All was quiet as Luna's stars flittered across the night skies as Ponyville was getting ready for theirs beds. Lights went out one by one, signaling the residents going to bed. One pegasus stayed up though, admiring the stars littering the sky above her head. She seemed to coo everytime a star flickered in the dark sky. Just then, as if a sudden Sonic Rainboom were performed, a bright light lit up the sky. As it raced over Ponyville, and the mare's home, came down with a loud crash, as if the town wasn't awake already, made a loud crash at Windsome Falls, possibly waking the rest of Equestria in the process.
The mare burst forth from the window she was looking out of and over to the crash site at the Falls in the middle of the night. The smoke was still eminating from whatever just crashed in the middle of the lake. The smoke is questonable of how it made it way out of the water itself. As the pegasus tried to look towards the bottom to see what crashed, the figure still glowing, barely made out the shape of what appeared to be a pony. The mare quickly dove into the pool and made her way to the pony form and fished out that mysterious pony. With it being dark out as it is, she couldn't make out any detailed other than the fact that the pony she had fished out was a colt. Deciding that the colt would be fine hear for the night, the pegasus decided to fly back to her home and rest until morning to check on the colt again.
She returned to the site at Windsome Falls early in the morning only to find the colt in the same position she had left him, features were more present as looked toward a unicorn with dark fur, a purple mane, the eyes were still closed.
"Excuse me..." She said quietly, taking a small step closer to the mystery colt.
She poked the colt with her hoof lightly, seeing as he didn't wake up, she nudged him. As soon as the unicorn was nudged, he shot straight up, wings now unfloding to reveal that HE was an alicorn. A male alicorn with foggy purple eyes. He stared towrads what now was in his view, a royal blue mare with golden rod mane and tail, a hazel set of eyes, and a lavender bow adorning the top of her well- groomed mane.
They two stared at eachother for a few minutes until the alicorn broke the silence.
"Who are you?" He barked, it was obvious he had a training that of a guard.
"L-Lunar Dawn..." She piped up, being taken by surprise of his order.
"Night Gale, Captain of the Alicorn Guard."
"Alicorn... Guard?"
Night Gale looked around, puzzled at first, then turned his attention back to Lunar Dawn.
"This is Equestria... isn't it?" He asked
"Why yes. It's still Equestria, same as always. You have your Earth Ponies, Pegasi, and Unicorns along with your Alicorn ruler, Princess Celestia."
"Celestia.... she sounds so familiar. Yet, she's your ruler."
Lunar just stared at Night in confusion as he slowly made a stand. As he spread his wings even more and folded them back to his side. He start to slowly twirled around Windsome Falls, now knowing Night Gale was a pony..... a pony from a different time. What that time was must have been from before Lunar's time. Night Gale soon took flight and flew past the puzzled pegasus towards Ponyville. Realising wheer he was heading, she took after him to catch up to him.
"You can't just walts on in to Ponyville like this!" Lunar Dawn exclaimed, catching up to Night Gale. "Everyone will probably freak!"
"What? Why?" Night Gale started to float in confusion.
"Nopony has even seen a stallion alicorn before." Lunar slowly halted and floated next to Night.
Night Gale thought for a moment. Then turned his head to look at Lunar.
"You mean......" He started up before being cut off by Lunar.
"Yup, you could be the only male alicorn in exsistance." Lunar replied, closing her eyes and nodding.
Night Gale's face went grim, slowly flying down towrds the ground. When he had planted all four hooves on the ground, Night hung his head low at the possibility of him being the last male alicorn to be known.
"You know what cheers me up when I'm down?" He just looked at the royal blue mare next him that had just landed. "I always get a cupcake at Sugar Cube Corner." She continued to say.
"Sugar Cube Corner?"
"It's the local backery in Ponyville." Lunar replied, pointing a hoof in the direction of the town.
Night Gale looked in the direction of the hoof to look upon Ponyville, the town seemed peaceful as it is. Something sparked in Night's subconcious as he looked, the stare was blank, his foggy purple eyes focused on the location of the town, his limbs froze in place. Perfct stillness performed by the only know male alircorn to Lunar. Shes waved a hoof in front of his face only to get no response. So she resorted to the next best thing, she planted a hoof across his fac with great force so that it knocked him down. Apparently it worked as Night got back up, rubbing his cheek and looked at Lunar.
"What was that for?!" He yelled.
"You were in a daze."
"I was remembering.... remembering something."
"What were you remembering?"
"I have no idea, I don't know if it was ow I got here or where I came from."
The two ponies heading towards Ponyville again on hoof, Lunar Dawn was leading since Night Gale had not idea where everything was in town. It didn't take long for them to enter, but Night was getting more peculiar looks as they passed by the citizens. It gave him chills as if they were watching him. Night caught up to Lunar and trotted beside her to see if they would stop staring. Too bad his horn was a dead giveaway from behind the mare's head. They reached the bakery shortly and entered. The dining room was filled with several ponies already eating lunch. Night Gale glanced around, looking at each group.
"Why don't you go find us somewhere nice to sit." Lunar said with a smile. Night just nodded and found an open table near a window so he could look out it and watched how Equestria has changed. Lunar was up at the counter ordering two cupcakes from Carrot Cake and shortly joined Night as she waited for their treats.
"I think when I last saw Equestria.... it was different." Night Gale stated without tearing away from the window.
"How different?"
"A lot different, maybe, I can't remember much." Night recalled the flash back, the Everfee Forest was still here rather than Ponyville standing, there was a great city far beyond the forest. The city's occupants were like ants from the distance, flying around gracefully. Night Gale's recollection was interupted when he heard two small plates plates made their loud clangs on the table. Adorning the plates were two cupcakes of identical height, same amount of green frosting, but different cups. One resided in a pink cup while the other resided in a blue cup.
"Go on... eat up, the cupcakes here are the best in Ponyville." Lunar Dawn cheerfully exclaim, holding the cupcake in her hoof and taking off the cup it resided in. Night Gale lifted just a cupcake from it's cup and took a small bite into it.
"Mmmmm! Theses are good!" A smile lit up on Night's face as he chewed. Lunar Dawn and Night gale enjoyed the rest of their afternoon at Sugar Cube Corner, telling jokes and getting to know eachother in the process
"You know, you are going to need bits soon." Lunar stated calmly as she accompanied Night in the evening.
"Bits.... I'm guessing the money system here." Night replied.
"Yes, for food, housing, and things you might want to do in your pass time."
"I see.... which means I'm going to need a job. Would you might know anypony that is hiring?"
"I think Derpy Hooves is looking for a foalsitter for Dinky Hooves after school until the evenings. Might want to check with her in the morning though."
Night Gale nodded, knowing he would have to be shown where Derpy lived exactly and Lunar was his only real contact in Ponyville, quite possibly friend also.
Days later, Night Gale was happily trotting down the street to go pick up Dinky Hooves after school. It might have taken her sveral days to warm up to this mystery alicorn as her foalsitter. She was perfectly happy with him as it seems they got along just fine. Night played hide 'n seek with her, took her to the park on Fridays, even drew with her. Today seemd like it was any other day with Dinky, but when Night Gale reached the school house, he found Dinky on the steps, crying to herself. Worried for the filly, he galloped over to the crying filly.
"Hey Dinky, what's wrong?" Night asked the hunched Dinky, she just looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
"Nothing." She replied wearily with sniffles. Night kneeled down and reach one of his wings to her and wrapped her in its embrace.
"You can tell Good Ol' Nighty what's wrong little Miss Dinky." He said, smiling down towards te filly in his wing. she smiled slowly and warmed up again.
"Well.... I've been getting bullied at school..." She said, Night wiping away her tears with the same wing he wrapped her in.
"What do you get bullied for?" Night asked, hugging the filly.
"My mom.. being... stupid." Dinky just looked down.
"Bah, that's not true!" Night started up, "She is the most friendly pony I have ever met! She knows what she's doing every day with you. She cares about you most and nothing will ever change that." Dinky looked up at Night, smiling as big as she could and hugged the alicorn once more.
"Do you know what day it is today?" She asked, just now remembering the day.
"Is it.... Park Friday?" Night quickly popped out as an answer.
Dinky squeed and Night let her go gently. He stood up to a full stance and looked at Dinky.
"I have an idea." He said, picking Dinky up with his magice and placing her on his back.
"How about we fly to the park this time?" Dinky nodded excitingly. She never had seen Night Gale fly before and wondered how fast he could go while in flight. Night spread his wings wide from his sides.
"You might want to hang on tight." He stated, Dinky wrapped her forehooves around his neck, snuggling to his mane as he left the ground quickly and flew most of Ponyville and it's citizens as he raced across the skies with Dinky on his back. It wasn't long before they landed in the park. Night Gale lifted Dink off his back, who was struggling to get down, and set her gently on the ground. She satrtedto race circles around her foalsitter. Two elderly mares were gazing upong the two ponies
"He would make a great father figure for Little Dinky" One of the elderly ponies stated.
"Yeah, shame though." The other replied.
"Why is it a shame?"
"Just is." The two never carried the conversation after that. Night Gale and Dinky were now playing tag, Night was playfully gollaped slower than Dinky as he went after her. After a game of tag, Night was helping Dinky swing.
"Nighty, can I ask you a question?" Dinky looked behind her towards Night.
"Sure thing kiddo." He replied.
"Where did you come from? I have never seen a colt alicorn before.
"Well, Dinky, nopony has. As for your question, I don't know exactly where I came from, just somewhere."
"Did you come from the sky?"
"That's what Lunar Dawn seems to think. That I came from the sky."
As the sun started to set, Night Gale was on way to take Dinky home. Night looked up at the sky, feeling a bit light headed and headed inside to wait for Derpy to get home. All was quiet in the house, Night getting dizzy now as he sta at the table.
"Nighty.... are you okay?" Dinky asked, looking up at the swaying Night Gale.
"I'm... I'm not sure..." He replied, only to fall out of the seat with a crash to the floor, going unconcious. Dinky was clueless to what was happening as the room started to glow a menacing dark red. Night Gale's lump of a shadow started to move without him having to get up nor was he awake. At first, the shadow retained Night's normal size and grew to the size of Celestia in a matter of seconds. A sadistic smile form at the mouth, the wings were twice their size, the horn was larger. Dinky buried herself under one of Night's wings as a glowing eye opened and let loose a malicious laugh from within the house.
"I..." a monsterous voice erupted from the shawdow, "am almost free from this wretched fool! My power is growing and nothing will stop me when I break free!" The shadow retreated back to Night's current state, laughing all the way. Then, silence, as it settled. All seemed to be normal, Dinky was shaking in her hooves under the safety of Night Gale's wing.
"Nighty...." She cooed softly, hoping her Nighty would wake.
"Hnng..... uhg... W-What h-happened?" He asked, slowly opening those foggy eyes and turning his head to look at Dinky.
"I'm scared...." Night wearily let out a smile.
"It'll be ok Dinks, I promise."
Night Gale allowed the scared filly to snuggle closer to him as he layed on the floor. Dinky didn't understand what she had just witnessed. But whatever it was, it seems to be trappped within Night Gale and on its way to the surface. Months passed by since that event and Dinky started to have nightmares about this mysterious being. Early morning it was and Night Gale is sitting at the table in Lunar Dawn's house for breakfast.
"Dinky is having nightmares about me Dawn." Night said, helping his friend with their breakfast.
"What are they about?" She asked.
"About something taking me over or bursting out of me."
"Why is she having them?"
"I think something happened a few months ago. I was out when it happened, but she was hiding under my wing when it was all over."
Dawn now looked at Night who was still working on the rest of the breakfast. He knew that Dawn was staring directly at him.
"Now, shall we eat?" Night asked looking at Dawn, now finished with his half of breakfast. Dawn just nodded slowly and took the food over to the table while Night got two plates, forks, and other silverware they might need. The ensuing breakfast ws conducted in silence. Night Gale raised his eyes to Lunar Dawn.
"What's bothering you?" He asked, breaking the silence.
"Dinky's nightmares." She replied, not looking up from her plate.
"They bother me too, but something doesn't seem right about them."
"What makes you say that?" Lunar was now looking Night directly into his eyes.
"What if... they aren't really nightmares, but, signs."
"That's absurd. No dreams have ever lead to real events."
Night gale agreed with her.
Later that day, Night Gale went strolling through Ponyville, getting the occassional stares from ponies who had never seem him before. Suddenly, as if frozen in time once more, Night Gale saw the Everfree flourish into the area and the city from the latest flashback again. Only this time, something was direly wrong. There was a glowing orb from within the city. It was shortly followed by an explosion that destroyed the city itself and snapped Night back into the current time.
"No..." Night whispered to himself, confused at what he just saw. He tried to shake it off for the rest of the day. Meanwhile, at Canterlot's Royal Cliffside Palace, Princess Celestia seemed to be looking over some very important documents. She was interrupted briefly by the feeling that something is out of place. She ordered scouts to spread across the land of Equestria looking for this item.... or pony. Scouts searched high and low for this being with no luck to their side.
Night Gale started to stroll again, remembering his promise to Dinky about taking her to the museum today. Dinky was already outside her house rummaging through some flowers, she looked uo to see Night Gale approaching. She quickly jumped to her feet in excitement and ran over to hug the stallion tightly. Dinky let go of Night and looked up at him with a big grin on her face.
"Ready to go?" Night asked the excited filly.
"Yeah! Just got to tell mom where we're going!" Dinky replied before running inside and bounding out moments later.
Night Gale accompanied Dinky down to the Ponyville Train Depot to purchase their tickets to head to Canterlot. Dinky, Night, and Depry had planned a visit for the Canterlot Museum since Dinky nor Night Gale had seen the bustling capitol of Equestria. The foalsitter and the foalsitted had boarded their train shortly before it's departure towards Canterlot. The travel time would be a few hours or so, the two played cards and other sorts of games like 20 questions and I spy. When they arrived in Canterlot, one of the Princess' scouts noticed Night Gale getting off the train with Dinky. The real adventure has begun.
The two made way for the museum until Night Gale heard a familiar voice call from overhead. To his surprise, it was Lunar Dawn flying above.
"Night Gale!" She called, worry infested the tone of her voice.
"Lunar, what seems to be the problem?" Night asked in curiosity.
"I have reason that you're being followed," she took a moment to catch her breath from the flight of Ponyville to Canterlot, "I saw a royal guard following not too long ago."
"Thanks for the heads up. Go keep a look out, I'll act like nothing is happening." Night said looking around to see if the guard is till around.
Urging Dinky not to worry about hime, Night escorted the young filly to the Museum. He purchased their tickets, occasionally looking around them to see if they were still being followed. Lunar Dawn was outside waiting for Night and Dinky to exit, until she noticed that there was a starnge pony galloping for the castle. She quickly took to the skies as she followed the disguised gaurd to the drawbridge of the castle. Night Gale explored the museum with Dinky at side, they came to an exhibit with a music box in a glass case and tapestry behind it. Night took a closer look towards the tapestry.
Night froze once again, but this time, in a bedroom of a young alicorn and his parents by side. The mother of the colt was winding up the music box that was on display at the museum and let it play. First there were a few ticks from withing the box, then it started to play a tune. Da da dananananana na were the sounds eminating from the box. The recall was interupted by Dinky nudging him.
"Night, that pony in the picture looks like you." She said.
Turning his attention to the tapestry, he gazed upon a purple maned, tailed, and eyed alicorn holding up the exact music box up to a pony with no mane, no tail, pure black coat, and white eyes. As Night Gale stared longer at the dark pony, he visioned fires blazing, countless ponies screaming, and maniacal laughter.
His vision was obstructed by the sound of a troop of guards that had surrounded Dinky and him.
"By order of the Princess, you are hearby called into her royal court for questioning." The leading guard ordered, staring blankly at Night Gale's flank. Night slowly turned toward the leader and complied quietly. Dinky hopped onto his back since she was with him at the time. Night Gale was remembering his past, faster than before, but he can't be sure if it IS him or not.
The troop pushed Night Gale into the throne room with Dinky still riding on his back. She hopped down and looked around the throne room. Night felt like he should know this area, but it didn't come to him at the time. "Ah, there you are." Was said before Night was hit with a blast of magic from non other than Princess Celestia herself. As he went into a coughing fit, the Princess came out from the shadow of her throne. Night Gale finally coughed up an orb of pure shadow. He looked at it with intensity before it started floating infront of him and starting forming.
First to come was a pony shape of black, with white eyes that glowed even in the darkest hour, it bowed its head, closing its eyes, and burst out a purple mane and tail, a horn that of a unicorn, wings of pegsus burst out. At first sight, it looked like a copy of Night Gale. The copy started to grow to the size of Celestia, the horn doubling size along with wing span. Night Gale stared in horror as another memory sparked. He saw himself holding the music box up to the form trapping it within the box. He soon figured out that it was trapped inside him all this time.
"What is your purpose for being inside this pony out of his own time period?" Celestia demanded from the newly formed pony.
"Ah, isn't the fair Celestia..." It said, opening his eyes to reveal new bloodshot reptilian eyes, tunring to look at the Princess, and let forth a small sadistic laugh. "My, my, have you grown. How long has it been? 3, no, 4 thousand years maybe?"
"I'm not here to chat." Celestia glared at the being in the middle of the room.
"That's no fun, well, if you must know, I'm here to take over this new Equestria as my rightful place as the Shadow Pony." It said, smiling menacingly.
"Night Gale, Dinky, come here by my side before something happens." Celestia kept her focus on the Shadow Pony, anticipating its move.
Dinky pushed Night Gale over by Celestia and sat neaxt to the shocked stallion. Night Gale looked over to Celestia and sparked a memory where she was just a foal. then heard his own voice over the background.
"Harmony Six, wielded by two sisters, one of day and one of night. If ever should one fall to evil, Elements hide the sixth. Up to sister still good to find six ponies to represent the new Harmony Six."
Night Gale also watched a younger Luna accompany her older sister.
"Sisters of Harmony Six." He muttered to himself as he gazed upon the current day Celestia.
"What?" Dinky asked Night.
Night Gale quickly made a stand. Looking towards the confused Dinky at his side.
"Two Sisters of the Harmony Six!" He exclaimed once more.
"That title we own no longer Master Night Gale." She said in response.
"Master? No longer own the title?" Night Gale almost fell over in surprise.
"Luna went to evil, we got seperated from the Elements. Thankfully, I have found six ponies to represent the Elements now."
"Just as my spell had intended. Dinky!" Dinky stood straight up.
"Go find somewhere to hide. Princess, may you retreive my music box while I distract this beast?"
Celestia nodded and headed out the door, Dinky found a place to hide behind the throne, and the Shadow Pony locked eyes with Night Gale as he apporached. Night remembered everything now. The fall, his spell, his post, who he was, his real purpose now. The Shadow Pony smile maliciously towards Night Gale. Everything made sense now. He was transported through time to defeat the longest living foe in Equestria once more, and hopefully, for the last time in history. Night Gale cracked a little smile of his own back towards the beast.
"Smiling at your own demise?" The Shadow Pony chuckled.
"Nope, smiling at yours, this will be your final stand, your final fight, your final time here in Equestria." Night Gale cracked out
"Your music box was worthless the first time you used it, what makes you think it'll work this round?" The Shadow Pony's smile was fading.
"I know what I had done wrong the first time we fought."
The Shadow Pony was quick to charge at Night Gale in full force, slamming his foe against the throne by his throat.
"This, is where you die!" The beast snarled nastily. Night Gale grinned again and blasted the Shadow Pony across the room with a blast of magic.
"You forgot that you're still weak." Night Gale laughed as the beast charged once more. The beast was quick, but Night Gale was quicker. Sending the beast into the sky with a flip kick, landing gracefully back on fours without help of his wings. As the beast was falling back to the floor, Night Gale turned around, time his kick, and bucked Shadow Pony across the room once more. The beast hit the wall above the door that Celestia was now coming through.
"I take it you took your time Princess?" Night Gale asked Celestia.
"I trust that you were able to handle yourself while I was gone?" She asked in return with a smile.
"Just when is was getting fun." He stated.
"Always had your wits about you, Master Gale." Celestia smiled.
Celestia handed the music box to Night Gale. Night started to charge the music box to make its effects stronger against the foe he had to save all of Equestria from, after all, he was the only one who could actually do it.
"Not so fast," The Shadow Pony stated, holding Dinky by the back of her neck," if I go, this filly is going with me.
Night Gale looked at the struggling filly in the grip of the Shadow Pony.
"Dinky! No!" Night yelled out. As soon as thos words were blurted out of his mouth, the sound of a window busting was heard and a streak of gold and blue swiped the filly from the clutches of the beast. Night Gale took action as he took the box once more, wound it up, and slid it across the floor under that Shadow Pony. The box ticked three time before opening up and blasted the being of darkness with a steady beam of light that pierced the roof of the palace and reached the heavens above.
A flash ensued, blinding everypony in the room along with it. When everypony opend their eyes again; there was a hole in the roof, burn marks where the box and Shadow Pony were, the windows were shatterd, and there wasn't a Night Gale in sight. Dinky's eyes started to swell with tears as her foalsitter had disappeared suddenly, suspected to have been placed back in his right time period where he belonged. Lunar Dawn tried to calm the now crying filly as Celestia lowered her head in dispair.
"He was the greatest of allies." Celestia said, a tear dropped from her eye.
"He was the best of friends." Lunar stated with Celestia's comment.
"He-he-he was the best foalsiiter..." Dinky wailed once more after saying her sentence.
"Oh come on! I'm not dead yet!" Night Gale exclaimed, limping out from behind the throne. Bruised and somewhat bloodied.
"That is one heck of a blast, if I say so myself." Before he knew it, he was engulfed in hugs from Lunar and Dinky.
"What happened to the music box?" Celestia asked intently.
"Don't rightly know," Night Gale answered the Princess, still being hugged, "I made sure it would also teleport somewhere far away, hopefully."
"What about the flash?" Dinky asked.
"I wasn;t a flash, an explosion that almost killed me as the box was attempting to teleport out of the room."
The following days were folllowed with repairs of the palace, overwatched by Celestia. the workers had the help of Night Gale and Lunar Dawn. By the evening, Night, Lunar, and Celestia sta near the hole on the palace roof to ejoy a sunset.
"Are you planning to go back to your time now?" Lunar asked Night, looking at him.
"It would be approprate for the Master Guard." Celestia answered for him.
"I'm not a Master Guard anymore. I'm not going anywhere but here, in this time period." Night explained to both of them.
"As you wish, Night Gale." Celestia responded. As to that, Night Gale went on to living in Ponyville, now selling spices and visiting Dinky on days he can, if he's not foalsitting her.
