Black Feather

Chapters

01 - Catalyst
02 - A Matter of Entanglement
03 - Of Friends and Nightmares
04 - Target of Opportunity
07 - Ruling by Moonlight
08 - The Moon Princess
09 - Journey's Dawn
10 - And Then There Were Four
11 - A Military Perspective
12 - Allies and Inquiries
13 - The Wild
05 - Life in the Battlefield
06 - Storm on the Horizon

01 - Catalyst

Author's Note

This is the only chapter with illustrations. I hope you enjoy them!
We've toned them down so that they comply with Fimfic rules. :twilightsmile:

01 - Catalyst

“The alicorn was no stranger to conflict and war, having seen the darkest of magic brought to bear at full strength against a fragile and virtuous people. Her people. Luna of the Night had become the very essence of nightmares. She had both seen and caused blood, fire, and terror beyond description. With unmitigated fury, her enemies were slain. But the moon does not lay trouble to rest. Behold! After the Celestial Age has passed, an alicorn of darkness shall return to destroy all mortal life.”
-K’Tah, zebra prophet of Arkadia, 952 years ago.

Catalyst

The soft, rhythmic sounds of iron wheels against tracks echoed throughout the train as it sped through the night. Tendrils of white frost had worked their way in from the corners of the window glass, forming sharp crystalline patterns which gave way to soft curves as they met the warmth inside. Staring out the window from her worn, comfortable seat in a passenger car near the back of the train was someone who was not supposed to be here. Princess Luna, co-regent of Equestria, watched as the darkened scenery raced by, lit only by her crescent moon.

Patches of snow lingered on the ground, visible upon the open fields between the scattered clusters of coniferous trees. Very few towns were spread this far north; it had been a half hour since Luna had noticed even a small settlement. The train’s final stop, arriving at the crystal city of Aria, was still hours away.

To her right, her sister dozed lightly. The much taller alicorn was not much of a night owl. Luna glanced toward her, noticing the thin trail of drool that had worked its way down from the corner of her mouth. She smirked, knowing what a scandal some ponies would consider it for the primary monarch of the nation to be seen in public in such a state.

Not that any would likely notice; the train was sparsely populated, and most everypony was asleep. Those who were dreaming were content for the most part, engaged in surreal adventures few of them would remember the following morning. There was, however, somepony in the same passenger car whose troubled sleep drew Luna’s attention.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

A burgundy pegasus stood in the dim glow of a pale moon, the empty darkness stretching forth coils of loneliness as it surrounded her. She stared, unmoving, into the yawning pits of two open graves which belonged to her older brothers, taken by the war barely a month prior.

“Shh,” Luna’s soothing voice emerged from the moon overhead. “Dry your eyes, loved one.”

The mare turned to look up toward the sky. “Princess Luna?”

She watched the midnight-blue alicorn glide silently down, coming to rest upon a royal throne. The throne sat on an ornate onyx platform and was made of dark wood edges and thick velvet padding. Its back rose high above Luna’s crowned head, a crescent moon emblem adorning its peak. Luna regarded the pegasus with gentle eyes for a moment before speaking.

“You weep for your loss,” Luna said, quietly, her voice slipping through the absolute silence. Echoes murmured mournfully back from the empty throne room.

The pegasus had bowed low before her princess. “They were everything to me. I… I…”

Luna approached and placed a hoof on her cheek, lifting the pony’s head slightly until their eyes met. “They are not lost, dear one. They have joined with Harmony. Their role in the future will be even greater than that for which they died.”

A curious expression was etched across the mare’s face. “I don’t understand,” she said as she stood.

“How do you remember them?” Luna asked.

“They were brave. Funny. They always made me laugh.”

Luna smiled. Her hoof reached out, bearing a small golden key. “I have something for you.”

“What is it?” she responded, reaching out for the key.

“A gift. Look behind you.”

Luna could see the hesitation in her eyes, not wanting to face the pair of graves which lay behind her. Instead, as she turned, there was a simple wooden door set into the throne room wall.

She approached the door, inserting the key most of the way in before glancing over her shoulder toward the princess.

“It is okay,” Luna prompted. “Use it whenever you need to.”

The mare then pushed the key the rest of the way in with a solid click. The throne room was gone, and she found herself standing in the dark, outside the front door of a modest house. Daylight poured out as the door opened, overwhelming the blackness. With warm smiles on their faces, her two older brothers invited her inside.

<=======ooO Ooo=======>

Luna opened her eyes to once again see the train car’s interior with her sister still snoozing beside her. She smiled with bittersweet satisfaction in the duty which she had carried out for millennia. Despite the Arkadian zebra war taking its toll, she still knew it was by far not the worst her ponies had suffered in their long history.

With a long, busy day coming, sure to be filled with many enjoyable violations of protocol, Luna decided to get some sleep herself. Her personal rest was different from when she helped others. One might even describe it as dreaming about sleeping. It was necessary in order for her to unwind, and thankfully, a small amount went a long way.

Some hours later, she awoke to the sound of children’s excited whispers two seats forward and a slight poking in her ribs.

“Luna, wake up. It’s time,” Celestia prompted.

“Amup, I’m up,” she replied to her sister with a slur. Sitting upright, Luna stretched her neck in circles for a moment before glancing out the window at the still-dark scenery speeding by. It was no more than barren, rocky hills covered in snow, but she knew it well. Only minutes remained before the train would arrive.

Luna focused on her moon, which hovered over a thousand kilocanters above the ground, beyond the Equus upper atmosphere. From her position, looking out the window, it had come to rest near the western horizon. Sitting beside her, Celestia was staring intently out the opposite window of the passenger car, where the sky glowed a dim orange along the eastern horizon.

Hues within the train rapidly shifted from subdued blues to dark orange and finally luminous yellow. Ponies all through the passenger car gasped in awe and wonder as the royal sisters nudged the pair of celestial bodies along in their paths. Children squealed in delight to witness such a display of power right before their eyes as the blinding orb of the sun rose magnificently into view.

Most everypony was awake now, with some still rubbing their eyes as they stirred. Daylight had arrived.

Luna’s eyes fell upon a familiar face—the burgundy pegasus from the dream, sitting several rows forward along the opposite aisle. When their eyes locked, the mare mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ with a heartfelt smile. With a brief nod, Luna considered how many others suffered similar hardships. With the war now in its seventh year, it had already lasted far longer and cost many more lives than she had anticipated.

Out Luna’s window, the immense palace spire of Aria glinted in the sunlight of the new day as it rose above the hilly pass up ahead. Just then, two curious ears poked above the seat in front of her. Before long, the face of a dark grey unicorn colt rose just high enough for his eyes to meet hers. Luna smiled and gave a little wave, which was returned after a timid pause.

“How did you learn to do that?” the colt asked, his voice filled with wonder.

A brief chill swept through Luna’s body as she considered her early years, though her smile never faltered. Her eyes finally blinked as she reminded herself to breathe. It was an innocent enough question, and the ancient memory itself was of one of her fondest moments with him.

“My father taught me to manipulate the night sky,” Luna replied. “I was not much older than you are now.”

“Really?” The colt paused for a moment, and Luna could see the gears already turning inside his head. “My dad’s pretty good with magic. Do you think I—”

“I am afraid such things are beyond the grasp of mortal ponies, little one,” she interrupted with a tousle of his forelock. “There are many marvelous wonders which you can experience, however. Have you ridden this particular train before?”

His head shook with a smile that thinly disguised his disappointment. “It’s my first time here. My dad’s cousin is in the new Royal Crystal Army. We’re going to the Captain’s induction ceremony today.”

“I see. Well in that case, you are in for a treat. Can you see the weather dome outside the window?”

The colt turned to look, pressing his face against the cold glass to see where the train was heading. The crystalline city was fully visible now, its artificial weather dome fast approaching.

“I see it. Wait. It looks like we’re gonna—”

Just then, the train collided with the shimmering energy barrier. A wall of light passed through their passenger car in the blink of an eye, sending everypony’s mane flying. Luna’s ears popped from the sudden change in pressure, and a soothing warmth flooded over her, causing a slight shiver to run down her spine.

Chatters of excitement began to rise throughout the train car as everypony gathered their belongings.

“Wow!” came the thrilled voice of Luna’s new friend. He glanced back over his shoulder, eyes gleaming. “That was awesome!”

Luna nodded with a smile as the colt’s family prepared to depart. “Maybe I will see you at the ceremony.”

Her gaze returned to the window, peering through the beaded condensation. The train sped swiftly through the outer forest that ringed the city along the interior edge of the weather dome. Lush, green trees blurred past for nearly half a minute before the southern districts of the great city came into view. She braced herself slightly as the train decelerated through its final stretch before reaching the station.

There was a slight thrill which came with mingling casually among the citizens, not following any set schedule or plan. Of course, most heads turned to notice the pair of alicorns, but Luna was used to that. It was a small price to pay for the freedom to remove herself from the burdens of regality and simply experience the civilization she and her sister helped to build.

As they made their way down the streets of cut paving crystal, they glanced around, noticing the newer architecture. The city had grown so much in the past twelve years since its reappearance, especially in the southern districts that surrounded the new rail depot. Everything was remarkably clean. Lawns and hedges were neat and tidy—not a speck of soil wasted, for it was all imported.

What was probably the most notable thing was that the ponies here were so relaxed and carefree. The fear and tension brought by the war, which Luna so often noticed in the mainland, seemed entirely absent. The festive atmosphere was a big contributor to that.

As they passed beyond the bustling street markets, they approached the outskirts of the city’s vast botanical garden, where the newly-formed Royal Crystal Army was preparing to hold an induction ceremony. Having the city finally host its own military was something the sisters had been hoping to see for a long time, and the crystal ponies were fond of turning just about everything into a festival.

Outside the gates to the botanical gardens, the streets were packed with excited ponies. Nearby shops sported RCA banners, commemorating the day. Colts and fillies weaved through the crowd, levitating funnel cakes and ice cream cones as they giggled past. Celestia paused to help a little earth pony filly to her hooves after she slipped from being distracted by the princesses.

It wasn’t long before the sisters bumped into familiar faces. Seated at an outdoor cafe were three alicorn ponies who were very dear to Luna. It was Twilight Sparkle who waved them down; that mare never missed a thing.

“I had no idea you two were coming!” Twilight blurted out from her seat as they approached. “This is so exciting! It’s been ages since we’ve been able to catch up.”

Seated next to Twilight was her grown daughter, Nyx. It was hard to believe that only twelve years had passed since her arrival. Draped over her neck, a playful filly batted at Nyx’s horn with a hoof. Both paused their antics long enough to greet the sisters as they sat down.

“It is good to see you, Nyx,” Luna said.

“It’s been a long time,” the black alicorn replied with a friendly smile. “You… you didn’t just come on the night train, did you?”

Celestia let out a chuckle, waving a hoof in amusement. “Luna convinced me that it would be ‘fun’.”

A quick smirking glance in Celestia’s direction was Luna’s response. “Well? I was right, was I not?” She poked her sister’s shoulder with a hoof.

A giggle burst from young Flurry Heart. The white filly scrambled down off Nyx’s back to approach Luna, a look of elation written all over her face. Alongside her, a tattered yellow and green snail plushie hovered in the child’s telekinetic grip.

“And look at you,” Luna added, shifting her focus onto the happy child. “Bigger every time I see you.”

“You don’t come visit enough, Lulu,” Flurry said as she climbed up onto the chair with Luna for a cuddle.

“I am very sorry for that, little one,” Luna replied. “Tia and I have been kept very busy, uh… talking with the zebras.”

Flurry scrunched up her face. “They’re still mad at us, aren’t they?”

“Indeed, they are. It will not last forever, although I understand why you might feel otherwise,” Luna said as she gave the child a boop on the nose. “You are ten years old now, yes?”

“Ten and a half!” Flurry corrected as she reached a forehoof up toward the tip of Luna’s horn.

“My goodness. I imagine the colts are already lining up for your attention,” Luna quipped, causing the little alicorn to curl into a ball inside her oversized wings.

“So, where’s your hubby, Nyx?” Celestia asked.

“Off with Cadence, getting snacks,” Nyx replied. “We’re gonna head in and find a seat when they get back.”

Just then, Twilight spotted somepony else walking past. It was a sharp looking rust-colored pegasus stallion, dressed in formal military attire.

“Orion!” Twilight called out, causing his head to turn. She waved him closer. “I’d like to introduce you to the princesses.”

With surprise etched all over his face, the pegasus came to swift attention, snapping a salute to Celestia and Luna. “Your Highnesses!”

“Please, sit with us a moment.” Celestia’s voice carried a bit of amusement at the soldier’s bewilderment.

After a slight hesitation, Orion took the seat which Celestia had snatched for him from a neighboring table. He fidgeted a moment, looking as if he was internally debating with himself. Luna had seen this look so many times on the faces of military officers and guardsponies that she could only chuckle internally while he decided his first move.

“Thank you, Your Highness. It’s a privilege to have you here with us.”

Sovereignty. Luna had guessed incorrectly; she had given it only a thirty-percent chance. Celestia would now approve and volley the respect back. A quick glance spared in her sister’s direction confirmed her move.

“The privilege is ours, Orion,” Celestia replied graciously. “This is a historic day, and you will be playing an important role in the defense of ponykind.”

“Thank you, Princess. I’m a bit nervous. Everything we’ve worked toward is about to become a reality. It’s a huge responsibility.”

“You’ll be fine,” Celestia assured. “You may be their leader, but the RCA does not rest entirely on your shoulders. Lean on your officers. They will be an extension of your authority, but they will also let you know when you are about to mess up. Do not dismiss their input easily.”

“That’s good advice—thank you, Your Highness. But if I may… where is your escort?” Orion cautiously added. “I see no royal guard. And you were not scheduled to be here until next week for the formal RCA commencement. If you like, I can arrange—”

Protocol. There it was. Luna grinned.

“Nonsense,” she interrupted, the mirth in her voice only barely disguised. “We are not officially here.” She could feel her sister’s eyes rolling even without looking.

At the stallion’s surprise, Celestia swiftly countermoved with a lighthearted chuckle. “Relax, Orion. What my sister is saying is that when you are captain, you’ll learn that not everything is so rigid.”

“Indeed,” Luna confirmed. “And also that we are not officially here. Our itinerary today is full, beginning with a lengthy review of the East Hayfield tax code with House Whitehoof.”

Twilight leaned forward in her chair, eyes wide and fixed onto Luna. “You ditched the nobles?”

“Unofficially.”

It was Nyx who snorted in laughter. “Oh I wish I could have seen their faces.”

“As do I,” Luna added. “We merely left a note stating that we had more important business to attend.”

Orion’s face once again hinted of indecision. Amusement played at the corner of Luna’s lips as she considered having a bit more fun with this one.

“You know, Orion fought in the resistance against Sombra,” Twilight said with a hint of excitement. Luna couldn’t really blame her; the fall of Aria would be ancient history from her perspective.

“Is that so?” Luna commented, momentarily forgetting her playful thoughts. “From one pony out of time to another, may I say, well done. Though it be a thousand years past, you and I regard it as fresh in our memories.”

“Thirteen years, now,” Orion said. “It was horrible. He killed so many. We had to try.”

Luna could see the emotions begin creeping into his expression. The resistance had no chance. They had no idea what they were fighting.

“You will make an exemplary captain, Orion,” Celestia said. “Shining Armor chose well in you.”

“Thank you, Your Highnesses. Though if you’ll excuse me, I—” Standing from his seat suddenly, Orion gave a respectful bow toward the royal sisters. “It was an honor to meet you both. I do really need to get going though. I’m so sorry.”

“Do not worry, good sir,” Luna replied with a slight grin. “Disciplinary action is only for the enlisted. See you tonight.”

Seated in the third row from the front, Princess Luna admired the scenery that surrounded her. The vast botanical gardens were bathed in the light of the sun, rippling shadows of lush green mixed with the golden copper of sun-baked cobblestone paths that meandered between the carefully manicured hedges and trees. A wide assortment of birds flitted about, adding their color to the picturesque landscapes. Streams of water launched into the air from laminar fountains, passing through meticulously directed lighting before landing with barely a ripple in a central pond behind the stage. The fragrance of lavender drifted past, mixed with the scents of several other flowers, creating a pleasant aromatic bouquet.

Luna breathed deeply, taking in the atmosphere of this recreational district, which Aria’s residents had so carefully crafted. It was a sharp contrast from the generally inorganic themes of the city’s crystalline architecture, and an even sharper contrast from the snowy, featureless tundra just beyond the city’s edge. It was just enough to keep Luna’s mind off the fact that she was seated at a formal event.

There must have been four or five hundred ponies in attendance. Fancy dresses and military uniforms abound, especially in the front row. Luna glanced to her right, where her sister was sitting, between her and Cadence. Celestia’s bright smile left no doubt that she was truly enjoying herself as she gazed out from within the seated audience toward the stage. She was in her element, and if for no other reason than this, Luna was happy to have convinced her to come. A special moment among friends, away from the responsibilities of ruling a nation at war—such things were a rare commodity in recent years.

Formal events were not something Luna normally enjoyed. It was not as if she had no experience with them. She simply did not… appreciate them like her sister did. Ponies in bowties and cufflinks, long, boring speeches, and small talk with important ponies she barely knew… All of these usually made her long to be somewhere else, but seeing her sister smile made none of that matter.

On Luna’s left sat little Flurry Heart. The young filly had requested of her mother, Princess Cadence, that she be allowed to sit between Luna and Nyx. Glancing toward the filly at her side, Luna mentally noted that each of the six alicorns in the entire world were present here, in the same row.

Flurry was holding her snail plushie to her chest, staring up at Nyx as if studying her for a long moment.

“They don’t look like the same pony, Whammy,” the filly whispered, a perplexed look written on her face.

“What was that, little one?” Luna asked in a hushed tone, curious what mischief the child’s mind was up to.

Flurry turned to look up toward Luna. “Oh. I was just thinking about how different you and Nyx look.”

With a slight chuckle, Luna leaned toward her. “Does that surprise you?”

“Well, my mom told me about Nightmare Moon.”

“Ahh.” This had been a typical discussion topic among children, and Luna suspected it would be a recurring theme with the new generation.

“So, were you really Nightmare Moon once, Lulu?”

Luna had grown somewhat tired of talking about it. However, she wasn’t exactly enthused about listening to the list of acknowledgements currently being rattled off by the royal consort of Aria, friend or not. Each of Shining Armor’s talking points were either things Luna was already aware of or things she was not concerned with.

Additionally, that was Flurry’s father on the stage. The speech he was giving was one the filly had probably heard rehearsed a dozen times. It was clear that she wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to find out more about the enigmatic ponies sitting at her either flank.

“It is true,” Luna replied.

“But isn’t Nyx—”

“Yes. Yes, she is,” Luna confirmed.

Nyx turned her head toward Flurry, taking notice of their conversation. “First time you’ve been with both of us at the same time, eh kiddo?”

Flurry nodded. “It’s really cool. But also confusing. Like, I thought Nightmare Moon was taller.”

“Just in the legend,” Nyx said.

“You’re both a bit taller than my dad,” Flurry added.

“Your dad is a tall stallion,” Luna replied.

Flurry seemed to quiet her thoughts for a moment as she scooted over to cuddle up against Luna, but the silence was short-lived.

“When were you Nightmare Moon, Lulu?”

“Oh, it has been almost thirteen years now since I came back.”

Flurry’s head turned to look back toward Nyx. “But Nyx is a lot older than that.”

“Indeed.”

“I don’t get it,” Flurry said. “Who was who twenty years ago?”

“Don’t think about it too hard,” Nyx said. “It’ll make your brain hurt.”

“We are not certain, but we believe Nyx was already about your age, maybe a bit younger, when her mother found her in the Everfree Forest, twelve years ago.”

Flurry looked up to meet Luna’s gaze. “Don’t you know for sure? Everypony knows how old I am.”

“That is because we know the day you were born, young one.”

“But don’t you know what day Nyx was…” At that moment, the light came on in Flurry’s eyes. “Oooh, I get it. Nyx wasn’t… born.”

Flurry suddenly leaned over, wrapping her forelegs around Nyx in a tight hug. “You weren’t born,” she repeated. It was like some horrible reality fell over the child. She looked as if she might cry.

Nyx shook her head slightly, a more serious expression on her face as a dark wing settled around the filly. “But I still have a mom who loves me. Just like you do.”

“Okay,” Flurry replied before pausing to think for a moment. “But I still don’t understand—how can you two be the same pony?”

“Well… It’s complicated,” Nyx replied to the child, her turquoise, dragon-like eyes briefly making contact with Luna.

Complicated was right. In fact, Luna herself was likely the only pony alive who really understood why she and Nyx were two separate people. Luna had never even told her sister what had happened, in this very city, in fact, all those centuries ago when the tyrant Sombra met his end.

As Nyx continued to chat with Flurry, Luna’s attention drifted toward the stage, desiring to distance herself from the terrible memory. Shining Armor was speaking of his plans for the new Royal Crystal Army.

The stage itself appeared hastily erected. It was little more than a raised wooden platform set up in what would normally have been a picnic area in front of the central pond. Twenty-six decorated officers from the Royal Equestrian Army were present for the induction. They were a meticulous collection of shining medals, badges, and ribbons, lined up along the edges of the stage. Each one stood at attention, perfectly still, facing the center where Shining Armor was giving his speech.

“And on this historic day, I am pleased to introduce to you one whom many of you already know. One whose service to this great city dates back to the Sombra Resistance over a millennia ago. I give you… Your captain, Orion.”

Whistles and cheers erupted from the seated crowd as the pegasus took the stage, thanking the white unicorn for the honor. The two stood side by side and exchanged a hoofbump as Shining Armor levitated a captain’s badge onto the pegasus’s uniform.

“Thank you all for coming,” Orion addressed to the crowd. “Today is only the first step of many which will give our city its much-needed independence as well as give leave to these fine officers behind me. In the coming days, the initial set of thirty-five commissioned officers will officially push the Royal Crystal Army into active service, though it will take at least two months of growth before the army is fully capable of defending the city, much less contributing to the war in mainland Equestria.

“I am told that the first fifteen officers have arrived just this morning from their training at the Brumby Ridge military academy. You have my sympathies for the very long train ride, though from what I hear, the sunrise this morning was quite the spectacular event for some of—”

A spray of blood erupted from the back of Orion’s head as a loud crack echoed through the garden. His body went limp and landed on the stage with a thud.

Shining Armor stumbled back in disbelief, instinctively forming a shield around his own body. He turned, mouth opening in a shout just as a second shot was fired. A half-second later, he had fallen as well.

Luna stood quickly, pivoting around and scanning for the threat. The sounds of panic arose from all around her as ponies began to realize what had just happened.

She spared a quick glance toward her sister. “Keep them safe.”

“Go,” Celestia said with urgency.

Luna leapt into action, flinging herself into the air in the direction the shots had come from. The hedges, sculptures, and trees made it difficult to tell where the enemy might be hiding, and it didn’t help that ponies were scattering in every direction.

A third shot. Luna’s heart sank as she dared not look back to see if anypony else had been killed. The shot did, however, reveal the location of the assassin. The zebra sniper was hiding behind one of the hedge sculptures.

She fell upon him with lightning speed, summoning her twin blades of midnight-blue energy. Their eyes met, and Luna saw his look of surprised terror just as she ran the razor sharp metal through his neck. The zebra fell, and Luna glanced back toward the panicking crowd of ponies.

Magical energy shields began to pop up all around as unicorns tried to protect their families. Pegasi had taken flight in all directions, some of them carrying children. Luna tore through the air once more, racing back toward the crowd in an outrage. Several black-and-white striped figures had already jumped out from various hiding places within the botanical garden and were running toward the stage. There were five. No, at least ten. Twenty?

Most continued to run toward the stage, where several of the unicorn officers had rushed to the center, combining their strength to form what was likely a class five shield over their fallen leaders. Some of the zebras had rushed into the crowd of civilians, touching metal devices attached to their barding. The objects quickly flowed out like liquid, extending into short combat staffs.

The ends of each staff formed into a long, curved blade with a deadly point at its tip. Bright orange and yellow magical energy flowed along the sharpened edges like glowing syrup, dripping off the weapons and leaving trails of tiny embers on the ground.

No… Luna recognized the enchantment. No one on the ground was safe.

A half dozen pegasus officers had taken flight with their swords and were trying to engage the enemy from above. The zebras held their own with the skill and agility of highly trained assassins. One zebra leapt into the air while his partner planted front hooves firmly on the ground, bucking upward with his hind legs. Their hind hooves connected in the air, and each pushed against the other, thrusting the first zebra even higher. He swung upward with his bladed staff, slicing through a pegasus officer’s formal uniform and cutting a deep gash in his chest. The pony cried out in pain, retreating to land nearby.

In the crowd below, one of the zebra blade soldiers reached a unicorn mare who had her shield raised. The zebra slashed twice with his enchanted blade, creating a rip in the pony’s shield which spread until it collapsed. The zebra slit the helpless mare’s throat and continued toward the stage.

Celestia was holding her own, protecting perhaps two dozen civilians who were huddled close to her. There were four blade soldiers slashing away at her shield, but the white alicorn easily had the magical throughput of ten unicorns and the capacity of fifty. Still, she could only protect so many; the loss of life was going to be tremendous this day.

Having reached the crowd, Luna considered her options. Only seconds had passed and yet several ponies already lay bleeding out on the grass. Luna grit her teeth, realizing she had not been prepared for this. There was no way she could stop them all. Her only choice was to try and save as many as she could.

Up ahead, Nyx was standing between her mother and the charging zebras. Her wings were outstretched, hooves planted firmly in a wide stance. Her horn crackled with energy as deep-indigo lightning raced over its surface. Luna arced her flight path to pass in front of her.

“Move, young one! You are not ready for this,” she yelled as she raced past, barely above the ground.

As she darted past them, Luna spotted a pale-orange filly in the path of a charging zebra. She shot toward the child, hoping to get there in time.

Suddenly, a painful force squeezed at her mind. She reflexively shook her head, trying to resist. The magical energy was being wrung from her body like a sponge. Her strength failed, causing her to crash into the ground before she could reach the filly.

Luna could make out the screams of dozens of ponies around her. All the shields were down and several nearby pegasi had crashed into the ground. Cadence was in the crowd, crying out in fear and grief while holding tightly to young Flurry Heart. Luna struggled to her hooves, trying to stand, only to collapse a moment later. She spared a quick glance at Nyx—her horn now shone like the sun, but she had not moved from where she stood.

Luna snapped her attention back to the charging zebra that was almost upon her. Perhaps the zebra would be distracted by a better target and spare the child. She tried casting her blades again, but nothing happened. The zebra leapt into the air, somersaulting while drawing his bladed staff. Luna had always suspected her life would end in battle. She never would have guessed that it would be today.

Then, the zebra was gone, his body expanding briefly from the inside before rending violently in every direction. Luna heard the sound of flesh being ripped apart, followed by wet splashes as she felt warm liquid land across her flank.

It couldn’t be. It had been thousands of years since—

In the corner of her eye, Luna caught sight of another one exploding. A crackling energy thread arced like lightning to yet another nearby zebra with the same result, then another and another. Within seconds, the surrounding hedges, trees, and half the stage were coated crimson. Chunks of shredded flesh were strewn everywhere. Nothing remained of the attackers that was larger than an apple.

The pain had stopped. Luna forced herself to focus as clarity began to return to her mind. She got to her hooves and turned toward Nyx.

The black alicorn had fallen, unconscious, just as all the unicorns and pegasi through the park began to move again, trying to stand. Luna rushed over to where Nyx lay unmoving on the ground. Twilight was there as well, getting her own bearings before desperately trying to get her daughter to wake up.

02 - A Matter of Entanglement

Darkness.

The sounds of muffled voices from within the room tickled at Nyx’s ears. She was dreaming, surely. The faint scent of antiseptic, combined with the slight echo of ambient background noise resonating off hard walls, told her that she was not at home in her own bed. Familiar voices faded in and out in fragments as she struggled to grab hold of consciousness.

Luna’s voice hovered nearby, an upset whisper. “…told you this might happen.”

Twilight’s voice, some distance away. Crying. But why?

Celestia’s stern, quiet voice, nearby. “…is much more serious than…”

Luna’s voice. “…least she did not tap the Aether. There is still hope that…”

As Nyx drifted back into the deep dark, the passage of time became a blur in her mind. Her body seemed to fade away into a relaxed numbness as her senses dimmed. Eventually, faint echoes coalesced into voices once more. Her ears picked up Luna’s voice again, speaking in a sharp yet hushed tone from farther away than before.

“…not have known how to cast Death Blossom.”

Celestia’s voice, faintly. “She has perhaps remembered more than you anticipated, sister. Obviously, she…”

Spoken words faded back into faint echoes once more as Nyx lost the fight for cognition. What were they whispering about? It was unimportant. Only her overpowering fatigue existed. She needed to…

Needed to…

Sleep.

At some later point, clarity began to return to her mind, if somewhat reluctantly. It was as if somepony was slowly pulling cotton balls out of her ears. Her senses sharpened with each increasingly deep breath, her ear twitching at Luna’s words, nearer than before.

“…to be watched carefully for further signs,” the princess said. Luna… It felt like she was close enough for Nyx to reach out a hoof and touch. If only her hooves existed—she could not tell.

Then, Celestia’s voice in reply, also very close. “Agreed. She cannot participate in the war. It’s just—”

Unlike earlier, the voice did not fade away. She had abruptly stopped speaking as if she had just noticed something important.

It took an effort for Nyx to pull herself out of the fog. Her eyes slowly opened, blinking several times to discover that she was in a strange bed, lying on her back. The first thing she saw was the face of a white pony with a pastel striped mane, eyes wide and bright, looking straight into hers. A pleasant smile graced her face.

“Celestia?” Nyx croaked, feeling as if she hadn’t used her voice in years.

The princess turned toward the others. “She’s awake.”

In a sudden jumble of motion, Twilight practically knocked Celestia over to get at Nyx. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. The relief on her face was clear as she hugged Nyx’s neck and kissed her cheeks and forehead.

“Mom?”

Twilight caressed a hoof through Nyx’s mane while tears of joy formed in her eyes. “I’m right here, baby. I’m right here. I thought I might have lost you. You’ve been asleep for a day and a half.”

Nyx hugged her mother back with what little strength she could summon. She tried to sit up, fighting against stiff and stubborn muscles, but she only managed to prop herself up with a shaky foreleg. Somepony was missing—a voice she knew she had not heard yet. She glanced around the room for the one pony she most needed to see right now.

“Where is he?”

“Asleep in the visitor’s lounge,” Twilight said with a reassuring voice. “He stayed with you almost the whole time, but I finally told him to get some rest. He’s going to be so thrilled that you’re awake!”

Good, Nyx thought. At least he survived the… something. An urgency nagged suddenly at her mind, a foggy dread creeping over her. Something terrible had happened.

A look of panic fell across Nyx’s face. “Mom! There were zebras! What happened? Orion and Uncle Shining. They…”

No answer came from Twilight. There was only her face, which transformed from joy to sorrow in seconds. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she looked away. Luna walked up and put a wing over her shoulder as she sniffled, wiping her eyes.

Nyx found the strength to sit up properly, confused at what was happening. She looked to Celestia.

The princess’s voice was steady and soothing as she approached the bed. “You saved many lives yesterday, Nyx.”

“What? I don’t understand,” Nyx blurted out, even more confused than before. Had she really saved anyone? The events were so hazy in her mind. She didn’t… couldn’t remember doing anything.

“What did I do?” she asked, her mind rapidly losing traction. “Is Mom upset with me?”

Celestia’s golden-clad forehoof pressed delicately against Nyx’s lips, her gentle smile never wavering. “Shh,” the princess soothed. “It’s okay. The reason you’re here is because you burned out, Nyx. It’s very dangerous for alicorns. But rest assured, you haven’t done anything wrong.”

“I… I burned out. I don’t even rem—”

“Don’t worry about that now, Nyx. Here… I think somepony would like to have a word with you.”

Celestia telekinetically slid the bedside curtain back to reveal another bed next to her own. There, a white unicorn stallion lay, resting. His head was wrapped with a bandage, his deep blue mane spilling out the back. He turned toward Nyx and smiled weakly.

“Hey, Nyxie.”

Her face beamed with delight. “Uncle Shining! I thought… I saw… You were shot!”

“Shh,” he warned, gesturing for her to curb her enthusiasm. He then gave a gentle telekinetic tug, pulling the curtain back a bit further to reveal a little white alicorn filly curled up on the bed with him. “She’s still asleep.”

Nyx’s eyes went wide in surprise at seeing little Flurry Heart. She hushed her voice to a whisper, looking back to her uncle. “You were shot.”

Shining nodded, his hoof gently touching the side of his head where the bandage was.

“Shield deflected the bullet. Not as much as I would have liked, though.”

The filly at his side stirred, stretching for a moment before curling back up. The stallion affectionately ran his hoof down his sleeping daughter’s mane.

A knock at the door reminded Nyx where they were, in the hospital trauma ward. The newcomer was a nurse, drawing everyone’s attention.

“I see our patient is finally awake. I’m afraid I’ll have to ask all visitors to leave for now. I need to check on her condition.”

“Of course,” Celestia said. She and the others then filed out of the room, leaving Nyx and Shining Armor behind.

“Do you mind if she stays?” Shining asked the nurse, gesturing to Flurry.

The young mare walked forward, regarding the sleeping child with a smile. “She can stay. I won’t be long.”

A half hour after the nurse had left, Nyx found herself staring up at the ceiling, lost in thought. The nurse had dimmed the lights to help them rest and told them that they could have visitors again in the morning, leaving Nyx alone with her troubled thoughts.

“Uncle Shining? Are you awake?”

There was no answer from the stallion.

“Uncle Shining?” she tried again, just a bit louder, hoping she wouldn’t wake little Flurry Heart.

Shining Armor stirred, stretching his neck briefly. “Hm? Oh. Sorry, I dozed off. What is it, Nyx?”

Nyx turned her head to the side to face him. “What happened yesterday? I feel like I… Like I killed somepony.”

Shining Armor did not respond right away. He shifted a little bit so he could face Nyx comfortably while lying down. “Not any pony, Nyxie. But quite a few zebras, I’m told.”

Nyx felt her insides tighten up as her stomach twisted. “What?! I don’t even… Are you serious?”

She searched her mind, desperately trying to remember what had happened, but the thought evaded her like a cockroach skittering out of the light. It all felt like a bad dream. Was it true? Nyx knew it was inevitable that this would happen at some point. She had actually killed. Why? How? It didn’t make sense.

“Uncle Shining,” she began, afraid to actually voice the question. “How… how did it happen? I don’t remember anything.” She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.

His face contorted to a pained look at her question, his eyes shifting about the room as if searching for something.

“Um… well, they told me it was a couple dozen zebras. They were all running toward the stage. They had it all planned out with shield cutting blades. They knew we’d be on the stage with shields raised… I think they killed several civilians.”

He was dodging, of course. Nyx needed to know the truth. Her voice became quiet, almost a whisper.

“You know that’s not what I was asking.”

The stallion formed one of those looks a parent gets when their child asks where foals come from. He stammered for a moment as if refusing to abandon the mental image of Nyx, innocent and sensitive young mare, who could never…

“You just kinda… It happened suddenly. They were well hidden throughout the park. Killed Orion with a sniper rifle. The crowd was rushed. They were killing civilians, and you just… You did something. Honestly, I don’t think anypony really knows what happened. But from what I hear, Park Sanitation will be picking bits of them out of the trees for weeks.”

No. That couldn’t be right. Nyx’s jaw went slack in disbelief. How could she have done such a thing? It’s bad enough she had killed for the first time. Protecting ponies was one thing, but this isn’t what she ever imagined it would be like. She let out a choked groan and buried her face in her pillow.

“Listen, Nyxie,” her uncle continued. “You probably saved half the ponies in the audience. If you hadn’t been there, those officers would have all been lost, along with countless families. The zebras weren’t playing around.”

Nyx’s voice was muffled as she spoke into the pillow. “I’m not a butcher.”

“This doesn’t change who you are, Nyx. Think of how much it means to everypony else. For hundreds of little colts and fillies, now you’re their hero.”

Nyx didn’t respond. What could she say? What did this make her, especially if she had lost control of herself?

Shining Armor sighed, pausing a moment before speaking. “Nyx?”

Her face was still buried in her pillow. “Yeah?”

“Thank you for saving my wife and daughter.”

Nyx lifted her head and looked over to him. She glanced at her little cousin and let out a sigh, contemplating the value of that little alicorn’s life. Of everypony who did not die if what Shining said was true. With some effort, Nyx managed a smile while inwardly cursing the war for what it had made her do.

“I thought I’d find you in here.”

Cadence closed the door after entering the visitor’s lounge. It was a comfortable room with warm hues and soft couches for those waiting to see their loved ones. Twilight was there by herself, resting on a couch. She was staring at a blank wall, her mane an unkempt mess. Cadence’s heart sank as she sat down beside her.

Twilight didn’t make eye contact. “How’s Shining?” she asked, casually.

“He’s improving. The doctor said he should make a full recovery, but he’ll have to stay a few more days while he heals. Flurry is still with him.”

Twilight looked up to meet her gaze. “Thank goodness. At least there’s… Well, Nyx is okay too. The princesses are safe. Most everypony is… Well, I suppose it could have been much worse.”

“That’s right,” Cadence agreed even though she could see that Twilight had trouble believing her own words. “All things considered, I think we—”

“I should be happy!” Twilight blurted out while thrusting a forehoof into the air haphazardly. “What’s wrong with me?! Why do I feel—” Twilight’s breath caught suddenly. She looked away but not before Cadence noticed the tears forming.

Cadence put a hoof to her lips. The poor dear. She shifted closer and reached a hoof out to hold Twilight. The intellectually minded mare wasn’t used to dealing with these kinds of emotions.

“Twilight, it’s okay that you feel this way. Nearly losing your daughter is enough to shake anypony to their core.”

Twilight wetly sniffed, pulling back slightly to wipe her eyes.

“Thanks. And you’re right. Nothing we tried could wake her. The first time her heart stopped beating, I nearly died. You have no idea the thoughts that flashed through my mind, Cadence. Nyx is immortal. And as strong as she is, it’s easy to assume she can’t really be hurt. But she can still be killed. Imagine how significant that is. Countless millennia of impacting the lives of others, discovering amazing things, seeing things nopony has ever imagined. All that invaluable life opportunity could have just been snuffed out in one brief tragic…”

Twilight took in a deep breath, letting it out quickly as if she could shed built-up tension through her mouth. And perhaps she could. Cadence regarded her friend for a moment before speaking.

“Have you stopped to consider that you and I are in the same situation, but we, as ascended alicorns, are even more fragile? An encounter with a single zebra soldier could likely end either of our lives, and yet, with luck, we will endure as long as the stars shine in the heavens.”

Twilight blinked at Cadence, her personal trauma clearly battling with her detached intellect. “Well. When you put it that way, I suppose you have a point. It doesn’t change the fact that I’m shaken about it. It’s… I guess it’s just hard to feel happy when—”

Cadence sighed, giving Twilight a serious look. “No one is blaming you for how you feel, Twilight. In fact, I tell you what… I think you and Nyx should stay here for a couple weeks. Take some time off.”

Twilight blew her nose on a tissue. “Oh, I couldn’t. I don’t want to impose. You’ve got so much work ahead of you, reaching out to your people about what happened. I feel like we’d be in the way.”

Cadence knew this was true, but she wasn’t about to let that get in the way. She softened her voice as she continued.

“I’d really appreciate it if you did. We haven’t caught up in a long time.”

“Maybe,” Twilight replied as she leaned deeper into the cushions. “I’ll talk with Nyx about it. I’m not sure if they’re heading back right away or not. But really, don’t you have a lot more important things to be focusing on right now?”

“That’s not fair, Twilight. Family is very important.”

“No, I didn’t mean… I’m sorry, I just meant we could catch up later or something. After the crisis is handled. I imagine everypony wants to know what to make of the attack.”

Cadence felt her cheeks flush. It was true, but she herself was overwhelmed by the implications the attack had raised. They were much more vulnerable than she could have ever imagined. Something needed to be done. She stared at the floor for a moment, Twilight’s words echoing in her ears.

“Yes, actually, they do. A lot of them are really shaken up about it. They want to know what I’m going to do to protect them. That’s another reason I want you to stay, Twilight. I really need your help with something.”

“My help?”

The rising fear Cadence felt, that she simply couldn’t protect those she was responsible for, was becoming more pronounced. She fidgeted on the couch, nervous to ask Twilight what she must.

“I almost lost my husband—your brother. Five ponies were found dead where the zebras snuck into the city. We nearly lost a huge number of citizens, not to mention the loss to Canterlot if the returning REA officers had been taken out. Or the princesses for that matter! Fear has gripped the city. Even the changelings are noticing a strain on the Crystal Heart.”

Cadence felt her heart beating faster, her voice rising as her fears could no longer remain hidden.

“I can’t risk my people like this, Twilight. The zebras have never directly attacked a large city like this before. They could kill so many, so quickly. If Nyx hadn’t been there to… I won’t have my people killed in this war, Twilight! I have to protect them!”

Twilight studied her with quiet regard. She spoke softly. Calmly. “I see your point, Cadence. But I still don’t know how I can help.”

Cadence looked her straight in the eye, hoping Twilight would understand why she should—no, must— consider her request.

“Do you remember that artifact we tested at the Palace last year?”

Seconds ticked by while Twilight processed the question. Suddenly, she sat straight up and stared hard at Cadence. She shook her head, slack-jawed. “No. You can’t be serious.”

“Think about it, Twilight. It’s not getting any better. If things keep going the way they have, we might lose everything. We’re not equipped to handle an invasion. The Royal Equestrian Army would never get here in time.”

Twilight glowered. “You can’t just… We barely know anything about it. You have no idea what it would—”

“I do know what would happen if five thousand zebras showed up instead of twenty-four,” Cadence countered, growing increasingly desperate.

Twilight shook her head, still refusing to understand. “No, this is ridiculous, Cadence. You’ve got what, a quarter million ponies here? Not to mention all the changelings? Don’t you think something of this magnitude should be put to a vote or something? How would the rest of Equestria react if an entire city just—”

Cadence stood and began pacing around the room. “A vote? If Equestria falls, then who is going to care anyway? If anything, they might envy us. All I’m asking for is a means of defense as a last resort. We have almost nothing to contribute in terms of military until the RCA is up and running, and that could take the better part of a year. Right now, we’re just a target.”

She stared at Twilight, watching her eyes dart back and forth as she processed the request. If only she could see the importance…

“Think of your brother. Your niece. Wouldn’t you want this for them?”

At this, Twilight looked her in the eye for a few beats. Then, her voice softened as she let out a sigh. “You don’t even know how long it would take to come back. I can’t imagine not ever seeing you again.”

Cadence sat once more on the couch next to her sister-in-law. “I know. But you know we wouldn’t be ready if they came back with a whole army. It would be a slaughter. Please. I know it’s asking a lot.”

Twilight swallowed dryly, taking a deep breath. “Fine. But only as a last resort. And only because I love you all and want you to be safe.”

The moon shone high over the silent, still battlefield, enough that Nyx could see the bodies in the soft light. It wasn’t the first time she had dreamed of the war. But it was the first time the slain were mostly ponies. Civilians.

She flew over the outskirts of Huckleberry Junction, the southernmost Equestrian settlement along the main rail line before the zebra border. Nyx knew the story of its liberation during the joint REA and SkyGuard mission five years ago. The zebras had occupied the town for over a week. Driving them out was one of Equestria’s greatest victories of the early war.

But this isn’t how it went. The mission had been a success—not the tragedy which lay before her.

Her hooves set down on the misty soil outside of town, at the edge of what had clearly begun as a fierce battle. The torn bodies of zebras and ponies lay twisted together in death's embrace, but a peculiar oddity drew her toward the center of the conflict.

As she neared the heaviest concentration of the fallen, she stopped in horror as she realized the difference. The ponies here had been slaughtered—surgically cut down with no sign of resistance, killed as if in their sleep… or while unconscious. A few more steps brought her to her knees as she came face to face with the epicenter of the carnage and found herself staring into her own sightless eyes.

“I regret the need to show you this, Nyx,” a voice said, emerging from the fog. It was Princess Luna.

Nyx tried to suppress a measure of indignation, her ears pressed back against her head as she stared at herself lying on the ground.

“Luna, why am I—”

“Take a good look, young Nyx,” Luna interrupted. “But only for a moment. I suggest we continue in your hospital room.”

“In my… Oh, of course. Yes, please.” Anything was better than standing out here in this cold, surreal landscape.

The ground beneath Nyx’s hooves became like fluid, her body sinking fast with a splash. She found herself lying flat on her side. Blinking in the darkness, she could see the faint outline of hospital monitoring equipment, along with her uncle’s bed not far from hers.

“It is good to see you, Nyx. We have not had a chance to talk since the accident.”

Nyx looked to the side and found Luna sitting on a comfortable looking plush chair. She sat up in bed, leaning over to embrace the princess. “Thank goodness that was just a dream. What was that?”

“It was the battle for Huckleberry Junction. Fear not—you were not actually there.” Luna’s horn flashed briefly, and the fireplace came to life, bathing the room in a comforting ambiance of flickering warmth.

“Well it sure looked like I was there. In the dream, at least.”

“Indeed. What you saw is how things could have gone if you had been present. I need you to understand this, Nyx. That fight had many pegasi and supporting unicorns. If you had been there and burned out, the zebras would have slaughtered nearly everyone as they lay helpless. For this reason, among others, my sister and I have decided to keep you as far away from the war as possible.”

“Oh…” Nyx’s ears fell as understanding came over her.

“Do you recall what I said to you yesterday morning during the attack?”

Nyx shook her head, her eyes shifting up to meet Luna’s.

“I said that you were not ready for this.”

Ouch.

“I… I understand.” Her head nodded in defeat as her gaze drifted back to the floor.

Luna reached out to touch a hoof beneath Nyx’s chin, gently lifting her head back up. “Nyx, dear one, I did not come to bear such unhappy news. I feared you would be killed, but now, it is clear that there are things which must be addressed.”

“Luna, can you tell me what happened? What did I do?”

The princess paused for a moment before speaking, her expression betraying her troubled thoughts. “That will have to wait. Though I promise I will tell you one day. For now, I ask that you not concern yourself with it. I said before that you were not ready. But now, I say that we will make you ready. I would like for you to begin training and preparation.”

At this, Nyx’s ears perked forward, her eyes bright and curious. “Preparation for what?”

“For the day when you must fight for your people.”

What could she say to that? Luna had just essentially reconfirmed Nyx’s promise from all those years ago.

She had so many questions. If only the room wasn’t misbehaving. The walls shifted and began to distort. She glanced around. The fireplace was gone and Nyx was now standing in an empty room.

“Luna, I—” she began.

“I am sorry, Nyx, but I must go now. The train is getting too far away. We will speak again soon.”

At that, Nyx’s eyes opened and she tried to sit up in bed, only to fall back to a chorus of muscles aching and protesting their use. The room was dark and quiet. To her side, her uncle and little cousin lay asleep on their bed.

She let out a sigh. How could she get back to sleep now, knowing how much her life was about to change?

03 - Of Friends and Nightmares

-- Three Years Later --

Run!!

It felt like she had been running for her entire life.

Her muscles burned as she tried to stay ahead of the beast chasing her through the winding path of the dense night-time forest. The sounds of snapping twigs and splintering wood never let her forget that the deadly creature was nearly upon her. She dared not even spare a glance, the hope of escape threatening to slip away at any wrong move.

Nyx weaved and dodged between clawing branches that reached over the path. Her hooves thundered over the damp soil, nearly tripping over a fallen log. If the forest had an end, it refused to reveal itself. She tried once more to take flight.

“Ahhh!” she cried out, wincing as pain shot through her broken wing and nearly caused her to stumble. The sky offered no escape this night. There was no choice but to keep running, though complete exhaustion was not far off.

Must keep running. Always running. How long could she last?

With muscles on fire, Nyx changed her course several times in an effort to shake her pursuer, yet its hot breath was still on her flanks. Out of options, the pit of fear in her belly threatened to entirely overwhelm her when finally, the thorns and branches gave way to a clearing.

Beyond the trees, a dark, swirling fog called out to her. Time slowed in the cooler air, and Nyx felt a shiver run down her spine as she ran. Off to the side, she thought she caught a glimpse of dimly glowing eyes watching from within the blackness. The creature chasing her had fallen behind, but it was still mere seconds away.

From within the mist, the shape of a pony emerged, standing tall upon a small rise. An alicorn!

Not daring to slow for a moment, Nyx sprinted up the hill. Within seconds, she reached the summit, the alicorn figure standing perfectly still before her. Surrounding the figure were dozens of flaming crystalline objects, circling her like an impenetrable barrier. Her head tilted as she looked toward Nyx with a dispassionate gaze.

“Help me!” Nyx cried out in desperation.

The brightly glowing crystals slowed to a stop, parting just enough for Nyx to enter the sphere. The alicorn who had been standing there was now gone, leaving only Nyx to stand in her place. She gazed out over the landscape from the top of the little hill, toward the dark shape of the pursuing deadly beast. It was not merely one. Hundreds of the creatures approached from every direction, some close, yet many still crashing through the dense forest beyond.

Her pursuer reached the summit, gaping maw open, fangs dripping and claws bared, ready to rip her apart.

Time slowed to a crawl. Suddenly, the pain in her wing was gone. Nyx spread her wings wide and held a forehoof outstretched toward the menacing creature before her.

“Stop,” she spoke, barely above a whisper and yet carrying the force of a thousand lightning strikes.

The creature shattered like glass, each tiny piece flashing into a brief flame before vanishing into smoke. The forest in every direction toppled like matchsticks in a hurricane. Every one of the vile monsters chasing her was obliterated.

It was over. She was safe. Safe, at last.

In the chill of the night air, Nyx drew in a long breath as she surveyed the surrounding landscape. She could see towns in the distance. Pony towns, villages, and small cities being consumed by the wave of destruction. All shattered. All aflame. Off to her side, in the far distance, Canterlot burned like a torch in the night, orange flames licking hundreds of canters into the night sky.

Everything was gone. Only Nyx stood as the world burned around her. She crumpled to the ground in despair, tucking in her legs and curling into a ball. Tears streamed from her eyes as she realized she had lost everything she ever loved.

She lay there for some time, tears soaking into the pillow her head rested upon. How could it end like this? Had everypony been killed? The air was warmer now, the chill of the open sky absent. Only her sickening, empty grief remained as she tried to process the depth of the tragedy.

Nyx brought a hoof to her eyes, wiping away the tears as her heart continued to bleed. She reached over to her nightstand and grabbed a tissue to blow her nose. Hooves sank into plush blankets as she struggled to stand.

Blinking a few times, she glanced around in the dark. She was in a windowless room with steel grey walls, a large bed, a vanity, and two nightstands. She could barely make out the pleasant decorations in the dim, ambient light given off by crystals embedded in the walls. Shelves displayed various familiar items. Her things. His things. Framed photos, books, and treasures collected over the years.

It began to dawn on her that none of it had actually been real. She understood now—she was home. Still, why did her heart ache so much, even after waking up?

With a sigh, she let her head fall back to the pillow, looking to her left at the sleeping light-grey pegasus snoozing all cozy beside her, oblivious to her torment. Nyx felt such a relief that he was here, alive and safe. She envied him, as he was likely dreaming about something much more pleasant.

Here, beside her, was all the proof she needed that the nightmares didn’t matter. They were a temporary terror. What was real was right here at her side: her husband, lover, and refuge. Nyx gently traced the line of his shoulder with a hoof, following along his toned muscles, down his foreleg, which was tucked in as he slept. She leaned forward, letting her lips play across Rumble’s neck, along the base of his charcoal-colored mane, planting little kisses as she went.

Nyx thought about the adventures they had together, going all the way back to their childhood. He had been a treasured friend since long before this terrible war, back when life was filled with love, happiness, and hope for the future.

No, the nightmares could not take him away. That much was certain. She reached a foreleg over his ribs, beneath his wing, cuddling close and savoring the soft warmth of his body.

She considered whether or not to tell Rumble about this in the morning. He was a pretty smart pony, but he might not understand why the nightmare was much more distressing than a mere bad dream.

Sigh.

The wound on her neck still hurt. As cozy as it was, cuddling with her sleeping lover, she just couldn’t sleep. She carefully released Rumble from the embrace and rolled onto her back again, letting her thoughts drift to the events of the previous day. The unexpected failure of the new threat detection spell had led to an encounter with an entire platoon of zebra soldiers. That battle had left Rumble a little grumpy about his remaining grenade count but a lot more upset about what had happened to his wife.

Checking the time, Nyx knew she had to put these thoughts to rest. She needed to try and get back to sleep.

As she closed her eyes, visions from the nightmare haunted her mind. She tried replacing them with pleasant thoughts. Thoughts of Rumble and their modest, private wedding five years ago. The joy on her mother’s face. Hugs from her closest friends. All of it wonderful, but as soon as her mind relaxed, glimpses of burning, shattered cities returned.

Nyx banged her head against the soft pillow repeatedly, causing Rumble to smack his lips and mumble something incoherent about food.

Fine, she thought, bitterly. If this is how it was going to be…

Carefully, Nyx got up out of bed and plodded down the hallway, into the kitchen. A magical spark from her horn flashed as she lit the pair of tall, slender candles at the center of the dining table. The dim light was just enough by which to make herself a cup of tea as the scent of sandalwood from the candles wafted over her.

Seated alone at the dining table, Nyx telekinetically swirled a spoon through her hot tea. It was chamomile, of course. The cup rose with grace and precision, into the air, meeting her lips in perfect timing for her to take a sip as she pondered the nightmares.

Damn those things. One would think the former princess of nightmares shouldn’t have so much trouble with them. Was it payback? Some sort of cosmic joke? She was well aware of the innumerable nightmares she herself had given fillies and colts all across Equestria over what she considered her ‘former life’. And now, her own nightmares were coming much more frequently. But why?

Nyx sipped her tea again as she stared into the dark lounge room beyond the kitchen. Oh, how she hated the insomnia that followed a nightmare. It wasn’t fair! She pouted silently. Here she was, an alicorn, stronger by far than any mortal pony—why should something as ridiculous as a bad dream get the best of her?

And the dream itself was absurd. What had she been running from, anyway? She tried to remember the details as they rapidly faded into her subconscious. Whatever it was, the worst part was the terrible consequences. It made Nightmare Moon look tame by comparison. Nyx was simply not the type who could harm other ponies. No. Not again. Not after fifteen years. That legacy was long behind her.

Out of curiosity, she checked her magical reserves with a thought. A subtle glow emanated from the small, stylish horn ring which rested at the base of her forehead. A translucent bluish-green numerical value hovered in the dark, a foreleg’s reach in front of her face, prompting a groan to work its way from her throat. It was her mother’s groan—one which had often accompanied her frustration.

“Shit,” she said, a little too loud. Only twenty percent??!

A sudden chirp and rustle similar to a large winged insect sounded from the couch in the lounge room. It was a brief sound, followed by the shifting of blankets and a light snoring.

Nyx winced, having forgotten that Flitter had planned on spending the night on the couch, as her room was temporarily full of boxes. She peered into the darkness toward the sleeping form of her former foalsitter and childhood friend, mentally chiding herself for nearly waking her.

It had been three years that they shared a home, and she still wasn’t quite used to the creepy form Flitter reverted to in her sleep. The stringy, teal mane and crooked horn. The dense mesh of tiny dark-grey chitin plates making up her skin. The fangs, which were more than twice as long as Nyx’s.

As unsettling as Nyx herself was to many ponies, not many could accept the natural form of a changeling without feeling the urge to run the other way. There were many types of deadly monsters which looked less disturbing than this.

Nyx regarded the numbers which hovered before her, near the dancing flame of the candles. She couldn’t risk another burnout. That was the whole point of wearing this thing, really. She rolled her eyes. Perhaps the spell matrix was inaccurate; that happened once in a while. Despite Starlight’s assurance that they worked properly, these things were experimental after all.

Having finished her tea, Nyx blew out the candles and made her way back to bed. The soft glow from her horn lit her surroundings just enough so she didn’t bump into anything. As she climbed into bed, she paused, noticing a framed photo on her nightstand.

It was of her and Twilight Sparkle, her adoptive mother, fifteen years ago. Nyx was just a child. They were eating ice cream together at the park. Such happy times. She remembered what Equestria was like back then, filled with joyful ponies without a care in the world. She wished she could bring the world back to a time when the greatest worry a filly had was wondering what cutie mark she might get.

Nyx let the light fade and flipped over in bed toward her studly pegasus, holding him close beneath the warm blankets. She contented herself, listening to the sweet sound of his breathing as her conscious thoughts began to give way to peaceful sleep.

Eggs? Nyx took in the scent through her nostrils with her eyes still shut. It was fried eggs, she was sure of it.

The abstract dreamscape faded, consciousness once again claiming possession of her mind. Ears flicking about, she listened as the faint echoes of her friends talking and dishes clattering drifted in from down the hall.

Cracking her eyes open just a bit, she tried to focus on her surroundings. The wall crystals were glowing brighter now—bright enough to remind her not to fall back asleep. They were a poor substitute for the morning sun but a substitute nonetheless.

“Mmmmm,” Nyx groaned and closed her eyes again in protest of the morning’s arrival. But it was no use pretending. The smells and sounds from the kitchen compelled her to peel her body off the bed and get up. Still feeling half asleep, she stretched her muscles, spread her wings, and gave them a quick flap.

Nyx yawned and rubbed her eyes. She began walking toward the vanity to make herself presentable when Rumble poked his head through the bedroom doorway. He intercepted her, planting a kiss on her lips.

“Breakfast’s almost ready, hon. Hope you’re hungry.”

She nuzzled his cheek for a long moment, letting out a contented sigh.

Rumble turned to go. Looking back at her from the doorway, his eyes held contact with hers. “You’re beautiful, you know,” he said before returning to the kitchen.

Nyx’s heart skipped a beat, and she felt a warm tingling in her belly. Walking idly over to the vanity, she stared for a long moment at her reflection.

Was something wrong with Rumble’s vision? She rubbed her face and thought idly about which was more frightening: traditional Nightmare Moon or Nightmare Moon with bleary eyes, an old blood-soaked bandage on her neck, and a massive case of bedmane.

“You didn’t tell me I looked like crap,” Nyx called out as she worked a levitated brush through her thick violet mane.

“I prefer not to risk my life until we’re outside,” came the sarcastic reply from the kitchen, bringing a smile to Nyx’s face along with a slight chuckle.

Outside… Right. Her thoughts drifted while she continued to work her mane with the brush. She much preferred to be outside than here at home where she couldn’t see the sun.

It wouldn’t be so bad if ‘home’ was a normal… house. A mare deserved a nice house, didn’t she? Someplace she could lean out the upper balcony window and wave to her friends as they passed by on the street. Someplace where there were friends. Or streets. Hell, someplace above ground would be nice.

With a sigh, Nyx put the thought behind her, rinsing her face off in the sink before plodding wearily to the kitchen where Rumble was making breakfast.

He was wearing his favorite tinker harness, spatula and whisk attached for cooking, along with the multi-tool she had given him last Hearth’s Warming day. A quick glance over his shoulder, and their eyes met, drawing her forward like a magnet.

At the nearby kitchen table sat Flitter, in her usual form—a pegasus mare with a greyish lilac coat and mint-green mane and tail.

“Hey, Nyxie,” Flitter greeted with a friendly smile.

“Hey, Flitter,” Nyx replied, giving the mare a brief hug. “Hope I didn’t wake you last night.”

“Hm? Nope. Thanks, though. How you feeling today?”

“Stiff, sore, and I slept like crap.” She wasn’t in the mood to sugar coat things. What she was in the mood for, however, was nearly within her reach. With the smooth motion of a leopard, she scooted to the other side of the black marble-top bar where Rumble stood. She gave him a deep kiss, lingering a moment before pulling back.

Flitter was sucking on a nectar stick, staring at Nyx’s neck with a flat expression on her face. “You got pretty banged up yesterday. Let me take a look at that gash.”

Nyx rolled her eyes. She never did like this kind of attention, even when she was a child.

“Sit,” Flitter insisted, tapping a hoof on the chair next to hers.

Nyx sat. Her eyes widened a bit as Rumble approached, placing a cup of hot coffee in front of her. “Ooh, you read my mind.”

Flitter grabbed a medicine cloth while taking note of Nyx’s sudden change of expression. “Relax, this isn’t a scalpel.” She carefully removed the old bandage, examining the wound.

Nyx still flinched when Flitter dabbed the medicine cloth on the cut along her neck where the zebra’s blade hadn’t quite missed yesterday. She thought about how that went, trying to take her mind off Flitter’s ministrations.

As distractions go, it wasn’t helping. The few times she had fought with zebras had always caused her terribly conflicted feelings. They were real people after all. This wasn’t like fighting Everfree monsters. She remembered their faces. Terrified—not of her, but of what they thought she was. And yet, would it have helped them to know that she wasn’t the demon they believed her to be, if she ended up having to kill them anyway?

“So… you got up a bit late today,” Flitter remarked as she finished bandaging the wound.

“Yeah—ow!” Nyx winced again. “I really didn’t sleep well last night.” She groaned as she stretched her neck back and forth, getting used to the new bandage.

“We figured. Rumble decided to make your favorite!”

Just then, Rumble presented a plate of yummies before her. Fried eggs and a bowl of oats with sliced apples, a glass of orange juice, and one of Pinkie Pie’s famous cupcakes.

Nyx’s eyes drank in the scene. She looked up at Rumble with gratitude. “You didn’t have to… Thank you. You’re the best.” Despite her words, Nyx’s expression betrayed her troubled feelings, though she tried to hide it by clearly enjoying her meal.

Rumble sat down beside Nyx at the table with his own breakfast, studying her for a moment rather than digging straight into his meal like usual. Nyx avoided the eye contact at first, feeling a little bit vulnerable.

“Rough night, huh?” he said before taking a bite then speaking with his mouth full. “Wanna talk about it?”

Nyx suppressed a smile at his table manners. And no, she really didn’t want to talk about it. Of course she trusted Rumble and Flitter with her troubles, but these nightmares were… well, they each struck hard at the core of who she was. And in every one of them, she had failed in some way. This latest one had been the worst.

“I’ll tell you later.” Nyx dived into her food, stuffing a slice of apple in her mouth. “But yeah, not one of my favorites.”

Rumble waited a moment for her to elaborate. He scratched behind his ear and raised an eyebrow. “Because of the battle yesterday?”

Nyx glanced toward him from her plate, uncertain she was ready to go there. “No… It was another nightmare,” she said with resignation, staring at the table as she ate.

Rumble regarded her. He seemed like he was about to say something, then thought better of it as he continued to eat. After a while, he spoke up. “Thunderlane tells me he’s available for some more war games this week if we want to do some training.”

Her eyes flicked to meet his for an instant before returning to her plate. She said nothing.

“I was thinking today we could do a scouting run,” he continued. “Maybe work out the bugs in the T.E.I. detection spell. Then maybe head back to that zebra camp we cleared out by Appaloosa and scavenge for supplies.”

“Mhmm.” Nyx didn’t look up.

Rumble studied her for a bit longer. “Or… we could take the day off and have a picnic.”

Nyx stopped eating and paused a moment before looking up at him, a smile finally overcoming her serious mood. “I love you so much,” she said. He really was trying. Why was it so hard for her to open up about this?

“Listen, I just… need to work out my feelings about some things. I need some time to gather my thoughts.”

“Nyx, why don’t you go lie down on the couch. We’ll wrap up here.” Rumble gestured toward the lounge, opposite the kitchen.

“No, I couldn’t. You’ve already—” Nyx protested.

“Nope. Go on, we got this,” Rumble insisted, glancing at Flitter as he began collecting plates.

After turning to leave, she grinned mischievously as she felt her stallion’s eyes following her jet-black rump. With a swish of her tail, she heard a whistle of appreciation then looked over her shoulder to meet his gaze.

Rumble let out a happy sigh. “You know I’ll never get over that sight.”

A glance toward Flitter showed that the changeling was getting her breakfast as well, the love in the air producing a contented look on her face.

Her family was awesome.

Stretched out on the couch, Nyx stared up at the ceiling, deep in thought and trying to ignore her stomach tying itself in knots. As she thought of her recent dreams, especially last night’s, she felt an overwhelming sense of dread. It was as if something terrible was lurking in the shadows of her consciousness, just out of sight.

Would her friends understand? How should she describe it? Maybe she was making too big a deal and should just forget about it.

It wasn’t long before Flitter and Rumble joined her in the lounge. Flitter took the plush chair across from her, while Rumble grabbed a grenade from his tinker table and plopped down on the beanbag chair at the far side of the room. He idly twirled the explosive device between his hooves.

Flitter looked at him sideways. “You do realize you make other ponies nervous when you do that, right?”

“Hm? Oh, this?” He tossed the grenade to Flitter. “That’s part of the fun.”

Flitter caught the weapon, shook her head with a smile, then tossed it back. “Not everypony knows you like we do, featherbrain.”

Rumble feigned offence and preened a flight feather between his teeth. “I’ll have you know my feathers are firmly attached to my wings. And my safety latches are firmly attached to my grenades.” He clipped the weapon to his tinker harness with a grin.

Flitter laughed. “Same colt I knew all those years ago, clearly.”

The soft chuckle from Nyx attracted Rumble’s gaze, his expression petitioning her to side with him. At this, she sat upright on the couch and scooted over, patting the cushion next to her with a hoof. Rumble eagerly hopped up off the beanbag and joined Nyx at her side.

“How you feeling?” Rumble asked as he settled into the couch, close to Nyx.

“Better,” came her reply. She was better, wasn’t she? They could all just move on with their day. No big deal.

“So, what happened last night?” he asked.

Well, it was worth a shot. She stared at the floor in the middle of the lounge, unsure how to say it—unsure if she should say it.

“It was worse this time,” she admitted with a sigh. “Same nightmare pattern as before. It’s like I’m in some kind of terrible danger that I have to get away from. Only no matter what I do, I can’t escape.”

“Like the one in the maze?” Flitter asked.

“No. This time, something was chasing me through a forest. Something horrible. I just couldn’t get away.”

She could feel Rumble softly leaning into her before he spoke. “Did you get out?” he asked.

Nyx looked back at him with tears in her eyes. “Yeah.”

“Well, that’s good,” Rumble said. A pause, then he glanced back to Flitter. “That’s a good thing. Right?”

A subtle scowl from Flitter, along with a head gesture, told him to pay attention. Nyx wasn’t mad at him, of course; she loved him too much for that. Rumble once again turned to face her, concern written on his face.

Should she tell them? Nyx wrestled with her feelings, aware that her changeling friend could sense them. A tear rolled down her cheek, her hoof wiping it away as she directed her gaze into the distance.

“I did get away,” she began. “But I don’t remember everything. Something changed. I became… something else. And yet, something that already I am. I’m not sure how to explain it.”

“Nyx, really, you don't—” Flitter tried.

“I was able to destroy what had been chasing me,” Nyx continued, cutting her off. “It was so easy. Like a thought, and I was safe.”

Safe, at last…

The memory flashed before her, causing more tears as her body shuddered.

Rumble put his hoof over Nyx’s shoulder and pulled her close, looking into her eyes.

Nyx locked her gaze onto his. “Everypony. All dead. All the towns were… I think… I think I made it happen.”

Rumble held her close. “A dream, hon. It’s okay. You didn’t hurt anyone.”

Nyx leaned into him, looking across to make eye contact with Flitter before looking down toward the floor, feeling awkward.

“I feel like these dreams are trying to make me question who or… what I actually am.”

“Because you did things you wouldn’t do in real life?” Flitter asked.

Nyx gave the question some thought. It wasn’t like usual dreams where one does strange things. There was a pattern to them.

“Not really,” she replied. “It feels… I don’t know. Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe I’m trying to rationalize something that just isn’t going to make sense.”

“Dreams are like that a lot of times,” Rumble commented, pulling back to look into her eyes once more. “One time I dreamed I was running down a hill from a giant donut. I didn’t realize at the time how absurd it was not to use my wings.”

Nyx studied him for a moment before snerking in laughter and toppling over into him. She came to rest on her back with her head nestled in the crook between his belly and thigh, looking up at his face.

“If you’re struggling with keeping your identity grounded, that’s why your mom taught us how to visit your old memories, right? Maybe we need to spend some more time in that pretty head of yours.” He brushed part of her mane out of her eyes with a hoof.

Nyx blushed. He was sweet. And yes, the memory therapy had helped; he may have a point there. She closed her eyes, basking in the comfort. Maybe she had just been pushing herself too hard lately. She rested there, cuddling for a few minutes, and comforted herself with his presence while he stroked a hoof through her mane.

“You know,” Flitter spoke up. “If you keep having these dreams, maybe you should talk with Luna about them. I bet she could help.”

“That’s actually not a bad idea,” Nyx said, smiling as she reached up to run a hoof along Rumble’s jawline. “Although we’re not exactly… Well, I haven’t seen Luna in months. I’m sure she’s got much more important—”

A tap on her forehead from Rumble’s hoof reminded her not to think like that.

“Sorry. If there’s a chance, I’ll talk with her. Deal?”

“Feel better now?” Rumble asked with a knowing grin.

“I do. I just need one more thing—a change of scenery. Let’s go flying!”

04 - Target of Opportunity

With hooves pressing deep into the grassy soil, Nyx spun in a circle, head tilted back and wings outstretched. The sun felt warm on her face as she took in the fresh air, blue skies, and wide open spaces which stretched out in every direction. With a blissful smile, she drank in the liberating sensations, feeling her tension begin to fade.

There were so many wonderful memories from this place. A good portion of Nyx’s childhood had been spent here, playing among the apple trees with her friends. The grass was lush beneath her hooves. It was fertile land, carefully tended to by generations of dedicated ponies.

Behind her, Rumble was closing the door of a small structure. The inconspicuous child’s clubhouse had sat unused for years after Nyx and the other Crusaders had grown up and moved on with their lives. Now, it was the only indication that anything was here at all. The high-tech living quarters, nestled securely several canters beneath the surface, had been designed for the ‘Encapsulated Living Program’. But to Nyx and her family, it was simply referred to as ‘home’.

Within seconds, the cool air of the open sky was rushing over Nyx’s body, whipping her mane and tail. The feeling of the wind on her feathers sent tingles through her spine. With a squee and a laugh, she reveled in the pure joy of free flight. Below, the ground receded rapidly, revealing the whole of the Apple farm, and soon, nearby Ponyville itself as she gained altitude.

A tap on her shoulder gave her a startle. Head turning quickly, she caught only a glimpse of dark, wispy hair out of the corner of her eye. Her ears twitched as a tap on her other shoulder caught her off guard. It was Rumble, directly overhead at first but quick to duck to the side as she turned to catch him.

“Stop it,” she said coyly.

Rumble grinned as she tackled him in midair on his third attempt, causing them both to lose altitude fast. He laughed. “Such a serious pony.”

“And you’re such a goofball,” she snickered as they flapped hard to recover their height together. The pair soared through the clear blue sky, side by side. Rumble flew along her right wing, looking back at her with a mixture of love and excitement, his charcoal mane whipping back and forth in the wind as they glided along. When he tried tapping her shoulder once more, she laughed and curved into a barrel roll, luxuriating in the warm sunshine and open air around her.

Looking up, she noticed Flitter gliding along far above where she and Rumble were playing. She was soaring like an eagle, barely moving in serene, meditative flight. Nyx worked her wing muscles hard, tapping into her substantial pegasus magic to gain the altitude necessary to join her.

As she approached, she saw Flitter flying with her eyes closed. Nyx pulled up alongside, soaring silently with her friend for a moment.

“It’s nice up here,” Nyx said. “Peaceful.”

Flitter took a deep breath. “It’s a good way to make my troubles seem small. From up here, everything below, at least for a moment, feels less urgent. It’s as if for just a little while, I have no worries.”

A glance to the southern horizon reminded Nyx that somewhere, far beyond the haze, the war painted a very different landscape than what she could see here. While she couldn’t set her worries aside like Flitter, she couldn’t let herself dwell on them either.

“Yeah. I can understand that,” Nyx said in reply. “But it’s not as much fun.”

Flitter opened her eyes to look at her. “It’s not all about fun, Nyx. It’s how I handle stress. You and Rumble have each other. There’s also your rather… effective stress-relieving activity in the bedroom. I have nopony else, remember? And from the way things are looking, I…”

Nyx’s face fell as she recalled the fate of all the changelings. Despite years of watching for any signs, not a single one had been found. “Sorry, Flitter, I didn’t mean it was wrong or anything. I just wanted you to join us for a bit of play.”

Flitter had closed her eyes again, soaring along with only the breeze as her companion.

“Well… okay, I’m gonna go play with Rumble.” Nyx descended toward where her goofy pegasus was doing loops.

She was laughing and looping around with Rumble in the sky when suddenly, a familiar laugh came from her left. Nyx spun around to see a rainbow-maned pegasus shooting past her, grinning from ear to ear. She hadn’t seen the cyan-coated mare in ages, though it was soon apparent that not all was as it seemed.

Nyx did a double-take, letting out a hearty laugh. “Glad you decided to join us!”

“Well, I couldn’t let you think I was beyond having a little fun now, could I?” the mare replied.

“You better not let Rainbow Dash catch you looking like that, Flitter. You know how she is about her… ‘uniqueness’,” Nyx called over her shoulder with a smirk.

“Yeah, yeah. A mare can pretend, can’t she? I tend to think I pass pretty well for the world’s fastest pony, don’t you?”

“Well then, let’s put that to the test! I’ll race you both to Ponyville. How about it? Friendship Castle is the finish line.” She looked at both her friends in turn.

Rumble rolled his eyes and stifled a laugh. Nyx knew he could see what she just did.

For a brief moment, Flitter’s uncertain expression betrayed her identity. She knew Nyx was faster, but Rainbow Dash would never pass on such a challenge. In order for Flitter to remain in-character, she had to brashly accept as if she couldn’t lose.

“Oh yeah? You sure you don’t need me to give you a head start?” Flitter taunted, matching Rainbow's vocal inflections perfectly.

A satisfied, sly grin spread over Nyx’s face. “Readysetgo!” She took off for the horizon toward Ponyville, though not with everything she had.

Halfway there, Rumble was right beside Nyx, clearly struggling to keep up. They both looked back to see that despite a decent start, Flitter had fallen far behind. She turned around to let Flitter catch up.

“Hey, you okay?”

Flitter had changed back to her default pegasus form with a troubled look on her face. She said nothing.

“What’s wrong?” Nyx pressed.

Flitter avoided eye contact with Nyx and proceeded toward Ponyville at a more modest pace.

Nyx watched in confusion as her friend flew off alone. She caught up with Flitter easily and poked her shoulder. “Come on, I was just—”

Flitter stopped and hovered, scowling. She looked at Nyx, then Rumble. “Something’s wrong,” she said, finally.

“What do you mean?” Nyx asked.

Flitter resumed flying forward, ignoring her. This was really weird. She never acted like this without a good reason.

Nyx caught up again. “Hey. What’s going on? This isn’t like you.”

Flitter stopped once more, hovering while glancing around, her face forming a look almost like fear. “I feel cold. Like I just flew through a storm cloud. There’s a strange taste in the air. It’s like… like malice. I don’t think it’s anything you did.”

Nyx began to get very worried. She knew where Flitter was going with this.

They both knew.

“It feels almost like…”

“Zebras!” they both said in unison.

With a thought, Nyx instantly triggered the spell matrix resting at the base of her horn. The magical ring held several spells, one of which was the Terminal Empathic Indicator. Despite its failure yesterday, she knew it still worked most of the time. She engaged the spell, activating T.E.I. The world suddenly took on a slightly different hue, adding a layer of perception to her vision.

Glancing around for targets, a tiny red glowing smudge appeared far below in the distance.

“Oh horseapples! Something’s just up ahead, along that treeline!”

Wasting no time, the trio quickly changed course toward where Nyx was pointing.

It was Rumble who saw the problem first. “Nyx!” he called out, pointing toward town. “The school is only about three hundred canters out.”

A surge of adrenaline shot through Nyx’s body as she dived down for a closer look. What she saw confirmed Rumble’s fear.

There he was. Far below, a zebra was hiding behind cover, lying prone and motionless, facing Ponyville Elementary School. He was looking down the scope of a sniper rifle.

“Oh, no...”

Nyx’s heart raced. What was this? What was a zebra doing targeting the school—her school?

A glance toward the school, and sure enough, there were children at play. Her ears flattened against her head as her blood surged with anger. She glanced back and saw Rumble and Flitter already dropping down toward the zebra. They would handle him. She had to protect the children.

Racing toward the school, Nyx scanned the positions of the various playing children.

“Aha!” That has to be the target.

Mentally drawing line-of-sight from the zebra’s position, she could see that there was only one easy shot from this angle. It was a beige earth pony colt, sitting by himself and playing with some action figures.

No… no no no, there isn’t time!

A sickening, empty feeling of helplessness gnawed at her gut as she pushed her flight muscles to their limit.

It’s not enough. He’s going to die!

Through intense concentration, her horn glowed deep indigo and purple while the spell matrix vibrated on her horn, warning of a high magic drain.

Never had she projected a shield bubble this far before. Her horn fizzed and popped with failure.

It’s no use—he’s too far away!

Like a streak of black lightning, she dived toward the colt, hoping and praying that she could get within range in time.

~…~

Rumble shot a glance toward the school. Nyx was tearing across the sky like a bullet. She must have spotted the sniper’s target. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the area below. The zebra was right there in the open!

Sloppy, he thought. He didn’t think to check the air.

He wished he had brought his scattergun, but it wasn’t like they had come expecting trouble over Ponyville of all places. He unclipped the fragmentation grenade, which was still attached to his tinker harness.

~…~

Flitter scanned the area for additional zebras as she flew silently over the trees. She knew they rarely acted alone, so taking the first one out without neutralizing the others could result in a bloodbath.

A glance back toward Rumble showed him signalling his intention. She swallowed dryly, knowing she would have to find the others quickly. Things were about to get crazy. She needed to get in position and wait for his signal.

~…~

Rumble’s heart was thundering in his chest as he tried to position himself perfectly. Satisfied, and with no time to spare, he pulled the pin.

~…~

Flitter touched down among the trees a fair distance behind where the zebra was lying prone. There was a unique risk that came with her role in this type of operation. She looked around quickly, calming herself enough to briefly scan the emotional landscape. Something was there—she could smell it.

I can feel you… Where are you hiding? She swallowed and made her way deeper into the trees, toward the source of the emotional chill in the air.

~…~

Rumble hovered directly over the zebra sniper and released the grenade from his grip. He could still feel his heart beating in his chest as he watched it fall. It wouldn’t be but five more seconds, but it felt like thirty.

~…~

Flitter spotted the other two zebras and their camouflage net. Her breath caught as she noticed them looking in her direction.

Ohshit, ohshit. She crouched down, out of sight, listening for the signal.

~…~

Rumble watched as the grenade hit the ground next to the sniper zebra, still lying prone with his eye firmly attached to the scope. Startled, the zebra fired his weapon.

Rumble’s heart sank. “No…”

~…~

Flitter heard the shot go off. She tensed up, eyes wide. That wasn’t the signal!

~…~

Nyx squeezed her eyes shut as she flew, projecting as hard as she could. Suddenly, she felt the shield snap into existence in her mind.

Yes!

A heartbeat later, she heard the shot. Her eyes popped open at the feeling of an impact smashing right through the shield.

No!

Her terrified eyes sought the colt, horrified at the thought that she had been too late.

Clear green eyes looked back at her, wide and startled as she slammed into the ground inches away.

The colt was okay! The bullet had grazed his ear, deflected by passing through the shield. But he was alive!

~…~

Rumble watched from a safe height as the zebra sniper glanced to his side, jerking as he saw the grenade within hoof’s reach of his body. Suddenly, flesh separated from bone and was smeared across the grass in a crimson paste as the shrapnel and pressure wave from the grenade tore his body to ribbons.

~…~

There’s the signal. Flitter transformed and started running toward the hidden zebras.

The two zebras startled as they heard the explosion. They stood up from beneath their netting and saw their sniper squadmate running toward them in a panic.

“We have to go. Now! They’re using explosives. Follow me!” he yelled.

The three of them ran for new cover, being led by Flitter, disguised as their fallen comrade.

~…~

Nyx and the colt stared at one another for a moment until the sound of an explosion snapped their attention away. She was thrilled that he was alive, but she knew her job wasn’t finished.

She dropped her shield, releasing the colt.

“Run!”

He scampered to safety, watching as Nyx tore off in the direction of the explosion.

Hot tears streaked her face as she flew. Her thoughts raced, and anger burned within her as she considered what had just happened. Children. These monsters! How can anyone target innocent children? Was Brumby Ridge not enough blood for them?

She caught up with Rumble, and the two dived down to where they knew Flitter would lead the rest of the zebra squad. It didn’t take long to find them. Flitter had already given them the slip to scout for further threats.

Rumble and Nyx set down together and approached the zebras, who were visibly shaken.

Nyx felt an anger welling up within her that she had not experienced in years. As she slowly stalked toward the terrified enemy, her entire body began to give off magical energy. Colored patterns darted fluidly across her black coat, shifting like a flock of a thousand birds turning in the sky in unison. A strange sensation surged through her horn, unlike anything she had felt in her life. It was as if a floodgate had opened up and the vast, untamed power of the universe yielded itself to her command.

The zebras took up a defensive posture, each producing a staff that had glowing blades mounted on both ends.

Nyx didn’t even slow down. Her body shimmered, and her mane and tail moved about like fire. The laws of physics couldn’t decide what to do. Pebbles and stones near her hooves lifted off the ground, and the tall grass around her parted to make room as she walked by. Her hoofprints in the soil became like glass. Blazing, white eyes stared down the zebras, who were utterly panicked at the sight of what they could only imagine was some form of demon.

“WHY!” Her voice thundered. It was like a force of nature.

The zebras held their weapons forward, shaking. They glanced at each other, hesitating a moment, then began to charge. They managed only three steps before they were lifted off the ground. Screams filled the air as they burst into violent flames.

After a long moment, they fell to the ground and writhed around before lying still, continuing to burn. Nyx stood there, silently, as the rage within her faded. The unfathomable power, which flowed effortlessly through her horn for but a moment, was now nowhere to be found.

Heart aching beyond what she could bear, the emotional tide swept away any remnants of self-control. Tears streamed from her eyes as she stood over the burning bodies. What had she done? What had just happened to her horn? What were zebras doing in Ponyville, and why were they trying to kill children? It was all too much. She collapsed to the ground and wept.

07 - Ruling by Moonlight

Nyx flew high over the meadows, forests, and rolling foothills of the Equestrian countryside on her way toward Canterlot. The familiar flight was one she had taken with Luna many times growing up. Their first flight together was when Nyx was only thirteen and couldn’t fly the full distance herself. The memory of that flight washed over her as she watched birds soaring in flocks below, unaware of her presence.

The flight was twelve years ago. She had fluttered along until she got tired, then clung to Luna’s back for most of the journey. With all four legs wrapped tightly around Luna’s frame, she could feel the warmth of her body contrasting with the cold breeze flowing around them. Luna’s powerful muscles moved in rhythm with her wings as they cut through the air together. On occasion, the princess would look back and smile at Nyx, asking if she was doing alright. Nyx would nod and smile back. Despite the nervous twitch in her stomach, the closeness she felt with her royal friend brought a warmth she would treasure forever.

As Nyx’s mind snapped back to the present moment, her eye caught the sight of smoke billowing from the tall brick chimney of the Buckington Munitions factory below, breaking her reverie. It was a grim reminder of what had changed since those innocent years. She shook her head. What had happened to Equestria? What had happened with Luna, her friend?

This damn war was what happened, of course. Only two weeks after Nyx’s sweet-sixteen birthday party, the zebras of Arkadia openly attacked southern Equestria. And over what? They were superstitious fanatics, raving about prophecy. The princesses had always been tight-lipped about the specifics, but anypony could see that Arkadia had no good reason for attacking.

Once war was declared, Canterlot went nuts with rumors and speculation along with trying to decide how to respond. The panic of an entire nation kept the royal sisters busy as the illusion of peace and safety crumbled around them.

Things had never been the same with Luna after that. Eventually, she didn’t even write, and Nyx moved on to other things. Mentally stimulating things like studying with her mother. Pleasant, dreamy things like Rumble. Then, her magical theory studies in Canterlot five months later, which refined most of her gifts. Since then, there had been little time for a close relationship, and on the rare occasion they saw one another, it was usually at a public event of some kind.

The exception, of course, was three years ago after Nyx's magical outburst in Aria. This had marked the beginning of her current season in life as a prototype field-tester, training and preparing for when she would, one day, join the war effort to defend her people.

Nyx flew along, watching the farmers far below tending their fields and the merchant convoys roaming between the small hamlets with their wagons. These days, it wasn’t merely cider and produce in those carts. Ponies had recently begun trading weapons and medical supplies as well. A small shiver ran down Nyx’s spine as she considered how close the war was coming to destroying their way of life.

The old Friendship Express steam engine paced her for a moment along the track of the Ponyville Line, and she glanced down at the heavily laden train. The cars were split evenly between passenger and military cargo, the latter being marked with the distinctive colors of the Royal Equestrian Army. Many of the passengers would be new recruits on their way to Brumby Ridge for enlistment and training, gathered from the towns further down the line.

Up ahead, the massive bulk of Canterlot Mountain took up most of her view. The majestic balcony-city of Canterlot itself jutted from its side, streaming waterfalls down onto the landscape far below. It was one of the few remnants of high society that the war had left untouched.

Nyx swallowed dryly, an empty feeling creeping into her gut. She had flown this approach over a hundred times. Why did she feel as nervous as a filly on a first date? Just because she hadn’t had a proper sit-down with Luna in ages… She chided herself; Luna was probably just catching up with her. After all, with the school massacre only six months ago, and everything going crazy since then, she was probably just way too busy to even think about Nyx and her activities.

As she drew closer, the opulent alabaster spires and towers gleamed with regal beauty. The entire city seemed to cast off an essence of luxury, power, and prestige. She glided high over expensive marketplaces and perfectly manicured gardens where fountains sprayed water in varying patterns into pools along the walkways. Ponies walked about every which way—some with the hurried air of important business, some with the casual stroll and turning head of an eager tourist. Others sat in the park reading or toured the grounds herding along their excited children, some of whom looked skyward, waving as they spotted her.

A subtle grin played at Nyx’s lips as she waved back to them. It would seem that certain things were better than they had been in the past. At one time, the sight of Nightmare Moon flying overhead would have sent such ponies running for cover.

Nyx approached the Palace, its many ornate stained-glass windows glinting in the sun. She caught a glimpse of the one depicting her mother’s ascension right next to the one depicting Luna passing judgement on Night—on her, ending one phase of Nyx’s life and beginning another. She circled around the largest tower and landed on the upper balcony next to a guard who was waiting for her.

“Princess Luna is expecting you,” he said as he stepped aside.

“Thank you, sir.” She walked past the guard into the immense hallway, looking up at the high arched ceilings. The sun shone through the detailed imagery of each delicately crafted stained-glass window, spreading a rainbow of colors onto the plush carpet that covered the walkway.

Nyx let out a sigh. What was she even doing here? In the past, she had felt at home at the Palace. Welcome. Now… with Luna on ‘professional’ terms for so very long, that feeling had faded.

She turned at a junction to walk down a smaller hallway leading to Luna’s study. Her stomach twitched as she reached the door distinguished by a crescent moon emblem in the center. The guard outside the door stood unmoving until she came to a stop. He then opened the door for her, revealing Luna on the other side, standing near the far wall of the study. Nyx entered, closing the door behind her.

Luna’s study was small as far as Palace rooms go but large enough to serve its purpose. Prominent against the lengthwise wall was an old, heavily used dark cherry desk, its brass hoof clasps polished from long years of use. Piles of papers littered its edges, leaving just enough room for the map currently unfurled on it. The adjacent coffee table had additional stacks of paper precariously topped with a dinner plate that held the remains of a half-eaten salad. Luna’s bookshelf sat opposite the desk, cluttered with books of all sizes.

Luna glanced at Nyx as she placed a book on the shelf where she was standing. She turned to face her visitor. Nyx trotted a couple quick steps forward out of reflex, then straightened, remembering herself. “It’s good to see you, Luna.”

“It has been too long,” Luna said with a smile. “Please, sit. Make yourself comfortable.”

Nyx knelt down on a fine plush floor cushion next to a large bookshelf.

“I appreciate you coming so swiftly at my request,” Luna said, kneeling down on the cushion directly adjacent Nyx. She hesitated, as if unsure which words to choose. “Have you been well?” she asked finally.

“There are tough times,” Nyx replied quietly. “But we manage to get through it together.”

“Indeed.” Luna fell silent for a moment, her somber gaze locked onto a distant, unseen point through the floor. Taking a breath, her eyes returned contact. “Nyx, I am sorry for how things turned out between us. I know I have not… You- You have a good family.”

Nyx’s ear twitched. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

“You still field-test for GlimmerTrix Industries, yes?”

“Quite a bit actually,” Nyx replied, happy to leave the awkward moment behind. “We do a lot of war game scenarios, sometimes with the SkyGuard.”

“You do not often have a live encounter with Arkadian zebras, I assume?”

Nyx hesitated, not wanting to get into that topic. “Well, we don’t go looking for trouble, but it does happen once in a while.”

“Yes, I heard about what happened yesterday in Ponyville,” Luna said, causing Nyx’s stomach to twitch. “I am very impressed, Nyx. That was exemplary, saving the child from assassins.”

Nyx blushed, her hoof fidgeting with the cushion’s decorative edging. “Thank you.” She wondered if Luna would still think it was exemplary if she knew what Nyx had done to those two zebras. Just thinking about them caused her to become agitated.

“Why were they even there?” Nyx asked. “It’s Ponyville. We almost never get incursions this far past the border.”

“I wish I knew. I believe it will likely get worse.”

“Worse than this?” That was the last thing Nyx wanted to hear.

“The Arkadians are pushing in harder now than ever before. Many things are changing in the war, Nyx. I have called you here to ask for your help with something.”

“I’m always glad to help, Luna. What do you need?”

Luna levitated the map of Equestria off her desk and spread it across the floor between them.

“There is a situation in the west coast bayous. Are you familiar with the region?”

Nyx chuckled. “Only that Apple Bloom went out there by herself when she was a filly just to prove to her sister that she could handle it. Nearly got herself eaten by—”

Luna blinked, her face unreadable.

Clearing her throat, Nyx lowered her voice. “Um, no actually, I haven’t been out there myself. Why do you ask?”

“We normally hear very little from this area, but yesterday, I received a report of a group of zebras making their way inland through the labyrinth of paths and waterways.”

Nyx's chest tightened. “The zebras are trying to sneak in from the coast? Are you wanting me to try and stop them? I'm not sure that's something we're equipped for.”

“I am concerned for the local settlements, Nyx. There are good families living out that way who prefer a peaceful, isolated, rural life, and I want to ensure they do not fall prey to Arkadian military forces—or worse, become occupied by them. I would like for you to look into the situation.”

Nyx studied the map. “I don't know, this actually sounds like something for the military to be doing.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “That… is correct.”

An awkward feeling formed in Nyx’s stomach, her ear twitching again. “Um… Luna, I’m not allowed to fight alongside the military, per your orders.”

“I know, Nyx. There was a good reason. When you stopped the Arkadian attack in Aria, do you remember what happened?”

“Not really. It was three years ago. I remember seeing uncle Shining get shot. Everypony freaked out. I wanted to protect Mom, but I didn’t know what was happening. I couldn’t see them. I- I don’t remember what happened next, just waking up in the hospital.”

Luna paused as if struggling with whether or not to say something. After a moment, she spoke.

“The reason you burned out is because you cast a spell that required probably twenty times as much magical energy as you were capable of holding. It is an old war spell I developed some three thousand years ago called Death Blossom. It was designed to eliminate all nearby enemies, wherever they might be hiding. Even I can only cast it once without recharging.”

Nyx’s mind raced. War spell? She didn’t know any war spells. “Luna, how… But you took all my abilities from the time before I grew up.”

“I know. My sister and I asked one another the same question. It would appear that taking away somepony’s history is not as easy as I had once believed.”

“But if I kept that one, doesn’t it also mean…”

“I know many war spells, Nyx,” Luna stated slowly and with perfect clarity while holding steady eye contact.

That statement sent chills down Nyx's spine, a terrible understanding washing over her.

So that’s why. Nyx somehow still had some of Luna’s past knowledge. Knowledge that she was in no way prepared to handle. “And this is why I wasn’t allowed to fight.”

Luna nodded. “When an alicorn casts a spell, the energy is found to complete it. If we burn out, the energy is forcibly taken from other sources. You are strong, Nyx. But your energy capacity is very low for an alicorn. It will grow with time, of course, but you are still quite young, which makes burning out very easy to do. This puts yourself and any nearby friendly forces at serious risk. Imagine if something like that happened near one of our unicorn shielded positions.”

“Like that awful dream you once showed me.”

“Indeed.”

“I’m careful to watch my energy storage.” Nyx tapped a hoof at the spell matrix resting at the base of her horn. “I only cast high-drain spells when absolutely necessary. Still, how can I be sure this won’t happen again?”

A gentle smile formed on Luna’s face. “You have grown much, and your discipline has improved in recent years. It is a risk, yes. But a risk we must accept, which is why I am rescinding the decision. That, plus priorities have shifted much over the past six months. We need all the help we can get. So I hereby allow you to participate in the war but only under supervision, and only on missions I personally choose for you.”

Wow. After three years. It was too good to be true! “Thank you, Luna. This means a lot,” Nyx beamed. “But I still don’t understand something. Why do you need our involvement on this mission if you’re sending the military in anyway?”

Luna paused in thought for a moment before standing up and placing the map back on her desk. She turned to Nyx with a warm smile. “Would you like to get some air with me? I have been cooped up in this room for most of the day and could use a change of scenery.”

Nyx wasn’t sure why Luna avoided her question. She returned a weak smile with a nod. “Sure, sounds good to me.”

Luna opened the door and stepped out of the room. The pair of dark alicorns walked down the hallway to the upper balcony where the sun hung low in the sky. Long shadows cast across the city as they approached the railing.

“Follow me,” Luna said with a wink before leaping off the balcony. She flipped backward in a three-quarters loop and dived straight down with a full-spin, arcing just past the city’s foundation structure. She sped alongside the main waterfall that flowed to the land below, casting rainbows through the clouds of mist that surrounded them.

Nyx pushed herself to keep up. She had never tired of seeing the princess’s agility, speed, and aerobatic prowess. The two plummeted for several seconds as the ground rushed up at them, then broke with wings suddenly outstretched. They flew a short distance away and alighted on the top of a small hill within sight of a massive project. It was an entire town under construction.

Many zebras were working below on scaffolds, building an aqueduct at the base of the main waterfall. Off to the side, more zebras were building an array of simple houses and digging tunnels to channel water beneath them. Not far from the residential area, zebras were busy plowing land for farming or laying pipes that ran from the main aqueduct into the new fields for irrigation.

“I sometimes come here after a long day,” Luna said, catching her breath. “I find it gives me perspective.”

Nyx took in the scene. “I saw this place on the flight over. This is the new zebra village, isn’t it?

“The Underfall,” Luna confirmed with a nod. “I felt it best to give this place to them. Equestrian zebras have been requesting a more central community for some years now.”

Nyx kept her eye on the zebras. Several had noticed the pair of alicorns on the nearby hill but kept working anyway. A small part of her was surprised that they weren’t attacking.

“A lot of ponies think they should just go back home,” Nyx said quietly.

Luna turned to face her. “And where is home, Nyx? How many of them grew up in Equestria? Would they not be viewed as traitors by their own people even if they did return to Arkadia? This war is not inconvenient only for us; it has put the many good zebra citizens of Equestria in a difficult situation. A great number, especially in the south, even fear for their safety.”

An uneasy feeling fell over Nyx as she recalled her recent conviction about zebras being monsters. She understood the importance of not prejudging others. Her entire childhood was a battlefield of social conflict centered on this very concept. How could she have allowed herself to forget this?

“I… imagine these zebras are feeling like they don’t really belong anywhere. That they have no place in the world. It must be terrifying.”

“Indeed,” Luna replied, her voice soft. “So I have ordered the construction of this place where they can live in peace among their own kind, largely unbothered by potentially angry or vindictive ponies who cannot tell the difference between a citizen and an invader simply because they share stripes. Unfortunately, I will likely be criticized for this as well. I am already somewhat unpopular among the zebras as it is, given my… our legacy as Nightmare Moon. You, likewise, perhaps even more so, share in this.”

“That’s an understatement,” Nyx said flatly, eyes still on the zebras. They were hard workers and rarely caused trouble. While they still made her a little nervous, they weren’t the enemy.

“Why have you shown me this?” Nyx asked.

“A test,” Luna said simply, turning to face her. “And a lesson. Nyx, it is very likely that you will become a champion in this war in the near future, no doubt attracting considerable attention from the Arkadian government. You just witnessed three zebras attempting to murder an innocent child. I needed to know if you could still feel compassion for them as people—that you will not allow yourself to simply become a zebra killing machine. I need you to have the right perspective regarding who your enemy is. And why.”

Nyx was taken aback. Did Luna really see her as a champion of the war one day?

“I see. I think I understand, Luna. But my question remains about the mission. Why send us if you’re sending the military in anyway?”

“Your heroism yesterday convinced me that you were ready. But it would be unwise to throw you into a large operation as your first mission. You need a chance to prove yourself. This mission is a milk run; it is low profile, and you are unlikely to see actual combat. And if you do, I will be sending more than enough soldiers with you to handle this little incursion into the swamps. My goal is to ease you into your new role and get you used to working with a platoon, not to get you killed on your first mission.”

“Well, hopefully I won’t be killed on any of my missions.”

Luna poked her shoulder. “Fear not, young one. I say that tongue in cheek.” Luna shot her a wink.

“I know,” Nyx chuckled. “I’m actually pretty excited about it!”

“This mission is important, Nyx. It may be uneventful, but these zebras are up to something strange. I want somepony I can trust out there to figure it out if possible—somepony smart enough, intuitive enough, to get to the root of the matter. I cannot have them discovering how vulnerable we are.”

“What do you mean, vulnerable?”

“The reason I’ve been promoting militia groups in recent weeks is because we do not have enough soldiers to cover the outlying areas. This problem in the bayou region is a good example because it is entirely undefended. If the Arkadians learn of this, there will be strategic consequences.”

Nyx considered this for a moment. The pair watched in silence as the zebras worked in the distance, the sun sinking below the horizon. Dozens of lanterns were being lit across the new village as dusk fell over them like a blanket. Zebra children were playing in the streets and had begun to file into their homes, most of which were makeshift temporary shacks. Nyx could just make out the soft percussive sounds of strange, unfamiliar music coming from a central campfire that had several zebras gathered around it. Nyx shook her head. They were so very different.

“I need to ask you something, Luna. If I’m going to be active in the war going forward, what kinds of things would I be doing? I’ve wondered for a long time now how I might be able to help. Where do I fit in?”

“One moment, Nyx…” Luna turned her attention to the east and stared off into the distance, her eyes flashing white and her horn flaring for a second as subtle, detailed patterns briefly raced across her coat. Nyx’s mane was tousled by a gust of wind, and the air around Luna felt electric as the moon peeked above the horizon. After letting out a deep breath, she turned back to Nyx.

“As an alicorn, you can bring very mobile, concentrated strength to a fight. There are certain missions where having you along could mean the difference between success and failure. As your skills grow, I would like you to work with some of my officers and assist them in these missions. Eventually, you would act as a special operative or a commander, depending on what best fits your development.”

Nyx’s mind was spinning. She stared off to the horizon, the soft light of the rising moon shining in her eyes.

“One step at a time, Nyx. Do not stress over the future; that is my job. For now, there are preparations to make. First, you will need to be properly equipped. You have been getting by on very little from what I understand.”

Nyx snapped back into focus. “Um, we scavenge what we can if we encounter zebras. Sometimes, we come in and clean up after the military has pushed a zebra position back. GTI also gives us some fun toys to test out. My spell matrix is pretty cool.”

Luna offered an understanding smile. “I would like to open the doors a bit wider and give you greater access to weapons and medical supplies.”

Nyx’s ears shot up. “Oh, that would help us out so much, Luna. Thank you.”

Luna nodded. “I would also like you to consider adding somepony to your permanent team.”

Nyx's train of thought was instantly derailed. What was this? Add someone to the team? How could anyone possibly fit as well as Rumble and Flitter?

“Uhh… I can’t see that happening anytime soon,” she responded, trying to be polite about it. “I mean, the main reason we work so well together is because we’re all long-time close friends.”

“And I speak of none other than your close friend Dinky.”

Nyx stared at Luna for a moment. “Really? She’s… that’s… I really don’t see how that would help. She’s really not the kind of pony who would fit well in a dangerous situation, nevermind combat. Besides, she’s kind of busy with her, uh, delivery business.”

“Much of that may be true,” Luna agreed. “However, I believe she needs to begin applying herself to something greater. Her unique gift would likely allow her to reach her greatest potential when paired with a team such as yours. In addition, I may be sending you into situations where I will need to stay in close contact with you. Please consider this and speak with her prior to embarking on your mission.”

Dinky. Nyx chewed on the idea for a moment. Dinky was the last pony Nyx would have expected to be… compatible with missions and fighting and hiking through wild terrain.

“Okay, well we can mention it, I suppose.”

“Very good. I will be sending you out on this assignment in a few days, as soon as I organize some ground forces to accompany you. They will rely on your team’s hunting skills and aerial advantage.”

Nyx laughed. “Hunting skills? I guess.”

“It is true, is it not?” Luna smirked. “I have heard stories.”

“Somepony leaking our tactical secrets, now?” Nyx quipped. “But since you mentioned it, we actually had a crazy example of that just yesterday. Between Flitter’s weird changeling emotion detector and my T.E.I. it’s hard for them to hide.”

Luna grinned. “As I said. Hunting skills. Do not question your princess’s choice of words.” She poked Nyx in the side with a chuckle.

Nyx felt a nostalgic warmth at Luna’s demeanor. She had missed moments like this.

“Come. Let us return.” Luna looked at Nyx, a mischievous spark beginning in her eyes which blossomed into a grin. “I will race you to the top!” Luna took flight, flapping hard to quickly gain altitude.

A bright smile spread over Nyx’s face as she leapt into the air, recalling the moments from her youth when they would play together. Luna had often given her a head start with Nyx giggling as she raced on ahead. She would squeal in mock terror as Luna passed her then performed some aerial stunt that slowed her down. Those moments would end in occasional victories, then hugs, cuddles, and laughter, followed by tea and chatting.

Tonight, there was no such head start. Nyx had grown much in strength since those days. She pushed her muscles to their limit and worked to catch up to the princess. Luna glanced to her left, noticing Nyx just over her shoulder. The brief look of surprise etched on her face was priceless. Luna then fixed her gaze forward and redoubled her efforts. It was going to be closer than she had expected.

08 - The Moon Princess

The pair of alicorns returned to the upper balcony, feeling winded and alive. “You know,” Luna said between breaths, “You really made me work for that victory.”

Nyx struggled to catch her breath. “That was great,” she wheezed. “I forgot what a strong flier you are. Not bad for a… wait, how old are you, actually?”

Luna chuckled softly. “It is not considered polite to ask a mare her age.” She then regarded Nyx with a contemplative gaze. “Please, join me inside.” Luna made her way back into the palace, leaving Nyx alone on the balcony for a moment. She took a deep breath, allowing her trembling muscles to settle.

Nyx trotted to catch up, following Luna through the Palace down a different hallway than before. Memories from her childhood returned, filling her with a warm sense of nostalgia. It had been many years since the last time Luna had invited Nyx into her private chambers.

They stopped in front of a doorway, a polished disk of black onyx inlaid with a golden crescent moon mounted on the wall. Luna leaned forward, bringing her horn close to the lock, causing three clear crystals embedded near the edges to glow. With a click, the door opened.

The air felt warm and inviting despite the cool colors which surrounded them. The room was decorated in deep violet hues with midnight blue curtains held in place by golden silk ropes. Nyx stepped inside, feeling the soft texture of the large central carpet spread out beneath her hooves. A slight shiver ran down her back as her body adjusted to the heat radiating from the marble fireplace, its fire crackling beneath the mantel’s golden crescent moon emblem.

Luna approached the plush, purple floor couch that sat along the left wall perpendicular to the fireplace and made herself comfortable while watching Nyx intently.

Nyx paused to admire framed paintings of the night sky that seemed as vast as the sky itself, filled with a stunning array of stars and distant nebulae. The scent of lavender incense filled the air, giving her a sense of comfort and calming her nerves. She looked around the room, taking in the style that Luna preferred to call her own.

“I love your room,” Nyx said with admiration.

“Thank you,” Luna responded, her tension visibly fading. “I am pleased to hear that.”

Nyx sat down beside her, feeling her body sink into the soft velvet cushion. She settled herself and regarded Luna. The princess looked tired—weary, and not because of the race.

“Luna, how have you been?” Nyx asked, sincerely.

A pause lingered in the air for a moment as the princess considered her response. She glanced downward with ears tilted back, letting out a sigh. “A bit stressed, to be honest. These recent months have not come easy. I have had many challenges.”

“Do you get much of a chance to talk to Celestia about things?” Nyx asked.

Shifting a bit on the couch, Luna continued looking downward but remained silent.

“Well… you can share your worries with me if you like. I don’t mind,” Nyx offered with a kind smile.

Eyes glancing briefly toward Nyx, a bittersweet smile played at Luna’s lips. Her expression softened as she turned to her guest. “Thank you, Nyx. I feel… To be honest, it is difficult not having somepony with whom I can…” She paused, appearing to shy away and change the subject.

Before Luna could retreat, Nyx leaned forward, placing a hoof on her hind leg. “It’s okay,” she said, gently.

Her defenses fading, Luna met her eyes directly. “You have no idea how restrained I must be with most ponies, Nyx. There is no one whom I can be candid with. I have become the princess of war; I cannot appear uncertain in my resolve. I cannot show how much it affects—”

Eyes falling once more, Luna looked as if she was carrying the weight of the world. And it was not lost on Nyx that perhaps, in fact, she truly was.

“I don’t envy the decisions you’ve had to make,” Nyx admitted.

Luna stiffened, taking on an indignant tone. “I have had to turn Equestria upside-down these past six months,” she lamented. “Celestia has given me full authority to use any resources necessary if it would help to end this war. The increased focus on advancing technology and conducting military campaigns have not come easy for many. Peace advocates have protested my decisions and, in fact, my very authority. I have had to be firm. In the process, I have almost completely alienated the old Noble Houses of Equestria, diverting much of their funding toward the war effort. I do not have the patience to entertain their outdated prattle. They have not taken it well.”

Nyx stifled a chuckle. She herself was no fan of the nobles and their ways.

Meeting Nyx’s gaze again, Luna leaned in closer with a more somber tone. “But what is more distressing, I feel that recent burdens have distracted me from far more important things that life used to allow.” After a moment’s pause, she reached for Nyx, pulling her close in an embrace. “I have missed you.”

Eyes shooting wide for a second, Nyx put her hooves around Luna’s shoulders, pressing into her neck. Memories flooded her mind as she held tight to the one pony who had most been like an older sister to her.

Pulling back gently, Luna forced a weak smile as she looked upon Nyx afresh. “So much has happened since we last spent any real time together. You have grown so much, Nyx, despite my absence. I am very proud of you.”

Nyx felt suddenly self-conscious, shaking her head slightly as her cheeks flushed. “I know you’ve been busy. It’s alright.”

“It is not alright, Nyx. I have not taken the time to properly apologize for being unavailable to you when the war began.”

“Thank you. Though if I recall, that did lead to things finally getting serious with Rumble,” Nyx countered. The thought of her hubby warmed her heart, a smile spreading on her lips.

“This is true,” Luna admitted. “I am thankful for the good things that have come to pass. It can be difficult, especially lately, to remain optimistic.”

“I think you’ve been handling things pretty well, to be honest. Though I don’t really understand the changes you and Celestia have made.”

Her body stiffening slightly, a subtle huff escaped Luna’s nostrils. “Celestia’s decision was… necessary,” she said, her tone growing serious. “Though I bear the burden willingly, I admit it has caused me to question myself more than a few times.”

Nyx’s curiosity internally poked at her. “But why? Surely, you both can work together to—”

Holding up a hoof, Luna interrupted Nyx’s train of thought. “My sister knew the changes Equestria must face, and she knew that I must finish this alone. It is now my duty to bring the nation out of the defensive position we have been in for nine years. To not only end the war, but to ensure that Arkadia will not pose a threat to us in the future.”

Luna’s words rang in Nyx’s mind. “But… alone?”

“Celestia has kept her distance,” Luna replied with a nod, “to ensure that her tendency to apply a diplomatic approach does not interfere with what must be done. She wants to avoid micromanaging my efforts. Though it is a tremendous struggle for me, I understand why she must remain silent. If only… I only wish…”

Luna’s eyes had closed, her expression pained.

“What is it?” Nyx asked gently, leaning forward a bit, trying to read the princess’s expression.

“Having nopony to share my feelings with has been more difficult than I expected. There are times when my burdens are too much to bear, especially when I think of my—”

It was then that Nyx understood. “Your school,” she said, quietly. Of all the countless concerns that burdened the princess, this was the one that would have stood out above the rest. Nyx herself had shared this burden, the tragedy having robbed her of many nights’ sleep.

“It still weighs heavily on my heart, driving my outrage and focus,” Luna admitted. “Though I fear growing embittered over it.”

Nyx recalled the horror of that day. “I… Yes, when we heard about what happened, I couldn’t believe it. I must have wept all night for the families and children.”

Luna sighed. “All the families were so grief-stricken. I visited as many as I could. After only a few, I could not bear it.”

Her brow furrowing, Luna paused as if wrestling with her thoughts. Her eyes grew wet, and the air felt charged as a faint whiff of ozone drifted through Nyx’s nostrils.

“Those were my students!” she snapped, suddenly. “Those were my teachers and staff! I personally chose them!”

It was short-lived. Clearly spent, Luna’s voice fell to a whimper. “Loving, dedicated, incredibly talented ponies doing what they could to raise up the next generation of—”

Luna paused, composing herself. Nyx’s ears fell as she shifted in her seat, her heart aching. She could not recall ever seeing the princess so vulnerable.

“So much has been lost, Nyx,” she said softly before clearing her throat. “It was going to be such a momentous day. We were on the verge of a breakthrough. All the tests had worked perfectly, and the children were so excited about their project. Celestia and I were here at her school in Canterlot, along with many of the parents, ready to welcome my students through the portal.”

Nyx had heard this story from her mother after the tragedy. Twilight had been there in Brumby Ridge, on the students’ side of the experiment, monitoring events from the research institute and ensuring they were provided with sufficient power.

Luna’s head hung low as she continued. “When the portal failed to manifest, we assumed the students were running a bit behind. Surely, it would only be a moment. After fifteen minutes, Celestia powered down the target zone. We all stood there, wondering what happened. I remember a mare approached me, asking where her daughter was. I… I assured her that they—”

Luna’s breath caught, her voice cracking. “That they would be okay.” A tear ran down her cheek, and she looked up toward the ceiling in anguish as if petitioning fate to reverse its decision.

Nyx knew the rest of the story. When the first two Arkadian soldiers stepped through the portal, it was complete chaos. The town alarm blared to life, causing the students to flee back into the school. R.E.A. soldiers from the barracks responded quickly, engaging the zebras. Within seconds after the fighting started, dozens of Arkadian soldiers had flooded through the portal.

There was a reason Brumby Ridge was known as the most well-defended town in Southern Equestria. Twilight had watched helplessly from her window at the institute as it unfolded. The blood. There was so much blood. By the time Twilight was able to cut the power, bodies of ponies and zebras alike littered the schoolyard. And that was only the beginning of the horror.

“Celestia still blames herself, at least in part,” Luna said after drying her eyes. “She had tried for so many years to negotiate with Arkadia through diplomacy. She is convinced that if she had only abandoned this effort and pushed to end the war sooner, then over seven hundred children would still be alive.”

Nyx put a hoof to her mouth. “Surely, she can’t actually believe this.”

“Nyx, she is not wrong. Celestia did everything she thought was right when dealing with the enemy nation. She tried for years to reason with them—to not give them a reason to fight or to hate. She asked me to stay out of it as well because my presence only riles the zebras up.

“But why won’t they listen?” Nyx asked sharply, finding herself growing agitated. “What do they want, anyway?”

Luna’s silence at that question only served to irritate her further.

“Well?” Nyx pressed.

“Nyx, you mustn’t—” Luna stopped herself, only causing Nyx’s question to burn within her. What did the Arkadians want? Why couldn’t they be talked down?

Voice raised, Luna spoke with anguish and barely contained fury. “After what they did to my children, do you really think they are going to listen to reason?! Should we honestly be surprised that after nine years of trying to talk with them, things have only gotten worse?”

Leaning forward, Luna stood up from her position on the couch. She walked over to the fireplace a few steps away before sitting on the carpet, facing away from Nyx. To her left was an arched cutout in the wall, leading to her private balcony. Its framed glass double doors were shut, yet two adjustable panes allowed fresh air to flow in. Within the fireplace, a midnight-blue levitation field poked at the burning logs, through the flames, sending glowing sparks up the flue.

“You do not understand what Celestia has chosen to unleash upon the zebras, Nyx,” Luna said as she stared into the flames. “Over an hour had passed before an exhausted pegasus arrived from Brumby Ridge to tell us what had become of my students.”

As Luna continued, she poked again at the flaming logs, turning them over in the fire. Nyx swallowed dryly as she noticed the room appear to grow much darker despite the intensity of the flames. The thin white curtains in front of the balcony doors began moving in the breeze, varying the light of the rising moon shining through them.

“Seven hundred twenty-three beautiful souls, Nyx. When we found out, I left Canterlot immediately. The entire flight there, I kept telling myself that it could not be true. It must have been a mistake. Then, when I saw them with my own eyes…”

A hollow formed in Nyx’s gut as Luna fell silent for a moment, the flames growing in strength on their own. The fireplace was now the only thing she could see apart from Luna’s silhouette as it eclipsed a portion of the flames.

“That evening, I flew south, beyond the border. I was out all night.” Luna dropped a hovering log into the fire, sending a burst of embers up the flue before turning to face Nyx.

“By morning, there were… far fewer zebras in the world.”

Luna’s words hung in the air like the spectre of death for several seconds before she continued. Nyx had no words.

Standing up, Luna approached the couch where Nyx sat. “Do you want to know why Celestia gave me the war?”

Sitting motionless, Nyx said nothing. Her eyes remained locked onto Luna’s as the princess softened her expression at last. She then sat beside Nyx, the room becoming brighter as her emotional tide ebbed.

“Because… Because she knew I would kill them,” Luna said, the pain still evident in her voice. “As many as necessary to make them stop. She said to do whatever I have to do. And I did, Nyx. I have turned Equestria into an engine of war. One day, my sister and I will be able to return to the way things were. When it is done.”

“So that’s why it had to be you alone,” Nyx murmured.

“It was something Celestia could never do,” Luna replied with a nod and a note of sadness. “She and I have always brought balance to Equestria. You must understand, in ancient times, ponykind was never like what you remember from your childhood. But in my thousand-year absence, the nation has grown soft. I do not blame my sister; it is her way and her strength. Benevolence is her virtue.”

“What will you do now?” Nyx asked, unsure that she wanted to hear the answer.

“Equestria does not need balance at this time,” she replied. “Ponykind has benefited much during my sister’s lone rule, but I will bring back the nation’s strength. It is well underway, but again, the task is often more than I can bear.”

Nyx shifted closer to Luna as her voice drifted into silence. She reached out to touch a hoof to Luna’s shoulder. “How can I help?”

Luna's glance shifted briefly to Nyx's hoof on her shoulder. “With Celestia mostly keeping a distance as of late, I have nopony to talk to. She has always been there. We… we could talk about anything. You do not understand, Nyx. For thousands of years, this is how it was. I cannot—”

“I’m here now. If you want.”

Luna's eyes brimmed with emotion for several beats with only the crackle of the fireplace to be heard. Then, she put her hooves around Nyx once more. “You have been like a younger sister to me, Nyx. It would mean a lot to me if we spent time together again like we used to.”

Nyx’s heart leapt. “I’d like that a lot. I’ve missed you too.”

Luna straightened herself, a pleased smile once again returning to her face. “I need something to drink.” She got up and approached a dark, wooden, intricately carved writing desk that held blank scrolls, a quill, and an inkwell. Above the desk, a small drawer slid open as a pair of tea cups floated out toward her.

A refreshment cabinet sat near the writing desk. With a shimmer of her horn, Luna deactivated its magical stasis spell, which could keep fruits and drinks fresh indefinitely.

Looking back at Nyx, she shook the pair of hovering cups just a bit. “Tea?”

“Yes, please.”

Luna poured two cups of tea and levitated them over to the couch along with a plate of peach slices before returning to where she had been sitting.

“When my sister first gave me the task to finish the war, I was full of fire and energy. Then, when the implications settled in my mind, I was terrified! I have always been accustomed to making decisions in conjunction with my sister. The change in responsibility has been a tremendous pressure.”

“I can’t imagine trying to manage a war,” Nyx commented, taking a cup in her own telekinetic grip.

Luna sipped her tea. “It is not so much that. I tend to think I understand wartime strategy quite well. After all, I have seen many in my lifetime. However, it is all the more difficult with the absence of Celestia and her tempered wisdom. I miss her and long for the day when our rule is more mutual. These days, when she raises the sun in the morning, I often do not even know where she is.”

“I can appreciate why you two are so close,” Nyx said after a moment of reflection. A subtle smirk played at her lips. “Even though you’re so entirely different from one another.”

Luna offered a chuckle in response. “You have no idea. The master strategic manipulator, cool in a political emergency, patience to finish what she starts… And to think, I once coveted the throne so much that I attempted to destroy my sister and take rulership entirely for myself! How absurd—imagine if I had succeeded. My reign would have crumbled within a week.” With an eyebrow raised, she glanced at Nyx out of the corner of her eye. “At least yours lasted two.”

They both laughed openly at the realization that she was correct. Nyx melted into the couch in relaxed levity, feeling as comfortable here as she did with her own family. “You know, sometimes things seem like a really good idea until they actually happen.”

“Indeed they do,” Luna remarked in agreement.

While Luna sat silent in thought, Nyx took a moment to examine the engravings on the side of her writing desk. They seemed a bit like Old Ponish but appeared even more ancient. Among the engravings were several symbols, including both Luna’s and Celestia’s cutie marks, along with two others that she did not recognize. It reminded her of how deep Equestria’s history must have gone and how backward things now were with the war consuming so much of Luna’s attention. So many things have been changing so quickly, especially recently…

“You know, I’ve also experienced some cruel irony in recent weeks,” Nyx said.

“How so?” Luna asked, the change of topic bringing subtle but visible relief to her expression.

Nyx suddenly found she had become self-conscious. She wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to talk about it, but if anypony could give some insight, it would be Luna.

“I’ve been having nightmares,” she admitted in a quiet voice.

Luna’s eyes widened. “Oh my. Really?” Her posture was relaxed. Curious.

Nyx nodded.

“You know, I can probably come in and help with them if they are too irritating.” Luna took another sip.

“It’s more than just bad dreams. They feel like… like they have me becoming something terrible, even worse than Nightmare Moon.”

Luna nearly spilled her tea. She tensed slightly, eyes fixed on Nyx. “Please explain.”

“I’m not sure,” Nyx continued. “Usually, it’s like something’s chasing me and I can’t shake it. Like I’m being hunted. Then something will happen that gets me out.”

“And then everything is okay?” Luna asked.

Nyx didn’t answer. She looked away, her ears falling slightly.

“I see,” Luna said, softly. She closed her eyes, rubbing her face with her hooves. “I am sorry, Nyx. I know the nightmares of which you speak. You must tell me, have you had any strange magical outbursts lately?”

Nyx stared at Luna for a moment. Was that related to the dreams somehow?

“Um, yeah. Something really weird just yesterday.”

Luna’s carefully neutral expression cracked for just an instant. “W- What happened?”

“It was after the attack on Ponyville Elementary. I… I incinerated two zebras with my mind when we caught up with them. I was really angry. I didn’t mean to, I just…”

Luna held her gaze on Nyx while sitting perfectly still. “Presumably, you do not know any fire spells.”

Nyx shook her head. “I was just talking to Mom about that yesterday. It just happened.”

“In your mind, could you feel the matter in their bodies shift at your will? Did you wield tremendous forces like an instrument or extension of yourself?”

Nyx thought for a moment. “I… didn’t think about it quite like that, but now that you mention it, yeah, that was kind of how it felt.”

“And you told your mother of this?” A drop of sweat ran down Luna’s cheek, her eyes wide in… fear?

“She didn’t believe me. She said that’s not how magic works. And it isn’t! I wouldn’t have believed me either.”

Luna took a deep breath and fell silent for a moment before regaining her composure.

“Twilight is not aware of this type of magic, Nyx. It does not operate by the same rules as ordinary unicorn magic. If I were to guess, the device on your horn showed no loss of energy after the event?” Luna pointed at Nyx’s Spell Matrix.

Nyx engaged the indicator, showing the figure floating in the air before her so that Luna could see it. It read one hundred percent. “It actually went up. I thought maybe it was a glitch. When I talked to Mom about it, she said you and Celestia thought something like this might happen one day. That it might mean I was a different kind of alicorn or something. What does that even mean?”

Luna regarded Nyx for a long moment before speaking. Finally, she let out a heavy sigh. “Nyx, what your mother said is true. Your origin fifteen years ago was rather unusual. Celestia and I thought maybe you would be spared the…” She paused, appearing to reconsider her words. “That maybe you would turn out like your mother. At this point, however, I suspect that you are indeed a natural alicorn like we are.”

Nyx stared at Luna in confusion. “Does it matter?”

“It does. Your nightmares are caused by it.”

“Can you help? You’re a dream warden after all.”

“No,” Luna stated, her tone certain. “This is beyond my ability—you are dealing with forces far more powerful than I can contain.”

Adrenaline shot through Nyx’s body, her face heating up. “What? These things are awful, Luna. Every time I wake up from one, I feel like I just did something horrible. Is there no way to stop them?”

Luna’s head shook slightly, her brow furrowing with concern, as if wrestling with words she hesitated to speak. “The true issue lies not solely in the nightmares themselves, but rather in what these dreams have unveiled about you.”

“About me?” Nyx asked. “You mean the magical outburst? I didn’t mean to—”

“Listen to me very carefully, Nyx,” Luna interrupted, her tone firm. “The purpose of these nightmares is to convince you to embrace your transformation as a fully matured alicorn. Each dream will have you believing that you are in great danger and then give you a way out where you will finally be safe. You will always be in danger until you accept this change. That is what the dreams will show you.”

Safe, at last… Nyx tried to recall her most recent nightmare.

“And if I accept this… this change, the nightmares will end? My loved ones and I will be safe?”

“Not you and your loved ones, Nyx. Just you.”

The impact of that statement dropped into Nyx’s gut like a stone, the image of towns burning in the night flashing once more into her mind.

Nyx felt herself trembling. “What kind of change is this, Luna? I don’t understand what the dreams want me to become.”

“At this point, just focus on resisting,” Luna said. “You will soon be tempted in your waking hours to simply let go and accept it. When you feel yourself slipping, you must resist. You must not let go, even though there will be a part of you that desperately wants to. For if you did, the consequences would be immeasurable.”

Nyx could feel her own heart pounding in her chest. Her eyes darted back and forth as she tried to process what Luna was saying.

“What consequences, exactly? Please don’t be evasive with me, Luna. I need to know exactly what kind of threat I am to other ponies. To my family.”

“I cannot get into specifics about that. It is different for every alicorn.”

“This can’t be happening, this can’t be happening,” Nyx murmured on the edge of panic. “I need to understand, Luna. Can’t you give me something?”

The older alicorn touched a hoof to Nyx’s chin, prompting her gaze to return to Luna’s. “This is too much of a burden for you to bear; more facts will not make your struggle any easier, Nyx. Your emotions even now indicate that I have likely said too much. Just know that you must resist.”

“Resist? So I have to bear this for the rest of my life? To keep resisting?”

“No. Only for a short season. Eventually, it will just happen anyway, no matter your efforts to hold it back.”

“What? But how did you make it stop? You said I was not like my mother—that I was like you and Celestia.”

“There is only one remedy, Nyx. You must acquire a Virtue of Harmony.”

“A virtue of… What do you mean?”

“There are many Traits of Harmony that all ponies exhibit. Possessing one of these traits far in excess of most ponies is known as having a Virtue of Harmony. Take your mother’s friend, Fluttershy, her virtue is kindness. Celestia’s is benevolence. Your husband’s is candor, if I am not mistaken. You must discover what yours is on your own.”

“And then this will end?” Nyx asked, hoping that would be all.

“Indeed,” Luna said, her head nodding once. “When you discover your virtue, you need not fear becoming something that would make your past sins pale by comparison. I cannot overstate how important this is, Nyx. I do not exaggerate when I say that the fate of the world is at stake.”

Nyx nearly fainted. “Are you serious? If it’s that important, can’t I just pick something? This is something I have to decide to do, right? To be? Well I decide, then. I don’t want to be a threat to others.”

Luna shook her head. “It is not that simple, Nyx. Virtues of Harmony are never decided. They are discovered through actions and character. You must live it out first, and only then will this be over.”

Nyx paused, taking a deep breath to collect her thoughts. It was all so overwhelming. She almost regretted asking about it, but a small rational part of her mind began to assert itself.

“How long do I have?” she asked simply. “Before it’s too late, I mean.”

“Weeks at most,” came Luna’s answer. “Again, it is different for every alicorn. There will be signs, however, when the time draws very near.”

Nyx swallowed dryly. “I can’t go on this mission, Luna. I can’t be a danger to other ponies!”

The princess's expression softened. “Look at your cutie mark, Nyx. Look at the promise you made to me fifteen years ago. I wager your virtue is very likely linked to these things. It is actually more important now that you go on this mission—that you begin to realize what constitutes Nyx Sparkle. Perhaps then, your virtue will be unveiled.”

Nyx became overwhelmed with uncertainty, speaking quietly. “But how will I know one trait that stands out among the rest?”

Luna put her hoof on Nyx’s and smiled. “Your character is very strong. The love your mother raised you with has planted the seeds of your true identity. Looking back at the adversity you have faced, even as a young filly, you have accomplished more to resist your darkest temptations than I ever have. I am confident you will find it.”

Nyx blushed. “You flatter me.”

“There are no words of flattery here, young Nyx. Only the truth.”

Luna stood from the couch, stepping toward the room’s entrance. “I do not wish to keep you too late. You should get back to your family.” She then stepped out into the hallway with Nyx, escorting her back to the upper balcony.

“I want to tell you how much it means to me to have another alicorn to talk to,” Luna said as they strolled down the decorative corridor together, its luminescent magical torches flickering in the dark. “Celestia and I have always been quite close, enjoying each other’s company and talking about whatever was on our minds. I hope you will seriously consider my offer to renew our old friendship. You and I still have many things in common, along with similar struggles.”

Nyx offered a warm smile in response. “I’d like that very much. Thank you, and not just for your support—thanks for believing in me.”

“And Nyx, you must keep me privy to your continuing struggles. I want to know when you continue to have the nightmares or are further tempted toward darkness in your waking thoughts. Remember what I said about finding your virtue, and resist the temptations to let go. Do not hesitate to come to me if you need help understanding the changes you are going through.”

Nyx nodded. “I will.”

“You better get going. We both have much to think about. Take care, Nyx.”

Nyx gave Luna a tight embrace. She then took off from the balcony into the starry sky toward Ponyville.

09 - Journey's Dawn

The unicorn trod through the wilderness of the bayou, the air thick with humidity and the scent of damp earth. Towering river trees with gnarled roots and twisting branches loomed around him, casting dappled shadows on the narrow, winding trail. It was a journey he had taken many times before, the path home etched in his memory. The day had been long, and he was eager to get home to his family.

His hooves made soft squelching sounds as he navigated the muddy trail. The sunlight, filtered through the dense canopy, created a mosaic of light and shadow that danced across his russet coat. A soft glow enveloped Sage’s horn as he shifted the weight of the small satchel of medical supplies resting across his back as well as the cart he pulled behind him. The trade he made with Withersberg had been successful—medical assistance in exchange for a much-needed supply of grain for his village.

The well-traveled trade hub of Withersberg had been bustling, its residents welcoming, yet a subtle underlying tension now permeated the air. The occasional news of Equestria’s war had begun weighing on everyone’s minds, even in these distant parts of the country. As a doctor, Sage was accustomed to dealing with most ordinary ailments, but the thought of wounds due to the war was always a troubling possibility he hoped never to have to deal with.

Lost in his thoughts, Sage continued along the path until a strange sound pierced the air. It came from the depths of the undergrowth off to the side of the trail. His steps slowed, a gnawing unease tugging at his senses.

Then, like a haunting refrain, a female voice pierced the stillness. It was a cry of distress, muffled yet filled with pain. Sage’s heart skipped a beat, and he stopped in his tracks. His instincts as a doctor surged within him, driving him to seek out the anguished cries. He knew he couldn’t ignore someone in need. Unhitching his cart, he ventured off the trail, into the forest, guided only by the fading echoes of the voice.

A rustling up ahead drew him to a standstill. He wrestled with his instincts, urging him to flee, but determination overcame caution.

And then, among the trees, black and white stripes! It was the first time he had ever seen a zebra, her form barely visible amidst the foliage.

At first, Sage’s breath caught in his throat, fear coursing through his veins. This was an enemy soldier, a mortal threat. His mind raced, urging him to flee, to escape from danger. But as his gaze lingered, petrified, he noticed the zebra wasn’t behaving aggressively. Her movements were slow, labored, her body swaying with exhaustion.

She had noticed him as well, her eyes locking onto him with a mixture of fear and alarm. In a fluid motion, she drew her combat blades, her trembling hooves betraying her unease. Sage’s heart pounded in his chest, torn between rationality and fear.

But it was too much. The zebra’s legs buckled, causing her to fall to her knees. Sage approached cautiously, seeing the blood covering her body as she collapsed onto the ground. His voice was a hesitant whisper in the shadows of the great river trees. “What happened to you?”

The zebra’s voice, weak and trembling, carried the weight of confusion as she spoke. Her words were nearly incoherent, fragmented by pain and fear. “Black Death,” she muttered, her eyes unfocused, as if she were trapped in a nightmare.

Sage’s eyes widened as he knelt beside her. His sharp gaze noticed that much of the blood staining her body was not from her own wounds. Whatever had attacked her, she must have put up an incredible fight. He gestured to the crimson streaks, his voice tinged with urgency. “Whose blood is that?”

The zebra blinked, her gaze darting around, her thoughts appearing scattered like leaves in the wind. “I don’t know,” she whispered, her voice barely audible above the rustling leaves.

Setting down his doctor’s bag, Sage’s trained hooves moved swiftly to examine her injuries. He was methodical, his mind working through a mental checklist even as panic threatened to engulf him. The zebra had suffered numerous cuts, and some of them were deep, the result of a bladed weapon.

As he worked, his brow furrowed with concern. His eyes followed a trail of blood that had run down her hind leg, tracing up to where it had come from, beneath the base of her tail. With the professional courtesy of a physician, he gently assessed the damage. The sight made the breath catch in his lungs.

“Who did this?” he asked, but there was no answer.

Despite Sage’s efforts, there was too much blood, and the zebra’s life slowly ebbed away. Desperation painted his face as he tried to stem the crimson tide, but it was a battle he couldn’t win. Her labored breathing grew weaker, and her eyes, filled with a mixture of gratitude and sorrow, locked onto his.

“Get out of here,” she whispered, her voice a fragile thread.

Sage hesitated, confusion and fear dancing in his eyes. “What?” he asked, leaning closer.

The zebra’s voice was barely a breath as she whispered, “Run.”

And then, her eyes closed, and the bayou fell into a profound silence. Whatever menace she had faced remained a mystery, but the urgency in her final words was clear. Sage swallowed hard, his heart heavy with sorrow and dread. Whatever had attacked her, it was still out there, and it was dangerous. He knew he had to heed her dying words and flee.

Fear prickled at the back of his mind as he retraced his steps through the undergrowth. Who or what could have done this? The implications sent his thoughts spiraling into panic. He should race home immediately to warn everyone. But the day had grown late. He glanced up at the sun, only flecks of light shimmering low through the trees as it sank steadily toward the horizon.

Growing anxiety surged within him, clouding his thoughts. Sage’s breath came quicker, his hooves trembling against the damp earth. He knew he wouldn’t make it back to Gatorton before dark. His heart raced, uncertainty gripping him, urging him to flee, to escape the darkness that threatened to envelop him.

When he finally reached the main trail, he forced himself to calm, if only a little. He took a deep breath, making his decision. He would turn back, head to Withersberg, and spend the night there at the Inn. It was a logical choice, the only choice, even if he desperately wanted instead to be with his family this night.

With a determined step, Sage turned around. The shadows grew longer, and the chill of the approaching night sent a shiver down his spine. His horn’s glow guided his way, casting a small circle of light amidst the encroaching darkness.

As he ran, the pounding of his own hoof-falls seemed to resonate with his racing heartbeat. Sage’s thoughts were a whirlwind—questions, doubts, and a primal fear that clawed at him. Yet, with each step, he steadied his resolve. The path to Withersberg stretched on ahead, the promise of the Inn’s warm lights beckoning him.

The terrible encounter—it would have to wait until morning. For now, Sage could focus only on reaching the safety of civilization, on regaining his composure, and alerting others to the chilling truth he had stumbled upon.

But would they believe him? He scarcely believed it himself.

The bayou's oppressive humidity clung to Razor like a shroud as his sharp, calculating gaze remained locked onto the scene before him. Crouched in the dense undergrowth and hidden from view, he observed the unfolding drama with a mixture of frustration and renewed hope.

He had been watching and waiting for what felt like an eternity after his return from the pony town, where he had provoked the alicorn Nyx. His plan had been meticulously laid out, every detail accounted for, every contingency considered. Yet, when the time came for it to bear fruit, chaos had erupted instead. When the scene had unexpectedly descended into madness and brutality, Razor watched the savage frenzy from his hidden vantage point, his anger and frustration mounting with each passing moment. ‘Such a waste’, he thought.

But then, as the sun sank low in the sky, a glimmer of hope had emerged. A figure ventured off the main trail and into the forest, stumbling upon the lone zebra survivor of the gruesome implosion. This wasn't part of the plan. The arrival of a pony, ignorant of the perilous circumstances, had injected a fresh dose of optimism into Razor's weary heart.

He watched intently as the pony—nameless and insignificant to him—closely examined the dying zebra, his actions steeped in urgency and concern. The way he examined the wounded mare, his medical bag at his side, suggested the pony was likely a healer, perhaps a doctor or a medic.

Confusion gnawed at Razor's thoughts. ‘Sentimentality and compassion, even toward an enemy’, he thought with disgust. What compelled these people? Still, the pony’s actions—the close contact with her—they sent a shiver of anticipation down Razor’s spine.

As the seconds ticked away, the pony's expression shifted from curiosity to alarm, panic creeping into his eyes. He abandoned his examination and fled the scene, his hooves pounding against the earth as he raced toward the nearby pony town.

A predatory smile formed on Razor’s lips, hidden beneath his cloak, a glint of renewed determination in his eyes. For him, the unexpected arrival of this pony was a crucial moment, a catalyst that could bring his plans back on course and potentially salvage his grand design.

Silently, he abandoned his position, moving swiftly as he trailed the fleeing pony. He would have to keep an eye on this one.

“Thanks for helping with all those supply boxes, Apple Bloom,” Nyx said as the four ponies gathered for lunch around the kitchen table of her underground home. The mission Luna had given her loomed ahead, a venture into the unfamiliar bayou where zebras had recently been spotted.

Nyx’s lips curved into a mischievous smile. “But I’m afraid we may have condemned Flitter to the couch yet again tonight.”

Flitter rolled her eyes in playful annoyance. “I’d say you’ve just volunteered for unpacking duty, Nyx,” she teased, a glint of humor in her gaze.

Nyx blinked, realizing her oversight. “Walked right into that one, didn’t I?” she conceded with a chuckle. They really needed to stop using Flitter’s bedroom as a freight buffer anyway.

The yellow earth pony joined in with a good-natured grin. “I don’t mind helping out, Nyx. Got some tests to run downstairs later, anyway.”

The rhythm of life in their covert base-called-home was familiar to Nyx. Apple Bloom came and went frequently, given her role as the facility’s engineer and all the experiments she ran every week. Nyx and her family merely lived here, partly as test subjects for the feasibility of the Covert Living Program and partly to keep the Arkadians from ever finding out where she lay her head at night.

Apple Bloom steered the conversation. “Excited about the mission, Nyx?”

“It’s finally happening,” Nyx murmured in reply, her voice tinged with anticipation. “After all this time, I can hardly believe it.”

“I heard you’ll be heading out to the bayou looking for zebras,” Apple Bloom added.

Nyx confirmed with a nod. “That’s right, though Luna hasn’t given us all the details yet.”

Rumble questioned, “Think we’ll even find any zebras out there? Seems like an odd spot for an invasion.”

Flitter chimed in, her tone serious. “They could be scouting, probing for weaknesses, testing our defenses.”

“Maybe,” Apple Bloom said. “But without flight or a good map, they’d likely be lost out there for weeks. And then there’s the gators.”

Flitter stared at her. “The what, now?”

“Alligators are everywhere in the bayou. They’ll slow the zebras down for sure. The longer they stay, the more chance they have of gettin’ eaten.”

“This is sounding more fun by the minute,” Flitter remarked. “Maybe we should just wait and let the alligators do the job for us.”

Nyx’s mind remained focused on the real problem. “Luna mentioned a pegasus has already spotted zebras coming in from the coast. My worry is for the ponies living in that area. If the zebras find them, we need to be there to protect them.”

In unspoken addition to that, doubt lingered at the back of her mind, a nagging uncertainty that had been growing since Luna had revealed the mission. It was an unease born from the strange warnings regarding the change Nyx was going through. Would she jeopardize her friends and the mission? Her feelings must have shown on her face because her friend had just taken notice…

Apple Bloom leaned forward, her eyes meeting Nyx’s with a reassuring glint. “You know, Nyx, I’ve seen you handle some pretty tough situations. If anyone can figure out what’s going on out there in the bayou and protect those ponies, it’s you. Luna picked the right pony for the job.”

Nyx’s cheeks warmed at Apple Bloom’s words. It was a simple but heartfelt vote of confidence that she sorely needed. She nodded in appreciation, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Thanks, Apple Bloom. That means a lot.”

Lunch continued as it often did on days when Apple Bloom stopped by, the topic ranging from talk of the upcoming mission to reminiscing about their childhood antics over a decade earlier. Eventually, Apple Bloom inquired about the mostly healed gash still visible on Nyx’s neck, in particular how any ordinary Arkadian soldier could possibly wound one of the strongest, most capable ponies in all of Equestria.

“Believe me, Apple Bloom, I wondered the same thing,” Rumble commented. “We’ve run into a few zebras ourselves, but the stories I’ve heard… it’s enough to make your head spin. Everything I’ve heard points to an even match in open combat being when our side has outnumbered Arkadian forces nearly two to one. And that’s even with our advantage of unicorn magic and pegasus flight and weather control. How is it they’re so blasted good at war?”

Nyx watched Apple Bloom as she pondered the question for a moment before speaking. It was a good question—one Nyx never could seem to get a satisfying answer to whenever she had asked it.

“For one, I think it’s ’cause ponies are kinda new at this whole war thing,” Apple Bloom replied. “Not to say we’re not able. Just a fair bit out of practice from what I understand. How long has it been since Equestria was really at war? Centuries, at least.”

“I don’t buy it,” Nyx said, flatly. “We’ve got so many advantages, even without experience. What do they have?”

“Well, I do know it wasn’t always this way,” Apple Bloom offered. Wasn’t but a few decades back, the zebras nearly got wiped out.”

“Wait wait,” Rumble began. “Wasn’t that the minotaur war or something?”

Apple Bloom nodded. “That’s it. Back when Granny Smith was a filly, Arkadia got invaded by the minotaurs. Got their flanks spanked for years ’fore their shamans cooked up some wicked tricks to level the playing field.”

“Shamans,” Nyx grumbled under her breath. Probably the most baffling role within the Arkadian military, if it was reported that an Arkadian position had a shaman, it changed the whole tactical scene. Pegasi usually refused to scout over areas where shamans were known to operate; the SkyGuard was not fond of losing ponies by the dozen.

“I thought the minotaurs never had any tech or magic,” Rumble offered.

Apple Bloom nodded. “Exactly. They’re big and brawny, not too bright, but strong as can be. Heard they used to dismember zebras with their bare hands and use the blood as war paint. In proper armor, they’re right near unstoppable.”

Nyx winced at the gruesome image, noting Flitter also looked a bit queasy.

Rumble shook his head, baffled. “That’s brutal. Glad I’ve got wings and guns.”

Apple Bloom’s expression held a mix of seriousness and amusement. “Don’t worry that head of yours, Rumble. Near the end of the war, they learned their lesson the hard way. Arkadians almost wiped ’em out. Minotaurs aren’t really a threat nowadays, if you can even find any.”

Rumble’s jaw went slack for a moment. “Wait, so they were completely stomped by the minotaurs, and then, seemingly out of nowhere, they turned the tide and nearly wiped out the minotaurs themselves? How did that happen?”

“No one knows,” Apple Bloom replied, her tone resembling that of someone sharing a captivating campfire tale, except this was a story straight out of real history.

“Damn…” Rumble breathed in awe. “That certainly explains everyone’s reaction when Zecora first showed up in Ponyville, back when we were all kids. Zebras nearly committed genocide on an entire race. It’s no wonder everyone was scared out of their minds.”

“All I know,” Apple Bloom added. “Is that the zebras learned some seriously dark tricks during that war. Somethin’ changed... somethin’ not right.”

Nyx’s gaze drifted, her thoughts delving into the shadows of uncertainty. Arkadia’s sudden shifting of power—she wondered what might have caused it.

Nyx awoke slowly, the remnants of a vivid dream still swirling in her mind. Her eyes blinked open, adjusting to the soft, early morning light bathing their bedroom. She lay in bed, her body nestled intimately with Rumble's. His warmth enveloped her, and she couldn't help but smile as she felt his steady breaths against her neck.

She couldn’t believe four days had passed since her visit with Luna. They all had taken the time to relax and rest up, as their mission would be coming any day now. And today was finally the day.

For a moment, Nyx simply relished the feeling of their bodies merged together, the profound connection they shared. The world outside their bedroom seemed distant, the busy day ahead momentarily forgotten. She gently traced a hoof along Rumble's strong foreleg, her heart swelling with love.

As if sensing her wakefulness, Rumble stirred beside her. His eyelids fluttered, revealing the sleepy warmth in his lavender eyes. A gentle smile played upon his lips, and Nyx couldn't help but mirror it. Their gazes locked, and in that moment, words were unnecessary.

Their lips met in a tender, unhurried kiss, a silent exchange of love and affection. Nyx savored the feeling of his lips against hers, the softness of the moment, the reassurance that they were together. Rumble pressed a thigh forward, putting pressure on a sensitive spot and prompting a blissful moan to escape her lips.

Reluctantly, Nyx began to untangle herself from their embrace, her horn glowing softly as she levitated the covers aside. She swung a couple legs over the edge of the bed, her hooves making contact with the cool, polished wood of the floor. Her wings stretched briefly, a silent acknowledgment of the new day.

Rumble watched her with a warm, affectionate gaze, understanding the responsibilities that awaited her beyond their cozy cocoon of blankets. Nyx turned back to him, a soft smile on her lips, before rising gracefully from the bed. The world beckoned, but for now, they had this precious moment.

Next to the bedroom door, a sizeable box rested against the wall. Nyx's cutie mark, a blue kite shield adorned with a delicate crescent moon at its center, proudly adorned the box's front. It had been delivered just the day before, arriving with a heartfelt note indicating this was a personal gift from Luna to Nyx.

A long moment went by as Nyx stared in silence at the mysterious package. It was penned with quill writing from Luna herself.

It read: ‘From our past - to your future’.

Nyx carefully lifted the lid of the box, her senses keenly aware of Rumble's curious anticipation from his place on the bed behind her. Nestled within the container, a layer of soft purple velvet concealed its contents. Resting atop it was a neatly written note. She gently raised the note into the air before reading aloud.

Dearest Nyx,

I have considered for many years at what point I should give this to you, and under what circumstances. I feel the time has now come, though I understand that this may be difficult for you to accept. My hope is that this gift will bring you to the place in your heart where you need to be for the challenges that are coming.

The last time I crafted such things, it was with the intention of wickedness and self-glorification. Now, I have crafted these with the hopes of goodness, purity, honor, and bravery. The seeds of these traits you already possess. My wish is that with this gift, you may discover your true self and that you may fulfill the pledge which you made so long ago when you submitted yourself to my judgement.

Take this gift and become that pony.
~Luna

Nyx cast a fleeting glance over her shoulder, her glistening eyes briefly meeting Rumble's in a silent exchange of support. His nod urged her onward. With cautious grace, she delicately shifted the velvet blanket aside, her gaze fixed on what lay beneath. A tremor coursed through her, and her eyes welled up as she grappled with a surge of emotions, struggling to keep them at bay.

One by one, she levitated each of the thick metal plates out of the box, setting them carefully on the bed. It was not the same as Nightmare Moon’s armor. Though it would provide actual protection in battle, Nyx could see that Luna had not held back when it came to presentation and quality.

After a moment of study, Nyx understood how it all fit together. With a thought, her indigo levitation field surrounded the armor, causing the pieces all to rise in unison. They gracefully embraced her body, wings unfurled, and settled into place. Finally, the helmet slid over her horn, coming to rest comfortably upon her head. It was not lost on her that Luna possessed an intimate knowledge of her dimensions, enabling the creation of a flawless fit, an identical symmetry shared between the two.

Walking to her vanity, Nyx regarded her transformed appearance in the mirror. The impact was profound, almost rendering her unrecognizable to herself.

The metal plating possessed an iridescent quality, fluidly oscillating between cerulean, indigo, and violet hues as she moved. Gleaming silver rims adorned with intricate engravings framed the plates. The helmet conformed snugly to her head with horn and ear holes beveled and polished. The sturdy segmented neck piece flowed in a perfect arc along her neck, her mane spilling out the slits along the top. Lastly, the chestpiece bore Nyx’s mark, masterfully embossed into the metal, embellished with ornate filigree along its borders. It was a masterpiece of precision and artistry.

Beside Nyx, a resplendent, combat-ready sword hovered with grace. Forged with the leaf-bladed style, the sword featured a long, slender form, slightly broader after its midsection, and brilliant in its mirror-like polish. Its hilt, resembling a pair of stylized alicorn wings, featured Nyx's mark at its center.

As Nyx gazed at her transformed reflection, she contemplated the profound meaning behind this gift. Her slitted pupils met their mirrored counterpart as she choked back the sensation that she was peering once more into the very essence of Nightmare Moon.

Rumble slid off the bed, joining Nyx as they examined her reflection together in the vanity. “You really do look good in that,” he remarked.

A surge of doubt lingered at the back of Nyx’s mind, a shadow of uncertainty cast by the weight of Luna’s expectations. “I’m not sure I can live up to this,” she admitted.

Rumble let out a soft sigh, his eyes conveying a mix of affection and exasperation. “Nyx, Luna sees in you what I see every day. These qualities she believes in, they’re already a part of you, even if they do drive me a little crazy at times.”

Curiosity piqued, Nyx raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean? What drives you crazy?”

Rumble paused as if searching for the right words. “It’s as if you get this drive to take risks, you know? Sometimes it feels like you’re becoming reckless, disregarding your own safety. You think you have to do some dangerous thing, but who exactly is demanding that from you?”

Nyx considered his words, reflecting on her recent actions. She hadn’t been aware of behaving recklessly, but she couldn’t deny that whenever she’d found someone in peril, the last thing on her mind was her own personal safety. Was he right about this?

“I guess I’ve been putting other people’s safety at the forefront of my mind,” she admitted. “They’re so easily hurt and normally, I can handle it without any trouble. You know what I mean? It’s not been something I’ve had to put actual thought into—my own safety that is, because not much can harm me.”

A gentle smile graced Rumble’s face as he affectionately placed a hoof on her cheek. “I understand. But please think about it. You have to limit your risk, especially if we’ll be going on real war missions. Otherwise, it’s going to get you killed and then I’m going to be very upset.”

Nyx chuckled at his humorous way of making a serious point. She couldn’t help but respect his perspective and concern for her well-being. She nodded slowly, acknowledging the gravity of the matter. “It’s just… hard for me, you know? My vow to protect others is very important to me. It’s who I am. But I’ll try to keep this in mind. Thank you, love.” She reached out, brushing a stray strand of his mane away from his forehead and planted a brief kiss on his cheek.

Their cheeks touched, a moment of connection before they finally moved to the task ahead. With a determined nod, Nyx began to remove her armor, piece by piece, carefully placing each back into the box. The day ahead promised to be filled with many new challenges, likely marking the beginning of a new phase in all their lives.

As they left the bedroom and entered the kitchen down the hall, Flitter came into view. She sat at the table, bleary-eyed and half-awake, nursing a cup of coffee. The table hosted two additional cups, a clear sign that she had likely been up late into the night. What was particularly curious this morning was that Flitter hadn’t assumed her usual pegasus form.

Rumble couldn’t help but chuckle as he noticed her disheveled state. “Well well, look who’s forgotten her makeup this morning.”

Flitter shot him a sarcastic look. “How astute of you to notice, Captain Obvious.”

Nyx grinned, amused not only by the situation but also by the sight of a changeling in her rather unsettling natural state, hunched over the table. “I would offer to make you a cup of coffee, Flitter, but it seems you’ve beaten me to it.”

Flitter chuckled weakly, her eyes still heavy with exhaustion. “Yeah, I needed a little pick-me-up after my late-night adventures with my new toy.” Lying on the table in front of her was the object in question—a polished metal horn ring adorned with intricately engraved star-shaped sparkles along its sides. At its centerpiece was a sizable diamond, aglow with vibrant yellow magical fire, dancing around within.

Nyx knew very little about these devices, other than what her mother had described during their development. The Micro-dextrous eXamination Talisman, as it was officially called, was a particularly expensive and rare device gifted by Luna to Flitter and delivered the previous day via pegasus courier. It was one of the more impressive pieces of recent technology by Sparkle Magical Research Institute.

“How late did you stay up playing with it, anyway?” Rumble asked.

“Three-cups-of-coffee A.M. I think,” Flitter answered, dryly.

“Nerd,” Nyx commented from the coffee machine as she poured a cup for herself.

“Oh, don’t pretend you don’t stay up all night trying things out when you get excited,” Flitter remarked.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Nyx said, feigning ignorance and rolling her eyes.

“I could hear you two all the way out here, you know. Close your door once in a while.”

Nyx felt her ears suddenly getting quite warm.

Beside her, Rumble only snickered, a hoof to his lips. But his curiosity had been sufficiently piqued. “Alright, show me what that thing can do.”

Flitter’s groggy demeanor instantly vanished, replaced with renewed excitement. “It’s basically any medical pony’s dream instrument, even though it was actually designed for engineers to manipulate objects too small for hooves. Speaking of hooves, let’s see yours. I’ll show you something cool.”

With that, Flitter transformed into a pony—not her usual pegasus form, but that of a unicorn. She slid the MXT onto her horn while Rumble put his hoof on the table as instructed.

Just then, the elevator console chimed, grabbing Nyx’s attention. She walked over to the console, seeing a smiling pony waving at the camera outside.

Dinky… The young mare could have just as easily teleported straight inside, Nyx considered. But she was far too polite for that.

Nyx had put it out of her mind what Luna had told her earlier in the week during their meeting. ‘I would also like you to consider adding somepony to your team,’ she had said. Nyx was against it, of course. But she did promise Luna that she would at least mention it.

She was not looking forward to this conversation.

10 - And Then There Were Four

The young mare savored the last bite of her warm, buttery waffle, her delicate features bathed in the soft, golden glow of the sunrise over the eastern sea. The Waffle Ranch, nestled at the heart of Horseshoe Bay on Equestria’s eastern coast, held a special place in Dinky’s heart. The century-old establishment had passed through generations, known for both its delectable breakfast food and welcoming service.

Dinky’s attire was an elegant blend of vintage charm and contemporary flair, reflecting her refined taste. Whether attending a grand opera in Manehattan or visiting the local library of a quiet North-Vanhoover suburb, she could seamlessly blend in.

Moments drifted by, each echoing the stillness of the morning. The gentle lapping of waves against the distant shore added to the serene ambiance. Dinky’s gaze wandered toward the horizon, where the sun had just emerged from its nightly slumber, painting the sky in soft hues of pink and orange.

She glanced at her pocket watch, a cherished gift from her father. She still had three minutes.

Looking over her shoulder, she sought out Doran, the waiter. He was nowhere to be seen, though she guessed he’d be back soon. She had hoped to thank him for the excellent strawberries this morning.

As she rose from her seat, she placed a few coins on the checkered tablecloth, waiting just a moment more, her golden eyes glancing at the empty booth-style seat across from her.

Outside the back door of the Waffle Ranch, a fresh, salty breeze welcomed her. Seagulls called in the distance, hunting for minnows or forgotten crumbs left by beachgoers. The weathered wooden balcony railing overlooked the beach, anchored atop the windswept dune that supported the restaurant’s foundation. Beyond, the inviting white sands of the beach stretched out.

Dinky consulted her pocket watch once more. Two minutes. She was taking her time today.

Her hooves sank into the soft sand just beyond the reach of the gentle waves. She seated herself, chin held high and eyes closed, embracing the morning air as it caressed her coat, teasing her ears and nostrils. It was a calming, almost meditative ritual—a cherished part of her morning routine. Time stretched out as she sat alone on the empty beach, yet she remained acutely aware of each passing moment. She ventured a guess as to when her time would be up—when her day would begin.

Twelve seconds, as her pocket watch confirmed. Not bad, though she had been closer yesterday.

Dinky stood, giving her backside a quick brush-off. It wouldn’t do to have sand clinging to her lady bits when she visited the Palace in Canterlot later. A pleasant fragrance caught her attention. The shrub behind her bore small yellowish-white flowers. She plucked one and brought it to her nose, savoring the scent.

“It’s called frangipani,” she explained to the dusty-rose-colored pegasus filly approaching the busy street corner where Dinky stood. Dinky was expecting the child’s arrival, as she took her usual morning walk with her dog before school. The filly gazed wide-eyed at the flower.

The warped landscape of reality had calmed down in only a fraction of a second, allowing Dinky’s senses to quickly settle into her new surroundings. Still, she was quite accustomed to the distortion effects of a longer jump. She barely noticed the rapidly dissipating stardust. The air was much cooler here, the overcast sky obscuring the sun. The sounds of suburban Fillydelphia drifted through the air as everypony’s day was well underway.

“Hi, Dinky!” the girl exclaimed as they shared a brief hug.

The filly accepted the flower, her little nostrils flaring in curiosity as she gave it a sniff.

“I’ve never smelled anything like this!” she exclaimed. “Where did you find it?”

“If you can guess by tomorrow morning, I’ll buy you an ice cream cone,” Dinky challenged with a wink. “How’s your dad today?”

“He’s getting better,” the filly replied solemnly. “At least that’s what the doctors say.”

“Stay strong, my young friend. This too shall pass.”

The filly gave the unicorn another quick hug. “Thanks, Dinky. Same time tomorrow?”

“You bet.”

She watched the child make her way down the street, her spotted dog skipping along at her side. Dinky’s surroundings shifted abruptly, settling down to reveal a cozy household interior filled with familiar and comforting scents. She stood in the kitchen, not far from a grey pegasus with a blonde mane.

“Good morning, muffin!” her mother’s warm voice greeted her.

Dinky embraced her mother tightly. “Good morning, Mother. How are things today?”

The wall-eyed pegasus beamed, her joy evident. “Brighter, as always, now that you’re here. How long can you stay?”

“Not long, unfortunately. I was told the Palace will have a full day of duties this afternoon, so I’m trying to be meticulous in checking off my prior responsibilities beforehand.”

“You’re always met… metic… busy, muffin. As long as you’re happy.”

“I’m happy, Mother. I get to see you every day! What more could a mare ask for?”

Derpy laughed, and her eyes met Dinky’s outfit. “Reminds me of your father,” she commented.”

“What was that?” Dinky asked, unsure what her mother was referring to.”

“Oh, just that you look really nice in that. Very classy. Got a date?”

Dinky blushed. “No time for that kind of thing, Mother. I have so many amazing things I’m connected to.”

“I know,” Derpy replied with a resigned tone. “I just don’t want you to miss out on the good things in life for the sake of the interesting things. If that makes sense.”

“Oh, you needn’t worry about me; my life is quite fulfilling,” came Dinky’s reply. “But as always, I do thank you for the sentiment. And I also hope you are keeping well. Can I fetch you anything today?”

“I’m fine, sweetie. I’ve got work in half an hour, so I’m just getting started myself.”

Dinky gave her mother a kiss on the cheek before checking her pocket watch. “Well, I’ll be off then. I’ll see you tomorrow! Love you.”

The bustling atmosphere of the Manehattan central post office was a stark contrast from her childhood home, but Dinky knew precisely where to navigate and which urgent messages to pick up. There were a dozen waiting in the Pony Express bin this morning, slightly fewer than usual. Among them was a request for a long-distance negotiation conference, a high-pressure task that she didn’t mind charging premium rates for.

The deliveries ended up leading her to four different cities, each with additional urgent messages to pick up and a few parcels to take elsewhere. Thirty-two jumps later, she found herself back at the Manehattan post office, dropping off the final batch of messages.

Warin, a fellow courier, was there, gathering cartons for his wagon outside. He noticed Dinky and waved with a friendly smile. “Hey, Dinky,” he called out.

He was a handsome buckskin stallion, one who had taken notice of her several times in the past, though she had only once slowed down enough for more than a two-minute chat together.

Dinky waved back. “Good day, Warin. How is business today?”

“Not bad, thanks. Say, I was thinking maybe we could catch up. Want to head over to the cafe next door?”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to decline, Warin. I have a dreadfully tight schedule this morning.”

Warin’s expression fell. “That’s alright,” he responded, his tone downcast.

Dinky offered a warm smile as she added, “I appreciate the invitation, though.” She glanced briefly at her pocket watch before giving him an affectionate peck on the cheek, causing his ears to perk up in delight.

“Some other time?” he asked.

“Perhaps,” Dinky replied politely.

One of the messages in Dinky’s bin at the Canterlot post office was for the 3rd Corps of the Royal Equestrian Army, stationed at Huckleberry Junction. As she eyed the ever-growing stack of messages bound for the front lines, she couldn’t ignore how much more activity there had been lately compared to previous years. The war had been getting worse ever since the disaster at Brumby Ridge. She tried not to dwell on it, though, as part of her duty was to ensure these critical communications reached the proper military divisions in a timely manner.

“Princess Luna’s orders for you, sir,” she said, passing a scroll bearing the Palace seal to Major Broc, a well-built chestnut earth pony stationed at Huckleberry Junction. The air was hot and dusty, the scent of war on the breeze. It was a fortified position, of course, being so close to the Arkadian border. But that didn’t keep Dinky from feeling nervous being nearly within sight of enemy territory.

“Thank you, Dinky,” he replied in his deep voice. “Please send my regards to the princess.”

Dinky took the status report from his hooves, holding it aloft in her telekinetic grip as she knocked on the door of Princess Luna’s study. A glance to her side revealed that despite the frequency of her visits, the Palace guard stationed outside the Princess’s door was still slightly startled every time she showed up. He smiled at her with a nod as they waited for Luna to acknowledge her arrival.

“Come in, Dinky,” Luna called out from within her study as the door opened on its own for her.

“Good day, m’Lady. I have a status report from Major Broc at Huckleberry Junction for you,” she said, passing the scroll, still suspended in mid-air, over to Luna.

The princess placed the scroll on her desk before sitting down and inviting Dinky inside. “Thank you, my young friend. Please, sit for a moment. I hope your morning has gone well?”

Dinky gave Luna a quick hug before taking a seat on a plush floor cushion in her study. “I’ve had a splendid morning, thank you for asking,” she replied. “Although I was told to expect a busy day with work from the Palace related to military operations.”

Luna smiled. “By that, may I assume you have cleared your schedule as requested? I have something special planned for you.”

“Of course, Princess. How may I be of service?”

Luna leaned forward, her smile widening. “I would like for you to meet with Nyx at her home. She is expecting you, and I believe the four of you will have a very interesting conversation. Take as long as you need. Afterward, please return to Canterlot, as there will be a package waiting for you at the post office.”

Dinky blinked, uncertain how to process these unusual instructions. “Okay… I’m sorry, is… is that all?” It was a rare moment that she found herself at a loss for words.

The princess held her smile. “Please deliver this note as well, but yes, that is all. Good day to you, Dinky.” She then gave Dinky a scroll before standing to turn her attention to the report that had just been delivered.

“Good day to you too, Princess.”

It was an intriguing turn of events. Dinky tried not to dwell on it too much, focusing instead on the anticipation of spending time with her friends. She waved at the camera within the small clubhouse that served as the covert entrance to Nyx’s underground home, waiting for someone to answer. As she waited, her eyes wandered around the serene apple orchard. Such an unusual project, housing Nyx and her family here. Still, it was nothing if not adventurous!

“Hey, Dinky,” Nyx’s voice echoed from within the clubhouse, though her physical absence was evident. “Come on down. We’re just hanging out.”

“Good morning, Nyx!” Dinky exclaimed as she embraced her friend.

It was a peculiarity of Dinky’s teleportation that she could sense the presence of obstacles before making a jump. This sensation was akin to navigating in the dark, where she could feel whether her chosen point of arrival was already occupied by an object or person. To her, an invalid jump felt as though the intended spot in her mind resisted her arrival, a pressure of sorts, preventing her from materializing there.

In this particular instance, Dinky had initially aimed for a spot near the elevator door, only to find it occupied by Nyx herself. With an intuitive, almost subconscious adjustment, Dinky shifted her point of arrival back just a bit until the pressure was gone. Dinky’s surroundings then seamlessly transformed from the outdoor clubhouse on the ground level, distorting and reforming into the interior of Nyx’s underground home, all in one fluid motion.

As for Nyx, she let out a surprised ‘oof’ as her mane settled down from the sudden gust of air. With a smile, she reciprocated Dinky’s gesture of affection. Dinky loved giving hugs to alicorns. There was something about them that just felt… different—solid, powerful, warmer somehow.

Dinky levitated a scroll from her saddlebags and presented it to Nyx. “Princess Luna asked me to give this to you straight away.”

Nyx took the scroll with a thankful nod, unfolding it to have a look.

Further into their home, Flitter and Rumble sat at the kitchen table. Dinky approached to greet them.

“Morning, Dinky,” Flitter said warmly, pausing what she was showing Rumble to accept a quick hug. Dinky knew the mare was a changeling, sometimes appearing in a form other than the familiar pegasus. Today, she appeared as a unicorn for some reason, her wings absent and a graceful horn now upon her forehead. Her coat and general appearance were the same as usual, apart from the bleary eyes that spoke of too little sleep.

“Good morning, Flitter. Long night?” Dinky inquired.

Flitter yawned as if on cue. “You could say that, yeah.”

Nyx invited Dinky to join them at the table. Dinky hesitated, her gaze fixed on her three friends. Her first impulse was to politely decline, her thoughts racing as she considered her busy day ahead. Then, it dawned on her that Luna had cleared her entire day for unspecified ‘military operations’. She was told to take as long as she needed. Here. Now. With her friends…

The whole thing felt very awkward and unnatural. The fact that she had been standing there for the last six seconds thinking about it without moving on or saying anything was, itself, very strange.

Dinky settled into her seat, her gaze focused on Flitter as she examined Rumble’s hoof, which he held pad-side up at the center of the table. Suddenly, a large translucent image of Rumble’s hoof appeared, floating between them, captivating Dinky with its three-dimensional intricacies.

“Oh my, what’s this?” she inquired in awe.

“New toy,” Rumble responded with enthusiasm. “It’s so cool.”

Dinky noticed the elegant ring on Flitter’s horn, explaining her unicorn appearance that morning. The ring sparkled with subtle flashes, each causing the hovering image of Rumble’s hoof pad to rotate and expand. Flitter manipulated the view, revealing microscopic details that resembled tightly packed stones.

“Now, flex your gripper muscles,” Flitter instructed.

Countless minuscule bundles of filaments shot out from tiny slits on the bumps, then retracted. Rumble giggled like a colt as he made the microscopic fibers extend and retract repeatedly.

“Look at all my little grabby bits shooting in and out!” he exclaimed.

“They’re called setae,” Flitter corrected. “Each emits a weak telekinetic—”

She paused, realizing Rumble was too engrossed in the visuals. The image zoomed in further, focusing on a specific cluster of filament bundles.

“The MXT has an incision spell,” Flitter explained. “I only need to think about it. Check this out; the precision is incredible.”

With that, Flitter precisely severed a bundle of setae from its anchor point. The filaments remained suspended in the view, near the bump from which they had emerged.

“Hey, whoa!” Rumble exclaimed. “You just—”

“Oh, relax,” Flitter reassured, holding the filament stems in place. “Just have to activate the tissue binding spell, and…” she muttered to herself as everyone watched the bundle reattach to the severed section.

“Now, did that hurt?” Flitter asked, as if talking to a child.

“No?” Rumble replied, his uncertainty apparent.

“Of course not, silly. You lose thousands of these every day and grow them right back without even noticing.”

Rumble raised an eyebrow at Flitter. “It’s weird how you know more about pony anatomy than most actual ponies.”

“Changelings have these too, you know. But yes, I know all your tiny little secrets.”

Dinky couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s incredible!”

“It’s a dream instrument for any medical pony,” Flitter affirmed. “I spent half the night experimenting with it.”

Dinky briefly wondered what Flitter needed such a device for when Nyx’s voice drew her attention.

“Can I get you something, Dinky? Coffee seems to be popular this morning,” Nyx suggested with a sly grin directed at Flitter.

Dinky considered for a moment. “Thank you, but I’ll pass. A glass of water would be perfect, though.”

“So how’ve you been?” Rumble asked. “You don’t usually have time to just hang out with us.”

Dinky’s ears flicked, betraying her flustered reaction to the question. “I’m well, thank you, Rumble. And I apologize for not stopping by for more than a few moments at a time. Life has been quite... full in recent times. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy my lifestyle very much, and it is rewarding. But it’s true, sitting here, just chatting with my friends with no agenda or schedule, is quite the anomaly.”

“What brought that on, if you don’t mind my asking?” Flitter inquired as Nyx placed a glass of water in front of Dinky.

“It was most peculiar,” Dinky began. “I was making a delivery to Princess Luna this morning. She had told me in advance to clear the day. I originally thought she had prepared a day full of special duties for me, but instead, she only said to come visit you all here and to take as long as I needed.”

Dinky noticed Nyx rubbing her face with her hooves, a subtle groan escaping her. “Is something wrong, Nyx?” she asked.

The alicorn’s cat-like eyes met hers as she forced a smile. “No no, it’s just something I promised Luna the other day. A reminder to me that she hasn’t forgotten.”

Nyx paused for a moment, as if grappling with something she’d rather avoid.

“You remember the adventures we used to go on when we were kids?” she asked, finally.

“Oh, yes,” Dinky responded brightly. “Those were delightful times. I particularly enjoyed tagging along when Flitter took the three of us into Whitetail Woods to pretend we were explorers.”

“That was awesome,” Rumble added with a grin. “Do you remember when we tried to get her to take us into Everfree so we could really experience what it was like to—”

Flitter gave him a flat look. “By now, Rumble, I hope you understand why I couldn’t just take three children into the Everfree Forest.” She rolled her eyes.

“But then there was the time we snuck in anyway, without Flitter,” Nyx recounted. “I put you in real danger, Dinky, and I’m sorry for that.”

“I’m confused, how’s this connected to Luna exactly?” Rumble asked.

Nyx put her head in her hooves again before looking up at Rumble. “Luna wants me to talk with Dinky about doing things together again. The four of us. She doesn’t understand that this just isn’t the kind of situation that works for Dinky.”

“Actually, I kind of miss the adventures we used to go on,” Dinky chimed in. “The thrill, the sense of danger, sometimes things taking an unexpected turn. The suspense and excitement, not knowing what we’d find out there. But most importantly, experiencing it all with close friends.”

The holographic display of Rumble’s hoof shimmered silently in the air, creating an unspoken tension in the room. Flitter seemed to notice and disengaged the ring on her horn, causing the image to vanish.

“When we were kids, you mean, like nostalgia,” Nyx clarified.

“Or now,” Dinky added with a shrug. “It sounds fascinating.”

The truth was that Dinky had long harbored a secret desire to join her friends on their adventures. The last time she had broached the subject with Nyx was two years ago, and it hadn’t gone well. Nyx had vehemently opposed the idea, convinced that Dinky wouldn’t fit and that she’d get herself hurt or worse. Perhaps time had softened her opinion? Dinky pondered.

“No,” Nyx stated flatly. “I did promise Luna I’d mention it, but it’s still a terrible idea. We get into some pretty intense situations. You wouldn’t like it.”

“I’m not a little filly anymore,” Dinky reminded her.

“I know, Dinky,” Nyx said, softening her tone. “I only say this because I care about you and I know the kind of things you gravitate toward. We go to dangerous places. We get ambushed and shot at. I don’t think it’s for you. Besides, you’re not a fighter.” The concern in Nyx’s voice was genuine, though to Dinky, she seemed to be coming across too firmly.

“Flitter’s not a fighter either,” Dinky pointed out.

“That’s true,” Flitter agreed. Nyx shot a look at her.

“We have ways of working together that we’ve all developed over the years,” Nyx countered. “Flitter understands how not to get in over her head.”

“I can learn,” Dinky said.

Nyx stared at her, perplexed. “Am I missing something? You sound like you want to come with us. Luna’s the one who suggested this, but I’ll be honest, you’re the last mare I’d expect to be actually interested in the sort of things we do. I mean, everyone knows you’re a mare of refined tastes, too cultured to get your hooves dirty. And sometimes, things get really dirty.”

Dinky put on a semi-indignant expression with a slight huff, her eyebrow raised. “Do I look like Rarity to you? I’ll have you know, I’m tougher than I let on. While much of what you said is true, I don’t generally let others know how much adventure, even potentially perilous adventure, appeals to me. I think… I think it reminds me of Father, though it was so long ago I scarcely remember.”

“I… really?” Nyx asked, her sharp fangs flashing as she spoke, though she suddenly appeared at a loss for words. “And you’ve felt like this all along?”

Dinky nodded. “Though only mildly. My life has gone down a different path, of course. It’s only been a vague fantasy of mine, I suppose. I’ve not given it much thought until quite recently.”

“Recently, as in…” Nyx prompted.

“I suppose since I’ve begun having strange dreams about it. Just a week or two.”

“Hello, Luna,” Rumble commented, bringing a hoof to his lips with a chuckle.

“Wait, did you talk with Luna about this?” Nyx asked.

“Well… yeah, after several dreams, I couldn’t just not mention them.”

Nyx frowned. “Damn it, Luna, that’s underhanded,” she muttered under her breath as her gaze fell to the table.

Rumble chimed in, “You know, I think she could handle it.”

Dinky added, “I have to admit, it all sounds very exciting.”

Nyx shook her head. “Oh, that’s how it starts. But then there’s running and screaming.”

Flitter interjected, “Having a teleporter along would be incredibly handy.”

Rumble, grinning broadly, said, “And we’ve been friends forever. It would be a blast!”

Nyx let out a heavy sigh. “Well, this certainly didn’t go how I expected. I figured I’d end up apologizing for bringing up the terrible idea, and we’d all move on. You really want to do this?”

Dinky felt her heart beating faster. She glanced around at each of her friends, all looking toward her. “I… I think I do.”

“Fine… you can come,” Nyx murmured barely above a whisper.

Rumble leaned closer, aiming a furry ear in her direction. “What was that, hon? I couldn’t make that out.”

Nyx rolled her eyes. “Fine, you can come. But you’re sleeping on the couch tonight,” she directed at Rumble.

Flitter playfully objected, “He can’t be on the couch. I’m on the couch, remember?”

Rumble teased, “Unless you want me to be on the couch with Flitter…”

Flitter glanced at Rumble. “I can look like Nyx if that would help.”

Nyx telekinetically flicked a sugar cube from the table toward each of them before the tension finally broke, and everyone burst into laughter.

“Good morning once more, Primrose,” Dinky greeted the middle-aged unicorn overseeing the bustling Canterlot central post office. “Princess Luna informed me to expect a package around this time.”

A gentle smile graced Primrose’s features. “Indeed, there is a package, and it’s addressed to you.” She directed Dinky to a shelf, where she fetched a medium-sized box and levitated it out for Dinky.

“Thank you,” Dinky replied, her curiosity piqued as she held the box. Initially, she thought it might be above her teleporting capacity, but it proved lighter than it appeared. She gingerly placed the box on the kitchen table of her cozy Baltimare apartment, wondering what was inside.

Carefully opening the box, Dinky discovered a letter, personally penned for her by Princess Luna.

Dearest Dinky,

I have long thought about you and your incredible potential, ever since the day your Focused Talents professor first told me about your extraordinary gift. First and foremost, know that I am immensely proud of you, in what you have built for yourself. It is no small achievement, and your keen business acumen has not only brought you great success but has been a tremendous service to hundreds of ponies each day.

However, I cannot not help but feel your destiny holds even greater purpose. I believe it is more than a mere coincidence that your long-time childhood friends have all found their calling together, the only missing element being you yourself. Dinky, now is a more critical time than you can imagine for our people. Profound changes are on the horizon, and I envision you playing a central role alongside your friends in a way that will ultimately help bring our people out of this long struggle, victorious.

With unwavering faith,
~Luna

Beneath the velvet blanket the note had rested upon, Dinky found a beautiful set of leather scout’s barding. She levitated it out, allowing it to hover mid-air as she admired its craftsmanship.

The finely crafted barding, a true masterpiece of artistry, radiated an air of regal elegance. Each piece was selected for its impeccable quality, boasting a deep chestnut hue, reminiscent of aged oak. A testament to the artisan’s skill, the leatherwork was adorned with intricate patterns of swirling vines and delicate floral motifs embossed into the surface. These patterns seemed to come alive, dancing with a graceful subtlety as Dinky turned them over in the soft morning light.

Setting aside her clothing, she donned the leather barding, noting the velvety softness of the felt interior.

Polished brass studs and buckles adorned the barding, securing it with both functionality and opulence. These brass accents blended seamlessly into the design, forming elegant lines that accentuated the barding’s curves. Every strap was meticulously stitched, ensuring a snug and comfortable fit.

With a grateful smile, Dinky glanced into the box once more, discovering a small object nestled at the very bottom.

It was a scout’s dagger. A subtle surge of adrenaline shot through Dinky’s body, for she had never owned any kind of weapon before.

Even to her untrained eye, the lightweight dagger exuded practicality and elegance. Its wooden handle boasted a warm, earthy hue and was wrapped in supple dark-brown leather. The accompanying sheath, crafted from the same rich leather, featured intricate patterns reminiscent of forest foliage and was securely fastened with a discreet brass clasp.

Dinky sat down at the table and settled the dagger into her hooves, feeling its weight. With a smooth motion, she drew the weapon into a shaft of sunlight that streamed through her kitchen window. The blade, expertly forged to perfection, gleamed with a mirror-polished silver finish, culminating in a razor-sharp edge. Its slender form tapered to a precise point, creating a striking aesthetic.

She could only stare for what felt like an eternity. It felt alien to her. Dinky sheathed the weapon once more, only now noticing the matching clasp affixed to her barding, indicating the dagger’s intended resting place.

A deep breath and a swallow later, Dinky realized, perhaps for the first time, the magnitude of the path she had chosen to tread.

11 - A Military Perspective

Sergeant A.Pone stood at the forest’s edge, his hooves planted firmly on the well-worn trail, the unofficial line that marked Ponyville’s polite nod to the wild beyond. Tradition ran deep here, if rumor was to be believed. Every year, the “Running of the Leaves” sent a horde of excited ponies tearing into Whitetail Woods, ditching the familiar streets of home for a day in the sticks.

Local legends say that folks for generations had come through this place to get their nature fix. Be it seeking solace or yanking at nostalgia, they strolled under these wooden giants and basked in memories that tasted like childhood. Kids liked to make it their hangout spot, with curious noses and wide eyes, though A.Pone had shooed away a fair share of ’em this morning already. Apparently, the sniper scare a few days back couldn’t even squash their adventurous spirits.

All this hustle today was a far cry from the woods’s usual gig as a kiddie playground. As he tightened his rifle strap, A.Pone’s gaze swept over the ragtag platoon that had assembled. Eighteen of ’em, tight as family but none the wiser. Their mission? Well, it was classified, strictly need-to-know, and right now, only the lieutenant and Princess Luna herself knew what was cooking. A.Pone didn’t care, at least if you’d ask him. But truth was, this smelt weird. Weren’t no zeebs that direction. Front lines were south, not west toward the swamps and ocean. Still, Command said go, so off they went.

Nerves buzzed through the troops like an electric current. They were waiting on a specialist group to show up, the final piece of this head-scratcher of an operation. Soldiers all around exchanged looks, silent question marks passing between them, ’cause none of ’em knew what was about to go down, for good or bad.

The mission, well, it was a big ol’ elephant in the room, alright. They were about to march their way west through the thick woods, straight into the heart of who-knows-what, with the grand goal of hitting the bayou by sundown. That’s where the lieutenant would spill the beans on what this all was really about, probably with an audience of hungry mosquitos. A.Pone glanced over to the party piece of the operation—three trusty supply wagons, packed with guns and medical gear, enough to supply over a hundred grunts, all hooked up and ready to be dragged through mud and misery.

Then, in the midst of all the chatter and sporadic laughter among the platoon, his trained eye caught wind of trouble brewing. And he wasn’t the only one, either. Corporal Brawn, a solid lump of muscle and vigilance, stomped forward with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, intercepting a trio of unfamiliar faces that were heading their way. “Halt!” he bellowed, like the herald of doomsday. “This path’s off-limits. Military business, folks.”

A.Pone kept a close eye on the corporal’s negotiation with the strangers, his worry growing by the second. These folks didn’t seem to be getting the memo that it was high time for an about-face and a brisk exit. Corporal Brawn appeared to be in a tough spot, struggling to make his case. Then, a snippet of their conversation reached his ears: “Wait right here.”

The corporal hustled back, clicking his hooves together in a crisp salute. “Sir. Some heavily armed civilians just showed up outside the camp,” he reported, his urgency clear as day. “They’re packing machine guns! I’m scratching my head here, Sarge. And one of ’em, believe it or not, is an alicorn!”

“Civilians?! Is this a joke?” A.Pone asked, his disbelief ringing through. “I reckon I’ll go have a heart-to-heart with ’em myself.” He pivoted toward the corporal, a steely determination in his eyes. “Keep the fort steady for two minutes,” he commanded, his voice unwavering.

Sergeant A.Pone approached the trio, sizing them up with a veteran’s discerning eye. It wouldn’t be the first time some well-intentioned but suicidal youngsters had bought some guns and decided to ‘help out’. But then he’d have to shoo them away.

“Nightmare Night ain’t for a few months yet, kids,” he barked, the corner of his mouth quirking up in an unmistakable grin of half-serious wry humor.

“Hi,” the pegasus stallion chirped, an unabashed grin stretching across his face.

“Hi. Enlighten me, son, what part of ‘the path is closed’ were you all having trouble with?” A.Pone’s voice carried the weight of a hundred disappointed school teachers.

“We’re here for the mission,” the black mare with a pair of unsettling eyes replied, her tone laced with a mysterious edge.

“The mission…” A.Pone echoed slowly, skepticism oozing from each word.

“You are expecting us, right?” the mare pressed, her piercing gaze locking onto his.

“I’m expecting specialists,” he retorted, the arch of an eyebrow emphasizing his point. “Not you kids.” He glanced up and down the black alicorn-looking pony. “And whatever you are. I ain’t never seen anyone transfigure themselves to make ’em look big and scary. You ain’t a changeling, are ya?”

The pegasus mare dressed like a Meadowbrook Hospital field medic suddenly coughed.

A voice, like a timely lifeline, called out from behind him. “Sergeant!” It was his lieutenant, accompanied by the telltale clatter of determined hoofsteps. She was a no-nonsense mare that had, only two days ago, been assigned to lead the platoon. He hoped that her reputation was more than just talk. If even half of the stories he'd heard about her were true, they were in for a solid run. And, well, she wasn’t half bad on the eyes either.

“Sergeant. These are the specialists the princess sent. This is Nyx,” the lieutenant declared.

A.Pone reflexively straightened upon Princess Luna being mentioned. He cast a sidelong glance to his superior officer, then back at the alicorn, his gruff demeanor returning. “Is that so?”

“Yes. Please, show them around. I’ll be with you all shortly.” She offered the directive and trotted away, leaving A.Pone to size up this peculiar trio before him in a new, if unexpected, light.

“Yes, Ma’am,” the sergeant declared with a salute, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. “So what’s your story? Do I have to call you Princess?”

“Please, don’t,” the black mare—Nyx said, shaking her head. “And we don’t have time for me to tell my story. Unless you want to hear about how I tried to take over the world when I was a child. We’re just here to escort your platoon to the bayou and look out for zebras.”

A.Pone stared at the mare in silence for a moment, his grizzled features masking his thoughts before he finally gave in to laughter. “You’re a firecracker, kid. I like your style. Name’s Sergeant A.Pone, twenty-first platoon, Lunar division. And what do they call you?” He motioned toward the two pegasi flanking Nyx, his gaze scrutinizing their presence.

“Rumble, sir,” the grey stallion stated, straightening up. “Weapons and tactics.”

“Well, well, well,” A.Pone’s tone turned impressed, his eye catching the distinctive gear Rumble wore. “If what you’ve got there is the real deal, you’ve got yourself a mark-five lancer frame. This pile of struts, straps, and magical servos will turn any cloud-hopper into a flying death machine. Almost a proper soldier.”

Rumble’s eyes widened, but he remained speechless, earning a friendly slap on the shoulder from A.Pone.

“Where on Celestia’s green world did you snag that contraption?” A.Pone inquired.

“It was a gift, sir,” Rumble declared, proudly. “Just this week, from Princess Luna.”

A.Pone let out a low whistle. “Well, son, ain’t that a sweet deal. I’m still waiting on my personal gift from Her Highness, but a stallion can dream.” He winked at Rumble, prompting a stunned silence once more.

“Now, you, the quiet one,” A.Pone grumbled at the pegasus mare standing beside Nyx, his steely gaze zeroing in.

“I’m Flitter. Medical and covert ops,” she answered.

At first glance, she appeared to be just an everyday slender pegasus who had accidentally wandered into a potentially dangerous situation. No fancy gadgets or tactical gear, just the attire of a standard medical pony.

“And what makes you a covert ops specialist?” A.Pone inquired, his scrutiny locking onto her.

Flitter met A.Pone’s gaze squarely and countered with a wry smile. “One moment, I’ll help you understand.” With that, she casually shed her field medic outfit and saddlebags, letting them fall to the ground. Before A.Pone could even wrap his head around what was happening, a sheet of magical green fire enveloped her body as quick as flash paper, consuming her coat and mane, leaving nothing but vanishing smoke-like remnants.

When the blinding light finally receded and A.Pone’s vision adjusted, a jaw-dropping sight awaited him. Right before his eyes stood a perfect mirror image of himself, down to the last detail. Even his sergeant’s uniform was faithfully replicated, at least at first glance. Only a thorough inspection would reveal that the very hair of her coat had precisely copied the look of his outfit to complete the illusion.

“Corporal Brawn! Who said you could stand at-ease?!” the pony in A.Pone’s form bellowed with a voice that could rattle windows.

A.Pone glanced over his shoulder and watched as Corporal Brawn snapped to attention, his wide-eyed confusion at the sight of his commanding officer’s double clear as day. With another flash, the transformation reversed, returning Flitter to her original appearance. As she donned her field medic outfit once more, Rumble struggled to hold back a chuckle. A.Pone himself couldn’t help but shake his head in amazement.

“Okay, never mind,” he conceded. “Always the quiet ones… So you’re a changeling, then.”

“That’s right,” Flitter confirmed, her smile exuding confidence.

“Impressive. I’ve never met one before,” A.Pone admitted before gathering himself. “You’re obviously on our side,” he half-questioned. “Just remember, no feedin’. My ponies ain’t your personal buffet.”

“Don't have to worry about that, sir. Me and Nyx keep her well-fed,” Rumble was quick to point out.

Nyx's cheeks reddened a little and she looked away.

“Active feeding is strictly forbidden,” Flitter added. “Most people don’t know, but changelings have been looking after ponies for millennia, right in plain sight.”

A.Pone wasn’t sure how to respond to that revelation, so he settled for a grumble under his breath and left it at that. He couldn’t shake the memories of what went down in Canterlot all those years ago, and the idea of a potential infiltrator among the platoon didn’t sit well with him, even if she was a pretty little thing in her pony guise. He glanced back at Corporal Brawn. “At ease, you knucklehead.”

A noise akin to a balloon popping mixed with the telltale fwoop of a unicorn’s spell, jolted half the grunts into reaching for their weapons before A.Pone could swing around to see what was happening.

“Now what?” he grumbled to himself.

Standing nearby, a lilac-colored unicorn mare, barely out of her teens, sported the most extravagant scout's barding A.Pone had ever seen. As the remnants of magical stardust dissipated around her, he couldn't ignore the unmistakable Lunar Division insignia on her uniform. Yet, despite the official markings, she appeared even younger than the trio he'd just met.

Teleporters...

“Oh, good! I didn’t miss you!” the unicorn chimed with eager delight as she rushed forward to greet the black alicorn and her entourage. The other three stared at her with expressions of surprise, their disbelief practically tangible.

“Dinky, where did you get that barding?” the alicorn asked.

“I could ask the same of you, my dear friend. That armor is utterly splendid!”

“This isn’t a fashion show, ladies,” A.Pone interrupted. “Name and rank, soldier. Or do we have another civilian here?”

“This is Dinky,” Nyx answered.

“I’m with them,” the unicorn pointed at Nyx.

“Figures. Let me guess, you’ll be our teleporter? It’s a rare skill.”

“Princess Luna herself assigned me to the team,” the unicorn declared. “I shall gladly contribute to the best of my abilities.”

“More like coerced,” Nyx commented sourly. “I’m still not entirely happy about how that went.”

“Well, I volunteered then,” Dinky countered.

“She had your barding waiting for you,” Nyx pointed out.

“I get it, I get it,” A.Pone bellowed. “The princess wants you here, so you’re here. That’s good enough for me. Now fall in line, I’ll introduce you to our lieutenant.”

Nyx's pulse quickened with each step as Sergeant A.Pone guided her and her friends toward the commanding officer of the platoon. Prior to today, their only encounters with the military had been limited to occasional invitations to participate in SkyGuard war games. Rumble’s brother Thunderlane's unit sometimes pulled some strings to fit them in. However, those were mere training exercises, far from the gravity of actual combat. Starting today, this would be the real deal. Nyx just hoped it wasn’t all a huge mistake.

They arrived at a supply wagon, where the lieutenant was engrossed in discussion with the platoon's unicorn. Before they approached her, the sergeant offered a single piece of advice. “I will ask that you fully respect the lieutenant’s orders. We have a mission to do, and if you haven’t been trained… Well, I don’t expect much trouble, but just watch yourselves. We’re going in where zeebs have been spotted.”

They cut through the bustling troops, who were each preoccupied with their own tasks. Most were chattering or doing gear checks, each carrying their light infantry weapons on body harnesses. A.Pone’s voice cut through the noise.

“This is Lieutenant Daisycutter,” A.Pone introduced to Nyx with a salute. “She’s in charge of this operation.”

The lieutenant was a middle-aged earth pony mare, her coat a rich, golden-cream buckskin hue, with a black mane and tail that matched the lower sections of her legs. Nyx hadn't crossed paths with many buckskin ponies, but she knew they were often seen as striking. Clad in forest-camouflage military attire, she was clearly prepared for business, her demeanor radiating a sense of seriousness.

“Good to finally meet you, Nyx,” the lieutenant greeted, her sharp gaze fixed on the alicorn. “You’ve already crossed paths with our sergeant, I see. Any questions before we hit the trail?”

“It’s good to meet you too,” Nyx answered. “The sergeant mentioned you’re Lunar Division?”

“That’s correct,” the lieutenant affirmed. “As special forces, we answer directly to the princess. It streamlines the chain of command, much more efficient than the R.E.A.”

“Oooh, special forces!” Rumble chimed in, his excitement evident.

“You clear on your orders?” she asked.

“Luna said you’d be filling us in once we got here,” Nyx confirmed. “As far as I know, we’re going in to make sure the locals in the bayou don’t fall prey to Arkadian forces.”

The lieutenant nodded. “Specifically, you’re tasked with escorting the platoon, sticking with us through Whitetail Woods and beyond. You’ll be the eye in the sky, watching out for Arkadian troops while we hoof it on the ground. Once we reach the settlements, you’ll get your own mission, per the princess’s directive. But remember, the platoon’s mission is priority.”

“And what is the platoon’s mission?” Nyx asked.

“To follow orders,” Daisycutter stated, bluntly. “Full briefing once we hit the first settlement.”

“A mystery! You’ll enjoy that,” Rumble teased playfully, nudging her shoulder with his own.

Nyx surveyed the troops around her. “I see. So we’re the air support? You don’t have any pegasi?”

“Negative. Pegasi are in short supply lately, and this mission leans more toward earth ponies. Windy Scarlet here is our requisite unicorn and ‘bag of tricks’. She’s under my direct command for this op, and the other fifteen earth ponies follow the sergeant’s lead.”

Nyx turned her gaze toward the unicorn, nodding in acknowledgment, then refocused on the lieutenant. “What should we do if we find zebras then? I mean while scouting ahead.”

“If they don’t spot you, don’t engage,” she advised. “Report back to me with what you find. If they get the drop on you, handle the immediate threat as needed. Word on the street is, you’ve handled worse.”

“Wait, you’ve heard of us and what we’ve done?”

The lieutenant met Nyx’s eyes squarely. “I know you saved a colt from three zebras in Ponyville last week with no help.”

Nyx’s gaze dropped for a moment before returning to meet the lieutenant’s. “Things didn’t exactly go as planned that day,” she admitted.

“From where I stand, Nyx, they couldn’t possibly have gone any better. You’re a valuable addition to our crew. Now, I heard we’re getting a teleporter?”

Dinky stepped forward, saluting enthusiastically. “How can I be of service, Ma’am?”

The lieutenant cracked a smile. “I’d like to know your range. How many jumps from here to, let’s say, Canterlot? And how many jumps can you safely pull off in a day? I’m aware it drains a lot of energy. To be frank, I was expecting someone more experienced, considering we’re heading deep into the wilderness.”

“Would you care for a Manehattan bagel?” Dinky inquired with her peculiar charm. “I can have one for you in two minutes, but that’s only because the finest shop tends to have rather lengthy queues at this hour.” The unicorn offered a confident smile, having made her point. Nyx could see that she was eager, but she still held a lingering doubt that any of this was a good idea. If Dinky got herself hurt, Nyx doubted she could forgive herself.

The lieutenant returned the smile. “I see. In that case, could you do us a favor and jump ahead to one of the settlements in the bayou? Let them know we’ll be on our way shortly.”

Dinky’s expression fell. “I’m afraid it doesn’t quite work like that, Ma’am. My teleportation is restricted to locations I've previously visited. Alas, I've never set hoof in the bayou.”

The lieutenant nodded solemnly. “Alright then, we’ll make do. Do you have any other tricks I should know about?”

“I’m afraid not,” Dinky admitted.

The lieutenant glanced at the platoon’s unicorn in response. “Looks like your job’s safe, Windy.”

Windy, meanwhile, was staring at Dinky, blinking, her jaw slack in what might have been awe.

Some nearby chatter drifted in from some of the troops who had gathered around the newcomers. “Damn, finally some nice-looking mares in this platoon,” one of them commented. Nyx caught A.Pone rolling his eyes, though he kept silent.

Another piped up nearby. “Hey Sarge, if the alicorn’s joining the team, does that mean we don’t have to fight anymore and can just let her do all the work?”

“You secure that mouth, soldier!” A.Pone growled. “Though I accept your volunteering for latrine duty.”

“Thanks a lot, Sarge,” came the humbled reply.

Nyx felt only a slight jolt at the sergeant's gruff response, recognizing it as a part of the military's customary demeanor. This brought a curious thought to her mind. A.Pone had used what seemed to be the lieutenant's callsign, rather than her real name. Her inquisitiveness got the better of her, and she couldn't resist asking, “So... Daisycutter?”

Daisy patted her on the shoulder. “That’s a long story I’ll tell you once we’ve got some time to spare. For now, we’re burning daylight and need to get moving.”

12 - Allies and Inquiries

Dinky’s heart quickened with anticipation of the adventure unfolding before her. The platoon moved steadily westward along the well-trodden path, the supply wagons, with their rhythmic creaking, lumbering along behind them. She couldn’t help but reminisce about her childhood exploits with her friends. It was as if she’d gone back in time, returning to the days when the four of them would venture into these very woods, fueled by boundless imagination and excitement.

In stark contrast to the perilous Everfree Forest on the opposite side of Ponyville, Whitetail was a realm of serene beauty. Birds sang joyfully as they darted through the playful shadows cast by the late-morning sun filtering through the towering tree canopy. Dinky inhaled deeply, savoring the early-summer breeze carrying hints of wildflowers and earthy richness.

The forest felt like an old friend, its sparse undergrowth an ideal backdrop for youthful escapades. Games played, secret hideouts discovered, and imaginary expeditions conjured from thin air all came flooding back to her. Sunlight performed a whimsical dance on the forest floor, and the rustling chorus of high aspen leaves, stirred by the gentle breeze, carried echoes of their childhood laughter.

The race path was well-known, host to an annual autumn event where hundreds of local ponies dashed through. While Dinky had never participated herself, she had enthusiastically cheered her friends from various vantage points along the trail, watching them zoom past and then jumping ahead to catch them as they ran by once more.

Her decision to take part in this adventure might have been spontaneous, but now, she couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. As they ventured deeper into the forest, the thrill of the unknown tingled within her. Although teleportation might not play a significant role on this journey, the enchantment of the woods and the company of her dearest friends filled her heart with a sense of magic she hadn’t felt in years.

As she walked in the midst of the soldiers, she observed them closely. Two of them had taken their place in front of her, a brown stallion and a yellow mare, steadfast and resolute. Behind her, a robust dapple-grey stallion pulled a supply wagon laden with most of their weapons and gear, lightening the burden for all on their journey.

Dinky watched them with curiosity, her gaze shifting from one soldier to another. She had never been this close to combat soldiers before, her previous encounters with the military only involving higher-ranking officers who required her messaging services. These soldiers, however, were a different breed, their mannerisms and speech style both intriguing and alien.

“But then why’d they stick us with two heavy hitters?” the stallion ahead of her asked his companion. “Not only have they hooked us up with Nitemare Nyx, but our C.O. is the Lieutenant Daisycutter. Seems like there’s more to this than a routine security sweep, don’t you think?”

“Wait, is she the same one from the action figures?” the yellow mare asked in a hushed tone.

“Yeah. Now you know what I’m talkin’ about,” the stallion replied.

Occasionally, a soldier would sneak a glance in Dinky’s direction, to which she responded with a warm smile. It struck her how these were the soldiers who truly engaged in the battles of the war, often victorious but perhaps just as often meeting a terrible fate. She felt grateful that Princess Luna had given them all a low-risk task for this mission.

As the soldiers chatted, their voices blending with the forest’s natural sounds, Dinky pondered the places they would encounter on their journey. The bayou, which they were supposed to reach by sunset, held an air of mystery. What would its people be like? She tried to imagine the dense, swampy landscape and the unknown challenges awaiting them.

Eventually, the platoon came to a halt as several soldiers gathered around a massive fallen tree that blocked their path. Nyx stood near the tree with the lieutenant, contemplating the obstacle. Dinky remembered this tree from her race-watching days. The ponies would leap over it with a running start, but with the supply wagons, that wasn’t going to work today.

Sergeant A.Pone suddenly began barking orders, causing a dozen sturdy earth pony stallions to line up alongside the fallen tree.

“Come on, ladies, put your backs into it,” he yelled as the soldiers heaved.

Nyx grunted as she added her own strength alongside the stallions, coordinating her thrusts with theirs. The tree rocked in rhythm with their combined strength, only to stubbornly return to where it had been at the start.

Surveying the supply wagons for a moment, Nyx offered a suggestion, “I could probably lift them over one at a time, but we may have to empty them to lighten the load first.”

“No time for that,” the lieutenant said. “How much weight can you take off the tree itself?”

Nyx nodded, focusing her horn on the fallen giant. Within moments, the tree creaked and groaned under the strain of considerable magical energy. Nyx grit her teeth in the effort as the branches on the far end trembled from the sudden motion.

“I’ll help,” came a voice off to the side. It was the platoon’s only unicorn. She squinted her eyes, applying a crimson glow to the tree.

Dinky joined in, though her levitation strength wasn’t able to lift much more than an average pony’s weight for a few moments. Soon, her golden glow was added to the indigo and crimson already enveloping the tree.

“Back at it, ponies! Move it, move it, move it,” bellowed A.Pone as he thrust his own shoulder into the tree.

With a resounding push, the tree surrendered its position, sliding off the path as the stallions and spellcasters gave it their all, clearing the way for the wagons.

“Nice work, ponies,” the lieutenant commended before leading the way down the trail once more.

Dinky felt good from the exertion, despite what little she had actually contributed. The other unicorn nodded to her with a smile as she wiped the sweat off her brow.

The platoon had quickly fallen back in line, continuing their westward journey, though Dinky noted many of the ponies had swapped their positions in the line.

“Hi there,” a female voice greeted, giving Dinky a slight start.

She turned quickly to see the other unicorn, a pale-rose-colored mare with three thin stripes of pure white running through her otherwise brilliant red mane and tail. It was like a breeze flowing through a sea of red. She appeared quite young, lacking the hardened look of the other soldiers.

“Good day, Windy,” Dinky replied with a smile as they continued walking with the platoon. “That’s what the lieutenant called you, if I recall?”

Windy nodded. “Specialist Windy Scarlett. I didn’t catch your name.”

“Just Dinky,” Dinky replied. “No fancy titles as such. This is the first time I’ve done anything like this.”

Windy looked at her sideways, raising an eyebrow. “No kidding? Here I thought you were a pro, from that fancy barding you’re wearing.”

Dinky glanced down at her scout’s barding. “This? Oh, I received it as a gift less than an hour ago.”

The other unicorn’s eyes went wide. “A gift? Who gives Lunar Division scout’s barding as a gift?”

“Princess Luna does, apparently,” Dinky smiled. “I feel quite honored, though I do hope I don’t disappoint her.”

“Wait, you know Princess Luna personally?” Windy asked.

“Absolutely. Part of my usual business is to deliver her war correspondence. But she felt it would be good experience to come along on this mission.”

“So you got recruited, then.” Windy stated.

“I volunteered,” Dinky corrected. “I’ve had this vague longing to join my friend Nyx’s adventures for years, but life hadn’t aligned our paths until just recently. How about you? Have you been with this group for long?”

Windy’s expression darkened a bit. “I enlisted. There’s pretty high demand for unicorns lately. But you probably knew that.”

Dinky shook her head. “Embarrassingly, I know next to nothing about this side of military operations. I assume the demand you mentioned would be due to the advantage a spellcaster gives to a team such as this?”

Windy nodded. “Pretty much. I’m no expert, but I can cast just about anything I put my mind to.”

“Oh, that’s most fascinating. You must be multi-talented. My friend’s mother is like that; it’s a rare gift.”

“Yeah. That’s why I report directly to the lieutenant. She calls me her ‘bag of tricks’. I suppose it fits.”

“And at such a young age,” Dinky noted. “I’m twenty-two years old, myself. You look even younger, I’d guess?”

“Nineteen,” Windy confirmed. “I left North Vanhoover four months ago to train for the Lunar Division. It was a crash course, really. But you wouldn’t believe the stuff I learned.”

“I imagine so!” Dinky said. “Incidentally, I’m quite familiar with North Vanhoover. There’s this little shop overlooking the lighthouse on Bojack’s Point that has the best pancakes in the world. The syrup is to die for.”

The look on Windy’s face was one of wide-eyed surprise. “No kidding? My parents run a maple syrup farm, and I know the shop you’re talking about. That’s so cool, I never would have guessed you’d know my home town. Are you from there originally?”

“I’m actually from Ponyville, if you could believe it,” Dinky replied. “I spent a significant part of my childhood running through these woods with my friends.”

“Wow, that’s quite a coincidence. I lived in Ponyville about a year ago doing stage performance for a few months before going back home to help with the farm. So do you travel a lot? What ever brought you to North Vanhoover? It’s pretty far out of the way.”

“It has the finest breakfast spot in the northwest,” Dinky replied. “Having a good relaxing breakfast is part of my daily routine. But sometimes, I’ll visit the library or watch the sunset from the lighthouse before going home.”

“You’re just full of surprises,” Windy commented, shaking her head with a smile. “Were you serious about the bagel earlier? You weren’t just pulling the lieutenant’s leg about your teleporting abilities, were you?”

Dinky merely smiled, opened her saddlebags, and levitated a warm cream cheese bagel, complete with all the sprinkles, over to Windy.

The platoon had reached a glade, where the sight of a waterfall coming off a series of bluffs was a welcome relief from the heat of the day. The roaring cascade of water provided a natural symphony of sound, drowning out the woodland ambiance they had grown used to over the last hour. The cool mist that drifted from the falls was like a gift from the heavens, offering a momentary respite from the relentless mid-day heat. Some of the soldiers had already claimed their spots on the massive boulders that stood near the waterfall’s base, the perfect makeshift seats for their lunch break.

Sergeant A.Pone accepted his ration bag with a nod of gratitude from Platinum Dawn, the stallion who had previously been busy pulling one of the supply wagons. He headed toward the waterfall, his keen eyes catching sight of Windy Scarlett and the newcomer, Dinky. What stopped him in his tracks was the sight of the two of them indulging in a fancy meal that wouldn’t have been out of place in a big-city restaurant.

A.Pone did a double take, his gruff voice breaking the momentary silence as he inquired, “Specialist Windy Scarlett, would you mind telling me what in Celestia’s wide world you and your new friend are eating?” His suspicion was clear, and he expected no less than an honest answer.

Windy shrugged mid-chew. “I have no idea, sir, but it’s really good.”

Dinky took the cue to chime in. “That one is called ‘Urban Garden Delight.’ The sandwich features a freshly baked, artisanal whole-grain ciabatta roll. Inside, is a vibrant combination of flavors and textures. It features a generous helping of roasted and marinated portobello mushrooms, providing a rich and earthy umami flavor. Accompanying the mushrooms are slices of creamy, ripe avocado, which add a luxurious, buttery element.”

The sergeant just stared in silence at the unicorn’s reply before coming to his senses once more. “Dare I ask where you have been hiding that all this time?” he asked.

Dinky, her eyes wide and a mischievous grin on her face, replied, “Oh, I just popped over to one of the best sandwich delis in Baltimare a couple minutes ago.” She seemed completely at ease, as if it were an everyday occurrence.

A.Pone couldn’t help but grumble, shaking his head in mild annoyance. “Teleporters…” he muttered, almost to himself. “Just remember, nobody likes a show-off.”

As he prepared to sit down on a moss-covered log with his far more modest rations, his thoughts turned to the mission. From what he’d been told, it was supposed to be a cakewalk, an easy assignment. But A.Pone knew better than to let his guard down, especially with civilians among them. His gaze shifted to the group, and his mind settled on the changeling, called Flitter. The thought of her presence brought a touch of suspicion, and he decided it was time for a one-on-one chat, to uncover any kind of potential problem she might represent. Things might be calm now, but if the horseapples hit the fan, he needed to be sure he could trust his team.

A.Pone’s bulky figure approached Flitter, his steps heavy but not threatening. He set down his bag of rations, containing simple fruits and a couple nutrition bars. “Mind if I join you for a minute?” he asked, his tone carrying a mix of curiosity and a touch of suspicion.

Flitter looked up from her spot on one of the moss-covered logs, her eyes meeting his. She gave a faint but genuine smile. “Of course, Sergeant,” she replied calmly. She didn’t seem threatened or on edge. She was, in many ways, a picture of serenity amid the natural beauty around them. And that fact alone, combined with the knowledge of what she truly was, beneath the guise, threw him slightly off balance.

Sitting down beside her, A.Pone started the conversation, trying to get a better sense of her background. “So, Flitter, what did you do before all this war business?” He opened his bag of rations and began munching on an apple.

Flitter hesitated for a moment, her expression thoughtful. “Hmm, well I spent most of my life in Ponyville. When I was a teenager, I was on the weather team,” she began, her voice soft and melodic. “I also worked part-time at the clinic. My dad was one of their doctors.” There was a warmth in her eyes as she mentioned her father, a clear sign of her deep affection for him.

A.Pone furrowed his brow, genuinely puzzled. “Ponyville, huh? Didn’t you all live in a colony or hive or something?” His question was straightforward, reflecting the skepticism that many had about changelings.

Flitter chuckled softly at his misconception. “You’re thinking of Chrysalis and her cult. She had quite a following, but she by no means represented all the changelings. Most of us lived peacefully among ponies in plain sight, never revealing that we were any different than they were.” She paused, her gaze drifting toward the waterfall. “But when the war started, things changed. Fear and love counteract each other, you see, and changelings need love to survive. That’s why, after we revealed ourselves publicly out of desperation, Celestia initiated the national ‘Adopt a Changeling’ program to help us survive. Sadly, the effort was only of minimal help.”

A.Pone listened attentively, his earlier suspicions slowly giving way. He probed further, “Is that why you live with Nyx and Rumble?”

Flitter’s response began with a question of her own. “Not exactly. Where were you when the incident in Aria happened?”

A.Pone frowned, knowing the crystalline city of the frozen north had been through many ‘incidents’ over the years. “Which one?” he asked.

“The one three years ago where everyone vanished,” Flitter clarified.

A.Pone took a deep breath, recollecting his experiences. “I was stationed near the southern border when I heard about it. My whole unit was shocked. All we knew was that the entire population of Aria suddenly vanished. We all thought the bugs had grabbed the entire city and taken them back to a hive somewhere to be fed upon.”

Flitter grimaced. “I can assure you it wasn’t a changeling plot. Princess Cadence had come up with a risky plan, a last resort meant to take the people of Aria far into the future, in case the city faced an overwhelming zebra offensive. But when they tested the connection between the Crystal Heart and an ancient artifact, something malfunctioned and sent everyone forward in time by a month. We were lucky it wasn’t longer.”

A.Pone couldn’t help but be intrigued. “What was that like?” he asked, genuinely curious.

Flitter’s expression turned more somber as she recounted her own experience. “I was away from Aria at the time, visiting friends in Ponyville. When I tried to return, the conductor at the train station told me everyone in the city had vanished, and no one knew why. I was in a panic, thinking my entire race was gone forever.” She paused, her voice filled with emotion. “Nyx and Rumble came and got me. They offered for me to live with them, and I found their love for one another was more than enough to sustain me.”

Eyes wide, A.Pone nodded. “I can see what you mean. I heard when they reappeared, no one was the wiser, like they all just ceased to exist and then a month later, picked up right where they left off. You didn’t go back to them when they all showed up again?”

Flitter shook her head. “By then, I had found my home with my friends. I couldn’t be happier living with them, so I decided to stay.” She suddenly looked at him with a peculiar gaze that seemed to stare deep into his soul. “They’re good ponies, Sergeant. You can trust them,” she said as if she could sense what he was feeling.

A.Pone’s earlier suspicion had now largely faded, replaced by understanding and even a smidgen of uncharacteristic empathy. He nodded, beginning to grasp the depth of Flitter’s experiences. “That whole thing must’ve been quite a shock,” he admitted, his gruff exterior softening.

Flitter smiled. “It was, but I’m grateful for the friends I have. And I’m here now, ready to do my part to help.”

Though still cautious, A.Pone extended a hoof to her and said, “Well, Flitter, it’s good to know you a bit better. Let’s hope this mission goes without any surprises, and we all make it back in one piece. I’ve got one more question for you before we hit the trail again. Do you have any combat experience? What I mean is, have you fired a weapon before?”

Flitter shook her head. “Nyx and Rumble have done all the fighting whenever we’ve encountered zebras. I have my own ways of helping them.”

The sergeant looked at Flitter sideways, a smile creeping into the corner of his lips. “Let’s take a walk. I want to introduce you to a friend of mine called Midnight.”

13 - The Wild

The platoon came to a halt where the race trail sharply veered northward. Amidst the dense forest, Nyx was aware it would eventually curl back eastward, leading back to the familiar territory of Ponyville. Her focus shifted to the platoon’s leader, Lieutenant Daisy, known by the callsign ‘The Daisycutter,’ standing beside her.

The lieutenant had taken a liking to Nyx, her conversational tone relaxing over the course of the journey. This change was exclusive to Nyx, as Daisy maintained her hardened military demeanor with everyone else, including Rumble. Nyx wondered what it was about her that might have made Daisy regard her almost as a friend. Had they crossed paths before? If so, Nyx had no recollection of it.

Daisy retrieved a well-worn map from her pack, unfurling it on a sturdy tree stump. Nyx, A.Pone, and two corporals gathered around as Daisy traced their route with a steady hoof. “The map indicates there should be a nearby path,” she announced, her resolve evident. “We have to keep heading west, straight into the Wild.”

Indeed, the region west of Whitetail bore the ominous label “The Wild” on the map, a territory ponies rarely ventured into, and if they did, it was against better advice. Not that the Wild was anything like Everfree, a place teeming with inexplicable dangers and a curse that generated monstrous creatures seemingly out of nothing.

By contrast, the Wild was merely that. Wild. Nyx recalled her friend Apple Bloom’s story from their childhood about the time she was nearly devoured by a chimera out this way. But an armed platoon of twenty-two was not the same as a defenseless farmer filly and her big sister.

Nyx’s eyes scanned the map, her curiosity piqued by the unfamiliar terrain ahead. After a brief search, Windy called out, having located the path they were seeking. It was a rugged trail that broke off from the race trail before descending alongside an embankment into the increasingly dense forest below.

It was a notably rough start, the supply wagons barely navigating between the thicker saplings that lined the edges of the winding path. Several soldiers took the lead to clear the way, while Nyx and Windy remained close to the wagons, nudging them telekinetically whenever they threatened to tip over. The ambient sounds of the forest that surrounded them had also shifted, becoming increasingly unfamiliar and amplifying the sense of isolation from civilization.

As they advanced along the overgrown trail, vines and brambles clawed at their progress, making the journey laborious and uncomfortable. Nyx couldn’t help but feel a creeping unease, the unfamiliarity of this remote section of the forest weighing on her. Windy, too, seemed on edge, her eyes darting around the thick woods as if it might swallow her up, never to be found again.

The unicorn decided to voice what she was feeling. “How much further will it be like this?” she asked, her misery evident. Dinky, for her part, was silent though Nyx wondered how much of a strain this was putting on her friend.

Nyx responded to Windy, injecting a touch of sarcasm to lighten the mood. “It stays ‘nice’ like this for some time. Eventually, it leads to the fire swamp, and beyond that, the bayou. But we should be fine; it’s not like the chimeras carry guns or anything.”

Windy grumbled sourly, “Oh, that sounds like heaps of fun.”

Their journey soon brought them to a wide, shallow stream, where an aging wooden bridge had succumbed to the decay of time. Crossing was no longer an option, so they waded through the water, the squelching of their hooves in the silt adding to the discomfort of their already arduous trek.

Half way across, Nyx looked back, seeing Dinky still standing at the edge of the stream. Windy, who had been walking beside her, had only begun the reluctant crossing herself.

“You coming?” Nyx called back to her friend.

Dinky hesitated, looking miserable. Her eyes locked with Nyx’s. “I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

“You can’t just pop over to the other side?”

Dinky shook her head. “I’ve never been here before. Remember, I can only jump to places I’ve been.”

Nyx had forgotten because she knew her mother could teleport to places she could see. “You’ll just have to walk then. It’s alright. A bit gross, but it’ll wash off.”

Dinky made a grimace and began walking into the stream, the sticky muck no doubt enveloping her hooves just as it had Nyx’s.

With his hooves splashing slightly in the water, Rumble landed in the stream next to Dinky. “Come on. We’ll do it together.”

Dinky returned his encouraging smile and the two plodded on through until eventually reaching dry land again.

On the other side of the stream, the trail began to show signs of improvement. Daisy turned to Nyx, her gaze steadfast as she spread her map open once more. “Nyx, you and Flitter fly ahead and scout for zebras or any other potential threats. We need to be aware of any surprises before we reach the fire swamp. Our rendezvous will be this clearing, marked here on the map. By the time we get there, the troops will be tired from pulling the wagons. We’ll take an hour to rest and do drills. Windy will send up a flare every ten minutes to guide you back.”

Nyx nodded in acknowledgment, eager to assist. “We’ll do our best.” With those words, she and Flitter took to the skies, leaving the dense forest below and embarking into the unknown.

As the midday heat gradually yielded to early afternoon, Nyx and Flitter soared through the sky, their sharp senses attuned to potential threats. Nyx’s T.E.I. spell, an impressive feat of thaumatic spellcrafting authored by one of the preeminent scholars at the science academy, stood as a testament to modern magical engineering.

Although Nyx herself lacked the ability to cast the spell, the technological marvel resting at the base of her horn bridged the gap in skill. This device could be encoded with spells crafted by one pony, enabling them to be cast by another without the skill. While the theoretical underpinnings lay beyond Nyx’s interests, it had become all the rage among the science nerds at her mother’s institute.

In contrast, Flitter was a natural empath. All changelings were attuned to the emotional landscape of the Lifestream, but the results were more nuanced, akin to smell or taste. For Flitter, a person’s anger manifested like a bitterness or foul odor, intensifying as she approached the source. As a seasoned empath, her understanding of others’ emotions had evolved into a reliable skill.

Nyx’s indicator was different, augmenting her vision and specifically highlighting an aggressor, but only to a short range. There were other distinctions, such as the fact that hostile animals showed up for Nyx but not at all for Flitter. Nevertheless, by working together, the duo had effectively pinpointed the sniper’s position last week in time to save Dusty. Today, the lieutenant had wisely employed their teamwork for this scouting run.

Flitter turned her gaze toward Nyx in flight, her voice tinged with curiosity. “So, Nyx, how are you feeling about the mission so far? What do you think of these ponies we’re traveling with?”

Surveying the breathtaking vista surrounding them, Nyx contemplated their journey. It felt like a surreal dream, an erstwhile impossibility now unfolding before her eyes. “It’s still hard to believe, Flitter. I never thought we’d be here, on a real mission. I do like the ponies of the platoon so far. They’re funny, how they talk—especially A.Pone. He talks so gruff, but he comes off like someone from the comics, you know?”

Flitter chuckled. “I agree; they are fascinating. I’ve sensed various emotions among the soldiers, which they are really bad at hiding, by the way. Many are relaxed or even bored, while others genuinely relish this venture into the unknown. But it’s the unicorns that concern me; they seem to be struggling the most.”

Nyx’s curiosity was piqued. “Dinky? Why would she be struggling? She didn’t hide how eager she was for this mission, despite my protests.”

Flitter pondered the question. “It runs deeper than that. I sense something’s been brewing within her for a while, only now surfacing. Oddly enough, it might have to do with not teleporting around like she usually does. Sticking with the same group of ponies isn’t normal for her.”

Nyx found the insight intriguing. “It hasn’t been that long,” she pointed out.

“True, but for someone whose life resembles a humming bird, used to constant movement, this must feel strange. It’s just an impression, though; I could be wrong. What’s your take on the lieutenant? She seems more open to you than the rest of us, though it’s not clear to me as to why.”

After a moment’s reflection, Nyx replied, “She’s pretty intriguing, I’ll admit. It’s like she knows me and yet at the same time doesn’t know me. What do you make of that?”

“Well, you are a public figure, whether you like it or not,” Flitter remarked with a knowing look. “Consider that toy of you that Dusty had. That is your public image. I can say one thing for sure, though: her curiosity about you is off the charts. She’s probably never spent any time around an alicorn before, so it’s not terribly surprising.”

Nyx rolled her eyes. She wondered if she’d ever be able to shake the whole ‘public image’ thing. When could she just have a normal life like a normal person? “Flitter, she’s a lieutenant in the Lunar Division. If she knows Luna at all, alicorns shouldn’t be that mysterious to her.”

“You and Luna are close. Don’t forget that the princess has a very different relationship with her subjects than with her friends.”

Flitter had a point. “Fair enough. So here’s a weird one—why do you think almost the whole platoon is made up of earth ponies? Not a single pegasus among them.”

Flitter speculated, “Pegasi might be less enthusiastic about enlisting due to their very heavy casualties early in the war. Earth ponies, especially the young ones, often believe they’re invincible.”

Nyx nodded thoughtfully. “That makes sense. And we wouldn’t want to discourage our most effective fighting force, would we?”

“Exactly,” Flitter agreed.

As they continued their flight, Nyx’s gaze swept across the landscape. The southern mountain range leveled out, curving off to the southwest on the horizon. To the east, Canterlot Mountain had vanished from view, but ahead, to the west, a thick, smoky haze loomed. The trees there had darkened, an unpleasant odor wafting toward them.

Flitter broke the silence, identifying the ominous sight. “So that’s the fire swamp?”

Nyx responded wryly, “Not the best vacation spot, it seems.”

Expressing concern, Flitter asked, “Are we really going to walk through that, Nyx? It’s going to be miserable.”

Nyx’s tone reflected the same sentiment. “I don’t see any way around it. Let’s go a bit further and wrap it up. I haven’t seen a hint of zebras the whole flight, just the occasional predator here and there. How about you?”

“Same…” Flitter echoed. “I’ve felt nothing either. I’m pretty certain there’s no zebras at least as far as the fire swamp. We should get back and let them know. We don’t want to be stuck in there after dark.”

Appreciating Flitter’s practicality, Nyx agreed. With some daylight left, they had a decent chance to reach the bayou before nightfall, provided all went smoothly.

Committing their course to memory, the two friends turned back, soaring eastward with the breeze. In the distance, a brilliant flare burst into the sky, followed by an explosion of colorful fireworks. Nyx shook her head with a wry chuckle. “Windy sure knows how to express herself. At least it’s hard to miss.”

The pair of scouts gracefully touched down in the clearing, where the platoon was taking a brief respite. Glancing around, Nyx saw a mix of weariness and energy among the soldiers. The three wagon pullers, their fatigue etched in every movement, contrasted with the bustling energy of others engaged in various activities.

The clearing had been divided into distinct areas, likely at Lieutenant Daisy’s direction. Several soldiers were engaged in combat drills, including hoof sparring as well as weapons practice. At the far end, a black stallion led marksmanship practice, the crackling shots reverberating toward a line of paper targets on wooden posts. Spotting Flitter in the distance, he signaled her to join. With a nod to Nyx, Flitter excused herself, trotting toward the sharpshooters.

Lieutenant Daisy was working with Dinky and Rumble. They had pulled Rumble’s lancer frame out of its wagon, examining the device as its thin metal framework climbed up Rumble’s legs and spread over his body. Nyx had seen these devices in the past, but never up close. The lancer frame was probably the most important innovation to come out of the Former Villain’s Initiative, since the start of the war.

Upon approaching the trio, Nyx saw that Daisy was showing Dinky how to reload Rumble’s autoguns. Dinky’s attention was riveted onto the instructions she was being given, a good sign that she was feeling useful. Rumble’s gaze caught sight of Nyx for a moment, prompting a smile from them both.

“Now repeat that ten more times,” Daisy ordered before her attention shifted to Nyx. Her initial formality softened. “I didn’t see you come in,” she said to the alicorn, her tone warm. “What have you found?”

“Can I see your map?” Nyx requested.

Daisy retrieved her map from her pack, laying it out on a substantial rock. At this, Nyx used her hoof as a guide, tracing the scouted route.

“We’ve scouted to here,” she began. “Everything from here to here is clear, but beyond this point, I started spotting predators. Nothing to worry about, but the fire swamp will be difficult to see through, so we’ll want to get out of it before it gets dark. The trail forks multiple times, veering away from our intended path, but we found a route here and here that should guide us all the way through.”

“Good work, Nyx,” Daisy commended. “I appreciate the update. We’re taking forty-five to rest and hone combat skills. I like my ponies sharp. It’s my first time with this platoon, and I want to know what I can expect.”

“Done all ten, Lieutenant!” Dinky’s voice rang out as she approached, radiating satisfaction.

“That’s what I like to see, Dinky. Spend a few minutes with the rifle and scattergun soldiers, ensuring you know their ammunition needs and where it’s stored in the wagon. After that, you’re dismissed until we depart, which is forty-five minutes from now.”

“I won’t let you down,” Dinky declared before vanishing. She instantly reappeared next to a soldier across the clearing, causing a mild start. Nyx chuckled, shaking her head as she observed her friend in action.

“If Dinky can teleport as well as she claims, she’ll make the perfect resupply pony,” Daisy remarked.

Nyx admired the practicality of the idea, realizing she hadn’t considered Dinky’s unique talent in that light before.

Just then, Platinum Dawn, one of the stallions who had pulled the wagons, nearly collided with Nyx and Daisy as his attention fixated on Rumble soaring overhead, autoguns deployed. Swiftly regaining composure, he saluted his lieutenant.

“Shouldn’t you be resting, Platinum?” Daisy asked.

“I am resting,” the sturdy dapple-grey replied with a grin, passing a pair of apples from his pack to the lieutenant. She thanked him and extended one to Nyx.

“Come, sit with me a moment,” Daisy invited Nyx. The two made their way to the clearing’s edge, where naturally smooth rocky formations provided comfortable seating.

“You’ve fought zebras before,” Daisy stated as they settled in.

“Yeah, a little,” Nyx replied. “I’m not supposed to, but it happens sometimes. Like lately, we’ve been testing this short-range threat detection spell. Ended up walking right into an ambush we weren’t ready for.”

“That’s why they call it an ambush,” Daisy noted. “But then there was the incident at the school.”

Nyx winced. “Feels like everyone knows about that now.”

Daisy raised an eyebrow with a bit of a scowl. “Why do you do that?” Her tone bordered on annoyance.

“I… I mean I know I’m not supposed to get involved, but—”

“What? No, why do you hide from heroism?”

Nyx blinked. “Heroism? I thought you were talking about what I did to the zebras after the attack.”

Daisy’s expression became perplexed. “You killed them, right? From what I heard, it was rather… spectacular. But you saved the colt. That’s what matters, is it not?”

“Of course it is!” Nyx blurted out.

“So don’t hide from it. You were a hero that day, and the good you did is what matters. Yes, this war is awful, but we do what we have to if we don’t want our loved ones to die.”

Nyx paused, considering Daisy’s words. The whole thing was turning into a muddled mess in her mind. Her expression became pained as the age-old conflict in her heart resurfaced. “My purpose is to protect ponies,” she said simply. “I’m not hiding from heroism. I… I’m just not supposed to kill anyone.”

“Who told you that?” Daisy asked.

“It’s just what’s right. Isn’t it?” Nyx replied, feeling increasingly unsure.

“Nyx, you’ve clearly spent a lot of time learning to fight, or Princess Luna wouldn’t have sent you with us today. Did you think you could just fight off the zebras without killing them, and they’d all run away like in a child’s comic story or something?”

Nyx said nothing. Had she really thought this? Had some naive part of her childhood still clung to the belief that you could resolve conflicts with a mortal foe and they’d just give up and go away?

“No, I know what you’re talking about,” Nyx replied at last. “I used to think that. When I made the vow, it never crossed my mind that I might have to take a life. I know that’s sometimes the only way it works, even though I hate it.”

The lieutenant spent a moment pondering Nyx’s words. “Was this your first time? Having to kill to save someone, I mean,” she asked.

“I…” Nyx sighed, shaking her head and not really wanting to dredge this up again. “About three years ago, I stopped an assassination in Aria. Well, mostly stopped.”

“I remember hearing about that,” Daisy said. “What happened?”

Nyx’s voice softened as she recalled that day. “Arkadian special forces had infiltrated the city. Over twenty of them attacked during an induction ceremony, assassinating the new captain and taking out a bunch of civilians in a chaotic attack. I ended up killing all of them, but the war spell put me in the hospital. It was the first time I’ve saved ponies in a way that ended up causing the deaths of others.”

Daisy nodded, taking a bite from her apple. “That would mess up anyone who wasn’t trained for it. I don’t envy you. Tell me about this vow you mentioned.”

Nyx considered it a personal matter, but since she brought it up, she might as well explain.

“I made a promise to Luna and Celestia many years ago. Because I was physically stronger than my loved ones, and I could endure more than they could, I dedicated my life to protecting ponies. I didn’t realize how conflicted I would feel about it when the war began. Ponies started dying and there wasn’t anything I could do about it.”

“Yeah, I see the problem. How old were you when the war broke out?”

“Sixteen,” Nyx replied.

“So you were just a child when you made this vow. It’s commendable, but did you really think you could protect every pony?”

Nyx nodded, feeling her gut tighten. Childhood guilt still clung onto her heart, despite her attempts to shake it over the years.

Daisy shook her head slowly, her face full of sympathy. “I’m sorry you had to carry that burden. But by now, you understand how things are. You simply can’t save everyone.”

“It was a big hit to come to terms with that,” Nyx admitted. “And another big hit when I knew that sometimes I’d have to kill my enemy in the process.”

“And what about the zebras?” Daisy asked.

“I never made a vow to protect them. I’m not out to kill them, but my commitment is to protecting ponies, however stressful the war makes that for me.”

“Have you considered renouncing the vow? Just for your conscience’s sake, I mean.”

“I can’t. It’s who I am.”

Daisy nodded. “I can respect that. But if I might give some insight, what happened at the school was a success, and you should feel good about it. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Nyx nodded. “I understand.”

Daisy continued, “Nyx, you’ve been on a journey with this vow that has become your identity… And that journey is not over.”

Daisy broke from the topic with a sudden shake of her head and an astonished smile on her lips. “But wow, that day in Aria! I guess that’s what it’s like being an alicorn?”

“Sorry, what?” Nyx asked, raising an eyebrow and unsure of Daisy’s direction.

With a satisfied crunch, Daisy finished her apple, expertly tossing the core away. “Well, from what I’ve heard, your abilities could be downright catastrophic. If legend is to be believed, a single alicorn can wipe out large armies or level mountains.”

Nyx stared at her for a moment, trying to decide if she was being serious. The earnest expression on her face made Nyx guess she actually might be. At this, it was all she could do to fight back a burst of laughter.

“Haven’t heard that one in a long time, Daisy,” she said, suppressing a chuckle and wiping an eye with a hoof. “I wouldn’t put much faith in the old bedtime stories. Alicorns aren’t the titans that the ancient legends talk about. Those stories are just made up to give little colts and fillies interesting pony-tales to read.”

Daisy pondered this for a moment. “Hmm. Well, someone must have had a vivid imagination then. Someone seemed to think alicorns were terrifying.”

Nyx considered this. Alicorn power was largely a mystery even to her. Luna had strongly hinted that Nyx may end up remembering further war spells that Luna had crafted in ages past. But nothing on the scale of the ancient legends. Even Luna herself had no such power. Perhaps the stories were merely hyperbolic.

“Well, I’m not saying we can’t do some pretty scary stuff,” Nyx conceded. “I mean, you’re right about Aria three years ago. I accidentally turned twenty-three zebras into meat confetti. It nearly killed me, though. It’s not something I can use in a fight just because I want to. And in a war this size, it wouldn’t tip the scales anyway.”

Daisy shook her head with an amused chuckle. “So, you can’t defeat entire armies with a wave of your hoof and make my platoon famous for winning the war, then.” She poked Nyx in the side in jest. “That’s too bad. We sure could use a ‘legend’ like that right about now, wouldn’t you say?”

“I don’t know, Daisy,” Nyx said with a more serious tone. “All the alicorns in those stories weren’t the slightest bit interested in helping out with pony concerns.”

“Perhaps you’re right,” Daisy remarked, thoughtfully. “Perhaps you’re right.”

Nyx finished her apple, glancing across the clearing to the soldiers engaged in marksmanship training. Flitter was still there, taking aim at a paper target. Nyx could make out the smile on her face as one of the stallions guided her aim.

“I never expected Flitter to take an interest in weapons training,” Nyx mentioned absently.

Daisy followed Nyx’s gaze. “Midnight’s our best shot with a rifle,” she commented. “That black stallion over there with Flitter. Of course, A.Pone likes to think he is. And with a crossbow, he’d be right.” She paused, watching for another moment before letting out a chuckle. “Somepony seems to be enjoying herself.”

“She sure is,” Nyx replied with a subtle smile. “It’s good to see. I worry about her sometimes. She’s been through so much, but she hides it well most of the time.”

“You’re welcome to join them if you want. We’ve still got time before we head out.”

“Me? Oh, guns really aren’t my thing, Daisy. Thanks, though.”

Daisy looked pointedly at her. “It occurs to me that I have absolutely no idea what kind of fighter you are. I mean, unless your thing is always to incinerate your opponent?”

“That was an accident,” Nyx emphatically declared. “I have no idea what happened there.” Luna’s warning lingered in her thoughts, reminding her that this kind of thing, or worse, might yet happen again. She shrugged off the sudden chill that ran down her back.

“Blades, then? I’m partial to those myself, though a good rifle is essential at range.”

Nyx glanced at Daisy’s forelegs. “Wait, those are real?”

Daisy held up a hoof, revealing a slightly yellowish thick metal band just above the fetlock joint. Her other foreleg sported its twin, making a matching set.

“I thought they were just jewelry.” Nyx had seen aurora blades in action many times. She always wondered how they worked, the operators seemingly able to control their form with a mere thought.

Daisy gave a nod, and the metal flowed like liquid out, curving and solidifying into the glinting edge of a deadly blade before finally retreating back into the decorative form of a foreleg band.

“I didn’t think ponies could control Arkadian liquid metal,” Nyx commented in astonishment.

“We can—it just takes training and practice. Are you skilled with that sword you’re carrying?”

Nyx telekinetically drew her new sword from its scabbard, giving it a flourish for a moment. “This one’s a lot better than my old one,” she commented. “I’m still getting used to the improved balance.”

Daisy whistled in admiration. “May I?”

Nyx passed the sword to Daisy.

Daisy examined the sword for a moment. “It’s beautiful.”

“It was a gift from Luna. It means a lot to me. She trained me on the sword years ago.”

Daisy stood up, returning the sword to Nyx’s grip. “Show me.”

“Pardon?”

“Time to show me what you’re made of, Nyx. You and me, one on one.”

Author's Note

Thanks for reading what I've posted so far.

I'm taking a break from writing for fimfiction. I need to work on my own universe or I'm going to go crazy. Sadly, there hasn't been very much interest in the MLP version of this story so far, which really saps motivation to work on it. The ridiculous controversy with Beltar in the comments section didn't help either.

The amount of work involved to produce this is rather life-consuming and I long for working on Equinox, which is the non-MLP version of my stories. If you are genuinely interested in this story, I encourage you to come join the Equinox Discord server.

05 - Life in the Battlefield

“Haha, you can’t escape!” Dusty zoomed his Equestrian SkyGuard action figure around to encircle and confront the toy zebra once more. His aerial advantage left the zebra with little chance of winning this fight. Thinking quickly, the zebra had one last option. He—

The imaginary encounter was interrupted suddenly when a shimmering indigo-tinted bubble appeared around Dusty’s body, breaking him out of his playtime reverie. He looked up, startled. The bubble was barely wide enough for him to fit within. What was this? It—

“Ow!”

Something had just bit his ear. It hurt worse than a bee sting. Before he could put a hoof to his ear, a large, black adult pony slammed into the ground right in front of him. A pegasus, from the looks of it.

Dusty flinched, squinting as he fought to see through the cloud of dirt and dust kicked up from the impact.

Wait, that's no pegasus.

The adult seemed panicked. As the dust settled, the colt could see that this grown-up had a horn as well. Then he saw her eyes as she opened them, locking onto his own.

No. It couldn't be.

It was! It was her. How was this possible?

A single muffled boom echoed in the distance. It sounded like Pinkie Pie's party cannon or somepony setting off fireworks.

Nitemare Nyx looked over her shoulder, focusing on the sound. She then stood up and spread her magnificent black wings, casting a shadow over him.

Dusty stared up in awe. She was amazing. Sleek, towering, and powerful. He watched the feathers of her wings fan out as she spun around and bent her knees just a little, preparing to leap into the air.

Nyx glanced down to look at him for a split second, and the shield bubble around his body evaporated.

“Run!”

Dusty tensed up. He remembered what his mother had taught him: Find an adult. Get inside. Stay safe. He galloped toward the schoolhouse door, glancing back at Nyx as he ran.

Nyx tore off into the sky, faster than any creature alive. Dusty watched from the school doorway until she had vanished behind the trees.

He ran inside the school, seeking his teacher. Cheerilee was sitting at her desk, grading papers.

“Miss Cheerilee! It's Nitemare Nyx! She's so awesome. She plowed into the ground right next to me and put me in her shield, and she looked right at me! It was so cool! Then she stood up and it was so amazing; her wings are huge. She flew off so fast. I couldn’t believe it. You missed it; she was right outside!” Dusty paused to let the air back into his lungs.

His teacher glanced up from her paperwork for a moment and stared at him with one of those stares grown-ups give when they aren’t really getting the message.

“Yes, Dusty, she’s a real super pony, isn’t she? Say, I’ve got to finish these up, so be a dear and take your adventures back outside, okay? I’m sure you don’t want to use up your recess just talking to me.” Her smile matched the flowers on her cutie mark.

“Miss Cheerilee, you don’t understand. She was here. It was awesome, and…”

Cheerilee looked off to the side, her ears swiveling about, listening, but clearly not to him. The ambient chatter in the playground had shifted tone. The word ‘blood’ drifted in ever so subtly. All the kids had just become focused on the same thing. And that thing was not fun and games.

Dusty watched Cheerilee looking about, unsure if she was even hearing him. She seemed really concerned about something. Suddenly, her head snapped back to look at him, not quite meeting his gaze. Her eyes widened. Why was she looking at him like that? Was she looking at… his ear?

Cheerilee stood up so fast her chair fell backward. Just then, two other kids came in from the playground, talking over each other and panting.

“Stay inside!” Cheerilee instructed, directing the two newcomers to sit with Dusty. She trotted to the door and looked outside.

“What’s goin’ on?” the filly next to him asked. “We saw Nyx practically land on you and put you in a shield, then fly away! We told the others, and now everypony’s talking ‘bout it.”

Cheerilee had her head outside the door and spoke with authority. “Children, come inside. Hurry!”

“I don’t know,” Dusty replied. “I came in to tell Miss Cheerilee all about it, but I don’t think she heard me.”

The other children came pouring in through the doorway while Cheerilee kept watching outside.

“Dusty, there’s blood running down your ear. Did Nyx do that to ya when she slammed into you?”

“She didn’t slam—” Dusty put a hoof to his ear. “Ow! That stings.” There was a fair amount of blood flowing from his ear down his jawline and dripping onto the floor. He looked at the red stain on his hoof.

The filly gave his ear a closer look. “That doesn’t look like any kinda cut or scrape I’ve ever seen. It’s like a little part of your ear is missin’.”

Cheerilee looked at Dusty from the doorway. He could see the concern on her face, and it began to frighten him. After the last of the kids finished coming in, she closed the door.

“Everypony in the center of the room,” Cheerilee said, her voice teetering on the edge of panic.

Why was she so scared? What was going on? Was this because of Nyx?

“Now, who can tell me the first thing we do in an emergency?”

Half the room raised their hooves high.

Hidden in the shadows, the zebra’s gaze remained fixed on the scene before him. Razor watched as the alicorn known as Nyx stood with her pegasus companion amidst the smoldering zebra remains. The air was tinged with the acrid scent of burnt flesh, a scent that even reached his own nostrils despite the distance.

His heart beat a steady rhythm as he observed her through the scope of his weapon, his expression impassive even as turmoil churned within. Nyx’s prowess was undeniable, as was her determination. She had responded swiftly to the threat, saving the child and eliminating his assassins with a display of sheer power that Razor hadn’t anticipated.

His hoof pressed ever so slightly on the rifle’s grip, a momentary flicker of frustration coursing through him.

No. He hadn’t made all these preparations to simply shoot her, as tempting as that might be. It was a reminder that his vendetta wasn’t just to merely kill the alicorn—it was to attack her where it most hurt.

Averting his gaze slightly, he cast a cautious glance around, searching for the empath that he suspected would be nearby. He knew his emotions had to remain in check. Any hint of hostility could betray his presence. He couldn’t allow that to happen. Not yet.

As the seconds ticked by, he found himself studying Nyx’s demeanor. The way she held herself, the intensity in her eyes, it all spoke of a deep-rooted determination. She was a formidable target, and the knowledge only strengthened his resolve. His son’s life had been claimed in that arctic city three years ago, and since then, every breath Razor took had been marked by the fire of vengeance.

In the aftermath of the attack, Nyx’s gaze swept over the area, her ears swiveling on high alert. Razor held his breath, keeping his emotions steady. His plan was now in motion, and this encounter was just the beginning—a test, a provocation.

As Nyx’s attention shifted elsewhere, Razor allowed himself a small, calculated exhale. The stage had yet to be prepared. Soon, all the actors would be in place and the game would begin. There was a fire in his eyes, a burning determination that matched her own. He wouldn’t rest until his vendetta was fulfilled, until he saw her world crumble just as his had.

Nyx was staring at the flames licking at the remains of the zebra soldiers. This wasn’t how she intended to deal with them. What had just happened? She had killed them with… with what, exactly? Her emotions? Her fury? Was that even possible? She felt a brief, familiar pang of guilt. Two more lives.

But they deserved it. This was inexcusable. An outrage! Why were they targeting children? The zebras had just recently killed over seven hundred children at Brumby Ridge. They left no survivors. And now this? They were monsters!

The emotional dam that held back months of built-up stress began to crumble within her. Nyx let out a guttural scream at the burning remains. She spread her wings wide and sent the embers and ashes flying in a telekinetic outburst. Without warning, she leapt up into the air and tore across the sky toward home, leaving her friends behind.

Upon stepping out of the elevator, she buckled to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. Everything was falling apart. It just wasn’t… it couldn’t be this bad. Was this truly how life would be now? That nowhere was safe, not even the carefree school where Nyx herself had spent so much of her youth?

Walking into her bedroom, she was about to collapse on the bed when she heard the hum of the elevator kicking in. Rumble and Flitter would be here in just a moment.

She quickly dried her eyes and straightened up, busying herself with tidying the room. She was making her bed when her family arrived.

“Sorry it wasn’t as fun a flight as we were hoping,” Nyx said casually while her heart bled within her. She didn’t turn around but continued to make her bed, tucking the blankets in neatly along the sides. Grabbing a feather duster, she began cleaning the trinkets along the shelving.

Rumble sat down on the edge of the bed. “Nyx… are you—”

Nyx glanced over her shoulder, her voice shaky as her glistening eyes locked onto his. “Why wouldn’t I be okay, Rumble?” She looked away again and continued dusting. “It’s just war, right? I mean, what can we expect? This is just how life is now.”

Hesitating a moment, Rumble continued with caution in his voice. “Do you need—”

Her voice cracked. “Yes. Yes, please.” She held still for a moment, waiting.

“Alright. We’ll be in the lounge if you want to talk.” Rumble and Flitter left her alone and closed the door.

Nyx collapsed onto the bed, taking a deep breath as she once again stared at the ceiling. Her mind couldn’t process what had just happened. She lay there motionless for two minutes before sitting up. Her eyes caught a thin layer of dust on the nightstand next to her bed. The levitated feather duster danced across its surface before coming to a stop in midair. Nyx regarded the upper drawer, remembering what was inside. She resisted the urge to open it.

Her hoof touched the drawer. Don’t open it, don’t open it, her mind whispered to her will. She opened it anyway. Inside was a photo. It was from that silly office event at her mother’s research institute where everypony had brought their daughters to work. Her mom had thought it would be fun to bring her, despite Nyx being a married mare in her early twenties. Nyx could already feel the tears forming in her eyes as she touched the photo. She lifted it up, revealing a second item in the drawer—a child’s colored pencil sketch of Nyx herself.

Investigators had recovered the items from a filly’s saddlebags after the massacre at Luna’s School of Applied Magic in Brumby Ridge. Nyx was in the photo, along with her mother and one of her researchers. Sitting beside Nyx was a little pastel blue and yellow filly with this huge grin on her face like it was the best thing in the world. She remembered meeting the filly, who seemed to think much more of Nyx than she felt she deserved.

This one was special; she had an exceptional gift. Something to do with linking to another unicorn’s abilities. Amazing talent and potential. Nyx flipped the photo over, her breath catching in her throat as she put a hoof to her lips. On the back, Nyx herself had written a message.

For Misty,
You’ve got the makings of a real hero.
I can’t wait to see what you become when you grow up.
-Nyx Sparkle

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she held the photo to her chest with her eyes closed. This would never have happened in the world Nyx grew up in. The loss was overwhelming. When would it end?

Somepony knocked at the bedroom door. “Nyx?” It was Rumble.

She opened the door, and he looked in to see her sitting on the edge of the bed. She felt like such a mess.

Rumble approached and saw the photo. “Nyx, come on out. It’s okay.”

She put the photo away and followed Rumble to the lounge. Seated on the couch, she cuddled with him while Flitter sat in the reclining chair. There was no use hiding her feelings from her family. She leaned into him as he put a hoof around her shoulder.

“Rumble?”

“Yeah, hon?”

“I miss home.”

Rumble shifted. She knew he wondered what she meant.

“I miss Equestria. How it used to be.” There it was. He held her tighter, and she knew he understood. Her mind wandered to the dark places that she usually tried to keep hidden.

So many lives lost, she thought to herself. And for what? She thought about what life in Equestria was once like before the war—recalled what was lost.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this, Rumble. Do you remember what it was like when we were kids? What’s the most serious thing that ever happened—Discord’s pranks or the occasional monster from Everfree? Struggles of friendship? Rainbow Dash breaking the weather factory? Never an entire nation bent on our destruction. Never… Ponies aren’t warriors, Rumble. Not most of them. They’re not made for this. Thousands of years of relatively light conflict, peace and harmony, and now this. Countless families ripped apart, especially after Aria was lost.”

Nyx paused, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. She carried on, her voice trembling. “I’m trying to be strong. I really am. But I feel like we’ve all lost so much. Everything we grew up with. All the love and happiness… this isn’t the way it’s s-supposed to be.”

Rumble held her close. She pressed into him, burying her face into his chest, tears flowing. “I—I can’t remember the last time we could just run around and play, or dance in the street without worrying that somepony might get shot, or hearing that a pack of zebras came rushing into a school and k-killed everypony, or… or,” she sobbed.

Rumble held her tightly, letting her get it out, ignoring that his chest was soaked in snot and tears. All the pent-up stress Nyx had been holding back for months came to the surface. Each tear stabbed at her soul. Each drop, the blood of an innocent life she couldn’t save. The weight of her failure was crushing. She had promised to protect them. How could she have known there was a war coming? How could she have known that she could not save them all?

She wept until her tears ran dry, but there was still more blood on the scales. Eventually, she quieted herself, still breathing erratically. “I don’t know how much longer we can hold on. Will we ever have normal lives again?”

“Someday,” came Rumble’s comforting reply.

She lifted her face off his chest, suddenly aware of the sticky mess she had created.

“Oh my. I…”

“Shhh. Don’t worry about it.”

Flitter brought Nyx a cup of hot cinnamon tea and a box of tissues.

Despite the snot still trickling out of her nose, Nyx was feeling much better, having got all that off her chest. “Thank you,” she croaked as she grabbed a tissue, “Listen, I’m sorry about mentioning Aria—”

“It’s okay,” Flitter said as she put a hoof to Nyx’s mouth. “We all have our moments. This war is tough on everypony. You’re allowed to feel overwhelmed once in a while. You were there for me when I lost my home and my entire family. Nopony is keeping score.”

“Thanks, Flitter,” Nyx replied, relaxing a bit.

Flitter gave her a hug and joined the couple on the couch.

“You should take it easy,” Rumble said with concern. “You probably came close to burning out after… after whatever that was out there.”

Nyx’s thoughts focused on the spell matrix resting at the base of her horn. The number which appeared, floating in mid-air before them, read seventy-eight percent! Nyx did a double-take; that wasn’t possible.

“Wait, weren’t you down to twenty-something percent yesterday?” Rumble asked.

“I-I yeah, but— It was like…” Nyx had no words. What was going on? She had clearly just used a whole bunch of energy, but now she had more stored up than before the fight.

“Nyx, you incinerated those zebras. Not only that, but you looked like… well, you looked pretty scary.”

“I’m sorry, hon. I honestly don’t understand. I was so angry, and everything was just a blur. It felt like I had just… like I got a glimpse of something that’s beyond any description. And then it was gone.”

“Not to make light of that, guys,” Flitter interjected. “But I’m a bit worried about the fact that zebras are attacking schoolchildren in the middle of Equestria. Ponyville isn’t exactly anywhere near the front lines. What was that about?”

“No idea,” Rumble said. “Doesn’t make any sense to me. They even lost a tactical team over it.”

Nyx shook off the strangeness of her magical outburst as a sense of urgency fell upon her. She leaned forward off the couch and stood up, grabbing her saddlebags.

“We have to get to the school right away. I need to make sure that little colt is okay. I imagine he’s pretty freaked out.”

“Did you see who it was?” Flitter asked as she and Rumble joined her in the elevator.

“I’m not sure. I’ve never seen him before. He was so cute, Flitter, you should have seen him. He had no idea what was going on. He was just having fun with his toys in the schoolyard without the slightest clue that… that his life might have ended in an instant.”

Chills ran down Nyx’s back. “I’m a little worried he’ll haunt my dreams.”

Nyx’s mind traveled to dark places for a moment as the trio left the clubhouse. “Imagine if we had failed, Flitter! Or if we hadn’t shown up at all. The colt would be dead. What would the repercussions be for his whole family? How would it affect the colt’s mother and father having discovered their precious little one had been killed and for no reason? Would his friends even understand what happened, or why? How many lives would be devastated if we had failed today?”

“Nyx!” Rumble interrupted before she could get into a full-blown panic attack.

She looked at him.

“We didn’t fail. He’s alive! Let’s just focus on that.”

“I know, I know.” She took a shuddering breath, forcing a calm over herself, “Sorry. Let’s… let’s go check up on him.” Wings spreading wide, she took flight over the trees.

After getting her class to calm down, Cheerilee turned her attention back to Dusty. He was shaking. His ear was bandaged up now, and blood had begun to soak through. Having got a good look at it before patching him up, she knew it was definitely not a normal playground injury.

Cheerilee walked over to the window and looked outside. She was pretty sure Dusty had been shot. But why, and by whom? And how was Nyx involved? She peered out the window and tried to gauge the situation. Ponyville looked as normal as ever. There were no gunshots to be heard, and nopony was running around in the streets.

She sat down with Dusty again and looked over the rest of her class. Some of the children looked confused. Others, she could tell understood what had happened, and they looked frightened. Dusty was still shaking.

He looked up into her eyes. “I almost died, didn’t I, Miss Cheerilee?”

She held him to her chest. “Shhh. You’re safe now.”

There was a knock at the front door. Finally. Cheerilee motioned for one of her students to go check who was there.

It was Amethyst Star, wearing her dark green Ponyville Militia combat vest and harness. At her side was a rifle in addition to an array of TK flechettes slotted into her harness.

Amethyst also happened to be the mother of one of the students in the classroom. Cheerilee waved her inside.

“We’ve just been put on alert,” Amethyst said as her eyes scanned over the students.

A little filly got up from her desk and ran to the front door. “Mom!” Amethyst took her child in her hooves.

Relief spread over Cheerilee’s face. “Amethyst, thank you so much for coming. I’ve been so worried.”

Amethyst noticed Cheerilee holding Dusty close. She came inside and sat next to them. “Is he alright?”

“A little stunned, but he’s okay. What’s going on out there?”

“We’re still working that out,” Amethyst replied quietly so as to not be overheard by the class. “Flitter came and told us there are zebras targeting the school. The rest of the militia is sweeping the area.”

The mare regarded Dusty carefully, noticing his bandaged ear. “What happened to him?”

“I think he was—” Cheerilee caught herself and hushed her tone. “I’m pretty sure he was shot.”

“Nopony else hurt?”

Cheerilee shook her head. “We’re just a bit shaken up and not sure what to do.”

“For now, we sit tight. I’ll stay here until we get the all clear, then I’ll escort the kids to the town hall.”

“Thanks, Amethyst.”

Nyx and her friends set down outside the school where somepony quickly came out to greet them. It was Amethyst Star, a longtime Ponyville resident. She and her daughter waved as Nyx approached.

“Nyx! What happened out there?” A thousand questions were lined up behind those worried eyes.

“Pretty sure it’s over,” Nyx replied, her heart racing. “Is everypony okay?”

“Only the colt is injured if that’s what you mean. Everypony else is pretty freaked out.” She hesitated a moment. “Flitter said you found zebras?”

Nyx nodded.

“Here in Ponyville? I don’t suppose you could set the kids’ minds at ease? If you’re sure it’s safe, I’ll be leading the class to the town hall where the mayor will address the town. We could use your help to keep rumors from spreading.”

Nyx sighed in resignation; she really didn’t feel like making a public appearance over this. “Fine. Let’s talk to Cheerilee first.”

Amethyst seemed happy with that. She opened the door, and Nyx followed Rumble and Flitter into the school.

Every child’s eyes were glued to them.

Nyx looked around at all the little faces. “Hi, everypony.”

Three children immediately raised their hooves high, causing Rumble to snicker.

Cheerilee cleared her throat. “Everypony wants to know what’s going on, Nyx. We know there’s some kind of threat. Are we in danger?”

“We took care of it,” Nyx said with finality in her tone. “There’s no danger now.”

The entire room seemed to release the collective breath it had been holding. “You’re sure?” Cheerilee prodded.

“Positive. Boooom,” Rumble said with a wide grin. His hooves gestured an explosion, causing Flitter to wince and five or six colts in the classroom to giggle.

Cheerilee visibly relaxed and proceeded to address her students. “Alright, class, I’d like you all to go collect your bags and line up at the front door. School is canceled for the rest of the day.”

The controlled chaos of twenty-four colts and fillies erupted in the classroom as all the kids scrambled to the back of the room to collect their belongings.

Cheerilee turned to Amethyst. “Thank you for taking the children back to their parents. If you won’t be needing me, I’d like to stay and speak with our guests.” She patted Dusty on the shoulder. “I’d like this one to stay as well; please tell Rose he’s fine for me. I’ll come see her after we’re through.”

“It’s no trouble. We’ll be at the town hall. I’ll see you there.” Amethyst then turned to Nyx, holding her daughter tightly at her side. “Thank you for what you did today. Thank you all.” She turned and led the class out of the school.

Cheerilee sat down next to her student, who never took his eyes off Nyx. She checked his bandage, seeing that it was bleeding through.

“It was zebras, wasn’t it?” Cheerilee said. It wasn’t really a question.

Flitter approached the colt and knelt down, examining his bandage. She set her saddlebags down and pulled out some medical supplies. “Yes,” she said as she undressed the colt’s ear while his gaze remained fixed firmly on Nyx the whole time. “We were flying by when we spotted the sniper. We still don’t know why, though. We’ve never seen them operate like this. But then again, there have been other attacks we never saw coming either.”

Flitter winced at the colt’s exposed wound. There was a rounded piece of his ear missing on the outer edge where the bullet had passed through. “This is going to hurt a bit, darling.” Flitter soaked a cotton ball with alcohol and pressed it against his ear. He flinched but didn’t shy away. She dabbed his ear with blood-stop powder and sprayed on a foam protectant that sealed the wound.

Nyx waved at the colt, prompting a grin along with his own wave in return. “Cheerilee, if you don’t mind, I’d like to stay here with him while you guys talk.”

Cheerilee nodded. She walked with Rumble and Flitter to the craft table on the far end of the room while Nyx approached the colt and knelt down on the mat with him.

Nyx sat motionless across from the colt, feeling an uneasiness in the pit of her stomach. Would he shrink away in fear? Her unusual eyes had a history of intimidating children.

He stared at her with a mixture of awe and disbelief.

“What’s your name?”

His eyes widened just a bit further, as if he was surprised she was addressing him directly.

“Dusty.”

Nyx studied him for a moment. This was someone’s precious little colt. Alive. Dusty, she thought to herself. Nyx felt a warming in her belly. She recalled the promise she had made to the princesses nearly fifteen years ago. This was her purpose—her identity. For that moment, the morning’s concerns about the nightmare were washed away.

She scooted close to Dusty. He did not flinch or try to keep his distance.

Nyx smiled warmly. “Hi, Dusty. I’m Nyx. And I am very happy to meet you.”

Flitter sat down at the far end of the classroom with Rumble and Cheerilee. The teacher’s exhaustion was obvious, though she had done remarkably well managing two dozen children in a crisis like she did. The mare was a gifted and experienced schoolteacher. It had been many years since Nyx and Rumble were in her classroom, learning the basics of friendship and academics.

“Thank you all for what you did today,” Cheerilee said with relief still in her voice. “It was almost too horrible for words.”

Flitter nodded. “He’s taking the whole thing pretty well. I know that most kids would be pretty freaked out in his situation. Is he new here? I don’t remember seeing him before.”

“Yes, he’s been with us for two weeks now. He comes from a military family, so he’s been in quite a number of schools all across the southern districts.”

“Ahh,” Flitter chuckled. “That explains it.”

“Hmm?”

“Well, he’s remarkably brave. Practically fearless, in fact. It’s quite refreshing.”

“Oh, that’s right, you can…”

Flitter met the mare’s gaze without a word. It was no secret that Flitter was a changeling, though most ponies still seemed to forget on occasion. And even fewer ponies remembered that changelings were empaths.

“During the famine, we saw so many pony kids living in fear,” Flitter continued. “It was hard to find anypony whose love outshined it enough to sustain us.”

“I… I’m sorry if my fear is a bit overt, Flitter,” Cheerilee stated, blushing. “Please understand, an attack on my school is the last thing I ever actually expected would happen. It’s just—”

“Cheerilee, relax,” Flitter assured. “It doesn’t work quite like that. I’m fine. More than fine, in fact.” She gazed back to Dusty and Nyx playing with his SkyGuard action figures, soaking up the joy radiating off the child.

“He loves the SkyGuard,” Cheerilee commented. “Idolizes officers like Rainbow Dash and Spitfire. Sometimes, I think he wishes he was a pegasus.”

“His parents earth ponies?” Rumble asked.

“Both, yes,” she replied. “His dad was killed in the war a few years ago. Most of it’s classified, so I’m not sure of the details.”

Rumble leaned forward, trying to get a better look at what they were playing with. “That’s the new toy line by Equestria Forever, isn’t it?” he asked.

“Maybe you should be over there, playing with them,” Flitter chucked.

“Tempt me again, and I just might,” he replied with a grin. “I haven’t seen the new ones yet.”

“Are you ever going to grow up?” she quipped.

“Should I?” Rumble watched as Dusty examined Nyx’s cutie mark up close. “He sure seems to like Nyx. I might get jealous.”

“Yes, he’s quite a fan,” Cheerilee said. “You should have seen his reaction when she showed up right in front of him from out of nowhere. He had no idea what was going on, but he understood that Nyx had just saved his life.”

Dusty and Nyx giggled together while making the toys chase each other around.

“And this one’s my favorite!” the colt said with excitement.

“You’re going to want to see this,” Cheerilee said in a hushed tone as she nudged Flitter with a hoof.

Dusty pulled something out to show a very surprised Nyx. A little black action figure rested in his hooves, bearing wings, a horn, and a purple mane.

“This is Nitemare Nyx, Defender of Ponies!” the colt proclaimed. “She’s the strongest, fastest, most coolest pony in all Equestria!”

Nyx just stared with her mouth open at the little toy while tears formed in her eyes. She embraced the colt, and he squeezed his little forelegs around her neck. “Thank you for saving me, Nitemare Nyx. You’re my hero.”

Flitter’s heart swelled as the room flooded with positive emotions. Though out of the corner of her eye, out the window, she spotted a mob of ponies making their way down the street toward the school.

“Hey guys,” she said, getting everypony’s attention, “I think we need to wrap up. Ponies are coming with questions. Lots of them, from the looks of it.”

Nyx looked toward her with a contented smile which faded into concern. “I really don’t want to deal with that right now, Flitter,” she said with a sigh. “Can we just not do this? I just want to go home.”

“You can go out the side door if you like,” Cheerilee offered.

“No, they’ll see us for sure.” A hoof to her chin, Flitter pondered what to do. “Hmm… Okay, I’ve got this.”

Flitter stood up, hooves apart and wings spread out. Her mind reached out into the Lifestream, tapping into the biological pattern of her friend, who sat across the room. It was uncomfortable taking a physically larger form, her bones and internal structure having to compensate in special ways to accommodate a less-dense arrangement. Thankfully, she would not have to hold the form for too long.

With a flash of green fire, there were suddenly two black alicorns in the room. Dusty stared at her, awestruck.

“I’ll lead them into town. After they’re gone, just head home,” the doppelganger Nyx said as she made her way to the front door.

The crowd spotted her immediately, bursting forth with the chatter of overlapping questions as they approached. Flitter took flight with Nyx’s large, black wings, gliding slow over the streets toward central Ponyville.

She could hear the ponies following as she rounded a corner, pausing to give them time to catch up. Half way down the block, she stopped in front of a random house and tapped once more into the Lifestream to get the sense of somepony who lived here. Bright green fire flashed again, and Flitter became a yellow earth pony mare with a beautiful fiery red mane. She casually walked up to the porch and climbed onto the outdoor sofa that sat there.

With a smile, she watched as the throng of parents and curious citizens passed on by, paying her no attention. Suddenly, the front door of the house opened, revealing a handsome teal-colored stallion. He watched the stragglers of the crowd passing by before noticing Flitter.

“Hey, sweetie. You’re home early today,” he said as he bent down and gave her a kiss on the lips. “What's the ruckus about?”

06 - Storm on the Horizon

Rumble sat at the kitchen table, meticulously reassembling one of his scatterguns. Its components lay sprawled across a canvas tablecloth, a symphony of finely crafted parts by Muzzle Talk Firearms, infused with a touch of Rumble’s personal modifications.

With the final piece slipping into place, he stole a glance at Nyx, sprawled out on the nearby couch in the cozy lounge. Her gaze was fixed on the ceiling, an expression of tranquil contentment gracing her features.

“You look good,” Rumble remarked casually.

Nyx arched her neck just enough to meet his eyes, a subtle grin playing at the corners of her lips. “You always say that.”

A chuckle escaped Rumble’s lips. “Well, what I mean is, you look genuinely happy. It’s that look you get after one of your memory dives.”

“True,” Nyx admitted. “I can’t help but think about how great things turned out. Despite how bad it nearly was, the outcome couldn’t have been more perfect. Getting to know Dusty really made my day.”

Nyx’s gaze shifted beyond Rumble to something in the kitchen behind him, and she did a double take.

Intrigued, Rumble glanced over his shoulder, where a cheery pink earth pony was busy stirring a bowl.

“Flitter, why do you look like Pinkie Pie?” he inquired.

“Huh?” Flitter blinked, her grin undiminished, but a faint blush painted her cheeks. With a burst of green fire, she reverted to her usual form. “Ah, heh. Well, I was just whipping up an extra-large batch of nectar sticks, and my mind drifted to Pinkie’s exuberance for baking snacks.”

Rumble’s curiosity piqued. “Mind if I give one of those a try? I’ve been wondering for years what they taste like.”

Flitter hesitated. “That’s not a good idea, Rumble, it’s not like—”

“Oh, come on, just a taste,” Rumble cajoled as he plucked a nectar stick from the tray and brought it to his nose for an exploratory sniff.

Nyx, lying on the couch, couldn’t help but snicker as she watched the exchange.

Rolling her eyes, Flitter sighed. “One lick. Don’t you dare bite it. And don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Like a colt given a piece of hard candy, Rumble stuck the end in his mouth and sucked. In an instant, the whole world burst into an explosion of vivid, electrifying colors.

“Whoooo ponyfeathers!” A sensation like lightning exploded from his tongue and shot through his nervous system. He stumbled backward, his eyes wide as saucers. “That’s… that’s some powerful stuff right there. W-why do I feel all funky?”

Flitter took the nectar stick back and helped keep him upright. “What did I say?”

The room was definitely misbehaving. Looking at his hooves, Rumble could have sworn they were somepony else’s.

Flitter leaned into him and walked him out of the kitchen. “Tell me this, oh master of medicine, did you somehow think pony physiology was even the slightest bit like that of a changeling?”

“I… uh…”

“You’re experiencing a dissociative reaction. That’s pure distilled love, my friend. Combined with… well, some other stuff. Don’t worry, though—your body will feel like it belongs to you again in a couple minutes.”

Nyx’s laugh bounced around in Rumble’s mind. “My poor hubby. Curiosity got the best of you again, my dear?” she chortled, watching him look around the room as if he’d never seen it before.

“I think I… think need lay down, I…”

A subtle glow shone from Nyx’s horn as she helped him keep from falling, guiding him to the couch. She cuddled with him, giggling and planting kisses on his face. “You always take such good care of me. Relax while I take care of you for a bit.”

Rumble looked up into her eyes. “You look byooooteeful. I feel so weird.”

“You’re high on changeling hormones and love.” She kissed him some more, holding him tight and smiling.

“If he had eaten the whole thing, you could probably saw his hoof right off and he wouldn’t care,” Flitter remarked from the kitchen. “I’m gonna make some tea. Any requests?”

“Something to clear his mind, maybe.”

Rumble shook his head, idly pawing at Nyx’s face, his hoof missing each time. “I love you, Nyxie.” He threw his forelegs around her neck and kissed her lips.

“You big goof. Next time listen. Who’s the medical pony here?”

Just then, the console by the elevator started beeping.

~…~

Nyx’s ears perked up. Someone is topside.

Flitter and Nyx looked at one another, their eyes simultaneously asking and answering the same question: ‘Were you expecting anypony?’

Nyx gently set Rumble into a comfortable position on the couch and walked over to the console to check who it was. The monitor showed the elevator carriage interior with a very familiar pony standing on the pressure plate.

Nyx let out a squee as her apprehension vanished. “Mom!”

She hurried to activate the lift. There was a hum for a few seconds, then the door opened, revealing Twilight Sparkle. Nyx rushed up and gave her mother a tight embrace. “Mom! I’m so happy to see you.”

Twilight held her daughter close, pressing her nose into Nyx’s mane. “I’m sorry it’s been so long.”

Nyx took in her mother’s familiar scent, which was like the embodiment of love and comfort. She wished she could pause time for a moment and just let the memories sweep over her. “Come in, come in.”

Twilight levitated her saddlebags to the end-table by the couch and sat down. “I heard what happened. I can only imagine how awful that was.”

Nyx sat next to her with joy written all over her face. “Don’t worry about me, Mom. How have you been? We haven’t talked in nearly a month.”

Flitter brought Twilight a cup of peppermint tea—her favorite. She smiled and took a sip. “Thanks, Flitter.”

Twilight set the cup down and made herself comfortable. “Things have been pretty crazy at the institute for the past couple months. You know how much I like to keep organized. With so many new projects, it hasn’t been easy. This mirror portal stuff has been taking up most of my time.”

Nyx’s stomach twitched as she was reminded again of the tragedy at Luna’s school.

“Did you ever figure out what went wrong?” she asked.

“No,” Twilight responded in frustration. “The portal should have locked onto the target in Canterlot. For all the energy Celestia was pouring into it, I still have no idea why it manifested in the Arkadian capital. They must have something there which has a simply enormous amount of power.”

A silence hung in the air for a moment before Twilight spoke again. “But nevermind that. I didn’t come here to talk about work. It’s just great to see you all again.”

Rumble sat up and gave her a quick hug, then slid off the couch and sprawled onto the beanbag chair close to Nyx. “It’s great seeing you too, Twilight.”

“Hey, handsome. You keeping my daughter safe?”

Nyx blushed.

“You know it.” He lazily waved a hoof in the air.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Is… he alright?”

“Yeah, he’s fine, Mom. He’s just recovering from an encounter with Flitter’s happy-candy.”

“I’m arright!” Rumble interjected, still grinning.

Twilight suppressed a laugh.

“So, what brings you to town?” Nyx asked.

“Well, I was supposed to meet with the mayor at the Ponyville SMRI branch to get some paperwork done. But when I showed up, she was at the town hall holding a meeting about what happened today with the attack. You have no idea how grateful the parents are, Nyx. The mayor was working overtime on rumor control just to keep the story straight.”

Nyx’s nerves twisted upon hearing this. “That’s what I was afraid of. I would have stayed, but I just—”

“No, no,” Twilight assured. “Cheerilee explained all the details. Nopony expected you to be there; they know you’ve had a heck of a day and need some space.”

Nyx laughed. “I wouldn’t be so sure, Mom. You should have seen that mob coming for answers. Flitter had to impersonate me to draw them off.”

Twilight glanced at Flitter, who nodded with a prideful smile. She let out a little snerk. “Well… in that case, I’m happy that you’re happy. And I bet you’re hungry!”

With that, she levitated several wrapped items out of her saddlebags. “I brought dinner! I figured you guys were probably a bit too lost in thought to cook anything, so I stopped at the Hayburger on my way over.”

“Oooh, thanks, Mom!” Nyx’s stomach growled as she realized how hungry she was. She and Rumble eagerly accepted the yummies.

Twilight set a pouch down on the coffee table. “I brought some sugar for you too, Flitter.”

“Hey, thanks! I just used up a bunch making these.” Flitter showed Twilight her handiwork derived from all the feels at the schoolhouse.

“Not bad. How long will those last you?”

“A long time, probably. With Nyx and Rumble, I don’t often go hungry.”

“Awww. That’s so sweet.”

Rumble choked and pointed at the sticks. “NOT sweet. Don’t even think of trying one of those things, Twilight!” He paused and thought for a moment. “I meant the sticks. Nyx is very sweet. Not that you’d—I mean…” With a helpless expression, Rumble looked up at Nyx, his eyes begging her for rescue.

Nyx laughed and tousled his mane. “Relax, love. Learned your lesson, I take it?”

Rumble nodded. “Reality has once again embraced my senses.”

Nyx leaned back on the couch, pressing up against her mother. They used to fit together like this much better several years ago. Didn’t matter—it was still her mom, and Nyx was a happy pony.

“Have you met Dusty? He’s the little colt we saved today. I spent some time getting to know him at the school before we came home.”

Twilight shook her head. “No, but Cheerilee says you have a permanent fan, now.”

Nyx chuckled. “Yeah, he’s something. Brave little fellow. He was showing me his toys. He had these… Say, I need to ask you something.”

Nyx levitated a small object off the coffee table to show her mother. It was a trading card that Dusty had given her at the school. On the card was an image of Nyx in combat armor. The caption read: ‘Nitemare Nyx: Defender of Ponies’. She passed the card to Twilight.

“This is from Equestria Forever’s new toy line,” Nyx said, rolling her eyes. “I think I may need to have a little chat with Rarity.”

Rumble glanced at the card. “I think you look awesome.”

Twilight nodded with a mouthful of fries. “Oh. Mmm, I wuf gonga tell you abou’ tat.” She paused, swallowing. “Sorry. Equestria Forever has been making children’s toys to encourage the younger generation in regards to the war effort.”

“Yeah, I noticed. But, what’s up with my plastic doppelganger? I’m not a soldier.”

Twilight laughed. “Yes, that one. The action figures depicting you are particularly popular. Rarity is just… helping to nudge your public image in the right direction. In many children’s eyes, you’re like a real life superhero.”

“In some adults’ eyes too,” Flitter pointed out, winking at Rumble.

“Hey, Dusty’s gonna have to step up his game if he wants to be Nyx’s number-one fan,” Rumble declared.

Nyx put her head in her hooves with a groan.

Twilight patted her shoulder. “It’s healthy to give them a character they can look up to. Most kids still associate Nightmare Moon with something evil and scary. You should have seen Rarity’s long spiel about how ‘fabulous’ these would be.”

Nyx rolled her eyes and shifted on the couch so she could face her mother. “You know that’s not how I see myself. I’m not a celebrity. I’ve never wanted that kind of attention.”

Twilight levitated a napkin to her lips. “It’s not about fame, Nyx. It’s more to put some tangible faces on the heroes of Equestria. It’s about inspiring the kids to grow up with a healthy, realistic outlook on this war we’re all stuck in, rather than being terrified by it.”

“I… guess that’s a good point,” Nyx replied with reluctance.

“They’re also hoping that this will help inspire more than a few older kids and young adults to enlist in the various branches of the military. We all know Equestria needs more warriors. More heroes.”

“I have to agree with that,” Rumble added. Flitter nodded as well.

Nyx munched on her hayburger, considering the idea. It did mean a lot to Dusty. Maybe it wasn’t all bad. Maybe Rarity was a marketing genius after all; that didn’t mean Nyx actually was all those things. But she did enjoy the idea of being an encouragement to the kids.

Twilight regarded Nyx for a moment. “How are you really doing, Nyx? You’ve been through so much today.”

Nyx nodded. “Yeah, I’m okay. Today’s been pretty overwhelming, but I’m feeling better now.” Her thoughts drifted over the day’s events. “Well, actually something really strange did happen today. When I saw that zebras were targeting children, I just lost it. I killed two of them with nothing but… well, I guess nothing but fury.”

Twilight stopped eating and looked at her sideways. “What do you mean ‘nothing but fury’? That doesn’t make sense.”

“I know. I was so angry, and then they burst into flames. I didn’t mean to, it just—”

Twilight shifted into that investigative tone Nyx was all too familiar with. “Wait, so you cast a fire spell on them? Do you know any fire spells?”

“No. It wasn’t a spell, Mom. That’s what I’m saying… It just happened.”

If Twilight had a pair of lecture glasses handy, she would have put them on. “Nyx, dear, that’s not how magic works. All direct-cast magic is spells, except telekinesis.”

Rumble chimed in. “It’s true, Twilight. I saw it go down, and Nyx’s whole body started looking really strange. These weird patterns were shifting around on her coat. It was like a million bits of ink were dancing around on her.”

Twilight just stared at Rumble like he was speaking backwards or something. Nyx felt her face flush, regretting she had even mentioned it.

“I guess you had to be there,” Rumble continued. “But it was pretty intense. Oh, and she also gained energy afterward.”

Twilight’s gaze snapped back to Nyx. “Is this true?”

With a nod, Nyx caused a translucent percentage counter to fade into view over the couch. “It was quite a bit lower this morning.”

Twilight stared at the figure for a long moment. “I’m… I’m sorry, Nyx. I didn’t mean to lecture you. I guess it’s just something I’m not familiar with. And I know magic. I think we should probably talk to Luna or preferably Celestia about this.”

Nyx raised an eyebrow. “What? Why?”

“You remember your burnout in Aria? When you were recovering, Celestia told me that one day you might start manifesting some unusual abilities. She said they needed to find out if you had the traits of a ‘natural alicorn’. I’m not very studied on alicorns, to be honest; there’s just not a lot of literature on the subject. But still, she did ask me to keep an eye out for something I didn’t understand, and I’d say that this probably qualifies.”

Uncertainty crept into Nyx's gut. “If you say so, Mom. You’re not upset with me, are you?”

Twilight looked Nyx in the eye. “Absolutely not. Seriously, I’m very proud of you, Nyx. You did good today. You all did.”

The Canterlot central post office was bustling with activity as conveyor belts sorted boxes and envelopes, and ponies trotted to and fro with overstuffed saddlebags.

“Mmm.” That’s some good coffee, Primrose thought to herself. It was one of the perks that came with being the shift supervisor. This was fresh-ground Baltimare coffee meant for the Palace but offered as a tip for good delivery services.

Primrose sipped her coffee, staring idly out the window of the second-floor operations room toward the processing floor below.

Without warning, several bright star-shaped motes of magical energy appeared in the room with Primrose and suddenly exploded into thousands of shimmering fragments. There was the sound of energized particles dissipating, along with a small gust of air which tousled her mane. Primrose took notice but did not react to the phenomenon.

A young, pretty unicorn with a lilac coat and blonde mane appeared out of thin air. She wore a cheerful smile on her face.

“Good day, Primrose! Would there be any urgent messages this morning?” The petite unicorn gave Primrose a hug.

Primrose accepted the gesture from the young mare. “Hi, Dinky. There’s just a couple over in the bin.”

“Thanks!” She trotted over to the priority bins, two of which were labeled: “Pony Express”.

A number of scrolls and envelopes flew out of her saddlebags as she swiftly deposited the incoming mail into the left container, exchanging them for the messages waiting for her in the right.

She turned back to Primrose. “Looks like I’m off to the Palace. We should catch up soon for tea.” She smiled, waved, and promptly vanished in a puff of flying stardust.

Princess Luna sat alone in her study, looking over war reports. Things were getting serious along the eastern extents of the southern border, where scouts had reported several thousand Arkadian troops gathering. They hadn’t made a move yet, but she was convinced they soon would. The real question was how many troops could she spare to defend that area.

On the Equestrian side of the border, several divisions of the R.E.A. were already en route. The SkyGuard was deployed first. Pegasi were already scouting the area to provide early warning, should the zebras advance. Hundreds of unicorns were already in a defensive position, combining their strength into a continuous shield surrounding their staging area. Thousands of earth ponies would arrive later by train. These would push the zebras back once the fighting began.

The problem was that Luna could not commit too many, lest other positions become weakened.

Perhaps that is their intent? she pondered.

Luna considered whether she should go there personally to command the operation herself. It might be the only way to ensure a minimal loss of life. It would be a risk, of course. If Arkadia knew Luna was going to be present, they would likely commit the entirety of their forces into taking her out.

She set the report aside, looking at the next in the stack. This one was from the mayor of Ponyville. Luna had already read it, but her thoughts still dwelled on the matter. Yesterday’s incident at the school had revealed just how vulnerable Equestria really was. There were simply not enough soldiers to guard every possible line of attack. Most were stationed along the battle lines and in the populated areas of the southern districts. It was an oversight she would soon have to remedy, if possible.

Setting that paper aside, Luna’s eyes fell upon the latest report. It had come in only this morning, delivered by a pegasus from the bayou region. What were zebras doing in that area? It held no strategic significance. She got up from her desk, walked over to the map of Equestria mounted on the wall, and pushed in a red pin along the western coastline. It was west of Whitetail Woods in the vast bayou network that extended to the coast in a complex landscape of swamps, dense forest, and rivers. She couldn’t remember the last time news had come from anywhere out there.

Yes, this would do nicely. Low risk and plenty of opportunity to test the young alicorn’s mettle.

Luna sat back down at her desk and waited. It would not be long before the messenger pony’s arrival. Until then, she allowed her mind to wander, her eyes drifting across the framed photos mounted on the wall near her desk.

One was a photo of herself with Celestia at a formal diplomatic event. It would take a keen eye to notice that Luna was much less comfortable than her sister in that photo. Celestia had always been the more diplomatic and politically savvy ruler, adept at keeping the various noble factions in line by pandering to their egos. Nine years of war with Arkadia, and still the nobles focused on putting their own interests above those of Equestria. Luna simply didn’t have the patience to deal with those pompous fools, the factions, or the bureaucracy.

Another photo was of the six mares of Harmony. She stared at that photo for some time, reminiscing about how things were before the war had changed everything. With their long history of coming through for Equestria, these six were among the very few ponies Luna truly trusted. Yet this war was unlike any other conflict in recent Equestrian history. It would not be solved by a half-dozen virtuous Element Bearers alone, no matter how determined they might be.

No, this task was Luna’s to bear. Celestia had entrusted her with orchestrating the final season of this terrible war. And it was certainly not Twilight’s burden to carry—nor her friends.

Luna took note of Twilight in the photo, barely able to remember a time when she did not have wings. She was probably the pony Luna trusted the most. It was understandable why Celestia often referred to her as her “most faithful student”. She and her daughter were—

There was a knock at the door.

“Yes, come in,” Luna said.

The door opened, and a guard entered. “Messenger pony to see you, Your Highness.”

“Excellent. Send her in please.”

The messenger pony entered, levitating some scrolls out of her saddlebags. “Good day, Princess Luna.” She quickly approached to give the princess a warm hug. “You sent for me?”

“Hello, Dinky. I hope you are keeping well. Come. Sit. How is business?”

Dinky sat across from Luna. “Doing very well, m’Lady. I’ve been keeping quite busy in recent months, as you can imagine, with all the war correspondence. The Palace has been most generous.”

“That is very good to hear. I knew you would be successful ever since you graduated. You are doing a commendable job and have exceptional talent. I very much look forward to seeing in what ways you apply it in the future.”

“Perhaps, m’Lady, and thank you kindly,” Dinky replied. “The Focused Talents course at Celestia’s academy did help me refine the skills necessary for what I do. Although it’s curious you should mention the future, as I have been giving some thought to that very thing as of late.”

“Is that so?” Luna asked, her eyebrow raised inquisitively.

“It’s a bit strange, to be honest,” Dinky continued. “For two years, the thought that I might ever do anything else hasn’t so much as crossed my mind.”

“If I recall, you opened up The Pony Express soon after graduation?” Luna asked.

Dinky nodded. “Straight away, yes. I’ve been quite pleased with it, and I do meet so many splendid ponies all across Equestria. I suppose I have a fondness for it thanks to Mother.”

Luna smiled. She knew Dinky’s affinity for this line of work would have come from Ponyville’s mailmare. Though truth was, Luna had been keeping an eye on this unusual unicorn ever since her professor came to the Palace with concerns about her peculiar talent. The decision to give her an active role in Palace message deliveries had proven an effective way to not let her slip out of Luna’s purview.

“And now, you are feeling…” Luna prompted.

Dinky paused, her expression thoughtful. “I suppose I still feel the same,” she admitted. “Though recently, I’ve been having some rather… adventurous dreams. If it was just one, I would not likely have given it much thought. But I have had five.”

“You don’t say…” Luna remarked with a tone of curiosity while resisting a subtle grin that began to form on her lips.

“Often, the dreams have me out in the wilderness with a group of companions, struggling through desperate situations and saving lives,” Dinky explained. “I felt like I was playing an important part in something much larger and grander than I do in my current role. I know this may sound very odd and even foolish, but in each of these dreams, I was with my good friend Nyx.”

“Is that really so odd?” Luna asked. “Nyx is very well known, and I wager she inspires many such dreams among the youth of Equestria. We are fortunate to have her.”

“Oh, most definitely,” Dinky agreed. “I’ve had conversations with Nyx in the past about participating in what she does with Rumble and Flitter. Her response, however, has been a definite no. Don’t get me wrong, though—I understand why she feels as she does. But having put it out of my mind for a very long time now, it’s just a bit strange that these thoughts have again asserted themselves.”

“I see,” Luna said. “If I might ask an honest question, would you say you find such things appealing?” Luna asked. “If the opportunity did present itself, would you take it?”

At this, Dinky was silent for some time, lost in thought.

“You must understand, while most of my life has not exactly been what one would call adventurous, my earliest childhood memories are quite the contrast. I remember very early in life, going with my father on simply amazing adventures fraught with danger. The places he took both me and my mother were beyond description. But sadly, these memories are quite fragmented and likely unreliable. Still, despite Mother’s silence on the topic, I have often fantasized about the three of us being back on those adventures. It’s such a contrast to the rest of my childhood, however, that it was very likely all imagined.”

Luna knew very little about Dinky’s father, though she had heard he was quite enigmatic, a traveler of some sort. She pondered whether the answer to Dinky’s perplexing ability might have something to do with him. And with a gift this powerful, she was motivated to find out how this young mare might yet discover her full potential.

“I say this only to frame my answer,” Dinky continued. “Because despite the fact that my life has been rather uneventful, the seeds of adventure are there. I think the answer to your question would very likely be yes, if such a thing were possible. I would certainly not want to hold Nyx back or be in any way a burden, of course.”

“Understandable,” Luna commented. “Thank you for sharing this with me, young one. I would be more than happy to work through the dreams with you if you like, in time. But first, I have a task for you. May I ask for an urgent delivery?”

“Uunnggh!!” Apple Bloom grunted, putting her back into the effort. She and Nyx were pushing the new power regulator through the narrow metal corridors and into the control room. The device was very heavy, bulky, and a bit too awkwardly shaped for the tight spaces of the Covert Living Program’s prototype facility, but they were making progress.

“Rotate it a little bit this—no stop stop, the other way. Git ready to pull again,” Apple Bloom directed.

“Wait wait,” Nyx panted. “Stop a moment while I get a better grip.” She had all four hooves spread apart for stability while her horn glowed with swirls of black and indigo, making the regulator mostly weightless but no less awkward. She set the heavy device down in the middle of the doorway and backed further into the control room.

“Are you sure we need this thing?” Nyx asked between breaths.

“Yep,” Apple Bloom replied. “Y’all are gettin’ a seriously big generator to test out soon. We gotta get the infrastructure all set up in advance.”

“If you say so,” Nyx replied. She didn’t care much for all this techie stuff, but it was part of the package in order to live here. Rumble would probably appreciate it.

With renewed effort, Nyx focused her horn back on the task. The regulator lifted off the ground as she began to pull.

Just then, the console set into the wall of the control room chimed, indicating someone was waiting at the elevator up top.

“Oh, for ffffrickadilly sake. I can’t move. Can you go get that? And hurry! I don’t want to be stuck in here.” Nyx sat down on the floor with her back resting against the regulator, catching her breath.

“Sure thing, Nyx,” Apple Bloom said as she trotted off down the corridor back toward the living area.

After a few minutes of being trapped in the control room, Nyx was fighting off feelings of panic. It was such a stupid thing, really. Apple Bloom would be back soon. Wouldn’t she?

A cloud of swirling stardust appeared out of nowhere around Nyx’s body. She nearly had a heart attack as a chipper unicorn popped into the room quite nearly in her lap.

“Gaaahh!!” Nyx startled as Dinky tackled her with an affectionate embrace. “Whoa. Wow hi, Dinky!”

“Good day, Nyx! Wonderful to see you again.” Dinky climbed off Nyx and stood in a more dignified, but still very close position.

Nyx stood up and returned the gesture. “Thanks for stopping by, Dinky. What’s the occasion?”

“We’ll get to that shortly. Apple Bloom said you were stuck in the control room and could use a hoof with this thing.” Dinky pointed at the regulator.

“Um, sure okay. It needs to go over in the corner and plug into the power output interface. It’s kinda heavy. I can do most of the lifting if you want to guide it along.”

“No need—I’ll take care of it. Just show me exactly where it goes and I’ll take it from there.”

“No kidding? I thought you could only do small objects.”

“I’ve been practicing!” Dinky let out a tiny squee of pride. “Heavy objects are still a bit difficult, so I can only move them short distances. You may want to stand back in case I miss.”

Dinky then faced the regulator and concentrated. Sparks flew from her horn, its spiral fluting aglow in a brilliant, pulsating yellow. The room shimmered with starry sparkles enveloping the power regulator. Suddenly, it vanished with a gust of wind and reappeared on the other side of the room exactly where it was meant to be. Dinky panted heavily, her face covered in sweat.

“Slick! Nice work, Dinky,” Nyx said with relief not only for having the job done, but for being set free from the confines of the control room.

“It’s my pleasure, Nyx. Of all the ponies I’ve met, you three probably have the most unusual lifestyle. It sounds quite interesting.”

Nyx found that amusing. “What, because we live in an underground bunker?”

“Sure! There’s all this fancy equipment you’re always testing… I don’t understand any of it, but it sounds fascinating. You also get a chance to make a real difference in defending Equestrian citizens from the Arkadians. I heard what happened at the school yesterday. Thank goodness you all were there!”

Nyx stared at her half out of surprise and half annoyance. “Word travels fast,” she muttered.

“I travel fast, Nyx.”

“Well in that case, I’ll race you to the lounge!”

Nyx sprinted through the exit, galloping down the hall and upstairs to the living quarters, only to find Dinky already there sharing a bag of cheesy oat puffs with Apple Bloom.

“Remind me to stop trying to race you,” Nyx said flatly, causing Apple Bloom to snicker.

“Y’all just put us ahead of schedule, Dinky. Thanks!”

“It’s my pleasure to help a friend, Apple Bloom.” She then stood up and addressed Nyx. “I would love to stay and chat, but I’m actually here on business and have to get going. Princess Luna wants you to meet with her tonight. Alone. Are you able?”

Luna? Nyx wondered what this could be about. She hadn’t spoken privately with Luna for nearly a year.

“Um, sure I guess. Rumble and Flitter are in Ponyville, running errands. But no, we don’t have anything important planned tonight. I can come.”

“Fantastic. Wait here, please.” Dinky vanished in her signature light show.

“It must be nice bein’ able t’do that,” Apple Bloom noted. Nyx nodded and grabbed some oat puffs from the bag.

A few seconds later, Dinky reappeared. “Princess Luna says she will see you this evening before sundown. Take care!” And then she was gone.

Apple Bloom stood up and patted Nyx on the shoulder with a hoof. “Sounds like y’all got some stuff to think about. I’ll be down in the control room configuring some things if you need me.”

“So, she wants you to go alone?” Rumble asked as he collected dishes off the table.

“Yeah. I’m kind of excited. I haven’t had a chance to talk to Luna all year.”

Nyx passed Rumble her dinner plate. “Thanks for doing dishes, hon.” She kissed him on the cheek and went to freshen up. She wondered what Luna wanted to see her about so suddenly. While brushing her teeth, Nyx regarded her reflection in the mirror. She turned her head left and right, considering the strange fact that this was what Luna’s face once looked like.

She sometimes thought about how much her own appearance was influenced by Luna’s. To what extent was she herself Luna? She was, after all, Nightmare Moon, and Nightmare Moon was Luna. It seemed paradoxical that Nyx and Luna could exist separately and interact with one another.

Nyx shrugged it off. Such hypothetical excursions were more fun with her mother. This particular existential puzzle often made Nyx’s head hurt and could wait until a later date. For now, her focus was on seeing Luna again. It had been quite some time since their last casual visit, and she was both excited and nervous.

Nyx brushed out her mane with a sigh. Truth was, she missed Luna. Things were so different years ago. Her mind wandered back to when she was a filly. Luna would come visit her at the library to play games with her and talk about life and how different Equestria was thousands of years ago.

It had always fascinated her to hear the stories of times long gone and the adventures Luna had with her big sister. In a way, the kinship between Luna and Nyx was strengthened by the fact that so many things about modern Equestria were new to both of them. Discovery of the new world was something they had the chance to experience together. It was almost like Luna herself was Nyx’s big sister.

Nyx turned away from the mirror and walked toward the elevator to leave. She felt a touch of sadness with the memories. Most of all, she missed their heart to heart talks. Luna understood very well the unique challenges Nyx had as she grew up. This bond had made that journey much more bearable.

Satisfied she was ready, Nyx took the elevator to the surface and flew off toward Canterlot.