Author's Note

As a heads up, I'm about to undergo a major house move (Europe to North America) So either expect fewer updates to this or a shit ton. Really depends if I have free time, because if I do it'll likely be spent writing for this as I'll have nothing else to do.

As always, I'll reply to any comments and hope you enjoy the update!

7. The Mare in the Moon

All four legs popped as I stretched, Celestia’s sun shining down through the open window and into my new room. It was a strange thing to wake up in a comfortable bed, after having spent every night since we arrived in this strange land, either unconscious or sleeping on the ground. Regardless, Mystic had said we had three days free until class began on Monday, and I wasn’t going to squander them.

Memories of last night quickly returned as I tried to remember if anything was meant to be happening today. Apart from Tibbs mumbling about getting up early, I couldn’t think of anything.

With a spring in my step, I hopped from my bed, the sound of my hooves softly clopping as they hit the floor. Everything was quiet aside from that, outside the window, birds were just starting to chirp from the trees. A smile formed on my lips as I headed for the door, stopping and pulling on the small rope attached to the handle with my mouth. Dragging the wooden door open, I left my room, descended the stairs to find Tibbs sitting at the table munching on what looked like beef jerky.

“Mornin” Tibbs grunted in my direction, guessing by the unfocused look in his eyes he’d only just woken up as well. In retrospect, his passionate hatred for waking up before eleven explained why he never opened up for breakfasts or brunch back on earth.

“Where’d you get jerky?” I asked over my shoulder, heading into the kitchen to see what we actually had. Settling for oats as I couldn’t be bothered attempting to make anything more complicated. I busied myself lifting the bag with my teeth before messily filling my bowl and adding a splash of water from the tap.

After I was sure the bowl was secured in my mouth, I crossed back to the table and set opposite Tibbs. His sharp beak tore through the jerky as if it was a knife through warm butter. His green eyes still vacant and unfocused, staring right into the table as if the secrets of the universe were in the wood grain.

“Need it in my diet, Mystic bought me some. Got work in town, need to go” Tibbs mumbled before flopping off his chair and onto the floor. I watched as my friend picked himself up and staggered towards the door, closing it behind him as he left. Finding myself alone, my attention turned back to the bowl of now rehydrated oats before me. Lacking cutlery and hungry enough that manners had rapidly become irrelevant. So I planted my muzzle in the bowl with an audible splat and started to eat.

With my face buried in the bowl, mentally, I went over what I wanted to accomplish. The town had to have a library, so I should check there first to get some necessary information about the world. Maya or Katty might want to come if they were up before I left. Secondly, I needed to figure out how to get to the academy and get my and Katty’s schedule for Monday. Finally, I wanted to get out and see the town, this whole world was wide open to be explored and seen.

If Celestia could send us home, I wanted to be sure I’d have seen enough of this place that I wouldn’t have any regrets. If she couldn’t send us home...well I supposed it would be best to learn about my new home sooner rather than later. Ultimately that was a concern which I wanted to ignore, I couldn’t influence it as far as I knew and my knowledge of magic definitely wasn’t enough to understand anything about getting home. Until I could personally affect our chances of getting home it wouldn’t achieve anything to stress over it.

Once I’d eaten breakfast and tossed the bowl in the sink. I opened the door and set out. Celestia’s sun was shining down, and the town around me was waking up for business. It felt like a bizarre mixture of everyday city life and a renaissance fair, two Pegasi flying along with what I realised were mailman uniforms.

“Wait, would that be a mailstallion? mailmare?” I pondered, taking off at a brisk trot down the dirt road back into the centre of town. A bright green mare poked her head up as I trotted past her, waving a foreleg at me and smiling. I smiled back, not wanting to try and wave only to go face-first into the floor again. Ponies all waved or smiled as I passed, a level of friendliness which was bordering on disturbing. Mystic probably hadn’t told any of them about the four of us, so I was left to assume this was just how they acted.

The stillness of the morning rapidly disappeared as I entered the town properly, crossing through where the market had been before. A gold-edged plaque drew my attention as I trotted past it, stopping to read.

“Stellar’s Redoubt, site of the first battle of the war for the heavens” I read aloud, looking at the Plaque as it showed, what must have barely been a hamlet called Hoofington. Although the majority of the focus was on the forest outside of town. The Plaque’s illustration had most details focused on the forest, as well as a watchtower labelled as “The Solar Bastion of Hoofington.”

The Plaque continued to explain how just after Sundown. When somepony called Nightmare Moon had been battling Princess Celestia in Canterlot, her supporters had launched an attack on the Bastion protecting hoofington. According to the Plaque, the town was significant due to its location between Canterlot and Broncordia. If it fell, the entire province would be cut off from reinforcements along the main road. I couldn’t help but get drawn into the tale.

Apparently, the “Loyalist Forces” had managed to hold out for what should have been the duration of the night. Pausing briefly to question what it meant by Loyalists. I could only assume that whoever Nightmare Moon was she’d started a civil war for power. The defenders were losing ponies faster than their opponents, resulting in the commanding officer’s last stand.

I moved as fast as I could over to the next Plaque, set out before a statue of a Unicorn mare. The bronze statue gleaming in the sun as a gemstone in her horn caught the sunlight and practically exploded with light. “Stellar Encore, The Heroine of Hoofington, Royal Guard Captain, Mother of four. She will live on forever in our hearts.”

I stood back and looked up at the Statue, taking in all the details I could. So thoroughly distracted that I didn’t hear the sound of hoofsteps coming up behind me.

“You seem a little awestruck there son.” I turned and had to look up to mee the eyes of the towering Stallion. A quick glance showed no horn or wings, meaning He was an Earth Pony. His black coat seemed dusty almost, the only other signs of colour being the grey area around the end of his muzzle and a slicked-back grey mane.

“She was my great, great something, Grandmother. So I have to say, it’s lovely seeing young colts taking an interest in Hoofington’s history.” He said, a wistful smile on his face as he looked up at the Statue. “I’ll have to polish it again next month.” I nodded along, despite being confident he’d said that more for himself than me.

“Do you know where I could find the library? Mr?” I prompted, hopefully, this encounter would at least give me some useful information.

“Oh! Iron Works, but everyone calls me Iron. I run the rails in and out of town and the preservation society for the few statues in town. Stellar’s Statue as well as the Statue of her majesty Princess Celestia outside the unicorn Academy.” He looked down at me before chuckling. “Though I’d imagine you’ve seen her statue many times going to school?”

“Not really, I’m a new transfer, so I’ve not actually started at the academy yet. That’s why I was hoping to find the library, sign out some books on my reading list.” Sure it was a lie, but it wasn’t going to hurt anyone, and it should hopefully steer the conversation back to what I’d actually wanted to know.

“Certainly, head past the gilded griffon and then take a left. Can’t miss the library, it’s got a large sign out front of it of an open book.” Iron answered, pointing a hoof over towards what I could immediately tell was a pub. Ranging from the arrangement of tables outside of the pub’s entrance to the day drinker sat at one of them with a pint of something. No matter that universe, some things never change it seemed.

I set off at a comfortable trot, slowing down to peer in the windows of the Gilded Griffon. Several tables were set out inside along with a large bar set against the far wall. I could even spot a dartboard hung to the right of the bar. Although how a pony could play darts was beyond me, magic for unicorns? The others I had no idea how. I spotted a tall Griffon polishing the bar before I resumed my journey. Noting in the back of my mind that they had some bright red feathers on their otherwise pure white head.

As I walked, I couldn’t help but ponder my own colours as well as my friends. Maya and Katty looked similar so that probably meant they were still biologically sisters. Tibbs was a selection of light brown on brown with a yellow beak, I wasn’t entirely sure the bird’s name but I knew that was some kind of eagle's colours. I thought my coat was a charcoalish grey, but I guess it was more silver greyish or some other light grey under a better light. Did the colours have some sort of meaning? Maybe I supposed, it was another thing to research. Potentially the colours were a racial or species thing? It would explain why Tibbs looked like some sort of eagle, and now that I thought about it, Maya did kind of remind me of a robin just missing the grey. That left Katty and I, maybe our more outlandish colours were due to the presence of magic from being a unicorn?

“Excuse me, would you mind stepping out of the doorway?” A voice brought me out of my thoughts, looking up, I realised I was at the library. Smiling sheepishly, I stepped aside to allow a unicorn to step by me. I watched as he opened the door and held it.

“You wanted to come in, right? I’m sorry the library wasn’t open. I had to send a letter to ponyville, their new librarian keeps requesting some of our rarest books. I won’t burden you with the frustrations of a librarian don’t worry. My name is Quick Quill by the way.”

I followed Quick Quill into the library, taking a moment to examine him. He was the first pony I’d ever seen wearing clothes outside of the hospital, even if it was just a tie dangling around his neck. His coat was almost the same as Maya and Katty’s. However, his mane was a hazelnut brown, trimmed in the front and tied up in a ponytail at the back.

As we walked in, Quick darted behind a counter and turned back to face me, leaning over the counter to avoid looming over me too much. I really started to get annoyed at being a colt.

“So what brings you to the library today? We’ve got a few of the reading list bundles left if you’re checking here for that. Outside of that, there’s a royal pamphlet on Princess Luna in case you're curious about our newest royal. Obviously, feel free to have a look around! I’ll be here if you have any questions or need to check something out.” Quick’s genuinely cheerful deluge of words brought a smile to my face, his almost childlike enthusiasm was practically infectious. As he spoke though, that name stuck out, Luna. It caused a flicker of something in the back of my mind, paired with the confusion of how I’d known who she was last night.

“The reading list bundle would be great, I’m starting there on Monday. Also, could I have a look at the royal pamphlet? gotta keep up with current events.” I smiled back as a stack of books bound with string floated up onto the desk, followed by a thin pamphlet placed on top. My smile faded as the fact that he was expecting me to levitate the books off the desk hit me. With a sigh, I hung my head.

“would you be able to carry them to a table for me? I can’t really use magic right now.” I admitted, unable to hide my embarrassment as my ears drooped. A glance up revealed a mixture of horror and shock on Quick’s face.

“If you’d like some help you only need to ask, whether that’s getting books or understanding some spells in the books”. Quick said as the books floated up in a soft pink aura, as he came around and led me through the surprisingly extensive library to a small study room in the back. “You’re welcome to use this space whenever you’re in the library, just leave any books you aren’t going to check out on that shelf, and I’ll return them at the end of the day.”

Quick turned and trotted back for the door as I heard a bell ring, probably to signal that somepony had just come in. Weighing my options, I decided to leave the magic books for a moment to look into the far more straightforward to open pamphlet. Flicking it with my muzzle, I managed to knock it open and set about reading it.

By Proclamation of Her royal highness Princess Celestia

The monster known as Nightmare moon has been defeated upon her return from One thousand years in exile.

This occurred in the early hours of the morning when the Elements of Harmony were successfully activated by six ponies who wished to remain anonymous.

Princess Celestia was then freed from her temporary imprisonment in the sun, where she teleported to the site of the Nightmares defeat.

The Nightmare’s defeat has resulted in the liberation of Princess Luna, the first victim of the Nightmare’s spell.

By Royal Decree of her majesty Princess Celestia, Her sister, Princess Luna is to be restored to her full authority, reestablishing the Celestial Diarchy. Her royal highness Princess Celestia has stated that she is relieved to have her sister returned to her, and further apologises for the lateness of the sunrise.

Further information will be made available to the public at a later date.

From the Office of Princess Celestia

Royal Canterlot Printing Company

I sat back in my chair, mulling over that information. Something called Nightmare Moon had captured or done something to Princess Luna, resulting in one thousand years in exile. Something was bothering me, but I wasn’t sure what it was. Initial Officer Training had drilled into me that information was a weapon in the right hands. Something was missing from what I understood.

After a pause, I left that room to find Quick Quill. I needed to know more about Nightmare Moon, possibly about whatever these Elements of harmony were as well. Something was off, and I couldn’t place my hoof on it, however, the fact that I’d known Luna’s name yesterday raised more questions. Somepony might have mentioned her name whilst I was unconscious. Nevertheless, that was unlikely.

“Excuse me Quick, are there any books about Nightmare Moon I could take a look at?” I asked after finally spotting Quick with his head in a box, tail flicking side to side in irritation. He looked up, a smile reasserting itself as I could practically see cogs turning in his brain.

“Certainly, you’re lucky if you’d have asked a month ago when that pamphlet first came out then you’d be out of luck. Thankfully most of the books people signed out are back now, You want Nightmare Moon alone or the Element as well? most ponies wanted the double bill.” He said, deftly weaving between the bookshelves collecting a few smaller books as well as a large leather-bound book in his magic.

I trailed behind, still mulling over what had stuck out as so strange to me. Finally settling on the language used in the pamphlet. How could Nightmare moon have been exiled yet still had a hostage? Why did I know Luna's name without even hearing it before?

Quick and I returned to the room where my books had been left, depositing the new books as I returned to my seat. A mumbled word of thanks as I pulled open the first book. Before I tore through whatever information I found.

After almost an hour, I sat back, mulling over things to arrange my thoughts more clearly.

Firstly, Luna had somehow fallen to Nightmare Moon. Some books seemed to claim that Nightmare Moon was a "Mare of shadows" and others that she was a name assumed by Luna once she fell to evil. However, the "Luna became evil" explanation made little sense, she had by all accounts been rescued from the Nightmare's control. This implied the Nightmare was some other entity.

Working on the assumption that the Nightmare was a second entity, separate from Luna, this would explain how she was taken captive by this entity. All the books agreed that Nightmare Moon wielded immense power through harnessing her resentment and anger at Celestia. The Phrasing of that struck me as familiar—Celestia's explanation of how Sombramatic magic was fueled by emotions coming back to me.

The book in my hooves fell back to the table, my eyes reduced to pinpricks as my eyes drooped to my skull. There were too many coincidences, our sudden appearance, Shadow's timely arrival, Nightmare Moon being defeated a month before our arrival. I could hear my heart beating as righteous anger coursed through my veins. I was being played, used as a hideout by some malignant entity.

Taking a moment to try and calm me, I screwed my eyes shut, not wanting to risk a dark magic build-up from my emotions. Long deep breathes filled the air, gentle intakes and measured exhales. Evidence was mounting against Shadow, but after she'd saved my life as well as my friends, I would give her a chance to defend herself. Eyes closed, I started to focus on my own mind, a brief flicker of annoyance that I'd never tried to meditate before passed through my thoughts.

After a moment I could feel what I had when Mystic and I were walking, something distinctly not me in my head. Focusing on the distinctly, not me part, I tried to mentally prod it as best I could. Trying to broadcast the need to talk to Shadow on the assumption that it was her. A wave of exhaustion washed over me, and I took that as a sign that I'd clearly gotten through to her. Fighting the urge to place my head down on the table and sleep until next Wednesday. I fumbled the books I didn't need onto the shelf before grabbing the still bundled reading list books by the string using my teeth.

I stumbled to the desk and signed them out with Quick Quill. Evidently, a hoofprint works for a signature, although once I'd gotten telekineses down writing would finally be within my reach again. I envied Tibbs for his hands, even if they ended in sharp talons, still better than my useless hooves.

With my books firmly held in my mouth, I set off home. Taking a careful course through the market, a lunchtime buzz of activity all around me. Over the hubbub of the crowd, I could hear Caramel yelling about. "The latest, greatest flavour sensation my talented special somepony and her new apprentice have ever created!"

Ignoring the yelling, I left the market the rest of my walk passing in a tired blur. The battle to remain awake was definitely not a winning one, and as soon as I entered through the door into what I was tentatively calling my new home. My hooves carried me in a B-line to the stairs, scrambling up them four at a time with a surge of energy I didn't realise I had in me. I Burst through the door into my room and collapsed right into bed, ignoring the afternoon sun streaming through the window as my eyes slid shut.