Nightingale

Twilight paced in the throne room, her friends and Octavia off to one side while in front of her stood a terrified looking Octavian. The guards had been ordered out of the room and the room was silent, the only sound the clip clopping of Twilights hooves on the stone floor of the throne room. Twilight stopped in front of Octavian and gave him a look comparable to Fluttershy’s famous stare.

“So, what you are telling me Octavian is that you KNEW WHY DISCORD WAS ACTING LIKE A CRAZED EVIL MANIAC!”

“Well… not exactly Princess I just had a hunch that Sombra’s horn had possessed him. I had no real evidence one way or the other.” Octavian replied. “And technically you didn’t have the proper clearance to know.”

“I DIDN’T BUCKING HAVE THE RIGHT CLEARANCE!” Twilight yelled the tips of her mane beginning to light on fire and her coat turning white. “I AM A BUCKING PRINCESS OF EQUESTRIA AND I DON’T HAVE PROPER CLEARANCE?!?!?!”

“Well yes only Celestia had clearance to know what the order was up to, she never even gave Luna clearance.”

“And it never crossed your mind ONCE to tell me this, never crossed your mind to tell A PRINCESS OF EQUESTRIA who is currently trying to SAVE EQUESTRIA something like this? Something of vital strategic importance like this? Even if it was just a hunch it could still be important!” Twilight yelled getting inches away from Octavian, their noses touching.

Octavian smiled before leaning in to kiss Twilight, their muzzles locked together as Twilights eyes went wide. A collective gasp was heard from Twilights friends as Twilight returned the kiss, her eyes closing then shooting open wide as she realized what she was doing. Twilight reached up pushing Octavian away with one hoof before whacking him upside the head with the other hoof.

“WHAT THE BUCK OCTAVIAN!” Twilight yelled her face reddening with a telltale blush. “Why did you do that?!”

“Just trying to diffuse the tension!”  Octavian replied before turning to face Twilight “That and you are quite cute when your angry” Octavian said with a wink.

“Wha- What? GUARDS!” Twilight called answered by the sound of hooves on stone “take this stallion to a holding cell! I-I don’t want to see him right now”

“Aww come on Twi! You know that was funny! Oh get your hooves off of me! Come on! You know you liked it!”

“Oh shut up! Be glad that I don’t know how to send you to the moon! Because if I did know you would be eating moon dust right now!” Twilight yelled back in anger.

“Maybe I like moon dust! Huh have you thought of that?!” Octavian replied defiantly, bearing his fangs.

“Well you can find out on the MOON!” Twilight replied, lighting up her horn.

“Um- Twilight?” Fluttershy said trotting up and placing a hoof on her shoulder. “Don’t you think your being a little harsh?”

Twilight looked down at Fluttershy and saw a set of big pleading eyes staring back at her. She sighed before signaling the guards to bring Octavian back, Octavian was smiling as he returned, and shook the guards hooves off of him.

“What Twilight? You miss me already?”

“Um- Octavian… I don’t think that now would be a good time to- um mess with Twilight, she’s not exactly in the mood.” Fluttershy said before Twilight could respond. Twilight just sat behind her literally frothing at the mouth with rage. “In fact I think it might be a good idea to go back to your chambers for the rest of the night.” Octavian smile faded and he nodded before turning and leaving the throne room only pausing to turn his head and stick out his tongue at Twilight who responded in kind. After he left the throne was silent once more, everypony stunned by what just happened.

“Sooooo uh Twilight you and Octavian have a thing?” Rainbow Dashed asked breaking the silence.

“Wha- What! No nonnononononononono no.  Not at all. Never in a million years. uh nope.”

“Yea they totally have a thing. TOLD YOU AJ!” Rainbow Dash responded before collecting twenty bits from Apple Jack.

“Gosh darn it ah thought she was just too bookish for that!”

“Wait you girls BET on my love life? And just what do you mean by that Apple Jack!” Twilight asked unbelievingly. “You know you girls might just join Octavian on the moon if you keep that up!” Twilight said straight faced staring back at her friends who all stood there with their mouths agape. Twilight raised an eyebrow before cracking up filling the throne room with laughter, soon she was joined by her friends and Octavia and for the first time since Celestia’s death she felt happy.

*

Spike found Twilights last letter confusing. He had been receiving a erratic supply of half-finished notes on his way to Dragonia after the main ceremony of her coronation. But after her last letter Go to Everfree the letters stopped, almost as if the magic supporting the connection had died out. It had worried him the entire time he was in diplomatic meetings with Dragonia’s Tzarian Drascour’ Turan and as such he left for Equestria as soon as possible. He had also noticed some weird things along the road to Canterlot, all the villages were deserted and wild animals ran free. At night he heard strange sounds outside of his tent and at time he caught glimpses of strange pony like figures with the heads of Flies or some other deformity. In fact by the time he had reached Canterlot Spike was willing to say he was scared, terrified in fact. So in his terror he resorted to what he did best- following Twilights orders- so instead of heading up the mountain to the shining city of Canterlot he headed towards Ponyville and from there would head into the Everfree.

*

Prince Shining Armor stood by a window overlooking the city, the power of the crystal heart was failing, the faith of the townspeople was fading and in this hour of darkness a rebellion was brewing. A young charismatic leader had arisen from the slums of the crystal city and was calling for the poor to join King Sombra and over throw the oppressive upper class. He believed that a life as Sombra’s slave while hard he would be equal with everypony else, and sadly many had flocked to his cause. The guard had been arresting all ponies suspected of rebel activity but the rebels were still able to gather and set fire to the town hall. The sound of hooves behind Shining Armor made him snap back to reality and turn to face a guard that had just walked into the room.

“Prince the rebels have captured the town square, we tried retaking it but were repelled. We have gathered the citizens still loyal to you and retreated to the palace” The guard said his voice laden with fear.

“Right, any word from my sister?”

“Actually yes, she sent word of Canterlot’s fall to King Sombra. Apparently they have retreated into the Everfree forest because King Sombra has possessed the body of Discord, whose magic cannot work in an area already chaotic. She also says that if you can find a way to reach the Everfree you and your people may reside in her new seat, Castle Defiance.”

“Very well” Shining replied curtly before turning to find his wife. He had thought of an idea that could possibly save their people from King Sombra’s wrath but it was a long shot and he would need Cadance’s help.

*

Luna trotted over the hill her subjects close behind her, in front of her was her destination, the imposing walls of Castle Defiance. When the guards upon the walls caught sight of Luna’s host she raised her banner signaling to the guards to open the gates and allow her through. Soon the gates were open and from them Twilight Sparkle and her friends trotted out to meet Luna and her army. Twilight embraced Luna with a smile before berating her.

“Took you long enough! You scared me half to death! I thought I was going to lose you too!” Twilight said before nuzzling her mentors sister.

“Well if it wasn’t for you none of us would be here right now so I guess I have you to thank for the continuation of our lives.” Luna said seriously before breaking into a smile “By the way congratulations on raising the sun, Celly would be so proud”

Twilight blushed “Well when several hundred lives are at stake I think it comes a little easier!” then Twilight frowned “So how many did you bring with you?”

Luna sighed “Only eight hundred, we lost to many fighting Discords daemons! How many ponies do you have here?”

“Just a little over nine thousand including your forces, Luna with so few we can’t beat him. Twilight replied as tears fell from her eyes. “Only a month after I’m crowned a Princess  of Equestria the entire world goes to Tatarus! I’m supposed to protect Equestria and its citizens and already thousands have died because of my hesitation!”

Luna slapped her with a hoof. “Twilight Sparkle! Do not talk like that! You have done all that you could to protect Equestria!” then Luna embraced the lavender Alicorn “I need you to be strong Twilight, your all I have now.”

*

“You want to do WHAT!” Cadance yelled at her husband.

“Honey you have to trust me, if we use the last of the Crystal Hearts power we can create a portal to the Everfree to meet up with my sister and her army!”

“Yes I understand that but the problem is that doing that would break the shield and would let King Sombra in!”

“That’s why I will be the last one through! I can cast a strong enough shield and buy enough time to get everypony through the portal!”

“I see… Do you think this is the only way? Can’t we just stand and fight?”

“Cadance… Canterlot fell to King Sombra’s horde… it isn’t like before okay? He possessed Discords body, do you get what that means! He has all the malice and hate of King Sombra with all of the god like powers of Discord!” Tears filled Shining Armors eyes “Cadance… he killed Celestia! If we stay here… if we don’t try this… he will kill us all.”

“oh-okay, we will do it at sun up.” Cadance replied turning away from her husband. Shining Armor sighed before lifting her chin to look at him.

“Cadance look at me” Shining Armor said with compassion in his voice “We will make it through this mess, and we will make King Sombra pay for this. I promise.”

*

A knock sounded on Octavian’s door and reverberated throughout his room waking him from his sleep. Sighing he rolled out of his bed and trotted to the door.

“I swear this had better be important! I’m not exactly in the mood right now!” he yelled as he approached the door. His voice caught as he opened it to reveal none other than Princess Twilight with an extremely pissed off look on her face.

“How dare you!” She shouted at him with venom in her voice “How dare you!”

“How dare I what?”

“How dare you!” Twilights eyes softened “How dare you kiss me and leave me all flustered! Defiantly in front of my friends, you made Apple Jack lose twenty bits!”

“Okay um Twi- I am really confus-“ before Octavian could finish Twilight reached in and kissed him, two quick pecks on the mouth before turning from him and trotting out of his room.

“Uh what the buck Twi?”

“And now you know how it feels!” Twilight replied grinning at him before sticking out her tongue and walking away.

“Bucking mares” Octavian said under his breath as she walked away. Before turning and trotting back to his bed.

“Can’t believe I got up for THAT.”