The Twilight Struggle

by Lapis-Lazuli and Stitch

Chapter 3 - Waning Moon

Manehatten, Unicorn Square

Under the shine of the bright moonlight, the citizens of Manehatten got down with their pony selves, and amidst them were their very own princesses. Who were also determined to let their hair down and party like there was no tomorrow. Somewhere along the way, Celestia and Luna had both disposed of the royal jewelry and were matching each other in Salt-spiked ciders while the crowd cheered them on.

At one point, Luna had shook her flank at a camera wielding tourist, in what would undoubtedly not become the last incident of the night to scandalize the high society of Canterlot.Yet neither sister cared at that present moment, as each of them drank down yet another mug of the salty brew and grinned at each other. The usual serenity, coolness and tension which always seemed to hover around them was gone with the summer breeze.

Yet far above their heads, as the moon hung pendulous and bright in the air, something was happening - A wisp of a shadow started to crawl across the surface of the moon, slowly changing its shape from its full state. It was subtle, and the ponies below were so focused on their own yearly celebrations that no one seemed to notice...

But somepony did.

The Friendship Express, 11 hours until Sunrise

Shining armor stared up at the moon, having had nothing else interesting to look at, he had been using it to judge the passage of time. So he alone saw the shadow begin to creep along the surface of the moon, slowly darkening it. The very sight caused him to stare in disbelief.

Luna was the sole controller of the phases of the moon, and she never deviated from her schedule. So why as it changing? Even more disturbing, Why was it changing in the middle of the night quickly enough that it seemed to be happening before his very eyes?

Shining did not know. But he knew the time had come for immediate and decisive action. His horn illuminated a bright blue for a brief moment, his satchel opening. HIs magic extracting quill, ink and parchment from the bag. He eyeballed the approach of Tall Mountain, and knew he had precious little time to spare.

Quickly he set quill to paper and scribbled a short, terse note onto it. Then repeated the process with three other pieces of parchment, quickly binding them in the bright blue silk of the Royal Guard and sealed it with a burst of his own magic.

Leaving his written materials scattered onto the train car's table, he shoved open one of the train windows and carefully aimed his horn at the approaching Castle. His face scrunched up in concentration as a pulse of magic built slowly up in his horn.

He could not rush this, he would need all of his strength when he got to Ponyville. Now was not the time to be straining his magic...the moments seemed to crawl by like centuries, until finally he let loose the burst of purple and gold power that streaked off towards the Castle..

Shining Armor might no longer be the formal Captain of the Guard, but those he had left behind in Canterlot would know his signal. He only hoped they weren't all too blitzed on salt or hard cider to notice his emergency signal. Feeling exhaustion in his tense limbs, he sank into the seat and stared at the small pile of scrolls before him.

Hoping beyond hope that he was wrong. that Luna was just partying too hard, that perhaps this was all some big misunderstanding. Yet the tightness in his gut gave the lie to those hopes. So he sat, and he waited.

Canterlot, Royal Guard Headquarters

Commander Spitfire of the Wonderbolts was grumpy.

No, Grumpy was the wrong word. She was furious, pissed off, bucking mad, ready to stovepipe Soarin' in the head for fobbing this duty off onto her. It was the party of the year out there, and it was supposed to be her night off. She was supposed to be down at Pony Joes, enjoying his 24 hour Summer Sun Donut palooza. She should be out letting her hair down and finding some nice colt with stars in his eyes to keep her up all night. She sighed and slammed her forehead against the duty desk.

But no. Of course Soarin would get his left wing injured by pulling that stupid stunt at practice last week. Of course his doctor would insist he had to stay in the hospital under observation, just in case he had any wing seizures. Of course Soarin was surrounded by a gaggle of Fillies who were oh-so-willing to do anything for hime Of course, when he did get back...She planned to put him on an exercise regimen that would drive the damn pony into exhaustion for a month.

So Spitfire, Commander of the Wonderbolts Aerial Show squadron was grumpy tonight. Accompanied only by her last jar of Zap Apple Jam, and a big bowl of freshly picked daisy heads. Well, life could certainly be worse she groused. Grabbing her mug of sweet well water and took a drink just in time to see the bolt of arcane energy flying towards the office window...

The Royal Duty office was a small, cramped affair, the middling sized oak desk dominating much of the room, a large cushioned chair for the duty officer and a row of squat filing cabinets to keep important documents ready for signing. But these things were not what made the office important.

It was the series of large, faintly glowing crystals that pulsed with power, mounted to the upper walls of the office. Each crystal was attuned to a different Royal Guard outpost all across Equestria.Each gem at those outposts could be activated by the commander there in case of an emergency.

Another crystal, smaller, but much like it, sat in the middle of the desk, specially designed to allow instantaneous communication between the duty officer and any of the outposts in need of aid. Right now though, there was a bolt of energy heading straight for the office desk itself.

Spitfire was not the Commander of the Wonderbolts for nothing. Though she lacked a Unicorn's magical prowess, there was not a single pony alive who could match her reflexes. She launched herself mid drink away from the desk and was across the room and out of the door in a heartbeatt. She braced herself against the solid stone wall and waited for the blast....and instead was greeted by nothing more than a flash of light and a sudden echo of sound.

"Royal Guard Headquarters, this is Shining Armor. Is anyone on duty, there? Please, respond!"

Spitfire's jaw nearly hit the floor as she scrambled back into the desk - Floating above the communications crystal was the slightly staticy visage of the formal Royal Guard Captain. She brushed her mane back with a nervous hoof and sat herself down, collecting herself for a moment to speak with her professional Military voice. "This is Commander Spitifre, Go ahead Shining Armor. Why didn't you contact us through the Crystal Empire outpost?"

The voice from the crystal paused a moment in surprise, then continued on. "Commander Spitfire? What are you- Never mind. There was no time to travel to the outpost. There's some sort of threat building near Ponyville. I'm requesting the assistance of the fastest courier you've got. I need to send vital missives to the Elements of Harmony, the Princesses and the Guard detachment just north of the Everfree Forest. I'm en route on a Friendship Express Special. Please advise.."

Spitfire's surprise, growing by the minute, descended into pure panic. Her panic was then ruthlessly locked down by military discipline. Say what you would about the Wonderbolts, when need arose they were just as prepared to fight for their nation as any member of the army.

She quickly scanned the duty roster, dismissing one name after another as being too slow, too likely to be drunk, not fit. She clenched her jaw - The only flyer with the kind of speed they needed was her. Making a decision in the spur of the moment, she grabbed her flight suit with one hoof as she spoke.

"Roger, Shining Armor. I am dispatching now to intercept your train. ETA.." She paused, doing a bit of mental calculation that was vital for any precision flyer, the ability to judge exactly when something would be somewhere, while traveling at a certain speed was as essential to her as her wings. "Ten Minutes - Prepare for tactical landing. Spitfire, Out." A wave of her hoof cut the line of communication even as she pulled her goggles over her eyes.

She quickly fired off a messenger that someone needed to take up the guard post - Not even waiting for her relief, she flung open the window shutters and threw herself out - a blast of her trademark fire in her wake as she beat her wings into the wind, using the long drop from the office to easily pickup speed, adjusting her wingtips to keep herself on a level path and pulling up just a dozen feet from the ground as she rocketed across the countryside towards the Train tracks..

Ten Minutes Later, the Friendship Express.

Shining Armor flung open the rear door of the train as the wind rushed by him - The pulsing bright orange light of Spitfire's flame-trail giving him ample warning for her approach, He pressed himself to the inside wall of the train car as the Wonderbolt pulled a hard right and careened into the back of the train - pulling a stop in less than ten feet that would have made any other pegasus green with envy. Spitfire lifted her goggles and grinned at the half stare of Shining Armor. "What? You thought they called me Spitfire cuz' of my attitude, Captain?" She flicked her tail at him saucily, and quickly trotted over, grabbing the mailbag full of scrolls and pulled it tightly to her side, looking up as a proper courier would do so. "Alright, How d'you want these delivered, Sir?"

Shining armor shook off his shock, the precise, crisp military tone of Spitfire's voice shaking him out of his reverie. He immediately went into Guard Captain mode and stood at attention as he delivered his news. "We need the scroll to the Elements first and foremost. Try to find Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie, they'll able to get the message to Twilight the fastest. Then find Spike, he'll be able to send the letter directly to Princess Celestia. Then send word to the Guard Detachment. Once you've delivered the messages, find Twilight and stick next to her until I arrive. Whatever this is, it's focused on her. "

Spitfire Saluted and grinned cheekily, pulling the goggles over her eyes. "No Worries, Captain grumpy. You can always count on the Wonderbolts!" She pivoted on her hooves and with another blast of flame that left shining Armor's nose just a little bit singed, she streaked out of the rear of the train and towards ponyville, like a comet across the sky, even as the moon above them began to darken a little bit more..

Ponyville, 9 hours until Sunrise.

"An' so I said t'her 'I've got Studying to do you silly filly!' *hic* So buzzoff!"

And the entire table of mares collapsed into a heap of giggles, laughs and back slaps. Rainbow dash couldn't help but marvel at the sudden transformation a couple of salted ciders had on her friend - Twilight had to be a total lightweight, she was totally buzzed even after two mugs. Dash promised herself, despite the fairly potent buzz she herself was nursing, that she had to make sure the poor filly didn't overdo it.

She subtly signaled for a snack at their table, and the Barkeep had a platter full of roasted nuts delivered a few moments later, even as Twilight sparkle was still suffused with the giggles at the end of her story about the day before she'd come to ponyville. Nearby, Rarity just rolled her eyes and sipped daintily at her fancy red wine, determined to drag this conversation back to somewhere respectable.

"Darling, you really must let me have a turn at that mane someday." she gently admonished, a faint brush of magic half brushing Twilight's hair to one side. "I could do so many beautiful things with it, if only you'd sit down with me for a day. I could make you so stylish, all the colts in town wouldn't be able to stop looking at you." And some of the Mares, thought Rarity with a sly sort of smile to her lips - knowing at least two who would find that vision of Twilight to be particularly irresistible.

For her part, Twilight giggled again and leaned against Rairty, her magic holding up a still half full mug of the cider. She took a sip of it and giggled again. "Aw, Rarity...Y'just want to pretty me up for yourself, now Dont'cha?" Twilight grinned as if she had just spoken the funniest joke in the world, as Rarity's cheeks blushed a bright red crimson - embarrassment? Or were her thoughts elsewhere, thought twilight...and she took a long pull of her apple cider as Rarity started stammering out a reply.

"Why, the very Idea Twiligh-" And was suddenly cut off by as pair of lips pressing up against her, salty cider being pushed into her mouth through the sudden onset of the kiss from Twilight Sparkle - the table of mares gawped for a moment...until a blitzed Lyra Heartstrings called out "WOOO! KISS HERRR!" And was suddenly dragged down from the table by a beat-red Bon Bon. Rarity was so shocked by the sudden action, pure instinct took over, and the kiss lingered far longer than the cider had between them - until sense reasserted itself, forcing her to suddenly pull away from the seeking lips, stammering out excuses about getting another drink as Rarity fled the scene to the giggles and laughter of the whole group.

Rainbow Dash included..though Twilight was looking a bit despondent. "Aw...didn't she like it?" She asked in a sort of sing song drunk voice - Enough of proof that Dash knew she had to stop Twilight before the egghead started doing things which would cause rumors.She fluttered down next to her and wrapped a hoof around her arm.

"Alright Twilight, Let's get you sobered up a bit-errruf?!" Twilight had leaned into Rainbow Dash's body and planted another such kiss straight onto HER mouth - Dash becoming far, far more aware of the knowing eyes upon her even as she tried ever so hard not to be seen obviously enjoying a dream she'd been having strictly in private for some time now. She levered Twilight's lips off her and grasped her under her arms, fluttering her up and away from the crowd, who cheered and catcalled the two of them on even as they left the cider vendor, and Dash felt her own cheeks as red as a fresh tomato. She sighed gustily. "Ya had to go and do that NOW, didn't you, Egghead..." She muttered to the giggling unicorn in her hooves, setting her down next to one of the big rain barrels and feeding her a steady stream of fresh, clean water for a few minutes while she scanned the party to make sure no one had followed them in the hopes of getting some kind of show.

A sudden clatter of rubble in a nearby ally sent her zooming over to investigate - spotting a pair of young fillies giggling and fleeing the scene, she flew after them, terrified they were going to go spreading rumors. "Dont you stick your noses in other ponies business, ya hear!" She yelled after them, turning around....to find Twilight already gone, and no sign of her anywhere nearby. "Aw, crap..." She sighed out, wondering what the poor girl was going to get herself into this time.

Edge of Ponyville, 8 Hours before Sunrise

~Twilight...Come to us Twilight...~

"Wh-Who are you?"

The Unicorn's voice trembled - Her head muzzy from salt and sleep, her eyes half in and out of focus as she stumbled towards the edge of town - somehow avoiding everypony else who she might have encountered, each of them moving away, or never resting their eyes upon her. She moved through alleyway and side street, pulled and tugged towards the Forest. Was there a reason she was supposed to go there?

~Yes Twilight, come and play with us...There is so much we can teach you, so much for you to learn..~

Twilight liked learning things. Her hoofs came down more sure now, her speed picking up from a stagger to a quick trot, feeling a surge of strength in her limbs washing away the feeling of fatigue from her body, though her mind remained hazed in exhaustion and dehydration. "I like learning..."

She whispered out, not even sure why she had spoke, nor what she was speaking to. Her logical mind simply could not function properly, short-circuited by cider and a need for sleep..

~So much you will learn, and then you can have a nice, restful sleep - once you learn what you need to learn..~

"Yes...Sleep..Learning.." Her voice whispered again, not entirely there as her hooves carried her towards the Everfree Forest. Towards the voices. Towards the dark shadows which beckoned to her so warmly, so gently...

"Yes...I'm coming."

Ponyville, Ten minutes later

A Blast of fire roared through the skies as spitfire screeched to a halt amidst the crowds of partying citizens - Eliciting a round of enthusiastic applause from the various ponies all around her - She quickly cast her eyes hither and yon, searching for...There! That unmistakable mane of colors, Spitfire galloped towards it...

Rainbow Dash was not normally given to hysterics. But even as she turned, flapping a few feet off the ground, to face where the noise of what had just sounded like an air-burst of fire behind her, her jaw fell to the ground a few feet beneath her, followed by her own flanks hitting the dirt in total, dumbfounded surprise. Surprise that only lasted a few moments for that hard-as-nails parade ground voice to snap at her. "This is no time for sitting around, Recruit!"

That was all it took. Dash snapped back to attention, chest puffed out and head high, like a reflex her voice snapped out in response "Ma'am, No Ma'am! No Sitting around, Ma'am!" She replied, breathlessly, to Commander Spitfire, who she could just tell was glaring at her from behind a pair of Wonderbolts goggles, and breathing heavily, her own wings twitching from extended effort - Dash knew the signs immediately. She had just been going full speed for a fairly sizable distance, before pulling a four point landing with no runway to speak of. Dash unbent from her parade ground snap to feel worry creeping over her. "Ma'am, What's wrong?"

The next words would chill Dash to her very bones, sending her wings stiffly up to her sides as Spitfire lifted her goggles and pulled out what looked like a scroll bearing the seal of the Royal Guard.

"Where is Twilight Sparkle?"

Comments

[Imperium Bedlam]

Why are there no comments? oh well. This story is amazing so far, here's to hoping the rest is just as good.

[DrEggnog]

I'm having a blast. Fire trails in the sky, random kisses, drunk Twilight talking to the voices in her head... Fun stuff.

[shy sad jaded shard]

lol was waiting for her to make a pass at applejack or to have her to ask where big mac was

[MustacheMerlin]

I've seen a lot of 'Twilight gets possessed by evil demons' stories, but I don't think I've ever seen a 'Twilight gets totally wasted and then possessed by evil demons' story before!

[Cheerileeapplebloom]

5513560
What happens in ponyville stay's in ponyville.

[Violet Sky]

5513560

"I got turned into an evil overlord while I was a drunk, giggling idiot."

"But I kissed two mares in a row! That counts for something, right?"

[ParodiaTheSilent]

Imagine being the bastard who uproots the whole damn military force on a gut feeling.

And the n nothing happens.

Granted I'm pretty sure something happens-- can't really remember-- but still.

[Lunas_Sloot]

9791609
Instinct is a powerful thing, & rarely wrong, if you're listening properly. Mistakes happen more often when you ignore it, than when you listen to it.