Princess Twilight Sparkle in the Changing of the Night Court

by bejammin2000

Chapter 1

To say that the Night Court was any different from the Day Court of Canterlot was to say that the Orange branch of the Apple clan was different from their Smith cousins on the clan ranch in Ponyville. It was, in effect, the difference between night and day, to turn a pun. This was, of course, brought upon that as matter of fact, a majority of ponies were by nature diurnal, with few exceptional outliers.

But, we are only talking about those that descended from the three tribes that founded Equestria so many eons ago against the threat of Windigo and Disharmony, etc. It was... unknown at the time, but modern scholars don't even bother to talk about what happens when you a pony is reflected in a mirror, darkly.

The pegasi had distant cousins that preferred the dank and dark of caves in mountains during the day, only coming out at night, flying upon leathery wings. The Unicorns dark reflections spent most of their time in crumbling sepulchers, learning things nopony was meant to know, delving deeper into such secrets that a majority of their tribe had some form of madness. And of course, the humble Earth Pony... it too shone against black glass, their dark cousins preferring life in swamps and thick forests, fishing and frogging and foraging.

No one knows why they were not present at the founding of Equestria, but most people ignored that, especially the original leaders of the three tribes. Eventually, however, time marched on and soon the kingdom created by the three tribes found leadership with the Alicorns, Princesses Celestia and Luna, one capable of moving the sun, the other the moon. A feat that took the entire wizardry council of unicorns to do, and with much more accuracy.

So the castle the of the Pony Sisters was built, within the Everfree. Events happened. The banishment of King Sombra and the Loss of the Crystal Empire. The defeat and imprisonment of Discord. And finally... the fall of Luna into the Madness of Nightmare Moon.

But to say that Luna turned into a monster over night is an over simplification of facts. It was a gradual decline. As mentioned earlier in this document, ponies are diurnal. She crafted beautiful night skies and all she had to show of it... were the non-Equestrian ponies to marvel at when they left their caves and their towers and their swamps.

And they were in awe at the handiwork of the goddess of night. And almost as a whole... pledged loyalty to their lunar mistress. It was one thing to be ignored by the masses. It was quite another to have a different mass elevate you higher then the sun itself. And thus the inner workings of Luna's mind clicked into place, like gears turning in a great clock. She had the affection she needed, but she couldn't just leave. She had duties as a princess of Equestria. Duties that she couldn't... would not shirk!

So she waited and she planned and slowly, so slowly, Luna turned into Nightmare Moon. It was supposed to be an ambush. She would overcome her sister's naivety and in one brilliant stroke, become sole ruler of Equestria, bring her loyal subjects as the new ruling caste, and start the promised Eternal Night!

This did not go as planned for the former Princess Luna, as she soon found herself ruminating on the moon about where she went wrong. Was it the fact that she attacked during the day, when her sister's powers were at their peak in an ill thought out attempt to show her superiority? Perhaps it was attacking in the middle of the throne room of the castle, a room which was designed personally by Celestia to offer the best protections to the diarchs in case of attack.

No, no, no... her mistake was one of ill-timing. As the Elements of Harmony, the relics that was used to banish Discord into his stone prison... were being taken out to be polished and cared for under Celestia's watchful eye. Truly this was no fault of her own, on even ground, despite the sun at it's zenith, she would have proved the victor.

Or so she told herself. Every day for a thousand years. Needless to say, when the stars finally allowed the Mare in the Moon to escape her prison on the one thousandth Summer Sun Celebration, she was filled with plenty of hate, a desire for vengeance, etc etc.

A retelling of those events is unneeded. The Elements of Harmony purified Nightmare Moon and returned her to being nothing more then normal, ordinary (for an alicorn, at least) Princess Luna. She was no longer full of hate or anger and she wanted nothing more then the forgiveness of her sister for the wrongs a thousand years old.

Unfortunately for Princess Luna, however, the memories of ponies are long. Especially those that pledged loyalty to Nightmare Moon. So imagine the princesses surprise when she found herself confronted by the Grand Magister of the Magistry of Illuminated Practitioners, the High Captain of what was now being dubbed the Night Guard, the Commander of the Shadowbolts (which she was sure was just something she conjured out of whole cloth to try and bedevil the Element of Loyalty), numerous ponies that over the millennia immigrated to Equestria... even some that were ennobled by the sun princess for great deeds.

"All done in your name of quiet whispers of course." The leader of this group of... Nightmare Loyalists introduced himself as Grand Vizier Stone Cutter. "We have waited a thousand years, my dark lady! A single set back in a single day is no need for concern. If it takes a thousand years again, we shall be by your side."

This of course, was... unheard of to the princess. That the loyal subjects that had sworn their service to her a thousand years ago, had carried on a tradition of loyalty in waiting for her return.

The formation of the Night Court was a direct effect of this cause. A court to rule the night, and for Princess Luna to keep eyes and ears upon her most loyal followers, sinister and wicked they may be.

Which finally leads us to the present...

Grand Vizier Stone Cutter was as regal a pony could be while wearing a ludicrously large turban in midnight blue, with filigreed robes of the same could possibly be. Gathered at the table was Grand Magister Ever Last, the 47th Grand Magister of Illuminated Practioners, Arch-Bishop August Learning, head of the Children of the Moon religious group who recently petitioned right to seat at the Night Court. High Captain Able Body of the Night's Guard. And Commander Shadow Chaser of the Shadowbolts.

"The Moon is high, Brothers and Sister. Night gathers, and I call this Council of Darkness to order!" He clomped his hoof on the table, bringing to order the meeting. "All hail Nightmare Moon!"

"ALL HAIL NIGHTMARE MOON!" The rest of the council had joined him.

"ALL HAIL NIGHTMARE MOON!" So had the guards. With the walls still shaking from the revelry, Grand Vizier Stone Cutter started to speak.

"The first order of business for this Council is a welcome to our new member, Arch-Bishop Learning. We welcome the head of the Children of the Moon to this most glorious position and hope that it brings much to your most vaunted office." He shuffled some papers that floated around him, wreathed in an aura silver/black light. "However, it has been brought to our attention that a minor sect in our most sensible veneration of our Dark Lady seems to have some... interesting beliefs."

The elderly earth pony analog nodded his head sagely. "You speak of the True Nightmare sect, yes? They wish to bring about her ascension and the Eternal Night sooner rather then later. Unfortunately, it has been... difficult to teach them that this will only be decided upon by Herself when She is ready to take what is rightfully Hers." There was a murmur from the Council. It was well known that the defeat of Nightmare Moon was a dangerous blow to their esteemed leader, but they could all see it as she was biding her time. She would need to heal, learn her Sister and her Students ways and hows before bringing forth the strike that would make her sole leader of the lands.

But that was all in due time. They waited a thousand years. They're already three into the next millennium of waiting.

"Our second order of business is what to do about the so called Princess of Magic." Truly to refer to anyone except they glorious Nightmare Moon as anything but their leader and princess was blasphemy of the highest order and avoided at all costs by the Council of Darkness. "It seems that the student of the Sun has ascended to a higher plane of existence, and unfortunately for us, returned more powerful they we could ever imagine. Suggestions?"

More murmuring from the table.

"Why not turn her to the light of the Moon? Yes, she is a child of the Sun, but can we not show her the true glory of the Night? Of the Moon and the Stars? With the so called Princess of Love off in the Crystal Empire, turning away the Sun's student and making her an ally of our Dark Lady would do wonders for our cause." The Grand Magister did make a good point. How hard could it be to convince a single child of the sun the true beauty of the night, the harmony found in evil.

"This is a grand undertaking, Magister. We would need to play it close to our chest. I do not see such enlightenment in our life time." Able Body was a large stallion, but matched his brawn with a calculated brain that was always thinking strategies. "We may have to assign some Night Guard to watch over her, an eye on her in the name of our Dark Lady to make sure she is safe from... undo influence." There were nods from the other Council members.

"All in favor?" "AYE!" "The motion passes. We shall begin the education of Twilight Sparkle. Next order: ... where is the Princess?"

The Princess was not at the council's meeting because there wasn't much she could do. She could tell them all she could Don't be Evil. Try to tone down the absolute wickedness. Sinister is more then just your left hoof.

Of course, the issue with that would be their smiles and responses. "Oh, of course madam! We must make sure that when the blow comes that your sister never see's it coming." Knowing nods of some conspiracy that she was leading but had no control over because she wasn't a member.

She was lounging on a cloud, basking in the light of her moon. "One would think they would understand after three years, but no. I get the loyal ponies that think I'm still Nightmare Moon. If only..." Then she lifted her head. "That's it! Sparkle has had enough friendship reports and is friends with the one that even turned Discord... well, not good, but! Yes! I can have her change the ways of the Night Court! And ease my paranoia." With her plan set in her mind, she flew back to Canterlot Castle, gears in her head already turning as she figured out the best way to get Twilight Sparkle to take her seat at the Night Court meetings. Perhaps it was time to go see Stalliongrad or Prance once more.

And so two plans were set in motion. One play was to use Twilight Sparkle to teach a group... a populace of wicked ponies that friendship is a powerful magic. Whereas the other was that same group that had decided to turn Twilight Sparkle into their staunchest ally through subtlety and deceit most vilely wicked.

What would be the absolute worst that could happen?

Author's Note:

Well, that wasn't so bad, wasn't it? Just some... yeesh. I've had this story in me for the better part of a year and now I'm finally going about and writing it and oh my god I'm writing fanfiction about pastel horses and some of them are admittedly pretty evil.

...

Enough about that. Comment. Review. Whatever, just... be gentle, it's my first time.

Comments

[Europa]

Any tags? Coverart maybe? A good idea, but maybe pretty up the intro page, that's your main hook after all.

[bejammin2000]

I wouldn't know which tags to use. It's not really dark... despite the fact that a group of lawful evil not quite ponies are going to try and make Twilight evil.

And it's not really slice of life, either. Since it's a political drama/comedy.

Hrm. Must look at the tag options and give it another go.

As for cover art... ha. Hahaha. Mine is a sad laff.

[AzureShark]

5047648

I like your ideas for the story. Please do continue.

[SkyBlueSky]

I like your idea and where the storyline is going, and you should add a teensy bit more, as a junior writer would say, "slice of life", maybe to humanize (or ponyize) Luna. I'm upvoting and favorite-ing, don't let me down!

[AzureShark]

5047710

:3 Also I became editor and I agree, GREAT STORY YOU'VE GOT THERE! :3 MY RATING IS 10/10 MOUSTACHES (SO FAR)