Heavenly Crusaders

Nodding his head as he sees the others making their way across with the aid of coils formed with the serpent's long body, letting them get a little ways ahead before hopping across with Fluttershy following beside him. When he catches up to the others, he looks ahead to see the familiar rope bridge with the castle ruin just ahead and sees Twilight racing towards it and gasps when he sees that the ropes have been untied from the other side, shouting, "STOP HER! THE BRIDGE IS DOWN!"

Acting quickly, Rainbow darts forward and grabs her tail as she heads over the edge, then pulls her back to safety before letting go of her tail, saying, "What's with you and falling off cliffs today?"

Sighing in relief, he continues to walk forward as Rainbow flies over to grab the bridge and reattach the ropes when a heavy fog rolls in and blocks his view of the other side, saying, "Did more spirits move in since the others moved on?"

Lillith chuckles and says to him from her sanctum, "No dear, this is just more of Nightmare Moon's trickery. You can let them deal with things a while longer."

After a few moments, Rainbow returns successful as Twilight leads the group across to the other side, saying, "See? I'd never leave my friends hanging."

Following them across and into the castle, True Heart watches as Fluttershy and Rainbow grab the five small orbs as Twilight says, "The book said that when the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth element to be revealed."

Smirking as he figures it out, he watches Twilight try to use her magic to create a spark when a purple swirling tornado picks the elements up and tries to disappear with a teleport, spurring him into racing forth as Twilight jumps towards it and passes through it moments before it snaps shut.

Twilight lands roughly on cold stone when she feels a muzzle crash into her personal business, causing her eyes to widen, crying out, "COLD NOSE!"

Realizing where his muzzle is, True Heart jerks his head away, saying, "Terribly sorry!"

Blushing fiercely, she pins her tail between her cheeks and nods shyly, saying, "I-It's okay, but try not to let it happen again as I don't know you very well."

Nightmare Moon chuckles as she holds the elements with her mane and tail, saying, "So close, yet so far..."

Rising to his hooves, he watches as Twilight lowers her head and prepares to charge, saying, "You need armor to do that properly!"

Huffing in determination, she says, "I know what I'm doing!"

When she pauses a moment before taking off, he says, "I beg to argue!"

As she sees the young mare preparing to charge forward, she lowers her eyelids in disbelief, saying, "You're kidding...You're kidding, right?"

True Heart waits for an opportunity as Twilight's horn glows, wondering what she has in store for Nightmare Moon. When he watches the two get close to each other, the unicorn teleports to where the elements are lying.

Twilight then charges her horn to try to create a spark between the elements, saying, "Just one spark." Focusing harder, she says, "Come on, come on!"

He watches as Nightmare Moon turns into a tornado and rushes to the dais and lands before Twilight when a spark jumps from the elements to her horn and sends her flying backwards. When Twilight lands on her back, he watches her push herself back up as Nightmare Moon looks down in fear saying no a couple of times.

Watching the shimmering aura around the elements with a smirk, that smirk disappears when they stop shimmering and continue to be inert, saying in shock, "But where's the sixth element?"

True Heart starts walking forward as he watches Nightmare Moon rear up and slam them down on the ground, causing the elements to shatter into pieces, looking to his left at Twilight, saying, "I will buy you some time to figure something out, try not to take forever."

As the pieces fall to the floor, Nightmare Moon laughs and says, "You little foal! Thinking you could defeat me!" She then stands taller and snorts, saying, "Now you will never see your princess, or your sun. Which means...The night will last...forever!"

Approaching the dais with a smirk, he interrupts her laughter, saying, "Before you celebrate, allow me to present you a couple of gifts first, Your Majesty."

Cocking her head curiously, she asks with a raised eyebrow, "Gifts, you say? What kind of gifts do you mean?"

Bowing to her in false respect, True Heart says, "The kind that truly make one all-powerful, but one can only be passed to another by touching horns. Permission to approach, Your Majesty?"

Enticed by the offer, Nightmare Moon smiles slightly and says, "You may, but if you try anything, it will be Tartarus for you."

Twilight watches the stallion walk forth with eyes the size of saucers as her mind struggles to comprehend what is going on, only able to blink as the stallion stops at the base of the stairs while Nightmare Moon lowers her head down enough to touch horns with him.

As she watches the stallion close his eyes before touching his horn to hers, she closes hers in response and waits to receive a surge of power. However, she is taken by complete surprise when she suddenly feels the stallion shoving his tongue into her mouth, shocking her to her core as her wings shoot up in the air.

When he feels her reciprocate with her own tongue, he catches a soft moan escape her as he pulls away to catch her blushing lightly, saying, "A thousand apologies for deceiving you with the first gift, Your Majesty, I just couldn't resist the charm of your beauty and needed to kiss you."

Standing up straight with a fierce blush coloring her cheeks, she fidgets with a shard for a moment, saying, "Uhm..." then gathers herself in a regal manner and says calmly, "Ahem, I shall forgive you for stealing my first kiss, as I found that quite enjoyable, please proceed and present your second gift to me and no more tricks."

True Heart nods and steps away a short distance as Twilight's wide eyes follow him like a hawk, turning around to face her while charging a spell into his horn, saying, "My second gift to you, is...Retribution."

Twilight's eyes are pulled back to Nightmare Moon as she watches a pillar of golden light rise behind the alicorn, thinking, 'What is he going to do with that, bat her around with it?'

Seeing the alicorn's eyes starting to move, he then casts the next phase, shouting, "Justice!" Successfully drawing her eyes back to him, he waits for the cross member to form as chains start to drop down towards the floor. Once the final phase is ready to be cast, he then shouts, "Crucifixion!"

Nightmare Moon spots a golden glow in the mare's wide eyes and prepares to look when she feels something latch around her front hooves and yank her back viciously, slamming her into something hard enough to rob the breath from her lungs as she feels her forelegs being pulled outwards. Attempting to twist and jerk herself free, both her hind legs are yanked downwards and held firmly. Turning her head around to look at what is going on, she sees her legs fastened to a pole by glowing, golden chains with a cross member towards the upper part which her hind legs are firmly chained to. Looking down at the stallion in anger, she shouts, "You lied to me, enjoy your stay in Tartarus!"

As True Heart watches another chain wrap around her neck and horn, pulling them back against the pole, he says, "Nightmare Moon, for your crime of leaving four mares to starve to death in the cells below this castle, I find you guilty and sentence you to suffer for causing them such horrific torture! May your penance grant you wisdom."

Twilight watches in awe as Nightmare Moon is attacked by endless golden shocks, causing her to scream in agony when she hears voices coming from behind her and turns to look and sees her friends making their way towards her. Listening to what they're saying, realization hits her as she notices the stallion straining to hold the spell, saying, "You think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that? Well you're wrong, because the Elements of Harmony are right here!"

While he continues to keep the spell up, he catches tidbits of Twilight's speech, thinking, 'Make your speech short, I'm starting to run low on magic here...'

Nightmare Moon twists her head enough and grunts through the painful shocks, looking down at the mare, saying, "You still don't have the sixth element, your spark didn't work!"

True Heart continues to fight to maintain his spell as Twilight's speech resumes, causing him to roll his eyes, saying, "I'm starting to run on fumes here, do whatever you're going to do already!"

Moments later, a large rainbow crashes down upon Nightmare Moon, obliterating the complex spell True Heart was using, inadvertently causing a backlash that sends him flying backwards and into a pillar.

As the stallion is knocked unconscious, Nightmare Moon can't celebrate her reprieve when she feels the rainbow of harmony start to work, bellowing, "NOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Several minutes pass after a bright flash fills the room, with the mares coming to first as Rainbow groans, saying, "Ugh...my head feels like it just got kicked by Applejack..."

Once they notice that they have new jewelry, and that Rarity's tail came back, Applejack turns to Twilight and says, "Gee, Twilight, I thought ya were just spouting a lot of hooey. However, I reckon that we really do resemble the Elements of Friendship."

When the sun rises into the sky and the moon sets, Celestia lands just past one of the broken windows, saying, "Indeed you do."

Happy to see her mentor back, Twilight gasps and runs toward her saying, "Princess Celestia!"

Overjoyed that Twilight succeeded, she embraces her warmly for a moment, saying, "Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student." then raises her head up, saying, "I knew that you could do it."

Once Princess Luna is reunited with her sister, she spots somepony with a black coat at the far back of the room and points to them, asking, "Uhm, sister, just who is lying atop the pillar back there?"

Princess Celestia turns her head to look and gasps when she recognizes True Heart lying unmoving upon the remaining section of pillar and trots towards him, saying, "Stick with me Luna, I may need your help if he is injured."

As they reach him, Luna watches her sister gingerly pick him up in her magic and lay the stallion onto the ground and set her ear in front of his nose, which flicks on reflex and causes her to let out a relieved sigh, asking her, "Sister, who is this?"

Tears trail down her cheek as she says, "This stallion's name is True Heart, but I will tell you more later. He is only unconscious, but I wonder what could have had such force as to cause the wall to crack so severely from the impact?"

Concerned, the younger sister nuzzles her nose against the fur in his ears to try to rouse him, trying it a few times until she lightly nips it and gets a groan in response. Glad that she managed to wake him, Luna smiles at her sister, saying, "He's coming to."

True Heart attempts to lift his head, but coughs up spittle for his effort and tries again. When he is finally able to hold his head up through the pain in his head, he tries to open his eyes. The attempt causes him to wince in pain as a wave of dizziness hits him, making his head fall to the floor as he coughs more profusely. Catching enough breath to try to speak, he manages to softly say, "Ugh, opening eyes equals pain and lightheadedness."

Celestia gasps as she notices the red spots in front of True's mouth, saying, "I sure hope there is no more than that or it might mean that he has internal injuries. Can you hear me True?"

Unable to hear anything due to the ringing, he takes another breath and coughs, hacking out a metallic tasting liquid and says, "Okay, metallic taste, definitely bad sign. Need to cast first aid..." When he goes to cast the spell, his head threatens to explode and causes him to immediately stop, saying in a pained hiss, "Using magic very bad, makes head almost explode."

Knowing some magic about healing, Celestia sighs and says, "From the looks of it, he must have been using a heavy spell when it was destroyed and caused a backlash."

The comment sparks her memory as Luna says, "Moments before Nightmare Moon was defeated, he was maintaining a three-phase spell that immobilized her and caused her to suffer from intense pain caused by golden electricity. The spell was kept up when the rainbow hit and obliterated the spell."

Nodding her head, she examines him, saying, "Definitely suffering from a great deal of backlash, but I can't believe that he is capable of casting a three-phase spell of such magnitude to successfully restrain an alicorn for a short time. I wonder what other magical secrets he knows." When her spell completes, she sighs and says, "The ribs on his right side are completely shattered, he has a fractured spine and a lightly lacerated right lung."

Luna hangs her head, saying, "So then he is going to perish..."

Before she has a chance to start crying, Celestia says, "No he is not, I will do what I can with the few healing spells I know."

Scared for her friend, Rarity then sighs and says, I can't believe I'm doing this, but I have no choice..." Taking a breath, she then walks up and says, "Please brace yourselves, everypony, for this may be quite a shock to you. I do know somepony that might be able to help out more." Steadying her nerves, she calls out, "Vale Lilly, please come out here in whatever form that is strongest to lend what aid you can to save your husband." Looking around, she says, "Please don't be alarmed by what you are about to see, it is just how she is able to emerge, even though it is immensely creepy."

Confused, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna look from Rarity to True Heart when a reddish-black low-lying smoke emerges from his mouth, causing them both to leap back alarmed as Celestia raises her wings defensively and prepares to cast a spell.

Lillith appears in her bipedal form with clawed hands and feet, sighing blissfully as she stretches and looks over to Rarity, saying, "Thank you for warning them about me, Rare. I wanted to come out sooner to do something, but I could sense sun-butt over there making her return. So I refrained to avoid a hostile confrontation."

Snorting angrily at being called that, her eyes narrow as she says, "My name is Princess Celestia, not sun-butt. It would be wise of you to remember that or I will banish you to Tartarus."

Rolling her eyes, she sits in front of her husband, saying, "Apologies for the name-calling, I just had to tease you a bit because of how large certain parts of you have gotten lately."

Unable to hide her snicker, Luna drapes a wing over her mouth as she tries to keep her laughter from getting out.

Focusing her powers into her claws, she takes hold of his chin and shifts her natural healing abilities over to him, saying, "Well, aren't you going to help me heal him, Your Majesty? My healing can only do so much with his ribs being confetti at the moment."

It takes a couple hours to heal the damage caused by the backlash from the spell as Celestia sighs at finally restoring his shattered ribs, saying, "At least his horn only had fractures and wasn't broken off."

They all gather round as best they can, hoping that he wakes up soon when they hear a groan, followed by him saying, "Ugh...I feel like Applejack tried to stomp me into the ground."

Finally able to open his eyes, he lifts his head up and winces, saying, "Remember, no magic." Opening his eyes and looking around, he sees ponies all around him with only one new face belonging to a small alicorn.

Recalling how he kissed her as Nightmare Moon, Luna hides under her sister's wing, saying, "Sister...he's looking at me funny."

Seeing how fiercely she is blushing, Celestia smiles and says, "Don't worry, little sister, he just hasn't seen you yet. Why don't you introduce yourself?"

Curious, he then looks around and sees the massive crater with his wife in demon form, saying, "Dear, what in the hell are you doing out and in your true form?"

Narrowing her eyes and hopping off the broken column, she grabs his chin firmly between two of her clawed fingers, saying warningly, "I was called out by Rarity to help Princess Celestia piece you back together like you were a messed up jigsaw puzzle, you really should be thanking me for how much my natural healing ability helped you out."

Blinking twice, he then says, "Y-Yeah, I'm sorry dear. I just don't want to go through the hassle of explaining everything about you, me, and our unique marriage to everyone here."

Sighing, Celestia says, "We already had that interesting chat, are you feeling pain anywhere else?"

Turning his head to her, he shakes it slowly, saying, "Not at all, but I do need to make one observation..."

Cocking her head, Princess Luna pokes her head out, asking, "What might that be?"

Smirking, he says, "Note to self, cease casting all magic spells before the rainbow of doom hits."

His words cause everyone around to burst out laughing as Rainbow says, "Yeah dude, I've had quite a few crashes in my years, but nothing epic enough to leave a crater of that size!"

True Heart turns back to the small alicorn, saying, "I apologize for not recognizing you from anywhere, what is your name?"

Struggling with her desire to hide behind her sister's wing, she steps out from under it with a sigh, saying, "My name is Princess Luna, and I must thank you for taking retribution out on Nightmare Moon for the lives of those four unfortunate mares from so long ago, and also for helping to save me from her darkness."

As a thought nibbles at the back of his mind, he says, "It is nice to meet you, Princess Luna, I am True Heart." Unable to fight his curiosity, he asks, "Uhm, by any chance would you happen to remember what happened after Nightmare Moon teleported with the elements?"

Looking away and tucking her head under her wing bashfully, Luna says, ".....No...."

Seeing how she is acting, True Heart sighs and says, "You do then...crap." All eyes turn to him expectantly as he then says, "I profusely apologize for stealing a kiss from you like that as Nightmare Moon.

Celestia sees how red her sister's face is turning and asks, "Sister, would you like me to punish him mildy, or severely?"

She shakes her head and says, "Neither! It was...enjoyable...for a first kiss."

As her sister overheats from saying that in front of everypony, she chuckles and nuzzles her affectionately, saying, "Then congratulations, sister, I hope you treasure the sensation for a long time."

Pinkie Pie then says, "Hey, do you know what this calls for? A PARTY!"

The two sisters make their way back to Canterlot to prepare for their arrival as the group makes their way back, with Twilight and True Heart walking at the head of the group when she looks at him and asks, "I can't shake the feeling that I've met you somewhere before, but...where?"

He looks at Twilight and says, "Well, we met when you were a little filly and before you even started attending Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns."

Everything clicks as she remembers and says, "I REMEMBER YOU NOW! Besides today, how have you been lately?"

Rainbow Dash hovers over head and says, "Biting off more than he could chew in the Everfree Forest last year from what I heard."

Raising her eyebrow, she asks, "What happened?"

Sighing, he tells her all about his adventure to the crumbling ruins, taking up some of the trip as he finishes it, saying, "Then I started to head back to town with Vale Lilly when I passed out somewhere along the way, so Lilly checked on me and rushed over to get Fluttershy. After she told Fluttershy I was in danger, they both came racing to save me. Next thing I remember is waking up in Ponyville General with a bunch of angry mares around me, including Princess Celestia herself where I was scolded by them all. I then spent the next several months stuck in the hospital and finally got released in time for the Summer Sun Celebration under orders to do no strenuous activity for the next six months or else Nurse Redheart would sic Applejack or Fluttershy after me."

Finally reaching town, Twilight looks over to see a towering structure to their left, asking, "What's that over there?"

Rainbow then flies upside down a couple feet above the ground, crossing her hooves behind her head, saying, "Only the awesomest, largest building in Equestria built in less than half the time it would normally take to build anything as close to it!"

Chuckling, he says, "Yep, that is the Celestial Cathedral, and it only took an army of ponies, a griffon or two, and a new resident from a faraway land called Farasi. Oh, and don't tell anyone else this, but even a disguised alicorn you are close to worked alongside us to build it."

Applejack then trots up and says, "Not to mention yer wife pardner."

True Heart chuckles again and adds, "Her too, of course. Services are held every Sunday and the morning of every holiday."

Pinkie Pie and the others then chip in and tell the other things that go on there, arriving in town just in time to see the royal chariot circle around the town and come in from the south.

After being caught up on important recent news, Princess Luna can't help but stare in awe at the newest, largest building in Ponyville, saying, "I find it very hard to believe that you enjoyed physical labor, even more so that you worked alongside our subjects sweating and getting dirty while in disguise."

Smiling as she recalls her efforts to help build the cathedral, saying, "Mhm, without you to help lower the sun, I was always tired. Dealing with the day to day nuances of court and keeping a smile on my face around ponies really gets under my coat, especially when dealing with nobles that suck up to me just to get something they want. I wound up coming up with bogus excuses just for a vacation from the hassle." Letting out a sigh to relax herself, she then says, "Sorry about that, I'll get back to what I was saying before the rant. Anyway, tokens of gratitude were given out in silver frames, and I was the last one to get one. I tried my hardest to keep my identity as Lucky Star a secret, but True Heart was on to me from the very beginning due to my voice. So he asked me if I would be willing to accept it on her behalf or in person, and I told him I'd be happy to. I made it halfway down the aisle before I told him she could accept it herself a moment before I took my other identity, after I got up there and he offered the token to me, he said that I needed to be punished for trying to fool him, so he kissed me on the side of the mouth, in front of the whole crowd. You have no idea how annoying it is to deal with the kinds of rumors that sprang up from that."

Giggling at hearing that, she says, "I look forward to watching the recording of the project with you when we have a chance as we spend some much needed time together.

True Heart watches as the chariot lands and rolls to a stop alongside the road, where they exit and start heading toward the group he's in. Once they stop a short ways ahead, he genuflects and bows his head in respect. When the others rise, he follows suit and watches as a couple of pegasi fillies lay a necklace of red and white roses around Luna's neck.

When he sees Twilight look sad and hang her head, Princess Celestia makes her way over to her and asks why she looks so glum. Seeing his chance, he steps forth a little bit to be within earshot of her and asks in a soft tone, "Welcome back, Princess Luna, Equestria has missed you."

Smiling softly, Luna says, "It is good to be back, my little pony, thank you." Then cocks her head a little and asks, "Is there something you need?"

True Heart nods his head and says, "There is one matter I would like to consult with you on. If you could, please try to find time and pay a visit to the large building south of town so that I can discuss it with you?"

Nodding her head as he genuflects to her, she says, "I will consult with my sister on the matter, once she is finished with her student."

Rising to his hooves, he smiles at her and says, "I am most grateful, Your Majesty."

True Heart then turns his head toward Princess Celestia and hears her say, "Spike, take a note please. I, Princess Celestia, hereby decree that the unicorn known as Twilight Sparkle, shall take on a new mission for Equestria. She now must continue to study the magic of friendship, then she must report her findings to me, from her new home in Ponyville." With nothing further to do, he spends a little time talking to the girls before heading to his home in the cathedral.

A couple hours pass when Princess Celestia leads her sister into the cathedral, neither of them having been inside yet as She says, "It still amazes me that this only took 5 years to build, just look at how high the ceiling is."

Walking alongside her sister, Luna looks around to see numerous benches lined up in neat rows on either side of the room with a large aisle down the center, having a long, red velvet rug running up to the platform at the far back, with a smaller aisle in between the center of either line. Finally looking up at the arched ceilings, she then over at the windows to see colored panes depicting a bright, sunny day during spring, summer, fall, or winter. Along with the sunny scenes, she sees more elaborate nightly scenes with the moon in various stages over a land during the same seasons, saying, "Wow, those stained glass windows are really well-done."

Huffing lightly in annoyance, she chuckles and says, "I'm still annoyed that he kept them secret from me, however, they really are breath-taking, but they aren't stained glass."

Looking at her curiously, she then asks, "Are they cut gems then?"

Shaking her head, she smiles and says, "No, they are natural crystals harvested from the forgotten crystal mines under Canterlot, even I forgot they were down there until we took a few wagons to Canterlot one day from Ponyville. The metal between the pieces is purified silver, it makes me slightly jealous that these are far nicer than the stained glass in the castle..."

Hearing voices in the cathedral, he recognizes them both and makes his way out of his wing, opening the door and entering the main chamber, saying, "If you are amazed by the windows, you should take a look at what is behind you."

Turning around to look behind them, the two sister's mouths fall open slightly and gasp as Celestia takes notice of three thrones of equal size. One high, dark wooden throne on the far left has a high back with a flat, light blue heart crafted out of crystals with a ribbon of gold lace around the bottom. The one to the right of the double doors has the same high back matching her own cutie mark and its color on it, though it is the one to the left of the door that really has her attention. Seeing that it has the same high back whitish-blue crescent moon on it, she asks, "When did you have the time to have a throne carved for my sister, she just returned not five hours ago!?"

Chuckling, True Heart says, "It's been there since after we finished the roof, same with the others."

Spinning around to face him with wide eyes, "You knew that my sister was going to return? When did you find out?"

Smiling at the two princesses as Luna turns to face him in shock, he says, "I first stumbled upon it when I was looking through my family's personal library, a couple years before I graduated from your school, Your Majesty. I didn't know it was about Princess Luna, it only vaguely mentioned how a malicious alicorn appeared and tried to make the night last forever. I found out about Nightmare Moon's return somewhere between 6-8 years ago, possibly even 9. I went to see Spike since Twilight wasn't accepting visitors due to her studies, and I spent several hours browsing through the books there about any monster legends and prophecies. Once I had what I needed, I left Canterlot to wander Equestria while getting rid of dangerous foes that endangered lives. When the time got closer, I moved to Ponyville to wait for the Summer Sun Celebration in Ponyville that I saw in that vision oh so long ago." Looking at the newly returned princess, he asks, "Why don't you take a seat in your new throne, Princess Luna? I think you might enjoy the surprise waiting for you there."

Curious, Princess Luna nods and says, "Alright, you piqued my curiosity." She then opens her wings and flaps them to rise into the air, turning herself around and making her way to her throne.

Celestia watches her land and get settled into it, gasping when she sees the crystal light up and fill the large room with sparkling light, asking, "How did you manage to enchant the crystals to do that?"

Looking at her with a smirk, True Heart says, "Many magical secrets reside within my family's personal library, but your throne does that too. The one on the far left is Cadence's and it lights up too, but there's another little surprise in store that I will not share until she tries it out."

Huffing in annoyance, she raises her wings and flaps them hard then heads for her throne to sit in it. Once she reaches it, she sits down and makes herself comfortable, saying, "Oh wow, this much comfier than the throne in Canterlot Castle, what time do services start?"

Smiling at how radiantly the crystals are shining, he says, "Mass starts at the same time every Sunday morning and holiday, 8am and lasts to 9am. If Your Majesties decide to attend, be sure to send a notice the day before so that we can have clergy here to provide breakfast for you. Please be sure to arrive an hour and a half early so that you have time to eat and talk before others start to arrive." Remembering one more thing, he says, "There is one other thing I must tell you about, your status, power, and influence over Equestria count for nothing here as this is strictly neutral ground. So, whenever you do choose to attend, and no offense intended: feel free to leave your ornamental crowns at home."

Princess Luna spots a white leather-bound book with a red cross having flared ends on the cover in a small tray and pulls it out curiously, asking, "What's this?"

Spotting the bibles in their magic, True Heart smiles and says, "Those are called bibles, I kindly request that if you borrow them to read: be sure to bring them with you to mass as there are parts in there that you might be expected to sing from. Fair warning to you and aside from the reverend's, your books are the only ones in latin."

Putting her book into a storage pocket to study, Luna rises from her seat and drifts back down to the floor gracefully, asking, "What was it that you needed to consult me on?

Looking at her with a serious expression, he says, "There are several ponies I rescued from a mad scientist last year taking refuge in my belfry or vaults that I wish to get your opinion on what they could do. Please follow me to the vaults first to see if they are down there."

Knowing what he wants to show her, Celestia puts her own book into her storage and hesitates to get out of her seat when she sees them both head towards the back. Letting out a sorrowful sigh, she grumbles softy, "I was so comfy too..." Getting up out of her seat, she spreads her wings and takes to the air softly, then heads back towards the ground.

Following him through the doors, Luna looks around at the high ceiling having strange circular-shaped stone pieces across the corridor, asking, "This is very strange way to build a ceiling."

Looking up, True Heart nods and smiles saying softly, "The x-shaped sections are called ribs, which is why they became nicknamed Rib Vaults." Leading her around another corner, he hears the faint sound of gentle breathing from several voices and looks back, saying very softly, "Wait here, they don't do well around strangers just yet."

She nods her head and stops there, saying in the same tone, "Very well."

He heads around a corner and walks down the short corridor to the room ahead, walking into it and looking up to try to locate Marougeka, finding her in the back corner and walks just in front of her upside-down roost, saying, "Marougeka, I must speak to you a moment."

Not hearing him at all, the thestral mare continues to sleep soundly, until something begins to tickle her nose. Wiggling her nose side to side in an attempt to get rid of the tickling, it persists as she is forced to snort it away. When it returns, she grumbles lightly and opens her eyes sleepily to see who's responsible. Seeing that it is True Heart standing on the ground holding a feather, she giggles lightly and says, "Quit that! I'm trying to sleep. What is it that you need, my friend?"

True Heart chuckles and answers softly, "I need you to come with me, there is somepony that I would like to introduce you to."

Nodding, Marougeka yawns widely and spreads her wings, then drops from her perch and gracefully rights herself to land on the floor soundlessly, saying, "Lead the way." Following him through the room filled with her sleeping kin, she says softly, "You haven't been around for a while, how have you been?"

Looking over his shoulder as Marougeka strides up beside him, he says, "Well, I have been in the hospital for the past several months after my fight with your previous captor, I just got let out less than twelve hours ago."

Nuzzling her head against his neck, she says, "I'm sorry to hear that, but I am glad that you are okay now."

Approaching the end of the corridor, he nuzzles her back, saying, "So am I." Trotting ahead and around the corner, he stops before Princess Luna, waiting to hear her catch up a bit, saying, "Your Majesty, allow me to introduce you to...Marougeka."

Luna's eyes go wide at seeing the thestral, recovering when she recognizes the name and gasps, then rushes forth to embrace her saying, "Marougeka, you've survived after all these years!"

Happy at seeing her former mistress again, she wraps her neck and wings around her as tears trickle from her eyes, saying, "Mistress Luna! It is so good to have you back, we've missed you so much ever since you became Nightmare Moon..."