The Siren's Remorse

by TheronSniper

Ch.11 History Lesson

Ch.11 History Lesson

The last fork and empty porcelain cup laid down softly with the brunch concluded, it was time to stop and be on their merry ways. The adepts awaited to be excused while Twilight packed away her notes she brought, her mind swimming with new avenues to explore that the conversation at the table brought up.

“I believe this ends our meeting my little ponies. I cannot let my own duties get ahead of me.” Celestia announced to the small group as she rose from her throne-like seat padding her muzzle with a towelette.

“Yes Princess Celestia” the Adepts answered simultaneously and bowed humbly still seated.

"I'll be sure to triple check every book and narrow down our research to the best of my abilities Princess!" the lavender alicorn beamed happily.

"I'm sure you will my little pony, just remember to rest and eat properly. I know how you can get during your studies." and with a loving smile, the solar goddess took her leave.

The table soon watched the large equine walk away, her golden shoes clacking on the marble floor elegantly with the guards posted at the nearest door opening for her leave. Already the waiting staff were starting to clear the table while offering to provide crumpets or tea to go for the three still present. Sparkle's mind sorted through the new list of research material, the potential enemies or groups in Equestria to whom needed deep scrutiny to find any connections. It had been awhile since she looked through the subject itself, it was after Tirek’s rise to power which spurred a momentary interest in the banished and exiled. The adepts would assist in her notes on the gemstone and prove its potential as a source of energy to fuel a portal.

“Princess Twilight, do you require us anytime today? I’ll need to give the Arch Mage the news.” Spectrum asked getting up to his hooves.

“Just Twilight is fine, I really don’t like to carry around the title. And yes, if you both need to get things straightened out go right ahead. It’ll allow me to go see the Lunar Guard chain of command before they’re on shift.” She smiled sheepishly at first, and looked to Lapis.

“Understood Prin… umm… Twilight. I’ll be back this evening to look over the spell matrix you copied. Perhaps there are more clues into who might want it?” Lapis took her leave with a bow.

“Excuse me your highness.” Vibrant stood in place as he awaited the expected reaction.

“I thought I kindly asked you two to forego that title? I’m like any other pony here.” She frowned at his error which became clear it was intended but the little giggle he gave.

“Aware of that, I just wanted to get to know you is all. With such an important task bestowed onto us adepts, knowledge of all parties is very beneficial. You live up to your reputation as the most intellectual student of Princess Celestia since Sunset Shimmer before her fall.” He chuckled before taking a quick leave.

“What? How does… Where did you…? Hey, I’m still talking to you!” her demand fell on deaf ears as she realized he was being socially playful.

Left alone to herself for the time being, she departed the dining room with a huff at being messed with as she had. It did not help matters when her mind wondered over the little quip just then. She was use to her friends ruffling her mane or feathers these days, but it was troubling to see the magical Adept be so coy and taking her friendly request far too much to heart. To make matters worse, as she trotted out to the halls a part of her over thinking mind wondered onto the stallion and his friendly demeanor. She never had a stallion be that social with her in such an odd way, it felt kind of nice and she had been to the human world. Thoughts best left locked in a little box and put far away from both levels of consciousness, she shook her head and clean it for the work ahead.

“I have a crisis to avert, no time for inappropriate day dreaming.” She chastised herself before teleporting to the office of Stellar for her first stop.

Located in the inner depths of the Palace, most Night Guard officers remained on location for immediate response situations especially after the Changeling invasion and Tirek's rampage. Their office and quarters were next to each other to simplify their routines and availability, lit solely by a few well placed lanterns and oil lamps. Here, only a few Thestral guards patrolled since most were somewhere at rest or training from what she could assume.

On the outside of the door, it looked like any other as a single white wood entryway with gold lacing and Celestia’s mark dead center. Only there was an out of place symbol for Luna stamped onto the red ochre frame. With Luna still learning about being apart of Equestria again and governing its entire micromanaging splendor, much was not done to rightfully include her back into society on a formal sense. It would likely take a few more years before the treasury found it in the budget to have her newly acquired stations bear the moon properly and replace old ones.

Twilight knew she wasn’t at her best, having been a few days with little sleep. She saw this as better option of her time than rest, an interview with a high ranking Thestral couldn't be pushed aside for the little things. Something current scholars failed to capitalize on once Luna returned reformed by the Elements, the history and culture that stayed in the shadows. The Night Princess had brought a new tribe back from its reclusive tendencies, and now Sparkle would be the one to bring them into the light. Such a scarce tribe they were, not one truly seen on the streets like other ponies.

A quick knock here and there on the apple wood door received an answer by Stellar’s voice. The sound a drawer closing shut and small objects rolling around slightly muffled through the wood barrier.

“Doors open!” she beckoned from within.

Pushing the door open Twilight poked her head in first out of courtesy, “Sorry to drop in on you like this, do you have a moment to talk for an moment?”

“Of course Princess, my office and sleeping quarters are open to you whenever you like.” The commander smiled as she sat behind her desk looking as exhausted as her.

The female Thestral did not have her armor equipped, giving the appearance of being so approachable compared to when they first met with the viciousness of an elite soldier. A reason Twilight wanted to gain more knowledge into her tribe, to dispel such ideas of these ponies being nothing but warriors of the dark from their secretive behavior. That belied their pony nature like any other such as herself or even her friends.

“Thank you very much, I promise I won’t be in your mane for long. I just came to discuss some good news actually.” Twilight waltzed in fully as she followed the bat pony’s wing pointing to the cushion before the desk, the door closing of its own accord.

“Ohh, do tell princess, if I know anything that can help I’ll add to your reference.” Her golden draconic eyes gazed softly at the curious princess as if she had woken up not long ago.

“Please, just Twilight, being called Princess all the time… its rather too much for me to be use to it yet. I'm no where near Princess Celestia or Luna's level much less Princess Cadence.” She asked with a light nervous chuckle.

“Sorry ma’am, protocols and regulations do not permit me to do that, especially in my rank and file. Though I guess I can be subtle with it. Please, continue.” The Thestral seated in her own cushion seat used her right wing to hook a sprig of some green herb from a nearby earthenware saucer.

“I… guess I can understand. Well I can begin with the siren gem and its use as a possible invasion weapon into Equestria. I had a breakfast meeting with the princess and two high level Adepts from the Scholar Arcana. Those Adepts managed to clear up the issue with the gem I altered. We have no fear of it being used to open a portal into this world thankfully, but that's assuming the stone holds the same quality as even the finest capacitor gem.” Twilight noticed the short peak of interest before the rest of her news earned a sigh from the officer.

As she took a bit of the herb speckled with small electric blue flower buds, “The Night Watch will be pleased to know their shifts can be doubled down with that discovery. Though I am troubled by the assumption, I'd say it would be as if we're comparing a standard issue mana bomb to the conventional M.T.H.M.B.?”

The scent of mint, pepper, and rosemary wafted from her breath and into Twilight's nostrils pleasantly refreshing and curiously enjoyed.

“If it eases the soldiers I’d be more than welcome to send you any new developments of what we find. It turns out the gem does not have enough power to do more than just splash both universes with a momentary portal. The hole itself wouldn’t be able to send much of anything other than a marble at best. They’d need a fully intact gem with a full store of dark magic and likely more than a single gem to actually maintain the gateway for more than a few to actually enter our plane. They are under armed as it would seem, but again that's assuming we know the molecular structure of the siren's stone to truly safely say this.” Sparkle took out her notes from a pouch attached to the base of her left wing and gave a few from Lapis to the commander.

A quick scan gained a few nods from Stellar, as she set down the herb in her wing’s tarsal, “I’ll make a copy and pass this along to the sub division of Nocturnal Ordos. It’ll be good to run exercises just in case this happens in the future mind you.”

“By all means, though if I could ask. What are you eating that smells so unique?” Twilight stared at the half eaten sprig of soft bumpy leaves.

Aileron rose an eyebrow at the question before looking to the flora she placed onto the plate. She hadn’t really taken her medication before another pony before, but there was nothing odd in answering the question. It wasn't some witchcraft to be using medicinal herbs to cure ailments.

“That is actually a strain of sage, I eat it for the inflammation from my wounds I’ve sustained while on duty to the crown. My position allows me to be on the front lines with my most capable guards when the hooligans raise their ugly muzzles. So after magic heals the majority of my injuries, I use herb medication for any lingering after effects.” She gestured to her ribs where the fur was light and thin, clear evidence of the damage from fighting.

“Are those recent?” Sparkle wondering if there were battles her friends and her were oblivious to.

“Nah, I gained these years ago before I came into this office. Back then, there were far dangerous foes lurking in the shadows, plotting to do who knows what. They did leave parting gifts for me to enjoy however, just a minor inconvenience is all.” Stellar answered as she copied the notes onto a scroll once Twilight took enough of a gander at her battle trophies.

“I think I know somepony who’d love to meet you, she’s a shamaness from abroad and uses natural medicine for medicinal application and cures that even my library in Ponyville couldn't provide. If I could ask though, why do other ponies see so little of the thestrals in public? I honestly don’t have many books on your tribe, but if you’d be alright with it, I could publish at least one for educational purposes.” She jumped on the opportunity to say her peace.

Stellar dropped her attention to the scroll as if something pricked her plot, “I’m sorry I’m not sure I follow?”

Sparkle winced before saying more, “If it’s okay that is, I’d like to know more about your tribe in hopes to bring awareness of you since thestrals have been taken as Luna’s standing force. I didn’t want to let an incident occur in ponyville not long ago occur here too. It would be rather unfair to let the chance pass itself.”

“I see… while your intentions are just, I’m afraid I cannot answer questions that would shed light upon us for others to know. We’re a breed who utilize the darkness to hunt, beneath the moon all is our ward from the malicious who would strike then. If we were studied, our fighting capability would be halved with our knowledge for all to see.” Her statement deflated the bookworm who had high hopes at a dissertation.

“Well if you’re sure, this is exactly why I wanted to write about the thestrals. We know so little about you… but if it’s for a strategic purposes in information denial to the... enemy, then I can understand the classified nature.” The alicorn put away her miniature quill, ink well, and scroll sheets she had manifested before her moments ago.

Shaking her dull grey blue furred head, “Your Princess Twilight Sparkle, so I am obliged to answer any questions you have. My only restriction that is by Princess Luna’s order, is to keep anything you hear private and for your ears only. If you can agree to that, we can move on with this conversation.”

Her ears perked up, “Well if the Princess title gains me valuable knowledge, I’d be happy to oblige. Pinkie Promise to never tell another pony of your tribes inner workings.”

The two eagerly delved into the basics of the common thestral, who lived in the cave network of Canterlot Mountain. Their entire micro economy, culture, and fighting styles that benefited Equestria were laid before the young princess. All of which she refrained painfully from writing down. The painstaking job she willingly took for her own personal library however yielded when something about the shadow agents came up.

“And thus, my clan aided the princess after her majesty’s banishment in hopes we could be there when Princess Luna returned on that fateful night... our one true princess by birthright. We lived amid the crystal caverns away from the light of day, and scour under moonlight for the agents of shadow who seek another vessel to inhabit their dark gods. Ever since then, we've found countless bases of lesser warriors and rooted out their caches like the terrorists they are. Tis why you and all other ponykind do not see us for the most part, we work hard for the many to live happy.” Stellar finished as she pulled out yet another sliver of leaves from a canvas pouch.

“I never knew… so much history yet to be told! It’s a shame it will never be for the public to know, I’m pretty sure I could write an entire section no... Wing on what we covered over this hour so far. Though if I may ask, what is that your eating now?” Twilight picked up the smell of a rather earthy tone with a minute amount of fresh cut grass.

A dull look of surprise and perked up ears, Stellar looked at her guest and then to her loose leaf tea, “Oh this? It’s called Yerba Mata, from the tropical regions and mountains. A chaser for the sage, that peppery aftertaste can get annoying when I get a flare up.” She responded while shredding the foliage with the prehensile talon of both her wings.

“Do you eat it?” Sparkle once again curious of self treating plant medicaiton, something she’d set time aside later to add into the Crystal Castle’s archives.

“No and yes, I’m going to brew it in a few minutes and drink the steeped water. I felt you would have more questions for me, and this contains a tolerable dose of caffeine. This will allow me to still sleep later of course, its not like that other bean most ponies brew for their mornings. Too strong for my tastes and way to acidic.” She stuck her tongue out and shook her head in disgust.

It then dawned on the young alicorn that she was likely cutting into the commander’s resting period before her next shift. If she finished her interview soon, the commander would likely achieve a good seven hours sleep, an appropriate amount the Canterlot science community has long promoted for good health.

“Then I won’t be much longer, I’d hate to affect Luna’s Guard in such a manner. You spoke of these ‘agents of shadow’, who are they? Do you think they might have something to do with the third party in the other world?” Twilight’s inquisitive look spread across her face again.

Aileron halted in her machinations on the soon to be beverage brew, looking lazily to the partially torn vegetation. As if searching for something before allowing her mouth the right to talk. Another part of history she recollected through the fogginess of fatigue.

“I’ve always understood the demons were the ones who tricked Princess Luna into becoming Nightmare Moon. Yet, you speak of these agents as if they were a faction in themselves, not to mention demons are below tartarus to never come back again.” Sparkle added.

A long pause permeated the twenty foot cubic spaced office, something had struck a chord in the Thestral. Twilight looked around with a bit of anxiousness in the situation, feeling further inquiry wouldn’t be appropriate while the mare was in her musings. Instead, she let her eyes roam the room where to her right were filing cabinets and a box of papers perched topside. Thestral language tagged the cabinets several sliding drawers which for now was alien to her until she'd acquire the knowledge to read and understand it. The storage piece for then would remain unknown, so her vision tracked to the back corner right were the entrance to what was likely a closet or her bedroom quarters. The wall behind the desk had no paintings or posters that were common place among solar guard officers, instead trophies and citations for performance and beyond the call of duty proudly hung for visitors to gawk at. If the scars were anything to go by, these certificates and encased medals cemented them in official records. The military history of this mare was one she herself did not wish to ever be put into, it seemed far too dangerous even in the light of the evil she and her friends time and again brought down. Somehow, Stellar fought a different foe to the harmony and friendship of the land, and one who had no fear to seriously hurt or end a life. How a mare could fight as she had with tooth and nail as it seemed, it was both an enlightening moment as well as a dark one.

Shaking the grim thought, Twilight saw to her left a quaint little kitchenette glass door shelf which contained a variety of herbs, potted plants, and teas. Her medicine cache most likely, and with large drawers below the officer likely had a good supply for immediate needs. The only thing that really remained, the lantern above the two of them, flickering brightly as a weak star in Luna's night sky.

Having taken the room into memory, the element of magic figured she should avoid the topic with Stellar for all intents and purposes. Only the traumatized reacted to discussion and topics like this, and it was likely some form of post traumatic stress disorder the Solar Guard would never see unless they patrolled the everfree border.

“I have to go, the Adepts will be meeting with me soon and I…” she stopped when the leathery winged pony locked gazes with her, those golden eyes freezing her in mid sentence.

Those yellow orbs, they shone like golden bits yet wore no luster of happiness or joy. They held a spirit who had been through much in their years of life, and they commanded with respect and awe if not a twinge of outright power. Fluttershy's gaze could only be equated to it, the willpower of one dominating the other even if accidental.

Stellar sighed and went about brewing the freshly cut up mata as if the moment never happened, “There is what the day ponies know, and the truth which only my tribe and Princess Celestia are privy to. You’re a princess now, so it’s only right to include you into more of what Princess Luna has likely touched on about her mother’s actions against the demon race. To who the Agents of Shadow are and what they stand for, why we fight them and draw our blades to our own citizens.”

“You saw her leave that night, she doesn’t have many ponies to trust in other than her own sister.” Sparkle looked down at the reality of Luna’s world, how simple of it was she able to think her troubles were really of acclimating to the times.

The officer pulled a drawer to her right open and extracted a small fire stone, then placed it in a thick granite cup. She added pieces a blue gem that had been shattered prior, which combusted upon contact. The chemical reaction set about lighting a low fire which fluttered as it was covered with a small grill to suspend an earthenware teapot which she then added the tea with water to. That same draw Twilight deduced was the tea drawer for all the needs, from cooking to the implements.

“Touching along the subject is fine, but it’s when we’re having to really consider it all again. Those vile constructs… its rather difficult to speak of.” The mare left the water to boil as she sat facing her guest.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I’m content to see anything in the archives.” Twilight asked.

“It's better from somepony who’s fought them. You know the demons and their past crimes upon this world, but you don’t know their species in its many forms. Demons still live among us but only as immortal spells if you will. Two variants exist which one affected Princess Luna, the Saandie and the Nightmares. Nightmares are the ones who were caste by corrupted mages of old equestria and liches, but were stopped before the spell was completed usually interrupted by the forces of good. Those which had enough magic had manifested themselves into our world which were mindless at first, but they had a directive which coincided with their nature. They were a spell to curse a victim until they broke free from the dark hold, feeding on the negative energy and in turn empowering their victim to great lengths to destroy their lives as maniacs seeking to conquer their fellows.” Stellar soon heard the faint whistle of the teapot nearing completion.

“I don’t know too much of the old ways of magic casters, but I did cover the fall before the demons exile. I can’t believe how magic today is so pure compared to then just because of the influence of a race so vile.” Twilight looked hurt by the very idea that friendship back then was so fractured and almost nonexistent.

“Yes.. quite… back then ponies who disliked each other. If you had the bits and knew the right ponies to contact a fell mage. You could easily pay them to break and ruin your rival and be there to pick up the pieces. The downside to these rouge spells came when enough of them had be created, the inquisition at the time had hunted down those driven from the path. Those unfinished spells amassed in the dream realm and formed what we know as Nightmares and could wink in and out of the dreamscape into reality. A mass of dark magic which seeks only to find the most powerful and slowly drive them crazy with whispers and promises that were lies and deceit. You know what happened to Luna…" Stellar shook her head at the sour facts, "Then you have the Saandie, a tamer version of the Nightmare spell. These are solely curse based and if you broke the spell caster in mid progress, Saandie just dissolved along with the dark magic. However, once a curse is placed, it becomes sentient in itself and feeds off the host until it is rebuked by sheer willpower or they are a unicorn with the right spells. Their most powerful quality that made them the most effective assasination weapon of choice to toppel lords and rulers came with their ability to tear away memories. Like Mundog Far plants, they root themselves into the victim and essentially remove memories such as past meetings to even the ability to breath, the worst cases were said to leave ponies in vegetative states dying from inaction. Though that is not to say... that ponies were the only ones to fall to that hex.”

“Wow… so how are they demons if I may ask.” Sparkle was scraping the wood floor with the hardest urge to write everything down, but she forced herself to wait until it was found in the classified books.

The teapot reached its maximum temperature, calling the commander away from the conversation. Using her wings and forelimbs, the pot was handled with a rag and taken off the alchemical burner. Placed upon a coiled cloth coaster, she used her right hoof to balance the hot liquid container as she moved back to the desk. Setting it gently in place, Stellar withdrew two small teabowls from the still opened desk drawer for both of them to use. Taking the liberty to pour the tea for the Princess and herself, she answered the question with no enthusiasm in the words as if she sounded defeated.

“Demons of yor were tangible as you or I, they took on many forms but had none themselves, ever hear of Schrodinger's Cat? Only what their prey wanted to see and truth be told, I don’t think if we could comprehend them that we’d want to see their true bodies. Before their exile by the two sister’s mother, the glorious Queen Faust, some demons found it fun to turn themselves into spells to be forever used to cause pain and suffering to others. In turn, they’d were able to feed and nothing could actually harm them. So long as magic exists, so did they essentially attained immortality and invulnerability. You could hide the curses from prying eyes, but they will manifest into new ones years later so long as the names of the demons could be remembered and summoned by fell forces. They are a latent virus hidden in the nervous system, inescapable and untouchable. Because of this, there are sects of unicorns and other magically capable beings who commune with these demons and seek to utilize them to this very day. They want the promise of power, and in turn fall to the demons influence without knowing.” The Thestral pushed the steaming hot blue teabowl close to Twilight with her left wing.

“How is this a secret? You’d think society would know of them by now!?” the lavender pony scoffed at the compounding knowledge of such a thing to exist.

“Celestia and even the great mages before her, maintain a covenant with us thestrals. Our keen senses can detect when certain types of spells are being enacted. You were wrong to assume we are not in the public’s eye, we’re very much out there in full numbers. Night Guards scower villages and large cities for the magical signature and cover it up before it becomes a problem. It also helps that those whelps are too stupid to actually form much of a command structure, much less an organization. As for keeping this a secret, that would be the Arcana's will.” She laughed, breaking her rather bleak mood.

Breathing relief and joining the mirth, “What becomes of those who are involved? The victims? I’m assuming when they use the designated spell, its targeted right?”

With a sip of the unsweetened earthy tea, “Yes, at first it was Nocturne the Elusive who handled the cases. In many instances, the demon users are kept under lock and key with inhibitors upon their magic. Those they sought to harm are given a special memory purge spell only high level unicorns or alicorns can use. It frees them from the curses, though in the case of Saandie, those are sentient and sentient by the means of the one who hired the caster in the first place. Ponies that pay for a Saandie can talk, act, and manipulate within the dreamscape of the victim through the apparition. Those ponies are relocated and rehabilitated if they were not harmed too badly, lest the psychiatric wards be their new home.”

“I can’t understand why any pony would want to harm another so… so… so viciously! Even in today’s society no less…” the hot tea wasn’t bitter but it made her scrunch her muzzle, turning her offense into a cute little moment.

“Sorry about that, I usually like it bare. Here, put some honey in it to take off the top.” A container was brought to the desk top containing the sweet amber and a honey wand to apply.

“Having it like that seems to fit your type, no offense.” Twilight cringed when she let her mouth run.

“No offense taken, I’ve read that science journal about black coffee drinkers. I guess though when you hunt demons, you kind of have to be a bit of a psychopath to make it harder for them to dig into your skin.” The commander giggled as she put away the honey once it was no longer needed.

“I’m going to skip some important questions because it is getting late for you. Would there be a chance that somepony or something who knew about Saandie or Nightmares be in the other world. With the gem?” she drank deeply from the ceramic cup once the sweetness filtered in.

Aileron gave a deep thought look, then shook her head, “I’m sorry, it’s been too long of a day for me to properly remember. I’d have to run it by the Clan elders to see if they might know, I was never big on the stories of old unless they had something to do with my job here. My apologies Princess. You'd probably get information from the Arcana, since they were the ones who first started to use the banishment spells back when they were little more than a guild. I'm sure they have records still.”

“Please, it’s alright, but if you do come across anything do let me know. We’re grasping at strings from here on out, but I'll talk to the adepts about it. Anyways, thank you for your time and your lovely tea. I feel rejuvenated! I’ll have to ask Zecora if she has any. Goodbye Commander Stellar.” Twilight stood up and magically put the empty cup onto the desk.

“Have a good afternoon Princess Twilight. I will report to you with anything new.” She saluted and watched as her office became quiet once again.

The lulling ticking of the clock in her quarters started to echo into the office. While mare looked off into space, the ticking allowed her to focus her nerves. There was enough just cause to consider a fell mage had gotten into that world, but the lack of magic there was comforting. Yet they knew so little of the human world as a whole, it was hard to feel safe that whatever the princess experienced was at all the representation of the entire planet. She’d have to keep an eye on any activity by the shadow agents, no telling if they’re trying to bring back some god or warlock back the peaceful homeland.

Comments

[Lucid Dream the Mule]

I really enjoyed this exposition about the thestrals, and how it gives a plausible reason as to why ponies don't see too many of them. The thestrals are essentially the black-ops of Equestria.

[TheronSniper]

7788587 I'm glad you enjoyed the take I had on them, they have a role to play in the story as it goes into book two.