Dreams of Forever

With one last breath, Twilight reopened her eyes and looked between her anxiously waiting friends. A few bumps from the train going over the tracks brought back the nervousness as much as the mere thought. Without Duskwing there, and with Somnia asleep, she felt a lot less certain about the prospect of telling other ponies about the secret. With one last swallow, she let it out. “I’m pregnant.”

Out of the five, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity all gasped, each with mixed reactions, while Applejack and Rainbow Dash exchanged bits, clearly Applejack being the winner. “When are you due?” Fluttershy fluttered her wings in excitement. “How long? Do you need to go shopping for a crib and baby supplies? Can I help?” She gave the purple princess puppy-dog eyes that screamed of hope.

“Twilight, darling, I don’t mean to be the odd one out, but are you sure you’re ready for this?” Rarity asked with genuine concern, the others turning to her, confused. “I-It’s not that I don’t support your decision! I’m only worried you may be getting ahead of yourself.”

“I’m certain, Rarity. I know what you’re thinking, that I’m rushing this, or that Duskwing may not turn out to be the right choice, but he’s been a great surrogate dad for Nightwind. And I made a promise,” Twilight turned to the sleeping filly next to her, “I’m not going to abandon a foal of mine, no matter what.”

“I never suggested you do any such thing.” Rarity shook her head. “I’m sorry if you took it that way. You were correct about the second concern, though. I have no doubt that Duskwing will be a wonderful father to your foal–”

“Then what? That him and I will separate?” Twilight straightened up defensive.

The fashionista sighed. “I just don’t want you to be a single mother.”

While Applejack and Rainbow Dash were watching the two argue, Pinkie was uncharacteristically quiet, something that turned the two’s heads at the sight of. “Pinkie, ya look like more nervous than a filly at a timber wolf convention. Somethin’ wrong?” Applejack whispered to the party mare.

“N-No. Everything’s fine.” She gave a nervous chuckle, casting her vision back to Twilight. “Just thinking of all the party planning I’ll need to do for the baby shower and wedding, that’s all.”

While Somnia appeared to be sleeping, she was actually listening to every word and emotion expressed. Her mind ran through the possibilities of the varied reactions. While Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack were all happy for their friend and Rarity was concerned, Pinkie was something else. The chaotic energies within her muddied accurate readings, but what little could be deduced wasn’t a good sign: she was scared. Of what, Somnia didn’t know, but based on the other emotions, it wasn’t jealousy. It was... guilt?

I take it you are seeing what I’m seeing. Grar asked his host. Should we ask, or should we leave it be for now?

Leave it be. Hopefully, I’m misreading the emotions and she’s only jealous. I don’t even want to think of what she would be guilty for.

“He’ll make a great husband! Why can’t you trust me on that?!” Twilight’s argument with Rarity had finally escalated to yelling.

“Because this is your first relationship, and I don’t want to see you hurt.” She responded, her voice a little louder but still relatively calm. “It hasn’t even been four months since you met him. How do you know if he’s the right fit?”

“Because I knew him before! Our relationship is going to be alright! We were married for three thousand years and had three foals together! And this is our foal! I’m not going to separate them from their father!”

“You don’t remember those times, darling.” Rarity gave a deep sigh. “If you believe you’ll be fine, then I trust you. I just don’t want to see–”

“Alright, that’s enough.” Somnia got up and hugged her mother. “Mom, it’s okay.”

“I-I just...” She closed her eyes and sighed, tearing up.

Somnia turned back to Rarity. “Sorry about that. She’s under a lot of stress with the increased royal duties, and the pregnancy is doing what it does. Hormones and all that.”

“I-I’m fine.” Twilight wiped the tears from her eyes. “Sorry for yelling, Rarity. I know you mean well.”

“It’s alright, darling.” Rarity got up and sat next to Twilight, bringing her into a hug. “I know it’s probably tough to go through all of these changes to your body.”

“Exactly how long have ya known?” Applejack finally asked, the others looking to Twilight.

“About seven weeks. I found out on Somnia’s birthday.” Twilight wiped her eyes again. “I was about two weeks pregnant at the time.”

“Guess that explains the mood swings.” Rainbow broke into a laugh, getting a jab from Applejack. “Ow!”

“So you’re expecting in the summer?” Fluttershy leaned closer, a huge smile on her face. “We need to go shopping before winter. Oh, I can’t wait to see your little foal!” She squeaked in joy.

Rarity bit her lip. “It would also explain the extra weight.”

“I’m not that fat yet!” Twilight snapped back, startling her friends.

“Shh, it’s temporary, and it’s only going to keep growing.” Somnia calmed her mother back down. “Don’t worry, it’ll go away after you give birth.”

Twilight took a minute to take a few breaths before turning back to her curious friends. “I can’t use magic because I have an alicorn medical condition.” She tapped the ring at the base of her horn. “That’s the real reason for this.”

“We’ll help in any way we can. You’re our friend. Come get us if ya need help movin’ anythin’ around.” Applejack winked.

“Yeah, come get me anytime!” Rainbow affirmed, the others nodding in confirmation of their devotion.

“Thank you, all of you. I’ll probably need some help with the crib and–”

“GO!” Somnia pushed her mother from the seat. While Twilight cantered from the room, Somnia turned to the others. “Bladder. You know how it is.”

“Actually, none of us do.” Rainbow scratched the back of her head. “We haven’t had foals.”

“I meant information-wise.” The filly deadpanned.

A few minutes later, Twilight reentered and sat back down with a contented sigh. “Thanks for the warning.”

“Don’t want you peeing yourself again, now do we?” Somnia giggled, the other elements suppressing their own laughs at Twilight’s embarrassment.

“Do you know what kind they are? They a bat like their dad?” Rainbow asked, her wings fluttering. “It’d be so cool to teach a batpony to fly!”

“I do know what kind of pony they are, but that’s going to be revealed at the baby shower.” Twilight winked. “Don’t worry, I think you’ll all be surprised at what they are.”

For the rest of the train ride, the elements asked a variety of questions about how she felt, or gave suggestions on what they could help with pre and post birth. Somnia tuned out most of it to return to her resting, Twilight breaking down in tears again with another sudden surge of hormones, thanking her friends for all their support.

Despite returning to a happier demeanor, Somnia could tell Pinkie was worried. The party pony cast a few glances to her throughout the ride, giving her an understanding of the concern she had.

Celestia had told her about what she really is, and what it meant for her future. Or lack thereof.

Unlocking the door, Celestia deeply sighed before pushing through. “Lulu, I have your breakfast.”

Wrapped up under the sheets was her sister, still mopping in her own thoughts. Once she walked over to the other side of the bed, she set down the tray on the nightstand and sat to face her sister directly. “Are you willing to talk now?”

“No. Go away.” She mumbled, turning her eyes onto Celestia.

“Lulu, it’s been nearly a month. Laying in bed won’t make you feel any better.” Celestia rubbed a hoof along her sister’s cheek that was covered by dark purple silken bed sheets. “Please, tell me what happened.”

“No.” She pulled the sheet over her head in defiance.

As she stood back up, Celestia locked the door before tearing the sheet from her sister. “I’ve had enough of this, Luna! Nobles are already asking what happened to you, and I’ve had to hold more than a few uncomfortable meetings on my own. Quit being selfish and get up!”

“Selfish?!” Luna shot up, stepping down from her bed, her mane in a disastrous state. “I’m not the one who suggested she be foalnapped! I’m not the one who put her own personal ambitions ahead of the life of a foal!”

“I’m not the one who nearly got her killed!” Celestia snapped back. “That was you! Accept that it happened and move on! You bucked up! I wanted to break her so she couldn’t be a threat to us, not turn her against us even more! Do you know what the doctor’s report said?! She would have bled out if she hadn’t been brought to the hospital, that’s how severe the internal injuries were!”

“It was your plan–”

“And I would never have accepted such brutal retaliation!” Celestia backed Luna into her bed. “You did! You let them do whatever they wanted, and now she’s an even greater threat! I trusted you understood what needed to be done, but instead you go ahead and make such a horrible decision on your own, like you always do!”

“OH! That’s what this is about?! That I’m not as good at placating aristocrats as the ‘great and benevolent’ Princess Celestia?!”

“Grow the buck up, Luna! You agreed to the plan because you threw a hissy fit about losing your oh-so-precious thestrals! What did you actually do for them?! You bitch and whine about improving thestral rights, but then are blown over by a light breeze! Stop being a spineless coward and try behaving like my co-monarch for once in your life!”

Sniffling back the tears, Luna turned to her meal. “Leave.”

“Fine! But I want you back for the meeting with the E.U.P. General Staff this evening. If you aren’t up by then, then I’ll...” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, lowering her voice. “Just be there, please? I don’t want to keep doing all of this alone. I want you to be my equal. I want ponies to see that they can rely on you to do as good of job as me. If you need more time alone, I’ll let you have it, but I need you to start performing your duties again.”

Celestia walked back toward the door, rubbing her head with a hoof as she went to unlock it. “Wait...”

“Yes?” She turned back to her sister, donning a lighter, hopeful smile.

“She made me experience what they did to her.” Luna let out a shaken sigh, turning fully to her sister. “I-I felt as they raped and beat her. For nine days, I felt everything they did. E-Every time they raped her, every punch a-and scratch, and everything she felt f-from the first time until they... H-How they carved her horn up and plucked out her feathers...” She extended a wing and rubbed it. “Tia, I-I never felt something that painful in my entire life. Not even being purified by the Elements of Harmony hurt like that.”

“Lulu...” Celestia walked back over, hugging her sister. “It wasn’t you. Yes, she suffered greatly because of what they did, but that didn’t happen to you. You’re alright.”

“It may as well have.” Luna whispered, keeping her vision on the floor. With a great sigh, she hugged back her sister. “I don’t want anypony else to experience that. Somnia was right. I needed to know the full weight of my actions. I needed to experience that pain. Both of us did.”

“There’s more, isn’t there?” Celestia cleared the messy mane from Luna’s eyes, seeing the desperation within.

“I-I can’t sleep soundly. Scenes of what happened keep coming back, over and over and over again. I keep reliving it as clear as the first time, all that pain and–“ She cut herself off, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Somnia left a message at the end of every night. She keeps telling me that only I can defeat the Tantabus and end the nightmares. B-But I don’t know how...” Luna grimaced, closing her eyes while tears ran down her face.

“You are strong, my sister. You made the Tantabus on your own, and you would have defeated it if she hadn’t intervened.” Celestia smile fell. “She is trying to play your emotions to her benefit. I don’t want to say it, but we’ve both been played by her. We need to move on, together, in order to ensure Equestria is protected against her worst impulses.”

Luna considered it a minute, turning away from her sister over to the bedside table with the small figurine of Star Swirl. He had always spoken of the necessity of sacrifice, that certain things were too important to let personal feelings get in the way. Both her mother and father had that flame the last time she saw them, that determination to do what was right despite how much it hurt. Turning back to her sister, Luna could see the same determination in Celestia’s eyes as was in Star Swirl’s. That was in her mother’s. That was in dad’s...

“Leave me to get ready. I’ll- I’ll be down in an hour.”

“What do you want to do after visiting the boutique?” Twilight leaned down to Somnia and Spike. “We got some time while in Canterlot.”

“I wanna go shopping for more comics. Not sure about the two of you, but there’s a new series I’ve been recommended by Gizmo I’ve been dying to read!” Spike exclaimed.

“I wouldn’t mind going to the statue garden.” Somnia shrugged with a hoof indifferently.

“Are you sure you two don’t want to do something together?” Twilight tried again. “I was thinking we try out an escape room.”

“I’d be down for that.” Spike nodded along with Somnia.

“Great!” Twilight straightened up as they approached the boutique, Rarity unlocking the door and leading them inside. The other elements awed the delicately decorated interior of the boutique, expertly crafted dresses designed by Rarity were carefully presented around the central display area. Stairs to the right of the central stage led to an upper level, with even more dresses available to be browsed, a much larger display stage covered by curtains on the left half of the room.

“I take it from your reaction that you like the boutique?” Rarity beamed to her friends proudly.

“It’s lovely.” Fluttershy spoke up.

“Gosh, Rarity. I know hard work when I see it, but how did all this get done while ya were in Ponyville?” Applejack asked, curious.

“I’ve been working hard on the dresses from Ponyville, however, I never could have gotten the boutique ready for the grand opening without the help of my new manager Sassy Saddles!” She announced, a taller light blue mare with a multi-shaded orange mane trotting in from one of the back rooms.

“Bust my buttons, Rarity! The ponies from Ponyville!” she exclaimed to the greetings of the other elements.

“I knew I needed a manager for Canterlot Carousel, so when Sassy showed me her resume and I saw she worked in all the finest boutiques in Canterlot, I hired her right on the spot!”

“I then laid out this plan,” Sassy levitated over a folded thick fabric, “or ‘pattern’ as we say in the fashion biz, for Canterlot Carousel so that Rarity’s boutique will be a guaranteed success and those doors will never, ever, ever close!” Sassy finished with a flourish.

“Wow, Sassy. Your attention to detail is truly impressive.” Twilight complimented.

“I’ve already put a pin in the first piece of the pattern: Beautify the Boutique! But next was the very crucial pattern piece: Marketing to the Mares! Turns out that everypony here loves royalty!”

“So I created a collection that beautifully revolved around the royal element of Canterlot!” Rarity added.

“And it just so happens there’s a hot new princess in Equestria!”

“In every poll Sassy Saddles took, you were the most popular princess!” Rarity said to Twilight. “Coincidentally, one of my gowns is inspired by the window in Canterlot Castle commemorating your coronation!” She and Sassy made their way over to the stage to unveil a beautifully designed dress with jewels lined along it and fake wings protruding from the back, the elements awing at the display.

“Oooo! What place did I come in?” Somnia proceeded to the edge of the stage, glancing expectantly between Sassy and Rarity, the former scratching the back of her neck.

“You weren’t included. Honestly, I forgot you even existed, princess.” Sassy gave her a nervous smile. “And success in the fashion biz revolves around marketing toward the adult patrons, no offense.”

“We can look at the ‘Favorite Princess’ poll next time it comes out, promise.” Twilight cheekily rubbed her daughter’s head.

“While I’ve always prided myself on paying attention to detail, I’ve taken my latest collection to a whole new level with ‘Rarity’s Rules of TLC’!” Rarity proclaimed.

“Judging by this baby, TLC stands for Tasty Liquorice Candy!” Pinkie hopped up onto a clearly unfinished design, falling off as the cape became undone from the back.

“TLC stands for ‘Time, Love, and Couture’.” Rarity clarified, walking over to Pinkie. “And while I do agree that this dress has potential, I’ve not had enough time to give it enough love to become couture.” She floated the poniquin and back cape into the nearby room, closing the door. “But the rest of the gowns in tonight’s line have met Rarity’s Rules and are ready to be presented!”

“That one kinda looked like what we had back in Excalicorn.” Somnia giggled to her mother, getting one back.

“My marketing research also confirmed that customers that viewed somepony famous wearing a gown wish to own that gown for themselves.” Sassy unrolled another few sections of her ‘pattern.’ “I call this piece of the pattern Celebrity Status!”

“So, Twilight, we were wondering if perhaps you might possibly wear this for the grand opening?” Rarity sweetly asked her friend.

“If being a princess and wearing that dress can help your boutique, then I say stick a pin in it. It’s done!” Twilight smiled back.

“Alright, everypony! Let’s set the stage!” Sassy proclaimed, pulling the curtain on the main stage back over the inspired dress.

“Twilight, if you wouldn’t mind going back stage and putting it on...” Rarity grinned to her friend. “Just go upstairs when you’re done and wait for my signal before going to the top of the stairs.”

“No problem, Rarity!” Twilight trotted off over to the stage and headed behind the curtains. Somnia and Spike both headed to the upper level while they opened the boutique to the public, going for the ‘non-pony' section.

“What do you think of the place?” Somnia poked at one of the griffon dresses. They barely had anything in stock for non-ponies, and all of it was for griffons. While limited in variety, Rarity still masterfully designed each outfit with the utmost level of care, and it showed.

“It’s great! It’s nice to see Rarity fulfilling her lifelong dream.” Spike grabbed a suit for male griffons, carefully examining it.

Somnia, can you please get Rarity for me? We have a problem. Twilight signaled over the telepathic link.

“I gotta go help mom.” Somnia gave an apologetic smile to Spike. “She’s having trouble fitting into the dress.”

She trotted back down the stairs to where Rarity was watching the incoming guests with barely contained enthusiasm. “Psst, Rarity?”

“Hmm?” She turned back absently. “Do you need something, Somnia?”

“Mom needs some help.” She smiled, trotting past Rarity. “You might want to come along.”

The two traveled back to the dressing area next to the stage, Fluttershy and Twilight sitting there with the dress only partially on. Rarity realized the problem immediately, the blood rushing from her face.

“I’m so sorry, Rarity, but...” Twilight tried fitting herself through the front section, the fabric tightening to its limit before she got her foreleg through the sleeve.

“I-I didn’t...” She took a deep breath, donning a nervous smile. “N-No problem. We’ll just make some last-minute adjustments.” Rarity trotted up to Twilight and began taking updated measurements. She bit her lip as she began undoing the front section.

“Probably should have accounted for mares with thicker front legs.” Somnia giggled next to Fluttershy.

“This should have fit her based on my old measurements from the gala.” Rarity sighed. “But I didn’t consider the extra girth from retaining water.”

“It’s fine, Rarity. I understand.” Twilight kept still while her friend redid the front sleeves and helped her put it on, slipping it over her.

“Alright, how does it feel?”

“Much better.” Twilight adjusted the band around her barrel, her body swaying slightly as she temporarily felt light-headed. “Good thing this is stretchy for those extra pounds.”

“Rarity! What are you–“ Sassy stopped as she turned the corner. “Is something wrong?”

“Just some last-minute adjustments.” Rarity stood back up and circled around Twilight. “There. Looks like how it’s supposed to.”

“It is time to start the presentation!” Sassy pushed Rarity back out of the curtained area impatiently as Twilight and Somnia made their way to the stairs backstage to bring them to the upper level of the boutique.

Twilight took a few breaths as they climbed the stairs, Somnia acting as support. They stopped further back on the upper level so that the ponies down below wouldn’t see her.

“You alright?” Somnia checked her mother’s temperature. She already knew the answer, but formalities were formalities.

“No...” Twilight suppressed a burp. “Why do I feel so sick all of a sudden?”

“Come on.” Somnia gave an unamused glance to her mother’s belly.

“I’ve already thrown up this morning.” Twilight closed her eyes, taking a few more breaths. “And it shouldn’t be coming this late.”

“Alicorn foals are like that. They are far more intense to gestate.” Somnia picked up Twilight’s leg and checked the pulse, her own heart skipping a beat as she realized the real problem. Her mind flashed back to the notes in the data-slates, all the details surrounding her mother’s condition. Whispering to herself: “Shit!”

“What’s wrong?” She stared into her daughter’s fearful eyes. “Is it bad?”

“Heart rate is too high.” Somnia sighed. “And with the extra water and sudden onset of sickness...” She paused, biting her lip. “We need to get you to the hospital.”

“W-What’s wrong?” Twilight asked again, her mind reeling at what it could mean.

“That horn fungus I mentioned can manifest elsewhere. It’s a more severe version of the illness, but can be dealt with.” Somnia helped her mother up, Twilight’s back legs shaking violently. “Let’s get you back downstairs and out of this dress. I’ll get Applejack and we’ll take you to the hospital, alright? It’s going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.” She tried to calm her mother down as she helped her back to the stairs to the backstage area.

Her mind kept going through the motions of formulas for the medication related to the fungus. While her mother was predisposed to the horn variant, the systemic variant was a real possibility, a one-in-a-hundred chance per instance. The partner of Uncle Tacis had the same problem, and unfortunately, that didn’t turn out well. She didn’t want to think of losing either of them, but if push came to shove, she would choose her mother’s life over her sister’s, not that there was a choice given how early it was.

Once they got to the bottom of the stairs, Twilight took a seat and refused to go further, grimacing at the tightening in her chest. Somnia looked her over, checking everything she reasonably could.

Damn it!

“Damn it indeed.” Somnia mumbled. “Mom, stay right here. Do not move or relax too much.”

“W-What’s... happening?” She asked, her voice wispy, terrified of the sudden loss of her ability to breathe with ease.

“You’re having a heart attack. Stay here!” Somnia galloped back out to the crowd, the other elements watching as Rarity presented the royal dresses. She ran up to the elements, grabbing Applejack and Fluttershy to bring them back with her, Rarity watching on from the stage curiously and slightly concerned.

Once at the back, they saw Twilight carefully monitoring her breathing and clutching her chest. “Twilight!” Applejack and Fluttershy rushed over.

“I need you to make sure she stays awake and doesn’t move from this spot. Hit her in the face if you have to! And rip off that damn dress!” Somnia disappeared with a gust of wind that nearly blew over Fluttershy.

Once she repositioned the last piece, Somnia sped her way to the seal and opened it wide, quickly galloping down the hallway and into her lab. She stopped part of the way to the relevant area in order to prevent damage to her equipment, choosing to gallop into her alchemy lab at regular speed. On throwing open the refrigerator door, she began taking out various ingredients she had stockpiled, piling them onto the table. She proceeded to the solid equipment, grabbing a fresh rock-slate and started carving various runes into it from memory.

Somnia, that is incredibly dangerous! You’ll get ponies killed if you–

“There’s no choice!” She shouted back, her tears falling as she finished inscribing the runes into the slate. Grabbing the ingredients, she performed the tasks needed to create the single potion capable of healing her mother’s systemic infection without harming her sister. All the ingredients were measured and input into the different sections of the system to run through, Somnia readjusting several of the connections as they processed in the initial stages.

She grabbed her knife once more, stabbing her leg and lodging the blade inside as she bled onto the runes. Once activated, she moved back over to the other alchemy equipment to make sure it was processing correctly. With everything in order, she impatiently waited as the ingredients processed. Heart’s Desire, Angel Petals, Soulsand, and various minor ingredients. There was no other choice but to accept that all Tartarus would break loose.

The midas agent pooled above the rune-slate, signalling Somnia to grab the ground-up mana crystal dust to activate the slate beneath. She prayed her instructions as the temperature of the room dropped, before sharply increasing as a portal to Tartarus itself was opened. She waited as the midas agent changed from yellow, to red, to a deep green, energies from the unholy place flowing from the portal into the brewed liquid above with various screams of the damned being heard.

Closing the portal, she began sending the solution back through the system, combining with the processed angel petals and soulsand. Five minutes since leaving for the lab, another five to get back. She hoped the next stage wouldn’t begin until thirty, giving her a few minute window before a choice needed to be made.

The liquid got to the centrifuge where Somnia switched it on and waited for it to finish, holding her head in her hooves. She could vaguely sense the energies of Tartarus beginning to worsen. Moving over to the control center, she donned her saddlebags and a modified energy pistol while she waited for it to finish processing, slowly prepping herself for what she would have to do. Every part of her was afraid to confront what she could only describe as demons in-the-flesh. While not alone, it would still be excruciating to protect as many as possible.

Or so she hoped.

A ding alerted her to the finished potion. Moving back to the lab, she poured it out into one of the enchanted vials she recovered from Grar’s lab and proceeded over to one of the locked fridges where she grabbed several omni-heal potions to take with her. Prepared as she ever would be, she bolted back upstairs, not bothering to close the lab before galloping through the forests and fields between Ponyville and Canterlot at the speed of sound.

A pulse signaled the breaking of the sound barrier, her using the railway tracks to get back up the mountain and to Canterlot, jumping over the wall. She made sure her legs took the full brunt of the impact, temporarily halting her in place. A few bystanders looked over curiously, but she was only there for a few full seconds before bolting again.

Forty seconds.

As she burst open the door to the boutique, she saw several ponies turn toward her. Once she moved past them, she returned to regular speed as she reached Twilight and her friends. Her mother moved on to hyperventilating, on the verge of passing out.

“Drink this!” Somnia took out the vial of a nearly black liquid, passing it to Fluttershy for administering. Carefully forcing Twilight to drink it, the yellow pegasus was relieved when Twilight grabbed it and chugged it down.

Not needing to see anymore, Somnia put her saddlebags down and walked outside where she waited for the time to elapse.

Five. Four... Buck this. Buck this!

She didn’t dare open her eyes as a portal to Tartarus was opened a street over, then another, then a third, fourth... up to the eighth. Exactly as many as necessary. Her hooves moved at the speed of lightning toward the first portal, impacting the Tartarus beast that tried leaving with her hoof, breaking whatever skull it had. She moved from portal to portal in the hopes to keep them back from leaving that street as they tried pouring out.

After a minute of suppressing them, all eight closed, and a single large one opened. A gargantuan beast exited followed by its lesser spawn. Opening her eyes, Somnia gagged from the rotten mound of mismatched body parts and patchy flesh that oozed puss and blood. She could see the residents of the street in her mind’s eye, the sheer level of mental anguish they were undergoing not enviable.

I hope you’re ready. That thing is a proper lesser chaotic entity. Grar commented as the creature grinned down at her with its misshapen bloody teeth.

Shdy sdusdowkj hfuejkdfngt dufudjk. It mocked as its creatures gathered around or scurried into the side streets. Somnia could already see pegasus guards approaching from all directions via the air, but they couldn’t handle something like this. Their purpose was for cleanup.

Bring it, you bastard! Somnia activated her magical aura and charged the beast at the speed of sound. It was only barely able to keep up with her speed of motion as she impacted its legs, moving up its body as it grabbed her back leg with one of its stray arms. She could feel the very flesh corrupting by the touch, but couldn’t pay attention to that at the moment. Using her overcharged energy pistol, she plunged her hoof into a weak point on its back and fired.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Rainbow kept her ears covered as an intense drone crippled everypony in the room, all except for Twilight and Pinkie.

“It, ah. It ain’t that bad.” Applejack winced from the pain, crawling along the floor to hold Rainbow Dash.

“This was supposed to be my grand opening...” Rarity cried, holding her head while she shook on the ground. “Why now?! Why today?!”

Out of the four, Fluttershy was eerily quiet, sitting with her eyes closed and regulating her breathing as best she could against the psychological onslaught. The others in attendance for the grand opening huddled into balls, cried, screamed, held their head, or any combination of the four.

“Why aren’t you hurting like them?” Twilight asked her pink friend.

“Hehe... don’t know?” She gave an unconvincing laugh while picking up Somnia’s saddlebags to check the contents, putting the saddlebags on her own back.

After a minute, the droning ended and the door to the boutique broke open. The occupants turned over and began screaming in terror as a Tartarus beast lunged at one reporter, skewering them in its unholy talons, ripping them in half to spill blood and guts along the floor.

It lunged at Fluttershy just as a brilliant blast of light turned it to ash, Celestia entering from the outside. “Twilight! Somnia!”

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight galloped over to her mentor as they stepped over the corpse of the unfortunate pony. “What’s going on?! Where’s Somnia?!”

“Probably Tartarus.” Celestia shook her head. “I’ve sent Luna to retrieve her from within. What caused all of this?”

“I-I don’t know. I was...” She let out a gasp, realizing what her daughter must have done. “Somnia gave me a potion.”

“What kind of potion?” Celestia narrowed her eyes.

“I-I was having a heart attack because of my condition, and she went to get something to heal me.” Twilight stared at the bloody top half of the deceased pony beyond Celestia, her voice going faint at their fading eyes. “She caused this to save me.”

Celestia stepped past her student toward the other elements. “We need to get you all to the castle. The streets aren’t safe with those monsters loose. The guard is trying to eliminate them, but I’m afraid that is going to take some time.”

“W-What about us, princess?” One mare from the floor asked, standing up on shaky legs along with the nearly two dozen others in attendance. “A-Are we going to be safe?”

“Rarity. Open the backroom for them.” Celestia commanded before turning back to the mare with a mother-like smile. “I want all of you to shelter in place and defend yourselves to the last. They will give you no mercy should they find you, so fight with everything you have. Five guards will arrive within the next hour to protect the premises and you. Do not be alarmed by their appearance. They are completely loyal to the crown.”

The other elements followed Celestia past the dead body outside where they heard laser fire and saw smoke rising from other areas nearby. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity all climbed onto the regal sister who took flight with the others. Ascending above the nearest buildings, they saw the extent of the damage.

The explosion they heard not long after the droning started had reduced several buildings around it to burning rubble and ignited several more into a torrent of flames. Smoke from other parts of the city rose while pegasus guards and Wonderbolts flew from site to site, scouring the city for the other monsters.

Twilight dared to look down as she flew, seeing the occasional bloodied corpse on the streets below or similar monstrous creatures darting between the alleyways as royal guards pursued them. She spotted a guard get ambushed by a creature, blood splattering around them right before other nearby unicorn guards fired lasers into the beast, angering it further.

The group landed in front of the castle gate, which was the only part not covered by a massive shield erected by the castle defenders, opening to solar and lunar guards which galloped or flew into the city behind while they trotted past.

Celestia took them all into the throne room, several nobles anxiously pacing around the chamber. She floated the saddlebags Pinkie had grabbed, checking the contents before she passed them to a guard. “Get these to the medics and hospitals. Only the worst hurt should receive them.”

“Princess! What is going on?!” Fancy Pants demanded.

“Lord Fancy Pants, please, I barely know myself.” Celestia walked past him and sat upon the temporary throne setup at the base of the actual throne. “Twilight?” She motioned for her student to take the seat next to her. Once seated, Celestia asked. “What happened? What condition? Does it have to do with your pregnancy?”

“Princess Twilight’s pregnant?” Fancy Pants raised a brow.

“Somnia told me about a fungus in my horn.” She touched the suppressant ring. “It’s why I can’t use magic and we had to cancel the weapon demonstration. I retained water, and my heart felt like it was...” Twilight shook her head. “A-Anyway, she said it had to do with me being a unicorn-type alicorn, and that I developed a more severe version. She left Fluttershy and Applejack with me while she went to her lab, then she came back with that potion and her saddlebags.”

“Harmony’s Bane.” Celestia nodded. “I know the condition. Luna–“ She bit her tongue, resulting in a deep regretful sigh. “When Luna was pregnant in our youth, she developed the condition. Unfortunately, her foal was a stillborn, but she had to go a few years without magic while the fungus went away.”

“Luna had a foal?! But I thought–“ Twilight cut herself off as Celestia raised a hoof.

“Even the most regal make mistakes. She retook her vow of celibacy following that event, and it took me years to get her comfortable around other foals.” Celestia floated over a few papers to examine. “It’s not public knowledge, for what should be obvious reasons.”

“Clearly there is a lot that we in the inner circle haven’t been told.” Fancy Pants added, looking between the two while the other elements finished being checked out by the two castle nurses in the room. “It really shouldn’t surprise me after what’s happened these past few months.”

“What happened after you drank the potion?” Celestia put the papers down and turned to her pupil.

“I-I don’t know. I blacked out for a moment, and when I woke up, I saw my friends and all those other ponies on the ground screaming. Then an explosion happened outside, and then that monster...” She bit back the tears. “W-Where’s Somnia?”

“I told you, Tartarus.” Celestia smiled down at her. “I now see what she did. She caused that explosion to destroy the physical form of herself and the Tartarus Lord to force them to fight in personal combat with their souls. She must have closed the gate from the other side after bringing it back through. Don’t worry, she’ll be back in a few days at worst.”

“How do you know? She could be–”

“She’ll be fine. She’s a partially developed Grand Councilor with half of the second most powerful creature on Equus attached to her. Probably won't even have difficulty getting back.” Celestia cut Twilight off, turning back to the paperwork she was eyeing over. “Unfortunately, that means our plans will have to be put off. The high command will want to speak with Somnia about her constant endangerment of Equestria.”

“She’s responsible for all of this?” Fancy Pants stood up straighter. “The city is under attack by monstrosities, ponies are dying, and not only is it because of her, but she also isn’t even here to help?!”

“She did it to save me and her sibling!” Twilight shot back.

“Trust me, Lord Fancy Pants, she will be receiving punishment for this.” Celestia rubbed between her eyes. “Even though I understand her reasons, this was reckless, well beyond what other ponies would be willing to dismiss.”

“What will you do to her?” Twilight grabbed her mentor’s foreleg, pleading with her eyes. “She didn’t–”

“Nothing serious. She will simply need to understand the full consequences of her actions.” Celestia bit her cheek. “I was thinking of making her attend the funerals of every pony killed by her recklessness and then performing some charity trips for the crown. Seems fitting - in a poetic way - after what she did to Luna.”

The statement only deepened Twilight’s concern. “What did she do?”

“That is neither here nor there.” Celestia dismissed, tugging her foreleg free. “The guards will show you and your friends to your rooms. I’ll send somepony to bring you back down for the debrief with Captain Stampede and Captain Thorn.”

The great metal doors opened wide, screeching from the magical exertion put upon them. With a sigh, Luna walked into the darkened halls of what little remained of the Tartarian prison complex. Cages stacked to either side with various dangerous magical creatures, keeping her eyes forward on the puppy ahead of her that panted in excitement at her approach.

“Hello again, Cerberus.” She stopped to give each of the three heads some pets, receiving a flurry of wet licks in return and laughing. “It’s nice to see you too!”

She continued down to the first ‘cell’ with the caged centaur that caused so much concern in times past. “Tirek, have any visitors today?”

“What do you think, princess?” He asked with as much venom as possible while glaring at her. “Come to gloat for the fourth time this week?”

Her grin turned up, deciding to throw him a bone. “Actually, I’ve been coming by for Queen Somnia.” She walked around his cage, Tirek following her with his eyes until she disappeared behind him. “The one alicorn you missed and who you nearly killed by accident.”

“Sounds like another lie fabricated by you to try throwing me off when I get out of here.” He gave a devilish grin on her way back around into his sight. “If I almost killed her by accident, she can’t be that much of a threat.”

“Oh?” Luna stopped in front of his cage. “Do you know where she is right now? Likely fighting her way through the chasms below us toward the Steps of Kronos or already on her way back up.”

“Likely story...” He tilted his head to peer past Luna, his brow furrowing. “And who would this be?”

Turning, Luna saw the ash covered filly with a scowl on her face and a bag slung over her back. “Somnia, so glad of you to join us.”

“Gee. Thanks.” She walked over to the two, standing next to Luna to stare at the centaur. “Who are you?”

“An innocent soul the princesses of Equestria–”

“Tirek.” Luna answered. “Remember back when the library blew up?”

“I wish I couldn’t.” The filly stepped forward, the ash falling from her as it turned into sand. “Ya know, you’re lucky nopony was killed when you stole our magic.”

“It’s not luck. I deliberately didn’t drain them to the point of death. I’m not a changeling.” He sneered. “And just what are you supposed to be? I never heard of a fifth alicorn in Equestria, even from that fool Discord.”

“Ever heard of ‘The Cyclical Truth’?” She raised a brow, the centaur raising his own.

“You know of the so-called ‘holy text’ of the gargoylian priesthood? You are very well educated for a filly.”

“It’s good to see at least one society remembers the Harmonic Empire. Well, I’m one of the Grand Councilors it mentioned.” She turned back to Luna. “Can we go home now?”

“Depends. What’s in the bag?” Luna pointed to it, the bag moving a little on its own.

“A lost soul.” Somnia turned and walked back toward the door, her eyes shimmering. “Lost, but now found.”

“It was good speaking again, Tirek. I’ll make sure to come back in another four hundred years.” Luna turned from the scowling centaur and followed the filly. Once at the door, she opened it up, the two stepping out into the fading sunlight before it closed.

Somnia sat down and took a deep breath as she carefully removed the bag, staring at the creature within. Unfolding it completely, she pulled out a sleeping foal and checked them for injuries.

“Would you mind telling me who that is?” Luna pointed at the foal in Somnia’s hooves.

“I don’t know.” She cradled the foal in her forelegs. “I really don’t, but they aren’t corrupted. Can we stop by the Ponyville orphanage on our way back? I don’t want them to be too far from me.”

“Why does it matter where they are? There’s nopony who even knows they exist.” Luna stepped closer, sitting down next to Somnia to brush the orange hair on the green furred foal. She could see Somnia’s face contorting as she examined the foal, her own heart aching at what the filly must be feeling. “Alright, we can stop by the orphanage.”

“Thank you.” Somnia whispered, turning up to Luna. “And I’m sorry for what I did to you. I-I was just so mad, I wasn’t–”

“Shhhh...” Luna put a wing around her. “You have every right to be mad about what I did. I’m just happy to hear that you are moving past it, as I will.”

“Thanks.” She leaned her head onto Luna as the foal stirred from their deep sleep, opening their eyes to the two ponies providing gentle smiles to them, and bursting into wailing tears. Somnia giggled. “I think somepony’s hungry.”

Luna stood back up, reaching out a hoof. “Then let’s not keep their meal waiting.”