Between Peaceful Dusk and Redemptive Dawn

In the present, the ponies of Equestria began to find out the events that had transpired at the siege of the Crystal Empire. In defeat, the two sisters limped their armies back to Canterlot. They walked with their tails between their legs. One sister was angry at the other for being impatient while the other wondered if there was a way to bring back the lost treasure that had disappeared. They both felt shame, however. Each step was another kick in the flank. They had been counted on to save the empire, and they failed the mission. Canterlot felt the gloomy atmosphere when the two sisters returned. Word spread like flies and ponies became aware that they had lost. Before any of the scholars or subjects were able to see Luna or Celestia, Celestia asked for privacy while she had a word with her sister.

“I’ve thought about something on the march back,” started Celestia to Luna. Celestia then shut the door after her two guards had left the room.

“Yes, go on,” Luna replied.

“It’s about that scholar of yours: Shadowscare. You told me he was the brother of Sombra, correct?”

“Where are you going with this?” said Luna who began to wonder what plan her sister was up to.

“I believe it would be best if we do not coronate him. We should up the number of required achievements in order to become royalty and various tests should be given to find out whether that pony has the skill to be a royal. We cannot have anyone getting as powerful as Sombra. We cannot trust everypony anymore. There are some who are set on a destined path to try and bring chaos into this world. Not to mention if the people found out that Sombra was his brother . . .”

“His coronation has already been approved!” snapped Luna with anger. “You have more royals on your side than me already!”

“They belong to both of us,” said Celestia calmly.

“That’s not how they see it!”

“Don’t you see that we need to protect our citizens? We cannot just give away power unless we are absolutely sure the ponies we give it to will not do something to destroy Equestria. How do we know that our subjects truly want what’s best for Equestria?”

“How dare you question the loyalty of my subjects! I will do as I see fit in my niche of our government.”

“It’s supposed to be our niche,” responded Celestia. “It is what we were destined to do: rule together.”

“Then you need to trust me and my subjects more.” The door opened. “If you’re ideas has more precedence than mine in the decision-making process, then we are not equal.” The door opened. The sisters turned their heads and stared at the pony at the door. It was the crystal princess. She was still as lovely as the day that Shadowscare had seen her. It had been twenty years but with her immortality as an alicorn, she would not age. She was tired though. Dust had gotten mixed into her candy-colored mane on the march back to Canterlot. The armies of Equestria had traveled all the way back to Canterlot in about three days. The sisters both eased their anger at each other to ask the crystal princess what was wrong.

“Am I interrupting?” asked the polite crystal princess. “I’m so sorry if I am but . . .”

“No, I was just about to leave,” Luna interrupted as she strutted out of the room.

“What can I help you with?” asked celestia.

“I’m guessing the prince and I will have to stay here until we find a way to bring back the empire. Do you have room for us?”

“Certainly,” replied Celestia as she summoned a paper and quill. She quickly scribbled something onto the paper, rolled it up, and sealed it. “Here, present this to the stallion in the quarters above this room.” Celestia handed the note to the crystal princess.

“Thank you, your majesty,” said the crystal princess. “Forgive me princess, but I heard most of the lively conversation from outside.”
“My apologies,” said Celestia. “My sister is being difficult at the moment.”

“It’s not that. I wanted to talk about Shadowscare. Years ago I saw him enter my crystal palace with a young foal. He was saddened in a place as beautiful and amazing as the crystal empire. I smiled at him, and he smiled back. In that moment I felt the radiance of good in his heart. I believe we can trust him. Something tells me he can do great things if we give him the ability to learn magic.”

“I’m sorry, but this is a decision that should be made by me and Luna alone,” replied Celestia as she walked with the crystal princess. “I believe we should wait and only present this gift to him when we know he is ready.”

“Very well, your majesty.” And with that, the crystal princess left to find her prince.

When Luna entered her quarters, Shadowscare could feel the anger that had shrouded her. She stomped with each step and slammed the door behind her. Shadowscare jumped at the noise from the door. “What is the matter, your majesty?” asked Shadowscare who was surprised by her angered mood.

“Celestia cost us the Crystal Empire, yet she does not see how. I warned her not to assault Sombra with the Elements of Harmony until we were certain that it was safe to do so, but she ignored me.”

Shadowscare’s stomach sank. He expected the princess to return with good news rather than defeat. “I have been asleep, my princess. This is the first I am hearing of our defeat. When I woke up I heard the army returning so I came here and waited. This is disheartening news. What has become of the Crystal Empire?”

“It has disappeared due to a curse,” replied Luna with a sigh.

“What has become of the crystal prince and princess?”

“They were rescued and will now stay in Canterlot until we bring the empire back.”

“And what of my brother?” asked Shadowscare somberly.

“He was turned to shadow and banished to the northern ice. He is not dead. Instead he is trapped for eternity in a frozen prison.”

Shadowscare shed a tear. His brother deserved his punishment, but at the same time he felt pity for him. Sombra would be alone again. How had he learned to do such destructive magic? Shadowscare was filled with many questions, but now was not the time to ask all of them. He had one final question for Luna. “Is this the only reason you are mad, my princess?”

Luna burst in anger at this question. “No, Celestia doubts you as my subject and questioned the loyalty of all my subjects.”

“Will she not coronate me then?” asked Shadowscare.

Luna paused and grinned. She had gotten an idea. It was a rebellious idea that would show Celestia that some decisions could be made without her input. Luna began to pace as she recited a spell. “I just thought of something,” started Luna. “I need to become more independent. I have tried to reason with her, but she will not listen. She wants to add to the number of achievements one must accomplish in order to become royalty. I am putting my hoof down and saying that I will do as I please and instate rules to my subjects when I want to.” She finished reciting the spell. A light burst from her horn that rushed toward her loyal subject. It surrounded Shadowscare. He was levitated up into the air. The light removed his wings and covered him like a cocoon would do to a caterpillar. The light intensified. It flashed. Luna blocked covered her eyes with her hoof. When the light faded, Shadowscare slowly floated to the ground. He opened his eyes. His head felt heavy and he was dizzy. He flapped his wings to make sure they were still there. When he regained his bearings he felt a part in his hair. Shadowscare fluttered like a butterfly over to the closest mirror. When he looked at himself, he saw a long horn on the top of his head. He turned around and saw Luna who was fatigued by the power of the spell. She was breathing heavily, but was laughing at the success of the incantation.

“There, it is done. You have your coronation. You have long life, wings to fly, and a horn to make magic with. Now help me prove Celestia that she is wrong in her distrust of your loyalty. Swear to me that no matter what, you will remain loyal to me.”

“I swear to be always loyal to you, Princess of the Night.”

“Good. Now show me some magic! Feel the energy and radiance within you. Conjure it into a light.”

Shadowscare struggled. He imagined it, took a breath of air, and attempted to create light. He tried once. No effect. He tried twice. Same result.

“You need to become the light,” commanded Luna. “In order to cast a spell you must have the feelings of whatever you are trying to create. For instance, to create fire you must feel the warmth, energy, and power that fire holds.”

Shadowscare was breathing hard. He listened to Luna. He remembered the hard winters of the north, the fires that warmed the homes of each pony home, and the power that it had to destroy the village. In that moment a blaze erupted from his horn. Luna flinched and put out the flame. Shadowscare reminded himself of Sombra when he had first discovered how the spell for fire worked. Luna’s eyes widened in surprise. Her subject had just created a destructive form of fire on his first attempt. “Maybe it runs in the family,” she thought. She stared at him with a fearful look. He had accomplished something that might take others days to figure out. Yet he had created something dangerous. Fire must not become an obsession of Shadowscare’s in order for her plan to work. Luna began to question if her decision to make Shadowscare an alicorn was a good idea. Could Celestia have been right to question his trust? Could he become just as bad as the brother he had been raised with? No. She would not let this happen. It was too late to go back on this decision anyways. “Perhaps we should practice after a long rest. You need to get used to carrying the extra weight on your head.”
Shadowscare nodded at this. He quietly left the room while the princess watched him with her wandering eyes. When he closed the door, he heard somepony yell from down the hall. It was one of Luna’s guards. It was Stratus.
“What is this nonsense?! I cannot just be kicked out of my quarters like this!” Stratus was rereading a note when Shadowscare walked by. “So you’re telling me that Celestia could not give up a room for her guards?”
The Crystal Prince and Princess stood in front of Stratus as he raged. Shadowscare looked upon the familiar face of the crystal princess. It had been twenty years since she had seen him. In the Crystal Empire his book was popular among many of the crystal ponies. When she noticed him, she caught a glimpse of the horn that now adorned his forehead. Surprise echoed through the princess. Based on the conversation that she had overheard, the crystal princess was aware that Luna had just disobeyed the commands of her sister. She turned around and faced Stratus who continued to make a scene. “Hopefully I will be right about him,” thought the crystal princess.
Shadowscare opened the doors to his quarters. It was dark, and he would have lit a candle if the fear of starting a fire in Canterlot castle did not restrain him. His magic might be unpredictable. He was going to try again to create light. He took a deep breath. Inside he felt the glowing sensation of light. He needed it. Radiance and hope filled him and a light sprung from his horn. It was dim, but it was a light. Nothing more, nothing less. Shadowscare smiled at his progress.
“So you have become an alicorn I see,” said a silhouetted figure leaning on wall next to the fireplace. “I am happy for your success.”
Shadowscare was alarmed by this appearance. The figure stepped into his light. It was a stallion that Shadowscare had recognized from the train in the Crystal Empire all those years ago. His name was Sporco Speranza. Shadowscare remembered his dirty mane, his dark gray eyes, and his orange coat. “Sporco?” questioned Shadowscare in the dim lit room. “I didn’t think you made it to Canterlot. How . . . ? Why . . . ? What are you doing here?”
“Come now, friend! Is this how you treat guests now? I remember a pegasus who was kind and needed help finding his way in the world. You haven’t changed that with time, right?”
“I’m sorry,” said Shadowscare as he hugged his friend. “It’s just surprising to see you here. I thought I had lost you long ago.”
“You never truly lose a friend on the inside,” said the wise Sporco Speranza with his usual accent. “I am here with an important message. I need your help. Come! Have a seat and listen to me now.”