One turn, two turns on her heel. The young woman giggled, tracing the folds of her long, deep purple skirt as they settled against the light skin of her legs. The tissue felt as smooth as a fabric of royal origin should. It was a dress fit for a princess, for a woman of royalty just like the nanny she had had in her childhood.
She threw a tentative look at the balcony. It was nighttime. Everyone was likely getting ready for the Summer Sun Celebration, so the odds were that she wouldn't be seen if she waltzed outside with the dress. Furthermore, it would surely shine like a star under the moonlight.
These thoughts were cleared by an explosive sigh from across the room. She turned to face the small dragon lying on the bed, arms splayed out on both sides to complement the boredom in his features.
"How do I look?" she asked with a broad grin.
"Like a pony that's choking." The dragon punctuated his words with another lengthy exhale. The girl's smile lost its brightness like a candle loses its flame. With a light push, she undid the knot that kept the dress together. The garment became loose and fell to the floor, exposing a skintight corset and leggings.
This didn't faze the young drake in the least. "Come on, Twilight, what's the big deal? Celestia asks you to meet her all the time..."
"The difference, Spike, is that she wants to meet me at the Canterlot Theatre." She stopped to remove a hairpin, allowing her carefully trimmed hair to flow freely over the shoulders. "Since Miss Philharmonica is performing there tonight, all the nobles are going to attend! I can't sit next to the Princess looking like a servant!"
Spike rolled onto his belly and buried his face in the pillow. "Sometimes I wonder if you aren't one."
Twilight turned sharply. "What did you say?"
"I said, 'You'd better run'," he spoke against the pillow.
The girl frowned, but held back her retaliation. She wearily set the dress on the back of a chair, pondering her next move. She knew her way around Spike. Getting her 'younger brother' to oblige only took the right amount of gems.
She sat on the bed next to him and yawned. Attending the meeting at the theatre wasn't exactly something she was looking forward to do. Were it not for having been invited - well, instructed, really - by her tutor, she would rather have stayed in her study and continue her research on magic. She was one of the lucky few, after all. The School for Gifted Wizards was not available to just about anyone.
The wooden staff that rested against the wall suddenly seemed very inviting. She always did find a certain beauty in the way the wood spiraled up the object, surrounding an alicorn rod about as tall as her.
She shook her head, as though it would allow her to dismiss those desires. There was no going back on her decision. Or in the decision Celestia had made for her. Either way, she knew where Spike was coming from, and it just made it tougher for her to find a proper excuse.
"Look, I just need you to be there for a while. I'll leave you at the dining room and then meet you back at the entrance when I'm done."
"I don't wanna go to that stupid party. It's gonna be so boring!"
There was definitely no going around him, she thought. It was time to use the tricks in her sleeve. "Did you know that I could get you a guest pass to Moondancer's party?"
Spike lifted his head from the pillow to stare at her incredulously. "...she invited you, Twilight."
"Yeeeaaaaah, I suppose she did. But I thought you had your eye on that Moondancer girl? Maybe you could go in my place, hm?"
The shadow of a smile played upon her lips when she noticed that Spike was struggling to keep his angered expression up. Finally, he gave in and sighed, "But only if you give me the bits to buy her a gift after that party of yours."
Twilight smiled triumphantly. "Deal. Now help me find something good to wear."
All of the guests in the theatre's lobby stopped when the horn players' fanfare filled the air. A sentinel entered the room with a thick, furled scroll in hand. His bright yellow uniform seemed to sparkle under the candlelight.
He stood at the top of the stairs with his chest puffed out proudly, studying the crowd as he waited for silent to settle in. Once it had, he opened the parchment and cleared his throat to speak:
"Announcing Baron Fancypants and Baroness Fleur de Lis!"
The sentinel moved out of the way to grant passage to a couple. The tuxedo-clad man smiled gently at the sound of his name, while his escort's lips tensed. One hand was wrapped around his companion's thin waist, another gave the slightest of adjustments to his brilliant blue fringe, parted in the middle of his forehead. Her dress was entirely hued light pink, a shade that the citizens of Canterlot had grown used to seeing on the fair lady.
"Thank you, my good man," he spoke as they passed by the announcer. Satisfied with his hair, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a little coin. "For your troubles."
"You are too generous, Master Fancypants," the younger man answered, bowing cordially with a hand stretched out to accept the money.
"Carry on with the good work," Fancypants added, stepping forth. "Shall we go, milady?"
Fleur only gave a quiet hum, but it was all the answer the man needed. Nobles were already flocking their way as they descended, their words of flatter saccharine sweet. Fancypants just paid them in kind. Not the woman, though. She merely pressed her body against his, squeezing his arm a little tighter.
The fanfare sounded again, and both sighed, one mentally, the other physically. They took the chance to step away. Maybe they would lose interest and just hound the next guest.
"It's alright, dear, they're gone," he whispered, caressing her arm. A butler that carried a tray with fine, glass cups filled with wine strolled by, and Fancypants signaled him to come closer.
The servant seemed thrilled to be of use, especially to a noble such as this man. With a certain pep in his walk, he welcomed the couple to the theater and offered them the tray to pick a cup. Fancypants inspected the beverages up close and stroked his curved mustache in thought.
"My, my! Baron Fancypants!" he heard as soon as he picked a cup from the tray. The butler excused himself - which seemed to annoy Fleur, who'd remained empty-handed - but his place was quickly occupied by another person. This time around, by a woman.
Fancypants would recognize her anywhere. If not for anything else, then because his suit had been her work.
"Miss Rarity," he spoke. He took her gloved hand and kissed its back with a short bow. "I am delighted to know that you made it to the play."
"Oh, but the pleasure is all mine, Baron Fancypants. Just knowing you are wearing one of my finest suits is sufficient for me. A true honor, Baron."
The man wasn't entirely sure why this woman didn't belong to nobility. She met with all the requirements: her voice carried one of the most beloved accents of Canterlot, and she carried herself with a grace and dignity not unlike that of Fleur de Lis herself. Her appearance would fool him into considering her a baroness of some sort, what with her stunning wardrobe, fitted with gems, and her thoroughly styled hair. Her very body was not to be scoffed at either.
Perhaps he'd see into the matter some time.
"Please, Miss Rarity, Fancypants will suffice. Oh, and I believe you have not yet met with my fiancée?"
Rarity's smile wilted when she caught sight of the venomous glare the other woman was throwing her way. She wasn't about to lose her composure, however. "I, ahem, have not. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Baroness Fleur...?"
"Fleur," she corrected, her accent causing her to emphasize the 'r'. "Fleur de Lis. I greatly appreciate your work on my fiancé's attire. I may have to resort to your services in the future, Miss Rarity."
"I... would be most pleased to attend, Baroness."
"Ahem, yes, I do believe some compensation will be in order for doing such a fine job," Fancypants added, removing his monocle.
Rarity nearly choked on her drink. "I-I, hum, thank you for your generosity."
"Now now, I am only rewarding those who need to be reward. After all, it is not every day that we find such talent in reaches as distant as the front-UFF!"
Had it not been attached to his lapel, Fancypants monocle would have had the same fate as the glass chalice he held before something bumped against his back: on the ground, shattered to a million pieces. The man swore he had heard two distinct noises when the cup hit the ground, but was unable to find the other object's fragments. He was sure of one thing: the crowd had gasped in unison when they saw what had happened. Everyone had stopped to observe.
Right now, though, he had his entire sleeve to tend to. The contents had been completely spilled upon it, leaving behind a big, ugly patch of damp tissue.
"Oh my. This is unfortunate." He turned around to look for the guilty one. As it turned out, she had been brought to the floor after colliding against his back. A modestly dressed girl sat behind him in a rather uncomfortable manner, dusting off the long skirt while complaining about her rear. Despite the disproving looks that the crowd threw their way, he knelt to the purple-haired girl's height and held her by the arms. "Are you alright, madam?"
"I-I'm..." she mumbled, not yet able to produce coherent sentences. It wasn't until she took a good look at just who she'd bumped into that she spoke clearly, "O-Oh! Oh no, I am so sorry, Baron!"
"It's quite alright, Miss Sparkle, accidents hap--"
"Sorry?!" Rarity's voice at that moment felt like a needle being jabbed into their skins. She very nearly shoved Fancypants aside as she approached the younger woman. Twilight felt her hair stand on end when their eyes met. "Do you realize what you have just done?! Have you any idea of how hard this single suit was to create?!"
"I-I--"
"Oh my goodness, it's all over the sleeve! Ruined! Completely, utterly, ruined beyond repair! How will you pay for the damage?!"
Fancypants found this to be a good chance to interrupt the designer's rage. He quickly rose to his feet again and placed a hand on her shoulder to call her attention. "Miss Rarity, please, there is no need to--"
Much to both of their surprise, Rarity's anger ceased as suddenly as it had appeared. She gently removed his hand and held between hers. "It is quite alright, Baron, I do not intend on charging anything," she assured, smiling slightly. Her expression changed completely when she turned to Twilight again. "However, some people really should be more careful about where they're going. And please get up, you are spoiling your dress."
Fancypants offered his hand again, this time with a few words of encouragement. Twilight took it and stood up. The threesome of gentlepeople still appeared as imposing to her as they had from below.
"Run along, now, Miss Sparkle," Fancypants spoke. He put the monocle back in its place and played with his eyebrows once to confirm their stability. "Ah, much better. But I suspect Princess Celestia is expecting you, yes?"
Twilight's eyes went wide. "The princess! Please excuse me, Baron, Baroness. Hum..."
"Rarity."
"Right. Rarity. Please excuse me." Without another word, Twilight darted off, head hung low. She tried her best to hide her face as she brushed past the onlooking nobles.
"She knows the princess?" Rarity inquired once Twilight was far enough away. "A commoner such as her knows the princess?"
Fancypants snickered curtly. Two servants had appeared out of nowhere: one to clean the floor with a large, dirty-looking towel, and another one to wipe his shoes clean. The latter used a much more dignified handkerchief, and executed the service with an obvious professionalism.
"Why yes, I would have thought you knew that. Miss Twilight Sparkle is Princess Celestia's very own student."
Rarity brought a hand up to her mouth before gasping, "Oh my. Perhaps I should have stilled my tongue."
"Nonsense," the man spoke again, overflowing with confidence. "Miss Sparkle is as amiable as they come. Or so I would like to say. The truth is that she is seldom seen at social events the sorts of these." There was a hint of sadness in the baron's voice, Rarity noticed. She didn't say anything.
For now, she just looked on. A simple woman such as Twilight had succeeded in becoming the Princess's favorite. Perhaps she really would enjoy her stay in Canterlot, after all.
Across the theater, Twilight was beginning to wish she wasn't related to the princess in any way. Bad news spread like the ancient plague. Wherever she went, she was regarded with disdain and some amusement by the nobles. Her sight was set on the path ahead of her this time. She couldn't afford distractions like the one that had led to her encounter with Fancypants. Celestia knew that the next person she bumped into wouldn't be so kind.
She idly wondered if Spike was still in the dining room. She was well aware of the people's aversion to dragons. Celestia granted her a chance to attend her meetings with the villagers from the frontier on occasion. Their complaints were invariably related to strange creatures, be it sea serpents, stray manticores or, worst of all, dragons. 'They burn our orchards!', some said. 'They eat our cattle!', others said.
Truth be told, Spike was the only dragon she had ever seen. She couldn't imagine something as innocent as the youngling eating a cow whole. Then again, that's what he was: a youngling. Her brother had made her aware of that multiple times. Whenever they met, he would exchange stories of his troops' endeavors in the Badlands, otherwise known as Changeling Turf. These tales almost always had a dragon somewhere in the middle. According to him, the winged lizards had grown restless in the recent years.
She paid these warnings no mind. Spike was her little brother. Blood bonds didn't matter. He had been entrusted to her care when he was but an egg, and he was the sole reason she had earned the princess's trust.
Before she realized, she had arrived to the private balcony. It was the best spot in the entire theater, seeing as it was at just the perfect distance from the stage. There were only three chairs in that balcony, all of which had been richly crafted with gold and furnished with the best velvet textiles.
Princess Celestia occupied one of the chairs, quietly observing the red curtain that obscured the stage. Though the elegant carpet drowned the sound of her steps, Celestia noticed her arrival, but didn't turn to speak.
"Ah, Twilight," she said, breathing a relieved sigh. "Please, sit, my most faithful student."
"Please excuse me for not arriving any sooner, princess." Celestia waved her concerns aside, and Twilight sat down. "At least the play hasn't started yet."
"Forget the play, Twilight. We have both seen it maybe ten times. The Celebration Committee simply insists that Canterlot citizens must be reminded of the history of the Summer Sun Celebration every year." Another exasperated exhale. Celestia held her forehead with a hand. "They've lost sight of its true meaning. Though I cannot say I would rather have it any other way."
"May I have your attention?" a third voice was heard shouting.
A set of wheels, hidden in the darkness of the ceiling, creaked to life. The candelabras were raised, and their flames were extinguished, effectively dimming the auditorium's light. There was a moment of silence before a man appeared from behind the curtain, garbed in antiquated clothes that were more fitting of a bard than of a gentleman. The long, white feather that was perched in his hat bobbed up and down as he walked.
"Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of our beloved princess," he continued, stealing a quick glance in Celestia's general direction, "Allow me to welcome you to the thousandth Summer Sun Celebration."
Silence was replaced by a roar of claps from the crowd. The man bowed in gratitude several times, then raised his hand to request their attention again.
"As you well know, today is the day we celebrate the thousandth year since the wicked Nightmare Moon was banished from Equestria. If we are safe and live happily today, we owe it to none other than to Her Highness, Princess Celestia."
Despite how thunderous the applause was when it returned, Twilight still heard her tutor's forlorn groan. The woman's tired eyes reflected that same emotion. It was as if the announcer's words had suddenly made her appear a thousand years older.
Deciding to try and divert the princess's attention away from the play, the young student shook her arm and whispered, "In the letter, you mentioned that you had something you wanted to tell me."
The princess didn't say a word for some time. Twilight was about to ponder how good of an idea the topic had been when Celestia finally answered.
"A thousand years ago, I made a promise to my sister and my people, Twilight," she said. Her voice carried the same dejected tone that her expression bore. Her eyes were fixated on the stage, where the curtains had been opened and her doppelgänger marched with a handful of men in cardboard armors. "Though my sister's actions had been regrettable, I punished her with the lightest penalty within my reach. She would be banished for a thousand years. Once those expired, she would be collected from her place of exile and brought back to Equestria."
"You mean... you wanted to bring your sister back?" The princess nodded in reply, which made Twilight furrow her brow in confusion. "But... she tried to overthrow you. She wanted to claim the throne!"
"And yet, she was my sister, even long before any of that happened." For the first time since her arrival, their eyes met. "I have long since forgiven her for her mistakes. If she had a choice today, I am certain she would gladly choose to return."
Celestia slowly faced the stage again. A poor imitation of her sister was barging into the throne room, yelling all sorts of eloquent curses and butchering the pronunciation of words from the archaic Equestrian language.
Every year, the part that followed her entry would get worse. She remembered when they still showed a very well executed sword fight, perhaps even more than she remembered having had.
Today, there would be no such thing. Nightmare Moon would simply approach Celestia and see her sword fly off because of a single swing from the princess, or worse than that, surrender without another word. Regardless of how the act would be performed, the crowd would always rejoice when the 'evil sister' was defeated.
"But... Princess Celestia..." Twilight's voice snapped the leader out of her thoughtful trance. She blinked a few times, her mind only now catching up to the events. She'd missed the rendezvous. Nightmare Moon was already being carried away. "Why are you telling me this? I already knew what had happened."
"Yet you did not know of my intentions to bring her back." Celestia's answer felt cold to Twilight. She was staring at the side of her mentor's face, and it was still clear that something was bothering the older woman.
The fake Celestia on the stage climbed a set of stairs that led to nowhere and looked down at the villagers that had gathered there. The backdrop had changed to that of the sea, and a ship overshadowed the actors and actresses.
"The reason I am telling you this, Twilight, is that rescuing my sister requires that sending a vessel to the New Moon Archipelago," Celestia spoke nonchalantly. "And I require a messenger who can safely reach my sister and bring her back."
"You want... me? You want me to be the messenger?" Celestia nodded twice, the second time even suggesting some surprise. Twilight tried to gather her thoughts, piece together what she had been told. The process resulted in her moving her lower jaw in an attempt to say something. "But... why me? I-I mean, I would be honored to help with this affair, but... wouldn't it be more efficient to send a trained guard?"
"Perhaps. But guards lack your knowledge, and the truce between my sister and I ends today. We are short on time and resources." Celestia held out a hand to grasp her student's arm in a comforting manner. Though the gesture seemed to produce the desired effects, the princess complemented it with a motherly gaze few had ever had the honor of receiving from her. "I taught you most everything you know today. It is with confidence that I say that you will succeed in your mission."
The princess's serenity was contagious. A little smile began to tug at Twilight's lips. Her very heartbeat slowed when the princess treated her like a daughter. "I understand. I won't let you down, princess."
"I am sure you won't." Celestia removed her hand to applaud the end of the play. Twilight followed, but her clap was much more absent-minded. She had a mission now. How harsh could the trip be, right? It was a matter of boarding a ship and see it develop from there...
With the round of applauses finally over with, Celestia received the last compliments from the acting crew, waved at her people one more time, and excused herself out. Twilight followed close behind, like she always did. Being with the princess allowed her to avoid the rest of the theater's halls, which were packed with nobles.
Their only company for much of the trip was a pair of royal guards. A rifle was dutifully held against their chest. Twilight was already used to this. Celestia couldn't go anywhere without having someone to guard her back.
Today, she would get to see why.
"DOWN WITH THE SOLAR EMPIRE!! DOWN WITH CELESTIA'S RULERSHIP!!"
The infuriated cries were heard from down the corridor, where the princess's private halls connected with those of the regular guests. There was a deafening BANG, and the doors were kicked ajar. The smell of gunpowder filled the air, and the shot had caused chaos to settle outside. The guards spun on their heels and readied their rifles while Celestia pushed Twilight behind her back. A man had broken into the halls, armed with a flintlock and garbed entirely in a deep blue suit. Another such weapon was in a holster that dangled from his waist belt.
"You promised her, Celestia! You promised she would return today!" he yelled, raising the firearm towards the princess. "Where is she?!"
"Don't fire!" Celestia cried out. "There are civilians there!"
"Put. The gun. Down!" one of the guards yelled back instead.
The man just laughed in response. "You still side with her? Even after everything she's done? After breaking that promise?"
"We will not repeat this! Put the gun down!"
"You will pay the consequences of yo--"
Twilight closed her eyes. It wasn't long before the guards had to lose a bullet to the man. An annoying buzz filled her ears after the two blasts. She just grasped her mentor's pure white uniform tighter, pressing her head against her flowing, rainbow-hued hair.
It was just a murmur, but she heard an object clank as it hit the wooden floorboards. Shortly after, something else slumped to the ground. After that, silence reigned for a few, short moments.
Then, applauses. She heard ecstatic cries from all around her. A squeeze of her arm from Celestia was what prompted her to open her eyes.
The people had flooded the halls to hail the two guards. She couldn't see the body of the assailant in the middle of the crowd. Gunpowder still lingered in the air, and a thin layer of smoke hovered above them.
"Let us move away," she heard Celestia whisper in her ear. With a short nod, the two abandoned the area. Not five steps later, two more guards flanked them.
"I am sorry you had to see that, Twilight."
The young woman had lost count of how many times Celestia had repeated that sentence since they arrived to her quarters. She knew one thing: Celestia had circle the room just as many times, constantly sighing and rubbing her forehead in contemplation. Any more laps and the round carpet beneath her feet would grow a hole.
Though Twilight struggled to deny it, the man's words had impacted her as much as they had impacted her tutor. He possessed information that, as far as Twilight was aware, only Celestia could know. The return of Nightmare Moon. The Summer Sun Celebration could change shape throughout the years, but Celestia's speech was always the same, word by word, letter by letter: 'We banish thee from Equestrian soil'.
"He knew," Celestia spoke at last. "He knew of the promise. He knew what everyone else had already forgotten."
Twilight sought for any words she could say, but came up empty. Tired of her routine, the princess walked over to an open window and took a deep breath.
"A thousand years. They gave me a thousand years. Not one more day. Not one more minute." She gave a sad laugh. "I should have known."
"You couldn't have kn--"
"I could and I should have, Twilight Sparkle!" The sheer ferocity of her tutor's bellow caused the bookcases in the room to empty their contents to the floor. Twilight felt her body shiver under Celestia's angered gaze. "I should have noticed the signs! My... ignorance... brought upon a man's death tonight... and many more are to follow, I'm afraid..."
Celestia let out a low grunt and stormed out of the room, leaving an appalled Twilight behind. She was unsure about what exactly had come over her tutor that could justify such an outburst, but she knew better than to ask. Maybe the princess was as shocked with the armed man's assault as she was. She'd just been threatened at gunpoint. Her life had been at stake, at the time. Twilight figured that she could barely imagine what it must have felt like.
In trying to dismiss these thoughts, she got up from the bed and approached the pile of books on the ground. Organization always soothed her mind, as did reading. It would do her good.
She wasn't surprised to find that the princess owned a very large collection of books on astrology. From the oldest studies to date about the cycle of life of a star to the most recent developments on the moon, the princess seemed to have it all.
A smile was painted on her face as she organized the books alphabetically. One by one, the books disappeared from the piles and returned to their place on the shelves. The young woman wanted to believe that such aptitude for organization was a gift.
Such pride in her skills only served to justify her disappointment when a single book remained. It didn't have a title that she could see anywhere, and it had aged terribly. Its plain brown cover had numerous indents, and its pages contained more blotches of ink than words.
Twilight read on. Here and there, she spotted legible words with no meaning without a context. The rest of the words in the page were blurred out entirely. This went on for much of the book.
Then, about halfway through, the messy writing stopped. The pages were cleaner here, and even bore a title of sorts.
"Luna F.," she read out loud.
"Twilight?" Celestia called from the hall.
The girl's eyes went wide. She looked around frantically, desperate to find a place to leave the book. She couldn't be found prying into the princess's writing! There was no space on the shelves, and leaving it on the bed would imply she'd at least touched it.
The creaking of the room's doors forced her to take a decision she was sure she would regret: she hid the book inside her dress.
Sure enough, when the princess entered the room, she found her student walking away from the window. Her lip twitched almost imperceptibly, as if trying to betray her actions.
"Yes, Princess Celestia?"
"I believe we both had a long night. You may leave for your quarters, my student."
"You be careful out there, Twily."
Twilight smiled goofily as she shared another hug with her brother. She had never been able to wrap her arms around him completely, and the heavy armor he wore didn't make the matter any simpler. He was a tall man, even by Equestrian standards, and just as bulky. There was no arguing that he was fit for the Royal Guard.
They had been walking together along the Baltimare harbor's boardwalks. Vessels of all shapes and sizes populated the water left and right. Though they laughed together, their minds were set on one ship in a particular. Said ship was not far away from them, and its aspect spoke volumes of its owner. From the momentous sun embroidered on its triangular sails to the polished, golden lines that decorated its hull, it was fairly obvious that this ship was here on royal duty.
"I still don't get why you can't go with me, Shining."
"I really wish I could," he muttered, halfheartedly pushing her away. "But Captain Lancer insisted on assigning me to the frontier. Says some trouble's been brewing over Dodge Junction."
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Trouble with the natives?"
"Seems like it." Shining shook his head. "Don't worry, though. I'm sure we'll come to an agreement with them some time." He placed his large hands on her shoulders and smiled. "You focus on your own problems, okay?"
"Don't worry," she answered, lifting her staff to head height. Only its head stuck out of the leather bag that enveloped it. She flashed him a confident grin. "I know how to protect myself, too."
"That reminds me that you still owe me a rematch."
"Commander Armor!" someone called from the deck. A man outfitted with the Equestrian Navy's white uniform saluted him from the other end of the bridge. "We are ready to set sail."
"She will be there in a minute!" he answered, turning to hug his sister one last time. She could feel him wrapping his arms more tightly than last time, as though it would prolong the feeling of warmth. The commander's voice quivered ever so slightly when he whispered into her ears, "I'm serious now. New Moon Island is no laughing matter. Please stay safe."
"I'll be careful," she whispered back. "Love you."
"Love you too."
The frigid touch of the sea's breeze washed upon them as soon as they broke their embrace. Twilight slowly walked away, back turned to the ship so that she could see her brother. The latter only waved his farewell, even when the sails were hoisted and he had to move along with the ship to the edge of the boardwalk.
It wasn't until they were too far apart to see each other properly that Twilight decided go below deck. The ship had picked up considerable speed thanks to the favorable winds, and the sunny weather promised a safe trip all the way to the island.
Spike had already busied himself with creating - and using - a makeshift bed using whatever bags the crewmen had brought along. She found him asleep in the middle of the many boxes and barrels, right next to her own belongings. A cape had been thrown in with the rest of her bags, and what appeared to be the muzzle of a pistol peeked from underneath it. Merely considering using the weapon tied her stomach up in a knot. She pushed it away from Spike's bed - and, by extension, from her - and covered herself with the cape.
With a trip such as this ahead of her, she could think of only one distraction. She reached into one of the bags and retrieved the book she had... stolen... from her tutor. That fact disturbed her greatly, but even more disturbing still was the possibility of being caught reading it. She couldn't disappoint Celestia like that.
She cracked the book open and studied the ink blotches on the first page. There was a signature scribbled there, but it had been robbed of its legibility a long time ago.
She chose to do what she did best. Resting back against a barrel's tough shell, she began to read. The sound of a distant airship's rotors provided the soundtrack. Maybe it had strayed from the Cloud District.
Which was to say, from across Equestria.
'There are kings and there are queens. They watch over their lands from atop their majestic palaces, and govern them from the comfort of their gilded thrones. In an ideal kingdom, the people are at their leader's beck and call. If he or she so wishes, wealth becomes abundant, buildings are erected... wars are birthed. Likewise, their word is all the people needs to extinguish the already delicate flame of life. A thumb is pointed down, and soon, another kingdom ceases to exist.
My sister... she would know about that. She was called a queen, once upon a time. The kingdom prospered under her rule, let there be no doubt of that. Because of her, the citizens were able to relish in an everlasting peace. Her land grew like no other. One could travel as far as they wished in any of the compass's directions, for they would never find a home as bountiful as Equestria. I suppose ours was one such 'ideal kingdom'.
Like anything that was good, this begged the question: what was the price?
As the co-regent of Equestria, I had the chance to witness just how steep that price was. The servants and scribes that flowed in and out of my castle quarters were a constant reminder that there weren't many ways to uphold peace. Generally, war was the best option. It was then that the generals, the men with golden helmets and heavy armor, would attempt to make their opinion mine. I could not bear with this.
My sister... she was different. She always attended these meetings with the same irreducible enthusiasm. She, too, once sent men and women to their deaths. Her will never met opposition for they, too, were willing to fight for what they believed in. Before the gates were opened and the carnage began, they would all yell in unison, fists close to their hearts: 'FOR EQUESTRIA!! FOR OUR FUTURE!! FOR OUR QUEEN!!'.
The drawbridges would then fall, and most would never be seen or heard from again.
Yet she would watch them go with a smile upon her lips. Their last image of her would be the same they had grown used to. The figure of the woman they had served all their lives, garbed in the same, invariably monotonous uniform.
There was just one key difference between their memories and what they were seeing then.
She wasn't commending them, or talking gently, or being the caring queen they all took her for. No... her eyes spoke of the devilish deeds she desired, and the sword she held told them upon whom these deeds should befall. Standing on the tallest balcony with her bright yellow cape fluttering in the wind, she simply looked on and hoped for her plans to work.
But I digress. Remembering only pains me more.
I was content with my title. I was the princess. The one who was not responsible for taking this course of action. I suppose that's a two-edged blade. I was not responsible for her misdeeds, but I was not responsible for all that was good and righteous in Equestria.
I could not be, for I did not support her actions. To my eyes, the people were blind. There was no other way they could do her bidding without reservations of any kind. She was the sun to them in more ways than one.
Needless to say, I loathed my sister for that. Like the moon, I remained in her shadow 'till I could no longer hold back the desire to do something. I needed to act. I tried to voice my beliefs, but those were cast aside without a second thought. If the people could no longer use their eyes, then I would speak to them in their sleep. I would move like I always had: in her shadow. So long as the moon filled the sky, the people would listen to me. I would become my own sister's worst nightmare. The Nightmare Moon.
I would overthrow her if it meant the liberation of her people.
I waited. I sought for those who, like me, were unhappy under her rule. Before long, I amassed an entire army. We held meetings, and proposed solutions. The decision was unanimous: a revolution was in order.
When the right time arrived, I set my plan into motion. Hoping to catch her off-guard, I gathered my troops and, in the dark of the night, I struck. Under the guise of a being far more imposing than me, I strode into the castle and commenced my attack.
But I was hasty. Foolish, even.
I wanted to sever the root of the evil, so that it could not spread. So while my subjects were locked in combat, I decided to face my sister alone.
It came as no surprise to me that she was able to see right through my cloak. Yet I did not drop my pretense. If I was to achieve my goals, I would do so under the avatar I had chosen.
Standing from her throne, she demanded that I stopped the war, this ‘nonsense’, in her words. I did not attempt to reason with her again.
We unsheathed our swords, and we fought. The sparks that flew off our blades as they met in the air were nothing compared to the fire that burned in her eyes. Her fury had been unlike anything I had ever seen: a truly unprecedented sight. Emperor Discord’s insanity did not even come close to her current state. I had upset the most powerful woman in Equestria, and by extension, awakened the very sun’s wrath.
All of this, I had foreseen. We were equals: our strength was well-balanced, and our skills were matched. We were one of the same kinds in all but our minds.
Even so, an extremely important detail had eluded me. All it took was for her to raise her sword skyward in a manner that was extremely familiar to me. I clearly remembered the last time she had done that gesture, for I had been there to do the same, by her side. She was calling upon the power of the Elements of Harmony.
At that time, I smirked. The power of the elements was one we shared. Try though she might, pitting her power against mine could only result in a draw.
I was extremely confused when I was unable to call for that power. Then I realized: I had been the cause for disharmony. There was no reason why I could use the Elements of Harmony.
I was ready to submit to my fate. With that power in her hands, I would be at her mercy. Strength escaped my body. I fell to my knees, and my swords with me. Closing my eyes, I braced for the strike that would end me.
But my sister had other plans. Though she chose not to kill me, she delivered her justice at once. The warmth of her sword's blade felt extremely cold against my neck.
"We banish thee from Equestrian soil," she hissed, boring into my closed eyes. The guards swarmed in the next instant, stripping me of my weapon and cuffing me. As I was being dragged across the castle halls, I was able to see the outcome of my rebellion through the windows.
I did not see any of my underlings.
Once my cell's door was slammed shut, time lost all of its importance. For a nigh-immortal being such as I, those words should be apply twice as much. The nights that followed blurred by.
I was held prisoner in the dungeons. A fellow captive there lent me this same journal. They shared my view of Celestia. They told me of what their charges had been: unauthorized use of dark magic. I know not of their fate. Burned to death, if I had to guess.
The day came that I was brought to Equestria's richest harbor town, Baltimare. The people gathered in the streets as my carriage rode through, guarded on all sides by the best soldiers in my sister's army. A lonesome - but imposing - ship awaited at the end of a boardwalk.
I recently overheard the sentinel's chatter. Tonight is my final night in this cell. Tomorrow, I will board that ship. I have no idea where I will be headed.
It will not matter, in the end.
Equestria will likely know nothing of my fate. To them, I will be known as Nightmare Moon. Founder of the Lunar Empire.'
Author's Note
Well then, let's see how I can handle this concept this time. I'm really just experimenting here right now, so let's see if this works.
Thanks to ugugg93 for the help!
Proofreading done by Sage Wolf
Rigged with lateen sails and built to be as nimble as possible, the Equestrian exploration vessels were, by far, the fastest and most maneuverable ships to have ever sailed the seas. The direction in which the wind blew didn't matter; they would cut the winds and waves and sail forth.
Of course, such a boon came with a severe cost. The one downside about those ships was their lack of ability to return fire.
Twilight couldn't say for sure when the turmoil had started on deck. The first yells had roused her from her sleep. The ship's gentle rocking had worsened to the point where she could not stand, causing her bags to spill their contents across the floor. Clothes, books and paperwork were scattered at her feet. Reluctantly tossing away the cape that had provided her warmth, she tried to collect her belongings, a task made extremely difficult by the swaying of the floor under her feet.
She completely lost her balance when the first shot was fired above her head. Although her immediate reaction was to take hold of her staff, unsheathe it and prepare to run upstairs, the pistol she had discarded continued to beg for her attention. She hesitated between running over and running away from it.
"They're still on our tail, cap'n!!" someone cried before another shot reverberated throughout the hold, startling Spike awake.
"What's going on?!" he groggily called from the pile of bags and boxes.
Gravity shifted violently as if to answer the dragon. Both him and Twilight were thrown against the hold's walls, effectively crushing a few of the boxes with their weight. The ship's wooden shell creaked in complaint, but stood firm; it knew it still had a mission to accomplish.
Twilight pushed the debris off of her body and held on to the nearest pillar for support. She could feel the woodwork vibrate between her hands as the prow cut through the waves. If she didn't know any better, she would say they were fleeing.
She shakily strode towards the stairs, step by step. The staff's bag, slung over her shoulder, bumped against her back every time the ship swayed too much. Her face was sprayed with droplets of seawater just as her head poked out of the deck's floor.
The crew members were restlessly adjusting the sails to their most favorable position. She had serious doubts about whether or not they were still on-course, as the sunny skies had long since been left behind. A strong wind blew, and the sea undulated more vigorously than ever. A thick haze was beginning to take shape around them.
"What is going on?!" she yelled to anyone who bothered to listen.
"What are ya, deaf or somethin'?! An airship's been tailin' us ever since we left Equestrian waters!" a sailor by the main mast shouted. In his hands was a rope, which he struggled to keep from flying off. "Opened fire 'soon as we were far enough from shore! Oh, but we shot too, we did!"
"An airship? This far out?"
"Aye! Me thinks the boys at the Cloudsdale district've been nappin' and let a Gryphon ship come through!" the sailor spat. "Bloody bastards can't even keep an eye on who crosses the border!"
"Why would a Gryphon ship come all the way here to get us? I thought Princess Celestia had already signed the treaty on hunting territory!"
"Dun' care; th'moment they opened fire was th'moment me trust in'em drowned! Now ya go'n hide yerself 'fore ya get hurt!"
"But--"
Twilight would have continued if the roar of a horn hadn't interrupted her. Even the wind seemed to have died just to listen in. All eyes aboard the ship were fixated on the sky. The murmur of a motor resonated in their ears. They held their breath. The mist was both an advantage and a disadvantage, for in the same way they could hide, so could their predator.
Just when they were about to breathe again, the cry of a sailor echoed:
"Enemy airship overhead!!"
"What?! They found us already?!" the other sailor twitched towards Twilight to push her back, but his duty kept her out of his reach. "Git to the hold, lass!"
"They're firin'!! TAKE COVER!!"
No sooner did those words reach deck than a flurry of bullets rained down upon the ship. Twilight's heart raced as she let go of the staircase and fell back to the hold. The landing on her knees had been less than ideal, but the sound of the cartridges scraping on wood allowed her to forget the aching sting and just roll to safety. The young woman shivered uncontrollably each time the pellets ricocheted off the mast's metallic rings. A hole was all that remained from a bullet's entry point on the ceiling. Twilight backed away from the place where it had landed.
To the crew, the projectiles appeared as nothing more than deadly streaks of light from which no mist or sail could protect them. They hid behind what they could find, be it barrels, boxes or piles of rope, cloth and fishing nets. Try though they might, a blood curdling cry of pain always pierced their ears. When the barrage of bullets finally subsided, the sun on the clear white fabric had been peppered with holes.
"Damage report!" someone yelled immediately, causing the deck to spring to life. A multitude of voices filled the air, each from its own corner of the ship.
The vessel's violent shuddering had decreased, allowing Twilight to stand on her two feet again. She spotted Spike cowering under the hold's merchandise, and decided to leave him be; it was already dangerous enough on her own.
She threw the cape she'd been offered over her back and readied the staff. Its head acquired a weak, pale lavender luminescence, the same hue that the tendrils of light that escaped between each of the object's knots had. As Celestia's prized student, she was proud of her skills. Better yet than her knowledge on magic were her brother's lessons on combat magic, something she'd only used to play-fight against him. She was suddenly grateful for knowing this.
Those same lessons were being hastily reviewed in her mind. Among the spells she'd been taught was an extremely useful shielding spell. If memory served, then she was certain that it would keep the ship safe from future barrages. With a confident smile splattered across her face, she climbed back up the stairs, which was now missing steps here and there.
The first thing her naked hand touched upon reaching the deck's floor level was a pool of blood, from which she recoiled instantly. It was a small puddle, likely the result of a stray bullet that had struck a sailor who had been lucky enough to survive the shot. Steeling herself with a gulp, she fully emerged from the hold.
Putting the cape on had proven to be a good choice. The wind was stronger than ever, and the mist that surrounded them had caused the temperature to drop dramatically. She could barely even see the very edges of the ship. It should have been very difficult for the airship to find them, and near impossible to launch such a precise strike.
There had been no sailor to welcome her this time, which allowed her to put her plan to action right away. They would stick out like a sore thumb in the middle of the haze, but if the airship already had its aim on them, being seen was the least of their concerns.
"Miss Sparkle! I do believe you had your orders!" the captain's shrill voice spoke out as soon as she raised the staff. Sure enough, the man walked out of the shade of the tarp on the ship's rear, carrying a small telescope in his right hand. "You must remain in the hold until we reach New Moon Island!"
"If I don't do this, we might not even make it!"
"And just what do you think you're doing?!"
"Cap'n! They're losin' altitude mighty fast!"
"They want to board us!" the captain snarled, reaching for the gun on his belt. "Prepare to engage the enemy!"
"Wait!" Twilight stilled his arm with a hand. The man didn't take the gesture kindly, having answered with a guttural groan. She released the arm and stepped back so that he could see the staff. "I can keep them away!"
"With all due respect, Miss Sparkle," he growled, readjusting the sleeve she had gripped. His voice continued to overflow with scorn as he spoke, "how will you match a swarm of griffin?"
"I don't need to! I'll just keep them from getting here!"
"Griffin at one o'clock!"
Twilight didn't get so much as an opportunity to hold the man back this time. The flintlock flew out of its holster by his hand, its elegantly sawed muzzle already pointed upwards. There was an orchestra of clicks throughout the ship as all of the other sailors followed their captain and cocked their weapons.
The sound of the first shot came from the crow's nest. All eyes were directed to the clouds, through which a body appeared to be free-falling. The captain waited just long enough for it to be close to give the command: "Open fire!"
As winged creatures and able hunters, griffin were likely capable of avoiding or at least enduring quite the amount of bullets to their body. Human contraptions had seldom produced optimal results against them in the past. Staff alight, Twilight prepared to cast her spell, so that the crew could at least have one more shot before the griffin weapons got them.
That opportunity never came. Her grip on the staff weakened.
The body in the sky was not nearly as bulky as a griffon's. It had no wings that it could flare, nor did it have the telltale shape of a lion. It wasn't until it fell in the water and she rushed to the side of the ship, nearly tripping over her own feet more than once due to the ground's unsteadiness, that she saw what it really was. Given how thick the haze had become, the faint outline of a human body was all that met her eyes. It was drifting away with the ocean current in a blotch of reddened water, and didn't stay in sight for very long. A wave crashed directly on it, sealing its fate permanently.
"Captain!"
"I will not repeat myself, Miss Sparkle! Hit the deck or I will personally make sure you do!"
"This is important!" Noticing the captain's complete lack of interest in her, Twilight raised her hand to grasp at his forearm again. The man was ready this time, though, as he pulled his arm back right before she could reach it. He was almost unable to hold back the urge to slap her across the face with the back of his hand. Her status ended up clearing that idea. "Captain, please! That's not a griffin airship!"
"That is irrelevant, miss Sparkle! If the big round sun on the sails didn't catch their eye, then they're either pirates or too stupid to own a ship!"
"But sir--"
"I will not hear any more words from you, Miss Sparkle!" Disregarding any and all precautions, he seized Twilight by the cape's collar, twisted it and pulled her until they were face-to-face. He was taller than her, much taller, she noticed. Her feet were no longer touching the ground. The air suddenly reeked of rotten fish carcasses. "There could be Diamonds Dogs up there, and I'd care just as much! They have opened fire on us, and we will fight back!"
He loosened his grip on the collar, as though her silence had made him self-conscious. Even his tone of speech softened, which caused his appearance to become much less intimidating than it really was. "If they are pirates, then they are likely after you. We are not about to let them have what they want."
"Cap'n!" the man in the crow's nest shouted. "New Moon Island is in sight!"
"Prepare to dock," the captain announced.
Free from his grip, Twilight silently stepped aside. A lavender radiance creeped up the staff's alicorn core, culminating in a small flash on its head. She would fulfill her plans regardless of what orders she had from the captain.
The chance to act presented itself to her the moment the captain turned his back, and she didn’t hesitate in seizing it. She steadied herself, legs slightly apart. Not one of the sailors saw her hoist the staff above her head and close her eyes to conjure the spell.
The top of the staff exploded with light. A flare shot skyward, its body crackling with purple sparks as it went higher and higher. The crew trained their eyes on it, observing the luminescent object with mixed feelings. The lookout on the main mast took cover when it zoomed past him and stopped just overhead. Twilight flicked the staff, and the man thought his time had come. Never had he imagined that such a tiny speck of light could generate enough power to usher the barrier of haze away nor to create a shimmering dome around the ship.
He noted with much apprehension that despite the absence of clouds to obstruct the sun's way, no light was shining down on the ship. The sound of a motor drummed in his ears like they were gunshots. It was impossibly loud, and after the man looked up, he realized it was just as immense. The crew itself was shocked still for witnessing how close they really were to their ambushers. Up there, at twice the vessel's height, hovered a massive zeppelin. The copper balloon that kept it afloat cast so big a shadow that it could envelop the ship underneath it whole.
And despite the deafening amount of noise its immense body made, there was one thing that bellowed louder than the aircraft. The captain's voice down below. "You blasted woman!! Do you realize what you've done?!"
Twilight lowered the staff and assumed a defensive position with it, as though the man that stormed her way was about to draw a sword and swing at her. The wooden beam proved to be useful in her advantage, for the captain slammed his chest against it in such a way that his face stopped just inches away from Twilight's. The putrid odor that accompanied all sailors returned to pester her nostrils, this time with much greater intensity.
Twilight wasn't intimidated this time. Holding the staff when it was just cooling down from a spell had served to encourage the young woman in times of difficulty - this was no exception. With a firm, confident gaze, she answered, "This is your chance to fire! Take the ship down!"
The captain didn't react, at least not immediately. He just bore into her eyes, as if to make sure she wasn't playing a joke on him. Reaching a conclusion, he breathed out leisurely and shook his head.
"Perhaps I was wrong about you, Miss Sparkle. Perhaps we should let them have you."
Something much bigger than a bullet scraped the ship's hull, effectively causing it to rock in the wrong direction. The sailors backpedalled away from point of impact, hoping to escape any future shots. They only realized how futile the attempt was when another struck the sun embroidered on the sails dead in the middle, leaving behind a circular patch of scorched fabric.
"Do you know what the difference between fighting a griffon and a human is?"
The sail had caught on fire. The embers, left behind by the initial strike, had steadily spread throughout the sun's figure. The crest of Celestia was burning brightly with deep blue flames. The sailors were surrounded by water, and no amount of it could save it now.
Following the examples set by their predecessors, many more blasts rained down upon the ship. They were more erratic this time around, but just as or even more effective than before. Twilight's barrier hadn't been a problem at all, given how the incandescent flares just penetrated the dome. It rippled wherever it made contact, but served no other use. The young woman could only watch her failure. The alarmed screams of the sailors fell on deaf ears.
Without something to hold them back, nothing wooden or textile on-board could stand the destructive power of the flames. It wasn't long until the ship turned into nothing more than a combusting, decadent version of its former self.
"Not one of the winged bastards can cast a spell."
A precise shot proved fatal to the main mast. The lookout let loose a blood-curdling scream as the pole shivered and tilted, dragging along a sail. The captain didn't move, not even when the falling mast just barely missed him. The stern was completely crushed instead, sending a cloud of wood splinters to the air.
There was a call for attention in the middle of all the commotion, and before Twilight could realize it, the staff had been snatched from her hands. She was unable to utter a complaint, however. She was focused solely on the meteor-like projectile that was flying her way.
The purple glow that was lost right when she let go of the staff was quickly replaced by a silvery one in the captain's hands. The man's mastery with the magical artifact would have come as a surprise to Twilight. Had she been watching, the spell he cast would have surprised her even more.
One twist of the staff, which stopped with the rod pointing in the shot's direction, and a couple of words muttered under his breath. That was all he needed to create a magical force field. It was smaller, much smaller. However, unlike Twilight's - which had disappeared with her signature aura on the staff, the captain's shield was an impassable obstacle.
"For someone who takes pride on their magical prowess, you still have much, much to learn," he hissed without turning away. Twilight didn't reply. At some point, she’d clung onto the man, arms wrapped around his chest. Her mind was trying to figure out what had gone wrong, even though the answer had been provided long ago.
Her eyes were glued on what remained of the ship, for it was no more. There was no crew anymore. Only flames, burning corpses and burning lumber. The intoxicating smell of charred wood was abundant, but not nearly as overpowering as that of burning flesh. If doing so didn’t imply letting go of the only thing between her and the sea’s fury, she would lurch over the edge and empty her stomach. Bearing that in mind, she made an extra effort to stand back.
The captain's spell had led the airship to divert all fire in their direction. Twilight could feel his body shiver with every single hit that the magical shield absorbed. The side of her that demanded progress in her abilities took notes from the man’s posture and qualities. It gave special detail to the way the captain stood firm and undeterred when the vessel, stripped of its sails, was swaying more than ever at the ocean’s mercy.
But he couldn't hold the shield up forever. Twilight could see the first signs of fatigue blemishing the man’s face. For the first time, she noticed he was struggling. She cursed her lack of foresight and held him tighter, knowing it would provide nothing more than the assurance that she was still alive.
“Whatever business you have to conduct in New Moon Island, Miss Sparkle,” he blearily uttered. His voice was so strained from exhaustion that Twilight felt a knot forming in her own throat. “For the love of all that is sacred, make sure you see it to an end.”
“What--”
“We have arrived to our destination.”
Her eyes met the captain’s for one very brief instant. When she thought she had discovered what secrets they hid, the ground beneath her feet shook more violently than ever. She never got to look back and study the way the ship coursed towards a barrier of rocks on its own. All she got to hear was the sound of a thousand cracks, and all she got to see was the way her world suddenly turned upside down.
Then... she blacked out.
Author's Note
Proofreading done by Sage Wolf
