Moonshine, the Solar Princess S1

A glowing candle illuminated the dark grey hall.

Moonshine let out a soft groan of fatigue, rising from the cold stone tiles to survey her surroundings. It looked like the hall of some ancient castle. Red curtains covered the tall windows and candelabras and portraits decorated the gray stone wall. It reminded her of the Castle of the Two Sisters, enough that for a moment she believed that that was where she was, but the cut of the stone beneath her hooves dissuaded her of that notion.

It was as though someone had tried to recreate the building off of a drawing, unsettlingly close but subtly off the mark. Every changed detail caught her eye like a small jolt, keeping her skittish as she tried to orient herself.

“Ah, Princess Moonshine, welcome to my humble abode.”

Moonshine looked up. Standing upon a raised platform on the far side of the hallway was a pony wearing a hooded cloak. Light from a stained glass window illuminated them, but shadow still fell across its face. Only their eyes were visible, but even these were obscured by some enchantment, hiding their true colors.

Moonshine stared at the figure before her. “Who are you?”

“A pertinent question, which we will address in due time,” the figure replied. Whoever this pony was, they were using some sort of spell to disguise their voice, but it wasn’t quite successful; there was still something vaguely feminine in her tone, something almost familiar that Moonshine couldn’t quite place.

“I’m sorry… I don’t even know what I’m doing here,” Moonshine stammered, trying take in all of her surroundings. “Why does this look like the Castle of the Two-" Moonshine was cut off when the cloaked pony covered her mouth with her hoof.

"Trust me when I say none of that matters right now. Here's what really matters...." the cloaked figure said as she took a few steps back before she made Twilight's Element of Magic appear in her red magical aura.

"Twilight's Element of Harmony! What have you done to her?!" Moonshine exclaimed.

"Your friend is unharmed....." the cloaked pony said. "My name is Viper by the way and all you need to know is that I'm not your enemy here Moonshine. All you have to do to leave is take the Element of Harmony...."

"Okay..... what's the catch?" Moonshine questioned with suspicion.

"Take the Element of Harmony......and destroy it...!" Viper exclaimed. Moonshine gasped, "Never! I would never destroy by best friends Element of Harmony...!"

"Why are you friends with such a pathetic unicorn?" Viper suddenly asked, catching Moonshine's attention greatly.

"Come again?" Moonshine quipped.

"You heard me. Twilight Sparkle is nothing but a nuisance to you, Moonshine. You are the daughter of the most powerful Princess in Equestria and yet you choose to live with a weak unicorn who doesn't really care about you." Viper said.

"H-How could you say such a thing...!" Moonshine exclaimed.

"Let me give you a prime example.... the Mean Six.... when they blew up your original home. Twilight blame everything on your; saying that you are to naïve and weak to be in Equestria and that your kindness is your greatest weakness. Also she said that Celestia and Luna didn't deserve you as a daughter or niece. Now tell what kind of 'friend' would say such a thing?" Viper questioned.

"T-Twilight was just blinded by her anger during that time! It wasn't her fault that she said those things about me." Moonshine defended.

"And yet you believe her, allowing for hopeless magic to enter your heart, causing you to turn grey and emotionless..." Viper smirked. "If Twilight Sparkle really was your friend then she wouldn't have been so cruel about your behavior."

"Twilight's not a perfect pony. She’s going to slip up from time to time. Like any average pony, she’s going to make mistakes–" Moonshine started before she was cut off.

“But she isn’t the average pony!” Viper shouted, slamming her hoof into the ground. "And these aren't average mistakes she’s made. She is mentally unstable weakling that deserves to be put in her place; by which I mean should be stripped of her magic and destroyed...."

Moonshine couldn't believe what she was hearing. "N-Never!" she exclaimed. "I could never turn on my bestest friend like that! We both have our differences, but that's what makes us stronger together. I may be the daughter of Princess Celestia and she may just be her student, but together we're both family to Mother and Auntie Luna. Twilight Sparkle is my oldest friend and I will never... ever turn on her!"

"AHHHH!" Viper yelled before she lunged at her and pinned her to the ground, "You fail to understand my logical and correct reasoning. No matter, soon you'll be mine so you won't have too...."

Moonshine growled at Viper when suddenly,

"WHO THOU INVADE MY NIECE'S DREAM?!" a booming voice came and appearing out of the moon was none other than Princess Luna.

"Auntie Luna...!" Moonshine said with joy. Luna landed and blasted Viper off of Moonshine. Moonshine got up as Luna hovered in front of her. "Are you alright, my niece?" Luna asked.

"Yes, I'm alright." Moonshine replied.

Viper chuckled at the Princess of the Night, "Well, Well, well, Princess Luna or should I say, Nightmare Moon?"

Princess Luna narrowed her eyes at Viper, "What is thou doing in thou niece's dream?" she demanded to know.

"Just convincing her that her so called friend is nothing more than a pathetic pony holding her back from her true potential." Viper smirked. "Twilight is nothing more than just a mentally unstable unicorn who shouldn't be allowed to be friends with such a alicorn pony such as Moonshine."

"Twilight is not mentally unstable!" Moonshine defended.

"Oh really? Then why did she stress herself to the brink of mental collapse when she was bust caring for baby Spike while at the same time studying for her classes. You offered to help her, but she kept rejecting it until she reached her breaking point." Viper growled.

"So. Twilight learned her lesson that day. That Mother wasn't giving her an assignment. Mother simply gave her another friend in Spike." Moonshine defended.

"Thou shall not speak ill of my sisters' prized pupil!" Luna exclaimed. "And thou shall not invade my nieces' dreams anymore!" Luna activated her magic and banished Viper from Moonshine's dream before the pair found themselves in the dream realm.

"Are you hurt, Moonshine?" Luna asked.

"I'm okay, Auntie Luna. But just who is this Viper?" Moonshine asked.

"I do not know, but I know that this 'Viper' character is a major threat. If Viper tried to convince you what she thinks of my sisters' pupil then Twilight may be her desired target. Keep an eye on your precious friend, Moonshine. Her life may depend on it...." Luna said and Moonshine nodded before Luna activated her magic again and all Moonshine saw was white.

............

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...........

Moonshine gasped as she woke in her bed with Rockurff, Lycanroc, Mudbray and Toothless sleeping near her bed. Moonshine caught her breath and stared at the moon, thinking about what her Aunt said. "Who is Viper? And what does she have against Twilight...?" Moonshine thought as she laid back down in her bed, staring at the ceiling with those burning questions running through her head.