Angel of Justice: Blood Moon

The world was distant and cold as Blue Bolt’s mind drifted in and out of focus.

Was he dead? He did seem to remember dying. Then again, if he were dead, he wouldn’t feel himself moving.

“Blue… can you hear me?” A feminine voice echoed through his ears, sourceless but familiar. He tried to respond, but his body wouldn’t listen to his whims as he drifted in calm blackness.

A cacophony of other voices filled his mind, sounding like they were only present in his head, similar to what he had felt before he passed out. Faint images flashed before him. Words, books, creatures, people. Not ponies, though. All of them were speaking in his ear at once. Dozens of voices, dozens of thoughts, none of which were his own. It was suffocating.

Then, it started to calm again. Somehow, he could feel himself being pulled somewhere, like a memory. Or was it a dream? He couldn’t see anything still, though the faintest flashes of a comforting light came to mind, along with another voice.

...Darkness has befallen their world…

The voice spoke. It was soft but masculine. He didn’t recognize it, but he had heard it before. Was this a memory? He couldn’t tell, and any attempts to gather his consciousness were met by fuzz and blur.

“What do we do with him?” A timid voice came, full of concern and barely loud enough to hear.

“Put him in our room for now. He’ll probably need rest if he wakes up… when he wakes up.” The first voice responded. Now that he thought about it, it sounded like Rainbow Dash.

His mind faded again. It was frustrating to some degree. He almost felt the tips of his hooves that time, only to have his progress ripped away again. His head started to buzz, and the choir of voices from before returned, though only briefly as his mind started to drift back to that faint light.

… Your life has ended… Tragic, and before your time... And yet, there is a fire inside you… a desire to protect those that you love… those that cannot protect themselves…

Blue’s eyes rolled under their lids and his body tensed ever so slightly. For the briefest moments, he could feel again. He felt his heart pounding in his ears. He felt himself being carried. Then, it all faded again.

… I could kindle that fire within you…

The voice beckoned. Strangely, he heard his own voice, but he wasn't speaking, at least not in the present moment. Why didn’t he remember this?

“Wh… what do you mean? Who are you?” He asked, his voice sounding so small and insignificant. He was lost somewhere. Somewhere foreign. Somewhere scary. He was scared, so it must have been scary. However, the other voice had a calming effect on him somehow.

…I could give you another chance… I could shape you into a tool for good... You would wield great power to fight back against the dark... However, it would take a great deal of spirit and will to go down this path…

“Spirit…? Will…?” Blue’s voice asked again. He stopped questioning why. Memory or dream, he just wanted to wake up.

...Your hardships would be many... The pain you would feel, plentiful… Will you accept…? Would you willingly choose to be their light through the darkness…?

“Come on, Blue… you just got back. Wake up already, you featherhead.” Rainbow Dash’s voice came, brimming with worry.

“Is he going to be ok?” Fluttershy asked. Even in his delirium, Blue could almost see the soft frown on her face.

Then, for one reason or another, his thoughts shifted to the moments leading up to his death. He could still feel the burn of the creature’s teeth clamping down on his neck, the cool dampness of Rainbow’s tears on his fur, the soft tremble to her voice as she tried to comfort him. He was gone before either one of them could say goodbye.

This… this isn’t fair… He thought. I want to see them again… I want to protect them!

...Will you accept…?

“...Yes…”

He couldn’t see. Yet, somehow, Blue felt the owner of the voice smile at him, filling his mind with warmth for the first time since he passed out as the light grew more intense.

...Then go forth… my angel of justice…

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Rainbow Dash sat at the foot of her bed, her legs dangling off the side as she stared down at the unconscious stallion under the sheets.

She still wasn't done processing the fact that he was back. Blue Bolt, the same awkward, funny, sweet-hearted pony she had known since school, a slayer? It was a strange thought, and she wasn't sure how it made her feel. After all, he was dead. What did that mean for his longevity? How long would he stay with them now? If his current state was anything to go by, she was right to have a knot in her stomach.

Fluttershy watched as Rainbow Dash gently stroked Blue’s mane, staring absentmindedly at his peaceful-looking face for the longest time. She wasn't sure what to say. She was just as much an emotional mess as Rainbow was right now. They almost died for Celestia’s sake.

“Come on, Blue… you just got back.” Rainbow Dash muttered softly, unable to hide the worry in her eyes as she felt his forehead. He still felt warm, though he was a little less clammy than before. “Wake up already, you featherhead.”

Fluttershy felt a tug at her heart as she thought about the state of her friend. As far as she knew, Tom didn’t go through anything like this when he became a slayer. Was something wrong? Was he ever going to wake up again?

Unable to fight a tremble in her lips, she drew in a shaky breath and finally spoke a question she had been hoping to keep to herself. “Is he going to be ok?”

Rainbow Dash looked up, and although she would soon shift to her usual reassuring expression, there was a brief moment of contemplation where her frown deepened. “I’m sure he’s fine. He’s… he’s a slayer after all.” She produced a hollow chuckle. “This is the first time a pony’s been turned into a slayer. There’s probably some kinks to work out for the new biology.”

Fluttershy wasn't sure if Rainbow was trying to convince her, or herself.

The door to the room opened abruptly, and two ponies came inside in somewhat of a rush. The two pegasi immediately recognized the newcomers to be Sparkplug and Glitterball.

Sparkplug entered first, with her unicorn friend trailing behind and holding a hoof to her bandaged chest. “Oh, thank Celestia you guys are alright.” The gray mare stated.

Glitterball seemed relieved to see the two mares unharmed as well, but her main focus was on the stallion lying in bed. “Oh, wow… uh… she wasn't kidding, was she?” She muttered, a bit stunned to see a stallion she thought dead.

“Did you really think the princess would joke about something like this?” Sparkplug asked.

“Well, no, but…” Glitter paused, taking a moment to gesture to Blue Bolt. “I guess I had to see it for myself to believe it… and… there it… ahem, ‘he’ is.”

Rainbow Dash ignored the brief slip up from the unicorn. She was used to such social awkwardness from Twilight. She was more focused on the pair themselves. “Where have you guys been?! We almost died fighting Dusk! I mean… I guess I’m glad you didn’t almost die too, but dang.”

“Oh no, we almost died too.” Sparkplug clarified bluntly.

“Wh-bu-the what?!” Rainbow blinked and shook her head at the sudden news, sudden to her at least.

“Oh my gosh…” Fluttershy put a hoof to her mouth and stared at the two ponies with newfound sympathy.

“Relax. It was just some of those freaky stretchy feral vampire things.” Sparkplug waved a hoof dismissively, chuckling a bit longer than was probably necessary as a few close calls flashed in her mind. “No big deal.”

“Where are Sunspot and Glimmer Shine?” Rainbow asked. “Are they ok? Are you ok? You don’t look ok.” She frowned at Glitterball.

“Rainbow, please… I’m fine. Sunspot and Glimmer are too.” Glitter explained. “Glimmer is helping Shining Armor and Princess Luna down to the med bay, and Sunspot is…” She trailed off hesitantly before sighing. “Well, Sunspot is in the equipment room getting ready to ship Raincloud back off to prison.”

Rainbow Dash skewed her expression a bit. “Hang on… Raincloud is going back already? I thought we were using her?”

“Yeah, well, that was before she tried to bail on us when we really needed her help.” Sparkplug narrowed her brows. “Pretty sure we came at least forty percent closer to dying because of her.”

Hearing this, both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were shocked, but Rainbow seemed to be the most affected by it. The cyan mare’s eyes flashed from outrage, to disgust, to disappointment, and back to outrage, all in the course of a few seconds.

Suddenly, Rainbow hopped off the bed and moved toward the door with some urgency.

“Woah… where are you off to?” Sparkplug asked.

The pegasus paused, turning to the others before sighing. “Just going to get something off my chest.” She muttered, thoroughly unenthused, before looking up to Fluttershy. “If anything happens with him, you come find me, ok?”

“Of course.” Fluttershy nodded.

Satisfied that the stallion would be in good hooves in her absence, Rainbow smiled a bit and walked out of the room. Just before she left, though, she turned and talked over her shoulder as she zipped away. “Oh, and if Twilight drops by, ask her to hold off on any weird experiments with him!”

Glitterball and Sparkplug flinched as an air current blew their manes back in their faces from the door closing so fast. Fluttershy, on the other hand, seemed to be used to her cyan friend making such rapid exits.

“Where is Twilight, anyway?” Glitter asked, patting her mane back down and turning to the yellow pony. “I didn’t see her when we passed by the others on our way here.”

“I’m not sure. She talked with Princess Luna, and then she rushed off somewhere. I think it had something to do with Blue.” Fluttershy explained, thinking back to the determined look the unicorn had as she separated from the group.

The two vested ponies frowned as they saw a certain heart-rending sorrow in the pegasus’ eyes as she watched her friend breathing silently. To say that she had been through a lot was putting it mildly. And now, she had gotten a lost friend back, only to have them fall unconscious mere minutes later.

Glitter ignored the wound on her stomach reminding her of its presence as she ambled over to the yellow mare and placed a hoof on her shoulder. Fluttershy looked up to see a compassionate smile on the unicorn’s face.

“He’ll be ok,” Glitterball assured plainly.

A slight smile tugged at Fluttershy’s lips, though it only lasted a brief moment as she turned to Blue Bolt again. She rested a hoof on the blanket over his chest gingerly, only to remove it as she felt his heart beating rapidly enough to carry through the fabric.

“I hope so…”

Elsewhere in the castle, Twilight was trotting toward some yet unseen destination with eyes distant in thought.

The battle had made her muscles stiff, and she was certain that she would be sore in the morning, but that was not an issue for right now. Right now, she had more important things on her mind. Namely, what was happening to the newly arrived blue pegasus.

Why had he passed out so suddenly? Why did he have vastly different powers than her human friend? Then again, maybe this was normal for slayers? After all, the only point of comparison she had was the blue-suited boy, and he was gone, no matter how much she didn’t want to admit it.

“Ugh… I wish Tom were here.” She sighed, trying not to fall into a downward spiral of mopiness before she reached her destination. If she was being honest, she knew less about slayers than she would like. Sure, the boy had told her a lot to satisfy her late-night questions, to the point where she was half convinced he was making things up just to get her to be quiet faster, but there was also a lot that he didn’t tell her about, either intentionally or not.

Finally, her journey came to a stop as she rounded a corner. Up ahead, she could see a pair of guards standing watch outside of a door, and not just any door. The door to the secure storage.

Wasting no time, Twilight waltzed up to the guards, who offered her a friendly enough smile as she approached.

“Could you please give me the keys to the storage room? I’d like to do some research.” Twilight said, holding her hoof out expectantly. After a moment, the unicorn blinked and looked down, only to see her hoof still empty.

The guard on the left, apparently the master of the keys on this given night, had a sympathetic look to his otherwise stoic face. “I’m sorry, Ms. Sparkle, but nopony gets through here without word from one of the princesses.”

“But… I’m the princess’s student. Doesn’t that count for anything around here?” Twilight asked, getting a bit flustered.

“Be that as it may… we’re under very strict orders to keep anyone out unless they’ve been vouched for beforehand. Please understand. There are some very dangerous items in that storeroom.” The guard explained.

I understand that, but this is important! Twilight internalized a groan, her frustrations only escaping outwardly as a light sigh.

“Let her through.” A familiar voice came from the hall behind the purple mare. Both she and the guards looked over to see a certain pink alicorn walking up.

“Cadence? What are you doing here?” Twilight asked.

Cadence smirked at her sister-in-law. “Vouching for you, what does it look like I’m doing?” She said. “You seemed like you were in a hurry when you ran off, so I figured it would be for the best if you didn’t get caught up in any red tape.” She looked over to the two guards and flashed a bit of a smile. “May we please get inside?”

The guard was already handing over the keys before she even finished speaking. “Of course, Princess Cadence.” He said, and with a slight bow from each of them, they stepped back to let the pair through.

Twilight smiled a bit as she and her foalsitter passed through the door and into the study area. “I didn’t think you were given charge over this room?”

“Technically, I wasn't.” Cadence chuckled. “Being a princess does have its perks.”

The two made their way through the room, ignoring everything inside except for the locked door at the back.

Cadence watched as Twilight fiddled with the ring of keys for a moment before opening the door, their eyes trailing up to the taller room full of shelves as a series of magical lamps lit themselves.

“So… what exactly is it you’re looking for in here?” Cadence asked.

“I’m hoping I can find something about what’s happening to Blue Bolt in the slayer’s journal.” Twilight explained as she scanned the rows of containers and the labels beside them with her eyes. “I’ve… never actually read it before, but Tom told me once that it had a lot of information on slayers… even some entries written by actual slayers.”

Cadence offered the unicorn an impressed smile, even if she wasn't paying attention to it. “That’s a good idea.”

“Maybe… but we won’t know until we find the thing.” Twilight groaned softly. It seemed as though the contents of this room weren’t sorted, or if they were, she couldn’t tell by what criteria they were cataloged. Perhaps level of danger? “Could you split off that way and help me find it?”

“Right.” Cadence nodded before shifting her eyes to the side, a bit taken aback by just how many shelves and containers there were.

Over the course of the next few minutes, the two mares searched high and low, turning the storage room upside down looking for the journal.

Finally, after the tedium was starting to leave lasting mental scars, Cadence got up on her hind legs and checked yet another row.

And then, her eyes brightened as she spotted it. A label with cursive script on it that simply read 'Slayer's Journal'.

"Found it!" She announced triumphantly.

Further down the room, Twilight’s head popped out from behind a shelf. "You did?" She grinned eagerly.

In an instant, the unicorn skipped over to the shelf that the alicorn was waiting at. She checked the number on the case and quickly fished out a key with a matching number.

Once they opened the case, the pair found a comparatively small journal inside, clean, but well worn with age.

Twilight gently took the book into her corona and lifted it out, her eyes already growing wide in wonder as she pictured all of the information waiting inside.

Perhaps noticing the buildup of giddy laughter waiting to break free, Cadence put a hoof around the unicorn’s shoulder and led her back out into the study. "Let’s get somewhere a bit more comfortable before we lose our minds, ‘kay?" She suggested, making a mental note to ask one of the guards outside for some hopefully calming tea, and maybe a paper bag.

Soon after, Cadence lit the nearby fireplace and settled in as Twilight fought off every instinct to go off into a fit of cheerful vibrating that would make Pinkie Pie jealous so she could simply get on with reading the journal before her.

The unicorn opened the book to the first page, which seemed to be a preface of sorts. She cleared her throat and buried her head in its pages before reading what she found aloud.

'Of all the mysterious wonders of the paranormal world, the one that shines brightest is undoubtedly that of the entity known as a slayer. These nigh immortal beings have gone by many names over the years. The hands of mercy. The phoenix fire. The ghosts of justice. However they are named, these individuals have mostly fallen into the realm of myth and legend… until now. Within these pages, I seek to inform of all that I am able to discern of the facts surrounding the slayers.'

“Hmm…” Cadence muttered as she scanned the first few pages along with the unicorn. “It seems that the person who wrote this is at least somewhat familiar with the supernatural world.” She noted.

“I guess they would have to be to write such an accurate book about slayers.” Twilight mused. As she skimmed over much of the material, she found entries detailing sparsely collected information on a slayer’s abilities, their spirit weapons, their healing powers. All stuff that she generally already knew, though it was retold with a certain artistic flair that she would have to fully enjoy later at a slower pace.

Right now, however, she had a job to do, so there was no time to stop and fawn over old books.

Then, Cadence’s eyes stopped over a certain page. As she read the entry with a bit more focus, she leaned forward with intrigue. “Hold on… I think I found something.” She muttered before bringing her hoof up and tracing it along as she read aloud. “‘Curiously enough, slayers are vastly different at the time of their apparent rebirth than they are for the majority of their existence. Their powers are increased twofold, and they are capable of using their abilities for longer without fatigue. While the exact time frame varies between slayers, the two I have had the fortune to interview on the subject claim that this period of enhanced strength lasts for roughly three days, after which their abilities dull to a more standard level.’”

“Yeah… I think I remember Tom telling us something like that when we first met him.” Twilight said, gently taking the book a bit closer to her so she could read on. However, her eyes narrowed as she noticed that the entry continued on. “What the…?”

“Is something the matter?” Cadence asked, watching as the unicorn went over something several times, mouthing it to herself to check if she was reading it correctly.

Twilight lowered the book, her gaze still unfocused. “‘Though these fantastical abilities fade after a short period, a slayer may regain use of them with enough effort or during moments of emotional duress. It is said to be a difficult task… sometimes taking several years to master.’”

“That’s… interesting,” Cadence said, narrowing her brows as she noticed a troubled look still stuck on the unicorn’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Twilight said softly. “It’s just… Tom told us that slayers don’t last much longer than a couple of years.” Her ears fell slightly, unsure of what to make of this information. “Why would he lie about something like this?”

After a moment of uneasy thought, Cadence’s expression lowered sympathetically. “Maybe…”

“Maybe what?” Twilight asked, turning to the alicorn.

Cadence sighed softly. “Maybe he just didn’t want you getting too attached to him?”

Twilight didn’t have a response to that, at least not at first. She looked at the princess of love with soft eyes, occasionally darting her gaze to the floor in thought. “No. That… that can’t be right.”

“Twilight,” Cadence said, putting a hoof on her sister-in-law’s shoulder. “I didn’t want to talk about this with you… but the day before Nightmare Night, I noticed something bothering him. Now I realize that it was because he was having trouble with his powers… but it seemed like it was more than that.”

“Wh… what do you mean?” Twilight asked.

“He didn’t seem worried to me. He seemed like he was… sad.” Cadence frowned.

As she looked up, she saw the unicorn fighting off tears, somewhat unsuccessfully.

“You know… I was wondering why Tom reacted like he did to us finding out about his powers.” Twilight said quietly. “He acted like he was expecting things to end up like this. Now that I think about it… he was always like that. He always focused on us… never on him… like he was enjoying it while he could.” She felt a sob building in her throat, but she managed to hold it in with trembling lips as she bowed her head and sniffled. “Why didn’t I notice sooner?”

Suddenly, she felt her excess tears being lifted away. As she looked up, she found Cadence with horn aglow and soft features.

“You didn’t notice, because he didn’t want you to notice, Twilight,” Cadence said in an understanding tone. “Sometimes the biggest frowns hide behind the widest smiles… but that doesn’t mean that those smiles weren’t genuine.” The unicorn shifted closer as she reached out and hugged her. “He loved you… and if he hid things from you, it was only because he didn’t want you to hurt the way he did. Trust me… I’m the princess of love. It’s my job to know how people really feel.”

Twilight sniffled once more, getting the last tears out of her system and onto her foalsitter’s pristine pink fur. Thankfully, Cadence didn’t seem to mind. “Being a princess has its perks… right?” She lifted her head up to look at the alicorn, a small smile plastered on her face.

Cadence smiled as well. “That’s right.” She patted the mare on the back and let her go. “Now… let’s find a way to help our new friend, shall we?” She suggested, taking the journal up in her aura.

Twilight nodded, and the two of them got back to work. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had already lost their friend once, and if she had anything to say about it, she wouldn’t let them go through that pain again.

Meanwhile, while Twilight and Cadence were smiling and working through their emotions in a healthy manner, a certain cyan pegasus was about to vent herself in a decidedly different manner.

Rainbow Dash stormed through the hallways until she found the equipment room. There were a few guards or servants along her path that got one look at her before backing out of the way immediately. There was a saying among the people of Ponyville, and the denizens of the royal palace knew it by heart as well.

Tartarus hath no fury like an element scorned.

As she reached the door, she started to slam it open, before she stopped her hoof and sighed. Taking a few breaths, she decided to go with the calm approach. For now.

Rainbow stepped into the room, only to find the two pegasi she was looking for. Sunspot was busy fiddling with the collar around Raincloud’s neck, ensuring that it was secure before they headed off. The orange mare was without her suit, and she had a few gauze pads and bandages spread out across her body, with a notable pair of smaller pads rolled up and stuffed up her nose.

Sunspot looked up to see the cyan mare, an eyebrow-raising as she saw such a sour look on her friend’s face. “Hey, Dash… is something up?” She asked, her voice muffled slightly by the obstruction in her nose.

“Not exactly.” Rainbow deadpanned, already glaring at the gray pony. “I just heard about that featherbrained stunt that she pulled.”

“Hey!” Raincloud protested before the collar around her neck was roughly jostled by an orange hoof. She tried to reach up, but the hoof cuffs around her wrists made it difficult.

“Shut it, you.” Sunspot sighed before turning to the cyan mare again. “Yeah, I wasn't too pleased about it myself. I’m still not. Why are you here, though?”

Rainbow Dash wrinkled her lip at the simple enough question. “Well, if it’s ok with you, I’d like a minute or two alone with her to have a… private conversation.”

“Private conversation?” Raincloud skewed a brow. “What am I, pony of interest?”

Sunspot flattened her expression at the gray mare before looking to Rainbow Dash with a bit of curiosity showing through. “Uh… ok, I guess. Why would you want to talk with her?”

“No offense, but that’s kind of personal,” Rainbow said.

“Alright.” Sunspot shrugged, starting for the door. “I’ll be close by when you’re done. Oh yeah, try not to let her get close to you. She has a hard head.” She pointed to her banged-up muzzle, shooting a not so well hidden glare at the captive pony before exiting the room.

Once she heard the hoofsteps getting far enough away, confirming that they were alone, Rainbow turned to her fellow pegasus with a thoroughly unenthused look on her face.

Raincloud had her usual expression on, which was one of smug sarcasm with a touch of passive annoyance. “You know, if you’re here to confess your undying love for me, I feel like I should just nip this in the bud and say I don’t swing that way.”

If looks could kill, the whole room would be a death trap.

“Have you made it your mission in life to be the most unpleasant pony in Equestria?” Rainbow asked flatly.

“Why, is there a prize?”

Rainbow Dash growled through her teeth, the anger she was trying to keep inside now boiling to the surface. “Would you stop it with the sarcasm for five seconds?! Do you even realize how deep of a hole you’ve dug for yourself?!”

Raincloud was a bit taken aback by the sudden outburst, not that she would show that outwardly. “Uh… no?” She said, hoping to follow along with what the pegasus wanted to hear.

“You almost got my friends killed!”

“They had things under control… more or less,” Raincloud muttered. “And there wasn't going to be another opportunity like that for me.” She said, only to narrow her eyes as the cyan mare snorted. “Look, I don’t need to explain myself to you. You’re not my mother, and even if you were, I’d tell you the same thing! You must be high if you think I wasn't going to take the first opportunity to get out of here that dropped into my lap!”

“Get out of here. Yeah, sure. That’s a great plan you got there, genius.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “What would you do next, huh? Live out the rest of your days as a criminal being hunted down by every guard in Equestria? At least if you tried to play nice, you could have maybe gotten out in a few years!”

“Play nice?” Raincloud snorted, plopping down onto her haunches. “Don’t make me gag.”

Rainbow Dash softened her expression briefly. “Oh… ok. I’m sorry. Excuse me for thinking maybe you could reform into someone that isn’t a total jerk.”

“Bite me, Rainbow Douche.” Raincloud narrowed her eyes. “Like you said before, just because you saved my life once and visited me in jail a couple of times, doesn’t make us friends. I don’t know if you’ve noticed… but I do NOT want to be here!” She jingled the metallic cuffs for show.

“Trust me, I know. Anyone with half a brain can tell that you hate everyone and everything, and wouldn’t lift a hoof to help anyone if you didn’t get something for yourself!” Rainbow jabbed a hoof at the gray mare. “What did you even ask for to do this, huh? We both know you asked the princess for something.”

Raincloud looked annoyed for a moment until she refrained from going off and actually softened her expression a bit.

“Well?” Rainbow huffed. “What, you suddenly want to be quiet? Normally we can’t get you to shut up.”

“It was a book from the mansion, ok?” Raincloud answered finally. “Happy now?”

“Oh… well that changes things, doesn’t it?” Rainbow Dash asked sarcastically. “I’ll bet you were planning on smuggling in some kind of spell or something to help you break out. Not that it matters now! You’re not getting it, and you’ll be lucky if you ever even see the sun again!”

Surprisingly, as she looked over to the gray mare, Rainbow saw her with her eyes to the floor and a look on her face that any other pony might describe as forlorn.

“It was a journal,” Raincloud muttered.

“Huh?” Rainbow tilted her head, half because she barely heard, and half because she was so taken aback by the sudden change in behavior.

“It… belonged to my brother,” Raincloud explained. “Dust Kicker brought it with us when we first joined Raven Feather. He used to… draw these stupid pictures of us in it when we were younger. I just… wanted to have it.” She said softly, taking a breath before looking up to the cyan mare. “Look… I get that I’m a jerk… I get that you hate me like everyone else… but can you please talk to the princess and ask her to get me that book. I don’t care if I never get out of whatever hole she throws me into… as long as I have that.”

Rainbow Dash looked at the gray pony, contemplating her request and a few other things for a moment. She knew that the pegasus was being genuine. She didn’t figure Raincloud had it in her to fake being this vulnerable. However, that didn’t excuse everything she had done.

“No…” Rainbow answered finally.

Raincloud seemed like she was expecting such an answer as she flattened her ears. “That’s… fair.” She sighed.

“Not unless you do something first.”

Raincloud looked up, one of her brows rising as she stared at the cyan mare with a hint of unease. “What did you have in mind?”

The slight smile did nothing to ease the gray mare’s discomfort.
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Sunspot looked up suddenly as she heard the door to her side opening. She leaned forward off the wall and turned to see Rainbow Dash walking over to her.

“All done?”

“Not exactly…” Rainbow wrinkled her expression a bit as she chose her next words carefully. “Sunspot, I need to ask you something.”

The orange mare was a bit surprised to see her friend acting so strange. “What’s up?” She asked, though she had a feeling that she wasn't going to like what came next.

“I know how this sounds… but do you think you could hold off on taking Raincloud back to jail?” Rainbow asked gingerly.

“Uh… why?” Sunspot narrowed her eyes. “Princess Luna told me to take her back, I can’t just disobey an order like that.”

“That’s actually part of why I need you to wait. I want to talk to Princess Luna about… maybe getting her to work for us a bit longer.” She cringed hesitantly, only to receive the stunned reaction she was expecting.

“What?! Are you crazy?!” Sunspot asked. “She almost got us killed! Glitter popped her stitches because of that little-”

“I know, Sunspot.” Rainbow Dash interrupted, an understanding grimace stuck on her face. “I know what she did… but believe it or not, she’s sorry for all of that. Even the headbutt.”

“She is?” Sunspot asked, the most disbelief Rainbow had ever seen on another pony plastered all over her face.

“Yes. She is.”

“Oh, this I’ve gotta see.” Sunspot said. Then, she turned past the cyan mare and started walking over toward the door.

Rainbow smiled a bit before joining the orange mare.

Just before reaching the door to the room, Sunspot paused and turned to her cyan companion. “Hey, Dash.”

Rainbow paused and removed her hoof from the door handle. “Yeah?”

“Why do you care what happens to her?” Sunspot asked. “She’s been just as big of a nuisance to you as anyone else. Hay, she tried to kill you and the others a few times back in the day.”

There was a bit of a silence after that. Rainbow Dash looked down as if she wasn't sure of the answer herself. “I… I don’t know. I guess I just feel bad for her.” She admitted. “I mean, it’s not entirely her fault she ended up this way, you know? Ponies treated her like dirt for most of her life because of something she had no control over. And… if I didn’t at least try to help her, I feel like it would fly in the face of everything I stand for.”

Sunspot couldn’t help but smile a bit. This must have been what it meant to represent an element of harmony. “Well, for both your sakes, this better be a good apology.” She stated before entering the room.

Rainbow Dash pulled the corners of her mouth up joyfully as she followed the orange mare into the room. They were both met with the sight of Raincloud, sitting where they left her, wearing a decidedly uncomfortable expression that only seemed to deepen as the two approached.

“Raincloud… isn’t there something you want to say?” Rainbow Dash asked pointedly.

There was a sigh that sounded like it carried part of the gray mare’s soul with it. “Do I have to?” She asked before a glare made her quiet down. “Alright, fine…” She turned to the orange mare and opened her mouth, but nothing came out for a while.

The pair watched as the captive pony struggled to vocalize like it was causing her physical pain. Sunspot didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she was enjoying the show.

“I’m sorry that I ran off on you guys…” Raincloud admitted, begrudging but genuine.

“And?” Rainbow prodded.

Raincloud groaned and trailed her eyes to the side. “And… I’m sorry that you were too slow to dodge out of the way of-”

“Ahem.” Rainbow Dash cleared her throat, hardening her stare a bit.

“Grr… I’m sorry that I broke your nose.” Raincloud finished, meeting the orange mare’s gaze for the first time.

Sunspot had her forelegs crossed as she watched the gray mare intently. There was an amused snort, and her stoic exterior swiftly cracked alongside a smile as she devolved into a series of choked laughter.

Raincloud sighed with annoyance and trailed her eyes away. “This is why I don’t normally do this.”

“I’m sorry.” Sunspot said, wiping a tear from her eye. “That was just priceless. Oh, man… I’m gonna remember that till I’m old and gray.”

Rainbow Dash looked at the orange pegasus, trying to hide how uneasy she was. “Well…?”

Dropping into a more serious expression, Sunspot turned to her friend before glancing at the gray mare. She wrinkled her mouth pensively, before finally sighing. “Alright… I’ll at least let you talk to Princess Luna about this, but it’s your job to convince her.”

“Thank you, Sunspot.” Rainbow Dash said with a warm smile.

Raincloud cleared her throat uncomfortably, drawing the pair’s attention to her. “Now that we’re all chummy again, does someone want to take these cuffs off me?” She asked, holding up her hooves. “These things chafe like crazy.”

Sunspot gave the mare a flat look before sharing a slight smirk with Rainbow Dash. “Yeah… I think we’ll keep those on for now.”

The irritated groan that followed only made their smiles deepen.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Princess Luna was slowly making her way toward her sister’s room. She hadn’t checked in with the sickly alicorn since the attack, so she had much to inform her of. Besides, it was almost time to raise the sun again, and she also just wanted to see how Celestia was faring.

The trip took a little longer than usual. Her movements were stiff, and she had to pause a few times and wait for her limbs to cooperate. The new bandages and medications she had received were taking a bit of the edge off, but she still hurt a lot.

Eventually, she managed to make it all the way to Celestia’s bed chambers. There were two guards stationed outside that stiffened up a bit upon noticing the alicorn approaching before they widened their eyes as they saw what kind of shape she was in.

“Princess Luna!” One of the stallions rushed forward and helped the wounded alicorn with standing. “Are you certain you should be walking around?”

Luna graciously leaned off of the stallion and stepped aside. “I appreciate your concern, but I am fine. I need to see my sister.” She stated, turning to the doors ahead.

Just then, a familiar-sounding groan echoed from within the room. Luna’s eyes softened with worry as she listened to the pained sounds.

“She’s been like that for the past few hours.” The guard informed somberly. “We’ve tried comforting her, but nothing works.”

"I was afraid of this," Luna muttered, her eyes falling to the floor briefly. She made her way up to the doors, resting her aura on them as she turned and gave an appreciative nod to the two stallions before making her way inside.

Almost immediately, she had to cast a light spell to be able to see. Her soft blue-tinted glow filled the room, revealing the heavy fabric draped over the balcony doors further back, and the tall figure sitting on the edge of the bed.

Luna watched as the silhouette of her sister doubled over and clutched at her stomach, producing another soft moan before looking up and noticing her visitor.

"Ss… sister?" Celestia spoke, her voice sounding strained and hoarse. She had a slight shake to her form, which was made apparent as she lifted her head up.

"Tia..." Luna frowned. "Is it safe to approach?"

The pale monarch managed a smile through her tense features. "Y-yes… I am still in possession of all my… m-mental faculties."

That was good, though she was approaching regardless of the answer.

Luna sidled over and sat down next to her shivering mess of a sister, examining her as she did.

The sickly alicorn had somehow gotten even paler since their last meeting. Her eyes were heavy, with dark circles around them. Her stomach, which she was keeping at least one hoof clutched to at all times, was shriveled and gaunt, with her ribs starting to show. If she looked like death froze over before, it seemed to have thawed out.

"Oh… sister." Luna brought a hoof to her mouth.

Celestia cringed as another wave of hunger pangs rocked her body. She shakily lifted a hoof and placed it on the younger alicorn’s shoulder. "I-I… I’ll be fine." She assured, though somehow Luna didn't believe her. "More importantly… ngh… what happened? I felt Dusk’s presence. I… I tried to go warn you, but I couldn’t move."

"I suspected as much." Luna pursed her lips. "You are correct… Dusk did attack."

Celestia raised off the bed slightly. "Is everyone ok? What about Twilight and the others?!"

Luna gently pressed her sister back onto the bed, a bit unsettled at just how easy it was. "That is part of why I am here, actually. Everyone is fine… relatively speaking. A dozen or so guards lost their lives…" She took a moment to pause and bow her head respectfully. Celestia frowned deeply. "Rainbow Dash very nearly lost her life."

"Oh my word…" Celestia flattened her ears against her head. "What happened? You said she is fine, yes?"

"Yes, yes," Luna assured. She sighed as she thought about how best to explain. "Though, it is a miracle that any of us made it through the encounter. Dusk had us beaten… Twilight and the others didn’t even get a chance to use the elements."

Celestia looked simultaneously confused and uneasy. "Are you certain you’re not a spirit or a hallucination? Because it does not sound like this story has a happy ending." She said, gently patting her hoof on Luna’s shoulder to ensure she was real.

Luna chuckled softly and shook her head. "No, I am still among the living."

"Good…" Celestia breathed a sigh of relief. "That is more than I can say about myself. Care to explain this miracle of yours?"

"That is… a rather difficult question to answer. I fear you will not believe me."

Celestia smirked softly. "You are speaking with a vampire, sister. Our sense of what is believable has changed a bit in recent months."

“Very well…” Luna exhaled. “I’m not certain if this was ever brought up to you in light of recent events, but Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy’s friend… that pegasus fellow, Blue Bolt. He died during Dusk’s initial invasion when you were taken.”

“Oh…” Celestia lowered her head somberly, a regretful frown stuck on her face as she thought about how much the two mares must have suffered. “That is… terrible.”

“Indeed it was, but it is also the reason we are currently speaking,” Luna said.

The pale alicorn narrowed her brows. “I’m not certain I follow.”

Luna’s mouth fell into a somber line. “You recall Tom’s description of the origins of a slayer, yes? An individual felled by evil forces and brought back with supernatural powers to combat said evil forces.”

“Wait… surely you don’t mean-” Celestia trailed off, her eyes widening in revelation.

“That is exactly what I mean, sister,” Luna said, shifting her gaze toward the balcony, where just a sliver of moonlight could be seen coming through a crack in the curtains. “I’m not certain what force is behind the creation of slayers… but I think I can say with confidence that it is sentient, and it sought to aid us in our hour of need. Just as we were about to lose more lives… Blue Bolt appeared out of thin air and fought Dusk off. That is how Rainbow Dash survived… she was dying, but Blue Bolt healed her.”

“So… he has the same powers as Tom did?” Celestia asked.

“Ehm… yes and no,” Luna said. “He displayed Tom’s abilities, but he also had access to a few different ones as well. Unfortunately… he acted rather strangely before suddenly passing out. We’re not sure what is wrong with him.”

“Oh my…” Celestia softened her features with sympathetic worry. It would never cease to trouble her that slayers always ended up harming themselves to protect her friends. “I doubt very seriously if this is just some random malady, given slayers’ regenerative abilities.”

“Indeed. Young Twilight is investigating the slayer’s journal for clues as to what could be ailing him, but in the meantime, we must simply wait and hope that he awakes soon.” Luna explained.

“But Dusk is gone?” Celestia asked, receiving a nod in response. “I presume he retreated?” She added, her eyes dimming a bit in disappointment. It would be too much to hope that the alicorn was slain, but then, if he were, she would probably know already.

“With his tail tucked between his legs,” Luna smirked. “I must admit, it was rather cathartic to watch Blue Bolt beat him silly after everything he has done to us.”

“I wish I could have been there,” Celestia said, perhaps carrying some veiled remorse for not being able to protect her sister and student. Still, she was glad that everyone was alive.

Luna watched as the older mare got up from the bed with great effort. She looked like she could barely stand, wavering and trembling like a newborn fawn trying to walk for the first time. Still, Celestia turned to her sister with a determined look in her eyes.

“Ngh… Correct me if I’m… w-wrong, but is it not time to raise the s-sun?” She asked.

Getting off the bed, Luna frowned and went to shoulder the pale alicorn’s teetering weight before she fell over. “Sister, you needn’t worry about such things right now. You need rest.”

“We cannot wait until I am better to raise the sun, Luna.” Celestia turned her head toward the younger mare. “As it s-stands… I will not be better for days. In that time, we cannot allow Dusk to move… unhindered. Besides… it is not n-natural for it to be dark so long.”

Luna gave her sister a conflicted look. She was intimately familiar with the importance of proper balance between the day and night, at least now she was. “Then I will raise the sun myself.”

Celestia smiled weakly. “I appreciate your determination, sister, and... I would perhaps venture that it would be within your abilities by this point, but not in your current state.” She said, showing more than a bit of concern as she looked to the many bandages around Luna’s form. “It would... take a tremendous amount of m-magical power to sway my sun without familiarity with it, as I’m sure it would for your moon as well.”

Suddenly, Celestia nearly went to the floor. She clenched her eyes shut and grit her teeth, clutching a hoof to her stomach and grunting.

“Sister!” Luna crouched down and held a hoof to the pale mare’s side. Celestia forced an eye open, though there was still a pained grimace on her face as she drew air between her teeth.

“I am f-fine… I… I-I…” She shook her head, before exhaling forcefully and fighting to catch her breath again. “I’m merely feeling… faint.”

Luna gently nudged her sister back toward the bed, and either from exhaustion or begrudging need of a short rest, Celestia didn’t offer much resistance and instead sat down once more.

“Oh… sister.” Luna frowned, bringing her hoof down and resting it atop one of Celestia’s.

Then, there was an abrupt knock at the doors, followed by a familiar voice.

“Luna, are you in there?” Cadence asked. Even through her muffled voice, the two sisters could detect a hint of urgency.

“Yes,” Luna answered.

“Please, come in,” Celestia spoke.

After a moment of hesitation, the doors cracked open and the pink alicorn stepped inside. She took one look at her aunts before her mouth fell agape at the state of the white mare.

“Oh my gosh… Celestia.” Cadence frowned.

Celestia made an effort to straighten up her posture and lift her head, though she could do little to affect the pained look in her eyes. “Nevermind me, Cadence. What is the matter?” She presumed. She had known the pink mare long enough to know when she had something to say.

It took a minute for Cadence to suppress her worry enough to get back on track. “Twilight and I have been looking through the slayer’s journal.” She explained, shifting her focus to Luna. “We think we’ve found out what’s wrong with Blue Bolt.”

“You have?” Luna asked, brightening up a bit. “That is wonderful.”

“That’s not all,” Cadence said, a bit of a serious air falling over her that caught the older alicorns off guard. She looked between the pair, paying particular attention to Celestia.

“You two need to hear this.”