes Ms. Sparkle?" One of the other ponies asked. "I need a moment with the Princess. Now." She said calmly but firmly. "Excuse me for a moment." Celestia bowed and left the meeting, beckoning Twilight with a nod to a side room. Once inside, Celestia calmly sat, and waited for Twilight to explain herself. "Are you losing your power?" The question was blunt, with a hint of panic and fear in the question. Celestia bowed her head. "I have enough power to attempt to raise the sun once more. Then I will be unable to perform any magic." Twilight stared, mouth agape, getting ready to go into full on panic mode. "But I've seen you do magic at night before, I know you can! whats going on?" A few hairs on Twilight's mane twisted out of place, giving her a frazzled look. <ΩΩΩ> "This is not a natural night, Twilight Sparkle. And before, raising the sun was simple. Nopony was fighting back." She explained, still supremely calm. "How are you not freaking out right now?!" Twilight shouted, her mane looking more disheveled by the moment. Celestia stood and drew Twilight into a motherly hug, brushing her hair back down with one hoof. "I am the Princess of Equestria. Right now my people, especially you, need an anchor in the storm. Regardless of what happens, I must be that anchor." Twilight looked up to her lifelong tutor. "Arent you afraid?" She whispered. "Oh, terrified. But I must not show it, and nopony can know. Or they will become afraid as well." Celestia looked sad. So very sad and tired. "I'll leave you to get back to your work." Twilight said, disengaging herself from the comforting hooves. "I will. But Twilight, do not be afraid for me. I will persevere, as surely as the sun will shine." Under current circumstances, these words of parting were less than comforting, but Twilight took them to heart. <ΩΩΩ> "The princess needs to conserve her power." She lied upon returning to the group. Applejack narrowed her eyes but didn't contradict her. "The trains should be ready now.... I guess this is goodbye." Her friends all gathered around, embracing one another and talking of how soon they would all be back together. "Listen sugarcube. Ahm sure ya had a good reason ta be tellin fibs, but it still unsettles me." Applejack pulled her aside to give her a quick scolding. "It wasn't really a fib... The princess is running out of power, but I don't want everypony to panic." "We heard ya shoutin." Applejack said, with a raised eyebrow. "We sorta guessed what was goin on anyhow." Twilight hung her head. "I'm so lost Applejack! The princess has always been our guardian, if I couldn't do something, I could always count on her to help me." "It's called leaving the nest." Rainbow Dash chimed in, the chatter having died down as the two ponies talked on the side. "Every Pegasus has to do it. You don't learn to fly by sitting around waiting for it to happen in the comfort of your home. But you've got more than enough friends to help you if you need it." Dash smiled, her charismatic determination and optimism was infectious, giving Twilight a strength she had been afraid was lost. "Alright then." With a pop, Twilight summoned the elements of Harmony, doling them out like sweets. Odd really, given how they were the most powerful forces in the known world. Though quite possibly only able to be used by this close knit group of ponies. "I don't know how much they will help, but they can't hurt." "I don't get one." Spike said grumpily. "Sorry, mines taken." Dash said, with a grin. A ripple of laughter echoed through the main hall, warming it a little against the coming night. Chapter 2. The Deep NightCh 2. The Deep Night The last train ride out of Canterlot was Twilight's, The same train she had taken so many times before, the same conductor and comfy seats. Twilight felt warmed by the familiarity and felt safe here, even safer than the castle now that she was 'leaving the nest'. Spike dozed on the seat next to her, even if it wasn't technically his bedtime, the darkness made him tired so she let him rest. While pondering the day and looking out the window at the beautiful but ominous stars, Twilight was startled by a rumbling sound. She looked around, frightened, only to realize it had been her own stomach. With a bashful chuckle she got down from the seat and slowly made her was up the train to the food car, the rocking motion of the train was difficult to compensate for but she had plenty of practice. <ΩΩΩ> A plate of greens and an apple floated out of their respective cupboards and she carried them on a tray back to her cabin, munching happily on the small dinner. An hour later Twilight woke as the cabin jostled side to side roughly. She hadn't even realized that sleep had overtaken her, but now the train seemed to be rocking violently, and she could hear things falling over throughout the train. Spike awoke as well, rubbing his eyes. "I didn't do it..." He mumbled sleepily. "Stay here, I'll go see whats going on." Twilight advised him, opening her cabin door and looking outside. <ΩΩΩ> Nopony was to be seen throughout the train. She walked carefully up the length of the train to the engine, where a frantic looking unicorn was trying to kick and pull levers and wheels with wide eyes, in a panic. "Whats wrong?" twilight yelled over the clanging and wind. "Whats wrong?!" The conductor shouted in disbelief. "Everything's wrong! I can't move the levers with my magic!" He replied. "Which ones do you need moved?" The conductor pointed out which ones and how to move them, and Twilight had to strain with her magic, even to move them a little, but she managed to slow the train. "Why is our magic so weak?" Twilight asked nopony in particular. "I don't know but I cant work this train without it. We are halfway there, we will run out of steam in about half a candlemark, what are we going to do?!" Twilight calmed herself and looked to the light blue unicorn with a piece of traintrack as a cutie mark. She remembered Celestia telling her that ponies needed an anchor in the storm. Celestia, as usual, was right. "What is your name?" Twilight asked calmly, doing her best to imitate Celestia. "It's Silver Steam." he said, looking around in fright at the machine he had run for so long. "We are going to wait for the train to stop, then make camp, I'm sure you were getting ready to go to bed after this journey. we will rest then set out on hoof, and we will make it to ponyville Silver steam, I promise you that." Twilight wrote a quick letter to the princess and had Spike send it. <ΩΩΩ> "Dear Princess Celestia. Regarding our previous discussion, it appears the effect is spreading, and may be complete to all such ponies. The train will be stuck on this track within an hour, please do not let any more trains operated by magic leave their homes." <ΩΩΩ> She struggled to guide the quill properly, and then hoofed it over to Spike to finish. "Applejack was right. this is really, really bad." she said sadly. <ΩΩΩ> After Spike had sent the letter, he got her some food, and got all the luggage off the upper shelves of the cabin. Things Twilight would have normally done, but she couldn't even lift one bag with her magic. They went to the front of the train where silver had found a way to extend the life of the steam a little even though he couldn't shovel the coal properly or adjust the settings, he had detached a few of the back-most cars of the train, allowing them to coast further through the colder and colder air. The train finally ground to a halt, on a section of track before a bridge. The lonesome little group found shelter under the bridge, curling up in blankets and lighting a small fire to keep warm. All of this helped along by spike, who had the claws to grab the blankets and the flame to light the fire. Twilight had never been so grateful for his presence in her life. <ΩΩΩ> When she awoke, spike was gone. It was still very dark of course, and the full moon only helped her a little in her search. "Spike!" she called out into the darkness."Where are you?" But there was no answer. The sounds of the unnatural night seemed to mock her, there was no echo or sound but the wind which carried her calls back into her own throat. Her special assistant. Of all of the things to happen now, this had to be the worst. Twilight collapsed, staring out into the darkness, unable to bring forth light, unable to use any magic, she felt lost. <ΩΩΩ> Spike had woken to a crackle of the fire, and had looked over to Twilight's sleeping bundle of blankets. He knew this was terrible on her, magic was her talent, her cutie mark, her element! he just hoped that things would go back to normal. Or at least normal for twilight. With a grin Spike remembered all the near misses and crazy happenings they had been through, and got up to add wood to the fire. A sound outside of the circle of light made him spin around, baring his fangs angrily. "Who's there?" he called out, truly hoping nopony, or dragon for that matter, would answer. "Help!" a voice called out in the distance, making Spike jump but also urging him to action. He grabbed a burning stick as a makeshift torch, and ran into the ink black, thinking of nothing but helping somepony in trouble. <ΩΩΩ> Twilight and Silver trudged heavily through the brush and brambles together, doing their best to stick to the train track which led directly to Ponyville. Every once in a while Twilight would call out into the darkness, her voice cracking. "Spike?! where are you?" She had searched the campsite and the area around it for hours, or at least what felt like hours in the unchanging darkness. He was nowhere to be found, and a burned stick lay on the other side of the tracks next to a river. The river flowed towards Ponyville but that was no consolation to Twilight, who knew Spike couldn't swim. Tears came unbidden to her eyes, which she hid from the friendly but unapologetic conductor, who had repeatedly said that getting to town would be the best thing to focus on. "I think I see lights in the distance." He said a while later, looking the most excited he had been since the train disaster (Twilight refused to call it a ride) had started. "I think I see your brain in the distance." Twilight muttered bitterly, still concerned only for Spike and how she could find him. "What was that?" he asked cheerily. "Nothing! so you see lights? how far away?" "not sure. looks pretty far, little twink...." "Spike?!" Twilight shouted again over the wind, turning to the side as she thought she heard a noise. They stood in silence for a few moments, staring in opposite directions. Silver Steam started walking again, loaded down with saddlebags, just like she was, but with a hop in his step she could not muster. Twilight resumed her trek behind him shortly after, leaving a trail of wet droplets in the cold earth. Chapter 3. IsolationCh 3. Isolation Ponyville looked so different tonight, maybe it was because an announcement had been made that royally admitted that Luna was missing and this night may not end. Maybe it was because normally the sun would be rising, and the light would be warming the place. Maybe it was because her friends were not here. Twilight dropped Silver Steam off at the first point she could, taking her own belongings to the library and wrestling the door open with her hooves. Inside she sat dejectedly in the center of the tree that had become her home, and stared up at the windows. "Where would the princess go?" She asked out loud, before listing off the known locations she might visit. "The ruins in the Everfree Forest, The highest point in town to observe the Moon. Fluttershy's house where we first began helping her adapt, if she was scared." Twilight looked to the side, expecting to see Spike taking down a list. The pang that shot through her heart shook her out of her reverie, and she growled angrily, tossing on a cloak as she knew it was going to start getting cold, and storming out the door. As the door closed behind her, she stopped, struggled out a quill and paper, and slowly dipped it using her teeth. "GoIn To Fin NMM" was all she could write out on the paper, before sticking it halfway into the mail slot, and leaving. She just prayed the little dragon would find his way home and be able to decipher the crudely written message. <ΩΩΩ> Spike sat, coughing up water at the edge of the river, a grim look on his face as he heaved the wet and immobile form behind him a little further out of the lapping waves. "If I didn't know how to swim, I sure do now." He said in a huff. "I need some hot chocolate after that." The form he had pulled from the river groaned behind him, and he lit a fire within a few minutes, finding as much scrap wood as he could to burn along with the branch they had clung to for support in the river, and dragging the unconscious pony a bit closer to the flame. "Of all the ponies I had to rescue, did it have to be you?" he said, rolling his eyes. The form stirred and opened one eye to look at the familiar little dragon with a mixture of shame, indignation and regret. "The great and pow..... I mean I... Thank you." She said, looking away and coughing some more. "You better have a good reason for why you were following us in the first place." He said, waving a stick at her. "I do. But I will tell only Twilight Sparkle." She replied, still not looking at her savior, still caring for her wounded ego. "Go ahead and sleep Trixie, then we can make our way to Ponyville and find her." Spike sighed and looked up at the star strewn sky, wondering if it could really be that easy. <ΩΩΩ> Twilight first visited Fluttershy's house, feeding the animals like she had promised the shy Pegasus, and checking that the house was truly empty, which it was. "Next stop, highest point in the Ponyville area, the Mountain." She looked to where the black plume of smoke had once carried across the town, swallowing nervously and closing her eyes before she galloped to the base of the mountain. So she began to climb hoof by hoof up the mountain. She had done it before so she made pretty good time, guessing it had only been a few candlemarks by the time she got to the large cave they had evacuated the dragon from before. Twilight looked around, calling out for Luna several times before calling out for nightmare moon, hoping to receive silence in return. The moon shone down on her, giving the small outcropping an ethereal glow, except for one spot next to a rock to the side. Twilight approached the inky spot cautiously, knowing she had so little magic she wouldn't be able to fight off an attack right now. On the stone lay a feather which seemed to exude a black shimmering smoke. A feather of Nightmare Moon. This shocked Twilight, and for a moment she stared at it in horror. Then she noticed it was bent, broken and torn out by force. What creature would dare rip a feather from Nightmare Moon? And seeing no ponies laying around, apparently not be harmed in the event? Twilight turned, the feather now in the corner of her mouth like a farmer with a hay stalk, to look out upon the Everfree forest, which lay dark and foreboding below her. Far in the middle of the dark green expense lay the ruins in which she had first defeated Nightmare Moon, but she wondered why the alicorn would ever return there, if it was a site of such a failure. A flash of blue light from the ruins broke her out of her thought and spurred her into action, galloping down the slope as fast as she dared while keeping her balance, she didn't have enough magic to stop her descent if it got out of hoof. Despite stumbling and rolling the last bit of the rocky path, Twilight made it to the bottom of the mountain with only a few scrapes and bumps, and making good time. In the distance she could see the apple trees and lights that made up Sweet Apple Acres, and she wondered why her friends couldn't be here, why she had to be so alone. As she thought it over, scared and a bit angry, she kept up the dash to the everfree forest, finally entering the tree line and cantering past the scary trees, through the fog and monster dens, and over thin rope bridges. The ruins loomed above her, great walls of crumbling stone and rotten wood towered out of the dark, silhouetted by flashes of black and dark blue magic, sometimes interspersed with a violent green. Twilight scrambled over fallen walls and through broken archways until she could hear voices, loud and backed by magic, echoing through the place. "Please surrender, that we may help you! Have you no understanding of what you have done?" Lunas voice pleaded. "We don't understand, why did you fight this power? Why would you leave it unattended for so long, and not take it up as it rightfully demands?" A voice answered, calm and bored, but curious like a lion playing with its meal. Twilight knew this second voice was Nightmare Moon, but it sounded wrong, as though she were listening to two speakers talk at once. Finally they came into view around a pillar, Nightmare Moon's back was to twilight, her graceful horn and catlike eyes slightly aglow with green light, she tossed a blast of energy towards Luna who sat across from her at the throne end of the hall. Luna was practiced in magical defense, and seemed to still have energy to use, deflecting it without flinching. "You hath stolen a great and dangerous thing, and it will destroy you as it almost did me!" Luna replied, fear in her eyes not for herself but for the figure in front of her. Twilight didn't understand until Nightmare Moon laughed, A buzzing, disharmonious laugh. Chrysalis. Chapter 4. RequiemChapter 4. Requiem Twilight was stunned, confused, and scared. At the same time, she was furious. It was an odd sensation to say the least. Luna was being attacked, in the most literal way, by her own nightmare. As the laugh drew to a close, twilight threw herself at the imposter of Nightmare Moon. If anything it was a simple distraction, not an actual attack. The pitch black alicorn snarled, turning to look at the intruder before being blasted by a shock of pastel blue light flecked with stars, forcing the spectre away. "Twilight Sparkle!" Luna and the imposter both said in shock, as twilight used every scrap of magic at her disposal to throw one last spell, one designed to strip a changeling of its form. Nothing happened. <ΩΩΩ> Spike trudged through the bushes and undergrowth, grumbling. Of course Trixie had offered a ride on her back, but as long as she wouldn't tell him what she was up to, demanding to see twilight like this, he wouldn't treat her like a friend. Trixie had been silent for a while now, and seemed to alternate between hopeful whenever the baby dragon looked back, and depressed the rest of the time. The night made it feel like they were the only two living creatures in all of Equestria, and Spike wondered how Twilight was doing without him. Given her track record, probably very well, but he still worried. "I'll tell you ... if you promise not to tell anypony." Trixie finally said, sitting down with a muffled whump. "Finally!" Spike said, spinning around and crossing his arms. "I'm sure you remember me leaving Ponyville..." "Running away from Ponyville." Spike corrected, noticing with a little regret that Trixie winced and resumed her story, staring at the ground. <ΩΩΩ> Trixie had left Ponyville without anything. Her cart with its fireworks and props had been left in the centre of town and was soon moved into storage in case she returned, but she didn't have the heart to come back. She had wandered Equestria, first trying her shows without the cart, but quickly being shown up by more experienced or talented unicorns. A month later she had ended up curled up in a barn someone had been nice enough to let her sleep in, eating grass she had picked off the side of the road. Trixie was miserable, utterly unhappy, and she hadn't even had a chance to perform her tricks, which she had always been proud of. Trixie was not great and powerful, but she had a knack for the little tricks and spells that were used to put on a good show. She started sitting in a park on the outskirts of Manehattan, practicing her little tricks in silence, her dishevelled hat and torn cape no longer resplendent but a fading purple. She was surprised when one day she looked up to see a pair of foals watching her with great interest. She smiled and pulled a bit from behind one of their ears, pride and tears welling up inside of her as the awestruck giggles of the children warmed her. Becoming a performer had been challenging and she had to do something special and brag about things she had never done to stun the crowd, but these children were happy with the simplest of her tricks, never needing an elaborate ruse to be enchanted. For several weeks after that, Trixie had become a party magician. She cared not if she only was paid in food, lodging and smiles, she was happier than she had been spreading lies across Equestria for bits. Trixie had a renewed sense of herself, not as a liar and trickster, but as a humble magician. Her simple tricks were often more practiced and fluid than some of the most powerful unicorns attempts she had seen, and she knew her calling was the subtle, finer things magic could bring. Like a smile on a child's face. The faces of the ponies she had deceived in Ponyville haunted her, however. Many nights were spent practicing a spell she had more recently learned, which summoned a soft purple firework which wasn't loud and flashy like all the ones she had used before, but instead flashed with a soft light before shedding sparkling lights to the ground. A very poignant reminder of the pony she had so quickly dismissed and lied to, before being saved by that same pony. She left Manehattan for Canterlot a while later, then catching a late train for Ponyville when she had been stunned to discover Twilight Sparkle walking past her cabin to the food car! She hid herself, not ready to offer her apology yet, and scared what Twilight would think of a previously rude pony seeming to follow her. When the train stopped Trixie had climbed out the train window, but slipped and fell on her way towards the front of the train to get to the other side of the tracks. Trixie hung onto the branch for as long as she could before finally crying out, not knowing what else to do. <ΩΩΩ> Spike wiped a tear from beneath his eye but pretended like it had never been there. "So your here to apologize." He said quietly. Trixie nodded, still downcast. "And hopefully, to offer my friendship. But if what you have told me about the current situation is true, she is likely too busy to even listen to me." Trixie absentmindedly threw up the soft purple firework with a sad smile. Spike watched it appreciatively before a look of confusion passed his features. "How did you do that?" He asked demandingly. Trixie was taken aback. "It's a simple spell really, It uses a burst of energy to make colour and..." "No, you don't get it. You shouldn't be able to do any magic at all!" Spike said, waving his arms excitedly. Trixie threw up another poof of colour. "But I can." She said simply. "Twilight needs to see this." Spike said. "She and the conductor lost their magic earlier, and they need to know you can still use yours." Trixie tried to lift up a rock but panted from the effort. "Just my flashy stuff." She said, disappointed. Then she reached a hoof behind Spike's ear, pulling out a bit. "Well, a kids show is better than no show at all." Spike said with a smile. "Now, how about that ride?" <ΩΩΩ> The three stood in the hall for several moments, before Nightmare Moon snarled a second time, and took off, fleeing in the moment of confusion. Twilight fell to her knees, staring at the retreating form. "I don't understand... That should have fixed it." she said, panting and trying to stay awake as the world swam in front of her eyes from the sheer effort required to cast the spell. The gentle touch of a hoof on her shoulder shook her out of it, and she looked up to see Luna who carried a sad smile. "Princess Luna! We have to go to the castle; we need to raise the sun!" Twilight said in a panic, struggling to stand. Luna simply shook her head. "Child, I am simply the Princess of the night now. No longer am I Princess of the moon. The darkness I held within me allowed me to connect with the desolate, lonely sphere, to grasp its power. That creature, the changeling, has taken Nightmare Moon from me." Twilight stared in shock. At some level she realized that Luna was small, she looked just like she had immediately after the first defeat of Nightmare Moon, not the regal figure she had cut in the appearances since. "You have to have both ... a balance." Twilight said, realization dawning. Luna nodded, looking up at the night sky. "How did this happen?" Twilight asked, no longer struggling to stand, but trying to gather her strength. "I have a great love for the night, the moon, for all that Nightmare Moon and I share. That creature managed to discover this love, and pull it from me. I began loving the shadows, obsessing over darkening everything around me when I could hide it, but I am no stranger to magic of the mind. Not after the last thousand years." Luna sighed. "I discovered the connection, but it was too late, I did not fall into a trance as was intended, but as I raised the moon, Nightmare herself found a more eager vessel in those shadows I had began cultivating." "Chrysalis." Twilight finished breathlessly. A nod was her answer. Twilight's head spun, this explanation did not lend itself to an easy fix. "Why is Celestia losing her power?" Twilight asked. Luna finally sat next to Twilight. "So many questions. Though this one is important. Nightmare moon and I jointly control the flow of magic through the moon. In the past this did not help our ... Her ... attempts at taking over, as there was no way to truly stop the flow, only to increase it in one spot to drain it from another. Now there exists a duality. Two Sisters of the Night, pulling at the same connection. And with her greedy consumption of as much power as possible, I can only contain her and defend myself by using the rest." Twilight thought she understood, but know there were likely books to be written on the subject before anypony could really grasp it. "Should we contact Celestia?" Twilight asked. "If I reach out to my sister, Nightmare moon will panic, and I will never recover her, to be whole again." A branch snapping in the distance broke them out of their conversation and a blue flame surrounded Luna as she spun to face the intruders. Twilight stared, even more confused than before. "Spike, what is she doing here?" she said, pointing an accusing hoof at the pastel blue pony, who seemed to shrink away from it as though it was a blast of energy. "Hey, hear her out Twilight. I think this might be a chance to fix all this. Also, your hoof-writing is terrible." He said, panting as he held out the hastily scribbled note she had left.
Chapter 1. FriendsNight of Dreams Ch 1. Friends Twilight awoke to the hissing of rain against the leaves and windows of the library, a gentle wind rustling the branches and making the building breathe as if it was alive. Which, upon second thought, It sort of was. Twilight loved the Library. It was her home and passion all in one. In a quick motion she got up and made up her bed sheets, her horn glowing as she used her magic. Once the job was done she trotted to the stairs, leaving behind a neatly set bed that appeared unused, besides a faint glow and sparkle fading from the fabric. Everything was set for today's meeting with the Mayor about some new books Twilight wanted to order, and they had planned the meeting for some time in the afternoon, but now she would have to wait until the shower of rain had passed. It was just like the weather team to do something unexpected like this. She paused for a moment before heading downstairs to smile at the balled up blanket that hid Spike. She was proud of him, scared of the responsibility he represented, but always warmed by his presence, as a constant help and friend. Plus he helped with the library, which was an added bonus Her thoughts drifted to her other friends as she made breakfast and resumed reading her book where she had left off the previous night, chapter 12 of Trial Transportation and Teleportation. Applejack had been busy harvesting the apple trees before the rainy season to make sure they wouldn't be damaged, Rarity was trying to keep up on her orders for winter clothing and blankets whilst making time for her winter shopping spree. Pinkie Pie was working on a great party for the upcoming winter season, Fluttershy was caring for a bunch of animals who had come down with colds, and finally Rainbow Dash was keeping the rain from turning into a full blown monsoon. For a pony who was the pride of the weather team, she really needed to be more attentive on the job. All in all, Twilight hadn't had time to hang out with her friends in several days, and all the cleaning and chatting with spike was getting repetitive. <ΩΩΩ> A few hours later, Spike got up, hungry for a jewel or two. The pair ate breakfast together, managed some light reading and then tidied up the library in silence, except for a few moments where they offered normal greetings and short conversation. All was well, even if they didn't talk excitedly, they were in sync. <ΩΩΩ> The mayor arrived just after the rain broke, and the trio had a short lunch, chatting about town affairs, gardens, books, and local politics. The last subject seemed to more trouble than it was worth to Twilight , but Mayor seemed thoroughly interested. After half an hour of light small talk they managed to reach an agreement, and Twilight got the permits she needed to purchase new books for the library. Shortly after the Mayor left, Spike coughed up a scroll, which appeared out of thin air in a burst of green flame. Snatching it out of midair, he coughed a few times to clear his throat before going to get a drink of water. Twilight waited patiently for him. “I never see it coming!” he remarked before unfurling it, “It's so annoying sometimes!” Twilight rolled her eyes. “It's Princess Celestia, Checking to see if Princess Luna is in Ponyville.” Spike said, with a tone of confusion. “Are you sure she isn't telling us that Luna is on her way?” Twilight asked, trotting around to get a better view of the letter. “I'm sure, she is asking if Luna is here, I suppose we could check, it wouldn't hurt.” Spike replied, rolling up the scroll and looking out the door. “I don't see anyone running in fear. And a princess turning up anywhere is a big event, somepony would have said something at the least” The dragon scratched his chin “But the rain could be blocking out the screams of fear...” he muttered “Cut that out spike.” Twilight chastised him. “I think we made some real progress last time she was in town.” “Before or after she banned nightmare night?” <ΩΩΩ> After searching the town magically and by hoof, Twilight reluctantly had to send a letter back to the Princess, informing her that her sister was nowhere to be found. Which confused Twilight quite a bit. “Why wouldn't Luna tell her own sister of her where-abouts?” she pondered aloud. “Maybe she needed some time alone, I know a single house can get cramped after a week or two.” Spike retorted, earning himself a pillow to the back of the head. “They have a whole castle, and I've never seen them upset at each other since Luna's return.” Twilight settled herself back into her book, but was having trouble focusing on the text. Lunas disappearance was bad enough, but if Celestia herself was worried, then things had to bad. <ΩΩΩ> “No message yet?” she asked Spike a bit later, for at least the third time. “You'd be the second to kn-” And with that he burped another scroll, rolling his eyes. “Darn it!” He unrolled it and his concern showed like a beacon to Twilight, who rushed over. “I, Princess Celestia, Request the presence of Twilight sparkle and all of her close friends at the Canterlot Castle at their soonest convenience.” They read in sync, Spike following it up with “Something must really be wrong. How soon do you think you can get to Canterlot?” Twilight tapped the book she had been reading. “This will tire me out but I can get us all there this evening. I'll go get the others.” Before Spike even had time to reply, Twilight was off, rounding up her friends and getting them to promise to meet her at the library with traveling packs and supplies. <ΩΩΩ> By the time they had all arrived, Twilight was already panting with exhaustion, a purple door stood in the middle of the room, closed but shimmering with power. “Ya'll sure ya'll be able to hold the door up for us all to get through?” Applejack asked, worried at Twilight's already exhausted appearance. “We could always catch the next train.” Fluttershy suggested in her timid voice “That is...erm...if you don't mind...” “It would take too much time, the Princess asked us to the castle as soon as possible, I think it has something to do with Luna. That is why I came looking for her earlier.” Twilight took a breather, sipping some water. “If everypony is ready, we should go." Focusing her magic, Twilight unlocked and opened the shimmering door they stood before, and within the door frame a fuzzy image of the royal throne room appeared. One by one, every one of her friends, and of course Spike, filed through the door, and she went last, the portal vanishing with a pop and shower of sparks, Rarity was closest to her when she arrived, and moved to prop Twilight up on the other side. "We're here." Rainbow dash said triumphantly, as the Princess strode out of a side door and greeted the troupe. "Thank you for coming at such short notice, will you be ok Twilight?" Celestia asked, a look of worry on her face. "I'll be fine, princess." Twilight replied in an upbeat voice. Everything would be okay, now that the Princess could tell them what was going on. <ΩΩΩ> Everything was not, in fact, okay. Luna had gone missing, no notice and no letter. Celestia had shown up on the royal balcony to raise the sun, and Luna had not been there. For a while, Celestia waited, hoping her lost sister would return, but so far she had not heard from luna at all. She was worried that something might have happened, and even more frightening, she was having trouble keeping the sun up, as it was setting early already, when it should only be time for dinner. All of this was explained in calm tones, but an undercurrent of panic ran through the group. Last time they had known where Nightmare Moon was, and what to do, now Luna, or Nightmare, was nowhere to be found. "The elements of harmony, I must ask each of you to carry once more." Celestia said, concern filling her features. "But where should we go? We must search all of Equestria!" Rarity said, looking exhausted at the thought. "Each of you will be searching a different part of Equatria, with as many guards as I can spare. Rainbow dash, you will be searching the skies over the major cities, with the wonderbolts." Rainbow Dash had to restrain herself from celebrating. "Ok cool, yeah." she said, playing it off as a cough. "Rarity, you will be searching Canterlot and managing the public image, to keep ponies from panicking when... if I am unable to raise the sun." Rarity bowed, happy she wouldn't have to search the mountains stone by stone. "Fluttershy, you will be searching the Everfree forest and the mountains." Before Fluttershy's squeek of terror escaped her, Celestia continued. "Along with a full contingent of guards." Fluttershy smiled shyly and bowed as well. "Thank you." Celestia nodded back. "Applejack, you will be traveling to Applelosa and Manehatten, looking for any sign of my dear sister." Applejack bowed as well, looking quite determined. Celestia turned to pinkie pie. "Pinkie, you will be preparing a welcome home party for Luna, for when we find her." A moment of happiness, and a carefree smile crossed Celestias face before turning to the last of the group. "Besides those places, there is nowhere else Luna would have an attachment to, except for ponyville, where she originally returned from the moon." Princess Celestia turned to finally Twilight. "I want you to go back to Ponyville, take Spike, and please, let me know if Luna has been there." "You can count on me." Twilight said, before sheepishly bowing to the floor. "I don't think I can do the transport spell again... could you arrange a train?" Celestia nodded. "I'll have a train ready in an hour. Rarity, if i could talk to you about how we are going to calm the citizens." Rarity and Celestia went off to a very posh room with other important ponies, and left the other five friends to talk among themselves. "The Wonderbolts guys!" was the first comment, of course from Rainbow Dash. "Ah know, at least ill be able ta see mah relatives again, this is bad though. Plants cant grow without sunlight, Y'all, this is really bad." Applejack said, extremely worried. Twilight stayed silent while the rest of the group chatted about weather, crops, and how cold it was going to get, all she could think was a question. That Spike generously asked for her. "Why cant the Princess track her sister with magic?" The little dragon piped up. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "I'm sure shes not allowed to. They're like, sisters seriously." Spike shook his head. "Normally Celestia could have sent us all back, instead of using trains. We've seen her just 'poof' from place to place before” An awkward silence fell, finally broken as Twilight began walking towards the room that held the small meeting going on. The rest of the group stayed behind, looking quite confused. The beat of her steps sounded like a clock counting down to Twilight, and the possible answers in her head scared her. Finally she opened the door and peered in. "Yes Ms. Sparkle?" One of the other ponies asked. "I need a moment with the Princess. Now." She said calmly but firmly. "Excuse me for a moment." Celestia bowed and left the meeting, beckoning Twilight with a nod to a side room. Once inside, Celestia calmly sat, and waited for Twilight to explain herself. "Are you losing your power?" The question was blunt, with a hint of panic and fear in the question. Celestia bowed her head. "I have enough power to attempt to raise the sun once more. Then I will be unable to perform any magic." Twilight stared, mouth agape, getting ready to go into full on panic mode. "But I've seen you do magic at night before, I know you can! whats going on?" A few hairs on Twilight's mane twisted out of place, giving her a frazzled look. <ΩΩΩ> "This is not a natural night, Twilight Sparkle. And before, raising the sun was simple. Nopony was fighting back." She explained, still supremely calm. "How are you not freaking out right now?!" Twilight shouted, her mane looking more disheveled by the moment. Celestia stood and drew Twilight into a motherly hug, brushing her hair back down with one hoof. "I am the Princess of Equestria. Right now my people, especially you, need an anchor in the storm. Regardless of what happens, I must be that anchor." Twilight looked up to her lifelong tutor. "Arent you afraid?" She whispered. "Oh, terrified. But I must not show it, and nopony can know. Or they will become afraid as well." Celestia looked sad. So very sad and tired. "I'll leave you to get back to your work." Twilight said, disengaging herself from the comforting hooves. "I will. But Twilight, do not be afraid for me. I will persevere, as surely as the sun will shine." Under current circumstances, these words of parting were less than comforting, but Twilight took them to heart. <ΩΩΩ> "The princess needs to conserve her power." She lied upon returning to the group. Applejack narrowed her eyes but didn't contradict her. "The trains should be ready now.... I guess this is goodbye." Her friends all gathered around, embracing one another and talking of how soon they would all be back together. "Listen sugarcube. Ahm sure ya had a good reason ta be tellin fibs, but it still unsettles me." Applejack pulled her aside to give her a quick scolding. "It wasn't really a fib... The princess is running out of power, but I don't want everypony to panic." "We heard ya shoutin." Applejack said, with a raised eyebrow. "We sorta guessed what was goin on anyhow." Twilight hung her head. "I'm so lost Applejack! The princess has always been our guardian, if I couldn't do something, I could always count on her to help me." "It's called leaving the nest." Rainbow Dash chimed in, the chatter having died down as the two ponies talked on the side. "Every Pegasus has to do it. You don't learn to fly by sitting around waiting for it to happen in the comfort of your home. But you've got more than enough friends to help you if you need it." Dash smiled, her charismatic determination and optimism was infectious, giving Twilight a strength she had been afraid was lost. "Alright then." With a pop, Twilight summoned the elements of Harmony, doling them out like sweets. Odd really, given how they were the most powerful forces in the known world. Though quite possibly only able to be used by this close knit group of ponies. "I don't know how much they will help, but they can't hurt." "I don't get one." Spike said grumpily. "Sorry, mines taken." Dash said, with a grin. A ripple of laughter echoed through the main hall, warming it a little against the coming night.
Chapter 2. The Deep NightCh 2. The Deep Night The last train ride out of Canterlot was Twilight's, The same train she had taken so many times before, the same conductor and comfy seats. Twilight felt warmed by the familiarity and felt safe here, even safer than the castle now that she was 'leaving the nest'. Spike dozed on the seat next to her, even if it wasn't technically his bedtime, the darkness made him tired so she let him rest. While pondering the day and looking out the window at the beautiful but ominous stars, Twilight was startled by a rumbling sound. She looked around, frightened, only to realize it had been her own stomach. With a bashful chuckle she got down from the seat and slowly made her was up the train to the food car, the rocking motion of the train was difficult to compensate for but she had plenty of practice. <ΩΩΩ> A plate of greens and an apple floated out of their respective cupboards and she carried them on a tray back to her cabin, munching happily on the small dinner. An hour later Twilight woke as the cabin jostled side to side roughly. She hadn't even realized that sleep had overtaken her, but now the train seemed to be rocking violently, and she could hear things falling over throughout the train. Spike awoke as well, rubbing his eyes. "I didn't do it..." He mumbled sleepily. "Stay here, I'll go see whats going on." Twilight advised him, opening her cabin door and looking outside. <ΩΩΩ> Nopony was to be seen throughout the train. She walked carefully up the length of the train to the engine, where a frantic looking unicorn was trying to kick and pull levers and wheels with wide eyes, in a panic. "Whats wrong?" twilight yelled over the clanging and wind. "Whats wrong?!" The conductor shouted in disbelief. "Everything's wrong! I can't move the levers with my magic!" He replied. "Which ones do you need moved?" The conductor pointed out which ones and how to move them, and Twilight had to strain with her magic, even to move them a little, but she managed to slow the train. "Why is our magic so weak?" Twilight asked nopony in particular. "I don't know but I cant work this train without it. We are halfway there, we will run out of steam in about half a candlemark, what are we going to do?!" Twilight calmed herself and looked to the light blue unicorn with a piece of traintrack as a cutie mark. She remembered Celestia telling her that ponies needed an anchor in the storm. Celestia, as usual, was right. "What is your name?" Twilight asked calmly, doing her best to imitate Celestia. "It's Silver Steam." he said, looking around in fright at the machine he had run for so long. "We are going to wait for the train to stop, then make camp, I'm sure you were getting ready to go to bed after this journey. we will rest then set out on hoof, and we will make it to ponyville Silver steam, I promise you that." Twilight wrote a quick letter to the princess and had Spike send it. <ΩΩΩ> "Dear Princess Celestia. Regarding our previous discussion, it appears the effect is spreading, and may be complete to all such ponies. The train will be stuck on this track within an hour, please do not let any more trains operated by magic leave their homes." <ΩΩΩ> She struggled to guide the quill properly, and then hoofed it over to Spike to finish. "Applejack was right. this is really, really bad." she said sadly. <ΩΩΩ> After Spike had sent the letter, he got her some food, and got all the luggage off the upper shelves of the cabin. Things Twilight would have normally done, but she couldn't even lift one bag with her magic. They went to the front of the train where silver had found a way to extend the life of the steam a little even though he couldn't shovel the coal properly or adjust the settings, he had detached a few of the back-most cars of the train, allowing them to coast further through the colder and colder air. The train finally ground to a halt, on a section of track before a bridge. The lonesome little group found shelter under the bridge, curling up in blankets and lighting a small fire to keep warm. All of this helped along by spike, who had the claws to grab the blankets and the flame to light the fire. Twilight had never been so grateful for his presence in her life. <ΩΩΩ> When she awoke, spike was gone. It was still very dark of course, and the full moon only helped her a little in her search. "Spike!" she called out into the darkness."Where are you?" But there was no answer. The sounds of the unnatural night seemed to mock her, there was no echo or sound but the wind which carried her calls back into her own throat. Her special assistant. Of all of the things to happen now, this had to be the worst. Twilight collapsed, staring out into the darkness, unable to bring forth light, unable to use any magic, she felt lost. <ΩΩΩ> Spike had woken to a crackle of the fire, and had looked over to Twilight's sleeping bundle of blankets. He knew this was terrible on her, magic was her talent, her cutie mark, her element! he just hoped that things would go back to normal. Or at least normal for twilight. With a grin Spike remembered all the near misses and crazy happenings they had been through, and got up to add wood to the fire. A sound outside of the circle of light made him spin around, baring his fangs angrily. "Who's there?" he called out, truly hoping nopony, or dragon for that matter, would answer. "Help!" a voice called out in the distance, making Spike jump but also urging him to action. He grabbed a burning stick as a makeshift torch, and ran into the ink black, thinking of nothing but helping somepony in trouble. <ΩΩΩ> Twilight and Silver trudged heavily through the brush and brambles together, doing their best to stick to the train track which led directly to Ponyville. Every once in a while Twilight would call out into the darkness, her voice cracking. "Spike?! where are you?" She had searched the campsite and the area around it for hours, or at least what felt like hours in the unchanging darkness. He was nowhere to be found, and a burned stick lay on the other side of the tracks next to a river. The river flowed towards Ponyville but that was no consolation to Twilight, who knew Spike couldn't swim. Tears came unbidden to her eyes, which she hid from the friendly but unapologetic conductor, who had repeatedly said that getting to town would be the best thing to focus on. "I think I see lights in the distance." He said a while later, looking the most excited he had been since the train disaster (Twilight refused to call it a ride) had started. "I think I see your brain in the distance." Twilight muttered bitterly, still concerned only for Spike and how she could find him. "What was that?" he asked cheerily. "Nothing! so you see lights? how far away?" "not sure. looks pretty far, little twink...." "Spike?!" Twilight shouted again over the wind, turning to the side as she thought she heard a noise. They stood in silence for a few moments, staring in opposite directions. Silver Steam started walking again, loaded down with saddlebags, just like she was, but with a hop in his step she could not muster. Twilight resumed her trek behind him shortly after, leaving a trail of wet droplets in the cold earth.
Chapter 3. IsolationCh 3. Isolation Ponyville looked so different tonight, maybe it was because an announcement had been made that royally admitted that Luna was missing and this night may not end. Maybe it was because normally the sun would be rising, and the light would be warming the place. Maybe it was because her friends were not here. Twilight dropped Silver Steam off at the first point she could, taking her own belongings to the library and wrestling the door open with her hooves. Inside she sat dejectedly in the center of the tree that had become her home, and stared up at the windows. "Where would the princess go?" She asked out loud, before listing off the known locations she might visit. "The ruins in the Everfree Forest, The highest point in town to observe the Moon. Fluttershy's house where we first began helping her adapt, if she was scared." Twilight looked to the side, expecting to see Spike taking down a list. The pang that shot through her heart shook her out of her reverie, and she growled angrily, tossing on a cloak as she knew it was going to start getting cold, and storming out the door. As the door closed behind her, she stopped, struggled out a quill and paper, and slowly dipped it using her teeth. "GoIn To Fin NMM" was all she could write out on the paper, before sticking it halfway into the mail slot, and leaving. She just prayed the little dragon would find his way home and be able to decipher the crudely written message. <ΩΩΩ> Spike sat, coughing up water at the edge of the river, a grim look on his face as he heaved the wet and immobile form behind him a little further out of the lapping waves. "If I didn't know how to swim, I sure do now." He said in a huff. "I need some hot chocolate after that." The form he had pulled from the river groaned behind him, and he lit a fire within a few minutes, finding as much scrap wood as he could to burn along with the branch they had clung to for support in the river, and dragging the unconscious pony a bit closer to the flame. "Of all the ponies I had to rescue, did it have to be you?" he said, rolling his eyes. The form stirred and opened one eye to look at the familiar little dragon with a mixture of shame, indignation and regret. "The great and pow..... I mean I... Thank you." She said, looking away and coughing some more. "You better have a good reason for why you were following us in the first place." He said, waving a stick at her. "I do. But I will tell only Twilight Sparkle." She replied, still not looking at her savior, still caring for her wounded ego. "Go ahead and sleep Trixie, then we can make our way to Ponyville and find her." Spike sighed and looked up at the star strewn sky, wondering if it could really be that easy. <ΩΩΩ> Twilight first visited Fluttershy's house, feeding the animals like she had promised the shy Pegasus, and checking that the house was truly empty, which it was. "Next stop, highest point in the Ponyville area, the Mountain." She looked to where the black plume of smoke had once carried across the town, swallowing nervously and closing her eyes before she galloped to the base of the mountain. So she began to climb hoof by hoof up the mountain. She had done it before so she made pretty good time, guessing it had only been a few candlemarks by the time she got to the large cave they had evacuated the dragon from before. Twilight looked around, calling out for Luna several times before calling out for nightmare moon, hoping to receive silence in return. The moon shone down on her, giving the small outcropping an ethereal glow, except for one spot next to a rock to the side. Twilight approached the inky spot cautiously, knowing she had so little magic she wouldn't be able to fight off an attack right now. On the stone lay a feather which seemed to exude a black shimmering smoke. A feather of Nightmare Moon. This shocked Twilight, and for a moment she stared at it in horror. Then she noticed it was bent, broken and torn out by force. What creature would dare rip a feather from Nightmare Moon? And seeing no ponies laying around, apparently not be harmed in the event? Twilight turned, the feather now in the corner of her mouth like a farmer with a hay stalk, to look out upon the Everfree forest, which lay dark and foreboding below her. Far in the middle of the dark green expense lay the ruins in which she had first defeated Nightmare Moon, but she wondered why the alicorn would ever return there, if it was a site of such a failure. A flash of blue light from the ruins broke her out of her thought and spurred her into action, galloping down the slope as fast as she dared while keeping her balance, she didn't have enough magic to stop her descent if it got out of hoof. Despite stumbling and rolling the last bit of the rocky path, Twilight made it to the bottom of the mountain with only a few scrapes and bumps, and making good time. In the distance she could see the apple trees and lights that made up Sweet Apple Acres, and she wondered why her friends couldn't be here, why she had to be so alone. As she thought it over, scared and a bit angry, she kept up the dash to the everfree forest, finally entering the tree line and cantering past the scary trees, through the fog and monster dens, and over thin rope bridges. The ruins loomed above her, great walls of crumbling stone and rotten wood towered out of the dark, silhouetted by flashes of black and dark blue magic, sometimes interspersed with a violent green. Twilight scrambled over fallen walls and through broken archways until she could hear voices, loud and backed by magic, echoing through the place. "Please surrender, that we may help you! Have you no understanding of what you have done?" Lunas voice pleaded. "We don't understand, why did you fight this power? Why would you leave it unattended for so long, and not take it up as it rightfully demands?" A voice answered, calm and bored, but curious like a lion playing with its meal. Twilight knew this second voice was Nightmare Moon, but it sounded wrong, as though she were listening to two speakers talk at once. Finally they came into view around a pillar, Nightmare Moon's back was to twilight, her graceful horn and catlike eyes slightly aglow with green light, she tossed a blast of energy towards Luna who sat across from her at the throne end of the hall. Luna was practiced in magical defense, and seemed to still have energy to use, deflecting it without flinching. "You hath stolen a great and dangerous thing, and it will destroy you as it almost did me!" Luna replied, fear in her eyes not for herself but for the figure in front of her. Twilight didn't understand until Nightmare Moon laughed, A buzzing, disharmonious laugh. Chrysalis.
Chapter 4. RequiemChapter 4. Requiem Twilight was stunned, confused, and scared. At the same time, she was furious. It was an odd sensation to say the least. Luna was being attacked, in the most literal way, by her own nightmare. As the laugh drew to a close, twilight threw herself at the imposter of Nightmare Moon. If anything it was a simple distraction, not an actual attack. The pitch black alicorn snarled, turning to look at the intruder before being blasted by a shock of pastel blue light flecked with stars, forcing the spectre away. "Twilight Sparkle!" Luna and the imposter both said in shock, as twilight used every scrap of magic at her disposal to throw one last spell, one designed to strip a changeling of its form. Nothing happened. <ΩΩΩ> Spike trudged through the bushes and undergrowth, grumbling. Of course Trixie had offered a ride on her back, but as long as she wouldn't tell him what she was up to, demanding to see twilight like this, he wouldn't treat her like a friend. Trixie had been silent for a while now, and seemed to alternate between hopeful whenever the baby dragon looked back, and depressed the rest of the time. The night made it feel like they were the only two living creatures in all of Equestria, and Spike wondered how Twilight was doing without him. Given her track record, probably very well, but he still worried. "I'll tell you ... if you promise not to tell anypony." Trixie finally said, sitting down with a muffled whump. "Finally!" Spike said, spinning around and crossing his arms. "I'm sure you remember me leaving Ponyville..." "Running away from Ponyville." Spike corrected, noticing with a little regret that Trixie winced and resumed her story, staring at the ground. <ΩΩΩ> Trixie had left Ponyville without anything. Her cart with its fireworks and props had been left in the centre of town and was soon moved into storage in case she returned, but she didn't have the heart to come back. She had wandered Equestria, first trying her shows without the cart, but quickly being shown up by more experienced or talented unicorns. A month later she had ended up curled up in a barn someone had been nice enough to let her sleep in, eating grass she had picked off the side of the road. Trixie was miserable, utterly unhappy, and she hadn't even had a chance to perform her tricks, which she had always been proud of. Trixie was not great and powerful, but she had a knack for the little tricks and spells that were used to put on a good show. She started sitting in a park on the outskirts of Manehattan, practicing her little tricks in silence, her dishevelled hat and torn cape no longer resplendent but a fading purple. She was surprised when one day she looked up to see a pair of foals watching her with great interest. She smiled and pulled a bit from behind one of their ears, pride and tears welling up inside of her as the awestruck giggles of the children warmed her. Becoming a performer had been challenging and she had to do something special and brag about things she had never done to stun the crowd, but these children were happy with the simplest of her tricks, never needing an elaborate ruse to be enchanted. For several weeks after that, Trixie had become a party magician. She cared not if she only was paid in food, lodging and smiles, she was happier than she had been spreading lies across Equestria for bits. Trixie had a renewed sense of herself, not as a liar and trickster, but as a humble magician. Her simple tricks were often more practiced and fluid than some of the most powerful unicorns attempts she had seen, and she knew her calling was the subtle, finer things magic could bring. Like a smile on a child's face. The faces of the ponies she had deceived in Ponyville haunted her, however. Many nights were spent practicing a spell she had more recently learned, which summoned a soft purple firework which wasn't loud and flashy like all the ones she had used before, but instead flashed with a soft light before shedding sparkling lights to the ground. A very poignant reminder of the pony she had so quickly dismissed and lied to, before being saved by that same pony. She left Manehattan for Canterlot a while later, then catching a late train for Ponyville when she had been stunned to discover Twilight Sparkle walking past her cabin to the food car! She hid herself, not ready to offer her apology yet, and scared what Twilight would think of a previously rude pony seeming to follow her. When the train stopped Trixie had climbed out the train window, but slipped and fell on her way towards the front of the train to get to the other side of the tracks. Trixie hung onto the branch for as long as she could before finally crying out, not knowing what else to do. <ΩΩΩ> Spike wiped a tear from beneath his eye but pretended like it had never been there. "So your here to apologize." He said quietly. Trixie nodded, still downcast. "And hopefully, to offer my friendship. But if what you have told me about the current situation is true, she is likely too busy to even listen to me." Trixie absentmindedly threw up the soft purple firework with a sad smile. Spike watched it appreciatively before a look of confusion passed his features. "How did you do that?" He asked demandingly. Trixie was taken aback. "It's a simple spell really, It uses a burst of energy to make colour and..." "No, you don't get it. You shouldn't be able to do any magic at all!" Spike said, waving his arms excitedly. Trixie threw up another poof of colour. "But I can." She said simply. "Twilight needs to see this." Spike said. "She and the conductor lost their magic earlier, and they need to know you can still use yours." Trixie tried to lift up a rock but panted from the effort. "Just my flashy stuff." She said, disappointed. Then she reached a hoof behind Spike's ear, pulling out a bit. "Well, a kids show is better than no show at all." Spike said with a smile. "Now, how about that ride?" <ΩΩΩ> The three stood in the hall for several moments, before Nightmare Moon snarled a second time, and took off, fleeing in the moment of confusion. Twilight fell to her knees, staring at the retreating form. "I don't understand... That should have fixed it." she said, panting and trying to stay awake as the world swam in front of her eyes from the sheer effort required to cast the spell. The gentle touch of a hoof on her shoulder shook her out of it, and she looked up to see Luna who carried a sad smile. "Princess Luna! We have to go to the castle; we need to raise the sun!" Twilight said in a panic, struggling to stand. Luna simply shook her head. "Child, I am simply the Princess of the night now. No longer am I Princess of the moon. The darkness I held within me allowed me to connect with the desolate, lonely sphere, to grasp its power. That creature, the changeling, has taken Nightmare Moon from me." Twilight stared in shock. At some level she realized that Luna was small, she looked just like she had immediately after the first defeat of Nightmare Moon, not the regal figure she had cut in the appearances since. "You have to have both ... a balance." Twilight said, realization dawning. Luna nodded, looking up at the night sky. "How did this happen?" Twilight asked, no longer struggling to stand, but trying to gather her strength. "I have a great love for the night, the moon, for all that Nightmare Moon and I share. That creature managed to discover this love, and pull it from me. I began loving the shadows, obsessing over darkening everything around me when I could hide it, but I am no stranger to magic of the mind. Not after the last thousand years." Luna sighed. "I discovered the connection, but it was too late, I did not fall into a trance as was intended, but as I raised the moon, Nightmare herself found a more eager vessel in those shadows I had began cultivating." "Chrysalis." Twilight finished breathlessly. A nod was her answer. Twilight's head spun, this explanation did not lend itself to an easy fix. "Why is Celestia losing her power?" Twilight asked. Luna finally sat next to Twilight. "So many questions. Though this one is important. Nightmare moon and I jointly control the flow of magic through the moon. In the past this did not help our ... Her ... attempts at taking over, as there was no way to truly stop the flow, only to increase it in one spot to drain it from another. Now there exists a duality. Two Sisters of the Night, pulling at the same connection. And with her greedy consumption of as much power as possible, I can only contain her and defend myself by using the rest." Twilight thought she understood, but know there were likely books to be written on the subject before anypony could really grasp it. "Should we contact Celestia?" Twilight asked. "If I reach out to my sister, Nightmare moon will panic, and I will never recover her, to be whole again." A branch snapping in the distance broke them out of their conversation and a blue flame surrounded Luna as she spun to face the intruders. Twilight stared, even more confused than before. "Spike, what is she doing here?" she said, pointing an accusing hoof at the pastel blue pony, who seemed to shrink away from it as though it was a blast of energy. "Hey, hear her out Twilight. I think this might be a chance to fix all this. Also, your hoof-writing is terrible." He said, panting as he held out the hastily scribbled note she had left.
